Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Weight of Guilt by Jon Ripslinger hosted by the lovely Sage’s Blog Tours 🙂
Check out my review on this intriguing YA mystery and a chance to win an awesome giveaway!!
Enjoy your visit 😀
Driving home from a bonfire party, eighteen-year-old John Hawk crashes, killing his girlfriend, Riley. Bullied and tormented at school, his guilty conscience crushing him, John transfers to a school on the banks of the Mississippi River, where he attracts the eye of the principal’s daughter, Megan Jones. Though he’s reluctant, she convinces him to be her prom date. The morning after prom, Principal Jones reports Megan missing. Four days later, her body is recovered from the Mississippi River, and John becomes the prime suspect in her death, a rape and murder case.
Charley Cotton, Megan’s best friend, knows that Megan had a secret, but she doesn’t trust John because of his past. John is desperate to avoid adding to the shame he carries for Riley’s death—it’s destroying his life. With Charley’s help, he learns that others in Megan’s life have a motive to keep her quiet. But every effort they make to uncover the truth edges them closer to a desperate murderer with everything to lose.
“Cowards are the ones you have to watch. Sometimes they sneak up on you in the dark.”
YA is a genre I have been quite disenchanted with for a while now – so I had been hoping that a good run with a mystery young adult book would get my motor running so to speak.
And I have to say that it definitely succeeded 😀
John Hawk has not had a good run with his life – he is always getting into trouble, but somehow manages to scrape by every single time – but the one time he didn’t, it not only took his girlfriend’s life but also destroyed his own, though this time he wasn’t to blame.
He moves to his sister’s house and a new school hoping for a new beginning, he keeps to himself and doesn’t really interact much – which in a teenage girl’s mind means that he is broody and mysterious and hence the hottest guy around – cliche but definitely true!
Which is exactly what happens when he catches the eye of the popular girl – Megan, who not only is the daughter of the Principal but is also going through her own issues. But they do make a connection, enough to make John believe that this year would be different.
But when Megan turns up missing, it’s like his worst nightmare turned real.
Charley is the best friend – the one who knows all of Megan’s secrets, some in fact so intriguing that she doesn’t know who to trust after Megan disappears, certainly not the boy who was last see with her best friend.
I loved the writing style of the author – it grips you right from the start, and doesn’t let go till the very end. And the mystery though obvious will throw you for the loop, because you wouldn’t have expected the exact reason why Megan was killed. Trust me, I never did.
The characters though are the best part of this book – and I am not just talking about John and Charley, I am talking about the whole slew of secondary characters – they are realistic enough for you to actually expect to have known these characters in reality. In fact, I am sure some of them would even remind you people you have known or do know in real life.
This is an interesting book, especially recommended for those who love YA in all forms, but are especially drawn to the mystery they can’t help but want to solve!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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After Jon retired as a public high school English at Davenport West High school, he began a career as a young adult author. His credits include eight published YA novels, and he has signed a contract with Red Adept publishing for a ninth YA novel. Jon has been a presenter at the Pen-in-Hand workshops for the Midwest Writing Center, Davenport, IA, and for the David R. Collins Writers’ Conference held yearly at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. He has also published numerous short stories in Woman’s World, a leading woman’s weekly magazine. Jon and his wife live in Davenport, where their six children and their families also live. When not working on his computer crafting another story, Jon enjoys collecting music from the ’40s and ’50s playing pool, and spending time with his family.
For The Love of Fictional Worlds 
Thank you for your review. I know reading and reviewing take a lot time, and I thank you very much of for your post!
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I loved your book and trust me when I tell you, it definitely was my pleasure 🙂
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