I loved this book! The characters were likeable, even with their flaws. The storyline kept me guessing and surprised me at several points. This story will stick with me for awhile.

This is a difficult review to write for me.
Why?
Because the book was fantastic in some respects and not good in others. At least for my taste.
Let's start with what I liked:

The writing style is really good (!) and was fun to read.
I also liked that the author put a lot of emphasis on creating diverse characters that weren't just white, straight, and normative. I really, really liked that - and it’s super positive for me!
I also found the setting and the basic idea of the novel to be very entertaining and good.

Now let’s take a look at my biggest problem(s).
The book is advertised as a YA thriller ... Except it's not a thriller at all. It's a rich kids high society drama. And it serves that genre very well, but thriller? Sadly, no. There was just too little thrill and suspense.
Meaning, there was almost no suspense in the first 70% of the eBook. Instead, it was primarily about the lives of the characters and their family and a lot (!) somewhat pathetic teenage drama.
It wasn't until 70% that really exciting thriller elements came into the mix. These (by the way) were really good elements, but they appeared clearly (!) way too late for a »thriller« novel.

My next problem were the characters themselves. None of them were likeable. Aside from one minor character (Lee - who seemed like a nice, decent guy), they all were unsympathetic, self-righteous, and duplicitous. Unfortunately, because they were all so unlikeable, I didn't care who the murder victim was, who mysteriously remained unnamed at the beginning (and until almost the end). However, since the characters were all so ignorant and arrogant, anyone could have been the victim for me and I wouldn't have been sad or surprised that they were murdered. This, of course, dampened what little suspense there was in the first 70% of the book even more, as I just didn't care who was murdered.
But don't get me wrong. Just because the first 70% wasn't thrilling in the sense of a thriller doesn't mean that it wasn't very well executed in terms of a teen drama - it's just that teen drama wasn't what I was "promised" in the advertising
It's a kind of "me problem" with my false expectations with which I approached this novel. Or just misleading marketing.

Overall, it's a shame because I loved Jessica Godmann's »The Counselors« so much - that was a really excellent thriller. The Legacies is also superbly written/crafted, the characters are well fleshed out (even if I didn't like them) and the setting is great.
Unfortunately, the plot itself and the focus on (too much unnecessary) teen drama and the lack of thrilling elements didn't do it for me personally.
But, if someone is looking for a teen drama in high society with light thriller influences, they will love this book. However, if you are looking for a breathtaking thriller, this book is not a good choice.

Let’s put it like this:
5 stars if you want a high society teen drama.
3 stars if you’re looking for a on the edge thriller.

The Legacies is a twisty YA thriller that strikes an addictive balance between glitz and darkness. Think The Inheritance Games meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Euphoria. Goodman introduces us to the Legacy Club, a secret society for New York's richest elite. Every year, prospective members are tapped for an initiation week culminating in the glamorous Legacy Ball. Most new members are shoe-ins, children of existing Legacies and powerful families. But this year, the nomination of scholarship-student Tori Tasso threatens to expose the dangerous secrets protected by the Club's elite, and not everyone will make it out alive...

Within pages, we're up to our neck in mysteries—a murder, a missing parent, a looming law suit, and a scandal kept secret by tenuous trust between 'friends'. The book stays fast paced throughout, alternating between three POVs and enticing snippets from the aftermath of the disastrous Legacy Ball. (And, DAMN, the reveal about the murder was so satisfying. But I will say no more...) Also, I gotta give points for the inclusion of a POV character in a sweet, drama-free (yay for healthy communication!) wlw relationship.

To summarise! I'd recommend checking this one out if:
- You want a book with the vibes of The Inheritance Games, Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars
- You agree that 'rich people doing shady shit get exactly what they deserve' is a genre (and a very entertaining one)
- You're a sucker for messy characters and scandalous secrets
- You're looking for a quick, fast-paced read

*Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a review.*

3.5 this book was gripping from the very first page until the last page. All though i was able to correctly guess some of the twists throughout this book, the biggest one caught me off guard and surprised me.


thank you netgalley for letting me receive an arc of this book!!

Great atmosphere, love Jessica Goodman! Very Gossip Girl vibes, but I did want the ending to be a bit more in depth.

I received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley. It was a mystery version of gossip girl and I loved it! I loved how each chapter was from a different character’s perspective and how the mystery wasn’t too drawn out or obscure. I really enjoyed the book and will be picking up other books by this author in the future.

I liked the legacies and enjoyed the way it was written to show what happened to lead up to the murder, although i did find it quite predictable and the plot twists were a bit underwhelming but overall i enjoyed reading it and will continue to read this authors books in the future.

The legacy ball had never ended in a murder -- obviously.

thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I was really into the idea of this book, but I wasn't in love with the execution.

The Legacies is a book that's kind of a Gossip Girl-Pretty Little Liars hybrid. It's about an elite New York City club made up by the richest of the rich and three of the main characters in this book are legacies -- people who were nominated for membership into the group because their parents are already members -- and the fourth is a scholarship student who doesn't fit in. But, amidst all of the riches and excess, there are deadly secrets floating through the Legacy Club.

The book alternates between points of view and each of the characters has some kind of secrets or baggage that sets them apart from the others, but in my opinion, a lot of the things that made them distinct were not that interesting. Tori being an outsider to the Legacy Club's usual crowd was what made up a large majority of her personality and although it makes sense for her to be hyper-focused on the fact that she's not rich like the rest of them, it did get a little tiring for it to come up constantly.

The book starts with a flash forward to the night of the Legacy Club Ball and sets up a murder that seemed to take place at the event, leading readers to wonder who it could have been, who did it, and exactly what happened. There are chapters from this scene scattered throughout the book that definitely make the book interesting and kept me reading and wondering what the big twist was going to be, but the chapters set in the present that were leading up to the event fell really flat for me. The book went from having this intrigue and mystery to having very little going on and I felt like there should have been more mystery or more buildup in those chapters.

Overall, this book was okay and it was a quick, fun read, but it could have been better.

This was a pretty quick and entertaining read. My favorite part is probably the formatting of this book. I am a sucker for a dual timeline that switches back and forth between 'before' a tragic event and 'after' because it's always interesting to see what led up to such an outcome. While I feel like the majority of the story was underwhelming with it's lackluster plot twists and the dragging between povs, there was just something about it because I could not put this book down. The main characters were developed really well but there were some characters that I wish we could've gotten to know more about.

Overall, this was a fun and solid read. I love how in the end, this story was able to surprise me. I was so sure that I knew which of the characters would be the one to "kick the bucket" and was so wrong.

*Thanks Penguin Teen for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

The Legacies was an entertaining read. I was a fan of the structure of this book, the jumping between POVs allowed us insight into all the characters. As well as the jumping between present day and the legacy ball where there is a death. I was intrigued to find out who was dead and the reason behind this, as well as finding out about the secrets everyone was hiding. That being said I was a little underwhelmed with some of the reveals, and thought there could have been more mystery and supsense. Overall I thought it was a bit safe but still an entertaining read that will intrigue and interest. The ending sets up a sequel and would love to revisit these characters and see this story develop.

Thank you to Razorbill, Penguin Random House for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is my second read from Jessica Goodman, and she continues to draw me in with these storylines. As a longtime fan of Gossip Girl and a New Yorker myself, I especially loved the plot and setting for The Legacies. The Legacy Club is like the more established and respected iteration of the Players from They Wish They Were Us, so Goodman definitely has a niche for writing about elite teenagers and all that comes with the lifestyle. I really enjoyed how the story jumped between Bernie, Isobel and Tori's perspectives and to the night of the ball. I kept thinking I knew who was going to end up dead in the end, but my guess shifted a few times throughout which kept me on my toes and had me enthralled to keep reading into the late hours of the night. I think the ending could have used a bit more color and context to bring things full circle, but overall, I really enjoyed this book and will continue to read Goodman's novels.

One of my favorite book tropes is "rich teens behaving badly" and Jessica Goodman nails the trope every time! I really enjoyed The Legacies; it had all the makings of an enticing YA thriller; prep schools, family secrets, high stakes event, and a few plot twists. I liked that the book gave us just enough information to keep the plot moving without really hinting at what the twist was because I definitely didn't predict it. I could have used a bit more substance towards the end to give more context to the ending, but overall it's a solid and enjoyable read if you like this genre!

Three girls: Bernie, Isobel, and Tori. Each with too many secrets that prevent them from taking their rightful places amongst The Legacy Club. All nominated, but only one can win the scholarship of her choice. Bernie wants it because it's expected of her. Isobel is just there for the experience. But Tori... she'd give anything to become part of The Club - not to mention, have access to every resource a Legacy could ever want and everything she's ever been denied.

Three girls hellbent on collecting their prize - and even destroying each other (or themselves) in the process.

This is yet another winner for me from Jessica Goodman. I love her stories of dark academia sprinkled with family secrets and friend-group drama. This one especially had some Gossip Girl vibes (in the best way!) but the characters in this were more cunning, and the plot more ruthless. I really found myself rooting for Tori the most, but Bernie and Isobel were also incredible characters in their own right. And those little intermissions of The Legacy Ball that were scattered amongst the chapters really had me gripping my Kindle so tight! They really heightened the intensity and kept me reading. Didn't see the twist or the ending coming, and I was also so blown away with how it all played out. Would highly recommend!

This is not my favorite Jessica Goodman book, but it's an ok YA book. The story reads like an episode from Gossip Girl, but the characters don't feel fleshed out. Even when I finished the book I didn't really know who to root for. The story didn't captivate me as much as otherbooks from this author. I enjoyed reading it, but I'm afraid it's not the most memorable YA.

| a well crafted thriller with a lot of plot twist, that keeps you guessing the hole entire time.

this was one of my mostly highly anticipated books for 2023, and was very exited to see a mail from netgalley that I was approved to read advanced copy. and wow what was this good, I only read they'll never catch us. what was really good but not my cup of Thea. but this one let me start first I love when the is a secretly society and rich girls and boy's in school. also the writing style is very quick and it's not hard to understand what is going on. the charters were well crafted and the three point of views were really well done and I enjoyed it. with only 30% to go a lot of twist came what I really loved and even made me say what the * (curse word) a few times, if that happens for me I am really invested into the story, the ending was good maybe a little bit rushed I would have loved to see a few more chapters to wrap this story up, but overall it was a good ending and a very good thriller book for young adults (but adults could love this too)

Thank you Jessica Goodman , Net Galley and Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC of this book!

"The Legacies" was a fast paced entertaining YA Thriller. The cover and description initially gave me a Gossip Girl vibe and the storyline delivered plenty of hidden secrets, lies and drama to match it.

I would recommend giving this book a read!

Strong Gossip Girl vibes and twists with memorable characters - what can be more entertaining?

I loved small and obnoxious details like brand names or some phrases that shrimp cocktail is served if hosts are too cheap to get oysters. It is like a separate fantasy world of uber rich which get destroyed by lies and betrayals.
Very distinctive interesting and not bland characters - you won’t have a problem when you half way through the book and still cannot tell a difference. Secrets from the past, hidden motives make excellent twists, I mean you are not even sure who is the victim till the very end .

The falls solidly in the middle ground of Jessica Goodman's books. She created a fun world within NYC, but the characters were a bit one-note. It was hard to follow some nuances of the plot because of the number of people involved and the unclear timeline. (Were any days of the week ever mentioned after the first few chapters?) The ending felt a bit dragged out, only to have a few lackluster reveals.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I tried at least five times to restart and pick this one up over and over again.

Maybe it was the elitest teenage culture I could not get into, but had a hard time finishing. Just not my thing.

3.5 stars

I read this book in a day and it kept me entertained all throughout. I loved reading about rich people drama while also trying to rule out what happened at the Ball. The characters were fleshed out very well, and seeing how they develop throughout the novel and become aware with the problems among the elitist society was so refreshing. My only qualms with the book was that the mystery was predictable and the plot twists didn’t follow through as well as I’d hoped. Some povs were also kind of boring and I just wanted to skip them, mainly Isobel’s. Regardless, this was a solid read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fun and drama filled time.


Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!