*ARC kindly given by @netgalley for my honest opinion.*

"The Clique" by Jay Mason is an engaging thriller that delves into the dark side of high school dynamics. Mason's sharp writing and authentic characters create a compelling narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish. With its exploration of power, betrayal, and loyalty, "The Clique" offers a gripping portrayal of adolescence that will resonate with readers of all ages.

This book was provided through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This story follows Alex, a paranormal investigator who is alerted to strange happenings at her local college. She investigates, things happen, she figures it out with the help of Rusty.

There is a story there, a good one, but it's hidden within bad writing, poor dialogue, vague character building, and some plot inconsistencies.

Alex is witty, independent, and curious. But she has an incomplete backstory that is hinted at, but not explored. Her behavior seems unnecessarily rude towards her parents at times. She is scared of someone one minute and then wants to please and feels safe with them the next time they meet, without reason. How?

To me, Rusty is the most consistent character, although he also has some development issues concerning his romantic choices.

Then there are those instances where, for some unknown reason, we randomly see a snippet of the story from Rusty’s point of view without warning or any indication of the point of view change.

I was more frustrated when I read this book because so many of these issues can easily be improved. But, instead, we get this half-plotted story, a short one with so many problems that most people won’t even finish it.

This reads like book 2 in a series. There isn't enough backstory or buildup and I was left feeling a little adrift with just how fast paced it was. I don't think i'll continue with the series.

I really wanted to like this book because when you read the description it has so much potential! A paranormal investigator that keeps it a secret while she solves crimes? So cool! But it definitely felt a little directionless and I never became fully invested in the character or her development. There is a good storyline in there, it just didn't go as far as I needed it to or ever have that pique to the plot. Once you get to the conclusion, you don't feel like anything was really accomplished and that is a frustrating feeling when you keep waiting for something to happen and it just doesn't get to that point.

This book was fast paced! I felt like you were just thrown in the world! Still a great book! Can't wait for book 2 thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

Alex is contacted by the enigmatic c0nundrum, who hires her to investigate a strange energy he senses emanating from her college. Her research leads her to a clique of popular girls, who are dabbling with ancient mystical forces deep underground in a forgotten mine. She races to stop them before an old evil is released ...

The Series:

Alexandra Morgan, known as Alex, is a 19-year-old college student and the daughter of two prize-winning scientists. What no one knows is that in her free time Alex is a paranormal investigator who takes on a variety of mysterious cases. Together with her best friend Rusty and an online associate known only as c0nundrum, she unravels a conspiracy that will put her own life and that of her family in danger ...

I really enjoy YA series and was hopeful about this one which has all the ingredients of a great supernatural thriller.
It wasn’t quite what I’d hoped though, firstly I was surprised this wasn’t episode 1 as the way the reader is dropped into Alex’s life seems like we should know more about her than what we actually do, it’s slightly confusing, especially when C0nundrum pops up.
Alex isn’t a bad character though it doesn’t quite explain why nobody likes her, Rusty was sweet and I did warm to him but all the characters came across as much younger than they were supposed to be, more like young teens rather than almost adults.
In future episodes I would like to see more of the supernatural elements of the story and some of the characters would benefit from a bit of fleshing out.

Thankyou to NetGalley, be ebooks and the author Jay Mason for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Clique in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I thought this book was a good read given that it is aimed at the YA age group. It was quick and easy to follow. I wouldn't mind reading the next bok in the series to see where the author takes the characters.

Paranormal investigator...high school setting...cheerleaders hearing voices after carrying out seances. This won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s an entertaining enough read.
I liked the idea, but there are some aspects that made it less successful.
Firstly, we’re thrown into Alex’s world with no idea of what happened to her or why. It’s clear she’s investigating some weird stuff, but it isn’t apparent how she got to this situation.
Secondly, everything rattled along rapidly and I felt some details needed clarification or further development to engage me and make me care more about what was going on.
Thirdly, dropping in this mysterious Dr Straker who is evidently important but not really giving us any detail left me bewildered. He seemed to be in the events of the asylum, and there’s something odd going on with this Centre but I couldn’t tell you more than that.
I have a feeling some of the details might be fleshed out in further episodes but I’m not sure it captured my interest enough to keep reading.
I was provided with a copy of this in exchange for my honest thoughts. Thank you NetGalley.

Really great book! Fast paced!! I really loved all the characters. Tweens will love it!!! just reviewed The Clique by Jay Mason. #TheClique #NetGalley

I loved the premise of this book. I was expecting kind of a cross between Veronica Mars and Scooby-Doo . And while it wasn’t quite like that, it still has a lot of potential. I just had a hard time at first getting comfortable with the characters and mood of the story. At times it seemed very lighthearted with quirky dialogue and odd exchanges with her very eccentric parents. And even though Alex is 19, she and her classmates seemed much younger sometimes (especially Rusty!) and the other girls were almost “mean girl” type cliches. But then in the middle it took a very dark and more serious turn and almost seemed like another book entirely. (I don’t want to spoil it) I thought that part was very creepy and compelling. Since it’s a series, we don’t get complete closure but I still have a lot of unanswered questions and want more backstory on Alex.

I don’t understand her relationship with her parents or why girls are so mean to her. That may be revealed in the next book but I felt a little like I was missing vital information as I was reading. In spite of this, I enjoyed this book overall even though the writing style seemed inconsistent and some characters were a little odd at times. Alex is a very interesting character and I enjoyed this story enough to give the second book a try when it comes out. The series might improve a lot as it goes on. The premise has a lot of potential. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really like the premise of this book, a super smart college girl who plays dumb so she can secretly investigate paranormal cases. But I think the story needed to be filled in a bit...details that make the story believable. I wouldn't mind reading the next book to find out what happens next...

The story starts in the middle of Alex's musings as a PI and her conversations with the mysterious 'c0nundrum'. There was no back story and no idea about the beginning, it leaves you confused like you have started the book in the middle of the story.

She is chided by her mother for not being as smart as them, but the truth is that she dumbs herself down so as to fade into the background. Just like her science partner. While the reason for Rusty doing so is mentioned, he reason is rather too little and too vague to be believable.

Rusty's character is easy to like, but despite the fact that he has a girlfriend he becomes her love interest.
Next, Alex tells him, her secret of being a PI in complete confidence, which he disregards by confiding in
bethany.

The paranormal doesn't really feel like that. It is too little to categorise the book as paranormal. It remains absent for most part of the book.

I wouldn't recommend this book. The blurb sounds interesting, but that's about it.

I was hoping for a a mystery that involved something paranormal but I seemed that this book was more about the character of the book than a true mystery that she may have investigated. Not the story for me not enough of a mystery.

-- I received a free e-review copy of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. --

I am hard pressed to find something positive to say about this book. The characters are written rather shallow and flimsy, and the story isn't much more sensible. At time, this first novel reads like it was taken straight out of the middle of a series, and much backstory is mentioned but barely introduced. If this had not been a review copy, I doubt I would have finished it.

E-book/Paranormal Mess: This is a short story and I want my three hours back. I read this in one sitting because I knew if I stopped, I would procrastinate and not finish. Spoilers below.

Alex is a transported lass from England. Her parents are geniuses at the lab, but really need parenting lessons. The mother tells Alex to her face that she doesn't understand how genius could skip a generation. The father is a fool who doesn't stick up for his daughter. They both work in a lab, but are always home. But Alex has a secret. She really is a genius but doesn't want to go an Ivy League because there's something paranormal going on in her town.

She really isn't an investigator either. She mostly has email conversations with c0nundrum (Yes, that's a zero in the spelling; maybe he's a rapper). From what I can gather, she has not ever solved any cases. Alex is more like Chloe on Smallville, minus the wall of weird. She is also an outcast at her college, but the cover shows a very attractive girl and she has an accent?

Then there's Rusty. He also doesn't want to go off to a real college, so he too, is doing his best to fail and waste taxpayer money on an education. And for two "morons" going to college, they are both taking chemistry. Really? Shouldn't Alex be taking criminal justice and Rusty take some LPN classes so at least he can be doing something to help his ailing mother.

That is just a set up. The plot is like the title where Alex must help a clique of girls who hate her. Not only does Alex help them, but she asks for nothing in return. Dummy. How about, "Please stop telling your friends that I'm a crazy witch and I will help you".

Don't get me wrong. I am a big paranormal fan. I like Buffy, Angel, and Supernatural, but this book is dumb and I cannot recommend it. Granted, I started college at 23 and I remember the 19 year-olds I was in class with. I just can't imagine a bunch of cheerleaders doing a séance for no reason in a community college basement. I also can't see Alex creeping on campus on the regular and never getting caught sneaking down the basement.

Alex is investigating the paranormal, but doesn't suspect there is a major source of trouble in her own school.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

So, this is the first book by Mason, and it does have the feeling of a debut - good intentions, but rough.

The idea behind it is quite good, that Alex is a Paranormal Investigator, but keeps it secret. She works in complete anonymity, and uses her sixth sense and high intelligence to solve mysteries.
Or at least, that's how it's supposed to go.
It's all really quite vague, and I found it hard to follow.

From the start, it drops you into the middle of Alex's musings as a PI and her conversations with the mysterious 'c0nundrum'. There were no explanations of how or why, and the way it was written made me feel like I was jumping in mid-series - I had to double-check this was definitely the first book.

After that, the book settles, and tells of Alex being at school, and constantly dumbing herself down, so people don't realise she's as intelligent as her sciency-genius parents. <i>Why</i> she has to be thick, isn't really explained very well - her friend Rusty is doing the same, but he has good reasons. He doesn't want to be pressured into moving away to a good college, so he can stay and care for his mum and investigate his father's disappearance. Alex's reason is... something vague.

There's a lot of Rusty, he's the friend/love interest. The intelligent, attractive, gentle guy that shuns the eye-batting cheerleaders for outsider Alex.
He is kinda sweet, as he interacts with Alex, his mum and sister. He seems really honest, and caring, and is endearing - for the most part.
There's just a couple of things about him that make him a dick.
First, and most obviously - HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND. Bethany, a cheerleader (who actually seemed quite nice, and didn't need this douche). Except, Rusty keeps brushing her off, and saying that they're friends - yet he's clearly happy to keep shagging her, and plays the doting boyfriend when she gets ill (cheating scumbag).

Secondly, Alex tells him in complete confidence that she is a PI, making him the only person in the world that knows; whilst also making it clear she doesn't get in with the cheerleading clique.
Rusty's very next move is to tell his girlfriend-not-girlfriend Bethany, without checking with Alex first. But yeah, he's cute, let's forgive him...

The story then takes a really weird turn, and it's very hard to follow, as suddenly there are visions and dreams and memories and reality and new reality, and we're supposed to know which is which.

The main characters are supposed to be in college, but they come off as high-schoolers. Alex, in particular, feels very immature. She's supposed to be 19 yrs old but behaves like a kid, living at home with parents, whining and crushing, (I remember when I was 19, I moved to a different country, to teach and run a yard).

The paranormal side of things isn't very paranormal. There are a couple of incidences, and it's hovering in the background, but it's absent for 90% of the book.

Overall, there were some nice ideas, but needed more work.

A very Light hearted YA Paranormal read. A bit of fun to read with a cup of tea on a Sunday afternoon. A bit light for my taste but fun none the less. Thank you Netgalley for this copy x

This book is pretty much on par with other Young Adult novels, with paranormal characteristics. Alex is an interesting girl and Rusty as her friend, not quite a boyfriend. I found the story to be enjoyable with a quick tempo but not really a page turner, as I found myself skipping through pages not totally into it. If you like YA paranormal books you might try this, but I don't think I will be reading any more in this series. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

I really wanted to like this book, but it felt like a sequel. Too much of the back story was missing and the book ended with the loose ends tied up within a few pages. It was disappointing not to learn more about the mysterious doctor who is treating Alex. I was an early reader thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I got a copy of this for a fair and honest review. Well Alex and Rusty where not what I was expecting. She did kind of remind of a tv show I watched in my youth with a bit of a paranormal twist. I loved her "whatever" attitude. She is not scared to get in to the thick of things and get a little dirty. She definitely has her own way of doing things. I am all for things supernatural and paranormal this was a quick and enjoyable read. I can't wait to see what Alex and Rusty discover next.