This was so good! I have enjoyed mostly everything Karen McManus has put out so far and this was no exception. We follow a family full of secrets and mystery, the Story’s. One day, out of the blue, 4 siblings receive a letter from their mother with one sentence, ‘you know what you did.’ After this, they are all cutoff never to see her again. We’re following their children, years later, after they receive a letter from their estranged grandmother asking them to work on her resort. What ensues is a whirlwind of revealed secrets and twists. This was so much fun and I did not see any of it coming. Definitely a new favorite.

The Cousins is a fun thriller from the author of One of Us is Lying. If you already read McManus's prior books, then you know to expect some twists, some secrets, and a bunch of flawed but lovable characters.

This is a great summer escape read, since it takes place on resort island, and the plot revolves around the Story family. The Story cousins have gathered on the island for the first time ever to work for their grandmother-- the same grandmother that excommunicated all of their parents mysteriously decades ago. Can they figure out the genesis of the "I know what you did" letter that their parents received all those years ago?

Fun, twisty, and a great quarantine read!

Karen McManus never disappoints! Like her previous novels, The Cousins is a fast-paced and enjoyable YA novel, with just enough throw-back 80s nostalgia for Gen-Xers like me to also enjoy. Thank you for allowing me an advance copy.

Karen M. McManus's books are automatic reads for me and The Cousins did not disappoint! The Cousins is a book about a family with lots of secrets. There are many twists and turns through out The Cousins that had me shocked! I couldn't put this book down, because I was so invested in the story and finding out what happened. The story is well crafted with characters that are complex. McManus does a great job showing how peoples lives can be changed by other peoples actions or decisions. I also really enjoyed reading about the family dynamics and the small island setting was interesting to read about. I loved The Cousins and I can't wait for more from McManus!

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah are cousins, but they are not close. Far from it. In fact, they haven't seen one another since they were very young and wouldn't recognize each other at all. They are suddenly thrown together though when their estranged grandmother invites them to spend the summer working at her island resort. Their disinherited parents each insist on them going, so whatever they had planned is canceled as they head out to discover what their grandmother could possibly want.

Upon arriving at the island, the three realize that their family's secrets run deep in the town history, and each day spent there will bring them closer to learning the truth of their parents' disinheritance.

I am a big fan of Karen M. McManus and was quite exicted to receive this ARC. Though I was slightly less enthralled with this than I was with her other books, I was not disappointed.

The chapters alternate perspectives between the three cousins with an occassional chapter included from the summer their parents were disinherited. As the story progressed, I was kept guessing about what really happened. As someone who often figures out early on what is really happening, I always appreciate it when I am kept guessing until the reveal.

I would absolutely recommend this book to my students and to adults who love a good mystery.

Karen M. McManus brilliantly executes a perfect summer beach thriller. Known for her story twists, The Cousins does not disappoint. Once upon a time, The Story family was a tight family, until their Mother, Mildred, unexpectedly and mysteriously cuts her kids off. Now her Grandchildren, Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey, return to Gull Cove Island upon her request. But everything is a mystery on Gull Cove Island.
While The Cousins seemed to start off a little slower, it quickly picks up pace. The reader will be looking for answers in one direction and be completely blindsided by another. Chapters are told by the cousins perspectives, and some from the past, before the kids were cut off. McManus will certainly have your head turning to keep up as the story develops. Similar read is We Were Liars.

When three cousins are mysteriously invited to spend the summer working for the grandmother who disinherited their parents 24-years ago, anything can happen.

For Millie, Aubrey, and Jonah, the idea of working for their grandmother is intriguing. They hope to uncover the mystery behind their parents being banished from the island. But family secrets are out there, and someone wants to be sure the cousins do not solve the mystery. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Erica Stone at Random House Children’s for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

3.5 really, maybe up to 3.8. The things that bothered me were so minor I hate to mention them, but they kind of wrecked what would have otherwise been a fun read, so...
For those following from the cheap seats: The cover feels super wrong and the fact that everyone is named 'story' made for occasional narrative confusion, just enough to cause mild dissonance (from a grammatical perspective, not a who did what now? perspective).

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for a review by Netgalley and Random House Childrens. Thank you! All opinions are my own. 🙂

Plot⇢ 4/5
Narration Performance⇢ 4/5
Characters⇢ 3.5/5
The Feels/Memorability⇢ 3.5/5
Pacing⇢ 3/5
Is it Binge-able/Gripping⇢ 3/5
Writing Style⇢ 5/5
Originality⇢ 4/5
Impactful/Joy⇢ 3.5/5
Entertainment⇢4/5
Romance ⇢ 4/5
Satisfying Direction?⇢ 3/5
Ending⇢ 3/5
Average⇢ 3.65/5

I read One of Is Lying and absolutely loved it, so when I saw this book I knew I had to jump at the opportunity to read and review it. I was not disappointed.

The book follows three cousins whose parents have been cut out of their mothers life for 25 years; until one day they all receive a mysterious letter inviting them to stay the summer on their grandmothers island and work a summer job. All three cousins are essentially forced by their parents to take up the offer and go. Cue mysteries and drama. I honestly thought I had the plot twists all figured out before I even made it 50% through, but boy was I wrong. She hits you with em and keeps you on your toes at about 60% of the way. I was getting anxiety just sitting in my bed, hoping that things went the way I wanted them to. All in all, the book wrapped up well, however, there were some things I did not like about the ending. (view spoiler) Regardless of all that, I really did thoroughly enjoy the book.

Four stars

This was a fun read, and fans of McManus will not be disappointed.

The titular cousins - Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah - all receive messages that they are to visit their grandmother for the summer. While this sounds pretty average, the exciting part is that all four siblings in the intermediate generation (the cousins' parents and their remaining uncle) were mysteriously disowned many years ago. No one can quite figure out what's up here, but the parents mostly want their kids to figure it out. There is also A LOT of family money potentially up for grabs.

The novel is told from the alternating perspectives of all three cousins, and this works well, and the plot points are engaging. Each cousin's backstory, personality, and motives are unique, and though their character development is by no means the focal point of the work, they are round enough to invest in overall. There are also some nice twists that happen all throughout; these are not overly predictable, which makes for added intrigue.

As the title and details suggest, a central focus here is family and the ways in which we can stay connected through the worst offenses and cut ties for seemingly no reason at all. This undercurrent is my favorite part of the book. It's understated but powerful.

This is a quick, entertaining read with engaging characters and deeper themes if you're in the mood to consider them. Recommended.

This book caught my attention and never let up. I started it at 5 and stayed up to finish it that evening. The characters are well rounded and relateable and show growth throughout the story. The mystery was well played and was not predictable. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Ms McManus (of which I am one) as well as those who enjoy mysteries. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Another stunner! Secrets, drama, strong characterization, and delicious mystery! Fans of Karen M. McManus's other books, are in for another treat!

Once upon a time, a ridiculously wealthy family lived in a mansion on a hill. The children of Abraham and Mildred Story seemed to have it all intelligence, beauty, charm, money, and each other. But shortly after their father's death, each of the 4 story children (now young adults) received a letter from their mother declaring they were disinherited and should never return home. Now, a generation later, three cousins who do not know each and have never met their grandmother are invited back.

How perfect is it that their last name is "Story"? I relished in that fact throughout the whole reading. Doesn't every family have just that, a story? Makes me think of that quote from Anna Karenina "Happy families are all alike: Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".

This novels feels like the nostalgia of an 80's movie mixed with The Royal Tenenbaums. Highly, Highly Recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an early release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I said after reading McManus’s second book that she was going to become one of my favorite authors, and now after finishing her fourth novel, I stand by what I said. She is definitely one of my favorite authors and now my go-to for YA mysteries.

The Cousins follows Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story – cousins who barely know each other – and they’ve been invited out of the blue to work at their estranged grandmother’s island resort for the summer. Though surprised and apprehensive as to why she’s reaching out now, they’re also curious.

Besides, their parents aren’t giving them a choice: they’re going whether they want to or not. This could be their chance to get back into their mother’s good graces after she suddenly cut them off twenty-four years ago. But when the cousins arrive to the island, they realize that something is off, and that there might be more family secrets lying around than they ever imagined.

Like her other novels, McManus does not disappoint with keeping my mind on its toes, looking for clues to figure out the mystery myself. And even when I do figure out something, she immediately throws another twist at I never expected. The beginning starts slow, easing you into the Story family and a teeny bit of their history with one another, which allows you to invest in the characters more. But once the mystery starts, it’s one thing right after another… and I love it!

As usual, the story is told in the POV’s of the main characters – Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah – but there are a few chapters with flashbacks to Milly’s mother, Allison, that help tie the story together. I found it really worked with this particular story and enjoyed the flashback moments just as much as reading the POV’s of the cousins. It’s McManus’s style and way of telling a story that has me as one of her fans, and I look forward to more of her work coming (hopefully) soon!

The Cousins by Karen McManus is a captivating YA mystery centered around three cousins who are invited by their estranged grandmother to spend the summer at the family owned beach resort. Familial secrets, lost inheritance, beach parties... what could go wrong? Overall, I really enjoyed this! I was instantly invested in the cousins (Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah), unpacking their baggage and figuring out how they all fit together. The author did a great job of making me root for the characters and sympathize with their motivations. I wish the ending could have been fleshed out a bit more, but I still found myself satisfied with the way things concluded. I look forward to reading more books from McManus!

*Thanks to Random House Children's and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy!

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
I feel like I should just put it out there that although the glorious opportunity for “Three” in the title was not lost on me, I’m a Karen M. McManus STAN and I’ll look past this oversight this one time. Now that that’s out there I’ll start by saying that overall “The Cousins” was another home run for McManus and a definite must read for any YA mystery or KMM fan! However, I will say that while I really enjoyed the voices and relatability of the characters, I did find myself turning back to figure out who was the POV for the chapter quite often and it was a bit difficult to distinguish between characters at times. I’ll also say that while I found the plot riveting, I did feel the ending/ big reveal was a bit rushed and could have been fleshed out a bit more. However these are all small nitpicks in an otherwise stellar read that I could NOT put down and I cannot wait for what KMM puts out next!

Thank you to Netgalley, Karen M. McManus, and Random House for the advanced read of “The Cousins” in exchange for an honest review!

Three cousins are invited to spend the summer at Grandma's house while working at a resort on a remote island off the coast of Massachusetts (but not Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket). Their Grandma has never been apart of their lives and has refused to speak with their parents. The parents have never told the cousins what happened, however are quick to send their kids off to be reinstated in the will (Grandma has money).
The cousins spend the summer unraveling the mystery of why their family fell apart as well as figuring out what Grandma's agenda is.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of The Cousins by Karen McManus. All opinions are my own.

I want to start off saying that I absolutely love Karen McManus. Her books are at the top of my "favorite of all-time" lists, and I will always read anything and everything she writes. That being said, this was not my favorite. I found this one really bland compared to her other writing. There were characters that didn't stand out, and I found myself having to go back in the book to remind myself who I was reading about. There was a very climatic moment to end this book, and I enjoyed that... but overall, I was a little disappointed. In terms of YA thrillers, this was a really good book, but, in terms of McManus, it just didn't do it for me!

I received early access to The Cousins by Karen McManus through Netgalley.

Karen McManus, the YA queen of suspense and twists/turns, didn't disappoint! The Cousins follow the story of three cousins who are all invited to work at their Grandma's resort for the summer. You quickly learn the cousins barely know each other and have never met their Grandma due to her disowning her children over 25 years prior. While their parents don't know why she exactly disowned them, they see this summer being a way the cousins can connect with their grandma and get back into "the family" (including the family fortune). But after they make it to the island, they soon realize their grandmother was not the one who invited them. So why are they here? And why are people acting so weird around them and around their questions surrounding their families' history? The more they dig, the more they find out and things will never be the same for the Story Cousins.

I enjoyed this young adult read. From the moment you meet the Story cousins, you quickly figure out that the parts they reveal about their lives aren't the whole truth. Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah each have baggage that they are bringing for the summer, but they aren't quite ready to share everything with their cousins. McManus's descriptive writing style and her ability to lead her reader one way and then completely change course is what makes her a strong suspense writer. While I was able to piece together her clues and have a suspicion as to what was going to happen at the end, McManus always leaves a twist at the end that no one sees coming. I love that and my students do as well.

Great read and can't wait to see what Karen McManus writes next!

I am not going to lie and say that I am not 100% a Karen McManus fangirl- because I definitely am. Each book she publishes only get better. Just to put into context- I love stand alone novels. While I sometimes delve into a world of series, stand alone novels are my jam. With that said, The Cousins does not disappoint.

McManus has a knack for creating a world that has plenty of twists and turns that a reader does not expect. My first experience with her work was Two Can Keep a Secret. The Cousins is similarly structured in that the secrets of the family and a generational downfall remains the center of the plot. The beginning of both of the books starts slow as they begin to build the background and let the reader invest in the characters. I would say that these two novels contrast her initial success with One of Us is Lying series- but are in no way less exciting.

McManus artfully captures a King Lear like familial drama that has much more twists and turns than one would expect- spanning 3 deaths and 3 generations, several impersonations, and a few unexpected romances. I loved every minute of following Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah. I look forward to reading more of her books- she has a long future ahead of her in YA. My students will love this book as much as they have loved all of her books- already on my list for purchasing next year!

The Cousins by Karen McManus will be out Dec. 2020! Keep a look out for it- you will not want to miss it!
http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/thriller-to-remember-the-cousins-by-karen-mcmanus

I absolutely couldn’t put this down! Karen McManus always manages to surprise me with her endings, and this is the perfect mystery to keep you guessing.