This novel might be the BEST book for summer reading EVER. It’s fun, it’s entertaining, and it takes place in an idyllic tourist town that thrives during the summer season. It also revolves around a whodunit-style mystery plot that genuinely had me guessing until the very end. And although this is very definitely a Young Adult novel, it will have no problem appealing to adults too. I’m not a huge YA reader myself and I adored the characters and the story.
The story starts off with Hart, a teenager who has lost pretty much everything and washes up in Fairy Falls, the idyllic town mentioned above. Hart’s only living relative, his Aunt Gertie (who is so awesome, one of my favorite characters), owns a huge blueberry farm and lives in Fairy Falls and agrees to take him in once she finds out his mother, her niece, was murdered the previous year. That’s where the intrigue starts. There’s a killer on the loose in Fairy Falls and they seem to be targeting Hart’s family and anyone related to them, as well as people related to Diana MacGregor, one of the first friends Hart makes in Fairy Falls and the daughter of the town’s mayor. That’s all I’ll say about the plot, because I don’t want to include spoilers, but suffice to say that the mystery includes a lot of unexpected twists and turns, and also moments of hilarity that balanced the suspense nicely.
This is the second book I’ve read by this author and one thing I want to note is that I really appreciate this writer’s positive energy. Both of the novels I’ve read by her left me feeling good and made me laugh and smile throughout reading them, even though there are also moments of wondering if the characters are going to make it through. Blackflies and Blueberries really is the perfect beach read because it’s engaging but also relaxing. I came away from this book feeling lighter and also like I definitely want to check out the first book in the series (although this one can be read as a standalone novel, no problem).
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary YA, YA fantasy, mystery, suspense, and action/adventure. It hits the sweet spot on all counts across these genres.
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