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Watching You

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Viola’s always been that girl from that family, so a scholarship to a prestigious private school in Florida was supposed to be her ticket out of poverty and into a brand-new life. But Viola’s secrets have followed her. Her relationship with the intelligent and gorgeous Riel should have been the salvation she needed—he understands her troubled past better than anyone. But then weird things start to happen.

Frightening messages.

Missing personal items.

The unsettling feeling that she’s being watched.

Viola’s never been one to give her trust easily, but she’ll need to trust in Riel if she’s going to survive her stalker. Because she’s not fighting for a new life anymore—she’s fighting to stay alive.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2018

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About the author

Shannon Greenland

23 books466 followers
Shannon Greenland is the award-winning and best-selling author of Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult books. She grew up in Tennessee where she dreaded all things reading and writing. She didn’t even read her first book for enjoyment until she was twenty-five. After that, she was hooked! When she’s not writing, she's usually traveling or hanging out with a rogue armadillo that frequents her backyard.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,154 reviews1,514 followers
June 18, 2018
Watching You by Shannon Greenland is a young adult/new adult contemporary suspense. This one really reads a bit more like contemporary romance with a side of suspense to it though but more on that later.

Viola has had a pretty rough start in her young life, her mother is a stripper, father in prison and a drug addict for a sister. Viola however is determined to get out of that situation and to help her other two younger siblings out too so her plan was to win a scholarship to a prestigious private school in Florida to complete her senior year then onto M.I.T.

When Viola arrives in FL however she finds that her rival for the scholarship was none other that the sexy Riel and she begins to feel bad for taking away, especially considering her lies about her family life on the application. Viola had no intention of thinking about boys and relationships though so she tries to avoid Riel and just stick to her studies but she just can’t shake the feeling someone is watching her every move.

Now Watching You was certainly not a bad read at all thus why I’m still giving it 3.5 stars but I would warn to those that really love a good thriller for the intensity that this one was probably 80% romance and 20% suspense… or around that ratio. It was still fun to watch Viola adjust to the rich boarding school life complete with mean girls and cute boys included though in a lovely warm weather setting. I would warn too that there is sexual content included, not overly graphic but definitely there.

As for the suspenseful side of this tale it is easy to remember that something is coming around any turn of the page because occasionally the author inserted short chapters coming from the point of view of the stalker. This creepy unknown narrative is enough to keep that side of the plot on a slow burn until things get brought out a bit more in the story.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Danielle's.
Author 1 book140 followers
June 15, 2018
The romance in Watching you was really good but I was a little disappointed when I found out who the stalker was. I'm all about romance and so for me, this book was really good. I'm going to try and explain without giving too much away.

Viola has a secret. She wants to attend MIT more than anything. She applies for a scholarship at a top high school but she may have fabricated her admissions essay. She isn't rich but works hard to maintain good grades.

Riel has held the scholarship position for most of his high school years but unfortunately this year they have to give it to someone else. His circumstances are less than perfect but he has his sister who he loves dearly.

The pair are cut from the same cloth. They have so much in common and fight for what they want.

Viola comes from a family with troubles. Her sister is an addict, her mother pays the bills by stripping and her ex-boyfriend has a criminal record. Her record isn't squeaky clean either. Viola wants to show the world she can be so much more and her past won't hold her down.

The stalker adds a creepy edge to this story which I liked. Someone has it in for Viola. We know she isn't perfect but she's a great character. She's loveable and kind but her stalker doesn't agree. My problem with this story is the fact I was waiting for a deeper meaning and there wasn't one.

I really liked the flow of this book and enjoyed the ride. 4 stars out of 5. This would have been 5 if the stalker had a greater reason. The book kept me interested from beginning to end.

*Adult content UK 16 plus
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
1,958 reviews1,253 followers
July 1, 2018
Watching-You-Coming-Soon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS
ARC BOOK REVIEW
Release Date-2/7/18

"Watching You" by Shannon Greenland was a well-written page-turner of a read.
My first experience with this particular author and pleased to say it was a positive one.
Genre-wise I would place this in the Young Adult/New Adult category.
I'm undecided between the two as there is some mild content near the end the might lean this more towards the New Adult camp.
It's nothing hard-core and is really rather mild in nature but does stop this short of being a completely clean read.
What I did like about this particular content was how realistically it was portrayed rather refreshing and makes quite the change from the norm.
So moving on slightly; this was romantic suspense set in and around a prestigious boarding school. where our main girl Viola is attending on a scholarship that shes slightly fudged about on the application process to receive.
Here she runs into her new crush the gorgeous and Spanish Reil.
Almost instantly upon meeting Reil, she senses a deeper connection; but there are certain obstacles that seem to be standing in her way of a friendship the most important being the scholarship that Viola has acquired under less than honest circumstances.
There are so many parallels in her life that she can compare with Reil and this understanding and solidarity understandably brings her feeling much closer to her new friend.
So with her goals of school well underway Viola settles into her new academy life but it's not long before events for her start to take a rather sinister turn.
And with the added complication of mean girls and her well-hidden secrets becoming common knowledge.
Viola is not enjoying her senior year as much as she originally anticipated.
So I really did enjoy this a lot; Yes it was probably more romantic than overall suspenseful and was slightly predictable in some places.
But and here's the main kicker for me; I couldn't put this down and for the reason alone this deserves for me its whole five stars.
I actually started reading this at my bedtime with every intention of a couple of chapters and then getting some much-needed shut-eye.
Well, that was a complete wash-out; I ended up reading this all through the night and finished in one sitting, talk about bags under the eyes the next day.
And it was so worth it; "Watching you" in itself is not an overcomplicated story but it did deliver for me that thrilling excitement that I was actually looking for from this.
Managing quite easily to keep my attention throughout.
It has some great characters and so much to recommend itself making it a complete no-brainer in terms of would I recommend this.
And I think its safe to say I definitely would; this is one read that I am happy to give the green light to.
Thank You to the Author and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of "Watching You" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own
WatchingYou
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
Profile Image for Paula  Phillips.
4,838 reviews294 followers
June 16, 2018
When I was approached about reading and reviewing this book, my answer was a definite YES as I love and read all of Shannon Greenland/ S.E Green's books to date. The idea of a stalker also fascinated me as I love that suspense feel. Viola has started at a prestigious school on a scholarship and meets her peer mentor whom Viola has taken the scholarship from. There is a love/hate relationship between the two but we can see that there are sparks flying as, despite either one wanting to admit it, they come from similar backgrounds. During this book, we learn that Viola has a stalker and someone is watching her from the background and at one point even in her dorm room. This part had my heart pumping a bit. On a night out, Viola is attacked by her stalker but manages to be saved. I have to admit the ending of this book fell flat for me especially when the stalker was revealed as I was hoping for maybe a deeper reasoning behind the stalker and I also felt things, in the end, were rushed and the actions of the stalker swept under the rug. This is the reason, Watching You is getting 4P's instead of 5Ps. If you are looking for a YA romantic suspense that is a light-read then Watching You is a good read but if you are wanting a stalker book with deeper meaning then this is not the book for you as you will be slightly disappointed.
Profile Image for Carlene Inspired.
928 reviews243 followers
June 19, 2018
Find this and other reviews at Carlene Inspired.

More Young Adult Romance than Suspense, Watching You tells the story of Viola, a teen genius who is willing to do whatever it takes to get herself and her family out of the projects, even lie. A scholarship to her dream school puts her on the right path, but the steps she took to get there threaten to catch up to her. Both her competition and her mentor, Riel is as smart as he is gorgeous. He seems to understand her troubled upbringing, despite the picture perfect life she has presented. With no wealth and little connection with her fellow dorm mates, Viola learns to trust in Riel, especially once frightening things begin to happen.

I admit, I went into this with pretty high expectations and I'm sad to say it was a bit of a letdown. I really liked the premise of Watching You, because I think a scary stalker situation in an away school situation can have more suspense than your usual Young Adult suspense where parents and longtime friends can get involved. That said, the high school environment did not lend itself to the storyline. It came across as more romance with a hint of suspense and even then I wasn't engaged in the stalker storyline. I did, however, never guess who the stalker was nor their motives, so that was a nice surprise. I liked the breaks between chapter from the stalker's perspective, I just wish that Viola had been more concerned, because I certainly would have been. In her youth though she's definitely more concerned with the cute boy than the quickly turning dangerous situation she's in. Viola has a good reason for wanting to get away from home and to land a spot at the prestigious private high school. Desperate to get into MIT for college and to give her family a new life she takes a lot of risks, a lot of understandable risks that I couldn't fault her for. Riel, however, is the one who steals the show. He's a knight in shining armor with brains, beauty, and a heart of gold, it was impossible not to like him and to sort of resent Viola for her role in his life. As things heat up between them so too does the creepy feeling of being watched. Viola tries to ignore it, pushing onward in school and attempting to befriend to wealthy elite at the school, but strange happenings keep distracting her...that or Riel does.

After a lot of thinking, I have come to the conclusion that Watching You just might have been too juvenile for me. At times the characters seem more mature than their 18 years and at other times I thought I was reading a teen drama, it made it difficult for me to place the characters in this away from home setting and in the midst of a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Viola responds in a very young way and she seems to find every male attractive, so I struggled to accept that at 18 she is willing to move away to a school that's very similar to college, leave behind a family she claims she has felt the burden of taking care of, and that she'd find herself in such a serious relationship. Riel, on the other hand, reads much older and was definitely more college aged than 18. In fact, his storyline is more believable than any other character, primary or secondary, that we interact with. Ultimately, I've come to the conclusion that this novel might have gone through some editing that changed the setting and ultimately changed the presentation of the characters.

I think Watching You is fitting for the Young Adult genre, with the romance leading the story and the suspense taking a back seat. However, I was disappointed with the setting and the lack of connection I felt towards Viola, there were a lot of missed opportunities with her. I did read this in one sitting *extra point for that* and I do think the suspense was written well, I just wanted more.

ARC provided by Xpresso Books Tours via Netgalley.
Profile Image for Michelle.
734 reviews92 followers
July 19, 2018
Thank you very much to Entangled Publishing LLC & Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review 🙏🏻❤️

First and foremost I must admit that I flew through this book! Both the plot and characters were extremely intriguing and I found myself wanting to know who was stalking Viola! I didn't want to stop reading until someone gave me some answers about where her running shorts went or who was crouched in her dorm room! Creeepyyyyyyy!

Also I must say that the sex scenes were very well done! Very steamy & not too overboard or obnoxious! Perfection!

This book was well thought out and even had a great back story ---- the ending had SO much potential but it bombed! So great until the stalker was revealed ---- Nooooooooo!


Spoiler ALERT---- do not read below here-----

How in the world can you mistake a woman attacking you for a man ? Not once was it mentioned that this girl was 6'2''' tall! I mean that is unusually , aka " model" tall for a young girl !! I even looked it up and less than 1 percent of women are over 6 foot tall. This is just not even remotely believeable! Also, her voice was " garbled"...say what???? What does that even mean!? Thirdly, it was only very briefly mentioned about her Dad having a new girlfriend and was NEVER once discussed about her brother Peter drugging a girl or her ex leaving her for another girl. This information was just thrown at the reader at the end to try to give you an explanation as to why the stalker was crazy. I don't get it.

I wish that I could rewrite this ending! It could have been Levi--- a long term friend gone nuts--- it could've really been Riel leading her on being the nice guy when really he was crazy all along! It could've even been the Dad who granted the scholarship gone crazy! Anything but that ending! This ending kind of made the other characters like the bald man on the boat and Manny seem pointless , why were they even in the book!?

3 stars for the rest of the book! It would have totally have been a 5 star read if the stalker was someone more believable ! I definitely will pick up another book by this author & give it another shot though, for sure!
Profile Image for Elaine.
3,355 reviews103 followers
July 6, 2018
This is a contemporary young adult thriller set mainly in a prestigious private school in Florida. Viola would never have been able to afford to attend such an establishment and is only going there because she has been awarded a full scholarship. Unfortunately, part of the reason she won that award was that she lied in her application, striving to hide her less than salubrious upbringing. She sees this is a step on her way to get out of the poverty and make life better for her Mum and siblings.

When she starts at the school she discovers that her award means that the person set to Mentor her no longer receives the award – and he comes from a somewhat similar background to her. The two are definitely attracted to each other but both try to deny this. Riel’s young sister is the catalyst to bring them together. However, someone is stalking Viola. The reader is shown the stalker’s thoughts and action but there are no clues as to their identity. Things are going missing. Viola keeps feeling like she’s being watched. Is she imagining things or is there deadly danger around the corner?

This is a romantic suspense story with an intriguing plot but definitely has, for the most part, more romance than suspense. The motivations of the teens are well portrayed and most of their reactions seem very appropriate for their age group. There are the usual cliched groups in the school, especially the rich kids who look down on those less well off or not as entitled as them. It is an easy read with a touch of thriller and I enjoyed it, even though I’d have been even happier if the stalker’s motivations had been clearer. It is a delightful teen romance and I really liked both Viola and Riel as characters.

I requested and was given a copy of this book, via NetGalley. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.
Profile Image for Kate (beautifulbookland).
372 reviews117 followers
June 23, 2018
I mean, this book is okay, but that’s as far as I can go for it. Put it this way: I have set reading times throughout the day, and in the run up to those times, I never felt excited to read - it actually felt like a chore.

So why didn’t I just DNF it? Well, I usually only DNF books if they’re literally too painful to read, and this one wasn’t as bad as that. It was just really average.

What it’s About

Viola is determined to make something of her life, to provide for her family and make them proud. And when she gets a scholarship to her dream school, things are finally looking up. But Viola lied about her background on her application form, and she can’t help but feel like an outsiders amongst the other privileged rich kids - and then there’s the unsettling feeling of being watched and followed. Viola must fight to keep her secrets hidden, and her attraction to the brilliant Riel under wraps.

The Writing & The Characters

What could be a very gripping story was let down by flat characters and mediocre, slightly cheesy, writing. These characters felt completely 2D to me; they were just average and boring. I felt no emotion towards them at all - I was reading their story, but I didn’t feel their story.

The Verdict

Yeah, this wasn’t the book for me. When you’re reading a fab book and then have a break from it, you should be looking forward to getting back into the story - you definitely shouldn’t be looking for excuses not to read it because you just weren’t enjoying it. Unfortunately, that’s what I found myself doing.

*thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
September 10, 2018


I tried reading this book last weekend but I am afraid that the writing style does not work out for me.

The subject itself was fabulous and the story was well developed - but I felt that the age of the leads was not the right one for the way it was written.

It would have been a better placement in a college environment from the beginning on.
I like independent leads at a young age but something in this kind of plot was off for me I can not place my finger on it but...

The only way to explain it is that it felt like the author wrote it for something like a college environment and then at the last minute decided to place it differently BUT only the most prominent parts in the story were adjusted so the feeling of the college remained.

So I can not rate the book with more than 3 stars
So So sorry :-(

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Profile Image for Shelley.
5,158 reviews458 followers
July 3, 2018
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Suspense
*Rating* 3.0

*Thoughts*

Shannon Greenland's Watching You is a young adult, mystery novel featuring Viola Burnett. Viola is the recipient of a full ride scholarship to attend Ponce De Leon Academy in the Florida Keys. Being from Tennessee, Viola is the girl who lives in the projects, whose mother is a stripper, whose her father is in prison, and whose older sister is a crack addict. She is someone who is trying to rise above her past, her family, and being one of those girls who could never get out of a life that was apparently meant to be her fate. She wants badly to do what's right for her younger siblings while aiming for acceptance into MIT, even if it means twisting the truth a bit.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
Profile Image for T.H. Hernandez.
Author 9 books204 followers
July 29, 2018
4.5 out of 5 stars.

I love a good romantic thriller, and so much the better if it’s also young adult. WATCHING YOU has everything I love — a tortured love interest, angsty romance, a deplorable antagonist, and buckets of suspense. Seventeen-year-old Viola lies on her application to get a scholarship at a prestigious prep school on her ultimate path to MIT. Or so she hopes. The problem is, her winning the scholarship means someone else lost out. That someone is uber hot, brooding Riel, the recipient the previous three years. Guilt and undeniable attraction wage a war within her as she wonders how Riel can continue to attend without the scholarship, and the more she learns about his situation, the guiltier she feels. When the inevitable romance heats up between these two, Viola knows her secrets will be her undoing, but she never counts on a stalker making her life dangerous as well as complicated.

Plot
This is probably more of a romance than a thriller, but the suspense is tightly woven throughout the romantic elements, creating a gripping story that moves from the opening scene to the intense climax and satisfying conclusion. The attraction between Viola and Riel is palpable from their first interaction, and while they may not know if or how to act on that attraction, it drives some of the best conflict throughout the book. The mystery of who is watching Viola is well-done, with lots of red herrings to choose from. I never did figure out who it was.

The Characters
At times, I found Viola to be a little too much. A little too good, a little too perfect. Other than lying on her application, which she had perfectly good reasons for, she has no real flaws, but her genuine friendship with Mar helped me overlook this aspect of her character. Riel, on the other hand, was a fascinating character. He was perfectly flawed in all the right ways and totally swoon-worthy.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About WATCHING YOU
1. Riel. Having married my own hot latin guy, I totally appreciate the appeal that is Riel.

2. Mar. Both spunky and adorable, Riel’s younger sister is easily my favorite character.

3. Angsty romance. My favorite kind.

4. Suspense. While more of a subplot, it had a way of driving the main plot forward and kept me turning pages.

5. Surprises. I love when an author can surprise me. I never did figure out who the stalker was until it was revealed in the closing chapters.

Bottom Line
Angsty teen romance meets suspense.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2018
Watching You was a pretty good mystery with a love story, too.

Viola hasn't had an easy life. Her mom is a stripper, dad is in jail, one sister is an addict, her mom has been married many times, they are poor, and she had a bad ex boyfriend. She has to work full time while going to school. But her goal is to get into MIT. In order to have the best chance, she applies for a scholarship to a private school in Florida. She has the grades, but they added community and family information. Viola decides to lie on those parts of the application and gets approved.

Riel was getting the scholarship before Viola. He and his younger sister (that I adored) live alone in an RV. Riel works while going to school and takes care of Mar alone. They have such an incredible relationship though.

Viola finds herself drawn to Riel. But another girl at school likes him. This girl's father is the one who gives out the scholarship money and she is determined to ruin Viola's life if she does anything with Riel.

During this time, Viola starts feeling like someone is watching her. Her ex was just arrested for rape and is possibly a murderer, too. Viola starts to wonder if he followed her to Florida. She also struggles over the fact that she was with him for a year and loved him. She realizes how toxic their relationship was.

Some of the chapters are told by "stalker". This person is plaing with Viola and it's only a matter of time before they attack.

There was a lot of mystery, but the book also focused on relationships. Romantic with Riel, friendship with her roommate, and the problems with the mean girl at school. One thing I liked was that this book was sex positive. Viola does turn eighteen, but she wasn't a virgin. Her roommate encourages her to have sex, even if it's just with a friend. They don't shame it except that Viola receives a message that says "slut". There is some sex in the book, but nothing graphic.

Overall, I really liked the book and had fun trying to figure out who the stalker was. This person definiely had some serious issues and I was glad that it was addressed a bit at the end.

Thank you to Entangled Teen for sending me a copy for review (through netgalley). I gave this one 4 stars.
Profile Image for BriaKnits & Reads.
404 reviews2 followers
July 14, 2018
Such a great read!

It was so refreshing reading about high school teenagers written as actual teenagers instead of grade schoolers. (If you read my review on "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely, then you know what I'm talking about). I am so sick and tired of reading high school teenagers as the cliche morons that a lot of writers seem to think they are. Or at least, the authors that I have been reading lately.

So imagine my surprise when I bumped into this jewel of a book on my e-reader. I could not put it down, hell I even forgot to log it into my goodreads as 'currently reading', I was so into the book.

Characters were so very relatable from when I was a teen. A lot of things were fun and happy, but most of the time, we forget that teenagers can be the most serious human beings on the planet because they are still processing life around them, trying to understand relationships they are in, trying to figure out and navigate through situations that force them to straddle that line between still being a child with a "get out of jail" pass and being an adult so you should know all the answers.
Yes. The puberty in this book was real!

This coming-of-age thriller was such an awesome read because the author gave you a vivid picture of two young people who, although still viewed by the adults as children, were forced to make very adult decisions and although there was real struggles for both characters as individuals, they handled very well. I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. As a reader, I was able to connect with all of them in some small way that left me wanting to learn more about them. The author did such a fantastic job of taking you on a journey with the two main characters and yet still able to provide that epic thriller quality that you would find if the characters were adults.

All in all, a wonderful book that will keep you guessing until the very end who the antagonist is and will have you loving the mini love story underlining it all.

I highly recommend this book! Not only a great read, but also a fast one.

Happy Reading!!!
Profile Image for Lynda Dickson.
581 reviews57 followers
July 6, 2018
Viola begins her senior of high school on a full scholarship to the prestigious Ponce de Leon Academy, where she meets Riel, the previous holder of the scholarship. Viola is consumed by guilt because she lied about her family background in her application. Things become even more complicated when she realizes she’s attracted to Riel. On top of that, she has the feeling that someone is watching her. Who is the driver of the dark SUV that seems to be following her? Suspects abound. Could the stalker be Viola’s ex-boyfriend Manny, her estranged father, one of her mother’s many boyfriends, friendly Mr. Hamns, the bald deckhand who’s always wearing sunglasses, Riel’s estranged father, Riel himself, fellow student Peter, or even her frenemy Abbie?

The story is told in the first person present tense by Viola and is interspersed with accounts by the “Stalker”, who has already killed one girl and is watching Viola’s every move. The short chapters and quick scene changes keep the story moving and heighten the suspense. There is also the added bonus of a budding romance between Viola and the oh-so-perfect Riel.

Hard to put down.

Warnings: violence, sexual references, coarse language, sex scenes, domestic abuse.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post (6 July): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
Profile Image for Katherine Paschal.
2,156 reviews57 followers
July 4, 2018
**4.5 Stars**
​Viola might have fibbed a little (or a lot, whatever) on her entrance essay for the scholarship, but the hard work and grades were all her. When she is awarded the scholarship for the prestigious high school in Florida she always wanted to attend, she jumps at the chance to leave her life in the Tennessee public housing and poverty behind and be the first person in her family to graduate from High School! But then she meets Riel, the boy who she basically stole the scholarship from- the boy who deserves it so much more. Now she has to work so much harder to prove herself, all the while she has a feeling she is being watched...​



​Yet again, Entangled Publishing likes to prove to me why they are one of my favorites! I can pick pretty much any title they offer and I know the book will be great and I will find it completely engaging. Seriously, I have discovered some of my all time favorite books and authors ​from their new releases, and Watching You was no different.

​I really enjoyed this romantic mystery/suspense! The characters were teens, but both the MC and her love interest were 18 and very mature (as in self sufficient adults) and the content in the story was pretty mature so I would say that this is a YA/NA crossover. I loved that there were tons of suspects and motivations that kept me guessing as to who was really guilty and the why. Shannon created such a fantastic, believable, flawed yet totally lovable main character in Viola, I just wanted her to get everything possible out of life (...even if she didn't fully deserve it, per se) but alas this was real life which does not come wrapped in a nice tidy little bow, but with disappointments mixed in with the happy. ​

Gawd, Riel (the rival/love interest) was just about perfect! Really, this guy was dreamy... If he weren't fictional, 18, and so great together with Viola...just saying. Sigh, the way he was with sister Mar- actually the way they both were with Mar was endearing (their future kids will be so lucky!). For two characters that at first seemed so disparate, they could not have been more compatible in personality, brains and passion. The sparks between him and Viola started on page one, be it sexual or hostile, and I could not put the book down. Between wanting more interactions between him and Viola, and the mystery and suspense the book built up sneakily on me, I seriously could not stop reading and staid up late to finish it when I should have been adulting aka sleeping.



This was the first book I have experienced from Shannon and I loved the suspense she created as well as the characters- I have now just added pretty much all her other books to my need-list to read. The ending gave me warm fuzzies because of just how perfect it was for the book and the people. I highly recommend this romantic suspense read for anyone who loves swoon worthy guys, tough yet sweet southern girls and an interesting stalker!

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.
Come see me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
Profile Image for Erin.
1,094 reviews49 followers
July 3, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and Xpresso Book Tours for a free e-copy.


Watching you is a thriller YA book that follows Viola on her journey to getting her family out of the situation they are currently in. To do this she first needs to go to a school in Florida for smart kids (which she is) and then she plans to go to MIT and get a great job! All sound like really great goals and like she has it all figured out. But of course, we have a few problems that happen due to admissions changing some requirements and her student advisor being someone who is just as smart as she is.



Viola is a very likable character. She worries about things, studies and does just normal life things that tend to get left out in books. I did feel like she could have done more things at times to stay safe, or to let someone know what was going on. But I also kind of understand why she didn't.


Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn't stop reading it and I wasn't able to figure out who it was until it was revealed! This is becoming a rare thing for me anymore as I've been reading so many mystery/thrillers recently. The whole mystery part of this book I really enjoyed, the stalker's point of view that we got to see every few chapters was extremely creepy and ominous that it really kept me interested in trying to figure out who it was. While I did have multiple suspects it was no one that had even been on my radar from the beginning.



As for the romance part, I didn't mind it for the first half of the book it was always just on the back burner in my opinion. The farther into the book the more prominent it became and it took over basically in my opinion which was a little disappointing because it seemed at first like Viola was going to be flying solo until she got all of her education. I will say I am so so glad that we finally got a YA book where both of the people in the relationship are super smart and still have the same goals even after getting into a relationship they just want to work on them together! I also really liked how involved Viola and Riel were in his little sister's life. She was never made to feel like a burden and they worked around her schedule. In fact, Riel could be my new book boyfriend just because of how caring he was about his sister, and making sure he was there for Viola but didn't push any boundaries.



If you want a lighter mystery/thriller book that has romance in it than this book is for you.



I also do want to mention that this book does have a few scenes where sex is implied. It never gets graphic though and is just briefly mentioned.

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Profile Image for Stephanie Ward.
1,176 reviews116 followers
July 9, 2018
'Watching You' is a taut new young adult thriller that will leave readers guessing until the very end. Thrillers are one of my favorite genres, so I read them constantly. It seems to take more to catch me off guard now and when it happens, it's always a great surprise. This book did just that. There were quite a few twists and turns, some red herrings, and the suspense kept ramping up the further the story went. It seemed like once I had a theory in mind, something would happen to complete shatter it and then I'd have to start completely over. Don't get me wrong - these are fantastic things and I'm so happy when they happen!

I really enjoyed pretty much everything about the book. The characters were realistic and easy to relate to - especially our main character, Viola. The author tells the story from Viola's point of view, so we get to know her on a deeply personal level throughout the story. I liked getting to know everything about her - from her history back home to her hopes and dreams for the future, and (of course!) the whole romance aspect with Riel. I'm not one who normally does the whole book boyfriend thing, but if I did - Riel would definitely be at the top of my list. He's dreamy right from the start and only continues to get better as the story progresses. I enjoyed watching Viola's relationship with him grow and I liked swooning over him a bit myself. The plot was interesting and suspenseful - which meant I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. It keeps you on your toes and guessing - especially with the little 'bonus' chapters that are written by the stalker. I loved that the author added those in. I think they were a huge plus for the book and made things feel even more creepy. I definitely recommend this novel for fans of thrillers, mysteries, suspense, contemporary, and romance.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sharon.
548 reviews2 followers
June 12, 2018
It started with a lie. For Viola Burnett, the opportunity to study at a prestigious academy means a shot at her dream school, MIT. So she lied about a few things, who will it hurt?

On her first day at the academy, Viola meets the gorgeous Riel and she starts to question her decision. Riel is not only her peer mentor, he is also her rival. There's no denying their attraction, and I like the way the author ratchets up the tension between them while forging a real friendship. Riel isn't just a pretty face, he's intelligent as Viola. And she's tough as she is pretty. Viola can physically match Riel in endurance and discipline.

As much as this is a #YAsuspense, #YAthriller, #YAromance; #WatchingYou is also about the consequences of lying, even if it appears on the surface as an opportunity. Even before the lie is exposed, Viola has to face a real threat in the form of a stalker. The first person narrative by the stalker character works even while it had me guessing .... admittedly, wrongly for the most part. And that's what makes this so engrossing a read.

Finding out that Watching You was written by S.E. Green ("Killer Instinct" - one of my favorite series!) was a definite pleasant surprise and no doubt why the story hooked me. Her writing captivates. The characters are starkly drawn, flaws and all. The friendship turned to romance flowed effortlessly. The ending is believable because real life isn't perfect.

Mahalo to #NetGalley and #EntangledPublishing for the ARC, and to S.E. Green for continuing to write!
June 30, 2018
This book is about Viola. She’s poor and really wants to attend MIT so she fudges her application to get into a prestigious high school. Her home life is far from perfect and she just wants to escape. Her mom is a stripper, her sister a drug addict and her ex is a criminal. She’s far from perfect but wants more for her life.

She’s a likable character and when she meets Riel it becomes a little more interesting. They have a love/hate relationship. Riel always gets the scholarship but this year he didn’t so it makes perfect sense for them not to like each other. You could still tell that there was chemistry between the two.

This book is supposed to be a suspense book but to me it was more romance. The stalker aspect drew me in and kept me on my toes wondering who it was. When we found out I was slightly disappointed because of the motive of this person’s actions.

The ending felt rushed and if you’re looking for a suspense book with a lot of the stalker vibe then this book isn’t for you. It’s still a good book and I finished it in a few hours because it held my attention. I haven’t read this author before but I will read her other books.

354 reviews9 followers
June 5, 2018
Rating: 4 stars

Drama, suspense and intrigue. Those are the three words I'd involve to describe this novel.

Watching You is, like the synopsis tells you, about Viola. A girl who tries her best to escape the no good town she came from by getting a scholarship to a prestigious school and to start providing for her mother and two sisters. When she arrives, she expects it to be possible to hide her past and start anew, with a clean slate. Unfortunately, pasts have the nasty habit to come back to us and bite us in the arse. And that, just when everything seems to be going so well.

I just.. I didn't even expect to like this story too much, but I ended up being so intrigued? The first thought that pops up into my head when thinking about this book is still: shit, I did not expect that ending.

I feel like the side characters could've had more depth, which is why I'm not giving it the full stars rating but don't let it fool you; I kind of really, really, really loved reading this.
Profile Image for Bran Pendergrass.
295 reviews37 followers
July 10, 2019
I decided to step outside my comfort zone with this one. I do not normally read suspense or thrillers but the blurb had my interest piqued so I decided why the hell not? So I was disappointed when it turned out to be my least favorite genre - romance*yuck*- disguised as suspense. Sure there were some suspenseful elements in the plot but overall it was misleading,
Viola is our MC and she is quite disillusioned. instead of being frightened that she is in a potentially deadly situation, she is caught up in her puppy love for a boy. I understand that being away from home for the first time is supposed to be a life lesson and new boys are so tempting, but come on! Why does she have to be a love sick fool and victim?

Obviously this book was not for me and I will not give it a terrible rating because I decided to try something new and was disappointed. I could see how fans of romance and suspense would enjoy it. Best of luck to the author.
Profile Image for Laura  Hernandez.
789 reviews82 followers
July 3, 2018
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that’s had me guessing incorrectly so many times on who the stalker was as this one. This suspenseful read kept me on my toes from beginning to end and when I finally learned the truth, I was left speechless. This book has a bit of everything from lies to truths that unraveled me, a strong female full of determination, a swoon-worthy latin male that has amazing family values and let’s face it; a sweet blooming romance.

This author created a story that quickly transports you from wherever your reading it and places you alongside the characters. You will be left with the feeling that someone is indeed watching you and I look forward to reading more of her books!

{I requested a copy for reviewing purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions contained herein are unbiased and my own.}
Profile Image for T. Rosado.
1,697 reviews42 followers
December 15, 2021

4 Stars

My second book by this author and I was excited for this new one after loving Shadow of a Girl. Like SOAG, this book had suspense and romance with an added mystery element. The story was predominantly told in the heroine's POV but had snippets by the unknown villain. The villain was kept a mystery while the author threw out various red herrings to keep the reader guessing. With Riel and Viola as the primary characters in the story, the author also added some great secondary characters that kept the story layered with added humor and drama. I loved Riel and felt he was a wonderful love interest for Viola. I had felt like this book read more like new adult versus YA. Maybe just me, but the romance felt more mature than what I expected from high schoolers. Overall, the romance was a little bit rushed for me, but the mystery was intriguing and kept me turning pages.
Profile Image for Patty.
1,553 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2018
Watching You by Shannon Greenland was a wonderful young adult romantic suspense. Viola has worked hard to get a full ride scholarship to a prestigious private high school, by lying on her application. Academically she didn't lie, but she made up her family background. Viola develops feelings for Riel, the boy she took the scholarship from. On top that someone is watching/stalking Viola. I really enjoyed this book, and will be checking out other books by this author. I strongly recommended this book.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Profile Image for Chris Torretta.
863 reviews38 followers
June 28, 2018
Good plot, some tropes that maybe could have been skipped, but it was a decent read. Very fit for summer reading! Definitely on the suspenseful thriller side.

Full review coming to ruffdayreviews.com for my Summer Horror.

Received by author and Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review.
Profile Image for Tonja Drecker.
Author 3 books183 followers
July 2, 2018
Emotion, hopes, and dreams mix with increasing tension to create a thrilling ride,

Viola can't believe that she's finally achieved her goal of gaining entrance as well as a scholarship to her dream school. Although her past and family are anything but many consider ideal, she now has a chance at a bright future as well as the possibility of bringing her mother and younger twin sisters out of a less than pleasant life. But this sudden golden chance starts to tarnish. Not only does she meet Riel, a hot, super nice guy who she 'took' the scholarship from but discovers that hiding the lies she told to get the scholarship might not stay hidden. Jealousy, prejudice and an ever lurking chill as if someone is following her bring darker shadows than she suspected.

This is one of those reads which grabs at the beginning and digs in its claws the deeper the tale goes. Viola is exactly the kind of heroine to cheer for. She carries tons of baggage but refuses to let it block her future. Determination drips from her character even though she still is a little hesitant and unsure of herself. She holds secrets, but her lies are easy forgiven since she has a heart of gold. The hero slides right into place with her, carrying all the tension, desire, confusion and appeal a hero should. Mix in colorful friends and possible enemies, and the personality plate is full.

The scene of a rich school has its moments of cliche but it works out well. Viola's life and the moments she experiences come across clear and believable. Florida takes on its sunny shine and leaves beach dreams. The interactions, concerns and decisions the characters make are understandable. The author does a great job of building the relationships in many directions and bringing them to a personal level. This makes it easy to fall into the characters and get lost in their worlds. As the tension builds, it's no problem to fear for them and cheer them on. Especially Mar adds a nice touch.

A careful web is woven to make it difficult to see who the real 'bad guy' is. Clues are dropped here and there, some more clear cut than others. For the most part, it keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The last scenes hold enough tension to make the breath catch, and the ending rounds everything off nicely and makes sure to tighten most loose ends.

This is a great read for fans of high school drama, diverse reads, heroines from difficult backgrounds, romance, and, of course, reads which keep the danger increasing until the very end.

I'm giving this 4.5 stars and rounding up. I received a complimentary copy and loved it so much that I'm leaving my honest thoughts.
Profile Image for Rebecca June.
105 reviews
November 10, 2018
This review was originally posted on my blog, June Reads Books.

"I've been watching you..." (chapter 36)


Thank you Greenland, Entangled Teen, and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This thriller/romance was a honestly more romance than thriller, but I still found myself seeing things out of the corner of my eye and jumping as a result.

Viola finally made it out. She's going to be the first person in her family to graduate high school, to go to college. After all her hard work, and maybe a little fib or two, she got into her dream private school for her senior year of high school, all on a full-ride scholarship. All she needs to do is keep her head down and her grades up and she could have a real shot at getting into MIT and away from her life of poverty. Only, by taking the scholarship, she learns that she forced Riel, the scholarship student of the past three years, to pay the ridiculous tuition out of pocket, while juggling raising his sister and working every chance he can get. Honestly, the fact that he's so nice about it just makes Viola feel more guilty.

Riel is such a dream boat. He was born in Spain and Greenland's descriptions of him will make your heart patter. He's kind, thoughtful, calculated, and competitive. Does he get any better? While he and Viola get off to a rough start, he ends up being the anchor to Viola's life when strange things start happening--like that weird feeling that someone is watching her.

Viola's struggle with trying to be friends with people who have never had a problem with money is refreshing. Her drive and hard work to build a future for herself, to help her family is inspiring. And the friendship and romance that builds between her and Riel is captivating!

Some of the dialogue, particularly in the beginning, felt very unnatural and it was harder to get lost in the book until the initial background stories were built. I also wish that the stalker "chapters" weren't included at all--they were not necessary to build the tension, didn't actually add anything, and the writing specifically for those chapters was very awkward. I almost wanted to skip them, but was worried I'd miss some important information. Now that I've read them, I can tell you with confidence to just skip the stalker chapters for a better flow to the story. Otherwise, this was a fun read that draws your heartstrings, while keeping you very much on your toes!
Profile Image for The Smutbrarians.
2,229 reviews1,730 followers
July 3, 2018
Panty Scorching-0
Storyline-4
Angst-1
Tissues-0
Overall Rating-4
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley
Reviewed by Stephanie

Viola has worked her whole academic career to land a senior year scholarship to the exclusive Ponce de Leon Academy in Florida. It’s her ticket to MIT and to getting her family out of assisted housing projects. She would do almost anything to get it, even if that means she has to lie. When she finds out she was chosen as the scholarship recipient and meets her mentor Riel things get off to a less than stellar start. Not only is Riel smart and gorgeous, he is also last year's scholarship recipient and apparently had no idea he wasn’t this years too.

“This is not how I expected to start my year.”

Viola and Riel are sort of stuck together, you know the whole mentor thing and all that. The tension is pretty high from the get go, but the attraction these two have for each other is crazy intense. As Viola gets settled into academy she has to deal with your run of the mill mean girls, her sweet and quirky roommate, her growing attraction to Riel and oh yeah a crazy stalker.

“She had been warned. She didn’t listen. This is what she gets. For everything.”

Despite the rocky start these two had, Viola and Riel get closer and closer. This story has a little bit of a enemies to lovers vibe to it and I loved that. Both of them are really good people, who definitely have not had the easiest lives. And did I mention I love Riel? Well I do. Not only is he a hottie, he is just super genuine and cares about Viola. But it seems the more their relationship grows so does the intensity of the whole stalker situation. When a very real and scary situation happens with the stalker, Riel is there for her. But what happens when the lies Viola desperately tried to keep hidden about how she got her scholarship come out?

“Please. Stay.”

This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed Viola and Riels story. I love how there were some great twists and turns in this book that I really just did not see coming. There was a lot more romance to this book then suspense and I definitely would have loved more from the whole stalker aspect, but overall it was a really good book. I am looking forward to checking out more from this author.
Profile Image for Ruthie Jones.
1,008 reviews45 followers
July 4, 2018
Watching You by Shannon Greenland is an engaging Young Adult thriller packed with romance, revenge, and a mysterious stalker who is definitely beyond disturbed.

Viola is dead set on getting a top-notch education at Ponce de Leon Academy in Florida and then MIT. And if she has to fib a little bit on her scholarship application to get into the Academy, then so be it. I like the backgrounds that the author has created for both Viola and Reil. They are academically intelligent and resourceful, but they aren't rich or pampered like most of the students at the Academy. Viola and Reil scrimp and work and struggle to achieve their dreams. Viola comes from a dysfunctional family, and Reil is basically raising his 11 year-old sister, Mar. When Viola falls hard for Reil, she includes a spot in her heart for his sister. The dynamics between the three are touching and sweet, albeit a bit idyllic.

To offset that sweet romance, an all-around creeper is stalking Viola. If that isn't enough, Abbie, a rich girl with a chip on her shoulder, starts giving Viola jealousy-laden hell for spending so much time with Reil. It's quite the quandary because Abbie has connections (her rich daddy) and isn't above threatening Viola when she finds out she lied to get the Academy's scholarship. Viola just wants to get a good education and eventually a well-paying job to help her family, but she can't seem to stay out of the cross hairs of her enemies.

Ultimately, this story is about pursuing your dreams in the face of hardships, owning up to your missteps and lies, determining who your true friends are, and loving your family despite their shortcomings.

The pacing is super fast, as it should be for a thriller, and the mystery keeps getting mysterious until you are sucker-punched with a plot twist toward the end. It happens so suddenly, and then it's a speedy downhill ride to the finish. The Young Adult vibe is there, but a word of caution: While the relationship between Viola and Reil becomes sweet and romantic, a few titillating scenes may be a bit too steamy for the younger reader. Overall, this story is fun, with just enough mystery to keep you guessing and just enough action to keep you turning the page.
33 reviews2 followers
July 10, 2018
Received a ARC copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

My Rating : 4.8🌟

Watching you is a teenage adult thriller. The two main protagonist are Reil and Viola.

Reil is a brainy handsome boy who every girl has a crush on and Viola is an attractive blue eyed beauty with brains.

The narration starts with the anonymous stalker. The opening keeps you glued right from the beginning.

Viola is an eighteen year old coming from THAT family who gets admission into Ponce de Leon Academy in full scholarship, a highly prestigious private academy located in the Florida Keys. An academy which is highly reputed and capable of getting students directly into MIT, MIT is Viola’s ticket to freedom from poverty and she works really hard for it. She just want to get her family out of the mess to a bright future.
but she gets the scholarship through deceit and lies and she lives in constant fear that she may lose her scholarship and lose the only opportunity to turn her life around.

Reil, the male lead, A senior in the academy is also the contender for the prestigious once a year scholarship. While earning and studying he is also raising his kid sister single handedly. But he loses his scholarship to viola and struggles to pay the enormous fees.

The plot mainly revolves around Viola, Reil and his Sis mar. Their love and support for each other throughout the plot is very touching.

But there is something really weird going on around viola, someone is stalking her or is she feeling it?.. she is getting anonymous call and having queer dreams. Her past relationships haunt her. One of the girl she knows has just been raped and murdered and this scares the hell out of her.
The Story is a suspense thriller surrounding two wonderful mature characters.

i loved Reil for all that he is!.. The plot was intriguing and thrilling and will keep you hooked. Reil and Viola are very inspiring teenagers. Their struggles and achievements is motivating. Quotes in the book are worthy to be noted down.

I judge a book by how much it is hard to put down and i did finish this book in a few days because i was completely hooked.
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