Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
Thank you to Rosemary Hennigan, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for an arc of The Favorites!
This book reminded me a lot of The Maidens by Alex Michaelides, but it was the US version. It takes place at a college and has a professor who gets a little too close to his students.
At the beginning of the book I'll admit that I was rooting for Jessie, but as we move through the story she seems to be pushing boundaries that shouldn't be crossed. The whole book was a bit of a gray area. As we learn that Jessie is set on getting revenge for the untimely death of her sister, we also learn that Professor Crane wasn't the direct cause. While yes, I agree he should be punished for the SA of Jessie's sister, Jessie pushes and pushes to contort situations to fit her own narrative when she wasn't there and doesn't know what truly happened. By doing this, she alienates the classmates who she has grown close with. It was hard to stomach at times because the author gives us small glimpses into what life would be like if Jessie wasn't so set on revenge. If she didn't mold her entire life around getting payback for her sister, she actually may have been happy at the school.
I'm truly not sure how I feel about The Favorites. It focuses on some really hard topics so I would advise readers to steer clear if they are sensitive around sexual assault, violence, or emotional manipulation.
Because this book STILL has me questioning how I feel about the characters, I'm giving it a 4/5. If it brings out that much contemplation and emotion from me, it deserves the higher rating!
This book reminded me a lot of The Maidens by Alex Michaelides, but it was the US version. It takes place at a college and has a professor who gets a little too close to his students.
At the beginning of the book I'll admit that I was rooting for Jessie, but as we move through the story she seems to be pushing boundaries that shouldn't be crossed. The whole book was a bit of a gray area. As we learn that Jessie is set on getting revenge for the untimely death of her sister, we also learn that Professor Crane wasn't the direct cause. While yes, I agree he should be punished for the SA of Jessie's sister, Jessie pushes and pushes to contort situations to fit her own narrative when she wasn't there and doesn't know what truly happened. By doing this, she alienates the classmates who she has grown close with. It was hard to stomach at times because the author gives us small glimpses into what life would be like if Jessie wasn't so set on revenge. If she didn't mold her entire life around getting payback for her sister, she actually may have been happy at the school.
I'm truly not sure how I feel about The Favorites. It focuses on some really hard topics so I would advise readers to steer clear if they are sensitive around sexual assault, violence, or emotional manipulation.
Because this book STILL has me questioning how I feel about the characters, I'm giving it a 4/5. If it brings out that much contemplation and emotion from me, it deserves the higher rating!
A slow burn academic story of one woman wanting justice for her sister against the male professor that inadvertently caused her death. The writing and pacing in this are excellent, particularly the law discussions and lectures that manage to serve the characters and the overall plot, and the conclusion is satisfying in a bittersweet way. The book takes big swings at political issues of power and patriarchy and manages to land most of them however it does miss some nuance and could have done with a bit more context at times.
This book was very similar to “The Maidens” by Alex Michalides and “They Never Learn” by Layne Fargo. I would recommend those to anyone who liked this book!!
3.5/5. A decent book, but its shorter length accounts for the lack of depth with the overall experience for me. I wanted to enjoy the main character's arc more than I did, but I just couldn't feel it. Most of the secondary characters felt incomplete or rushed, and the plot felt the same in many areas.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐⭐⭐.5
Interesting story following the legal system and the fight for justice among men and women. I wasn't the biggest fan of how the protagonist dealt with situations but the story showed an interesting approach to varying points of view based on a singular event.
Interesting story following the legal system and the fight for justice among men and women. I wasn't the biggest fan of how the protagonist dealt with situations but the story showed an interesting approach to varying points of view based on a singular event.
I love dark academia so I knew I was going to enjoy this one!
Jessie has just moved from Dublin and started a course at Franklin University as a postgraduate. She is hoping to become this year's 'favourite' with Professor Crane as she enrols in his law and literature class. But why is she so keen to become his favourite? How is he to blame for the death of her sister and how will Jessie attempt revenge?
This was such an easy book to get engrossed in and I read it in just a few days. The characters were interesting and I found myself emphasising with Jessie. Her need for revenge and justice sadly overshadowed all of her new relationships.
There was lots of discussion on whether the law brings justice. I enjoyed the group debates on how ethical the law is and the abuse of power. The story coincides with Trump's inauguration too!
If you like dark character driven thrillers that slowly unravel as you read i would definitely recommend this. A great read!
Jessie has just moved from Dublin and started a course at Franklin University as a postgraduate. She is hoping to become this year's 'favourite' with Professor Crane as she enrols in his law and literature class. But why is she so keen to become his favourite? How is he to blame for the death of her sister and how will Jessie attempt revenge?
This was such an easy book to get engrossed in and I read it in just a few days. The characters were interesting and I found myself emphasising with Jessie. Her need for revenge and justice sadly overshadowed all of her new relationships.
There was lots of discussion on whether the law brings justice. I enjoyed the group debates on how ethical the law is and the abuse of power. The story coincides with Trump's inauguration too!
If you like dark character driven thrillers that slowly unravel as you read i would definitely recommend this. A great read!
On my hands and knees begging authors to stop writing books set in 2016 !
Dark academia can be so much fun, and that was the case with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this twisted tale of cat and mouse. The pacing was on the slower side, but I still stayed engaged and interested throughout. I needed to know what was happening and the words grabbed me and pulled me in. The revenge plot is intense! Oh boy did it leave me questioning some things because I am a firm believer in right and wrong, but what always is that definition? I guess it depends, is the answer and that is what this book explores. The writing is just so well done! So compelling and propulsive.
Despite being a thriller, this book still had a strong message and like I said it really made me stop and think about things. This is one not to be missed!
Thank you to @graydonhousebooks @htp_hive @rosiehennigan and @netgalley for this e-arc. Al thoughts are my own.
Despite being a thriller, this book still had a strong message and like I said it really made me stop and think about things. This is one not to be missed!
Thank you to @graydonhousebooks @htp_hive @rosiehennigan and @netgalley for this e-arc. Al thoughts are my own.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Keeps you reading. Some annoying things that made it hard for me to like the book as a whole. One of them being not telling how her sister died until the middle of the book. That is very important for people to know. It's not something you should just "leave to a mystery." It made me feel not confident in the writer which was unfortunate. Another being The fact that the main character goes after a guy who is not necessarily for sure guilty, and yet is presented to be deserving of his whole life ruined. I am personally a person who believes in innocent until proven guilty. I would probably not become a vigilante unless I knew for certain someone was guilty. That said, my sister has not died and/or been possibly raped, so maybe I would have behaved in the same way as her. Either way, there is much food for thought.
Another thing I disliked is the book is kind of a bait-and-switch.It markets itself as a dark academia romance/thriller , and ends up being a feminist thinktank with not much plot. I consider myself a strong feminist so I wouldn't have disliked a book like that but the disappointment of not getting what I thought I was was kind of annoying.
One thing I really enjoyed about the book was its exploration of law. I liked that part the best, probably. And honestly it was well connected to the ending of the book.
Another thing is I agree with other reviewers that there were large plot holes. Such asher wearing the dress of her dead sister and expecting the guy not to notice???
Overall, good writing style, but significant setbacks.
Another thing I disliked is the book is kind of a bait-and-switch.
One thing I really enjoyed about the book was its exploration of law. I liked that part the best, probably. And honestly it was well connected to the ending of the book.
Another thing is I agree with other reviewers that there were large plot holes. Such as
Overall, good writing style, but significant setbacks.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape
Minor: Rape