A slow-burn suspense with an unreliable protagonist and fantastic characterization. Ruth Ware expertly creates a storyline that readers can submerge themselves in, with several twists and turns along the way. Great read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheItGirl which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

I’m a huge fan of Ruth Ware and I have loved her previous work so much that maybe I had just a little bit too high of hopes for this book. This is a good book and well worth reading but just doesn’t match up to some of her previous novels. Some of the characters were rather tedious and I didn’t feel as surprised by the ending as I had hoped to be. I’m still looking forward to reading her next novel.

3.5 stars rounded to a 4
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC of The It Girl by Ruth Ware. This story was my first Ruth Ware book and I enjoyed the academic setting for this psychological thriller. The main theme of the book: Was the wrong person convicted of the infamous murder of The It Girl? The dual timeline in the book focuses on Hannah Jones, the It Girl's roommate and best? friend and the Before and After of Hannah's life and the manner she deals with this traumatic and tragic death. Hannah has never been able to let go and move on with her life and continues to search for the truth. I think enough supporting characters were introduced in this story so that the killer remained a mystery throughout the tale. More editing could have been done in some areas of the book to avoid repetition. The ending felt rushed and sad. Did Hannah feel relief and closure? You, as the reader, will determine that.

There are some things a person needs to know before walking into a Ruth Ware novel:

1) she loves the unreliable protagonist trope.
2) she writes a slow boil, so while it might not hook you right away, it goes “get better” as people love to ask.
3) I want to give a small spoiler here but I won’t because I’m a decent human being.

This book was more of the same in terms of playing to her pre-determined strengths. That said, there were some different elements that worked really well. First, the setting. I loved the old, stodgy university feel. Something about it made me feel very atmospheric and it was a whole vibe tbh. Additionally, I mostly enjoyed the characters… although, I think they were a bit too flat and more than a bit cliched (the brash feminist, the cheeky athlete, the awkward brain, the poor little rich girl with a spoiled side), they were still believable as a college clique. Finally, I liked our main character, which isn’t necessary, but is uncommon enough to be a treat.

Still, there were other things I didn’t like. The twist went too hard: she was really trying to get you to believe it was person A, to the point that is was painfully obvious that it wasn’t. In fact, if you’ve read five or more thrillers, you could guess the ending. Probably not quickly.

Commenting on THE IT GIRL by Ruth Ware, The Wall Street Journal's Tom Nolan says it "may well be her best book yet." I concur. Ware (author of multiple thrillers, including One by One) tells the tale of a group of Oxford college students: Hannah, Will, Hugo, Emily, Ryan and April. The chapters are headed Before and After, referring to the time before April's death when they were all freshmen at Pelham College and to the time ten years later when Hannah and Will are married, living in Edinburgh, and expecting a baby. The others have moved on, too: Hugo is a successful doctor, Emily has returned to Oxford as a professor and Ryan is married with two young girls. At that time, the man convicted of April's death dies in prison which prompts renewed interest and stirs Hannah's own doubts. Despite resistance from Will and possible danger to herself and the baby, Hannah pursues a variety of ideas, culminating in an exciting, threatening encounter. Readers will be surprised although the before flashbacks provide a confusing collage of insights into the personalities and possible motivations of the students, teachers, and employees at the college. THE IT GIRL is a LibraryReads selection for July and received a starred review from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. Mystery fans will not be disappointed.

THE IT GIRL by Ruth Ware

In THE IT GIRL we’re following Hannah in two timelines. In the past she is at school in her first year at Oxford with her infamous roommate and It Girl, April.

In the current timeline Hannah is pregnant and married to Will who was in her college circle, back at Oxford.

One day she receives unsettling news that a killer she help put away has died. This news sends Hannah on a one woman investigation as she searches the echoes of her past to make things right.

Reading this book felt a bit like chasing a ghost.

As the main character is working things out so are we, the reader and it takes a while.

The more Hannah digs into the past to discover the truth, the more precarious things become for her and everyone around her.

It creates this very effective unsettled feeling.

And although there were quite a few aspects to the story that were unbelievable it didn’t deter from the overall enjoyment of the book.

The It Girl landed somewhere between three and four stars, rounded up to four because overall I enjoyed the reading experience.

THE IT GIRL…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press for the advanced copy!

It took me a WHILE to get through the first half of this book, but the second half was definitely more interesting. I didn’t figure out the twist until just before the main character did, so the author did a good job with that part. I did enjoy the characters; but, something just caused this one to be a bit off and slow for me. Overall, still a decent read in the genre.

In The It Girl, author Ruth Ware transports the reader to Oxford University - Pelham College in the United Kingdom, and Stockbridge, Scotland, for an intriguing thriller that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

The story centers around Hannah Jones de Chastaigne, who revisits the death of her college roommate, April Clarke-Cliveden. It has been ten years since Hannah found April dead in their college apartment, and the recent news that convicted murderer John Neville, the university Porter, has died in prison. The news brings up doubts and questions about April's death that have haunted Hannah throughout the years. Geraint Williams, a journalist contacts Hannah and tells her that he is convinced that the conviction was wrong, and that John Neville was innocent of the murder, and the real killer is still out there. Did Hannah's testimony in the trial send an innocent man to prison, and if so, who killed The It Girl?

Author Ruth Ware weaves a slow-building and suspenseful tale written in the third person narrative that alternates between the past and present, that follows Hannah as she looks into April's death and is determined to find the truth.

The reader is easily drawn into this riveting story with its richly descriptive plot. It is filled with enough drama, secrets, motives, possible suspects, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.

This was a really intrigruing story to read! The author does a wonderful job of providing enough clues to engage the reader, and I found myself so caught up on trying to figure out who was behind April's death. The story alternates between the past that features April, Hannah, and their close group of friends as they enter the first year of college up to the end of the year that leads to April's death, and the present that features Hannah's obsession to search for the truth behind April's death, and finally move forward with her life. I loved how the alternating storylines ultimately puts all the pieces of the puzzle together, you never know who your friends really are. I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion!

The It Girl will definitely take the readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-it-girl-by-ruth-ware-book-review.html

I think this may have been my favorite of Ruth Ware’s books. I found myself trying figure out which path it was going down many times. And although I wasn’t shocked at the outcome, it could have gone many different ways! So I like that it wasn’t super predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of the story. Through Ware’s ability to create solid imagery, I could picture the Pelham campus vividly. I did think the book was a slow burn at some points but it was worth it in the end. If you’re looking for a pretty realistic thriller/ suspense, this is for you!

I'm not a fan of campus novels, I hated The Secret History. I also don't love my thrillers to be too long. When I saw The It Girl, I was nervous, but Ruth Ware had never let me down before, and she didn't again. I loved this. It was a slower burn, and the twists and turns actually made sense. The ending was the perfect "aha". I highly recommend this thriller!

I thought this story was compelling, fast paced and enjoyable. This is told in two timelines, Hannah when she's at university and then a decade later. This is definitely a book for the mirdt mystery "who dun it" fans and fans of acedmia setting. Stories about a wrong man being sent to prison always stress me out! This was an enjoyable read as Hannah tried to figure out WHO really killed her roommate 10 years ago.

𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Ruth Ware
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Psychological Thriller

📖 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• multiple timelines (before and after)
• murder mystery
• dark academia
• fast paced storyline

Thank you so much Gallery Books for this gifted e-ARC!

The It Girl is Ruth Ware's newest thriller. Set on the campus of Oxford, it has a very atmospheric setting that lends itself well to the mystery of the plot. A girl is murdered in her dorm room, her roommate sees the murderer leave the dorm, and he is then convicted for said murder. However, years later new clues arise that have everyone wondering if the right person was convicted of the murder. Read and enjoy!

The It Girl is about Hannah who is heading off to Oxford. When she arrives, she finds her roommate, April, is already there and chosen her room first. April comes from a very wealthy family and had her room decorated in item that were not routine college dorm furniture. Hanna and April become great friends.
John Neville is a porter at Oxford. He aways seems to be a little to creepy for Hannah. So, when April ends up dead, John Neville is pointed out by Hannah as the murderer. He always claims his innocence, but dies in prison 10 years later. New information comes out and sends Hannah on a new journey to find the truth.
I thought I had it figured out, but with so many twists and turns, I was so wrong. A little slow in the beginning setting the stage, but really picked up. Wonderful read!!


Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Ruth Ware for an advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ruth Ware does it again! This book was a rollercoaster, including loving and hating the main character, Hannah, along the way. Around 70% of the book I thought the plot was revealed, and was confused by how much of the book I had left to go. Of course, there was a twist, and then another, which is what you want in a mystery! With a setting of a decade old murder taking place at a university, the reader must be able to separate the main character's own biases and perspectives from reality.

The It Girl is a great mystery, with enough twists and character development to keep the reader engaged and invested in the outcome of "whodunnit" many years after the murder was committed. None of the characters were necessarily "loveable" which gives it a sense or reality but also makes it more exciting for the reader to make their own assumptions and guesses on who could have committed the crime.

The only downfall was the middle felt slow and almost made the reader, at least myself, feel as though the end was clear in sight. Once you get past the realization that you are dead wrong, the book picks off again.

Ruth Ware's latest thriller The It Girl, set on the campus of Oxford University, had me hooked from the very first page. I love books with academic settings anyway, but add a locked door mystery to it, and it's like catnip for me.

The It Girl follows Hannah Jones, a new student at Oxford. Hannah was expecting to live alone when she arrived at the school, but instead finds she has been paired up with April Coutts-Cliveden, the "It Girl" on campus. April's eyes dance with mischief and her personality is magnetic. Many envy her, but she has a few haters. Hannah is fascinated by April, who is so different from herself, and the two become fast friends. They also quickly cultivate a close knit group of friends as they all navigate the ups and downs of their first term at university.

Their lives get turned upside down, however, when April is murdered and Hannah finds her body in their shared room. It is Hannah who is able to provide enough evidence for school porter John Neville to be arrested, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. Is Neville really guilty though? He maintains he's innocent for years and dies in prison, still proclaiming his innocence. If he didn't do it, who did? And why?

Ware unravels this mystery through the use of dual timelines and I was fully invested in both of them. The first timeline follows Hannah and April while they are at Oxford, letting the details that led to April's murder slowly unfold, while the second follows Hannah ten years later. Wracked with guilt that she may have sent an innocent man to prison, Hannah is now determined to find out the truth about April's murder.

Ware is a master of unexpected twists and turns, and this is very much true of The It Girl. Every time I thought I had figured out who was responsible for April's death, the story would take me in a completely unexpected direction and leave me scratching my head. The fact that April wasn't the nicest person and that she did have her share of haters really added to the puzzle as well because it really did seem like pretty much any of the other characters in the book could easily be her killer.

If you're in the mood for a thriller that is dark, intense, riveting, and filled with twists and turns galore, be sure the add The It Girl to your reading list. In a Dark, Dark Wood is still my favorite Ware novel, but The It Girl is a close second!

Ruth Ware is the Queen of mystery thrillers. She has a propensity for creating psychological thrillers that fully immerse the reader into the story and keep them there. And while this book is a bit of a departure with two timelines, before and after, the setting, characters and scenerio is one that kept me engaged and committed to discovering who-done-it.

April was the first person Hannah met at Oxford and even though they came from entirely different worlds, they were best friends. Their life on campus was complete with late night parties, last minute study sessions and a close knit group of friends. Life became a nightmare the day Hannah discovered April's dead body in the dorm. She dropped out of school, testified in court that she saw John Neville, creepy school porter, leaving her hallway minutes before she discovered April.

Ten years later, never admitting guilt, Neville dies and interest is once again brought to the case. Reporters believe Neville wasnt given a good defense and might not have done it. Hannah has always had missing memories so when Neville dies, she starts asking questions of those around her to uncover the truth of what happened to April.

Ware titles her chapters "before" - when we learn of life at Pelham College and meet the potential suspects and "after" when Hannah is married to Will and expecting their first child. For me April, was the least developed character in this book. While popular, entitled and a daddys girl, we dont really get to know her. And what we do learn doesnt make her likeable. Hannah, Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily's characters are much more developed although it doesnt seem like any one them truly liked her either.

Wares writing is good. Its slow getting to know the characters and about 70% in things start heating up. I am grateful my first guess very early on was wrong. With red herrings and twists, we are kept guessing who killed April. And when we learn, we are still asking why. Ware gives us that tidbit as well.

The "It Girl" is a book about love and loss. It's about the lingering effects of trauma and survivors guilt. I would also say its about not judging a book by its cover (even though this one is fantastic).

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books and Ruth Ware for a clever psychological twisty tale, one filled with interesting characters and their secrets.

While I enjoyed The It Girl, there was so much talk and anticipation of this book, that I almost feel it ruined it for some people. My only complaint tho is that it was way too long.. honestly the story would've been just as good with 100 less pages! Other than that I did enjoy the mystery of who killed April and that the story was told in two timelines, the "before" and the "after" of her murder. The character development was just ok, we didn't really get to know any of the other players besides Hannah. This was a good solid story.

The It Girl draws you in and never stops. It is a mystery that you want to solve. Who killed April? Was it John Neville, Will, Ryan, Emily, Hugh or an obscure character. Each time you think you have it solved there’s another twist.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and unfortunately it did not live up to the hype. This was way too long and just so boring. I was expecting a suspenseful thriller with some twists that kept you guessing. This was not that. It did hold my interest enough to want to know how it ended, but that was it.

✨ Hannah met April her first year at Oxford. A year later, April is found dead.

💥The premise of dark academia is one that I love to read. This book is full of twists, clues, and red herrings. The pace is fast and while you pop between before and after the big incident, there is no shortage of things to piece together. Nonetheless, the ending is super intense.

My face at the end: 🤓

🍪 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to @Netgalley and Gallery Scout Press for allowing me to read this ahead of publication.

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