This is a hard book to review. It is one that begs to be read in one sitting because it has a certain soap opera-y, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink drama to it. At the same time, this book deals with many sensitive issues and does not always do so with finesse.

After reading Little Monsters I could not wait to read The Cheerleaders and it did not let me down.
Ms. Thomas knows how to weave a tale that is believable and realistic.
This store will keep you hooked from the first to the last page.

I really enjoyed this title, yet is was still torn at the end on how to rate it. I love a good mystery/thriller here and there and this definitely hit the spot, but there were a few flaws that made me cautious to read more from this author.
I really liked the characters and the writing that created them. Monica and Ginny are great female leads that are well developed and interact wonderfully. Even minor characters, like Alexa or Mike, are three dimensional and fully involved in the story. I really related to the whole story and all the characters. I didn’t feel as if any of them were lacking or underdone which is quite rare in a young adult novel.
The writing was fantastic. Thomas’ language was spot on and kept the book flowing easily. I was transported to the suburban town and could see what the characters were doing as the story went on. There were no dragging points for me. Everything got faster and faster as the mystery grew and grew.
The couple of bothersome attributes were mostly minor and didn’t fully diminish the story for me, but mostly dealt with character relationships. I did not understand Monica’s sudden aversion to her friends. I know that it mirrors her sister from five years ago to be avoiding those closest to her, yet it doesn’t seem fluid for Monica. And her and Ginny’s relationship is too trusting, too quickly. Without a more concrete reason (in my experiences, most girls talk to their friends about romantic relationships, not strangers) than Brandon, Monica’s dependence on Ginny seems pushed. Once this happened although, I was able to push through and accept it for the story’s sake.
I was not satisfied with the ending either. The whole reveal was somewhat predictable, as this character only showed up enough to keep him on radar and followed a common trope in YA thrillers, but was mostly enjoyable to read. The follow up from Ginny’s past was an even better twist and gave a great insight into the girl’s lives. What bothered me is that Monica wanted to know what happened with her sister and we never really get an answer to that. There is a small nudge to accept things the way they are, but no real explanation is given.
On the whole, I liked the book a lot and hope to see it being checked out by my YA mystery readers. I will recommend as it is fast paced and well written. I’ll need to read another from this author to see the differences and similarities, yet I look forward to it.

This was a very suspenseful, gripping read. I stayed up half the night to finish the book and see who really killed the Sunnybrook cheerleaders. I have always been a fan of mysteries and thrillers, and to read one targeted at teenagers was very refreshing. I know there are other such teen mysteries such as One of Us is Lying, and after reading The Cheerleaders I am likely to start reading others of the same genre as well.

The cover of the book is what drew me to this story. I love a good thriller, I am used to reading adult thrillers so this is a much less gruesome read.

I thought the characters were pretty believable and having the additions of her sister's POV added to the story and understanding what happened.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in the book as she tried to figure out what really happened to her sister and the other cheerleaders. I was not expecting it to turn out the way it did after reading the first chapter, I probably should have but didn't.

I love it when a mystery keeps me guessing until the very end. The Cheerleaders did that, and I was completely surprised by the ending. I was hooked from the first page to the last. Definitely a great read for high schoolers who like a good mystery and for fans of books like One of Us is Lying.

don't want to give too much away with my review... but this book is fun, creepy, and mysterious! It follows Monica (present day) and her late sister Jen (5 years ago). Jen's story is told the few weeks and days before her death, and Monica's is as she attempts to figure out exactly what happened to her sister's friends-- "the cheerleaders," who all ended up mysteriously dead in a matter of months.

I would recommend this to HS readers who enjoyed books like Choker or People Like Us

This was a fast read. The story was unique and interesting. The characters were good, and I liked them. I just wanted to keep reading to see what happened. It does tackle a couple of tough issues, but real issues nonetheless. I highly recommend it!

This book is so good and engrossing. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day. It reminds me of the first book in the pretty little liar series, and exit, pursued by a bear.

Sunnybrook is a town without a cheerleading squad. First came the car crash killing two girls. Then there was the murder of two more members of the squad. When a fifth member of the squad dies under tragic circumstances the squad is disbanded.

Now, five years later, the school is working on planning a memorial and the last thing Monica wants to do is remember what happened to her sister, especially while dealing with the upheaval in her life as it is. But when Monica stumbles on to a mystery she can't help but be drawn in. Who was her sister talking to the day she died? Did her step-father, a police officer, shoot the correct murder suspect?

I loved <i>Little Monsters</i> by Kara Thomas and was hoping that this title would be super enjoyable as well. I was not disappointed. This book drew me in and kept me turning the page long after I should have gone to bed. I had to know what happened to Monica's sister. And I had to know who the real killer was.

Thomas is really good at making you believe that you know who the guilty party is and then turning everything on its head. Often I can figure out the way these stories are going to play out, but not so with this one. It kept me guessing until the end.

Damn. Arc provided by NetGalley. 4 stars.

I was actually surprised by the twisty ending in this mystery. So, 5 years before the story begins, 5 cheerleaders die in 3 separate incidents. Two in a car crash, two were murdered, and one killed herself. The one who killed herself’s name is Jen, and was the sister of the lead character, Monica. Around the fifth anniversary of all their deaths, Monica stumbles upon something that makes her suspect things weren’t as they seemed.

The author captures the high school environment pretty well; I thought it veered away from those kinds of cliques mostly, especially with Monica. She is a strong and complicated character, who really grows in this book. Some of the middle parts were a bit slow with the development of the mystery, but the conclusion really brought it home.

The minor side characters sometimes blended together in their same-ness but it wasn’t distracting. Good, intriguing mystery with strong lead.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. I loved pretty much everything about it. The only thing I didn’t like was how difficult it was to read the text messages but I’m sure that’s just a thing that was messed up in the Arc and not the final book. Seriously I loved this. It was an interesting mystery that ends up coming around full circle. It’s all interesting in the whole is it or is it not connected. It was written amazingly. AND THE LAST CHAPTER OMG. It’s just. So good. Go read it.

Good YA thriller - I didn't predict the ending of this one, and that's what I look for in a good thriller. My students will enjoy this one a lot!

This is a great book for fans of "There's Someone Inside Your House" and "Vanishing Girls". It is a well written mix of creepy and suspenseful. This book addresses some really tough subjected, but I think the author handled them really well. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this YA thriller mystery. I liked reading Monica's point of view but the majority of the story with little bits told by other people. I had a feeling who the killer might be but wasn't completely sure until I finished the book. It definitely kept my interest. Highly recommended!

A mystery to get lost in with well a well developed lead character!

Five years ago, five girls from the cheerleading team died under mysterious circumstances. Monica, the sister of Jen, the last cheerleader to die, wants answers.
The book deals with some heavy topics, and while it doesn't always do some of them justice, I did find that Monica's grief was well-handled.
A great mystery that will keep you turning pages.

This is a thrilling YA masterpiece. I could not wait to get to the end to see how it all resolves - it was finished within 24 hours. In fact, it was finished in more like 6 straight hours of refusing to leave my bed on a Saturday. The thrill is a slow burn; it feels natural without feeling forced or fake. It seems realistic - like this could actually happen in any small town. The high school scenes are relatable as well; all too often I read stories set in high school that don't involve characters that make choices that I would have. Those characters are impulsive and confident. Monica is not. Monica is unsure, self-conscious, and when she fakes confidence, the consequences are dire.

I did feel that some parts are forced; there is an immediate conflict in the beginning from which Monica is recovering that seems added honestly just for shock value. It doesn't need to be in there, and doesn't come back after the first couple of chapters. It's easy to decipher what happened, but something so heavy, in my opinion, shouldn't be used as just a shocking plot device.

I also read an ARC, which had several continuity mistakes, including one character's name and backstory. I hope this is remediated by the time it goes to publication; it made reading very confusing, and I'd hate for such a masterful thriller to be tarnished by technical errors.

This was a good YA thriller, though I think I liked Little Monsters a bit more. I think the reveals worked really well in this book, it kept you reading. There were some unexpected things that happened that def. had me on the edge of my seat. I also liked how some things were revealed to not necessarily be anything crazy, without spoiling anything for you. The twists and turns didn't stop coming until the book ended, which is always appreciated. I think the idea, in general, is really creative. I like how we have 3 different tragedies that are connected and each has a different answer. I like that this was not full of girl hate and actually had a ton of positive female friendships. We had a ton of strong female characters. They aren't necessarily great people, but realistic people who had each other's backs. I liked how we got the chapters from the past, but I wish we got more of them or they were in 1st person. I think this would have made me connect with her more. I liked the snippets we got from her and just wanted to see more of her. There was something about the ending that felt a bit rushed and that I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Overall, a good thriller with an interesting character, a creative concept, and the right amount of twists and turns