If you like shows like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, you will LOVE Alexa Donne's latest book: The Ivies.

It's been quite awhile since I received an advanced copy of a fiction book that I enjoyed as much as The Ivies. The murder mystery had me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. It keeps you on your toes, as you try to put the pieces together. There were a lot of twists and turns that caught me by surprise, which is not an easy feat for thrillers to accomplish with me. I found myself saying "Just one more chapter..." throughout reading The Ivies, but with the way its written, one more turned into "okay I *HAVE* to know what happens next!"

Rating: 4/5 Stars

TW: death, rape

I received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was in the midst of my freshman year of college or late senior year of high school when the huge college admissions scandal arose. It shook me to my core that there were elites out there who would cheat and scam their way into getting their kids through America's top schools. It's horrendous to think about. And this novel threw me straight back into that time period.

Olivia Winters is a part of a group called The Ivies: a group of 5 girls from a Claflin Academy that have cheated their way to the top of their school. Their goal? Get into the Ivy League schools. However, when their admissions scheme doesn't go according to plan, who makes it out alive? And will Olivia be able to figure out who did it before it's too late?

I'm a pure sucker for murder mysteries. And this story had everything that a young mystery fan is looking for. Dirty secrets and schemes? Check. Backstabbing and betrayal? Check. It's a good amount of clichés, but it's done in such a way that it keeps you invested. The way Donne does this is by using her own experiences from her time as a private-college admissions essay consultant to help drive the knowledge of the characters and how they do what they do. It felt scarily real, especially towards the end of the novel when the big secrets come out.

Becoming immersed in the world of Claflin Academy was done very seamlessly. Readers immediately get background on why the Ivies do what they do and how it is they develop their plans brings you into the danger that comes with ruining other lives in favor of your own. I almost felt dirty reading about everything that the Ivies did, and yet it's the kind of stuff you expect from a high school drama.

One thing I loved about this story is that it is decently paced, riding the line between normal paced and fast paced, and gives you just the right amount of information to have your theories yet constantly question what you know. I know that's how I was. My theories were shifting almost every few pages. I finished half of this book in one sitting because of how immersed I was.

Another cool thing for mystery fans: the hint of romance is only a minor subplot. It barely takes a centerfold and I felt the book did better without it. On top of that, the novel also doesn't have a completely happy ending, which I really appreciated because it goes to drive home Donne's point at the author's note that this is a cautionary tale for when the absolute worst happens and that there are ramifications for your actions.

As much as I devoured this book and the new twists it brought to murder mysteries, I think it primarily fell flat for me because of the heavy focus on the drama and a various amount of side characters that have one scene of spotlight and are never seen again. On top of that, this takes place apparently in a world where COVID-19 was beaten pretty early, which I am extremely mixed on as we are still dealing with this pandemic.

The Ivies also highlights the extremely dark side to coveted college admissions and really makes you question how many of the spots in class-years are really earned. Donne also discusses the racism that sometimes lies in those who cheat their way in, and I'm glad it's not something that was just discussed once and done.

Overall, this novel is a stunning slap in the face about the real world we find ourselves in and will make you question how corrupt our college system is. It's a fast paced mystery read that is good for any beginner to intermediate reader wanting to get into the genre.

girls who will Literally kill to get into college sounded fun to me right away & well, i will say that was indeed a ride. first and foremost i did Not guess the plot twist (but i am also terrible at guessing the plot twists so). i haven't read a ton of ya mysteries but i have read a few and i mean this was obviously very formulaic in regards to books about rich private school kids and the main character who makes it clear that she is on scholarship. very clear. like every chapter. multiple times. lol sorry but as a low-income student who is currently attending a private college i am tired of reading about Very privileged white characters attending Insanely good high schools who lean on being poor as a way to show that they are not privileged, it's just soo annoying but anyways i digress. the plot twist/reveal, specifically the motive was definitely... unexpected. it was so odd honestly, like i got it but was just so caught off guard by the reasoning lol. overall though i gave this 3 stars so i obviously didn't hate it, it was pretty fun & entertaining. if you're into these types of ya mysteries i'm sure you'd have a good time!

*review will be published to goodreads on 11 May 2021 (two weeks before release), link to review will be put on instagram on the same day*

First off, thanks NetGalley and Crown Books for the ARC.

This book... was not what I expected. I did not like the adult encouragement of underage drinking. That’s not cool. It’s also not an LBGT book. It briefly mentions a relationship in another state, that’s it. The main characters personality changes a lot. The main story takes place over a few days, and she changes significantly. I feel like the author tried to hit every minority possible and it just made it a bit of a mess. The story was quite predictable and never had that “whoa” factor for me.

I did like the “boarding school girls clique rumor spreading” atmosphere. I was never confused in the story, it flowed well and I could visualize what the author was trying to describe. I learned a lot about Ivy college admissions and requirements.

If you typically read Adult thrillers, avoid this one. But if you are a fan of YA thrillers, chances are you’ll like it.

I've honestly never read a more accurate description of the admissions process. One that is not cloying nor impersonal nor preach-y nor coming from someone that last experienced college admissions in the mid 2000s, but just an amazing display of what truly is (odd to be saying that when the center of the book is a murder). And the way the way the characters talk about admissions, that's how everyone I knew talked about it by the time I was applying. It brought back the way we all used to talk and I'm amazed at how well it's reproduced. I've never met quite so talented schemers, but I have seen shades of all of them in real life, down to the gravity they place on admissions.. The research in a lot of college admissions stuff was there. I remember ED week, I remember Penn having ED unlike most other schools, I remember all the essay stress and hearing about college consultants. No other college admissions book (including some unfortunate best sellers) I've read commented on all of the process this well.
The book follows a group of five Ivies, seniors who are ruthless in their climb to the top of their boarding school and into the colleges of their dreams. Going into this completely blind, since the description gives little to no information, was a really good decision. I had no clue who was even going to die so the guessing started early, which was really enjoyable. This book was a very thriller-centered thriller. It hit all the tropes and beats expected in the genre, and it did them REALLY WELL. I did guess a good amount of the red herrings as usual as well as the killer, but it took me a while to be certain, though I am proud to say it was well before the denoument. I enjoyed following the investigation, though one red herring seemed so very obvious to me that I was surprised the main character did not catch on. The ending though was where I felt this book truly shine. Not the confront the killer ending, but the last chapter where there was a time jump to a year after the murder. The main character's characterization held so well, no end of book massive change in personality because she's now a perfect and centered person. She remained who she was throughout the book, changed to some extent, but her core as a character remained and I really appreciated that. The same remains for most of the other characters.
My quibbles with this book were pretty small. The only 'major' gripe was the killer's motives. The confrontation and explanation were a little jarring compared with the rest of the book, though I had guessed who it was. The why didn't really make sense to me because I really hate that particular trope but I wouldn't say it was too poorly set up. Minor things now One of the Ivies in particular felt underdeveloped, but then the main character commented on their lack of connection and it made sense, so I never felt it afterwards. The underdeveloped character ended up becoming someone I liked so go figure. I also did notice very minor things about the classes, like AP Brit Lit not being a thing, but that might just be the elite boarding school only teaching AP English Lit using British lit specfically since there's latitude on which texts are chosen. I've also taken AP Art History and the brief description of the course is super inaccurate in its modern form, but again maybe private boarding schools teach it differently than the College Board.

Tl;dr Great thriller with an amazingly accurate depiction of college admissions and a fun upper-class environment

A free e-copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Fans of college admission scandals and murder, look no further!

I am a massive fan of Donne's other works, Brightly Burning and The Stars We Steal, so I knew I had to read her newest book, set at a private academy where students scheme to gain admittance into the Ivy League.

Our main character, Olivia, is a member of a group called the Ivies, known for their determination to get into an Ivy League college, no matter the cost. And then, on the night of acceptance letters (or rather, online portals), one of them ends up murdered. What follows are twists and turns and truly terrible boyfriends.

While The Ivies was not as wonderful as Donne's other books, it definitely deserves a spot on your shelf!

If you liked Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, this book is for you!

The Ivies by Alexa Donne is a contemporary YA thriller set at a prestigious American high school filled with entitled rich kids. As a fan of Riverdale, Heathers, Mean Girls, and books like One of Us is Lying, it was right up Sophie’s alley.

The book is told from the perspective of Olivia, one of the Ivies. The Ivies are a group of five senior girls at Claflin Academy who have one goal in their minds: admission to an Ivy League college. To secure that all-important goal they will go to any length necessary, working together to disrupt exams in their favor, hack school computer systems to ensure they have the best schedules, and even resorting to the occasional bout of blackmail. Each girl is assigned to one Ivy League school to ensure they don’t take one another’s place.

However, Olivia has secretly applied to Harvard behind the group’s back and is shocked when she receives early acceptance while the Ivies leader (and Harvard legacy student) Avery is rejected. That night, fellow Ivies member Emma publicly reveals her own secret Harvard acceptance to everyone, causing Avery to attack her in a jealous rage. The next morning, Emma is discovered dead on the school grounds, and Olivia begins to wonder just how far her so-called friends would go to guarantee their places at the colleges they have built their dreams upon.

Sophie loved the first three-quarters of this book, which had strong Pretty Little Liars vibes and kept her awake turning the pages long after bedtime for just one more chapter. There were plenty of twists and turns here along with lots of red herrings and fun bits of misdirection. Unfortunately, she felt that the book petered out to an unsatisfying conclusion by continuing on after the point when it should have come to an end. However, despite this, she would still strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves rich teen drama.

The Ivy League schools are notoriously cutthroat and challenging but they have nothing on The Ivies, a group of girls who will stop at nothing to make their Ivy League dreams come true, maybe even murder! This was a great fast paced murder mystery with something new revealed at every turn. It did a great job at critiquing the college application and admissions process and the lengths people with money will go to secure the spot they believe they “deserve”. With so much in the news about college cheating scandals and people with money paying to falsify records and transcripts to get their children in this book feels very current. A engrossing fun read.

I'm a big Alexa Donne follower on YouTube, but this was the first book I've read of hers. I LOVE the premise--Ivy School wannabes, and someone desperate enough to murder to get into her favorite school. I also love that the main character is an outsider looking in, someone who wants to fit in more than anything, and will do everything to maintain her spot among the "Ivies".

This book is SO twisty. I never guessed the ending. My biggest complaint was that even for young adult, it felt a bit immature at times, and that was hard for me to read. But I liked it, and I sure hope Alexa does an adult thriller sometime soon (more my jam). She's a great writer with fabulous ideas.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne is a young adult thriller set in an elite boarding school. The students in this school are more than ambitious and when it comes to getting into the best colleges they pull out all the tricks to do better than their peers but the questions is what is too far?

The Ivy League are the most sought after colleges out there and are often referred by students as The Ivies however there is also The Ivies at Claflin Academy, five girls dead set on getting into the best schools. The group consists of Avery, their leader, Sierra, Margot, Emma and finally,Olivia, our main character. These girls have spent their years at the academy sabotaging other students to keep themselves at the head of the class and have now applied.

Avery had dictated to the girls that they each should pick a different Ivy college so they all should be accepted since only a few are chosen from the academy each year to a single college. Avery had claimed Harvard as her own however so Olivia and Emma applied in secret. Avery is turned down and Olivia and Emma accepted, Olivia stays quiet about her own acceptance but Emma admits hers and there is a huge fight between Avery and Emma. The next day Emma is found murdered, would Avery have gone that far or is another killer on the loose??

For some reason even in adulthood I am still always drawn to boarding school or summer camp thrillers. Perhaps it’s because those are things the rich enjoy that I never myself did so setting a killer among those is a twisted appeal to me. But even with that draw they don’t always work out as enjoyable but thankfully The Ivies did. This one had just the right amount of intrigue, backstabbing bitches, and a twist I didn’t see coming. There were times my jaw would drop at how vicious and conniving these girls were. With my suspect all picked out I prepared myself for disappointment when the author headed that way but boy was I glad she tied it all into a pretzel and surprised even me, what fun!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Ivies is a well-paced YA thriler about boarding school, waiting on admissions to "the best" colleges and universities, and well...how can that not be a thriller in the making! The tone isn't as doom-y as you would think, which I liked because that will help me get this book to my more thriller adverse YA readers. I'd definitely recommend this one for boarding school fans (it's bigger group than you'd think!) and I think Holly Jackson and Eileen Cook fans will enjoy it as well.

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I really love Dark Academia. This book gives me Mean Girl vibes! Thank you to @netgalley and Crown for the opportunity to read this book.
💜 What I liked:
The web of lies, manipulation, and secrets is deep with this group. The author did a terrific job of introducing the large cast of characters without making you feel lost. You are just as much trying to solve the mystery as Olivia is.
😱 What I didn’t like:
The reveal came a teeny bit out of the blue, but still made coherent sense regarding motives. I only knocked it a half star for that. Other than that small thing, excellent!
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
Olivia is part of the Ivies which also consist of Emma, Margot, Avery, and Sierra. When Emma shows up dead, Olivia tries to figure out who killed her and why, with the help of Ethan.
🚦 The Ending:
Kind of took it in a way I didn’t expect!
💭 Consider if you like:
Dark academia

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

i could hardly put this book down. it truly had me on the edge of my seat and i really enjoyed it

ARC kindly provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House for this ARC!

This book was an awesome YA murder mystery! It was fast paced and suspenseful. There were so many twists and turns and I really enjoyed that! It wasn’t a cookie cutter mystery in my opinion. The characters had good development as well. It kept me hooked and I would recommend this book to others!

First up a big BIG thank you to the publisher, author, and blog tour company for allowing me to try this one. So, this was one of the books of 2021 that was HIGH on my list. Like really high. I was just bouncing in delight when I got the mail in February that I would be part of the tour. And that I could review it. It had all the elements that I love. Mystery, thriller, murder, college stuff, who are your real friends, and more. But sadly, I have been trying to read this book over a month now and only got to around 15%. Yep. That is how far I got. I just didn't click with the MC, I didn't click with anyone, I found the story just way too far-fetched at times. Maybe it is because I am in the Netherlands and all that college stuff just seemed way over the top, way too much. I mean, here you won't have top competitions to get into a college/university. You don't need to write or almost sell your soul to get it. Though often I don't really have trouble with books featuring weird college requirements but in this one it just was too weird. Plus, how far these girls go to get into universitY? WTH? I mean, I get they are probably prestigious but dang.
Also, I think that maybe I would have liked to see a bit more before the college acceptances happened. Maybe see some more of the friendship (supposed I would call it given how sharky these girls are). Now it just felt like I had missed a part and I just couldn't see any friendship between the girls.

This was FANTASTIC! Full of boarding school, elitist drama over college acceptance into Ivy League schools. Set in a quaint, boarding school, this is a story about ambition and how that ambition leads to deception and even a murder! This whodunnit is full of mean girls, twists, turns and D-R-A-M-A! this was a fun read and it was a quick read because I needed to know who was to blame, who to trust and how it would all turn out. I loved the way that the author played with both the power of wealth and the power of manipulation. This book will be a good read for people who have enjoyed Pretty Little Liars and One of Us Is Lying. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was quick, well-paced read. I don't normally read thrillers in any age bracket, so what wasn't obvious to me may be more obvious to those more well versed in the genre. Though it is about murder, the novel felt light and wasn't bogged down to with too much extra stuff. The girls aren't liekable--they're not supposed to be--and the book is satire, which worked well for me. I went to a public high school, so we did not have these amount of pressure on everyone, but there was a lot of academic competitiveness and this book took me right back to that. There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing through the whole book. Good for fans of YA thrillers.

Olivia attends Claflin Academy, an uber elite boarding school, on a scholarship. While she doesn't quite fit in with her peers financially, she belongs to a group of cutthroat girls dubbed "The Ivies." Avery, Emma, Sierra, Margot, and Olivia will do anything to attend the schools of their dreams - all Ivy League, of course. They backstab and undermine their peers to better their own chances of acceptance. And each girl is "assigned" a school that they will apply to for early admission. Olivia's school is UPenn, while Avery will apply to Harvard, Olivia's actual dream school. The Ivies seem to be on track to achieve their ultimate Ivy League dreams, but things go very, very wrong on the day early admissions are revealed. Avery, the most hardcore of the group, has been rejected from Harvard. But Olivia and Emma, who both secretly applied, are both accepted. When Emma turns up dead the next day, all eyes are on the Ivies.

Olivia becomes to determined to find out who killed Emma. Her co-editor of the school paper, Ethan, joins her in investigating the other Ivies, who have been doing much more sabotage than Olivia knew about. As Olivia digs deeper, she realizes just how many people have been hurt by the Ivies and how many suspects there are.

I think this book will work well for teens who are looking for a fast-paced, suspenseful read. It reminds me a bit more of Holly Jackson than Karen McManus, but fans of both with enjoy Alexa Donne's thriller. It's a quick read with just enough twists to keep readers invested.

Give me more! I LOVED this book. I always enjoy a good prep school mystery book and this one had me wanting more! The book was fast paced (I finished it in one day!) and the surprised just kept coming. There was such a viscous tone to the book, everyone was out to get everyone, you really had no idea who (or if) anyone could be trusted. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book! The Ivies was so entertaining! An easy, quick read that I had a hard time putting down. Just enough clues to make me think I had my own theories and keep me guessing. Would have loved a little more of the thriller vibe to it. It is pretty tame in that regard, but probably intentional since it is a YA book.