Reviews

Stags by M.A. Bennett

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

annafrieiro's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

italsma's review against another edition

2.0

As someone who frequently bounces around genres, there are few times when I feel that the sequence of my book selections directly influences my appreciation for what comes next. For me, reading S.T.A.G.S. in (unintentionally!) quick succession with The Secret History definitely shaded my overall enjoyment of this book. Although the subject matters are innately different, there were enough nagging similarities that I found myself constantly comparing the two and, ultimately, pitted them against each other.

In the case of S.T.A.G.S., I felt that the early reveal of the climax/mystery (similar to TSH) eliminated any suspense I felt moving through the plot. Knowing the outline of the narrator's actions in the first few chapters eased the tension of the build up, regardless of the terrible situations the characters found themselves in. Being given bread crumbs to how heinous the Medievals were ahead of time dulled the reaction of "the reveal" of the happenings at Longcross.

This book also highlighted a few of my personal narrative pet peeves, including overbearing pop culture references (a character trait that felt more like a crutch to avoid full visual/emotional descriptions) and repetitive language (describing colors as "arterial blood" in various situations). Overall, appreciated that S.T.A.G.S. had not-so-happy and open ending. I am glad to have read this as an entry on my growing list of campus-novels/students-go-bad books.

morguebooks's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

sarah06r's review against another edition

5.0

The plot twists,the drama, the dark academia aesthetic… Everything in this book was written to perfection. The story follows Greer, a girl from Manchester attending an elite school on a scholarship who gets invited to what appears to be a weekend of her wildest dreams at Longcross hall. However her and two other students at STAGS six form, Chanel the daughter of a new money millionaire and Shafeen the son of Indian royalty, are hunted by the Medievals led by Henry de Warlencourt, a boy with more money and power than you can imagine. The way the characters one by one realise what is wrong fills you with suspense as you realise along with themthat something very wrong is going on here. And just as you think they have broken the cult that infects the school light shining through a stained glass window and familiar faces remind them that the order never dies. Bennet writes about the abuse of power and money beautifully and makes you feel the same fear the characters do when they realise their fate. Overall amazing book and recommend to anyone who like thrillers. Also honourable mention to all the movie references intertwined into the books that help you not only picture the book better but also break the tension and lull you into a false sense of security.

court_fitch's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0