The House in the Pines

When 18-year-old Maya meets Frank, a 20-year-old young man who works at the library where she spends her afternoons, she feels as though her life is turned upside down. Suddenly she is so engrossed with him that she doesn't see the time go by. She flakes on her best friend Aubrey, who keeps telling her Frank is bad news, and she even considers staying in town instead of going to college. After all, what's one more year when you're in love? 7 years later, Maya is now addicted to pills. She lies to her boyfriend and is convinced that Frank is responsible for the death of her best friend Audrey, who died the summer she met him.

When she sees a video of a young woman dying at a dinner while sitting across from Frank, she knows he's up to something again, and she must go home to confront her past. But how can she prove that she's not losing her mind and that Frank is actually dangerous? What I liked: This was a quick read with short chapters, the references to the Guatemalan culture, and the discussion it brought up with my buddies. What I did not enjoy: Too many red herrings; Maya was an unreliable character; there were too many layers that didn't quite mesh together; the ending. Overall, I feel like you will either love this book by Ana Reyes or dislike it. I would recommend it for fans of The House Across the Lake!