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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Slow to begin, but near the halfway mark the plot thickens and picks up with mysteries and secrets that keep the reader hooked. I predicted one of the twists, thought I never saw the others until they were revealed. The inseparable bond and love between the girls is something that needs to be included in more YA fiction; I've never read a friendship like those portrayed. This is a perfect example of how sexism can influence society and how girls can rise above and be themselves without a man's approval. Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC.
3-something stars.
It took me a while to get into this book, and I was pretty lackluster about it until the twist at the end.
Overall the book reminds me of a drink we made as kids where you mixed every drink from a soda fountain.
This book had elements from so many popular books and movies that I was suspended in “déjà vu”
I’m on the fence if I’ll continue the series; it definitely picked up at the end of book 1. It was the final chapters
I found most exciting after being barely interested for the first 85-90%.
It took me a while to get into this book, and I was pretty lackluster about it until the twist at the end.
Overall the book reminds me of a drink we made as kids where you mixed every drink from a soda fountain.
This book had elements from so many popular books and movies that I was suspended in “déjà vu”
I’m on the fence if I’ll continue the series; it definitely picked up at the end of book 1. It was the final chapters
I found most exciting after being barely interested for the first 85-90%.
medium-paced
Wow! This book was a crazy thrilling ride. The beginning was a bit slow and took a little bit to get into, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. I love Mena even though at times I wanted to scream at her for making stupid decisions. I loved the bond the girls shared and it was refreshing to see female characters loving and supporting each other. The men in this book made me see red and I hated all of them right along with the girls. I typically see the twists coming in thrillers, but I didn’t see the main reveal in this book coming. However the minor reveal with Leandra at the end I saw coming from a mile away. I now want to read the sequel. That epilogue threw me for a loop.
I really liked the premise of this book. It was like Stepford wives.
3.5 stars. This fictional representation of patriarchy taken to extremes was creepy and tense. The author worked in a multitude of different ways that society seeks to control women: their bodies, their attitudes, their roles. The plot was mostly unpredictable, but the plot twists were highly predictable; I'm actually not sure what was supposed to be a shocking reveal to the reader and which things we were meant to understand before the narrator does, but either way I get antsy when it takes forever for the main character to catch on to what's happening. Unlike some readers, I hadn't read the blurb ahead of time so that wasn't what spoiled it for me, but even the cover provides enough clues to make me wonder how much was actually meant to be a surprise.
The audiobook narrator was excellent and managed to distinguish the voices of the many different girls who are at this boarding school. The ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but so much was left unresolved that it wouldn't necessarily recommend this unless you were going to read the rest of the series.
The audiobook narrator was excellent and managed to distinguish the voices of the many different girls who are at this boarding school. The ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but so much was left unresolved that it wouldn't necessarily recommend this unless you were going to read the rest of the series.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
DNF I was only able to get about 18% of the way through and I couldn’t bother to care about the heroine Mena. The constant trying to please the older men and portray the ‘ideal’ female was just grating
There is a sense that Mena wants more but she’s constantly ‘redirecting’ herself and that just ticks off my views on independence. Also the men, constant objectification of the girls, they need to look, act, and respond like the stepford wives. Creepy and pedophilic.
There is a sense that Mena wants more but she’s constantly ‘redirecting’ herself and that just ticks off my views on independence. Also the men, constant objectification of the girls, they need to look, act, and respond like the stepford wives. Creepy and pedophilic.