Holy plot holes. I felt like this book was rushed to publishing. It could use more polishing and more details that would help fill the holes.

Super upset that I had to give up on this one. Unfortunately, I did DNF this one.

I wanted to love it so bad. The whole premise was great. The rumor that they were trying to get across, I understood. But I was so wrapped up in weird names and a few plot holes that I just couldn’t love it like I wanted to. 😭

The whole idea of the book is a good one. The wrongs are all of these messed up names😕 Abaeze Onyekachi aka Baez and Jashan aka Georgie Khalsa This is only the beginning. No offense to people who have those names but it’s hard to look at. Vibha was another one. It may be me but it’s really hard to read them over and over.
So the entire rumor and how kids use social media may have been the message but it’s a little lost on me.

Overall I have to pass, this wasn’t all that people made it up to be. Sort of disappointed that I don’t see the so called greatness I DNF gave up at about 40%

Phenomenal. Sona and Dhonielle brilliantly paint what its like to be a teenager in the 21st century and they do so in a mind blowing way.

I read the Tiny Pretty Things duology by this author duo and enjoyed it. So I was happy to see another YA thriller by them. On top of that, this was one of my most anticipated releases. And this didn’t disappoint.

I’m not going to lie, this very much reminded me of Gossip Girl/high school drama and I’m not mad about it. This was a very fast paced read; it’s the perfect book to escape to. Once I started, I couldn’t stop.

Though as a thriller, this isn’t one you read for a plot twist. (I saw the twists coming from a mile away). But it’s rather an insightful read about the consequences of rumours and the negative affects of social media.

However, I was never able to connect with any of the three main characters as they were pretty unlikable in my opinion. Every decision they made were incredibly flawed and wanted to shake them silly.

Overall, this was a very entertaining and fun read. If you want a thriller with Gossip Girl vibes, this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I did not like this book. I thought I would and I was intrigued by the epistolary style, but there just wasn't enough happening for me to continue.

I absolutely loved reading this book. The main thrust of the plot deals with rumors, and gossip, and how the rumors and gossip in a small community (like a high school) can have drastic and far reaching consequences. The narrative follows three individuals - Georgie, Bryn, and Cora, each dealing with their own set of rumors and gossip. As the narrative continues, it becomes clear that someone is pushing a narrative that could damage each girl's life far beyond high school, and they must figure out who it is and how to stop them before the rumors overtake everything. Throughout the novel, I really enjoyed the slow building collection of the rumors between the chapters, allowing the reader to get caught up in the gossip in the way that the characters are. The rumors seem to start small and then build in complexity and damage and the reactions of the characters to these rumors felt very real. I enjoyed not knowing who was saying what until the last third (ish) of the novel especially; it's always fun to be surprised by a twist in a thriller.
I know that I'll be recommending this novel to various students and I already know it's going to be widely read and eagerly enjoyed.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Loved reading this! really great YA that i would reread for sure, want too own and will recommend.

This book has many unlikeable characters and it is probably because they are all so narcissistic and selfish. On the outside everything looks good at a prestigious prep school, but parents and faculty only care about the reputation of the school. The point of the book When rumors and bad incidents start to occur, the school turns a blind eye without fixing the main problem. It snowballs.

Some aspects of this book were good like the overall story telling but certain parts were also predictable. Plus there are several books in young adult and general fiction that are familiar/similar to this one. Overall, this book was okay. I will remember this one however because of the selfishness of all the characters.

Still recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaiporta, Disney Publishing Worldwide Hyperion for an ARC in exchange for honest review.

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This book was an interesting take on the pretty standard YA trope of cell phone mysteries, but a little more grounded in reality. The plot felt pretty believable, but the thing that didn't sit quite right with me is that all the parents make a huge deal about public image, yet no one steps in to stop the events happening which will undoubtedly ruin the family/schools public image.

I do think there were a lot of important conversations in here and the authors did a great job at truly making you feel uncomfortable. Overall, the book did it's job well, but something just didn't quite work about it for me.

It’s not very often that I can’t finish a book, but this one really didn’t do it for me and I had to give up at about 50%.

A rumor can make or break you at Foxham Prep.  Bryn knows that all too well.  Her world came crashing down as a result of one well-placed whisper.  Now Georgie, former geek, is the newest beneficiary of gossip spreading through the halls like wildfire.  But is her meteoric rise just setting her up for a spectacular crash?

I thought this was a fun, fast read and really enjoyed it.  Not much substance, but hey, who needs substance?  4 stars.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much @NetGalley and @disneybooks for gifting me a copy of The Rumor Game in exchange for an honest review.

🤥 Mini Review 💯
The Rumor Game was a fun and crazy ride that I had a hard time putting down. I have loved @brownbookworm writing since The Belles so any time I see her with a new book out I want to read it. Although this book was full of drama there was also a “whodunit” vibe that kept me reading and wondering what was really going on.

Foxhem Prep is a very elite private school full of the children of well known politicians, celebrities, and high profile people. Bryn, a politicians daughter, is recovering from horrible publicity. The week before she was one top; president of the school, loved and feared by many, popular, and had her best friend by her side. After being involved in a car accident where people thought she purposely hit her skeezy ex with a car, no one wants anything to do with her. Well, except for her neighbor Georgie, who recently came back from fat camp a different person. Bryn wants to get her best friend and Vice President, Cora, back on her side.

Besides all this rumors are flying about everyone. No one is safe at Foxhem. It’s really hard to know who started what rumor and which one is actually true because they all have truth to them.

I don’t want to say much because I feel like I could easily give something away. But I had fun reading this book, but it also made me so sad. Social media has such a way of tearing so many people down. And it’s horrible to see that happen in this book. Some of these characters are likable, but most of them are such terrible people you can’t stand them 🤣 But I’m pretty sure that was the authors intentions 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you like all the drama in your books and love trying to figure out who did it, this is the book for you. I gave The Rumor Game ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️💫.

Foxham Prep, the posh private school for the children of DC’s elite, is teeming with drama and one rumor has the power to ruin reputations. Bryn, the former popular girl, is recovering from a scandal when her new friend Georgie becomes the center of one. The gossip unravels their lives and they must try to uncover the truth.

This YA novel was not what I was expecting and had a strong theme of sexual assault. I did not connect to these characters and their actions seemed very childish. I don’t know if this is similar to high school now but it was definitely not my experience (definitely aging myself with that one).

Reading this felt like reading a loose retelling of Pretty Little Liars, or The List. It wasn’t really my type of book, but if you like Gossip Girl, The DUFF, or either of the books I listed above I think you’ll like this one.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dhonielle, Sona, and Disney Hyperion for an advance copy of The Rumor Game.

Set at an elite private school, home to the children of high profile politicians, The Rumor Game explores the cataclysmic consequences that one small rumor can cause. Bryn was popular, but that was before she made one mistake that spiraled her entire life out of control. Back at school she learns that the truth has been twisted so far from reality that she doesn’t see any way to correct it. Luckily, there’s new gossip in the form of Georgie, a nerd-turned-hot over the summer. As rumors churn about Georgie, she gains popularity. But at what cost? With Bryn in her pocket telling her how to work the crowd, Bryn starts to return to the spotlight again also. A social media account will push and pull these girls lives, as well as those around them, culminating in a final fateful night – set at a party of course!

This book was Mean Girls on steroids, updated to be a little more modern of course…because holy shit, Mean Girls came out 19 years ago?! Excuse me while I go pluck my grey hairs. But really, I was excited for this one, because I am complete trash for elite school settings, catty backstabbing girls, and an epistolary format. And I got all three of those things. It wasn’t even too bad on the overdramatics that we typically see in YA contemporary female main characters, so I give the authors props on that. Making the school setting one for political figures/high profile DC employee’s kids was genius – it opened the door for high pressure from parents, diversity, and entitled personalities galore. These kids’ parents are in the public eye, expected to follow in their footsteps, and expected to be perfect. It was a brilliant added touch.

If there was supposed to be a twist (and I believe there was) it was very easy to figure out. I wouldn’t call this a thriller or mystery per se, but it did hold a suspenseful aspect. Most YA books with a suspense/thriller/mystery vibe do still leave me wanting something typically. I didn’t go into this book expecting that angle, I was thinking purely contemporary so for me it wasn’t a disappointment that I caught onto what was happening.

The characters…I mean, do you expect to like them? Because if you do, you’ll likely be let down. None of them, not even once-fat and nerdy Georgie was likable. They all had god complexes. Like I said, Mean Girls on steroids.

There is A LOT of sensitive subject matter in this book. It’s all so important, but it can be touchy for some readers. Sexual assault, date rape drugs, verbal abuse, racist remarks, fat shaming, slut shaming, bullying in every form imaginable. I graduated high school in 2003, so most of us did have the internet, but it was not on our phones. Cyberbullying existed, but not at the lightning speed that it does for kids today. I can’t imagine what it must be like and I’m so grateful that I am old enough to have experienced high school both with and without that sort of technology.

I love a good YA book and this one didn’t disappoint. It had Ace of Spade vibes, which I loved, so I was really excited to dig in. It was a tough one to get into, but once it got going, there was some great content and it kept me reading. I struggled with the believability of the storyline at times, but I also haven’t been a teen during the age of social media, so there’s that. The characters were hard to like, but I did feel for how much pressure teens are under today. I’m so thankful I didn’t grow up with social media. I think this will really resonate with you and would recommend the book to anyone who works with them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing Wordlwide, and Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra for an advance copy of this book.

A prime, fictional example of the harm rumors can do.
Bryn caused an accident out of anger and jealousy. The high school students have treated her harshly in person and online. She’s relieved when rumors start online about other students and their lives because it takes the attention off of her. She wants to use this chance to make things better. The story has much to learn from, such as never accepting food or drinks from anyone at a party because others might not be trustworthy; stay aware and alert at a party so you know what’s happening; photos can be taken out of context just like words, so don’t trust everything you see online; and there’s more than one side to every story. Full of diverse characters and very realistic, The Rumor Game is a cautionary tale. 4 stars!

This is a great book that really shows how a rumor has so many far reaching consequences.

Bryn used to have a great life. She was school president, had a great boyfriend and was very popular, thanks in part to her best friend Cora, the cheer captain.

But all that cannot help her when she makes a few bad decisions and causes an auto accident. Now she is being shunned and she has lost it all. But, she has a plan to get it all back.

She uses her next door neighbor Georgie who just returned from "fat camp" with a gorgeous new body, to help her with her plan to regain her position as class president, as well as become close to her best friend again.

Unfortunately, things don't go quite the way she planned.

If you love a teen drama, pick up this book. Think Gossip Girl x Pretty Little Liars - very dramatic in the way that everything feels heightened in high school.