If I had to describe this book in a sentence, I'd say it's like the Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars. It was delicious, thrilling, and addicting all rolled into one delightful treat. When I began to read the book, I thought it'd hit all the major cliches and be filled with awful teenage writing. WRONG! The characters were dynamic, the plot was well-paced, and the thrills kept me at the edge of my seat.
The whole time I swear I thought I knew who had committed the crime and I firmly believed I had figured out the entire plot. WRONG AGAIN. Every time I thought I knew what would happen, BAM! Another juicy twist would send us spiraling further into craziness. McManus did a great job of making me suspect all the kids at some point (Except one but I won't name that person). They all had motive, and I was constantly backtracking on who I thought was the killer. By the end I truly thought I had figured it out. Who it ends up being and how it all ties together is splendidly done and I applaud McManus for the sneakiness. My jaw legit dropped to the ground guys. The ending was a bit open-ended but I was completely fine with that. Most of the storylines get wrapped up and you have a general sense of where the book is headed. I am quite disappointed we only get one book here, but admittedly, this could only be a one book story.
Bronwyn Rojas - My favorite character in the entire book because I could relate to her in many ways. She was kind, she was intelligent, and she was fearless. Her character was well developed transforming from the meek smart girl to a kick ass leader. She was the Spencer of the group.
Nate Macauley - YES NATE! He was so charming and swoon worthy, I absolutely loved him. The bad boy with a heart of gold always wins me over. And of course he also had to win the affections of a certain brainiac. I whole heartedly shipped Bronwyn & Nate and prayed that McManus wouldn't ruin their love. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. Their romance was seductive and forbidden, but I was all for it. Nate was a lot like Alex Fuentes from Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles - if you haven't read it, you must! He's in a bunch of crappy situations but tries to find a way out of the hole and into the sunlight. I lived for Nate & Bronwyn!
Addy Prentiss - The Hannah of the group, beautiful and popular. Addy changed in unexpected but refreshing ways by the end. Although I kind of wish she would've gone a different route than the one she choose, I understand why McManus wrote her in that particular way. I will say that Addy was a strong character and although she was frail in the beginning, you get to see her blossom into her own person.
Cooper Clay - I was definitely shocked by his twist. In hindsight I should've seen it coming but I was thrown for a loop once I figured it out. I also adored Cooper - he's the Emily, nice to everyone and willing to help out. Cooper is the All-American golden boy with a bright future in athletics but that does not stop him from branching out and paving his own roads. The situation with his dad is tough and I really felt for the poor guy. However I was glad to see how his story ends.
I took off a star because there were a few inconsistencies within the book. Mainly I had an issue with Jake's character because I felt he completely flipped. He was supposed to be this great guy whose kind, charming, and generous but all I saw were the negative quality. I think what may have happened was that we first saw him as Addy did and then slowly, his true personality begins to unravel. I just thought it was weird for him to suddenly hate Addy and be so cruel to her when he was supposed to be the Ken to her Barbie etc etc.
Overall, it was a fulfilling and quick read. Perfect for anyone who likes thriller, romance, and mystery. I look forward to reading more from this author.
