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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
This was my first novel by Michele Campbell and now I cant wait to go back and read her first one! I really enjoyed the different perspectives in this novel and that it followed twin sisters that were so drastically different. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next and trying to solve who was murdered and by whom.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
This book was so good. I can't wait to pick up another book by this author.
I enjoyed this book so much. It kept me enthralled from start to finish. I just couldn't decide who was the culprit. I also had a ton of issues with Heath (Blue Eyes) Donovan. I couldn't help but like him at the same time., I wanted to strangle him, Its weird. I had a love/hate thing going on with the loser. His wife also got on my nerves. Like lady all the writings are on the wall what do you need,? You have photographic evidence and even that you deny. There's just no hope for you. This was a great read.
Twins Rose and Bel begin Odell Academy after the death of their parents. While Rose befriends some of the quieter and more academically-minded students, Bel hangs out with some of the older, more wild students. This causes strain between the two, and soon Rose doesn’t even know who her sister is anymore. Dorm parents Sarah and Heath Donovan were tasked with keeping the girls in line this semester, and they both have different ways of going about that process. While Sarah likes to follow the rules, Heath is more interested in making decisions that will help his career. When one of the sisters is murdered, it is up to the campus to figure out what happened, and why. I really enjoyed this book, and thought it was much stronger than Campbell's previous book.
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5ish, stars, perhaps? She Was the Quiet One takes a turn at the boarding school story. Bel and Rose are latecomers to a privileged boarding school, starting as sophomores after the death of their mother leaves them with only their wealthy, estranged grandmother for a guardian. The twins feel quite differently starting at the school, and have vastly different personalities and attitudes. The story succeeds by building up the suspense over what has happened at the school through police interviews with other students and teachers- we know that something terrible has happened, and that the twins were involved, but exactly what is left to be determined later. The pacing felt a bit off- the beginning didn't take off as quickly as I'd have preferred, but picked up throughout the story. The ending was a definite and appreciated surprise.
3.5ish, stars, perhaps? She Was the Quiet One takes a turn at the boarding school story. Bel and Rose are latecomers to a privileged boarding school, starting as sophomores after the death of their mother leaves them with only their wealthy, estranged grandmother for a guardian. The twins feel quite differently starting at the school, and have vastly different personalities and attitudes. The story succeeds by building up the suspense over what has happened at the school through police interviews with other students and teachers- we know that something terrible has happened, and that the twins were involved, but exactly what is left to be determined later. The pacing felt a bit off- the beginning didn't take off as quickly as I'd have preferred, but picked up throughout the story. The ending was a definite and appreciated surprise.
Twin sisters Rose and Bel Enright go to live at Odell boarding school after their mother dies. Rose, the quiet and studious one seems to fit right in there at first, until Bel starts hanging around with an older crowd and joins in a prank gone wrong. The twins are then at each other's throats and it's no surprise that, after Bel is found murdered, Rose is the one holding the bloody knife. Now she has to find a way to prove her innocence.
I thought this was a fast-paced good book. I love how the creepy old boarding school campus becomes like an evil presence looming over the whole story.
Thanks Michele Campbell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
I thought this was a fast-paced good book. I love how the creepy old boarding school campus becomes like an evil presence looming over the whole story.
Thanks Michele Campbell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting
It’s hard to talk about what I didn’t like about this book without getting into spoilers- everything below includes spoilers!
None of these characters felt particularly real, especially as far too many of the characters made the absolute stupidest choices and assumptions.
The story had very little to do with the actual relationship between the sisters and the setting of the private school and so much more to do with the douchey teacher who slept with his students and lied to his wife. A wife who kept being surprised that her husband would do whatever it took to feel successful.
I hated that the wife, Sarah, just couldn’t believe that her husband could be a murderer after he disappeared for an evening, took a shower, washed his clothes, and burned something in the fire. Her relief at having him back instead of being disgusted to share a bed with someone so shady was infuriating.
Then there’s grandmother’s lawyer who wants the twins out of the way because of what? He wants all the grandmother’s money? I don’t really understand that plot line as anything other than a convenient way to keep Rose without allies.
And the nurse who was seriously saying that Rose punched herself in the face and lied about an attempted suffocation? Who would do that?
So many unbelievable dingbats all to force Rose’s escape and final confrontation.
I get that by the final reveal, that Darcy was anonymouse, we were presumably supposed to feel disgust that such abhorrent people could do such terrible things and not care, but all in resulted in was me not caring about them or the story by the end.
None of these characters felt particularly real, especially as far too many of the characters made the absolute stupidest choices and assumptions.
The story had very little to do with the actual relationship between the sisters and the setting of the private school and so much more to do with the douchey teacher who slept with his students and lied to his wife. A wife who kept being surprised that her husband would do whatever it took to feel successful.
I hated that the wife, Sarah, just couldn’t believe that her husband could be a murderer after he disappeared for an evening, took a shower, washed his clothes, and burned something in the fire. Her relief at having him back instead of being disgusted to share a bed with someone so shady was infuriating.
Then there’s grandmother’s lawyer who wants the twins out of the way because of what? He wants all the grandmother’s money? I don’t really understand that plot line as anything other than a convenient way to keep Rose without allies.
And the nurse who was seriously saying that Rose punched herself in the face and lied about an attempted suffocation? Who would do that?
So many unbelievable dingbats all to force Rose’s escape and final confrontation.
I get that by the final reveal, that Darcy was anonymouse, we were presumably supposed to feel disgust that such abhorrent people could do such terrible things and not care, but all in resulted in was me not caring about them or the story by the end.
This one was entirely too predictable and lacked any twists whatsoever. The epilogue was completely unnecessary and felt somewhat like the author were trying to create an alternate ending for a movie. The characters seemed way too introspective and to be avoiding thinking logically and ignoring obvious facts in an effort to make the book stretch on and on. After the murder, the earlier interview transcripts stopped meshing with the flow of the story. I just wasn’t as into this one as I was with It’s Always the Husband.
I received copies of this novel from Goodreads and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received copies of this novel from Goodreads and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.