The full review can be found at The Book Bratz




I've done a lot of thinking about this book since I finished reading it, and honestly? I don't know what I feel. On one hand I really enjoyed it and found it totally thrilling and on the other I really thought the characters were stupid and didn't like it at all. I think I keep trying to put myself in Arcadia's shoes and see if I would have made the same decisions. I wouldn't have though, I hate going out with my friends. Why, would I go on a road trip with two strange boys?

Arcadia has been forced to grow up. Her mother died when her brother was just a baby, and her father shut down. Leaving all the responsibility on Arcadia. I liked Arcadia, she was brave and confident. She had all the characteristics that make me a life a female lead. I just can't wrap my head around why she would do something as stupid as she did. On her way to a party she spots a boy near a car (Matt) and invites him to a beach party. Later that same night she meets Matt's older cousin Noah and they immediately hit it off. Both boys are spending the summer camping around Florida. Through talking both Arcadia and another girl Lindsey are invited to go along with them. But when Lindsey leaves unexpectedly and Arcadia learns some new information about the boys she is now traveling with, is anyone who they really tell you they are?

I did like Arcadia, as I said she has all the characteristics that I like in a female lead. I think she was at her breaking point. That she needed that away time from her father. She was her brother's parent figure because he couldn't step up to the plate, she worked long hours at their store, she was getting over a breakup with a boy she thought she would be with forever. I think everything played a factor in her sudden rebellion. It was a stupid rebellion in my opinion, but I can see why she did it. Arcadia should have left though when she first learned about Lindsey disappearing, or when she learned about Noah's past, or when that hiker turned up dead. Arcadia made stupid decision after stupid decision that almost resulted in the lost of her life.

Both Noah and Matt were well written in interesting. It was hard to try and guess which one was actually a killer and who was innocent. Just as I would make up my mind on who I thought it was Arcadia would learn something knew about the other person to make them look guilty. Towards the end though it became predictable and it wasn't that much of a shock. Though it wasn't a shock I wasn't sure how it would all play out. Trish Doller defiantly knows how to give her readers a thrill, I think I might be staying out of the waters of Florida when I go there. Overall I really did enjoy The Devil You Know despite Arcadia's stupid actions.