I had seen this book around social media a lot recently, and also on a friend's 'to be read' shelf, and I knew it had lovely red edges haha! So, when doing my first ever order from the wonderful site which is Book Depository (go check it out here - discounted prices on a huge range of books and free shipping worldwide! Best discovery of my summer!), alongside the Ravenclaw 20th Anniversary edition of the first Harry potter and a brand new copy of my all-time favourite classic Little Women, I added a copy to my basket!
I started this book just before I left for holiday and then took it with me and read it by the pool and on the beach. I thought the concept was great, and reminded me, on reading the blurb, of The Breakfast Club (a film which the previously mentioned friend showed me for the first time over the summer), and later revealed itself, at least in my eyes, to also draw on the kind of themes of Gossip Girl. Brief Summary: 5 completely different pupils are in detention, after being caught with phones in class. Phones which are not theirs, and which they were unaware had been planted in their bags. When one of the students, Simon, has a fatal allergic reaction, the other 4 suddenly find themselves right in the middle of a murder investigation, and desperately attempt to stop the many secrets about them from coming out. Secrets that Simon knew and was going to publish on his gossip blog, giving each of them a motive for shutting him up for good.
The book goes on to explore how this situation affects each of the students, switching narratives between them, how it brings them together, shoves them apart, and changes who they are as people, their private lives, their priorities and the various relationships in their lives.
The 'criminal' aspect is interesting and makes for a good plot foundation. I did unfortunately guess the ending before it occurred (there were only so many suspects!), however, I didn't feel as though this reduced from the quality of the book as, for me, it wasn't so much about the mystery and more about the character dynamics.
I particularly liked the relationship between bad-boy Nate, and geek-girl Bronwyn, as it really emphasised how people's lives can be nothing like what they seem on the surface and we never really know people until we try to, but to be honest this was true of all of the characters and the secrets that tormented them.
Overall, this is a pretty quick and thoroughly enjoyable read which I think really stands out as something a bit different from your usual YA reads. Highly recommended!
Reading Challenge: 14/21
Reading Challenge: 14/21
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