Am I angry enough at the ending that I won't read the next book? Or am I curious enough about how Barnes will start the sequel to pick it up? Precise writing, decent character building (many characters and I can keep them apart in my mind), format improves the book with its flashback and increasing timeline. Not a huge fan of making the characters, especially Sawyer, good at all the things. Some convenient plot jumps.

Three and a half stars. Basically this is a Southern debutante Gossip Girl mystery that is a fun read if you are ready to suspend disbelief and are fine with flashbacks, inconsistencies, and implausible situations. This book reminds me more of The Squad series and is less like her recent series The Naturals and The Fixer, which I prefer. I would much rather read another Fixer novel than the next one in this series.

I have enjoyed Jennifer Lynn Barnes' work since the days of The Squad. This title didn't disappoint though I was hoping for a little more emotional depth.

This was a really well written, quick read. It's an inside view of southern debutante balls and culture from a girl who definitely did not grow up in this world. I've always lived in the south, and have a friend from grad school whose grandmother put her in the debutante circuit, so I'm familiar and bemused by the whole idea of debutantes. I loved Sawyer, who dished out a bit of reality to the rich debutante girls. While debutantes are at the center of the story, the actual mystery is the identity of Sawyer's father and what the slightly diabolical Campbell is up to. The supporting characters all have strong personalities and add to the book. There's also a nice juicy ending that I did not see coming. Overall, a really enjoyable book. I'm hoping there will be more books in the future with this cast of characters!

This book ends in the middle of a sentence. One of the reasons I slowed down on reading YA, my preferred genre for most of my twenties, is that I got sick of books that didn't tell a complete story. Don't get me wrong, I love a good series or trilogy, but each book should resolve something, even if it sets up what is coming next. A lot of things were set up, but I don't actually think much was resolved.

The structure also didn't work for me. There was no need to flash between the police station and the story - the police station stuff wasn't really dramatic enough. It felt a little more like failed comedy?

Things I did like: the setting. It was believable that Sawyer would accede to her grandmother to try to find her father. Lillian was an interesting character. I was interested in the family dynamics. No one else really felt like a full character though.

I want to know what happens next though, so hey!

I will read anything this lady writes. It is all fantastic. The Naturals is still my favorite but I did love this book as well. I was a little disappointed because I think the ending is cut off but other than that it was a great read. I couldn't put it down, read the whole thing in about a day and a half. I loved the mystery and intrigue. I thought most of the characters were relate-able. I didn't love the back and forth with present day and flashbacks because it was a little confusing at first but in the end she won me over with the non-linear story telling.