Actual Rating: 3.5⭐

We Were Warned is a thrilling mystery that opens with a gripping premise.
From the very start, I was captivated by the haunting idea of a cursed beach resort where all who enter are doomed to die.
The author successfully creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that intensifies every time the characters set foot on the cursed site.

I particularly enjoyed the investigating part. Eden’s determination to uncover the truth behind her friend’s death stood out, as she diligently follows each clue and even team up with her tormentors to solve the murders tied to the resort—some dating back 20 years.

While the plot is intriguing, the pacing felt uneven at times—alternating between fast and slow.
Additionally, I struggled to connect with the characters due to the sheer number of them, which occasionally felt overwhelming and confusing.
The romance, while cute and charming, didn’t add much depth to the primary mystery.

Overall, while it wasn’t exceptional, it was still an enjoyable, quick read.
The action-packed ending, filled with surprising twists—especially the epilogue—stood out as a highlight in this fast-paced mystery thriller.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: bullying, murder, death, violence, stalking, brief mention of suicide and grief.

This was such a suspensful read, the darkness and secrets of Fairport Village kept me invested and had me hooked and kept me guessing.

Chelsea Ichaso delivers a gripping YA murder mystery in We Were Warned, a story packed with secrets, suspense, and high-stakes twists that keep readers on edge.
The novel follows Eden Stafford, who reluctantly attends an overnight party at the abandoned Fairport Village, a place shrouded in dark legends. When a student is found dead, Eden and her long-time tormentors must work together to uncover the truth and survive the deadly stranger stalking them.
Ichaso masterfully weaves a tale of tension and intrigue, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. The atmospheric setting of the abandoned resort adds an extra layer of eeriness, making this book a must-read for fans of thrillers and mysteries.

I quite liked this book until it came to the reveal, which seems to be the case lately. This is a pretty solid book, and while I didn't guess who the killer would be, I still had fun with it which is the most important part.

I'll definitely read more from Ichaso in the future!

Really enjoyed this, quick paced, lots of twists and turns, doesn’t focus too heavily on over describing and drawing away from the mystery itself which is in itself really well done and unique. The ending was unexpected and the additional ending was super unexpected and a great addition.

If you show me a YA thriller with dying teens I will be the first to show up and the to leave, when I got approved for this i was BEYOND excited and it didn't disappoint.

The mystery of the story was laid out very well with some spooky, almost supernatural moments that kept me on my toes. Whilst I did have the plot twist figured out getting there was great fun and still had many "what if i am wrong" moments, I did find the ending believable and did leave me wondering.. could there be more to this story 🤔

A super fast paced YA thriller that will entrap and entertain

Thank you to Sourcebooks UK and Chelsea Ichaso for this ARC. I found it a very enjoyable teen thriller, I did find some of the themes a bit darker than I expected though so I’d recommend it to ages 16+

I found the storyline very intriguing and the mystery was laid out well. The resolution was believable and satisfying. There were quite a lot of characters to follow but I did find the main 4 or 5 were well fleshed out and easy to separate.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a teen slasher, or a murder mystery!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A fast paced mystery that will keep you on your toes. While I quickly guessed the plot points, the execution was interesting and the final plot twist left me astonished! A recommendation to those that want a story that will entrap you.

3.5 stars

My sincere thanks to NetGalley, Chelsea Icaso, and Sourcebooks UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

There's something strange in the ruins... everyone in the small town of Fairport knows the legend of the vengeful ghost claiming lives of careless teenagers. Eden Stafford knows it, too, but still she decides to accompany a friend, Henry, and help him with his documentary. It goes very wrong though. There's a body, then another... Is the curse real? Or is someone trying to bury an old secret? Reluctantly, Eden joins forces with a group of her former friends who essentially made her a pariah after her dad had been accused of embezzlement and vanished. Amon them Caleb, once a crush, now Eden's nemesis. Will the group be able to uncover the truth and escape from danger?

I'm very tired of two devices vastly overused in building a plot. The first one is no-communication. Two people consider themselves mortal enemies because at the time neither of them asked for a clarification and both “just assumed”. A simple question “hey, why have you done this and this” and the problem is solved. I get it, teenagers, they rather die than humiliate themselves, but come on, when we are supposed to learn how to communicate if not in our youth? Lots and lots of relationships suffer because people do not talk with each other. Normalize communication, please!

The second one is pathetic young sleuthing. They conduct their own investigation, because police, of course, cannot be trusted, but they are wrong literally every step of the way. The plot is advancing by jumping from a wrong suspect to another wrong suspect til the very end. It's tiresome and like I said before – overused ad nauseam.

Sadly, “We Were Warned” has both of these tropes. So it's a no from me. That being said, if one is not bothered with the things I listed above and expects a fun little YA thriller, the book delivers, no problem.

#WeWereWarned #NetGalley

A fast-paced thriller for teen readers that relies heavily on their ability to ignore the obvious.
Everyone in the area has heard the legend of Fairport. Home to the brutal killing of Nicolas Blackmore at the hands of his mother, the town has remained deserted as people are convinced the ghost of Mrs Blackmore haunts anyone who dares to set foot inside. Over the years a number of students have met grisly deaths, and now there’s talk of a new resort being built on the area the senior students are determined to visit one last time.
Unfortunately, one ends up dead and then those close to him are convinced they’re being haunted. A second death and things start to seem more suspicious. Could there be someone else using the rumours to hide their nefarious deeds?
Of course there is.
We have a range of suspects…and we’re not given their identity until the last possible minute. Aside from thinking they are crazy to do what they do, this was entertaining though not necessarily memorable.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication. If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for approving me to read this book. I’m rating 4.0 stars.

There’s just something about YA mystery/thriller that is too good, I started this book and couldn’t stop devouring the pages.

I will say some aspects of the story were predictable, but this lured you into thinking you know more than you actually do. This is a multilayered mystery with clues to follow and a tragic past to dig up. There’s some strong friendship connections and wrongs to right relating to these friends, I also liked the sideline romance that was developing while everyone was scared for their lives.