Bumpy Oak Books

4 stars

** I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Amy-Brooke Odell’s debut novel, Silo Boys, was an engaging YA mystery/thriller that captured the atmosphere of South Carolina.

In Silo Boys, the reader follows Addy, a recent high school graduate as she attempts to come to terms with the death of her friend, Beau, the previous year. When Addy’s boyfriend, who had disappeared after Beau’s death, reaches out to her, it is the catalyst for a whole new sequence of events. Addy seeks to find out what really happened to Beau, why her boyfriend left, and is doing her best not to also wind up dead in the process.

Odell really did a good job establishing the characters and their relationships along with the setting. Her pacing, which can often be key in the mystery/thriller genre for me, was great for the most part. I do think that the resolution happened a little too quickly after having such a nice build, but this is a relatively minor complaint.

The manner of writing in clues to the mystery was done in a very clever way. Despite the fact that a lot of the “twists” could be anticipated, they were well executed which made them work.

I think Silo Boys is a great addition to the mystery/thriller genre for young adult readers, and is accessible and enjoyable for people new to the genre as well.

I look forward to future works from this author.