You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have enjoyed this book if it didn’t follow the trope that one person in the group doesn’t have as much money it’s stupid and doesn’t help the story.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alexa Donne shines with a witty, suspenseful, timely novel, The Ivies. The story is atmospheric, it is suspenseful, but most of all it transports the reader to what it feels like to be 17 years old making one of the biggest decisions of your life, and full of the unwavering certainty that you would do ANYTHING to make your dreams a reality.
In the case of the Ivies, Claflin Academy's biggest It girls, the list of things they are willing to do to get into their Ivy League of choice has included, blackmail, backstabbing, and sabotage. When acceptances don't shake out the way they envisioned, Olivia is left to wonder would murder be a bridge too far?
Donne nails the high school atmosphere, the tension that arises from being placed in an ultra-competitive environment with ultra-competitive parents, and deep pockets that have never failed to buy the students out of any unfortunate situation. I think this is why Olivia's character shines so brightly. As a scholarship student, she is a natural "odd one out" among her rich, privileged peers. This places her perfectly to investigate the crime. She appears to belong to one of the most feared groups on campus, but as it becomes clear they may have secrets and motives that extend far past what she is privy to she uses that sense of betrayal to drive forth an investigation of her own as the police seem to flounder with theirs.
A quick read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Gossip Girl, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, or the One of Us is Lying series!
In the case of the Ivies, Claflin Academy's biggest It girls, the list of things they are willing to do to get into their Ivy League of choice has included, blackmail, backstabbing, and sabotage. When acceptances don't shake out the way they envisioned, Olivia is left to wonder would murder be a bridge too far?
Donne nails the high school atmosphere, the tension that arises from being placed in an ultra-competitive environment with ultra-competitive parents, and deep pockets that have never failed to buy the students out of any unfortunate situation. I think this is why Olivia's character shines so brightly. As a scholarship student, she is a natural "odd one out" among her rich, privileged peers. This places her perfectly to investigate the crime. She appears to belong to one of the most feared groups on campus, but as it becomes clear they may have secrets and motives that extend far past what she is privy to she uses that sense of betrayal to drive forth an investigation of her own as the police seem to flounder with theirs.
A quick read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Gossip Girl, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, or the One of Us is Lying series!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Check out the review on my blog- https://inscribedinklings.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/book-review-the-ivies-by-alexa-donne/
If you want to read an murder mystery set in an Elite Prep school with all its drama and toxicity, this one's for you. I read this book pretty quickly in a couple of sittings. It's the kind of book, you don't expect to like but just can't stop reading. I really wanted to know who the killer was and I couldn't wait to find out. The author actually deceived me pretty well. She threw a lot of red herring and I feel for them.
The writing style was saucy. The tone of the book was dramatic. The narration was written in first person and had single POV. The characters in the book were definitely mean girls- pretty, ruthless and cruel. The usual high school drama was mixed with the pressure of getting into an Ivy college. The 5 main protagonists( Olivia, Margot, Avery, Sierra and Emma) were called the Ivies and their leader was Avery. She basically decided that Olivia ( MC) gets to apply for Penn though her dream was to go to Harvard.
Early decisions were announced and Olivia who secretly applied for Harvard gets in and Avery doesn't get in. To make matters worse, their other friend, Emma also applied to Harvard and gets in. Emma tells Avery and they have a huge fight. The next day Emma was found dead in the boat house by Olivia and Sierra. Olivia was compelled to investigate this as her own life was also on the line. But she uncovered more secrets then she bargained for. Does she survive the truth? Or does she die trying? Read to find out!
If you want to read an murder mystery set in an Elite Prep school with all its drama and toxicity, this one's for you. I read this book pretty quickly in a couple of sittings. It's the kind of book, you don't expect to like but just can't stop reading. I really wanted to know who the killer was and I couldn't wait to find out. The author actually deceived me pretty well. She threw a lot of red herring and I feel for them.
The writing style was saucy. The tone of the book was dramatic. The narration was written in first person and had single POV. The characters in the book were definitely mean girls- pretty, ruthless and cruel. The usual high school drama was mixed with the pressure of getting into an Ivy college. The 5 main protagonists( Olivia, Margot, Avery, Sierra and Emma) were called the Ivies and their leader was Avery. She basically decided that Olivia ( MC) gets to apply for Penn though her dream was to go to Harvard.
Early decisions were announced and Olivia who secretly applied for Harvard gets in and Avery doesn't get in. To make matters worse, their other friend, Emma also applied to Harvard and gets in. Emma tells Avery and they have a huge fight. The next day Emma was found dead in the boat house by Olivia and Sierra. Olivia was compelled to investigate this as her own life was also on the line. But she uncovered more secrets then she bargained for. Does she survive the truth? Or does she die trying? Read to find out!
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A quick, simple, and enjoyable read
4.5 stars - this book is really paints a new perspective on Ivy League colleges which is really interesting