Thank You to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-publication in exchange for a unbiased review of this book.

Really interesting

This was a romping good read! Jessica is on a mission to get accepted as a vlogger for a new reality show, but not because she welcomes the thought of the world seeing the minutiae of her everyday life. She is trying to catch 'The Magpie Man'. When Jessica was 7, her Mum was murdered 51 seconds from home. Ten years on, the police are no closer to finding her Mum's killer. And he has struck again. At least another 12 times. Jessica wants to provoke the killer into coming out of the shadows and she begins giving a series of messages, coded and otherwise whilst she is filmed constantly on her given day. She begins to receive threatening messages that escalate into threatening acts that she attempts to confront (pulse racing stuff).

As the killer strikes another 3 times, vital information is found as a direct result of her vlogs that lead Jessica to the killer. But time is running out for Jessica, will she be his next victim? As all hope fades for her, she is saved by the one person who she thought had given up on life.

A great thriller with a twist.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for a unbiased review of these works.

An intresting look at social media, and its downfalls

I really enjoyed this book. It kept my interest and me guessing until the end. I'll be keeping this book in mind to pass onto teens in my life for whom I'm buying a gift. That being said, I'm the mother of a teen or two and really enjoyed it too. It doesn't have to be pigeonholed by age. Recommended.

This is YA read heavily steeped in this current age of social Media that every one of our current always watched generation will most certainly understand and get the pitfalls of.
So Jessica Simmons wants to catch the Magpie Man.
Her mum was the first victim of this notorious serial killer and his kill-count is now way up at 13.
With this goal in mind, she applies and is accepted to star on a new web-based reality show with 4 others called The Eye.
The show is a competition to see who can collect the largest following and that individual will get a regular spot for the next 3 months.
So Jessica has 1 month to make her mark, the cameras every Monday will follow her from the minute she opens her eyes until she closes them at midnight.
Also, her whole social media, every text and personal interaction she has will be food for the masses.
The general idea is that each contestant gets there own day of the week to showcase their life and build a fanbase.
This really was an interesting and rather unique premise which definitely made you think.
But what starts out as rather on the back-burner then starts to build at a steady momentum almost like a rolling stone and the show then starts to impact every part of Jessicas life from school to home and even her own leisure time.
Jessica is public property and her life is an open book just waiting to be read.
Then the messages start-up chilling and surreal, is he watching, one of the many new subscribers and online trolls she is now dealing with.
Told completely from Jessicas POV this is not just a mystery to discover and find closure from but also a journey to better understand herself even telling herself some harsh own-truths along the way.
I did find it slightly unrealistic and the idea of using yourself as bait to draw out a killer is never a good idea also in real-time this frankly just wouldn't work unless the killer was a moron wanting to be caught.
I also can't see any parent being on board with this especially after losing your spouse in such a horrific way.
I also wanted the whys and whatnots of this rather than the superficial but that also wasn't happening either.
The finish itself was rather anti-climactic, it was underwhelming if im honest after all that build-up a bit of a letdown.
Still, it was enjoyable and well written and appropriate for the digital age we all live in.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of are You Watching.

This is a fast paced thrilling YA contemporary following a girl who agrees to have her days streamed live on a YouTube channel in an attempt to catch the serial killer that killed her mum ten years ago. It's tense right from the start as we find out what happened to her mum and only gets tenser when she starts to tease him and try to get him out from hiding. I loved the relationship the main character has with her dad who loves her but is so distant and broken after losing her mum. The British seaside setting was super vivid, from the fish and chippy, to the boring secondary school to the seafront buses, to the dark alleyways where serial killers or school bullies could be lurking. The plot itself is twisty, dealing with the killer maybe coming out to play but also how the fame affects her friends and school. You felt the desperation but also the despair when she doesn't know if she's doing the right thing as things get more and more dangerous. I read this super quick!

Fantastic, A refreshing new YA thriller using Social media with a few twists to keep you guessing. Can't wait to read some more from this author.

Are You Watching? is a thrilling YA book, one that draws you in from the start and leaves you wanting to read more!

Ten years ago, Jess's mother was murdered by the Magpie Man. She was the first of his victims but not the last. Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she's using it to catch the killer once and for all. The whole world is watching her every move. And so is the Magpie Man...

I really loved this book, it had so much suspense for a YA book and I liked the added aspect of reality tv and social media. Jess is a strong female lead in this book, determined to uncover who the Magpie Man is and get justice for her mum.

As well as the thrills and suspense, Vincent Ralph manages to convey all the teenage angst and emotions. He shows the grief and loss Jess and her dad are going through, but also the hope and determination to move forward in their lives.

A fast paced and exciting thriller, YA fans will love this!

Jess was 7 years old when her Mum was murdered, not only was the killer never caught, but he claimed another 12 victims since and was now nicknamed The Magpie Man. Now 17, Jess has decided to try and claim justice for her Mum by applying to be the star of a You Tube reality show, where for one day a week she will have cameras following her every move. She plans to use her time on camera to find out who the Magpie Man is and bring him to justice.

As Jess’ life is played out over the internet Jess receives a barrage of abuse from viewers and messages from who knows who and one crank making out to be the Magpie Man. The lack of progress she thinks she is making frustrates her, but maybe she’s closer than she thinks.

This story is fast paced and a really easy read. Short sharp chapters always go down well with me, I feel it allows me to take the story in better with the punctuation of the chapters. Jess’ character is reckless, but she’s a teenager seeking revenge / justice, so I can appreciate that. The polices role in the story seems al little disconnected, I would think they would be much more involved if this was to happen, I wondered if this came from the authors experience and echoed his mistrust. The relationship between Jess and her two best friends and her Dad was portrayed well in the story, the support, worry, excitement and love was clear. The story and tension builds up well and keeps you wondering if he will be revealed and who he could be. The ending felt a little rushed, but that was in line with the pace of the book I guess.

I really enjoyed this book and happy to give this 4.5/5 rounded up to 5. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for this advance copy in exchange for this honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It keeps you guessing right until the end!

My only issue (hence four stars) was that I found a few moments quite rushed. A couple of them were over so quickly that it seemed a little pointless having them in. However as a whole it was a gripping story and I would definitely recommend it.

This was a fast paced thriller that gripped me from beginning to end. The short chapters made it a quick read. Lots of twists and turns and social media involvement

Unfortunately I am no longer interested in reading this book, therefore I will not be reviewing it any further.

This was an interesting premise utilising social media. It was a captivating read that keeps the reader interested with an engaging plot.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I ran through this so fast! It’s properly addictive. I definitely wouldn’t have agree to do what Jess did, but I did love her drive to solve the case and find out more. It was a really interesting concept of going after a serial killer, with sometimes obvious results, but I did enjoy it.

There were two parts I thought were a little far fetched or disappointing - the way the other “stars” behave, and how Jess couldn’t have put it together herself, she is wholly reliant on a third party. However, that’s not untrue for crime, and she does put in the work to find that person.

I like Jess even though you feel her frustration, or experience your own at her recklessness! I liked how social media played into the story and how she saw the world, which was a really nice way to see it all.

A very quick read, which I really enjoyed.

Ten years ago, Jess's mother was murdered by the Magpie Man. She was his first victim, with many more to follow and he still hasn't been caught. Determined to get justice for her mother and catch the killer, Jess enters a YouTube reality series in an attempt to draw him out. Is he watching?

I didn't find the premise of this book very believable. Social media and vlogging is a huge part of everyday life nowadays, so it makes sense to incorporate this into the story, but I honestly don't know anyone who watches YouTube TV like the kind featured in this book. So, I chose to just accept and embrace this element of the story, but still came up with significant flaws to the plot. Firstly, it's incredibly convenient that the Magpie Man was indeed watching Jess's show, despite the fact that it wasn't in the news or anything to begin with. And maybe it's not all that surprising that he was, but Jess's confidence that he would was kind of weird. Secondly (sorry, small spoiler here), the killer could have been literally anyone. He murdered women in different locations and was never caught by the police. What are the chances that he turns out to be someone Jess knows? I mean, COME ON. 

Anyway, if you can get past these frankly lazy plot features, Are You Watching? is a decent murder mystery for the modern era. It's fast-paced and thrilling, while also managing to deal quite effectively with grief and internet fame.

Ten years ago, Jess's mum was murdered by Magpie Man.

Jess is now a youtube star and is using her fame to try and catch the Magpie Man

The world is watching, so is the Magpie Man

This book was good, but it was a bit too much "young adult" for me. As a 29 year old, I thought it would be perfect, but it was slightly unrealistic for me.

It was a fun read, but not the greatest psychological thriller.

Really interesting, captivating story. I liked the writing, characters, and plot. Kept me turning the pages.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

A well constructed, pacy and thoroughly engaging mystery thriller which keeps the reader guessing right to the end. This is a great debut with stacks of teen appeal and I'm already looking forward to the next one from Vincent Ralph!

Particularly recommended for fans of Karen M McManus and Holly Jackson.

This is labelled as a Y.A read, the protagonist is 17 year old Jess, but I think it is suitable for adults to read as well. There is a lot to engage with and mature plotlines. Jess' mother has been murdered when she was seven , and the killer never caught. The nature of trauma, grief and loss is explored in detail throughout.

Without her father''s knowledge, she applies for, and is accepted onto, a 'Big Brother' style television show where she and 4 other teens will compete to be filled for a full 3 months.

This means she has a narrow window to generate enough interest in her life, by wearing head and body cams to record her movements, to win the extra time.

The time will be crucial for her to try and link herself in the minds of the public and refocus attention on the killer who took her mother's life-and just as surely, took her father's, as he has never recovered from the loss.

Since the first murder he, 'The Magpie Man', has taken another 13 lives and has proven to be unstoppable. Will Jess manage to bring the killer out from hiding, and if so, will she be prepared to deal with the consequences?

My biggest issue with so many YA writers, especially male ones, si that they tend to write female protagonists as they think girls would act/talk/think. Not having the lived experience of a teen is understandable, but on many occasions they end up as parodies of gender stereotypes. With Jess, Vincent has truly captured the nuances and character so well, he really excels at making her a believable, and sympathetic character.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Jess is selfish, and headstrong, playing taunting games with a serial killer is never a great idea, but as the book progresses, she really comes into her own as a strong young woman who is trying to rescue her father whilst he still has time to live a life.

Jess lost both parents on the day her mother was murdered, her father has given up on life and the love she feels for her dad is achingly transparent. By being in the public eye, she is reminding others that her mother was a living, breathing person before she was cruelly snatched away.

What she does not expect, and struggles to deal with, is the attention she gets from the viewers , including text messages, being followed and articles about her mother appearing in places that very few people have access to...

Maybe The Magpie Man has always been a little closer than she ever realised? Suddenly, suspects are at every turn and reality begins to blur the line between wish fulfiment and viewing figures for a tv show...

This is a 5 star read, a mystery, I loved Jess and enjoyed 'seeing' a sense of growth and determination which escalates through short, sharp chapters which read like diary entries and helps create a sense of pace which I loved.

A whodunnit, a whydunnit and a gripping thriller, I recommend this unreservedly!

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book because I found it to es difficult read. Difficult for several reasons _ the young girl, Jessica, was unbelievable and her actions never rang true. The other characters were also strange and "unlifelike". The story itself is disturbing but not to my taste. Perhaps others will like this tale and I not dismissing it out of hand so perhaps give it s go!