Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

Reviewed by Grace H.
Grade 11

Do you know exactly where you'll be in a few years? 

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest, is a heartwarming coming-of-age novel that follows a high school senior on the brink of adulthood. This new young adult novel provides disability representation through its smart and hardworking protagonist.

Euphemia (Effie) Galanos has been researching colleges with her mom since the beginning of high school, but as a senior, Effie is starting to think that the perfect college for her isn't on her mom's master spreadsheet. She has secretly researched the perfect match for her: Prospect University in the heart of New York City. However, when Effie visits the campus with her parents, she realizes that the school might not be the best fit after all.

The campus is not very wheelchair accessible, and neither is the city. How can Effie prove to her parents that she can live on her own when she can't even board the subway herself? Throughout her senior year, Effie experiences the traditions of senior year with her best friends and her classmate Wilder, who might even be more than a friend. Effie will face tough decisions at the end of her senior year, with many opportunities to choose from.

Effie is a strong and determined main character. She is smart, kind, and not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. It was eye-opening to learn more about the struggles of people with disabilities, and it made me realize how much of the world is not accommodating to wheelchair users. I enjoyed following Effie on her journey throughout her senior year. The story tells of highs and lows, and Effie perseveres through it all. Effie showed growth throughout the story as she became more willing to stand up for herself and the equal opportunities that she deserved. I thought that her character was written very well, as was the romance subplot. Wilder was a well-written love interest for Effie, and I thought their interactions felt genuine. I did find the plot line to be predictable, but that is common with coming-of-age stories. I also felt that there were some strange jumps in the timeline, where a chapter would end abruptly and pick up in a different part of the year without much transition.

Overall, however, the strong female lead and uplifting story made this an enjoyable read. It was also educational, and I learned many new things about disabilities. I recommend this book, especially to high schoolers looking towards the future. It teaches lessons of dedication and confidence, and I (as a junior in high school) enjoyed the morals taught about college admissions. There won't be a perfect school, but the best choice is one where you can see yourself thriving.

Someone Is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong

Reviewed by Phoebe N.
Grade 11

In Someone is Always Watching, by Kelley Armstrong; Blythe, Gabrielle, Tanya and Tucker have always been in a tight-knitted friend group, living an ordinary life. Things started getting disturbing and unpleasant when flashbacks and nightmares started to appear more frequently. It escalated rapidly when Gabrielle was found covered in blood next to their dead principal, unable to recall what happened. Crevices full of secrets and memories unravel between their friendships that eventually threatens their trust, relationship, and lives. “How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?”

The plot and storyline of this book are quite intriguing although in some scenes, it does get tacky and a bit corny, especially the characters’ thoughts. The prologue starts off with a memory of the first time Blythe met Tucker, introducing the good girl and bad guy trope and highlighting a sense of temptation even within those who are exceptionally fastidious and always abide by rules.

Chapter one begins with Blythe noticing something was off with Gabrielle; it wasn't until her big breakdowns around security cameras that eventually became alarming to everyone else. Repeatedly, Gabrielle would yell and scream at the school's security cameras while trying to dismantle them with inevitable aggression. “They’re always watching,” she would choke out. All the while, Blythe was receiving emails outside of the school’s server under the alias Veritas, Latin for truth, detailing a case linked to an eight-year-old boy committing a murder on his little sister’s tutor.

Slowly over the course of this book, many other characters within the friend group start reliving their memories and discovering the real truth about their school, and even themselves. Old and new relationships are formed, filled with action and romance.

The book includes perspectives from different characters involved, but mostly from Blythe’s point of view. From my experience, Blythe’s chapters and POVs were much more enjoyable compared to others because they seemed more rushed, whereas Blythe’s perspectives were more in depth.

TRIGGER WARNING: There are mentions of childhood traumas, child neglect, abuse, sexual harassment, murder and suicide. Please be aware if those topics trigger sensitivity or discomfort.

Some chapters end ominously, which could lead to confusion considering the switch in perspective and having two different events happening at once but at different locations. The pace of this book in the first 150 pages is quite a slow burn but the last 150 pages were eventful and full of surprises, picking up the pace.

Emotionally, this book was very descriptive, emphasizing the importance of friendship which sometimes overpowered family relations. I genuinely enjoyed it as a quick pick-me-up book for the summer. On the contrary, the last few chapters were a bit disappointing because plot twists and surprises were already revealed several chapters back. This leads to repetition of revealed secrets, making it less exciting and more of an annoyance.

Someone is Always Watching is an easy young adult fiction novel, with not much physical violence but more emotional distress. Kelley Armstrong did a good job regarding the prologue and being able to hook the readers but some of the corny and tacky writing could minimize to appeal more to an older audience. However, if you’re into mystery novels that are on the less violent spectrum, this novel may be for you. There is a hint of romance that lingers within most of the book but doesn’t get explored until towards the end. Those who enjoy One of Us Is Lying and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder should give this one a try.