A review by grrrace
This is W.A.R. by Lisa Roecker, Laura Roecker

2.0

My expectations were high for this based on some articles I've read and were quickly disappointed. The book was at least a quick read, so my disappointment wasn't of much duration. I found the mystery obvious (and seemingly trying to be Veronica Mars), which made the characters all seem stupid for not figuring it out quickly. I also found Rose to be the most compelling narrator so the book felt downhill after her section. Some quibbles:

Spoiler

If Mari initially turned down the payoff from the Gregorys for moral reasons, why was she suddenly an evil schemer when the narrative called for it? And if no one respected the Club workers, why would Lina think her parents would believe Mari re: their daughter's sexuality? Why would grandfather Gregory put a morality clause in his grandson's trustfund so that he would then have to pay people off and cover things up so the grandson wouldn't lose it (unless the clause was put in by the kid's more moral parents)? If grandfather Gregory cut Trip out of his will for being a psychopath/killing his parents, why was he otherwise totally fine for letting him be at large (when he did not just hurt non-family but his parents and then his brother)? It also bothered me that it seemed like we were supposed to mostly forgive the grandfather in the end when he'd clearly enabled/helped create Trip's behavior, it wasn't just random psychopathy like I worried the book was suggesting. Also, are roofies really that hard to get that Trip and his dealer could only get them because they were Sloane's narcolepsy medicine?