Little Creeping Things

by Chelsea Ichaso

When she was a child, Cassidy Pratt accidentally started a fire that killed her neighbor. At least, that’s what she’s been told. She can’t remember anything from that day, and her town’s bullies, particularly the cruel and beautiful Melody Davenport, have never let her live it down.

But then Melody goes missing, and Cassidy thinks she may have information. She knows she should go to the cops, but she recently joked about how much she’d like to get rid of Melody. She even planned out the perfect way to do it. And then she gets a chilling text from an unknown number: I’m so glad we’re in this together.

Now it’s up to Cassidy to figure out what really happened before the truth behind Melody’s disappearance sets the whole town ablaze.

Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2020

About the author

Chelsea Ichaso writes twisty thrillers for young adults, including LITTLE CREEPING THINGS (Sourcebooks Fire, 2020), DEAD GIRLS CAN'T TELL SECRETS (Sourcebooks Fire, 2022), THEY'RE WATCHING YOU (Sourcebooks Fire, 2023) and THE SUMMER SHE WENT MISSING (Sourcebooks Fire, March 5th, 2024). A former high school English teacher, she currently resides in southern California with her husband and children. When she’s not reading or writing, Chelsea can be found on the soccer field.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG! Look at the disturbing cover with that terrifying doll! Some people scare of clowns and I really irritate to look at porcelain dolls! ( Of course Annabelle series didn’t help me to form a lovely relationship with them!)

So this haunted cover intrigued me even though a few last YA thrillers I’ve read a little disappointed me. And here is the interesting thing: Normally I start reading a thriller with promising beginning but at the end I lose my interest and if I don’t like it outcome, it turns into a Switzerland- let’s meet in the middle three stars reading. But this book really surprised me. It hooked me at the beginning but I started to lose my interest in the middle and I started to think it turned into angsty teen romance (our heroine is in love with her childhood sweetheart but he starts rejecting her and dating with someone’s else and our heroine starts dating with his tutor blabla) and I thought the ending was so predictable but I couldn’t be so wrong with a surprising twist the author successfully pulled out the rug from under my feet and I sat on my ass with a dazzled look on my face. Wow! I didn’t see it coming! That was great. So promising 3 starred reading turned into 4 starred, surprising, psychological, fast paced one sit reading! Well done and well played!

Without giving any crucial spoiler, I’ll talk about the characters and the plot:

The story starts at the volleyball match: her teammates shouts at Cassidy a.k.a firegirl ( because when she was only 6, she got involved in fire accident which resulted with death of her friend, also her evil nemesis Melody Davenport’s cousin) to concentrate on the game. But Cassidy starts to see hallucinations that one of her teammates on fire. And she has a panic attack, leaving the school with her longtime best friend and crush Gideon. They’re besties since they were 10 and shared a special kiss but then Gideon acted like nothing happened and Cassidy was too proud not to come clean about her feelings. Her parents already treat her with kid gloves because of her traumatic incident when she was kid. ( After the fire she got involved, she spent her time at the hospital, forgetting everything about that haunted day.) Especially her brother Asher, who saved her from the fire is over protective, watching her every move.

But Cassidy still tries to adapt in school life, bullied by Melody Davenport who still calls her “fire girl”, has no intention to make her forget about the past. Cassidy still questions herself if she has started the fire intentionally. Could she be a cold blooded killer?
She and Gideon meets at the woods at their Hobbit nest they’ve build when they were little. They hear Melody’s branded laugh, talking with somebody. At the same time, Gideon leaves Cassidy alone for getting phone reception and Cassidy resumes listening Melody from her hiding place (she doesn’t leave because she doesn’t want to face her nemesis) but when Melody’s laughter turns into cry for help, she gets panic she has to do something but when she gets out, Melody is nowhere to be seen.

She realizes that she has written a murder plan for Melody as a prank a few days earlier on her notebook and shares this with Asher’s best friend Brandon. Could Brandon conduct this murder plan literally? Because after Melody’s suspicious disappearance she gets a text message from unknown number tells her: he is great to be in this together! What the hell? Who is this? Did someone really kill Melody? And where is her notebook? Did someone try to pin her on the murder?
Keep reading my friends, especially for the eerie, nail biter, smart final twist! I was entertaining, fast, action packed, debut YA thriller and so much better than my last reads! I’m looking forward to read Chelsea Ichaso’s upcoming works!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sharing this enjoyable ARC in exchange my honest review.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA is a solid thriller that has a couple of twists and turns along the way. It has a little bit of everything you see in a YA book - teen angst, teen romance, mystery, a secret spot in the woods, bullies, small-town setting, etc.

Cassidy Pratt was told that when she was a child, she started a fire that killed her neighbor. She has no memories for that day but her town; especially the town bullies remembers. When one of her biggest tormentors, Melody goes missing, Cassidy believes she has some information. She heard Melody before she went missing but is fearful because she planned how to get rid of Melody.

Then she gets a text which reads: I’m so glad we’re in this together.

What happened to Melody? Who is to blame? Is someone setting Cassidy up? Did Cassidy really want to get rid of Melody or was her plan just for fun? Who knows about Cassidy's plan? Is Cassidy an unreliable character? Will the truth only add more sticks to the fire?

I found this book to be a solid 3 star read. The beginning and end were strong. The middle lagged a little for me. Overall, an enjoyable YA book. I had an inkling who the culprit would be...will you?

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sumit RK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Creeping Things is a well written YA thriller. So, it has all the elements of a YA book; from teen romance, a cast of troubled teenagers, a high school drama, and a nice mystery.

When she was a child, Cassidy Pratt accidentally started a fire that killed her friend. Now In high school, she is tormented by her bullies. One of her bullies, Melody goes missing and things start getting muddled. Cassidy thinks she may have information about what happened but then she gets a chilling threat. Now it’s up to Cassidy to figure out what’s really going on before the truth behind Melody’s disappearance sets the whole town ablaze.

I found this book to be a solid, enjoyable thriller. The story starts off well, the YA elements overshadow the mystery parts in the middle and it manages to end strongly. So more than a mystery thriller, it reads like a YA book with thriller elements.

Cass is not the most likable character, mainly due to her antics. But the book takes a lot of time to build Cassidy's character and her relationships with the other characters, to an extent that even the mystery takes a back seat. There were few genuine suspects and there was very little in terms of criminal investigation or crime-solving. So, the identity of the killer was not so hard to guess but his motivations remained unclear and rather convenient plot-wise. So the characters could have been developed better so as to understand their motivations. However, the story has several unexpected twists and flashbacks that will keep your interest going right till the end.

Overall, Little Creeping Things is an enjoyable YA thriller; with a nice mix of teenage drama and mystery. If you love YA mysteries, you will enjoy this book. 3.5 stars out of 5

Many thanks to the publisher SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Creeping Things by Chelsea Ichaso is a young adult thriller with an unreliable narrator. This one would be for the fans of did she or didn’t she or one in which you just don’t know who to trust.

Cassidy Pratt is now a teenager but when she was little she had been saved from a fire that she herself had started. That moment in Cassidy’s life was forever marked in tragedy as another child died which in turn has made Cassidy an outcast among her peers.

One of the popular girls that constantly teases Cassidy is Melody Davenport. One day while Cassidy is in her favorite hiding spot she overhears what she believes is someone murdering Melody but Cassidy can’t go to the police since what she heard sounds exactly like her own ideas for a perfect murder of her mean girl nemesis.

Little Creeping Things not only has an unreliable narrator but one that is still struggling to overcome her past which adds to the tension. The tone is rather eerie as the book gets going but I would warn it can be a little teen angsty towards the middle with some romance drama thrown in. However I still enjoyed the story and thought the ending was solid to go well with the tense beginning.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good healthy 3🌟from me.

Creepy enough to keep my interest, although it’s a YA book and I’m (cough cough) a lot older!
A lot of YA thrillers have been pretty mediocre lately for me, and although this slightly lagged in the middle it was a string start and very good climax.

The characters were relatable, old and young could experience any of what goes on.
That cover. That cover though! Freaked me out!

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Creeping Things
by Chelsea Ichaso

This is a YA thriller but I thought it would be a horror or supernatural book based on title and cover. That's what I get for assuming! Lol! It's a murder mystery involving high school teens.
The story is pretty good, the murder plot is great and the ending very surprising! The characters were ok and dialogue were teenage believable. What I didn't like, but happens with almost all teen books, is the horrible teen angst! If this was out of the book it would be even more enjoyable although I did like the story as is.

[Ari · Rating 2 out of 5]

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Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

This novel has a solid premise. It might have been meant to be full of twists and turns, a heaping amount of mounting evidence, and a few leads to whoever might have been responsible for Melody's disappearance. The reality, however, is most of a novel full of teenage angst and a lead that spends most of her time either blaming herself for this disappearance, stressing over the loss of a friend who she is so obviously actually in love with, and not a lot of sleuthing happening save for a few random bursts here and there.

Cass is not the most likable of leads. She's rather unpleasant, actually. She's selfish; she might berate herself with guilt after the fact, but she's very much okay with pushing others down a few pegs; and she impulsively jumps to conclusions that are incredibly detrimental to other people. She spends most of the novel rushing from one suspect to the other, while dragging poor Gideon around—best friend sidekick and the only good person in this story aside from poor Emily, sister to one of the wrongfully accused people—until the guy appropriately tired of her antics.

And you would think that someone who gets bullied—which only adds another ingredient to the angsty feel of this tale—would attempt to rise above doing it to others, but rather deplorably, she instead turns around and does the same thing to someone else.

After Cass has gone around to blaming Brandon, her brother Asher's friend, for Melody's fatality, she sets her eyes on Seth. Seth, the loner that everyone thinks is a stalker of girls after a rumor was started by Cassidy . So it baffles me that Cass then goes after Seth as the culprit in this story because he's creepy and a stalker and therefore, so very obviously, the “bad guy”...even though she herself was the one who started this rumor! The reasoning to this path that the novel takes and sticks to for quite a while makes no sense to me. And just before we find out who the actual criminal is, Cass, of course, goes on and hysterically accuses yet another person due to the gut instinct that has been leading her so clearly up to this point.

I wasn't expecting the big reveal, which was at least one good thing to this book, even if I found the reasoning for “bad guy” to do what he did very weak—albeit psychotic, so at least he fits the bill. But after the insufferable long time that it took for this to build, while having to read through pages upon pages of Cassidy's anxiety and teenage moping because she was losing her Giddy—and fairly so, mind you, since she has no backbone and fed into her fear rather than attempt to do the right thing—the mystery was completely lost for me in this one.

[Cortney - The Bookworm Myrtle Beach · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis (and that cover!) made this book sound so cool... unfortunately, it was pretty mediocre. I didn't particularly like or care about any of the characters. I feel like too much of the book was about how angsty the main character was, as opposed to actually building the suspense and both mysteries. It all just fell flat for me.

[Angela Staudt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, SourceBooks and Early Reads, for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this book is what immediately drew me in, I mean I am not a fan of dolls at all so it was extremely creepy. After reading the synopsis I was super excited to dive right into this book. I did enjoy the plot of this book and really loved the twist. Honestly, did not see the ending coming and it had me quite shook. The main character had me not loving this book, she was very angsty and just over the top annoying throughout the entire book.

Cass, the main character, is called the Fire Girl, because when she was a young child she accidentally caught a tree house on fire while her friend was in it. She survived but her friend did not. Now as a teenager in high school, she gets bullied and definitely isn’t the most liked person. She has an enemy, Melody Davenport, and writes some very bad things in her notebook about this girl she hates, and then one day she ends up dead. She can’t go to the police with the evidence because someone stole her notebook and the murder happened exactly like how she wrote it. I just could not stand Cass whining throughout this entire book, and coming up with come far fetched conclusions on who murdered Melody and immediately calling them the killer. It hurt a lot of people and she lost her only friend in the process. She will find some small clue about who she thinks the real killer is and she doesn’t care who it will hurt she just tells everyone her theory. Not to mention she gets bullied her entire life, but now it seems she is the one doing the bullying, which hello you should be rising about that and not stooping to that level.

While the twists in this story did surprise me and as I said before the ending shocked me, I was left just feeling meh about this book. I feel as though the entire book we are very slowly leading to a shocking twist, which does happen, but it happened so fast it felt rushed. Little Creeping Things is your average YA thriller, it has its faults but it does the job of making me rethink who I thought the murderer was.

[Quirkyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC due to being a part of team #firereadsmidnight! . Thank you Sourcebooks and FIREReads.

Here is the link to my full review: https://quirkyreader.livejournal.com/...

Possible spoilers......

This is a trigger warning. The story deals with stalking and mental health issues.

Give this story a go and get ready to be on the edge of your seat.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassidy Pratt is a murderer. Only she doesn't remember it. Her high-school's popular clique are determined never to let her forget what she has never remembered doing in the first place, though. Cassidy has been taunted and feared her entire life for her childhood involvement in the fire that took her neighbour's life. She is determined to discover what really occurred that day, but it is proving an impossible task when everyone around her is either only interested in sharing rumours or pretending the accident never occurred at all.

This proved itself an interesting YA thriller yet it didn't have the horrifying elements I assumed it would contain, judging from the cover and title. My interest was maintained, although my intrigue only fully piqued in the final quarter, and I enjoyed my time with the characters and the storyline well enough. It was merely not the novel I was anticipating and it took some time to immerse myself in what was, instead, delivered. I'd definitely recommend this to those looking for a fast-paced and drama-focused thriller rather than the eerie horror I assumed I was diving into. I also found the twisted ending provided a deliciously devious closure to the novel that I definitely did not anticipate coming!

[Tricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, I struggled to get through this one. I don't really have a problem with unreliable or unlikable narrators but when they whine all throughout and are constantly seeing everything through their self serving pity-me glasses, that's where I tend to draw the line.

I've LOVED books with a narratives from villains, from characters I didn't like one bit. I wish this could have been the case here but it just wasn't. The plot could have at least helped the story along but honestly I found it to also be lacking.

To me it was kinda like everything was rather one dimensional, the characters, the plot, and the mystery. The synopsis offered things I don't think the story ever delivered on. The big reveal at the end felt somehow predictable and easy, which was WEIRD because the one thing I can think of that I guess you could say is positive is that I didn't figure it out till right before.

But once it was revealed it felt like OF COURSE and only because no one should guess that for any other reason than it would seem the least likely and you were just supposed to accept it in the end for nothing more than because sometimes people are just evil or crazy or whatever. It felt very simplified.

Give me a breadcrumb or two along the way. I love to be surprised don't get me wrong, but it cheapens it to me when you did nothing along the way to give even miniscule clues or make it understandable how you got there or why things ended this way until literally right before, and even that is shakey at best. Maybe the fact that I'm reading such an emotionally complex grand series as well right now didn't help.

This just felt incredibly immature and unsatisfying to me. If major teen angst is your bag, or maybe you want to dip a toe in a light mystery, you might enjoy this one. To be honest I felt like the Scooby-Doo gang solved more indepth cases, but to each his own.

I received an arc of this book from Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

[Dana Mele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently I never updated my review, but my opinion is above :) Breakneck pace, twists around every corner, and a delightfully unreliable narrator who I rooted for from the first sentence. Enjoyed this one so much, and I've read it several times now! Really a treat for thriller lovers. This is a fabulous debut, not to be missed.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: 3.5 Stars

Thanks to a deadly accident when she was just a child, the town bully never let her forget the nightmare she survived, never failed to let her know she was blamed, but when Melody went missing, Cassidy knew she could help find her. The only problem, she also had joked about the perfect way to get rid of Melody, herself and someone may have acted on it.

LITTLE CREEPING THINGS by Chelsea Ichaso has a heroine who isn’t easily likable, doesn’t seem to want to make real friends and lives in her own dark world. Written for teen readers, who may understand the politics of school hierarchy, whether they tolerate it or not, there is lots of angst and darkness without that sense of “fresh” in the story line or a tremendous amount of depth in the characters.

One HUGE thing Chelsea Ichaso did get very right was the turmoil. Hang on for some great twists that readers will never see coming! Geared for teens.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Sourcebooks Fire! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (June 2, 2020)
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Genre: YA Suspense
Print Length: 336 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. I felt like it had potential to be really great, but just slightly missed the mark.

I found myself annoyed at the main character's decision making, though she is a teenager so maybe on some level it's more realistic. She generally doesn't know what she thinks or believes and changes her mind a lot. I also was bothered by some of the reactions of other characters. Their relationships seem to come and go.

I found the story to be interesting, except I knew who the 'bad guy' very early on. There was really only one person it could be if you paused to think about it. I'm glad the author went with this person though, as I would have been really disappointed if she had tried to add a twist and make someone else the perpetrator.

There are a couple of things that happen towards the end that don't really make sense and some that are never fully explained. I wish that part was worked out a bit better.

I don't think I'm really the target audience for this book. It seemed to me that a younger audience may appreciate it more. The main characters were all teenagers and their relationships and thoughts fit that age group. Also, having read many mystery/thriller books made it fairly easy to see where the story was ultimately going.

Overall, this was a solid debut and I would recommend it to a younger audience that enjoys the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cobwebby Eldritch Reading Reindeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! LITTLE CREEPING THINGS is a totally engrossing mystery which gripped me from Page One. Yes, it's YA, but let me tell you, Cass, Gideon, and others deal with issues many adults would fear to take on. The author ramps up the psychological input throughout, and continues to also view it sociologically (peer constraints, public opinion, family favoritism), and there was not a boring moment to be found.


In addition was the "CLUE" type of scrolling through villain possibilities: Is it--? Or is it--? Or no it must be--? You get the point. Not a "locked room," but very Agatha Christie-ish nonetheless. So glad I chose to read this.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

#LittleCreepingThings
#YA2020
A must read debut that will give you the freebie jeebies. If you love suspense then this book is for you!

[Stacee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Unreliable narrators are my favorite and I was so excited for this premise.

I sort of liked Cassidy? She means well, but jumps to conclusions and spends the entire book accusing various people of being the murderer. There are a lot of mean girls and one or two characters who deserve to be hugged. {Emily and Gideon, I’m looking at you.}

Plot wise, it was okay. Cassidy’s inner monologue of guilt did get repetitive and the constant sneaking around didn’t add the tension I was expecting. Most disappointing was the reveal and so-called explanation, all of which was wrapped up in 2-3 pages.

Overall, it had a lot of potential, but sadly, this story was forgettable.

**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for providing the arc free of charge**

[Kris - My Novelesque Life · Rating 2 out of 5]

RATING: 2 STARS
2020; Sourcebooks Fire

Little Creeping Things has a creepy cool cover that drew me instantly to the novel. The summary was right up my alley with suspense and teenage drama. However, there was just too much petty selfish drama than fun drama. I am probably being a bit too generous with the two star rating for how I feel about this story and writing. I would HIGHLY recommend you read other reviews as this is just my opinion. Honestly, it was a difficult novel to get through. I had to skim through the middle to finish it. I found the main character, Cass just too annoying. She would jump to conclusions before even getting the facts, that soon you did not trust anything she was saying or even seeing. Cass would throw her friends and family under the bus as quick as she jumped to the conclusions. There was no suspense or even creepiness. There wasn't any motivation to the story, and the ending was just there. I think this is Ichaso's first novel, so I would try another book in the future.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounded amazing. It was promising. But Cass is an insecure and selfish teen who acts like a kid. The twists and turns are incoherent. I felt like the story was going everywhere at once, it was dizzying. One good thing: I really didn't see the end coming. I don't know yet if it's a good thing or not...

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Madeline Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an early copy of this book and it's so tense and chilling. Really well written and great characters!

[Chelsea Ichaso]

UPDATE 3/28/22: If you liked this book, make sure to check out DEAD GIRLS CAN'T TELL SECRETS, out April 5th!

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this cover! I love it... and I HATE dolls. I have an ever living fear of dolls. When I was a kid I decapitated all my barbies and threw their heads and bodies away in trash cans blocks away from each other. Not sure my parents letting me watch all those scary movies at such a young age was the greatest of ideas (but I'm oh so happy that they did!) So of course, this cover drew me right in. "I'm so glad we're in this together." BUT, man I expected something MUCH creepier out of this read!

As a debut novel, I give lots of props to Ichaso. She has an absolute unreliable narrator, tons of red herrings and a puzzle of a mystery. I did have some issues. I would've liked some more background as to the why on a few things. I would've liked to have seen a little more depth in Melody's experiences. What I did really like though, was the ease of the read - I really had no clue as to who the killer was right up until the end and, like Melody, I was pulled in so many directions! Maybe it was her all along. Maybe it was this or that person! WHO IS CRAZY HERE? You'll have to read to find out. And when you're in a teenager's head, what really makes sense anyways? 😉 (But also, do high schoolers drink coffee now? I feel so old! 🤣)

This author definitely has a lot of talent. I'll be keeping an eye out for her next book as I'm intrigued with what she'll be bringing us next and I can only see great things.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an arc of this suspenseful page-turner by Chelsea Ichaso. Hooking me from Chapter One with nicknaming the main character and voice of the story "Fire Girl," I had a hard time putting this book down and stayed up way too late one evening too many to finish it. I regret nothing.

Ichaso's portrayal of high school life, of the way a nickname and identity you perhaps never wanted nor asked for yourself can follow you around like a bad, reoccurring dream was exceptionally organic. All too often, YA stories and their points of view feel too old and out of touch for YA. This one fit the high school persona perfectly, and on that note, what really kept me reading was the almost-frustrating fact that I couldn't decide if I trusted Cassidy. Her compelling backstory coupled with her ease of lying to her oldest and dearest friend Giddy threw me for a loop more than once. Even at 90% through the novel, I wasn't entirely sure if I believed her, and I absolutely loved that element. Give me an unreliable narrator every time, please.

A well-woven mystery with gut-tightening-read-with-many-lights-on moments, Little Creeping Things will appeal to fans of E. Lockhart, Gillian French, and Kara Thomas.

[Tara T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book and AAAAAH! I was in such suspense trying to figure out what would happen by the end! The creepy atmosphere, the unreliable narrator, the hairs on my arms sticking up! A fantastic YA thriller that I'd highly suggest.

[Amanda McHugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read much YA in the genre since my foray into Pretty Little Liars, but the cover and blurb for Little Creeping Things sold me.

Cass is haunted by her past. Assuming the blame for a horrible fire that took the life of her best friend, scarred her brother, and almost killed her, Cass embraces the identity of Fire Girl, believing anyone who gets close to her is doomed to be burned. Unfortunately, she finds herself in a precarious situation when she overhears the murder of her sworn enemy. Spiraling deeper into the mystery and suspect pool, Cass must confront her demons to overcome her tormented history and solve the case before it's too late.

Little Creeping Things was a wonderful blend of murder and mystery. As an MC, I really liked Cass. Her reflective nature and anxiety about the past was endearing. She never absolved herself from blame, and with the severity of the event, it made sense that something of that nature would follow her. A small town where everyone knew each other, it was interesting to see how the fire affected the rest of her life. From taunts to bullying, Ichaso did a superb job of structuring the plot so that the weight of responsibility she felt didn't seem hyperbolic or unwarranted.

While I don't often care for romantic subplots, I found Cass' relationship with Gideon refreshing and adorable. Exploring the nuances of friendship, how childhood friendship can blossom into romantic entanglements, their friendship was never perfect or cut and dry. They fought, held differing opinions, attacked problems in two completely different ways, and yet when things got scary or difficult, their instincts were always to protect each other.

I think the only thing that got repetitive was Cass' suspicion of literally every male character in the book at some point or other. She jumps from one to the next, producing "proof" for all of her rationale into why this person was *definitely* the killer. I wouldn't say she's an unreliable narrator, but you're supposed to question her ability to critically think about the information she's giving to us as the reader. I had to suspend some disbelief on this part, one because she's a teenager inserting herself into a murder investigation, and two, I didn't understand how she was so sure of everyone else's guilt; but, comparing it to a show like House or, yes, Pretty Little Liars, where all the wrong answers are exhausted before the truth comes to light, her approach to solving the mystery worked. I wasn't shocked by the ending, but I didn't dislike it either.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for a psychological YA thriller with a dash of romance thrown in. I really enjoyed this read.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing an arc in exchange for review consideration.

[Gayatri Saikia | per_fictionist · Rating 4 out of 5]

An addictive and chilling YA thriller that I obviously enjoyed a lot because well, I am a sucker for YA mysteries and when there is a high school setting in it haaah considered the deal sealed! First, of all the cover is GORGEOUSLY CREEPY and I APPRECIATE IT A LOT. THANK YOU. Cassidy Pratt, known as the fire girl is most often the talk of the school for an incident that happen in her childhood and well years later she finds herself haunted by her past and in the midst of another terrifying incident that she thinks unintentionally caused. The disappearance of Melody Davenport, the bully who seems to not let go of the tainted incident and still publicly calls Cass the “fire girl”.
Then she gets a text which reads: I’m so glad we’re in this together.
Creepy stalker “A” like messages check! A missing girl check! A well plotted mystery check! Unreliable narrator check! Incriminating evidence against the protagonist check!
Getting back to what I liked and didn’t like : I was definetly impressed by the writing as it kept me hooked to a point that I lost track of time. Cassidy’s character struggling through her trauma and the triggering events that were happening around her definitely had my whole attention and sympathy. I was quite intrigued by the plot and ofcourse the big reveal was what I was waiting for but it did kind leave me sad! Because, although I could connect the dots with everything that happened in the past and the present, I was certainly feeling positive about the said character,although I had my doubts.
So, all in all I’d say LITTLE CREEPING THINGS was an absolute nail bitter and had me on the edge the whole time! A quick read and perfect weekend getaway if you are looking for a YA thriller to spice up your reading mood!

[Natasha | natashainyourphone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cass is pretty sure she overheard her bully, Melody, call for help while in the woods behind her house, but when she tries to show her best friend the evidence, it's not there. And she can't really go to the police because she was just telling her brother's best friend the perfect plan to get away with murder and she wrote it in her notebook that's now missing. Then she gets a text from an unknown number - "I'm so glad we're in this together."

Cass feels like she's the only one who can solve this murder since the police don't seem to be doing their job.

There is a back story about Cass being in a fire accident with her best friend when they were younger and the friend ended up dying. Now Cass is bullied constantly (even though it's like 10 years later) and because of it, she doesn't fully trust herself.

I really enjoyed this book! I received it a few weeks ago through Netgalley from Sourcebooks Fire and had forgotten the synopsis, so I basically went in blind.

The ending to the first handful of chapters grabbed me and I had to keep reading. I liked all the characters. I really liked Cass and her best friend Gideon - they had a cute relationship.

Besides thinking that Cass was quick to judge, I enjoyed the story and all the discoveries along the way. Since this is a YA book, it did take me back to my high school days and made me remember all the bullying that happened.

I rate it 4/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA mysteries.

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cassidy is on the cheer team in high school. Unfortunately she's also known as 'fire girl' and some of the girls on her team torture her for it. Back when she was very young, her best friend died in a fire, possibly caused by Cassidy. Now one of her torturers ends up missing.
Spoilers from this point on-
This book dragged. Every page I kept saying, just tell someone. I guess ten chapters later, she finally did.
It was completely OBVIOUS that Asher did it. Sweet guy, supportive older brother, best friend to everyone... Still living at home.
Cassidy was utterly negative throughout. The only surprises were that she had more surprises, aka secrets.
And why that family didn't just leave town after everything came to a head, is beyond me.
As I write this I consider moving my two stars to one. Mystery thrillers need to surprise us. This one did nothing for me.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

At age 7, Cassidy accidentally set a fire that killed her childhood friend. Through the years she has been forced to live with the tragedy. Her main source of comfort is her older brother Asher, who saved her from the fire and vows to keep her safe. When Cass masterminds a plan to kill her nemesis Melody, who then ends up dead, Cass and her best friend Gideon try to find the murderer. There are twists and turns and it’s a little far fetched, but still a good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my unbiased review.