Review: This is W.A.R. by Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker

Title: This is W.A.R.
Authors: Lisa Roecker and Laura Roecker
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: SOHO Teen (July 2, 2013)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Mystery
My Rating: 3.5 to 4 Stars!

Book Description:
This is W.A.R. begins with a victim who can no longer speak for herself, and whose murder blossoms into a call-to-arms. Enter four very different girls, four very different motives to avenge Willa Ames-Rowan, and only one rule to start: Destroy James Gregory and his family at any cost. Willa's initials spell the secret rallying cry that spurs the foursome to pool their considerable resources and deliver their particular brand of vigilante justice. Innocence is lost, battles are won—and the pursuit of the truth ultimately threatens to destroy them all.

*Amazon*Barnes and Noble*

My Thoughts and Review:
From the moment I read the first page of this story I felt like I had stepped back into a time when I sat on the classroom floor completely enamored with my teacher as her smooth voice filled the room and she began a story that we would all become immersed in, hanging onto every last word of the story until the very end. Sighing when it came to an end, a little sad that it was over but completely satisfied with the ending.

This story reminded me why I love mysteries so much and exactly what I have been missing lately with all the other genres I have been reading. I miss the twists and unexpected turns a good mystery takes. The suspense of finally knowing whodunnit and the sweet victory of figuring out who it was before it was revealed. 

I love that this was told in all four girls point of views as the story seamless flows and comes together as they plot to get revenge on the Gregory family. All four stories lead up to a back flash of that fateful night that Willa was murdered. Four girls all friends thrown together by Willa herself. Four girls with deep dark secrets of their own and four girls that couldn't be more different from one another if they tried and yet, still have so much in common that their missmesh of personalities blend together to create a strong bond that would hold up to the test of time and tragedy. 

I loved how each girl dealt with their sense of loss, their anger, their fear and their sorrow as they each tried to gain closure and to understand what happened to Willa that awful night.

The authors did an amazing job and really did remind me why there needs to be more suspenseful mysteries in this genre. I really look forward to reading something by this duo again.

*All opinions and thoughts are my own and were not influenced but the authors or publisher, nor was I compensated in any way for this review*