Review: What We Knew by Barbara Stewart

What We Knew by Barbara Stewart
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: July 14th, 2015
Purchase: Amazon

When a local myth starts to seem like a dangerous reality, two girls are set on a path that could change their lives forever

"When I was little, I imagined a monster: Scaly hands. Pits for eyes..."

When Tracy and her best friend, Lisa, were kids, stories about a man—a creep who exposes himself to little girls—kept them out of the woods and in their own backyards. But Tracy and Lisa aren't so little anymore, and the man in the woods is nothing but a stupid legend. Right?

But someone is in the woods. Someone is watching. And he knows all their secrets, secrets they can't tell anyone—not even each other.

"Monsters don't exist."

Lisa's just being paranoid. At least that’s what Tracy thinks. But when a disturbing "gift" confirms her worst fears, it sets the girls on a dangerous journey that takes them beyond the edge of the woods. But reality is more terrifying than the most chilling myth, and what they find will test the bonds of friendship, loyalty, and love.

"Once upon a time, two girls were lost in the woods."

In Barbara's Stewart's What We Knew, Tracy and Lisa can't destroy the evil they'll face, but can they stop it from destroying each other?

My Thoughts:
This really didn't work for me and I am honestly half blaming the synopsis.  I've found lately that with several books the synopsis given does not in fact match the book at all.  This is the case with What We Knew.  The synopsis in my opinion promises creepy stalker craziness and what this book delivers is actually troubled teenagers who have been abused.  Sooo not the same thing at all and I really wonder who writes those synopsis'!

I'm not saying this would have worked more for me if the synopsis actually matched the book, but it is hard for me to switch gears when I settle in to read something.  I am a mood reader so I pick my books based on what I want at the moment and I think I would have chosen to read this at a different time if I had known it was going to be incredibly heavy.  My previous book left me wanting something creepy and a palette cleanser and this just wasn't it.  It is a very heavy book that deals with very heavy issues.  Yes there is a creep factor sort of in it but it really takes a back seat to what's really going on with Tracy and her friends.

Like I said the whole going in and switching gears wasn't the only reason why this didn't work for me.  I found each and every character to be annoying.  Tracy was whiny and yes I know she went through something very traumatic, but she was just not somebody I could root for.  She ended up being very hypocritical by the middle of the book and when that happened I lost respect for her.  There was no reason to do what she did and she didn't even really feel bad about it until the blow up happened.  I just really couldn't connect with her.

The other characters weren't any better.  Lisa was mean and grouchy which again I now know the reason for her mood swings, but I just can't forgive some of her actions.  Gabe, Trey and Adam weren't likeable at all either.  They just seemed like your typical stoner high schoolers and while I am on the subject there is a lot of drinking and drugs in this. I was honestly appalled at how much substance abuse was used through this book.  Where were the parents??!  These activities actually happened in someones home!  That to me is a plot hole I would have liked explained more.

I think the author chose to focus too much on teenage drama in the beginning and lost me by the middle. The end of the book was actually brilliant and really made me wish the beginning would have been just as brilliant.  Looking back I can see clues to where the story was ultimately going, but the execution just stunk.  I adore Barbara Stewart and this won't be my last book by her, but man this was a let down.

2 snowflakes