I could not put this book down!
Tense, mysterious, A Crooked Mark pulled the rug out from under me and kept me guessing till the very end.
Matt and his Dad spend their time hunting Marked, people who have had near death experiences and miraculously survived. Marked must be burned and killed before they bring about death and destruction in their wake, but it isn't always easy identifying them. Matt gets his first solo assignment and a chance at a normal teenage life while he tries to get close to his "project", but it isn't long before he is questioning everything he has been raised to believe. (It doesn't help that his "project" is nice, helpful, AND beautiful!)
Matt's journey through this book as he struggles to form his own beliefs after being told to look for evil everywhere is so profound. His paranoia and fear of not knowing who to trust had my heart racing on multiple occasions. Once he starts building relationships and actually living for the first time, his viewpoint and thoughts slowly start to shift. It's difficult to see the light at the other end of the tunnel when you've been told to only look at the dark for so long.
 What happens if you let your grief swallow you whole and never move on? How far would you go to protect your loved ones? Everyone in this story is dealing with some type of grief and loss. Be it a parent who perished too soon, or a wife who freakishly passed away, not everyone manages their pain and loss in a healthy manner. Anyone who has ever lost someone will resonate with the struggles they face, and understand that lashing out is normal and not always a sign of a deeper issue. When you have loved ones and a support system, it really does change the way you grief and deal with difficult situations.
 My favorite character was Mr. Garrett, something about seemingly curmudgeonly old men who are actually quite the opposite always gets me in the feels. Characters like his were a welcome respite in a tense story. The friendship and banter that Matt forms at school was sweet to read, I loved how everyone was so supportive and understanding of Rae.
I would read a sequel immediately, I feel like there is so much more to uncover and I want to know more!
Thank you so much to Penguin for this ARC!