Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC. First all, I am a true crime junkie. I thought that the choice to tell the story from the victim's POV was great - I think this should be done more often. Realize that this is a fictionalized version, but felt it was a great side to read. This book broke my heart and kept me turning page after page. At first, I found the two POVs a little confusing, but quickly made sense of it after a 6 or so chapters. I can't wait for this to be released tomorrow!

This was such an interesting look at the aftermath of a terrible act of violence. The story jumps back and forth in time between a disappearance from the past and a violent attack in the present. As Pamela tries to navigate surviving the murder and attack of her sorority sisters, a woman tries to make a connection with the disappearance of her friend many years ago. I really appreciated seeing her perspective of how all of the events occurred and I was invested in finding out if Tina's friend had suffered at the same hands. I was hooked until the final page and I highly recommend this book for all thriller readers. Thanks to Jessica Knoll, Simon Element, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book was so exciting to me and I couldn’t get a copy soon enough! I am a big watcher of true crime documentaries and have watched many on Ted Bundy, so to flip the script and see things from his victims pov sounded intriguing. Unfortunately this book was not for me. I am not a huge character driven book fan, and I think this worked against me here. Every time I read this book I found my mind wandering, or would fall asleep. I did fly through the last 100 pages as it was a little more fast moving, but overall it was a little too slow paced, all of the place and the writing style did not work for me. I have seen reviews of people saying it’s their favorite of the year! Which is great, I love seeing different reactions to books!

This is a heartbreaker. Pamela, president of her sorority, bears the incredibly heavy burden of surviving a vicious attack by a man who turns out to be a serial killer- and she sees him. The murders and maimings will understandably haunt her for years, in part because she's the one who mentions the name of her BFF's on and off boyfriend, who has a big secret. Luckily, she meets Tina, Tina who has been tracking the man she believes kidnapped and killed Ruth, the woman she loved. This is very much the story of women-not just Pamela and Tina but also Ruth. These are good women, bright women, women who want nothing more than to see justice done and to have peace. It's not that easy, though, even after they link up with Carl, a reporter who has the time and ability to dig in where they can not. There are no easy answers here, no happy endings, but Pamela and Tina, along with the other women in the sorority house, are survivors and that's what's important. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A terrific read.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll tells the story of people peripherally and intimately touched by Ted Bundy (who is never mentioned by name) and his victims. The main characters are Pamela, a sorority president at Florida State University and Ruth. Four of Pamela's sorority sisters have been murdered and Ruth's romantic interest, Tina, was also a victim.

I really enjoyed the dual point of views and that the main focus was on the women and not the killer. We never really get the story of the victims - and that was a relief, but it also made me feel uncomfortable because of Ms. Knoll's superb writing skills. She drew me into the terror that they were feeling and the difficulties they had moving on.
While based on the true victims, it is, at times hard to discern fact from fiction and I think that melding is what makes this a terrific and terrifying read.

I can't wait until this is mainstream and I can recommend to my book club.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. It will be released on September 19. It’s the fictionalized story of Ted Bundy’s murder of women in a Florida sorority in 1978. I found this true crime novel very interesting, I have heard of him of course but did not really know any of the details. This really gives agency to the women, the book never mentions the killers name, in order to not give him that respect. There was a lot that didn’t happen in the investigation, and obviously things were different in 1978. Good read if you enjoy true crime. #brightyoungwomen #jessicaknoll #truecrime #sororitymurder #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

The true crime junkie in me loved that it was based on Ted bundy! However the writing was really clunky for me and made it hard for me to focus. The story was good but not a fav for me.

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Hayley Beale

Hayley's Reviews > Bright Young Women
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Bright Young Women
by Jessica Knoll (Goodreads Author)
4517828
Hayley's reviewSep 17, 2023 · edit
really liked it
bookshelves: adult, based-on-fact, contemporary, historical, lgbt-character, realistic, tragedy

Inspired by Ted Bundy’s final rampage in a sorority house, this intelligent and provocative novel is more focused on how the killer’s conviction is only achieved because of two women fighting the system which seemed to be doing everything it could to thwart them.

In 1979, Pamela Schumacher was asleep when the Defendant (as the killer is referred to throughout the book) killed two of her sorority sisters and gravely injured two more. Drawn downstairs by the noise, Pamela gets a good look at him before he runs out the door.

In the days after the attack, law enforcement and the university take a very laissez faire attitude and Pamela is left to pick up the pieces at the sorority house. Patronizing men, from the sheriff to her boyfriend, leave her floundering in the dark. It is only when Martina Cannon introduces herself to Pamela that she finds an ally. Martina believes that the Defendant killed her girlfriend, Ruth, in Washington State four years earlier, but her body has never been found. Tina is, of course, dismissed as a hysterical woman by the law and legal system and there’s more than a hint of homophobia.

The novel follows three time lines: the days after the sorority attack written from future Pamela’s perspective, Ruth’s first person narrative, and the present day when Pamela and Tina have the opportunity to finally get closure on Ruth’s death.

Pamela is a remarkably mature, determined, and able young woman but these qualities also mean she can be blinkered and naive about others’ motives. She accepts the burden of restoring the status quo in the sorority house while virtually single-handedly stopping a miscarriage of justice caused by lazy policing. With no one to give her support and useful advice, she has to make her own way, following her own sense of right.

The author does a good job of avoiding a potentially exploitative story by putting Pamela and Ruth at the center. If you like getting mad at the way things worked for women in the last fifty years but with characters you can cheer on as they buck the system, then this will work well for you.

Thanks to Simon Element and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

One night in 1978, a man breaks into a sorority house in Florida and does the unthinkable. The only one who got a good look at him was. Pamela, the sorority present.

WOW.

I haven't read a book like this in a long time. Knoll deeply immerses the reader in a devastating crime and everything that goes into it. The book jumps forward and backward in time to not only give you a full view of the last crime committed by the Defendant, but also dives into some unsolved crimes by him earlier and then going head on into the trial. On top of that, you also get Pamela in the present day, still unsettled by everything that happened. When I tell you this book is well researched and well thought out, believe me. I felt for every victim in this book--my heart broke and my anger rose in many places. This book is just a triumph!

All in all, this is an amazing fictionalized true crime novel that will pull you right in!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

I really wanted to like this book. For me it started off strong but then it just dragged. I thought there was a lot of fluff that didn’t need to be there.

Synopsis:
The '70s have been coined the decade of serial killers. In 1978, a man escapes prison and descends on a Floridian sorority house with deadly results. Key witness and chapter president Pam Schumacher is permanently altered. Across the county, Tina Cannon is convinced the murders result from the All-American Sex Killer who claimed the life of her missing best friend. When Tina makes her way to Florida, she joins forces with Pam to get justice for those they love.

Review:
We will go in reverse order and begin with my complaints, of which there is only one. My sole complaint is that some metaphors and comparisons are a little off-putting. Describing the grown murdered as a "booger-eater" feels strange. While that may have been the point - to emasculate The Defendant, there are other odd comparisons. My complaint is undoubtedly tiny, insignificant, and doesn't affect my rating; it was weird enough to notice.

Now, let's move on to what I enjoyed in the novel.
Much like Luckiest Girl Alive, Knoll writes with a break-neck pace. The novel opens with The Defendent's attack on the sorority house, and that chapter is intense. You feel like you are Pamela, traipsing through the house, setting her friends' pain and death, and identifying the perpetrator. When I read the opening chapter, I held my breath and ran through the house with Pam. Knoll's writing pace is exceptional; the book never lulls or feels inconsequential. Every chapter is thoroughly thought-out and fits into the overall novel perfectly. As readers, we are aligned with Pam and Tina and feel their emotions as if they were our own. I believe Knoll's writing style sets her apart from other writers. She takes a genuine crime case and gives it the proper care and handling it deserves.
According to Psychology Today, society is obsessed with serial killers because it helps us identify potential threats. If we know and understand the motivations of some killers, we are more likely to look for and actively avoid these potentially dangerous situations. While such an assertion is valid, with the obsession comes a forgetting of the victims, those who were taken without thought or concern. Herein lies Knoll's belief. We give so much thought and attention to the killers that their victims are tossed to the wayside. There are countless documentaries, movies, and books about serial killers, but not enough about their victims. Knoll draws the line here. While the book refers to Ted Bundy, and there is an author's note at the beginning that says as much, his name is never mentioned in the book. He is consistently referred to as The Defendant. Pam argues that people always make him more than he is, a serial rapist and killer. However, so much attention was given to his law school experience during the trials, even though he never graduated. Women align themselves with his story because he is a good-looking man. Still, according to Pam, he is only handsome because it's unusual for someone relatively attractive to commit such heinous acts. She argues that there is not much difference between him and any other man on the street. Knoll focuses on the victims and survivors rather than giving credence to his failed degree. She makes them human, something many true crime series do not do. She never names Bundy; instead, she devotes her time to getting to know the victims.
As an outspoken survivor of sexual assault, Knoll handles the women's case with respect and honor. In her previously published essay, she writes about the gang rape she was subjected to and how people believed it to be her fault. In a tragic and triggering moment in the book, a character is raped, and she rationalizes and minimizes the experience by explaining that, in the grand scheme of life, being raped isn't so bad because so many women experience the same thing, yet they live on. While reading her inner thoughts, readers are struck by her shockingly disturbing rationalization, but this is precisely what happens with survivors. So many of us do not come forward because we fear what others will say about our stories. We fear that we will be blamed for the assault on OUR bodies. We minimize what happened to us because, unfortunately, it has become the norm. With a sexual assault occurring every 68 seconds, it becomes a regular part of life. As a survivor, I felt seen and recognized in the novel, which is Knoll's goal. Knoll takes her violent and life-altering experience and provides other survivors with safety and recognition; she takes back her story and becomes its author.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Knoll's third novel. Similar to Luckiest Girl Alive, Bright Young Women is fast-paced and vital. If you like thrillers or true crime, you will enjoy the book. I give Knoll's novel five out of five stars and highly recommend it.

Bright Young Women is out on September 19. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Believe the hype-- Bright Young Women is the addictive, dark thriller you need to read this fall! Starting at the end of his terror, the story opens up with a Florida university sorority house that experiences horror one night and sets up our main character, Pamela, to set out to bring this monster to justice. I really appreciated the way Knoll turned the narrative around and exposed Bundy as the “small” and evil monster that he was (instead of the “smart, good looking, and charming young man” we’ve been indoctrinated with all these years). One of my favorite parts of this book is that the "Defendant" remains nameless. Truly a perfect read for true crime fans!




Thank you Netgalley, Simon Element and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

5+ stars

Holy cow this book was phenomenal. I loved reading from the women and victims pov on this case for a change. I loved that his name was not mentioned throughout, until the end (I really wish it was left out completely). A loved that this was such an accurate work of fiction, based on true crime.

This is a top tier, award winning kind of book for me. Absolutely stunning.

While Bright Young Women is based on the story and crimes ofTed Bundy, it is so much more. It is the story or empowerment, being a “good girl”, familial relationships, trauma, and healing.
There was a lot going on, and different story lines, and it all came together so beautifully. My heart hurt for Ruth, I rooted for Tina, and was proud when Pamela stopped being Perfect Pam. I related to all of these characters at some point.

2.5 stars.

This my first book by Jessica Knoll and this seemed like a story that is right up my alley — a true crime inspired, psychological thriller told from a victims’ POV but this fell flat for me.

As someone who is into non-fiction true crime and tends to read and follow a lot of cases, as I read this (knowing it was about Bundy and fiction) my brain felt like it was having a hard time really connecting to the women’s recollection of the events, the lines between fact and fiction feel ill construed. Personally, I think this story would sit better with someone less familiar with Bundy’s case.

I normally don’t mind multiple character POV’s stories but I felt like that didn’t really do anything for me here other than add confusion. The POV would jump across time, trying to provide a look into the past to add some sort of depth to the chapters and then skipping back around. Some details not really necessary, explained, or beneficial to the characters story and coming full-circle by the end?

I finished this but about 35% of the way in, I already knew I wasn’t genuinely interested in this book and bored. The pacing was also very slow to me, I had to read this is sections to finish it all the way through of I probably wouldn’t have finished it.

While I didn’t feel like this was personally up my alley, I could see myself recommending this to the right reader or even a few friends who are less interested and familiar with true crime.

Bright Young Women, based around Ted Bundy's killings, gives us the viewpoint of what the smart women centered in this story went through as well. Hearing both Pamela and Ruth's viewpoints really makes us feel as though we were there and can feel what they were going through.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

To all the girlies who love fiction based on real true crime, here's another one!

So this follows the women affected by Ted Bundy's crime spree. There's Pamela, the sorority house president who managed to catch a glimpse of him on the night he murdered two sorority sisters and brutalized two more. And there's Ruth, a woman who went missing from Lake Sammamish.

The author makes the choice to only refer to him as 'the Defendant' throughout the novel and strip him of the things people love to romanticize and glamourize about him, pointing out that he was nothing more than an average man who went on to do unspeakable things. The judge that handed down Bundy's death sentence complimented him and called him a 'bright young man'. So I love that just the title of this book makes a statement about what's inside. This is really about the women who were affected and whose lives were cut short.

Without even using the horrific details of his crimes to disturb the reader, this book is just as hard hitting and thought provoking. These women are so well written they come alive on the page. It's not hard to connect with them and feel for what they're going through.

If you're familiar with the cases at all, there's not any new information to found here, just a new perspective. A pretty powerful perspective in my opinion. Well worth the read.

Inspired by true crime and the Ted Bundy murders, this psychological suspense novel is a fictional retelling that explores the resilience and strength of the victims who survived the terrible attacks in the face of a human monster who the press seem to be fascinated with.

The book begins in January 1978, when a Florida sorority house is the target of a calculated act of violence at the hands of a man who later came to be referred to as the "All American Sex Killer." (Ew) Later, that same despicable human will go on to attack again across the country and will lay the groundwork for two women to come together seeking justice. The novel flashes back and has alternating timelines.

I love that a synopsis described this as "a novel that flips the script on the oft-perpetuated glorification of a sadistic but ultimately average man and instead turns the spotlight on the exceptional women he targeted.” I appreciate that attempt. I don't think this a book I would read again, as I am not really a fan of true crime and something about fictionalizing actual murders still made me a bit uncomfortable. If you're a true crime fan that wants it in fictional format, I would recommend this novel for you.

This book was disturbing, heartbreaking, and filled me with rage.
It was such unique spin on the typical serial killer stories with such a strong emphasis on the victims. There was so much truth and reality to how media, gender stereotypes, and society negatively impact female victims. This book was more true crime than thriller but there were so still many bone-chilling and heart-racing moments.
The main characters were strong, relatable women fighting for justice in a society stacked against them. There is a lot to unpack and digest about this book and I will be thinking about it for awhile.

Definitely one of the top 5 books I've read this year. I can't stop thinking about it and I'm sure it will probably be on my mind for quite a while. Highly recommend to anyone that's interested in the true crime genre. The author put quite a spin on a well known story