About halfway into this book and I'm not really connecting with the story. I understand that there's a group that secretly does pranks and that something bigger is happening, but I don't really like the main character enough to find out what is going on at the school.

Goldy Moldavsky has written a HIT! I don’t think I have ever had the pleasure to read a YA thriller with this much depth. I adored how much fear and a survivor’s agency was explored in this book. Yes, technically Rachel is a victim, but she is a SURVIVOR. She is a Final Girl, strong enough to make her story go the way she wants even when plot twists are thrown into it. The character of Rachel was fantastic to follow along with, and the seriously messed up Mary Shelley Club was so much fun to learn more about with every chapter. I honestly cannot believe more people aren’t talking about this book. This was described as Scream meets Gossip Girl, and as a lover of both of those, YES! The homage it paid to different classic horror films was also so much fun.

Easily 5 stars. I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved reading this book and loved how much it stressed the ever important empowerment of the final girl in the horror movie genre. All the stars.

This was another one of those books I requested based on the cover and the name alone, and it did not disappoint!

If you are a fan of scary movies you must pick this one up. I loved all the mentions/references to scary movies throughout this novel. This wasn’t scary for me, I believe this falls under YA horror, so if you are looking to ease into that genre I think this is a great place to start. If you liked books like There is Someone Inside Your House, then I think you will enjoy this one as well. If you have watched your share of scary movies you will probably be able to figure most of this one out, but it won’t take away from the entertainment factor.

Holy cow! I found another book to add to my favorites of 2021. It’s a macabre young adult thriller with horror, dark comedy, and a bit of romance that will scare the scream out of you. In addition, the creepy cover adds to the vibe.

Rachel is just trying to get through a new school after her assault last year, but that’s easier said than done since she doesn’t fit in at a prep school full of snobby socialites. If it weren’t for Saundra, her new and only friend, she would be alone there. Unfortunately, her unexpected reaction to a prank at a party has made her even more of a pariah and an outsider so why not join the club that was behind the prank. The Mary Shelley Club is for those who are experts and connoisseurs of all horror movies and hold Fear Tests to see who can make their targets scream. But the game is becoming too dangerous and people are getting harmed. The game of terror is putting her in danger.

What a brilliant idea to re-enact urban legends and horror movies to get revenge on bullies and bad people. But who are the bullies now? The cast of characters is full of mixed-up youths who use the club as an escape. To let loose. To unwind and be themselves instead of who society wants them to be. Rachel is a likable person. She is vulnerable and on the edge and joins the club to get her aggression out in a controlled environment, but she realizes, almost too late, that not everything is as it seems. Her fellow prep school club members who she thought were her friends aren’t telling her the whole story.

I recommend this gripping thriller to those who love horror movies old or new and who enjoy a chilling and edgy ending. You won’t be able to put the book down.

Thank you to Ms. Moldavsky for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

I absolutely adored this book. It was creepy and dark and utterly thrilling. The ending fell short for me (but it was 4 am soooo), however I’m hopeful that the author has plans for a sequel! A good one for horror movie fans.

The Mary Shelley Club is a young adult thriller mystery by Goldy Moldavsky. I love a good mystery. And this one is pretty epic! Writing reviews for mysteries are always so hard because I don't want to give away too much of anything. Part of what I love most about mysterious books is.. well the mysterious atmosphere. And that means, knowing as little as possible going in. So here is my short review- Read this book! The writing is amazing. The characters are well developed. The atmosphere is intense and the twists and turns will genuinely surprise you. I can't wait to read more from Goldy Moldavsky.

In The Mary Shelley Club we meet our main character, Rachel. Rachel loves horror movies. Which is a little strange because she had a traumatic event in her childhood that would probably make most people hate all things horror. But not Rachel. When Rachel moves to a new town and a new school, she quickly learns about a mysterious club called The Mary Shelley Club. Well, really they found her because of a prank she was a part of. When The Mary Shelley Club invites her to join she jumps at the chance. And this is where things in the book really started to get good. 

New members of the club have to pass a fear test- it is a horror club after all. In this fear test all of the members join in to create a scene out of a horror movie to test the new inductee. Each of the members of the club have a role to play and they each have a different person that they are "targeting" in the test. It sounds terrifying, but also fun. I'm not going to tell you anything else about the plot. You will have to read to find out what happens with this fear test. The Mary Shelley Club kind of gave me Scream vibes, which is such a classic scary movie. I loved it! If you are a fan of horror movies and adult thrillers, you need to check out The Mary Shelley Club. This book has so many twists and turns. It kept my attention gripped the entire time. I could not turn the pages fast enough, and I think I literally made my nail bleed from all the nail biting I was doing. The Mary Shelley Club is perfect for young adult and adult readers who enjoy a good mystery thriller. This book was fantastic!

4.5/5 stars

YA thrillers, horrors and mysteries don’t usually intrigue me much. I mean I love all of Karen McManus’ books and there are a handful in my TBR but that’s all. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a big fan of all things horror ever since I was a kid (literally). My aunt loves horror too and since I was around 4+ years old, I’d try to hide and watch a horror movie she was watching because my mom wouldn’t let me. I’m the kind of person who watches horror stuff and it wouldn’t bother me in the least, I don’t scream during them, I’d love them…except when it’s the middle of the night and I need to go to the washroom. Then my mind goes into overdrive and an overthinking mode that tells me, “What if that thing from the movie you watched is waiting outside your door?” or something like that.

So anyway I might not have gravitated towards this book had it not been named, “The Mary Shelley Club” because I knew it was thriller/horror/mystery but I absolutely love Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein so I had to know what it was about and once I read the plot, I had to know more so I signed up for the tour.

For anyone who’s wondering, Mary Shelley doesn’t have anything to do without the book. Our main character, Rachel, transfers to a new school and tries to start anew after a scary incident prior that she’s still recovering from. At school she learns about the Mary Shelley Club which has her fascinated because she too, is a horror movie fanatic. Soon, Rachel becomes a part of this club and their main goal is pulling elaborate pranks. (I love plans when they’re not being played on me and yet I only remember one that I played with a bunch of friends 1 1/2 years ago and I still crack up over it!) Every one has to hold a Fear Test where the member picks a target and their goal is to make the target scream, while everyone else is in on the plan of course. That all seems fun and easy right? Wrong.

I can’t really TELL you what the book was about but I can tell you that it had me hooked from page one. It had the whole horror movie vibe to it which of course might be a reason I loved it.

Rachel was actually very likable, way more than I thought she’d be because some YA female main characters are so whiny and just…I don’t know how to explain but yeah. Then we had our side characters; mainly Freddie, Bram, Thayer and Felicity and they were all so different but their love for pranks and all things horror connected them together. I also might be a little biased because the horror movie references were so good and this makes me believe that Goldy herself is a horror movie fanatic because no one who isn’t into horror knows that many!!

I feel like the writing really added to it with the perfect touch of everything, the thrill to everything happening, the mystery of wanting to know more and the horror of it all of course. And what I loved above all else was that the whole book was all in Rachel’s point of view as it is HER story but whenever a Fear Test was held, the point of view turned to that of the person being pranked and I absolutely loved that because we get to see how these characters truly feel in that moment when an elaborate and scary prank is being played on them.

Despite loving everything about this book and my newfound interest in YA thrillers, horrors and mysteries, I gave this book a 4 because of the ending. It wasn’t bad but it was rushed. After the whole build-up the book just ended and the end seemed like a sort of cliff-hanger so I’m hoping there’s going to be a second book cause I’ve still got questions and stuff!! So other than the ending, it was an absolutely amazing book and totally worth it.

REVIEW: The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky

Rachel Chavez is the New Girl at a Manhattan Prep School a year after she was attacked by two masked men in her home. Now, she is obsessed with horror, and it doesn’t take her long to identify a hodgepodge group of people at her new school that share the same obsession: The Mary Shelley Club. In the club she finds people who love watching and discussing horror films as much as her, but also a game that may finally be enough to satisfy her need for fear and adrenaline. These “Fear Tests” are a competition in the club where each member chooses a target for which they design scenarios to scare them and the other group members judge their execution. But the tests start getting out of control and Rachel’s past starts to become unburied, mixing with the club.

I LOVED this book so much! I literally could not put it down, the narration style was so effortless and naturally hilarious. I consider myself a horror movie fan and I honestly loved all the references. This is honestly one of the best YA Thrillers I have ever read, it had the most perfect pacing and unfolding I’ve encountered. The reveal was fantastic. Every time I thought I was predicting something the author would drop enough clues to give me a false sense of security in my theories, just to pull the rug out from under me every single time. This story was dark, enthralling, and full of the classic horror movie vibes I was craving. I highly highly recommend this one!

Rating: ★★★★★

As a horror movie fan, I absolutely loved this book! It has a little “The Secret History” vibes in a YA style. Great for fans of horror and mysteries!

**4.5 Stars**
Rachel survived a horrible incident a year before and now she is trying to have a normal senior year in a new school and forget her past. Her only escape is the thrill of horror movies, something her mom and therapist don't think is great for coping. When Rachel attends a party and witnesses a great prank that nobody wants to take ownership of, her curiosity will not let her stop her pursuit for answers. Little did Rachel know is that her new school has its own scary movie fans and they are watching her now.

Ok, this review will be short because I do not want to ruin anything but I can honestly say that I was shocked. I was reading this book and enjoying what it was and then like 70% in all of a sudden the plot twisted and I never saw it coming and the story went somewhere else. Basically, I want everyone to go forth and read this story and then get back to me so we can chat about it.

This is a perfect read for anyone who likes the fear and adrenaline of scary movies, appreciates the nuances of horror movie classics, who likes surprises and twists as well as the most complicated of characters. The ending of the story did not really feel like an ending and if that is the case, count me in for a sequel. As said best in the movie Scream:

“Everybody dies but us. We get to carry on and plan the sequel, 'cause, let's face it, baby, these days you gotta have a sequel.”

4.5 Although, I didn't love the ending, I thought this book was amazing overall. It read like an old school R.L. Stine Fear Street and gave me so much nostalgia. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't wait to finish. Loved the suspense. I didn't think it was super predictable either. I loved all the references to horror films.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this Advanced Reader's Copy for an honest review.

Club for would be horror pranksters and fear tests makes this an interesting and unique read. Love the cover and eye catching title! The blurb cinched wanting a copy and this was my first read by this author.

What did I like? I’m not a horror movie aficionado but the premise for this book was such a great idea I’m ready for the movie! The cast of characters and variety of pranks that follow horror movie situations to scare the clubs intended target. The tests escalate and the club reaches a pinnacle that was astounding. Highly enjoyable thriller! Four stars!

Would I recommend or buy? Thriller fans will love this book. It was entertaining and unpredictable! I would definitely read more by this author! The kindle price was steep, I’d suggest just buying a real copy.

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

This book is pulse-pounding and deliciously twisted intrigue with a dash of horror that kept me turning pages.
I am not a person that enjoys horror. It's not my thing to be scared witless for entertainment. I do, however, definitely understand what made Rachel seek it out as a coping mechanism after a traumatic experience. I was actually hoping it would turn out to be a much lighter read with her being helped to surpass it by friendship, but this is not that kind of book, and it is certainly a story that will keep surprising you with every new revelation and plot twist.
I had to sit and absorb the major plot twist at the end. I was not expecting it, which is proof of how expertly Moldavsky crafted her characters and the world through which she takes readers on a scarily good ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the read!

DNF at 35%

The premise of The Mary Shelley Club is interesting (new girl and outsider at an elite high school joins a secret, horror obsessed club pulling pranks to inspire real fear in students), and I think this book will work better for other people. Unfortunately I don't think this is the book for me. Where I stopped was after the clown prank (for those who have read the book) because it was cruel and deeply uncomfortable to read. Plus I already wasn't liking or rooting for any of the characters, and for me I think that's a problem.

In a book like this you need to sell me on the main character being sympathetic OR use a tone that is more over the top and satirical. This did neither of those things and that just made it very unpleasant for me to read. Which doesn't mean it's a bad book. Again, this could certainly work for someone else, I just don't want to continue. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Loved it! Sooooo good...

First things first, I'm not a kind of person who would be overly enthusiastic about a blurb mentioning One of Us is Lying. Scream? now we are talking. Mary Shelley? oh, yes, please. I love Frankenstein (with its monumental influence on our popculture) and I love the story behind its creation. In this case, the publicist's description was spot on and I enjoyed every minute of this wild ride.

Rachel Chavez is the proverbial new girl in a new school. Something bad happened to her last year which made her mum and Rachel move and change their job and school respectively. The only thing Rachel's mum insists on is Rachel keeping up her grades (you begin to wonder what exactly happened to have sent her into a spin last year, right?) and make friends. Which she kind of does. She even gets dragged (not literally, we haven't started on the horror part, but we'll get there, don't get too comfortable) to a teenage party in an abandoned house. A prank is played and the scene is set. Rachel makes an enemy of a popular girl who won't stop spreading her unsolicited opinion of Rachel ('Freak!).

When Rachel finally confronts the prankster, she discovers the existence of the most mysterious and be default exclusive The Mary Shelley Club. Perhaps,she has finally found 'her own tribe', people who appreciate horror movie tropes in all their marvelous variety and see the genre the way Rachel does- as a cleansing mechanism to flush out all the wrong things in one's life, an injection of adrenaline and courage. Perhaps, this is her way to face what happened to her, the changes in herself and her biggest fear. Perhaps, she can belong. But first, she needs to pass the Fear Test, and this is where what seems an innocent game is going to get deadly serious. As it would in any decent horror movie....

The writing style is effortless and easy to follow. You get so immersed in what Rachel experiences that it is as if you've stepped into her life. Or at the very least, a brilliant horror movie. you are a bit edgy and suspicious,but you can't turn your eyes off the screen. Ups! I meant to say off the page...

Rachel is a likeable and relatable protagonist. Don't we all want to fit in and belong without sacrificing what makes us unique? How far would we go in this desire? How far would we push other people to get what we want and what would it do to us? Goldy Moldavsky masterfully renders this universal teenage angst in this exciting YA thriller.

Well-written, gripping, perceptive, The Mary Shelley is wickedly entertaining. I'm glad to have found a new author to watch out for- Goldy Moldavsky.

I don’t read too many thrillers–both YA and adult–but after reading Goldy Moldavsky’s “The Mary Shelley Club,” I can definitely say that is likely to change. “The Mary Shelley Club” was such a fun, captivating, and addicting read! I literally did not put it down once I started–literally. I read it one sitting.

Like our main characters, I’m a scary movie fan. And “The Mary Shelley Club” is being promoted as Scream meets Gossip Girl. I couldn’t think of a better comparison. It has the awareness of Scream and the rich-kid-drama-mystery of Gossip Girl. Seriously, if you’re a fan of Scream or horror movies in general, I think this book will be right up your street. It’s almost like a tribute to horror movie fans. It’s smart, fast, unpredictable, and I can easily see it adapted for screen.

(Side-note: Along with an adaptation, I really would love to see some sort of sequel or companion novel to “The Mary Shelley Club.” So, Goldy? If you’re reading this, hi. Please give us more. Thank you.)

Our cast of characters is great. It’s a diverse bunch and each one of them jumps off the page. Our main character is Rachel Chavez, who has gone through a terrible ordeal the year before and is now the new girl at Manchester Prep. She’s smart and funny. I really enjoyed reading her point of view, and next to her love for horror, I found her very relatable in terms of dealing with her anxiety/PTSD.

There are lots of other key characters in “The Mary Shelley Club,” but I think it’s best to go into this story somewhat blind. Even mentioning certain character to you would qualify as a spoiler, so I will refrain in this review. However, something I really enjoyed about this book that I can mention were the select chapters that were set from the point of views of sometimes-one-off side characters. The entire book is told from Rachel’s point of view, except for these few chapters that are dispersed throughout. Reading them feels like watching a scary movie, and getting to switch the focus to the scene where the next victim meets their end, before going back to our lead’s point of view. It sounds like it shouldn’t work in a book, being thrown into the mind of someone for just one chapter, but it works so well.

It’s sort of hard to review or talk about a thriller/mystery book without including major spoilers. That being said, I feel it’s best to leave this review right here with some final thoughts.

“The Mary Shelley Club” is a fantastic read for any thriller reader or scary movie fan. The mystery is impeccable–every moment when I thought I had everything figured out, a twist would be thrown in the mix and my theories would be tossed out the window. The characters are wonderful–funny, relatable, and unique. The story itself is extremely compelling–you won’t want to put it down until you finish.

This book was so good and hard to put down!
It starts as a revenge fantasy that then turns into a mystery thriller.
The setting was perfect, you could easily connect to the characters, and the flow of the book was great!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56597225-the-mary-shelley-club

I loved this book!! It was quite the thriller and so many twists! I wasn't sure at first and figured it was just a bunch bratty high school kids pranking other until bodies start hitting the floor... literally. Rachel is haunted by her past and knowing one of her attackers is on the loose still leaves her uneasy and anxious and she is constantly wondering whether her masked attacker has come back for her. She joins the Mary Shelley Club and makes new "friends" that are obsessed with scary movies. This book reminded me of the cult classic movie Scream...but with rich kids and misfits trying to fit it. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to more books by this author.

I requested it because of the title. It turned out to be good! Very quick moving because it didn't go too far below the surface character-wise. A bit of Scream in its attitude. A quick and enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Mary Shelley Club! I very much enjoyed this book and found myself blowing through it because I couldn't put it down. Rachel is flawed but engaging and sympathetic - she has been through a lot and is coping the best she can. The twists are good and the biggest ones unexpected. The love of horror movies comes through very strongly and the book does an excellent job creating the suspense and dread of the best creepy books and movies out there. I would love to see another story about the Club and Rachel!