Gossip Girl but with murder?

The Legacies is a YA thriller set among elite high school students in New York City in the process of joining the exclusive Legacy Club. The night of the annual ball, someone is dead and we go back to uncover who, why, and the web of backstabbing and secrets that link these characters together...

Bernie's mom has talked for years about her daughter joining the ranks of the Legacy Club, but now when initiation week is here her mom has disappeared. Things have also been rocky with her best friend Isobel ever since a party on Shelter Island where something happened involving her boyfriend.

Isobel has plenty of secrets, but one she's hiding from herself is how her penchant for illicit substances has edged dangerously into addiction and she's beginning to spiral at the worst possible time.

Tori is the outsider, the scholarship student who no one really knows and she's on a mission to save her dad's diner from financial ruin. But she's hiding things from her girlfriend...

This was a solid YA thriller taking a look at the dark and petty side of the elite and the way that wealth and privilege protect them. I do think it feels a little long and I would have liked something either more propulsive or with more in-depth character work. Because the book takes place in such a discrete period of time, we don't necessarily get a deep understanding of the characters or the relationships they have with each other. Also the way it keeps the identity of the dead person a secret even in the present timeline can feel a bit manufactured. Still, I found it fairly interesting and enjoyable with a bit of a twist ending.

I keep reading Jessica Goodman books because I always like them, but so far nothing has matched the excellence of her second novel They'll Never Catch Us which was incredible. I think a lot of readers will like this one though! Note that there is some intense addiction content with Isobel which may bother some readers. I received a copy of this book for review from Penguin Teen, all opinions are my own.

The fictional portrayal of the elite rich of New York has a nostalgic hold on me since my teen days as an avid fan of gossip girl. Which is why I was intrigued by this book and requested it. Not only did it satisfy my fascination with that elite world it also satisfied my eat the rich mantra.

The story follows three girls trying to get into an exclusive club. On the day they're meant to be inducted there's a murder. Each girl comes from different backgrounds with Tori being a scholarship student. Bernie is presented as the Serena vanerwoodsen of this world but less annoying and nicer. She the rich golden Girl while her best friend Isobel is the messy needs to get her life together artist.

I loved that this story right from the beginning chapter left you with questions. The author did a great job of setting up the mystery. Each character was hiding something from the very beginning. Uncovering their secrets kept me reading. I needed to know how it would all end

Overall this was a really engaging mystery that fans of murder mysteries will enjoy.

This book was big little lies meets gossip girl. We have our three (really four) narrators Isobel, Bernie, and Tori- three rising seniors who are taking part in the Legacy “induction week.” The Legacy club is THE secret society to be involved in if you want to have doors opened for you. However, as our fourth “narrator” lets us know from the very beginning of the book, on the last night of the induction week, the ball, someone fell (or was pushed?) from the roof.

The nonlinear storytelling made it nearly impossible to put the book down. I needed to know what happened and needed to make sure my favorite characters were okay. I appreciated how morally gray everyone was, it made things really compelling and how there were layers upon layers of secrets. I really would like to know what happens maybe a year from now because the way things end do not seem sustainable- but I think that was by design.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The quick cut: A girl on scholarship at an elite prep school gets an invitation to an exclusive club that offers access and prestige, but in the end leads to a death.

A real review:
Thank you to Razorbill for providing the arc for an honest review.

We all want to succeed in life, but it's a given that some are better equipped for it based on the social class they're born into. The high powered elite have the access to make their dreams come true while the working class have to scrape and sacrifice for a chance. For Tori, that class conflict is even more complicated when she's given an offer to join the Legacy Club.

Tori is surprised when she gets an invitation to join the Legacy Club in New York. Being a member offers unparalleled access to the powerful, which sets up a person for wealth and prestige in their future goals. She's not alone either as Bernie, Isobel, and Skyler from Excelsior also got invitations. The final ball is a chance to showcase what you have to offer the club and potentially win a lot of money. Is Tori capable of winning? Or will it end in death instead?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, although it certainly had it's flaws. While the main question through most of the book is who died, you end up with many more before you get to the ending. It almost became overwhelming the amount of information that comes towards the end. Slow it down!

Tori is setup as an outsider from a family that owns a diner while the others have high class origins. Bernie is setup as a high class girl with everything anyone could want and someone that everybody knows. Isobel is a talented artist but with dark secrets and addictions she uses to deal with them. All three narrate at different points and all for good reasons. They have unique perspectives for sure, but each one is also unlikeable as well. It's sad to see characters with potential be so dark.

The main issue I had with this story is that it starts simple enough but then gets unnecessarily complicated in the end. While I appreciate the depth and storytelling, it make keeping up more complex than it needed to be. Unless you're setting up a series of books, this deep a world build is extreme in my eyes.

A mystery that explores the dark side of prestige.

My rating: 4 out of 5

This book was a little predictable, but it had a good plot. The characters were just like something you would find in gossip girl and reading this kind of felt like watching an episode of gg (no complaints) overall 3.75/5

Disclaimer: I was provided an ARC of The Legacies by Jessica Goodman in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start off by saying, I absolutely LOVED this book. Because I was reading a lot of stuff for work, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to just turn by brain off and enjoy a book. But this snapped me out of that funk. It was enjoyable, dramatic, and stuffed with all the naughty things the rich and powerful get up to when the public isn’t looking.

The Legacies is about a group of students— Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Kendall, and Tori— who all attend the Excelsior Prep, which is as wealthy and stuck-up as it sounds. There’s a special club— calling it a club is understating it a bit, but for our purposes it works— that seniors can be nominated for every year, which then gives them the connections they need to succeed at life. Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, and Kendall were shoo-ins: they know the right people. But Tori, the local scholarship student, was a twist no one saw coming. In addition to getting admitted into the club, the students compete for a scholarship of 25,000 dollars. Unlike the other students, Tori really needs that money. But each of the students has a secret to hide— and on the night of the Legacy Ball, one of them becomes desperate enough to kill.

But who?

So immediately, you can see the drama. Everyone has a secret that could ruin their reputation if it gets out, and they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. In a lot of ways, it’s like a teenage version of Succession: none of the main characters are necessarily *good* people per say. Their secrets often cause them to act in ways that most people wouldn’t consider morally correct. They are, of course, teenagers, so it’s not like they are completely awful, but… there’s definitely a line that almost all of them cross at some point. And, in a really twisted sort of way, it’s really fun to watch them do it.

The novel switches between the past and present— that is, the events leading up to the Legacy Ball, and the events preceding it. The author does this super well; the transitions are firm and easy to keep track of. Additionally, the author doesn’t let you in on who died until the last possible minute. It’s great: I was still guessing up until the last minute, and even once I thought I had figured it out, I was completely wrong.

The author also switches between a couple characters’ perspectives, namely Bernie, Isobel, and Tori; she did a really great job with it. Sometimes switching POVs like that can get confusing and muddy, but the author avoided that pitfall artfully.

The ending was also great; it was a cliffhanger that I simultaneously loved and hated: loved because it was done so well, and hated because I wanted to know what happened next!!!

One thing I will say— and this is a little bit nitpicky— is that I wish that Tori’s relationship with her family/girlfriend was explored a little bit more. I feel like there were opportunities for it to be a little more nuanced— especially in the case of Tori’s relationship with her girlfriend— that fell short. But overall, I really loved this book and would absolutely recommend checking it out.

Murder mystery meets Gossip girl! I really enjoyed this book as it has a very mysterious murder, relationships that are falling apart and strong characters all in one! The only reason this book didn't get five stars is because I just didn't get that 5-star feeling. I highly recommend this book!

This YA thriller drama is set at a party where high class kids with a membership can attend. This years event is the extravagant Legacy ball. But the surprise of the night is a scholarship kid, Tori, who isn’t really the type to fit in is invited. This is supposed to be the best night of their life.. that is until there’s a murder.

Think Pretty Little Liars with the popular kids and the less get tangled up in a murder case. A twisty fun who-done-it. I really enjoyed the plot and cliquish characters. It reads fast and has the suspense I enjoy.

Jessica Goodman is one of my favorite YA thriller authors. Her characters are deeply flawed, realistic and compelling. "The Legacies" has a thoroughly gripping hook, set in a private boarding school, in a splendid fusion of Pretty Little Liars, and Gossip Girl.

The Legacies is a quick read, fast paced, and highly immersive. It is very atmospheric, and the shifts in the narrative, despite the lack of effectiveness in some areas, is seamless.

The Legacies is a story told in a non-linear narrative, with multiple perspectives, with the fusing point being the night of the ball, where one of them gets murdered. Despite the commendable writing, I have to admit that none of the characters seem particularly likeable.

The twists were executed well, but it becomes predictable from the multiple times the same clue is alluded to, in the book.

Despite being YA, the book deals with heavy topics, so, reader caution is advised.

Overall, Not my favorite Jessica Goodman book, but I'd be blind to miss her tremendous potential as a writer, and her accumulating experience. I would definitely be picking up her next one.

I must confess I was expecting something else entirely from this book. I was hoping for a good crime or at least a thriller that will send me chills, but instead what I’ve had was just a mediocre story about betrayal.

Firstly the characters - none of them was likeable! Seriously none. And that wouldn’t be a problem if I could get what’s on their mind at least, but I haven’t seen any big concern for their lives.

The plot - well that was kind of interesting at the beginning. Secret society, posh ball to win a seat at the most exclusive places? Sign me in. But then it was just something that didn't have an ounce of sense. Where was the description of all the process, and the presentations? What was their purpose if they weren’t even shown?! All I’ve got was a “missing mom”, a cheating boyfriend, a friend who has social anxiety and does drugs, a poor person who “fights for what’s hers”, and a main character who is not showing any personality through all the length of the book. Pathetic at least.

A glitzy YA thriller set in New York City elite social circles, filled with backstabbing and blackmail, twisty secrets, and a dead body.

Jessica Goodman just keeps elevating her writing and I am here for it! I have read all of her books and she is definitely an auto buy author for me! I can’t wait for my copy of this book because I always love her covers! As a Gossip Girl junkie 🫣 I loved this book and couldn’t get enough! There is just something about Manhattan’s elite and their children wreaking havoc that draws me in!

In the world of the upper east siders, there is an exclusive club known as The Legacy. This club promises security, power and wealth. Entry requires a nomination from a current member and then attending a week of events to welcome them ending with a ball. Told in alternating POVs of three very different high school seniors who are gaining a coveted spot in this club, all with their own secrets. Isobel and Bernie are expected to be in this club, but the scholarship girl from Queens, Tori? Nobody understands how she got an invite and why. On the night of the ball, they’re supposed to be drinking champagne and celebrating, but instead secrets are revealed and some may try to kill to keep these hidden.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin/Razorbill for providing me with an arc!

Bernie, Isobel, Skyler, Tori, Lee and Kendall are all from the same prestigious New York City school. They are also all nominees for the most exclusive club in the city, the Legacy Club. Membership into the club opens access to every door imaginable, providing invaluable lifelong connections and opportunities. Getting in is very hard, and you have to know the right people in order to be nominated. Outsiders almost never get in, except this year. Tori Tasso, Legacy Club scholarship recipient has been nominated- and no one can figure out why.

As the group spends nomination week preparing for the big Legacy ball, scandals are uncovered and lines are crossed, leaving the characters unsure who anyone around them really is and questioning who they can trust. As they discover truths about each other, their families and the past, the stakes get higher for everyone involved as they get closer and closer to a tragedy no one would have ever expected- a dead body at the Legacy ball.

This was a very quick read for me, and I was instantly hooked by the glamour, scandals and drama unfolding. There are multiple mysteries to solve during this book besides the matter of who dies at the ball, and I was always kept guessing. Jessica Goodman’s attention to detail is really evident, and if you pay close enough attention you will pick up some clues along the way.

This book is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl as well as fans of mystery thrillers. With plenty of scandal, backstabbing, blackmailing and ugly truths, The Legacies will have you absorbed into the world of New York’s elite, needing to solve the mysteries and find out what happens next.

After They Wish They Were Us, I was looking forward to another solid mystery/thriller from this author, but I found I wasn’t quite as attached to this one. Perhaps it was because of the slightly one-note motivations of each morally grey narrator—who weren’t quite ashamed of their actions but also weren’t willing to own them and enter their villain eras, either—or perhaps it was down to the plot itself. I really enjoyed the split narrative that jumped back and forth between the night of the ball and the events leading up to it, but after such a long build up, I found the night itself a little anticlimactic. Nevertheless, the Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl vibes really made this book what it is and resulted in a fun but slow read.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
🌶️/4
TW: drugs, alcohol, death, absent parent, sex, cheating

Only the privileged, richest, and children of the most recognized and famous families get nominated to join the Legacy Club. For Bernie and Isobel, the nominations were almost guaranteed. Tori on the other hand, is a nobody. Her family is struggling financially after her mother's death, and nothing about her stands out. For the last 4 years, she's felt like an outsider. At the week long Legacy club initiation, she feels it even more so. How did someone like her manage to get one of the six nominations from her school. What secrets is Isobel hiding from her best friend? Where did Bernie's mother disappear to? And most importantly, how did one of society's most important children end up dead?

This story is told through three different perspectives: Bernie, Isobel, and Tori. Jessica Goodman did a good job of giving them each their own unique voice, so it was easy to distinguish who was who. That being said, none of the characters were particularly good. I'm sorry, but I have a hard time sympathizing with a bunch of rich kids who have had everything handed to them. Tori isn't like most of the characters we see throughout the novel, but she also has her downfalls, which I won't spoil. Drugs, alcohol, and teen sex is all prominent in this book, and when it comes to the big scandal and reveal, it was all just a little disappointing. The ending also felt rushed, like maybe there could be a sequel, but I have no idea what it would even be about. Anyways, it was a fun read and it definitely kept you guessing, but it's just not my sort of novel.

4.5⭐️ | 📖 The Legacies by: Jessica Goodman | 📅 Pub Day: Tuesday July 25, 2023

The Legacies takes place in NYC, among the children of the wealthy elite as they set out to celebrate Legacy Ball Week. Becoming a Legacy member is highest honor for these teens, as it get you into the “IT” club and lays out a life of luxury and privilege for the rest of your life!

In this book we follow the four points of view Bernie and Isobel (two best friends and children of the wealthy elite), and Tori (a scholarship kid from Queens) as well as the “After The Ball” viewpoint where we receive limited information piece by piece of WHO was killed, WHO was the killer, and WHY were they killed!

Jessica Goodman always does such a fantastic job of making books that are my taste to a T! Fast paced, pages turners, with spoiled rich kids, and dark academia with some fun twists and this book was no different!

The vibes are definitely Gossip Girl (the original series) meets Gossip Girl (the new series) meets Pretty Little Liars!!!! So if you like that combo this book is definitely for you!

Special thanks to Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for the eARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book but I didn’t think it was that great. Just didn’t love the time jumps and some other things but overall it was a fun read just was middle road for me.

thank you netgalley and penguin young readers group for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!!

ok so. overall i enjoyed this a lot. it took me a while to really get into, which had been the case for another book by this author as well. however, about 1/3 of the way through, was when i started to really get invested and excited in what was happening next. i think the flash forward chapters helped add a lot of excitement and anticipation, and i love that they were primarily a third person sort of omniscient POV, as opposed to the regular chapters which were the POVs of the characters. the characters weren't exactly LIKABLE, apart from tori, but that isn't a bad thing. i think it would have been extremely unrealistic to have teenagers who grow up with that immense amount of privilege and wealth and ignorance to be likable. i do think the plot was pretty predictable overall, but thats also not necessarily a bad thing either. the reveals were satisfying BECAUSE i had been able to predict them and they aligned with the hints and foreshadowing.

honestly overall? this book just reminded me how much i hate rich people

digital ARC was provided by Netgalley and Razorbill

Synopsis
Bernadette, or Bernie, Isobel, and Tori were three nominees among others to join an exclusive club that could boost their social and academical standing. However, a missing mother, a lawsuit gone wrong, a cheating scene, and a past secret resurfaced before the ball. Someone died, but who? And the most important part: who did it?

Like and dislike
Not gonna lie, it was hard to connect with the three main characters simply because they were one too many povs, the writing was also quite similar which hinder the process. But once I got to the meaty part, boy, it was addicting! There are layers on the book where you thought you already peeled something, turned out, there were still more!
I was glad that the book could get me out of my reading slump. A good one.

This was a juicy read, filled with betrayal, secrets and powerful people doing devilish things… and I loved it!

We follow a group of elite prep school kids on track for the coveted spots as prestigious Legacies, a society of well connected individuals with money and power. But, at the ball, the event that concludes the festivities, someone winds up dead and we get to maneuver through all the twists and turns to uncover the truth.

Through an ensemble cast, we get the days leading up to the events through narrators, queen bee Bernie, her best friend Isobel, the artist, and Tori, the scholarship student nobody suspected.

These kids and the things they got up to were wildly entertaining. With so many things going on, it did take me a little while to get my bearings. But once I got a feel for the characters and the different relationships and dynamics between everyone, you couldn’t have pried this book from my hands.

I love a good dark academia setting, and this one didn’t disappoint.

This book is very much gossip girl but with murder, but that wasn't enough to keep me hooked. I was less intrigued by the glam of the setting and more annoyed by the characters before long.