Eileen Cook takes readers to a small town where one girl is trying to change her life with her “paranormal abilities”.

Skye Thorn has been giving Tarot readings to help make money so that she can move to New York after high school. Though it seems whenever she makes any money to save there are always bills around the house that need to be paid. But now her "psychic" abilities are being used to help find a missing teenager from her high school, the problem is, is that Skye has inside knowledge of the kidnapping. The job was supposed to be easy and no one was supposed to get hurt and Sky would have enough money to start a new life. But things quickly spiral out of control and Skye realizes she is leagues with those who will go to great length to get what they want.

This is a high school type of drama book where an influential and popular girl from school goes missing and overall I found the plot was good, held my attention and I was excited to see if I had figured everything out right. I can say that there was a twist that I did not see coming, so that always get bonus marks in the end from me. Additionally, although this was a YA novel I appreciated that Cook did not feel the need to have a love or relationship interest for Skye, it would have muddied the story I think.

I liked Skye as a main character and the insecurities that she has with herself and home life especially when contrasted with her best friend, Drew. It is interesting how one mistake that Skye made when she was young (understandable too considering her home life) is what really holds her back in life, with no one willing to take her seriously till now. Skye is really ashamed of her mother and the abilities that she believes that she has but at the same time is willing to use said abilities to manipulate others.

The ending was not what I expected and I think it is one that you will either love or hate. I personally liked the path that Cook decided to end the book with, not your norm that is for sure, but that is why i liked and appreciated the path she took.

This is the good read that had some unexpected twists and turns along the way. If you are looking for a YA mystery read be sure to check this one out. I look forward to reading some other novels by Cook.

Enjoy!!!

This protagonist's narrative perspective is bananas! It's both intriguing and unexpectedly hilarious. She's got a lot of personality, and the way she dissects things so logically is really interesting. I think Cook's got the teenage narrative spot on and I think readers of that age will be thoroughly engaged with it.

I’m always drawn to a story about tarot cards and psychics. However, the main character in this book, Skye, is only pretending. She creates a kidnap plot in order to make a bit of money but then the entire thing goes wrong. This story was compelling but required some suspension of disbelief and the twist at the end was not completely satisfying.

I'm still undecided on how I feel about this book. The book was different to what I thought it would be but that's not a bad thing. Early on in the book there is a reveal and I really liked it however, as it is with most books that have early plot twists, there is another one near the end which I didn't like. I felt it didn't really fit the book and the story. 

I found the book interesting and a quick read, i liked the characters and the writing style however there were some elements I didn't like such as the 'villain' of the story is not as bad as I thought they would be. Also I felt like the part where Skye acts 'detective' and goes through her suspect list irrelevant especially with the ending reveal. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. 

3/5

Was left a little disappointed initially as due to the cover and styling I automatically presumed that this would be a horror novel, it was a peculiar story set-up with some good twists but in between twists I was left unsatisfied.

I was absorbed in the story from start to finish despite Skye being an unreliable narrator. Sure, there are instances that you sympathize with her but there is also doubt as to what her real intentions are. It’s not only Skye who’s unlikeable, though. There aren’t any character in the story whom you feel connected to. But as the story progress, and the mystery started to unfold, I slowly warm to Skye and to the other characters as well, even Skye’s mother whom she seems to hate sometimes. And as interesting as Skye is, Paige, the judge’s daughter, is equally intriguing based on some of her POVs. And I wish there’s more of her in the story.

The twists and turns are really good and just when you thought you had things figured out, there’s revelation after revelation that you won’t see coming. The ending might not be to everyone’s liking and that’s understandable. Either you like it or not. I appreciate the ending and I think that it fits on how Skye is as a person.

The Hanging Girl is my first Eileen Cook book and I’d say won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is well-written and quick-paced that it is so easy to get lost in the story. It is not short of mystery with surprising twists and turns that would keep the readers guessing till the very end.

Great book that gave a slightly creepy vibe with the idea!

This is one of those books where the only description I can give is meh? It's just s totally average book. It's not a bad book, it's just not memorable. At least for me. It's a one read and move on sort of book.

Failed to be able to read on account of download issues really sad I never got to read it before it came out!

“The Hanging Girl” is a good read for someone in the mood for a quick and fun young adult mystery. The plot is entertaining and would come in handy for someone needing a break during the holiday season by escaping for a while. The only problem I had with it is the main character, Skye. No matter how much her character’s deeper history was revealed I just could not bring myself to like her. Recommended for a light read!

This is going to be a short review because I am not sure how to talk about it without giving to much away. 

Skye is a fake psychic but she is good at reading people plus she is good at remember things about others. This is how she can read tarot cards and make it sound good. When a classmate goes missing it's Skye who has a "vision" about things that has happened, it's also because she knows what has happened. (That is no spoiler it's in the blurb). Skye is not always a real likeable character, she is sometimes a bit annoying. She is not real reliable because she has lied in the past and is currently lying to her best friend. Drew her friend must really have a lot of patience. 

At first when I was reading this I was really interested in it but then there was a reveal at about 36% and it kind of threw me off and I got a little bored. I kept going because I hoped the author had a plan in the works and boy did she because about the halfway point something else happens, but then that ending I just didn't see it coming. Part of me thinks I should have but it threw me...lol. 

Overall, I thought this was a pretty decent YA suspense novel.

It is an amazing thriller, which is fast paced and entertaining.
It gives me tv. series vibes like as I'm watching these characters play.

The whole small town scenario felt to me like Riverdale - even though it's different.

Undoubtedly, there were twist and turn which has me shocked but there were many parts which felt like obvious.- but that doesn't mean it might seem obvious to other readers.

Even though the ending didn't blew me away but it was satisfying.

There were shocking twist and turns which I absolutely loved.

It was an easy going yet gripping thriller which can be read and enjoyed by non thriller readers. It has mystery, suspence and thrill along side psychic touch to it.
It is really innovative in that respect.

I would recommend this book for sure. Can't wait to read more by this author.

This book was a lot more surprised me in a few spots. For one, I didn't expect the subtle magical elements to be a part of the story. Secondly, I did NOT expect that ending.

The mystery integrated into the plot added that extra oomph to the story that I really enjoyed. There were moments towards the end that I really had no clue who really did it. And there were no clues throughout the book to who actually did the big scandal. I also really liked how the plot was given to us in sections instead of a big plot dump in one spot and half the story just a run-around of accusations.

The main character definitely surprised me. Without really remembering much of the synopsis prior to reading, I did not expect the character's actions to be sketchy. I liked reading from a perspective of more of the "bad guy" instead of a story driven to stop the bad guys. The plot was really unique in that way.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I found myself to really enjoy the entire book. I wouldn't say that there were any particular slow chapters since the plot thickens throughout the entire story. I definitely recommend this book for those who want a surprising thriller with a even more surprising ending!

There were a number of elements in this book I didn't love: fake psychics, fake kidnapping schemes, the noble poor, incurable liars. My biggest complaint is the kidnapping. Used in an increasing number of novels, it is contrived and unbelievable. It is inevitable in these books that a plot meant to emotionally and financially manipulate others devolves into empty violence.

The Hanging Girl was a good, quick read. The characters were interesting, the mystery kept unfolding even when you thought you'd had it figured out, and the sub-plots added to the overall book for the most part (except for the now-obvious red herring about the obsessed girl, which seemed like a big deal but then fizzled out). All in all, I enjoyed it.

A richly woven narrative with a promising premise, "The Hanging Girl" is a high-stakes thriller with an unexpected nuance. While "fake psychic helping the police" may conjure to mind images of Psych or The Mentalist, this is a decidedly darker take.
Mixing equal parts thrilling suspense and teen angst, the main character's deadpan humor makes this novel a quick, fun read, while also being incredibly hard to put down.

This book was a very slowly written book, I thought. It took me forever to get into and I just didn't enjoy it like I thought and hoped I would.

The Hanging Girl is another whodunnit story, told from the alternating POVs of Skye the fake-medium and the missing girl. It’s a fast paced and short read, with a lot of plot twist to keep you entertained. While I guessed most of them, I still enjoyed reading the book to see whether my guess is correct or not. The last twist was totally unpredictable by me because I totally underestimated the culprit. My only problem with this book is I don’t feel connected to any of the characters; they are one dimensional and all have horrible motives.

I always enjoy Elieen's books, and The Hanging Girl is no exception. I really like Skye's character. There are also some good twists that'll keep you guessing.

"Destiny is like a boulder. Bulky and hard to move. It’s easier to leave it alone than to try to change it. But that never kept anyone from trying. Trust me: I’m a professional."


Author Eileen Cook's The Hanging Girl is a sort of psychological thriller, mixed with a strange mystery, and plenty of twists and surprises. 18-year old Skye Thorn has been using Tarot Cards on her fellow students as a way to make a bit of money. She knows that after graduation, she and her bestie Drew are supposed to leave their small town behind for the brights lights of NYC. Problem is that Skye has about as money as I do in my bank account. And, that's not all that much. 

After a fellow student named Paige Bonnet goes missing, Skye suddenly has visions. Skye informs the police of her visions and offers to help find Paige and bring her home. However, things just don't add up. Things quickly spiral in ways that Skye has no control over. What should be a grand scheme to make some money for college, turns out to be all for not with an unexpected turn of events that nobody will see coming. The most curious aspect of the kidnapping? It was planned in advance by a person named Pluto. No spoilers!

Pluto decided to jump up the kidnapping even before Skye agreed to help her. All Skye had to do in return for a big chunk of money to go to NYC with is tell the police that she is having visions of what really happened to Paige, and where she can be found. Now, things get really complicated after Paige's father refuses to pay the ransom, and Paige later turns up dead. Rut Roh! The Hanging Girl is not the first book that I've read. I've previously read With Malice. I will say this about Skye. She is an unreliable narrator who has lied and manipulated people with her tarot cards. Not that Skye is a mess. She's not. She just gets caught up in something way bigger than she anticipated.

I have issues with authors who get way too political instead of sticking to the who, what, where, why, and how come? It may be the authors choice, but I don't have to read about it. Thus why even though I actually liked Skye, had ended up dropping my overall rating. I don't have to read about slams against people or businesses that you may not like. It's like saying you should ALL become vegans, and fuck all meat lovers because how dare you eat something that you enjoy! This is supposed to be entertainment, not political grandstanding to make points. We live in a society where the news is screeching at us 24/7/365 from all sides of the political spectrum. I read books to escape the real world, not get dragged back into it kicking and screaming.