Bloggin' 'bout Books: 08/30/17

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

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Bet Your Life A Satisfying Second in Engrossing YA Mystery Trilogy

2:01 PM

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Bet Your Life, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, How to Fall. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

After three months in Port Sentinel, 16-year-old Jess Tennant is starting to feel at home in the little Devon town by the sea. She's missing Will Henderson, who's been sent off to boarding school in order to keep him from getting too close to Jess, but there's some solace to be found in Ryan's eager arms. Before she can become too comfortable in her new living situation, though, another mystery unfolds to shake up her world.

When Sebastian Dawson is left for dead on the side of the road one night, Jess is as shocked as anyone else. She doesn't care much for Seb, but that doesn't mean he deserves to be in a coma after being beaten almost to death. The police don't seem too concerned about finding the assailant. Jess, however, wants to know exactly what happened to Seb and why. As she starts delving into her classmates' secrets, she finds plenty of compelling motives. But who actually tried to kill Seb? Jess is determined to find out.

Bet Your Life, the second installment in the Jess Tennant series by Irish crime writer Jane Casey, is just as absorbing as the first. Maybe more so. Fearless Jess is an easy heroine to like. Not only is she brave, but she's also funny, self-deprecating, and loyal (most of the time). The plot sprints along at a good clip, making the book difficult to put down. Sure, you'll have to suspend your belief a little bit to swallow the fact that Jess always seems to solve cases trained coppers can't, but overall, this is a satisfying read in an engrossing trilogy. I enjoyed it.

(Readalikes: How to Fall and Hide and Seek by Jane Casey)

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