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A review by nikkireadsstuff
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
3.0
If you loved the show Gossip Girl, love reading mysteries, and have a love of teenage drama...this book is for you!
First let me say that this book reminded me so much of my high school experience...without the murder. I went to a private Catholic all girls high school, which was such a great experience for me! Definitely feeling the nostalgia with this book!
Second, Goodman's writing is fun to experience, as she nestles some nuggets of mystery throughout the book-small details that if you aren't reading carefully you will likely miss. She does a great job of transporting you into the world of The Players and bringing you back to high school just a bit.
Lastly, the mystery was just that. A mystery. I feel like Goodman spent the majority of the book in flashbacks of what Jill's freshman year was like and her friendship with Shaila...rather than setting up the mystery surrounding her death. The fact that Jill bites her nails when she's feeling anxious wasn't really explored and was left as a loose end that didn't really cycle back to the fact that she sort of knew something was off about Adam. I actually don't really blame Nikki, Henry, Quentin, or Adam for being upset at Jill for bringing up old wounds the way she did. It felt rushed and random.
I truly think the mystery of Shaila's death and the scandal it brought to the community was way more interesting than the details of The Players and they're hazing techniques. I wanted more mystery and more development of Rachel and Graham trying to find evidence to exonerate him from Shaila's murder.
I AM however really glad that the most obvious culprit was not the one who actually killed Shaila. The revelation of that secret hit me gradually...because I felt it...then BAM! GOTCHA! Not what you would've thought.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because of the nostalgia but wasn't really captivated by the mystery of the whodunit. Definitely would recommend for a fun take on Gossip Girl though!
First let me say that this book reminded me so much of my high school experience...without the murder. I went to a private Catholic all girls high school, which was such a great experience for me! Definitely feeling the nostalgia with this book!
Second, Goodman's writing is fun to experience, as she nestles some nuggets of mystery throughout the book-small details that if you aren't reading carefully you will likely miss. She does a great job of transporting you into the world of The Players and bringing you back to high school just a bit.
Lastly, the mystery was just that. A mystery. I feel like Goodman spent the majority of the book in flashbacks of what Jill's freshman year was like and her friendship with Shaila...rather than setting up the mystery surrounding her death. The fact that Jill bites her nails when she's feeling anxious wasn't really explored and was left as a loose end that didn't really cycle back to the fact that she sort of knew something was off about Adam. I actually don't really blame Nikki, Henry, Quentin, or Adam for being upset at Jill for bringing up old wounds the way she did. It felt rushed and random.
I truly think the mystery of Shaila's death and the scandal it brought to the community was way more interesting than the details of The Players and they're hazing techniques. I wanted more mystery and more development of Rachel and Graham trying to find evidence to exonerate him from Shaila's murder.
I AM however really glad that the most obvious culprit was not the one who actually killed Shaila. The revelation of that secret hit me gradually...because I felt it...then BAM! GOTCHA! Not what you would've thought.
Overall, I enjoyed this book because of the nostalgia but wasn't really captivated by the mystery of the whodunit. Definitely would recommend for a fun take on Gossip Girl though!