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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
I can't continue this after she said "her vagina is going acrobatic thinking about their kiss". No thank you. (As if reading that her vagina also "fluttered sexily" just cuz this guy knew what a menstrual cup is 💀💀💀)
This is a YA murder mystery + satire (apparently I’m on a streak with these) that was a lot of fun to read!
Kerry and Annie are high schooler outsiders and best friends that get wrapped up in solving a murder mystery. When a popular classmate turns up dead at a party, apparently having been murdered with a menstrual cup (yes, you read that right) the school's queen bee welcomes the girls into her inner circle, on the condition that they prove her innocence, since the cops aren't taking things seriously. They are, after all, middle-aged men who insist it was “probably an accident” until a second victim turns up with a pad stuck over their eyes.
There's a light bit of romance in this, which I probably was only as invested in as I was because I immediately pictured Scott, the new guy and Kerry's crush, as Cliff Pantone from "Bring it On", the superior teen movie love interest of our generation. My one pet peeve about him was that he brought up "The Shining" while in a house that had animal-shaped topiaries in the yard and did not make a joke about them. Huge missed opportunity, but no one's perfect.
The clues/leads were engaging and came together in a satisfying way, I did not guess the killer or the way the mystery came together, so that was fun. I didn't really connect with the characters, or I would have rated it higher, and some of the satire was a little heavy-handed, but overall it was a fun read that kept me guessing (and laughing), and I'd recommend as a palette-cleanser between heavier books.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Kerry and Annie are high schooler outsiders and best friends that get wrapped up in solving a murder mystery. When a popular classmate turns up dead at a party, apparently having been murdered with a menstrual cup (yes, you read that right) the school's queen bee welcomes the girls into her inner circle, on the condition that they prove her innocence, since the cops aren't taking things seriously. They are, after all, middle-aged men who insist it was “probably an accident” until a second victim turns up with a pad stuck over their eyes.
There's a light bit of romance in this, which I probably was only as invested in as I was because I immediately pictured Scott, the new guy and Kerry's crush, as Cliff Pantone from "Bring it On", the superior teen movie love interest of our generation. My one pet peeve about him was that he brought up "The Shining" while in a house that had animal-shaped topiaries in the yard and did not make a joke about them. Huge missed opportunity, but no one's perfect.
The clues/leads were engaging and came together in a satisfying way, I did not guess the killer or the way the mystery came together, so that was fun. I didn't really connect with the characters, or I would have rated it higher, and some of the satire was a little heavy-handed, but overall it was a fun read that kept me guessing (and laughing), and I'd recommend as a palette-cleanser between heavier books.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Didn’t love the mix of British vs American language.
Loved the twist and was a quick palate cleansing read between heavier things.
Loved the twist and was a quick palate cleansing read between heavier things.
Kerry and Annie could not be any different. Kerry is cautious and likes to remain out of the spotlight. She's okay not being popular. Annie, on the other hand, loves attention and desperately wants to fit in with the popular kids. So when one of the most popular girls in school, Heather, mentions to the duo that she needs help figuring out who created a social media account pretending to be her dead father to harass her, Annie is all in...and drags Kerry with her. When the girls arrive at a party at Heather's house to figure out who is behind the account, Kerry and new boy Scott find themselves standing in front of a dead body. Literally. Not only is the body dead, but the killer left a calling card in the form of a menstrual cup shoved in the victim's mouth. Now Kerry and Annie are not just looking for a social media jerk. They're looking for someone willing to kill.
And kill they do: two more dead bodies will come through the story, both of which have some kind of menstrual product left at the scene. Slowly, the girls begin to unravel the mystery of who is willing to kill and why they're on such a bloody rampage.
This is a funny, rompy murder mystery. It's light, despite being full of dead bodies, and it takes many a twist and turn. There is a real mystery–and a good twist on the whodunit–but it's one that is layered with more humor and hijinks than it is serious investigation. This one will appeal especially to fans of Maureen Johnson, and the voice reminded me quite a bit of Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw.
And kill they do: two more dead bodies will come through the story, both of which have some kind of menstrual product left at the scene. Slowly, the girls begin to unravel the mystery of who is willing to kill and why they're on such a bloody rampage.
This is a funny, rompy murder mystery. It's light, despite being full of dead bodies, and it takes many a twist and turn. There is a real mystery–and a good twist on the whodunit–but it's one that is layered with more humor and hijinks than it is serious investigation. This one will appeal especially to fans of Maureen Johnson, and the voice reminded me quite a bit of Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw.
This book is compared to Truly Devious, which honestly set expectations a little too high for me. It was an entertaining read but, the mystery was predictable (to me at least). I did really enjoy the characters and the humor though. There were a few parts that felt a little clunky, and had me struggling to get through but, overall the story did keep me pretty engaged.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Murder most horrid…and two socially isolated friends determined to do their bit to solve the crimes in a rather eccentric story.
In the quiet village that Annie and Kerry live in, nothing ever happens. They’ve just started 6th form and find themselves determined to find a way to get popular. Their way in lies with Heather and her gang, but nobody could have foreseen the events that unravel here.
When they’re invited to a party Kerry is excited to get the opportunity to get a kiss from new boy Scott. What she wasn’t expecting was to discover the body of Selena, Heather’s best friend.
We quickly learn that someone is out to cause chaos. Bodies turn up where you least expect them and the police are convinced Kerry’s crush is responsible.
Once we find out the truth I found myself open mouthed at the sheer unlikelihood of any of this happening. However, as I was reading it I found myself caught up in this snarky duo’s investigation.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.
In the quiet village that Annie and Kerry live in, nothing ever happens. They’ve just started 6th form and find themselves determined to find a way to get popular. Their way in lies with Heather and her gang, but nobody could have foreseen the events that unravel here.
When they’re invited to a party Kerry is excited to get the opportunity to get a kiss from new boy Scott. What she wasn’t expecting was to discover the body of Selena, Heather’s best friend.
We quickly learn that someone is out to cause chaos. Bodies turn up where you least expect them and the police are convinced Kerry’s crush is responsible.
Once we find out the truth I found myself open mouthed at the sheer unlikelihood of any of this happening. However, as I was reading it I found myself caught up in this snarky duo’s investigation.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No