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lazstearns's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Legacies is, unfortunately, not Goodman’s strongest work, with its “twists” playing out fairly predictably. It touches lightly on social class issues, but overall stays firmly a shallow teen mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Death, and Classism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Another fantastic thriller!! I loved this one!! It was suspenseful and tense and I couldn’t stop guessing!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Murder, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Abandonment
caitlyn_kittle_kinnick's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Death of parent, Addiction, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Alcohol
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Taylor Swift songs: “Look What You Made Me Do”
Age rating: 14+ (No sexual content, but language, violence, substance abuse)
I wouldn’t say this is my favorite Jessica Goodman book, but I thought this was still good! The rich private school setting with an elite club was an interesting concept! I think having 3 different POVs made it a little difficult to keep up at first, but eventually I was able to keep up and make sense of it. I do think it was a very interesting choice to not even reveal who died until the very end! This book did keep me guessing and had many turns I would not have expected! Overall, it was pretty good!
Age rating: 14+ (No sexual content, but language, violence, substance abuse)
I wouldn’t say this is my favorite Jessica Goodman book, but I thought this was still good! The rich private school setting with an elite club was an interesting concept! I think having 3 different POVs made it a little difficult to keep up at first, but eventually I was able to keep up and make sense of it. I do think it was a very interesting choice to not even reveal who died until the very end! This book did keep me guessing and had many turns I would not have expected! Overall, it was pretty good!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Drug use, Alcoholism, Death, and Drug abuse
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
An ultra-elite club invite to a scholarship student? But who nominated her and why? What sins of the past, and current sins got her in? And who ends up dead, and why?
I didn't know who was going to be the one who was dead until the reveal. However, I guessed the who killed them part. I also say other parts of the story coming, mostly revolving around the settlement. I did like how the past with Tori's mom intersected with the now and Tori's life.
However, most of the characters weren't very likable, which made the book a bit harder to enjoy. Though all the narrators were excellent!
It was overall a good thriller with lots of twists and turns.
I didn't know who was going to be the one who was dead until the reveal. However, I guessed the who killed them part. I also say other parts of the story coming, mostly revolving around the settlement. I did like how the past with Tori's mom intersected with the now and Tori's life.
However, most of the characters weren't very likable, which made the book a bit harder to enjoy. Though all the narrators were excellent!
It was overall a good thriller with lots of twists and turns.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Vomit, Violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting
hobbithopeful's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Blackmail, secrets, and so many drugs! The Legacies was a tense and thrilling book that I devoured, eager to find out what had happened and who was the one who was murdered.
It took me a moment to gain my footing, it really dropped me right into the story at the beginning, I had to take a minute to be like...wait? What's happening? I soon became immersed in the opulent world of the rich and powerful, rich kids and murder really pair well together.
I really loved the Jewish representation, and how some characters had their heads on straight.
I felt like I spent so much of the book waiting for action, or waiting for a reveal. When the reveal did happen at the end it felt....like a let down? It was revealed as if it was a big twist and a huge shock, but I just didn't find myself that into it.
This is one of those stories where everything could have been avoided with communication and one conversation, which makes it a bit frustrating to endure.
There were quite a few characters in this book, and it just felt there were so many at times in order to drag the story out a big longer. It just felt like none of them had any depth. Not in a "shallow/rich" way, but in a one dimensional character kind of way. I didn't really feel like they were in any danger, nor did I care what happened to them at all. They just spent all their time partying and that was it?
Everything regarding Bernies' Mom just felt...meh.
I ended up loving Isobels' POV the most, as she spiraled deeper into addiction the writing really conveyed her mood and unstableness.
I don't know if part of the story was meant to criticize, or be a bit of a metaphor for classism, and what gossip and power does to people. If it was then I don't think it should have ended the way it did. Or maybe showing that rich people can get away with anything was the point of the book.
I liked the concept a lot, but I feel the execution could have been better. It didn't really feel like a murder mystery to me.
If you really like YA Thrillers, then give this a read. If you are on the fence about this book, maybe check out some reviews before delving in.
It took me a moment to gain my footing, it really dropped me right into the story at the beginning, I had to take a minute to be like...wait? What's happening? I soon became immersed in the opulent world of the rich and powerful, rich kids and murder really pair well together.
I really loved the Jewish representation, and how some characters had their heads on straight.
I felt like I spent so much of the book waiting for action, or waiting for a reveal. When the reveal did happen at the end it felt....like a let down? It was revealed as if it was a big twist and a huge shock, but I just didn't find myself that into it.
This is one of those stories where everything could have been avoided with communication and one conversation, which makes it a bit frustrating to endure.
There were quite a few characters in this book, and it just felt there were so many at times in order to drag the story out a big longer. It just felt like none of them had any depth. Not in a "shallow/rich" way, but in a one dimensional character kind of way. I didn't really feel like they were in any danger, nor did I care what happened to them at all. They just spent all their time partying and that was it?
Everything regarding Bernies' Mom just felt...meh.
I ended up loving Isobels' POV the most, as she spiraled deeper into addiction the writing really conveyed her mood and unstableness.
I don't know if part of the story was meant to criticize, or be a bit of a metaphor for classism, and what gossip and power does to people. If it was then I don't think it should have ended the way it did. Or maybe showing that rich people can get away with anything was the point of the book.
I liked the concept a lot, but I feel the execution could have been better. It didn't really feel like a murder mystery to me.
If you really like YA Thrillers, then give this a read. If you are on the fence about this book, maybe check out some reviews before delving in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Death of parent
beckyremillard's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Seniors from the Excelsior school and several other private schools in New York are nominated into The Legacy Club. These are the elites of NYC society - to be in the Legacy Club is to be someone and to have power.
The Excelsior nominees are Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Lee, Kendall, and - unexpectedly - scholarship student, Tori. Almost everyone has a secret and some are darker than others.
The story is told from the perspectives of Bernie, Tori, and Isobel. There’s also a time jump to After the Ball, where we know there is a body but we don’t know who or what happened.
I’ve seen this compared to Gossip Girl and I highly agree. That’s exactly what I thought of when I was reading it. Entitled teenagers, family secrets, and even set in NYC.
Overall, it was definitely interesting and held my attention. Was I absolutely shocked about what happened? No. Did I tear through this book very quickly because I enjoyed it? Absolutely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for a chance to read and review this eARC.
The Excelsior nominees are Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Lee, Kendall, and - unexpectedly - scholarship student, Tori. Almost everyone has a secret and some are darker than others.
The story is told from the perspectives of Bernie, Tori, and Isobel. There’s also a time jump to After the Ball, where we know there is a body but we don’t know who or what happened.
I’ve seen this compared to Gossip Girl and I highly agree. That’s exactly what I thought of when I was reading it. Entitled teenagers, family secrets, and even set in NYC.
Overall, it was definitely interesting and held my attention. Was I absolutely shocked about what happened? No. Did I tear through this book very quickly because I enjoyed it? Absolutely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Group for a chance to read and review this eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Murder, Infidelity, and Blood
caffeineandcatnapsreads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Legacies, by Jessica Goodman.
3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️
TRIGGER WARNINGS-
.
.
.
Murder, drinking, drugs, death
Past alumni members to the exclusive Legacy Club in New York City, (where you get a life time supply of power and wealth), get to nominate new members every year. Each year these high school seniors get a chance to win the $25,000 cash prize on the night of the Legacy Ball. This year friends Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Lee and Kendall are nominated from Excelsior Prep along with a new face, Tori. This year is different though as secrets start to emerge, relationships are rattled and on the night of the Legacy Ball there's been a murder.
I was so confused for the longest while on the whole legacy thing and how the schools worked. Like are there multiple schools involved? Only one school? How are all the schools connected? I think I managed to figure it out in the middle.
The story is told from the POV of three of the characters. It's told in the setting of before the ball and after the ball.
It's written a bit different because not only do you obviously not know who the killer is you also don't even know who was killed till almost the end.
It does drag on a bit-the beginning and end were good, but the middle had some long draggy parts.
I'm familiar with her writing, having read her other three novels, and since she writes all her books the same way I know her style so, I know that the obvious isn't always the answer and that there's twists and turns coming so it kind of gives the element of surprise away.
Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for giving me an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️
TRIGGER WARNINGS-
.
.
.
Murder, drinking, drugs, death
Past alumni members to the exclusive Legacy Club in New York City, (where you get a life time supply of power and wealth), get to nominate new members every year. Each year these high school seniors get a chance to win the $25,000 cash prize on the night of the Legacy Ball. This year friends Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Lee and Kendall are nominated from Excelsior Prep along with a new face, Tori. This year is different though as secrets start to emerge, relationships are rattled and on the night of the Legacy Ball there's been a murder.
I was so confused for the longest while on the whole legacy thing and how the schools worked. Like are there multiple schools involved? Only one school? How are all the schools connected? I think I managed to figure it out in the middle.
The story is told from the POV of three of the characters. It's told in the setting of before the ball and after the ball.
It's written a bit different because not only do you obviously not know who the killer is you also don't even know who was killed till almost the end.
It does drag on a bit-the beginning and end were good, but the middle had some long draggy parts.
I'm familiar with her writing, having read her other three novels, and since she writes all her books the same way I know her style so, I know that the obvious isn't always the answer and that there's twists and turns coming so it kind of gives the element of surprise away.
Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for giving me an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Death of parent, Drug use, and Alcoholism
trippyotter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
After finishing the book, I immediately told a friend, "It's a Gossip Girls and Desperate Housewives mashup!"
It's intense, mysterious, full of betrayal… By the last page, I was blown away by the extent of gaslighting and deceit the characters will achieve is crazy! But that's also what makes the story so amazing and complex.
The Legacies was my first experience with Jessica Goodman, and I can't wait to read the rest of her books.
It's intense, mysterious, full of betrayal… By the last page, I was blown away by the extent of gaslighting and deceit the characters will achieve is crazy! But that's also what makes the story so amazing and complex.
The Legacies was my first experience with Jessica Goodman, and I can't wait to read the rest of her books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Grief, Death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
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