Reviews

Stags by M.A. Bennett

maria_hogan's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

chupacabra2000's review against another edition

2.0

I caught myself eyerolling to the clumsy movie references that was jammed in every other sentence. Nah.

btpbookclub's review against another edition

5.0

 I picked this one up after seeing other bloggers reading it and saw it in my library. I was not disappointed. I loved the cover too. A brilliant young adult story which turns dark and deadly.
A brilliant read! Throughally enjoyed it. It’s a fast paced, page turner of a read that had me hooked. It would make a brilliant film or tv series. I cannot wait to see what happens in book two D.O.G.S! S.T.A.G.S Ends on a major plot twist and cliff hanger which needs some explanation and answers… Highly recommend.
Perfect for readers who enjoyed One Of Us Is Lying and A Good Girls Guide To Murder. A well deserved five stars from me. One I won’t forget for a long time.

wellingtonestatelibrary's review against another edition

4.0

Not as predictable as I thought it would be

bethanmay_24's review against another edition

4.0

I was very interested in the idea of S.T.A.G.S and it didn't disappoint! I listened to it as an audiobook which was a great decision as Lucy Dixon really brings these characters to life. I can't imagine it read by anyone else.

I really enjoyed the twists of this book. I did see a couple coming, but the ending was really gripping. I always hate when I love the "bad guy" character (because thats a very me thing to do!), but its a testament to Bennett's complex characters how you can change how you feel within one chapter. Overall, very happy that I chose to listen after so long of trying to decide whether to or not!

thereadrose's review against another edition

2.0

Be forewarned, this review contains spoilers.
And I don’t want anyone to be discouraged from reading it if they are excited for this book, like I was. But, with that being said... this review is basically one large rant on why I didn’t like this book. Frankly, two stars was generous.

I really wanted to like this book... but it just missed the mark so many times.
First off, with the cover saying “One Deadly Weekend,” I was really expecting... more. I mean, one person dies and it’s not even during the event, not only that but he commits suicide! When it comes to the others, there were way too many close calls and it wasn’t even shocking when it happened. It wasn’t only easy for me to guess... but the author (she) TELLS you that something is about to happen in the beginning of the chapter. Which she so happens to put in parentheses as if she’s talking to the reader which spoils the entire chapter.
Another thing, this book is basically chalk full of annoying movie references, in the most random, yet frequent manner. It felt like they were just tossed in, to me, it didn’t help the plot or the writing. It just became a nuisance.
Greer’s obsession with Henry was annoying. Scratch that. The more I read, the more she seems convinced that if a boy is at all nice to her, then they must obviously like her. 🙄🙄🙄 Greer’s character in general was just lacking. She easily gave into peer pressure and was very back and forth with her plans. Greer just wasn’t the strong independent female like I wanted her to be. I wanted her to be a survivor. Not someone who changes their beliefs and instincts just because a cute boy looked at her.
This book reminds me of a practice piece. Like, something that an author may use as a warm up to get all of their bad ideas out of the way. If there is such a technique, this book is the perfect example.

atomica's review against another edition

3.0

“The hunter…became the hunted”

S.T.A.G.S by M. A. Bennett was very a e s t h e t i c . The story follows Greer MacDonald, a sixth form student at a classy boarding school where tradition runs deep. Lured in by a desire to belong, Greer embarks on a weekend of bloodsports -Huntin', Shootin', Fishin'- at the handsome Henry de Warlencourt's country manor. The atmosphere in this book is incredible -old money, hunting caps, english settlers, family rings, leather-bound books! I honestly must applaud Bennett for her ability to create such an immersive vibe. The characters also felt incredibly authentic and real. The snobby rich kids and the brave underdogs act as you would expect without being reduced to caricatures.

Spoiler

Maybe it seems mundane, but the signature Medieval hair flip sold me on this. It just seemed so them

. Yet, despite the fact that the setting and characters were 10/10 amazing, this book lost a lot of points because of predictability. Quite frankly, you can probably guess the entire arc of the novel just from the blurb. But even worse, the book is constantly shooting itself in the foot! Foreshadowing is one thing, *mild spoiler? But not really, because the book spoils itself when it says this at the beginning* but blatantly stating "this character will die throughout the book" and "these characters will live to bond over the murder" instantly kills any sense of mystery or excitement. I never feared for any of the characters or felt any measure of thrill because it was already made clear that they survived.

Spoiler

Like... was I supposed to be afraid when he got shot? Or when she was chased by the dogs? Greer already told us during the character introductions that they all got home safe and sound.

All in all, an okay book. If you like predictability and you love atmosphere then this is the story for you.

magnolia4ever's review against another edition

5.0

Amazing ! Very fast read. Almost impossible to put the book away.

shadysunny's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

nicole953's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

2.5