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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
I so wanted to like this and was excited to complete my 2024 BOTM challenge, but it was meh.
It was in the Thrills and Chills category and I remember reading Willingham quickly in the past, but then one felt a bit slow. The character development was great–but maybe too many details. Maybe we could've cut out some additional characters or tighten a few storylines. I needed more drama or action in the first 2/3.
TW: sexual abuse, eating disorders.
The author's note at the end was fascinating. I don't think I could have ever lived in a house managed by fraternity brothers. That sounds terrible, but I like how she said that house was the only character true to life in the story.
This was giving Single White Female meets Pretty Little Liars and maybe a little Never Been Kissed (mostly for Maggie being abandoned).
I normally love a con story, but I don't love a surprise sibling reveal.
What's not clear, despite almost 400 pages – why did Sloan and Nicole comply to Lucy's demands? Maybe we don't know enough about their backgrounds. I could see if Nicole was solo, however, with Sloan understanding who Lucy was and being protective of Nicole you would think she would've moved out or called Lucy out earlier. But also Sloan is a murderer with no remorse, so whatever I guess.
I was also a bit over Margot's codependency nature. How she would steal from Eliza and then absorb into Lucy. The fixation on Levi. Also, I got over Margot talking about her wealth pretty quickly.
Margot's best friend died the summer before their freshman year. She spent the entire year grieving until a mysterious girl from her dorm shines the spotlight on her. Without any previous conversation, Margot agrees to move in with Lucy and her two friends. The house is on the property of a fraternity in town, and Margot's shy personality is put to the test when she's embedded in the culture.
We have flash forward scenes where we discover Lucy is on the run after a boy from home is found dead at a pledge retreat. Now, Margot has to sort through the connections between the past and the present to be able to move forward.
It was in the Thrills and Chills category and I remember reading Willingham quickly in the past, but then one felt a bit slow. The character development was great–but maybe too many details. Maybe we could've cut out some additional characters or tighten a few storylines. I needed more drama or action in the first 2/3.
TW: sexual abuse, eating disorders.
The author's note at the end was fascinating. I don't think I could have ever lived in a house managed by fraternity brothers. That sounds terrible, but I like how she said that house was the only character true to life in the story.
This was giving Single White Female meets Pretty Little Liars and maybe a little Never Been Kissed (mostly for Maggie being abandoned).
I normally love a con story, but I don't love a surprise sibling reveal.
What's not clear, despite almost 400 pages – why did Sloan and Nicole comply to Lucy's demands? Maybe we don't know enough about their backgrounds. I could see if Nicole was solo, however, with Sloan understanding who Lucy was and being protective of Nicole you would think she would've moved out or called Lucy out earlier. But also Sloan is a murderer with no remorse, so whatever I guess.
I was also a bit over Margot's codependency nature. How she would steal from Eliza and then absorb into Lucy. The fixation on Levi. Also, I got over Margot talking about her wealth pretty quickly.
Margot's best friend died the summer before their freshman year. She spent the entire year grieving until a mysterious girl from her dorm shines the spotlight on her. Without any previous conversation, Margot agrees to move in with Lucy and her two friends. The house is on the property of a fraternity in town, and Margot's shy personality is put to the test when she's embedded in the culture.
We have flash forward scenes where we discover Lucy is on the run after a boy from home is found dead at a pledge retreat. Now, Margot has to sort through the connections between the past and the present to be able to move forward.
I thought it was an easy read, a little repetitive and easy to semi guess it. I did not fully guess the ending, but I was able to figure out where it was headed quickly.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I *loved* SW's last two books and was so eager/excited to get an ALC for this (thanks netgalley!)
I didn't like this book and am so disappointed and sad about it.
I loathed the main character from the start. She is a pathetic puppy obsessed with her hometown best friend. She talks non-stop about her best friend, only taking breaks to put herself down or talk about another "cool" girl in her dorm that reminds her of the best friend. It was exhausting! Plus I felt like n-o-t-h-i-n-g was happening; I was just stuck listening to an inner monologue of someone in desperate need of a backbone, self-confidence, and therapy. (She also described wrappers and an old scrunchie she took from the best friend, among other gross mementos--a real packrat, this one)
I wanted to quit so many times but forced myself forward, reminding myself how much I liked this author. Finally around 68% it seemed my suffering would pay off as a few interesting reveals happened... only for the story to nose dive around 80% with an ending that I didn't buy and felt like a rip-off of other books and movies (a key scene from Legally Blonde came to mind).
I also HATED the writing. Every few sentences the MC had to make a flowery analogy. She pretty much said a sentence followed by an analogy. They weren't even good analogies and I grew tired of them very very fast. The other "MC" in the story was cardboard, plucked right out of any teen movie.
Disappointing to say the least. Very BORING and I cannot recommend (but please do read the other books by this author).
Note: I normally reserve 2-stars for DNF but could NOT give this a 3.
I didn't like this book and am so disappointed and sad about it.
I loathed the main character from the start. She is a pathetic puppy obsessed with her hometown best friend. She talks non-stop about her best friend, only taking breaks to put herself down or talk about another "cool" girl in her dorm that reminds her of the best friend. It was exhausting! Plus I felt like n-o-t-h-i-n-g was happening; I was just stuck listening to an inner monologue of someone in desperate need of a backbone, self-confidence, and therapy. (She also described wrappers and an old scrunchie she took from the best friend, among other gross mementos--a real packrat, this one)
I wanted to quit so many times but forced myself forward, reminding myself how much I liked this author. Finally around 68% it seemed my suffering would pay off as a few interesting reveals happened... only for the story to nose dive around 80% with an ending that I didn't buy and felt like a rip-off of other books and movies (a key scene from Legally Blonde came to mind).
I also HATED the writing. Every few sentences the MC had to make a flowery analogy. She pretty much said a sentence followed by an analogy. They weren't even good analogies and I grew tired of them very very fast. The other "MC" in the story was cardboard, plucked right out of any teen movie.
Disappointing to say the least. Very BORING and I cannot recommend (but please do read the other books by this author).
Note: I normally reserve 2-stars for DNF but could NOT give this a 3.
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
Overall night bad! I guess the one plot twist that was presented later in the book! I blame LEVI for everything!! Someone cue imgonnagetyouback!