The Price of Truth by Michele Clarizio is a gripping young adult novel that combines mystery, romance, and raw emotion in equal measure. Karis Russo, who is still reeling from the death of her father, wakes up after a high-profile event, battered and blank on the night’s events. Determined to uncover what happened, Karis dives into an investigation that pulls her deeper into a web of secrets, betrayals, and painful truths. Along the way, she must also navigate an unexpected romance with Mason Whitman, a boy with secrets of his own. As the stakes rise and the truth becomes more dangerous, Karis is forced to confront whether the answers she seeks are worth the cost. It’s a tense, emotional journey that explores grief, resilience, and the power of uncovering hidden truths.

Author Michele Clarizio knows how to create characters that speak straight to readers’ hearts, and this emotive narrative style has resulted in a tense and emotionally layered YA mystery that hooks readers from the very first page and never lets them go. What impressed me was how genuine everything is, from the pacing of Karis’s journey of discovery to the depiction of trauma and healing, which is sensitive, honest, and deeply resonant. It’s rare to see a protagonist with such raw vulnerability who doesn’t feel tokenistic. As a result, Karis becomes a strong, relatable heroine that readers are sure to root for and feel deeply invested in as the plot twists through different struggles and challenges. And there are plenty of those to discover, with a brilliant sense of timing in just when to drop the next bombshell clue. Wonderfully atmospheric descriptions of places and people enhance the mood of every scene. Overall, I highly recommend The Price of Truth to readers seeking a compelling blend of romantic tension and high-stakes suspense that’s perfect for teen and adult readers alike.

The Price of Truth by Michele Clarizio is a compelling young adult novel that explores seventeen-year-old Karis Russo's journey as she navigates trauma, self-identity, and the pursuit of healing. Karis is still grieving the loss of her father when a traumatic event leaves her with blacked-out memories and physical scars. It happens after she attends the grand opening of The Aragon Luxury Resort and Spa. She wakes up with no memory of what happened, with bruises on her body and pain. As she sets out to unravel the truth, she becomes entangled with the charming Mason Whitman. The chemistry is intense, and she finds him irresistible. As she gets closer to the truth about the grand opening night, she discovers that it might cost far more than she bargained for. Is she ready for what’s coming?

I was drawn in by the captivating first-person narrative voice that Michele Clarizio skillfully employs to explore the depth of Karis’s character, torn between her weakness for a man and her thirst for truth and longing for healing. I enjoyed the setting—small-town Duncan High, family homes, and luxurious estates—offering a backdrop for Karis's contrasting worlds: the raw, emotional space of her therapy sessions and the glamorous, often superficial social scenes of her peers. Characters like Mason Whitman, the charming and seemingly genuine love interest, and Skylar and Nikki, her loyal friends, are finely drawn, and the author uses these characters in exploring themes of friendship, romance, and conflict. Themes of trauma recovery, trust, identity, and the high stakes of teenage relationships are cleverly accomplished. The Price of Truth is a character-driven narrative that will fascinate you with its crisp writing, suspenseful plotting, and well-crafted dialogue.

The Price of Truth by Michele Clarizio is a captivating YA novel that follows Karis Russo’s journey through trauma, self-discovery, and complex relationships. Still grieving the loss of her father, Karis attends an event and wakes up bruised and physically hurt without a memory of what happened the previous night. She struggles to piece together her shattered memories of the traumatic night. As she goes through her daily life—facing anxiety, mental health battles, and her evolving feelings for Mason Whitman—she begins to uncover hidden truths about her past, her family’s dark secrets, and her strength. Her quest for clarity is intertwined with her desire for genuine connection while battling her fears. But what if the truth she desperately needs to hear shatters everything she is trying to build, especially her burgeoning romance?

Love, the search for truth, self-discovery, and grief are deftly woven into this gripping YA novel, with snappy, quick-witted dialogue that had me cheering through the chapters. The Price of Truth features lovable, memorable characters, and the author successfully injects substantial doses of emotions into them, making them as real as possible. Michele Clarizio has the gift of writing focused scenes and exploring the characters' psyches. I love to feel characters in a book, and Karis is one such character — deeply hurt and frustrated. You’ll enjoy the crispiness in the writing, the humor that brings light and life to the dialogues, and the emotional conflict that drives the narrative. This deftly plotted, character-driven story kept me racing through the pages.

The Price of Truth is a raw young adult novel that explores trauma, healing, and the fragile journey of self-discovery. Michele Clarizio captures the inner turmoil of protagonist Karis Russo as she navigates the aftermath of a mysterious and life-changing event. Told in a bold and authentic voice, the story begins with Karis confronting the gaps in her memory after a traumatic night she cannot fully recall. The emotional intensity is tangible as she struggles with “motivational forgetting,” trying to reclaim her truth while battling anxiety, shame, and self-doubt. Her journey is rendered with poetic interiority, punctuated by therapy sessions, symbolic rituals, and conversations that range from heartbreakingly honest to laugh-out-loud funny.

Michele Clarizio’s writing shines in its characterization. Karis is compelling, vulnerable, and resilient, and the supporting cast, especially her fiercely loyal best friend, the charismatic Mason Whitman, and her therapist, Dr. Yancey, creates a vibrant emotional backdrop. Their dialogues are unforced and natural with the emotional rhythms of adolescence. Mason, in particular, becomes an unexpected source of comfort and affection, but never in a way that overshadows Karis’s personal growth. Sharp humor, authentic teen dialogue, and moments of genuine connection prevent the narrative from becoming too heavy, although reader discretion is advised. Some readers may find scenes disturbing; they are present but not graphic. Clarizio presents an unflinching portrayal of the psychological toll of trauma and the slow, uneven path to recovery. The Price of Truth will appeal to readers of issue-based fiction, mature teen readers, and adults who appreciate emotionally layered storytelling and aren’t afraid to engage with difficult but important topics.