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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Y’all. This book was like Mean Girls meets How to Get Away with Murder, wrapped up in a prep school uniform with a personalized SAT study guide and a killer instinct. Literally.
Set at the elite Claflin Academy, The Ivies are a handpicked clique of overachieving, underhanded girls who will do whatever it takes to snag their spot in the Ivy League—including tanking other students’ chances. I mean, who needs integrity when you’ve got ambition and a college counselor on speed dial, right? But when one of them ends up dead, the cutthroat academic games take a very real—and very chilling—turn.
This one was a ride. Fast-paced, drama-fueled, and full of secrets, I found myself flipping pages (or, let’s be real—speeding up the audio) trying to figure out who did it and why. I love when a YA thriller actually surprises me, and this one kept me guessing. The narrator’s voice was spot-on for our main character, who’s trying to stay afloat in a sea of privilege, power plays, and straight-up danger.
It explores themes of toxic ambition, class dynamics, performative perfection, and the anxiety-inducing madness that is elite college admissions. And the way it handled female friendship—especially how it can morph into rivalry, manipulation, and survival—was both fascinating and a little bit heartbreaking.
If you love stories about secret societies, high-stakes drama, rich kid chaos, and murder that feels one SAT prep session away from a breakdown, this one’s for you.
Start Date: 4/6/2025
End Date: 4/7/2025
Star Rating: 3⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Spice Rating: 0🌶️ (YA and clean, but full of tension)
Genre: YA Thriller / Mystery
Setting: USA
Publication Date: 9/6/2022
Publishing House: Penguin Random House; Ember
Est Page Count: 336
Audio Publisher: Listening Library
Audio Pub Date: 5/25/2021
Audio Length: 10 hrs 1 min
Audio Speed: 3x
Narrator: Phoebe Strole
Narrator Rating: 4⭐️
POV: First person
Content Triggers: murder, bullying, academic pressure, parental neglect
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia
Very interesting read. Was not expecting the ending, which is always a delight in a murder mystery.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
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
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book, I just wishes The Ivies would've really went there in pursuit of their ambitions. Their actions were a bit tame, I wanted them to really push the boundaries.
FLEW through this book and was obsessed from Page 1. This is a murder mystery set in a private boarding school, where a group of students, the ivies, scheme and sabotage to make their ways into the Ivy League.
It was funny, it was smart, and so twisty.
Needless to say, I loved it and highly recommend!
It was funny, it was smart, and so twisty.
Needless to say, I loved it and highly recommend!