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minimicropup's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Abashed, foolish, anguished
After graduating high school a group of girls and their classmates head to Palm Keys to celebrate. We observe the resulting events through the POV of a recent graduate who feels a like an outsider.
🇺🇸 Set at a fictional resort/vacay rental area on Palm Key Island, Florida, USA in July.
🐺Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags🐕
🤨 This read like how adults imagine teen girls AND like it was meant for younger teens but written by a parent trying too hard?
🤣 We have statements about how many followers a character has and how that means they can get any guy they want... generalize much? Not how it works.
🥸 At the same time they read how younger teens imagine being 17-19 years old. We have “omg cute boy, squeal!!!!” And “omg I HAVE to get laid tn” fronting paired with a "good girl resists temptation" character that was cheesy and immature. I kept accidentally picturing everyone as way younger than they were supposed to be.
🤖 Although the writing style is imaginative, it's also weird. Someone will ask a question so there's dialogue, and in the middle of it there are actions (like changing clothes or musing) between answering a question. So I imagined it like everyone stood around mid conversation waiting for an answer. Are they robots? Felt that way when actions were placed awkwardly in the dialogue.
👍 The characters are caricatures with slight differences and at first I felt like it would all be too predictable. Maybe, but the tropey or token characters have depth and development throughout, especially as the situation gets more dire. I like that we focused on one POV and know her "secrets" ahead of time, so baiting/omission doesn't drive the suspense.
🏠🫥 The rental property is a main feature, but I had trouble with the world building for the layout. Maybe I lost track, but I'm pretty sure some characters were on the second floor bedrooms, then later we are told they went downstairs to their bedrooms (on the first floor). Over time it was like this big 2 story house was shrinking and I lost sense of where all the rooms and yards were in relation to each other.
🤣 We have statements about how many followers a character has and how that means they can get any guy they want... generalize much? Not how it works.
🥸 At the same time they read how younger teens imagine being 17-19 years old. We have “omg cute boy, squeal!!!!” And “omg I HAVE to get laid tn” fronting paired with a "good girl resists temptation" character that was cheesy and immature. I kept accidentally picturing everyone as way younger than they were supposed to be.
🤖 Although the writing style is imaginative, it's also weird. Someone will ask a question so there's dialogue, and in the middle of it there are actions (like changing clothes or musing) between answering a question. So I imagined it like everyone stood around mid conversation waiting for an answer. Are they robots? Felt that way when actions were placed awkwardly in the dialogue.
👍 The characters are caricatures with slight differences and at first I felt like it would all be too predictable. Maybe, but the tropey or token characters have depth and development throughout, especially as the situation gets more dire. I like that we focused on one POV and know her "secrets" ahead of time, so baiting/omission doesn't drive the suspense.
🏠🫥 The rental property is a main feature, but I had trouble with the world building for the layout. Maybe I lost track, but I'm pretty sure some characters were on the second floor bedrooms, then later we are told they went downstairs to their bedrooms (on the first floor). Over time it was like this big 2 story house was shrinking and I lost sense of where all the rooms and yards were in relation to each other.
👍 I feel like I've been complaining too much - I liked the premise of the plot and suspense. That kept me hooked!
😃 Most of the suspense is formed gradually. At first because some friends went off together and we aren't sure the circumstances, then we find out some history about the rental house. It isn't slow paced but is mostly a suggestive horror for the first 75% or so with lots of friendship and relationship drama paired with scary tales in the dark/spooky games before we get into any real action. I loved that, but if you prefer your horrors more visceral and up front it could be dull.
😃 Most of the suspense is formed gradually. At first because some friends went off together and we aren't sure the circumstances, then we find out some history about the rental house. It isn't slow paced but is mostly a suggestive horror for the first 75% or so with lots of friendship and relationship drama paired with scary tales in the dark/spooky games before we get into any real action. I loved that, but if you prefer your horrors more visceral and up front it could be dull.
Mood Reading Match Up:
- Popcorn new adult suggestive horror/thriller
- Island vacay gone wrong with dark and stormy night isolation
- Swipe of not-like-the-other-boys and frenemy drama/romance
- Whodunnit murder mystery with fight-for-your-life action
Content Heads-Up: Alcohol (partying, self medicating, binge drinking). Natural disaster (hurricane). Suicide (recall, discussion). Confinement/kidnapping. Mental illness (antipsychotic treatment).
Format: Kindle Unlimited
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Suicide
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Mental illness
perfectcupoftea's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Suicide, Outing, Death, Torture, Bullying, and Classism
mollyolloxenfree25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Bullying, and Suicide
caseybottiger's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Suicide
ilaxaria's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Murder, Suicide, Blood, Classism, and Outing
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
_kristinsworld's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lighten up, would you? We’re eighteen. We’re too young for anything bad to happen.
I love books, scary movies and Regina George so naturally I was excited to read a book described as “Mean Girls meets Scream.” This was a fun lil summer slasher! It definitely lives up to the description, although instead of “you can’t sit with us” mean you get a ‘we’re toxic, but stick together cause we’re rich’ kind of mean amongst the friend group. The suspense was mediocre, in my opinion, but I enjoyed reading the typical outrageous/not-so-smart decisions made when a serial killer is on the loose 😂
I’d recommend this as a palate cleanser if you read a lot of thrillers or horror.
I love books, scary movies and Regina George so naturally I was excited to read a book described as “Mean Girls meets Scream.” This was a fun lil summer slasher! It definitely lives up to the description, although instead of “you can’t sit with us” mean you get a ‘we’re toxic, but stick together cause we’re rich’ kind of mean amongst the friend group. The suspense was mediocre, in my opinion, but I enjoyed reading the typical outrageous/not-so-smart decisions made when a serial killer is on the loose 😂
I’d recommend this as a palate cleanser if you read a lot of thrillers or horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Suicide
haleea's review
medium-paced
3.0
a quick, fun read. i did not guess the twist at all!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Bullying, Murder, and Death
muddymind's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Read If: you want a fun summer slasher with a diverse group of characters, you like YA, you like your murder mysteries to have a hint of romance, you want a quick read.
Don’t Read If:you mind if almost all aforementioned characters of color die , you don’t like perfectly tied up endings, if you don’t like the way teenagers talk, sensitive to LGBTIA+ issues, sensitive to bully, sensitive to gore.
Don’t Read If:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gore, Murder, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Outing and Homophobia
oliviamichelle_'s review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Gore and Blood