No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

**I received this eARC from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

No One Else Can Have You

by Kathleen Hale

Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.

My Thoughts:

This review is really difficult to write. The book is so unique that it makes it hard to out into words just what I thought about it, besides the fact that I liked it. But I will try! 

Let me start off by saying...this book is not going to be for everyone. I've noticed it's a pretty much "you love it or you hate it" kind of book. I think it will take a certain person to love it. It is definitely one of the weirdest, quirkiest books I have ever come in contact with. The characters are weird, they talk weird, and they make extremely weird, inappropriate jokes....BUT somehow I still completely adored it. I was thoroughly entertained on every page. I don't know if it was Hale's intentions for the book to be quirky or to be seen this way...but I don't say it in a bad way. This book definitely is unique and very refreshing. 

It did a really good job in capturing a small town and what truly are some of their ways. They don't want to let outsiders in and you all have these little quirky ways of doing things when it comes to your neighbors. That was shown spectacularly. It also did a good job of showing how a small town girl was able to look outside of the box and see what even the police weren't able to see. 

The mystery part of the story isn't going to be one for people that are REALLY into mystery/thriller books. I was able to guess who it was before even halfway through. I know a lot of people that didn't figure it out until the very end, but I don't read any mystery/thrillers really so I feel like if I guessed it an avid reader of that genre would of gotten it quickly too. Also it isn't dark, well maybe one part, but I won't say when for spoiler purposes. So if you are looking for some intense thriller, this isn't it. But if you are looking for an entertaining, fun read that will make you laugh, go "say what", and learn a little along the way you would probably enjoy this. Just keep an open mind. ;-)

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥