This is another great story from McManus. She has my students asking for her books specifically and she hasn't disappointed them. I liked the aspect of the three cousins meeting each other for the first time and and growing to rely on each other as they tried to figure out what event splintered their family. Even though they do eventually discover it, there's that twist at the end that catches you off guard.

Karen McManus does it again with The Cousins. Thank you to NetGalley for this digital ARC. I am a huge fan of McManus and her mysteries and suspenseful writing style that grips the reader, and I recommend her books to my students. This one has jumped up to the top of my list. McManus does an incredible job of writing despicable people who still manage to mangle our hearts and make us want to read more.

I found this book weaker than the rest of Karen M. McManus' titles. I was profoundly disinterested in both the characters and the story. I think this book has an audience and will circulate well, but I'll be recommending her other books over this one. It felt rushed.

Compared to Karen's previous books, The Cousins reads more of a YA contemporary with a mystery surrounding a wealthy family. I struggled to get past the first half of this book and it didn’t pick up until after some secrets were revealed.

Following 3 cousins who don’t know each other, they’re all invited to an island resort that their grandmother owns to work at for the summer. Their parents all encourage them to take the invitation to get back to their grandmother’s side. With a rich family, they have deep secrets that are uncovered at the end of the book. I was surprised at the reveals, but to get to that point, it took some time that resulted in slow pacing. I also thought the small romance wasn’t necessary and I wished there was more action since that’s what I expected from previous books. But I liked the overall mystery that we got from The Cousins!

Pros 👍:
- Complicated family dynamics
- Mysterious grandmother and parental past dramas
- Secrets being revealed

Cons 👎:
- Slow start to the book
- Wasn’t expecting for a less of a thriller novel than previous books
- Not enough action scenes

I've enjoyed Karen McManus' past books and this continues to be the case, as I read this in two sittings--it would have been one, but I needed to get some sleep. :)

My all time favorite book from Karen McManus! It’s the perfect addition to any library collection! I loved learning about the strain between the Story cousins and what ended up bringing them together. What an ending!

What a great read! The twists and turns throughout kept me on my toes and I'm a big fan of books with multiple narrators, so that worked well for me.

Karen McManus has yet to disappoint. This was a great YA thriller. I will definitely be recommending it to anyone to asks for YA recommendations.

Great YA thriller mystery set on an exclusive East Coast summer resort island, where three cousins have come to reunite with the grandmother they’ve never known. Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey barely know each other, let alone Gran, who disowned her own four children decades ago, with the message “you know what you did.” Now they’re going to be swept up into the myriad of myths and mysteries surrounding the Story family and Gull Cove Island.

Great thriller! Karen McManus never disappoints. The storyline draws you in immediately with the hint of “what really happened” and dips into the past as you piece together the present. At first I was a little lost with all the names especially all starting with A’s, but I think that was the author’s intention. Eventually after all the roller coaster like twists and turns, everything fell into place including a possible “Easter egg” at the end for a potential sequel.

A dark and twisty tale filled with secrets, family dynamics, and tension. Though I think the book is good, it is not the hard-boiled thriller I usually read. I think this is perfect for teens looking to delve into the thriller genre.

When Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah are invited to work at their grandmother's resort for the summer, the three cousins are confused but intrigued. They barely know eachother, and their elusive grandmother disowned their parents before they cousins were born. The opportunity to win back their grandmother's favor is too tempting, but their grandmother seems to have other plans for them. The three cousins discover family secrets and long lasting rivalries - and they won't stay in the past. I absolutely love anything Karen McManus writes. She's so great at character development and each character is fully fleshed out. This is perfect for fans of When We Were Liars!

This was an excellent mystery thriller from a popular young adult author. Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah are all invited to work for the summer on their family's estate, even though their grandmother had removed her children from the will and kicked them out of her life. All three have secrets, and there are more secrets to uncover once they arrive on Gull Cove Island.

Mysteries abound in this engaging readalike for E. Lockhart's "We Were Liars." Definitely a recommended read for teen mystery and thriller readers.

Karen McManus is the new queen of YA thrillers. I love everything she writes and it is a great recommendation for my high school students!

A great YA thriller! The beginning was a bit slow, but not painfully so. Halfway through the book really picked up though, and you will want to read it in one sitting. Lots of twists, fun character moments, tons of drama, even a bit of romance! Fans of this author’s other work or Holly Jackson’s books will not be disappointed with this book. A bit of knives out mixed with typical teen drama. Highly recommend!

I thought this book had a slow start. I struggled a little bit at the start to tell the various pOV apart. I thought the end of the book def took the cake with so many unexpected twists and turns. I really loved the ending. This book had so many vibes of jennifer lynn barnes reads that def tied into the family connection. Once I got into the read, I had a hard time putting it down. It was a fast pace read and by the end i def did grow to love all the characters!!

Who doesn’t love thrillers and mysteries?

This one was a sure hell of a roller coaster ride. It makes your stomach knot with twists and turns you never knew was possible. The story was very much different from her first book One of Us is Lying since that focused on students and friends. This one is more horrible. It’s centered on family. And that actually scared the flipping bird out of me. And the ending was just bomb. I cannot!

As to be expected from any Karen McManus book there were a lot of twists and surprises. The characters were all unique, and I'm a sucker for anything set on a remote seaside locale. The ending fell a little flat for me, but overall an enjoyable read.

I was not the biggest fan of this, but I think it is because I am definitely growing out of the young adult genre. I am more of a romance reader now.

I've come to anticipate Karen M. McManus' books but this one just missed the mark- it wasn't as gripping or page-turning as her previous outings, which was disappointing. Nevertheless, teens will flock to her titles like always (as will I)!