*this review contains spoilers for the first book in the series, Dear Reader*
The second book in the Devil’s Backbone series by Tate James, Watch Your Back, continues the story of Ashley Layne, the four boys who are obsessed with her, and the devious secret society they’re all wrapped up with.
Something nefarious is afoot at Nevaeh University, and Ashley Layne has found herself in the middle of it all. The tragedy at the end of book one leaves Ashley and her guys reeling and drowning in grief. With so many unanswered questions about that night, the guys are keeping their distance from Ashley, thinking it’s the best way to keep her safe.
Devastated and paranoid, they still have to figure out what’s going on, and Ashley has no intention of letting her guys solve this mystery without her. The more they discover, the more Ashley can’t shake the feeling that it’s only going to get worse.
Ashley is hilariously oblivious to how the boys feel about her, and the boys, in turn, are committed to their emotionally stunted shenanigans. It makes for all kinds of entertaining mess. There are complicated emotional dynamics that are expected and essential in any well-done why choose book, and a high dose of passion to go along with it.
Diary entries are an important feature of this series, and in this book, we get glimpses of all the guys’ thoughts through their journal entries at the start of every chapter. It’s a creative way to give the readers a glimpse of these characters’ inner thoughts, and it lets us get to know them better.
I love how Tate James can seamlessly blend campy elements with intense drama that touches on serious issues in a way that doesn’t seem like it should work but unquestionably does. It’s like a favorite CW show in book form. Does CW still exist? If it does, they should totally team up with James.
Even though this is the second book in the series, it’s still a bit of a slow burn, with lots of tension as the characters recover from the events of the first book. There’s a complex chemistry between these characters that is so much fun to read, and perfectly fits their dynamics.
Watch Your Back is easy to read, fast, and entertaining. There’s a steady build-up to a dramatic turn of events, dangerous circumstances, and a cliffhanger that had me tempted to throw my Kindle at the wall and fast forward to September when the third and final book comes out. You’re Next, the final book in the series, arrives September 16th, and I can’t wait.
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