The questions of the past never just die. Hannah hoped they would when she fled her dream school after the death of her roommate, April, never planning to return. Although the unanswered questions have continued to be a burden to Hannah, she has managed to move forward with her life; marrying the guy she crushed on through most of college, having an adequate (albeit not dream) job and now expecting her first child. When her mother called with the news that April's murderer had died in prison and a reporter showed up asking questions and saying there was something to the convicted's proclamations of innocence, Hannah knows she will never rest or find contentment until she figures out what really happened on the night she found April strangled in their shared room.

Ware's books are always a little difficult for me to read because I find the characters to be somewhat sad pandas who struggle to stand up for themselves. Having stated that, those characters are the ones who realistically would find themselves wrapped in the twisting and turning domestic thrillers this author is known for, and that keeps me turning the pages because I keep second guessing who did it until the very end. This is probably my favorite book by this author, and a great recommendation for a suspenseful read.

So far i have thought Ruth Ware's books have been solidly good, I think this one was GREAT. My heart was pounding as I reached the end, and I couldn't wait to see what happens. Truly so good. If you like any of her other work I think you will love this one! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

This was my first Ruth Ware book and I was, unfortunately, slightly disappointed. Despite the ending, not being what I had expected, I found myself still underwhelmed by the ending of this book.

A couple of things that I liked about this book were the main character’s vulnerability and strong ties to her deceased friend (April)..

Some things that I think were lacking, for use of a better word, included an inability for myself, as the reader, to build a connection with any of the characters. I really wanted to like Hannah; however, I struggled when I found out that she was married to her deceased, friends, ex-love interest.

Unable to make any real or exciting, for lack of a better word, ties that invested me in the overall plot, made this book difficult for me to finish. I know this might be an unpopular review of a Ruth Ware book, however, I promise not to hold it against her as I know she has several other best sellers.

I loved this dark academic thriller. These have become my new favorite kind of thriller. I loved the dual timelines so we could see what was happening in the past while we experienced Hannah's path for the truth.

Stunning thriller, after not enjoying any of her previous works; this one was a total hit for me. I would
Highly recommend this thriller for a spooky autumn night.

I've been a long time fan of Ruth Ware's twisting, turning mysterious and THE IT GIRL did not disappoint! Expertly paced and taut as hell, I found myself absolutely floundering as I tried to piece together who was behind the murder!. Brilliantly executed, as always!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The It Girl by Ruth Ware.

In Hannah's eyes, her new college roommate is absolutely everything. She's beautiful, smart, charismatic, and everyone gravitates towards her. Which is why the whole school is shaken to the core when April turns up murdered. Who would hurt the school's "it" girl? And can Hannah find answers even all of these years later?

Ok, I did enjoy this, but Ms. Ware, what gives, did it have to be SO long? Like, all of my other notes don't even matter because they're being loudly overshadowed by the LENGTH of this book. And don't get me wrong, I'm a fan, and I enjoyed this book. But you have to have something really special to warrant this size, and this just wasn't it.

Anyway, if you are about to go on a seventeen hour car ride, this really is a decent thriller, it will have you guessing all the way to the end. Great foreboding, great atmosphere, and I enjoyed the split timelines. It's worth your time if you're willing to give up more than usual.

When we meet Hannah, she's happily married to Will and spends her days pleasantly working at a bookstore. Not exactly the type of life you would have imagined had you know her back in college. Immediately upon arriving at Oxford as a freshman, she'd been befriended by the coolest girl she'd ever known, her roommate April.

Yes, the life Hannah lives now is much calmer than the life she led then. But then again, she's now married to the boy April dated and April is dead.

Ruth Ware has done it again. The It Girl is a good old-fashioned whodunnit, with a twisty plot chock full of suspense. Definitely check this one out. It has all The Secret Place and The Secret History vibes. Special thanks to Netgalley and Gallery/Scout Press for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This one is out now.

Unfortunately, I feel as though Ruth Ware is falling into a dangerous cycle that many popular thriller writers also fall into. Her books that use to catch me off guard and surprise me now seem to be filled with common tropes and ideas seen time and time again. Rather than pumping out books every year I hope she focuses on the quality of her writer so we can get more books similar to her earlier works.

This is a suspenful thriller that definitely kept me guessing up to the very last page. It is based on Hannah's point of view. I will say, sometimes I got upset at her character because she seemed a bit gullible. However, I would remind myself, she was a very young adult that had gone through a trauma and not everyone is wise at such a young age. The mystery itself had me thinking every single person had done it!!! Very well done!!! I truly enjoyed this story and plan on reading it again in the future. I just reviewed The It Girl by Ruth Ware. #NetGalley
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The who dun it aspect of the book had me turning to pages to see how this was going to go. Flipping between past and present gave all the background you needed to see how April and Hannah's relationship really was. I did enjoy it and having to figure out who or why. Everyone seemed a little suspect so it was a shocker when they were revealed because I swore it was going to be someone else.

When the man convicted of killing her best friend, April, when they were in university dies in prison, pregnant Hannah starts to question her version of the night April died. She wonders if the creepy university employee who had made her so uncomfortable during her time as a student was actually wrongfully imprisoned. Too many red herrings and unnecessary side plots distracted from the important parts of the story. Also, the book for some reason continued needlessly after the killer was revealed and the story had come to its natural conclusion. Fans of Ruth Ware's books will enjoy this slightly predictable, but fun thriller.

This one was a slow burn, but I enjoyed it. I like the dark academia books- takes me back my college days perhaps? I also connected with the main character because she's pregnant and I recently had a baby, so that may have helped me get engaged in the book early on. I don't want to give much away, because I hate when reviews accidentally spoil something in the story, but read it. It's good!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is my first Ruth Ware novel and, unfortunately, it didn't really work for me. The premise was intriguing and I had high hopes for where it would go. However, the execution sort of dragged on, which (in my opinion) took away from the impact of the "big twist."

It's been years since Hannah has gone on the record and testified against John Neville, the man convicted for murdering her best friend and roommate, April. However, until his death, Neville swore his innocence, insisting they'd gotten the wrong man. When reporters start digging into the case again, Hannah, herself, begins to reconsider what she once believed to be the truth. The story is split into two narratives -- "Before" (which comprises the events leading up to April's death) and "After" (present day in the text, where we find a pregnant Hannah married to April's former boyfriend, Will). And while I enjoyed the alternating chapters -- and how they eventually collided -- this book was just so drawn out. It was much longer than it needed to be and repetitive in a number of places. I found that there were entire sections of it that really didn't contribute much to the story.

While I think the author did a great job offering up red herrings -- giving probable cause/motive to a number of different characters -- the lead-up to all of it was a little bit exhausting. I know that Ware's other work has been received well, so I'm not opposed to reading something by her again. However, this one just didn't feel worth the effort.

Ruth Ware is one of those authors where when her new book is released I am on board. In most of her books, it is her vivid imageries, intriguing characterizations and compelling mysteries that draws the readers in. This new novel, "The It Girl" did not follow Ware's usual writing style. The central focus is on the characters and the atmospheric setting is taken into a back seat. 

Hannah Jones arrives at Oxford, a prestigious college filled with wealth and knowledge. She shares her room with the very 'it girl' April Clarke-Cliveden. April is the epitome of an 'it girl': beautiful, popular, wealthy and intelligent. Hannah is accepted into April's glittering world with inseparable friends Hugh, Will, Ryan and Emily. Hannah lives a well-balanced life socially and in her studies until April ends up dead. A decade later, Hannah's world is turned upside down again when a journalist reaches out to her bringing in new evidence in regards to April's death. Hannah is forced to reconnect with old friends and follows new trails into April's death to uncover the mystery once and for all. 

I will admit this isn't my favorite Ruth Ware's book, however I was still engrossed with the mystery surrounding April's death which kept me reading until the end. This novel is written in alternating "before" and "after" chapters. The narrative is paralleled between Hannah's time in Oxford with Hannah's life decades later. These alternating chapters unfold leading up to April's death. Ware concocted engaging characters with a disquieting ambiance brewing underneath the surface. The pacing of the story is fairly quiet and more on the slower side. The usual Ware's sense of urgency and the immersive atmosphere tends to be missing in this novel. However, I, myself, still enjoyed this story in its own way. It was still very well-crafted, compelling characterizations with a riveting "whodunnit" mystery. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another Ruth Ware mid novel for me. I'm tired of finding thrillers that aren't so much thrilling as they are mysterious. I've read a lot of dark academia and I think this one was a little too long for my taste.

I have read all of Ruth Ware's books, and this one is my favorite. I loved the character building, I loved the storybuilding, and I really enjoyed the plot. There was a lot of action, lots of Red Herrings, and lots of things to think about and figure out. These are my favorite kind of thrillers. I will definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a twisty story. Loved it!

This is a story about the kind of friendships that mean you don’t need any enemies.

I liked, but didn’t love this one. I think the characters were well written & the suspense really built up towards the end! But the constant mention of the protagonist pregnancy was distracting. We get it, she has a baby bump- it’s apparent, bumps into things, is impacting her health etc.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Gallery/Scout Press for the eArc!

This was a good book by a good author. This story goes back and forth to tell the story before the main character Hannah's best friend April is murdered, and after her murder.
The story takes place at one of the locations for Oxford University. In the beginning of the story we are first introduced to Hannah, and then we slowly meet each other character from there starting with April, Hannah's roommate and eventual best friend. Then from there she meets Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily. Each with their own unique back story, goals and personalities. Eventually, and maybe even from the beginning, we can see that it is evident that Aprilis the "It Girl." She has money, power, privilege and beauty. She has it all, and uses it to her advantage. That can cause a lot of jealousy and envy, which can lead to murder. Maybe it was that or something much more personal. Hannah feels it is up to her to make sure that the person responsible pays for what they did; not just a random creeper who was already convicted of the murder due to Hannah's testimony.
This was a good book. I thought she did a great job with character development. Overall a decent read.

I think I am the only person who doesn't appreciate this author. This is the 3rd book I have read and not impressed with any, although I know several who love her writing.