Review: Envy

New York Times bestselling adult true crime author Gregg Olsen makes his YA debut with Empty Coffin, a gripping new fiction series for teens based on ripped-from-the-headlines stories…with a paranormal touch. Crime lives–and dies–in the deceptively picture-perfect town of Port Gamble (aka “Empty Coffin”), Washington. Evil lurks and strange things happen–and 15-year-olds Hayley and Taylor Ryan secretly use their wits and their telepathic “twin-sense” to uncover the truth about the town’s victims and culprits.  Envy, the series debut, involves the mysterious death of the twins’ old friend, Katelyn. Was it murder? Suicide? An accident? Hayley and Taylor are determined to find out–and as they investigate, the twins stumble upon a dark truth that is far more disturbing than they ever could have imagined.Based on the shocking true crime about cyber-bullying, Envy will take you to the edge–and push you right over. 

Nancy’s Review:

As I sit here trying to write a good review of Envy, I can honestly say that I am struggling. Not because I didn’t enjoy the book, in fact, quite the opposite. Never before have I had to write about a book that has left me as unsettled and simultaneously so captivated, that I am sort of speechless. Envy touched upon a very current and very frightening issue that we have all probably heard about in recent years: cyberbullying. 

I don’t usually read books about serious topics, not because I don’t enjoy them, but rather because I had been nervous about how they would make me feel. I like books that make me feel happy, satisfied that the characters will be able to live happily ever after. Of course, Envy was complete different.

Gregg Olsen was able to write a book that successfully brought together lies, mystery, the paranormal, and the highlights of the teenage woes that plagued us all at one time or another. Written in multiple points of view, Envy explores all sides of the story; in doing so, we are given the ability to experience the full effect of the mystery of Katelyn’s death.

This book kept me guessing from beginning to end. Just when I thought that I had it all figured out I was proved wrong with a shocking new discovery. Envy surpassed all expectations that I had about young adult mysteries. It was easy to read, it had great pacing and the characters were very well described and developed throughout the story. I found no faults with the book or the plot. In fact, I am eager to read the next installment in the series!

Envy was an amazing book. The ones that leave you thinking about the story after you turn the last page always are. When I decided to read Envy, I knew that I would probably be thinking about the book long after I was done with it and I wasn’t wrong in my assumptions.

I know that this will be one of those books that I will remember for years, because the topic is something that hits very close to home for all of us. Cyberbulling is something that is on our news channels, in our schools, and everywhere we turn in some form or another. Envy remind us of just how deadly seemingly harmless conversations can be. This book is definitely a must read and I highly recommend it!