I enjoyed this book. The prose was well-written, and the characters were dynamic and jumped off the page. I thought the story was interesting and the plot kept me guessing.

posted for @potatoesandpaperbacks on Instagram
4 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Dhonielle Clayton, and Sona Charaipotra for this ARC!
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On the outside, Foxham Prep is an elite high school catering to the kids of Washington, DC’s most influential people. Beneath the surface, it’s a toxic powderkeg of rumors waiting to erupt. When Georgie Khalra loses a bunch of weight over the summer, she returns to Foxham and finds herself in the spotlight and a victim of intense cyber bullying. Rumors begin to swirl, then take on a life of their own. Who is behind them, and who will ultimately win the rumor game?
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💭 Thoughts💭
This book was a brutal and eye opening look at high school in the era of social media. There a trigger warnings for fatphobia, racism, and sexism. I enjoyed the multicultural cast of characters and the web of rumors kept me guessing, although I did figure out who was behind it all before the big reveal.
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⌛️ Favorite Moment ⌛️
Honestly it feels a little disrespectful to choose a favorite moment in the light of all the trauma the characters faced. I’d have to say at the end when Georgie chooses to stand up for herself, even though the the consequences of that are still hard to handle.

CW: bullying/cyber bullying, sexual abuse, assault, weight loss, body image, fat phobia, racism

How can a lie be that big?

Isn’t that a question, hmm? If I wanted to summarize what this book was about in one line, it’d be this. Do we think rumors, especially the ones not rooted in the truth, can really lead into something far bigger?

The simple answer: yes. And authors Dhionelle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra attempt to show just how through this story.

The Rumor Game was something I really wanted to love. But the subject matter, even with the warnings, makes it hard. It’s not a book meant to induce warm fuzzy feelings but it was hard to swallow at times.

The story revolves around 3 girls. Bryn has been bullied since summer, falling from grace with everyone, including her best friend, due to a horrible incident she regrets. Cora is the it girl, but with new rumors surrounding her and her boyfriend, even her once-untouchable relationship is in everyone’s mouths. And not all the words were nice. Georgie wants to reinvent herself now that she lost weight but with newfound popularity comes unwanted attention and comments.

Each girl’s story revolved around rumors and the whole school population budding into their affairs. Clearly the story means to show how detrimental this can be on anyone’s mental health. How one tiny rumor can just snowball into something that cannot be undone, with very real life consequences damaging someone’s life.

I just couldn’t like any of the girls. Each made dumb decisions. And while I empathize with each of their situations, it doesn’t excuse the hurt they themselves inflicted on one another and others, or even simply enabling bad behavior and gossip. No one was innocent really in this book. It made it hard to digest at times.

I will make one quick side note that I did enjoy the different cultures portrayed here among the children of the elite DC crowd. I loved that Georgie is Punjabi and we get to learn more about her culture and familial expectations that come with it. Cora is Black and I’m glad she is for more representation sake, especially among important crowds like those attending Foxham Prep. While not everyone’s ethnicities played as big of a role in the story, I do appreciate little things like these.

Overall, I can and will applaud the authors for writing this book because it does show what rumors can do. We need that, especially in this day and age with no “off” button from social media harassment and negativity.

While I’m not triggered by these things particularly, I will say it affected me even still. For those who do need to give heed to these warnings, I would definitely suggest steering clear. Even if you’re like me, maybe come into this with a clear understanding of what the story will bring.

I definitely enjoyed this one but it didn't stand out for me. I wasn't immediately captured and didn't feel like I could connect with the plot in general. I think I may need to give this a re-read later.

Thank you Disney Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my opinion.

The Rumor is social media and misogyny gone horribly wrong. At Foxham, an expensive private school in the DC suburbs catering to the children of elected officials and diplomats, the social jockeying for power continues in their children. With seemingly no parental oversight at all, the teens party and do their best to destroy one another's reputations. The story centers around Bryn, Cora and Georgie: the fallen social butterfly, the queen bee and the ugly duckling-now-turned-swan. In the aftermath of losing status through a car crash she caused, Bryn is desperate to regain her social footing and stops at little to accomplish that goal.

What I liked: The mixture of texts, story and social media pages. People who do not work with teens do not realize how awful they can be to one another in DMs and comments. This text definitely shows it. The pacing of the story aso works. I think this book could lead to some relevant discussions with teens about what happens on social media.

What I didn't care for: At the end of the book, I just really didn't feel deeply invested in any of the characters, didn't care about them and did not feel that any of them got what they deserved. The fact that no school officials or parents detected much was a bit implausible. I'm also not sure how many of my students would be interested in reading about the lives of the ultra-rich when the characters are so unlikeable - they get enough of that in the required textbook lists. This is not the first Disney ARC I have read in recent months where the characters are the children of ultra-rich political figures who appear to have no interest in their children, so I detect a theme in the publishing gatekeeping.

Solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.

It kept my attention and was interesting and the various PoV characters were actually different enough to keep track of which isn't always the case in these types of books. But part 4 of the book kind of felt like it went off the rails. I realize it was the resolution and would, of course, be a bit different but the characters didn't really act true to what we'd seen of them earlier in the book and so a couple things rang a little false.

Overall a pretty decent book, especially if you were a fan of things like Pretty Little Liars.

This book had way too much going on. The premise is what drew me in, but the execution was lackluster.

The main issue I had with this book: there were not any likable characters in my opinion. When I’m reading a book, especially a contemporary, I need to be rooting for someone. Even the parents had a lot to be desired.

Also, I think the kindle format messed a lot of things up. There were lots of spacing issues and there were times I was really confused on whose POV I was reading; it was very jumbled. I do like the format with the text messages and social media boards but it would be better read in print.

There are lots of issues the teens had to face. The expectations from families, body dysmorphia, sexual abuse, rape, racism.

I don’t think I’d recommend this.. and honestly this is not the book for me. My expectations were high, and it did not live up to them.

This is a book sure to appeal to young readers who will be delighted to discover extensive use of texting and other communications to tell the story. A technique of story-telling that has less appeal to older readers like me who spent most of their lives without smartphones.

At an exclusive and very posh private school near DC, Bryn and Georgie and Cara enter senior year with a lot of problems. Bryn for a car accident she was responsible for that severely injured classmates. Georgie because she is suddenly getting noticed, and maybe not for the right reasons. And Cara, whose tenuous hold on being the most popular girl is slipping.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters who are presented well as real teens facing the angst of social life that can often feel like walking across a minefield.

Teens and pre-teens will find this an enjoyable read.

There were aspects of "The Rumor Game" that I liked:
-The authors' message about bullying, sexual assault, the power of social media, and spreading rumors.
-The diverse characters.
-The drama and secrets.

There wasn't anything particularly terrible about this book, but I wasn't mind-blown or shocked by any of the "plot twists" or reveals. However, because all of the characters were lying and hiding things from each other, I didn't find myself rooting for anyone, or necessarily caring about what happened to them. I mostly kept reading to find out who started the rumors and what the consequences would be for them. I also wasn't a fan of the ending and wished there would have been more justice for Georgie.

This is a drama- and angst-filled YA book, with important messages for teenagers growing up in the world of social media.

Thank you to the authors Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, Hyperion, and NetGalley, for sending a free eBook ARC in exchange for writing an honest review!

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Short Chapter Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I was completely drawn to this cover 🤩 and was so happy to get a chance to read the #arc from #netgalley

🗣Overall I liked this book. It was an entertaining read and touched on some very serious issues - bullying and shaming.
🗣I thought the authors did a good job at bringing these issues for Georgia, Bryan and Cora to life, and what it’s like for teenage girls in a world of social media - where absolutely everything is documented!! (I felt terrified for them, and also for my girls who will have to go through school with this crap😞)

🗣It kind of had a Gossip Girl/Clueless/Mean Girls vibes.

🗣I was a little long and I felt certain parts could have been removed, but overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you @netgalley and @disneybooks for the Advanced copy. This books comes out March 1st.

🧐Is this book for you? If you like high school dramas, enjoyed the shows I mentioned, female character leads, want to see how rumours can ruin a life...give this book a go!

I wanted to love this but it just sort of fell flat for me. It reminded me of two can keep a secret. It's underlying message of how rumors can ruin everything was evident and clear. I sort of wish this was told in single point of view but I do understand the need for this style for this topic.

I don't know if anyone else noticed or experienced this, but the formating on my kindle app for android tablet and my kindle paperwhite seemed to hinder my reading experience. There were many sections where the text didn't seem to line up right and there were more than 2 missing/blank pages.

I liked Tiny Pretty Things, so was psyched to get this NetGalley. Unfortunately, The Rumor Game didn’t do it for me. Overall, I liked the premise and the story, but it felt like it dragged on in slow motion.

Bryn, Cora, Georgie. All high school girls who have fallen victim to unrelenting social media attacks. Each is devastated and attempting to deal with this cyber-bullying in their own way. Their relationships with each other are complicated, worsened by the onslaught of rumors they are each victim to. I wanted to like this book more than I did. Ultimately, did not finish at about 70%.

A rumor has no power, that is unless it is feed continuously. What happens when a simple plan comes to life in unforeseen ways Bryn, Cora, and Georgie are swept up into a world where nothing is as it seems and the truth doesn't matter. Can they unravel a rumor before it fully takes over their lives or will the rumor become reality?

This is such a powerful novel on the power that a rumor has and how it is so much more powerful when it is feed by social media and lies. I am honestly scared for children who are growing up in a world where so much of their personal lives can be manipulated and controlled by post on the internet. The fact that it can come to life and become it's own monster is why so many people feel so lost and confused about things they know are the truth. This book perfectly portrays how one persons reality can become so warped that others believe a rumor and it can change a persons whole life.

Thank you so much to Disney and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

I was kind of disappointed in the pacing and characters of this book. It started out really strong, but then kind of fizzled out in the middle. The characters did not remain unique to me at all and I stopped caring about them.

Man oh man am I glad I'm not in high school anymore and that I wasn't in high school during the era of social media. Bullying was bad back then but this book brings it to an entirely new level. The book is uncomfortable but I think it really illustrates the way a rumor can get out of control and feed the fire. I am glad there was some discussion of consequences, especially for the scheme the girls put together to out the liars but I think I wanted just a bit more closure on the characters after everything we are put through in the story. I'm not always the biggest fan of a multi-character epilogue, especially after there were 3 POVs throughout the story and then everything is wrapped up in the last chapter.

Many many thanks to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for an advance copy.

This book is VERY Gossip Girl, but updated to the current scene of social media. The drama is there, the elite high school age kids are there, everyone has lots of money, there’s elaborate parties and backstabbing, lies and lies.

A few things about this one. I think my ARC was like, TOO advanced/unproofed. This was a mess on my kindle. I liked the idea of the graphics, the social media-style formatting, the lists, but it was a disaster to read because it didn’t fit my device. Also there were a few news articles that were supposed to have column l formatting that were completely smashed together and the paragraphs made no sense. I would love to see this completed and in print form to get the full impact and see the range of media, it’s a really cool idea.

The fatphobia in this is STRONG. If you have ever had a not so great relationship with food, this could be triggering. Some of the chapters with Georgie were tough reads, she’s constantly counting calories and analyzing food and thinking about cutting and exchanging meals. She was sent to a camp to lose weight and struggles with the way people respond to her now, and people are constantly harassing her about her previous and current weight. It’s a lot.

I think overall this book was fine, I think it’s just a lot. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched Gossip Girl, and it had all the drama, but I remember there being some lighthearted stuff? This was all heavy. The nonstop negativity, it was like reading Facebook comments, you get angry and worn down by how awful people are. And there was a LOT of scandal, like, so many things.

Also, this was described as a thriller and I didn’t get that, like at all? At least not what I would consider a thriller.

I think you definitely have to be in the right mood for this. This book releases on March 1.

Additional content warnings: bullying, racial slurs, rape, and sexual assault, victim blaming.

Speechless...

For the first time in a long while, I really don't know what to write here. I have so many mixed emotions. Mainly because it hit hauntingly way too close to home. The look on my sister's faces when they came home that day...I'll never forget it. Suicide - grade 8... f'n grade 8, just 14 years old, and just like that a young boy takes his life. My sister's lives were changed forever that day. Both as teachers in that school, and as human beings. This shit - cyberbullying, threats, whispers, stocking, insults, comments, and just plain bullshit drama - it has to stop. I hate it. Words shouldn't lead to tragedy. Words should heal hearts and mend souls.

This book is a wake-up call. A wake-up call, I hated. I hated it because it holds too much truth. I hated it because I have witnessed its words play out in front of my own two eyes. I hated it because I don't know how to make it stop. But most importantly I hated it because I think it needs to be READ. We as a society need to get back to our roots, all for one-one for all. We need to stop wishing someone else's misfortunes to appease our success, and we need to learn that the power of words can leave the deepest of scars ending in very real consequences.

I am so glad I went to high school before the birth of social media. I truly don't think I would have survived it.

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"You are good and strong and capable. You've always been good and strong and capable. You are your own person, and you get to make your own choices. About your body, about your mind, about your path. And if you need help, there is help."

*YOU ARE ENOUGH*

~

"'I am sorry,' I whisper. 'Are you?' His voice is ice. 'You've been repeating that phrase over and over again, but I don't think you actually know the meaning.'
A hot wave of shame hits me. I stare down at my uniform skirt. I hate letting him down. The way his voice drops low with upset. 'I didn't know what to do.'
'Did I teach you to make a mess?'
'No, sir.'
'Did I teach you to play with people?
'Did I raise you to be a fool?
'Are you a demigod-manipulating very serious events?' 'No, sir.' Tears well up in my eyes, and I can't stop them from falling. 'Then why didn't you act like the daughter I raised? The brilliant and kind one I love so much?' He shakes his head. 'Why didn't you come to me?'"

*AND THAT IS THE MILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION, 'WHY DIDN'T YOU COME TO ME?' I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN BETWEEN A PARENT AND A CHILD - HARD AT TIMES, YES. BUT CRUCIAL*

Ooh how I love a school setting and a good YA thriller! The Rumor Game takes place at Foxham Prep, a private school for the children of the DC's elite. In a place where one's reputation is everything, something as small as a rumor has the power to ruin someone's life for good (or for worse). Following Bryn and Cora (two veterans to popularity and the pain rumors can cause them) and Georgie (the geek turned pretty over the summer who is now climbing social hierarchy), they try to survive as rumors grow and morph through social media, unraveling each of their lives. The question: Is it worth it to try and stop it?

This book was written by the duo who brought us Tiny Pretty Things, the story of teens in an elite ballet school, which recently was turned into a Netflix show. I find their writing approachable and perfect for teen readers. I thought they did a good job of capturing the highs and lows of social media in the digital age. While some things felt far-fetched, I find that to be true in the YA genre across the board. The running list of rumors was really fun to see as a reader, especially as they grew and changed, though it could get a bit repetitive. I also liked the representation in this book and thought the characters would resonate well with today's readers.

In some ways, the ending was predictable but again, I find that typical for me when I read YA so I can't knock it for that. I think this would be really fun for people who liked One of Us Is Lying, Gossip Girl, or Ace of Spades.

I didn't really like this book. I really wanted to though. I think the focus on rumors and how they can ruin someone's life was really interesting. Kind of seeing how things started and how as rumors spread things changed and evolved was interesting as well. However, this was a very diffucult book to read. Being in these character's heads wasn't fun. All three of our protagonists had a lot of insecurities that came from very real places and were very relatable, a little bit too relatable at points. It just made for a very uncomfortable read for me and I still mainly read for enjoyment and that's also reflected in my rating. I didn't ever want to pick this up again after putting it down. On top of that this also didn't feel like a thriller to me. It just felt like a very dramatic teen contemporary. It just never felt very thrilling to me and none of the twists were done well. I saw them coming from miles away. But yeah, there are some really great elements in this book and I will keep reading books by this author duo because I think they come up with some great stuff but this book just didn't work out for me.

This was definitely a drama-filled book. It's told from the alternating points of view of Bryn, Georgie, and Cora, who are all impacted by harsh rumors going around their high school. All three girls are very different, but experience an intense amount of pressure. The book covers a lot of intense topics such as racism, sexism, bullying, fatphobia, sexual assault and harassment, and drug use. I think that each of these topics was handled well and realistically, and while a lot of the drama was big (and even bigger because these are kids of big-wig politicians), it's also very relatable. I'm sure every one of us have seen rumors that have negatively impacted someone, and so many struggle with bullying and figuring out how to love ourselves, or even the complicated family dynamics. I think many will be able to connect with this story, and the overall message of it is an important one.

I will say, at times I did find it hard to connect with the characters. All of the main characters made choices or responded to things in ways that I found iffy throughout the novel. At the same time, there's something really authentic about that. We all make dumb decisions when we are teenagers, and pressures from so many different places can cloud judgment even further. I wish I would have felt stronger connection with the main characters to keep me invested in them, but luckily the plot twists and wanting to see how the consequences all played out kept me really engaged. The book also incorporated a lot with media and social media, showing posts, newspaper clippings etc. At times this was really cool and other times a bit repetitive, but overall I liked the slightly mixed format.

One thing I loved about this book was the diversity, which I think represents an accurate picture of what DC looks like. The book doesn't necessarily go out and explore DC, but as a DC native it was still cool reading a book set in my city. I think the story did a good job of showing the diversity that can exist within friendships and relationships, while also showing the racism and bigotry many still face even in more culturally diverse areas. Both Cora (a Black girl) and Georgie (an Indian girl) at times receive negative comments and treatments because of their race/ethnicity, and they along with Bryn also experience unfair treatment based on their gender. Rumors are hurtful, but they are especially harmful for women who tend to be judged more harshly for things. I loved the way this story showed the potential impacts of rumors, and how various aspects of identity play into that full impact.

3.5 stars