This book took me on a wild and twisty ride from the first page to the last.
We have a secret society, murders happening left and right, along with the possibility of a cult.
Win Lose Kill Die is a super fast-paced novel where you never know what is going to happen next, or who is next on the chopping block. It sucked me in and I didn't put it down until I turned the last page, and that ending was a complete surprise!

This is the second book I've read by this author and I've really enjoyed both! I look forward to reading her other books!

Deep within Morton academy, there’s a secret society known as Jewel and Bone, where the best of the best meet and are given exclusive opportunities. Their head girl drowned at the end of summer term and they receive a note claiming it wasn’t an accident. The threats aren’t taken seriously until their new appointed head girl also ends up dead The group realizes they are being targeted by a killer and no one is safe. Someone is trying to claw their way to the top, one by one and will stop at nothing to claim a top spot. Lizzie is fourth in line for the next head girl. How many bodies will drop before it’s her turn?

What did I like about this?

🔪This was fast paced and easy to get into.

🔪I liked the subtle nods to Scream though- Prescott Times and Billy Loomis.

🔪the ending!

What didn’t I like?

🔪The flaw with books like this is that things move so fast that the characters feel heartless when their classmates start dying. They just didn’t seem to care or take any threats seriously.

🔪The dialogue felt off to me-unnatural.

🔪A bit predictable

I love books like this, that keep you guessing until the end. I had it basically pegged early on, however I enjoyed the ride. This would be a great book to read if you love teen dramas with a touch of romance and murder!

This was such a twist!! I truly thought that I knew exactly who was responsible for all the deaths and shenanigans that was going on and then BAM! Another twist! This had me hooked from the start and I honestly couldn't put it down. Every spare second I had, you could find me eagerly reading what comes next. This was an AWESOME book and highly recommend everyone to get as twisted as I did reading this!

This book gives me Riverdale vibes, but very cult-ish, and a little spooky, these kids are the smartest and brightest, but the “head” girls are getting killed off, the little secret group they are put into is called Jewel and Bone (creepy right?). Kids kept dropping like flies, and the plot had promise though, it was fast paced but also random at times, and at the end??? I had some QUESTIONS!

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Win Lose Kill Die by Cynthia Murphy is a psychological thriller set in the elite world of Morton Academy. The students at the Academy have been hand-chosen to attend based on their intelligence and promise. The alumnae go on to the best universities and the top tier of society. Within this elite school, there is an additional group of the crème de la crème- the Jewel and Bone Society. Only the best of the best are chosen to be initiated into this group; only the best of the society are chosen to be Head Girl and Head Boy. There is one little problem this year…the position of Head Girl keeps shifting as they keep ending up brutally murdered.

The story starts out promising- Murphy creates a world that is believable, if not really geographically specific. Is it in England? The US? It‘s not really important, I guess, but it keep bothering me as I read. But you get the feel of the place- the old world ambiance, the stuffy corners, the cozy fires, the strange backstairs and creepy gardeners.

And the first deaths are mysterious and there are many possible suspects roaming around the halls of Morton. Murphy does her best to throw you off, and there are plenty of red herrings tossed about. BUT there are also plenty of clues as to the killers’s true identity- I figured it out fairly quickly.

While I think this will appeal to YA readers who are really into this genre, I was left feeling a bit meh. There is a big plot point involving a cult that just didn‘t make any sense to me; it didn‘t seem to fit the vibe of the rest of the story. And the final reveal was…anti-climatic for me. However, the way that there is no true resolution or accountability WAS a unique way to end the story. For that reason, I bumped up my rating a half. Would I recommend this? Sure to my students. I know they will enjoy it. I am perhaps too old to thoroughly enjoy. Random rating 3/5 stars. As always, thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you, Cynthia Murphy and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

A book about murder, cults, deception, and so much more. A book that will definitely have you guessing as to who the murderer truly is, and by the end of this book, your mind will be blown. I was wrong the two guesses I made to who I thought the killer was, so this was definitely a great book, in my opinion. It's fast-paced, and I never once lost interest. The school is a mystery in itself as with the cult. Want to know more? Read and find out.

I'm so glad I was allowed an arc of this book. I couldn't put it down the moment I started it. Multiple individuals are murdered and a school tries its hardest to keep it quiet. Of course, things like this can't be kept quiet long when a murderer is on the loose and has their own agenda. A group of students come together and try to piece together things, but can they find out who the killer is, or will they be next?

This is one of those books I enjoyed enough I plan to reread in the future. I hope to pick up on clues more easily on my next time reading through it.

The premise of this book is not that original. Prep school kids, secret societies, lies, and murder. However, that is exactly why these books are so entertaining.

This prep school is a bit different; it recruits extraordinarily smart teens who might not otherwise have clear paths to higher education. This isolated school offers advanced classwork, a social media free environment, and the opportunity to build connections that are essential to future success. However, it also creates an extremely competitive atmosphere, so when students start to die, the questions rise about who might be behind it.

Cynthia Murphy does a pretty good job of keeping the reader guessing until the end - is it the new boy that shows up? The "creepy" groundskeeper? The hidden brother? The traumatized teenaged girl? You will literally need to wait until the last chapter!

Win Lose Kill Die is a gripping literary adventure that caters to the insatiable appetite of horror aficionados. Packed with cleverly concealed Easter eggs reminiscent of classic horror movies, this novel is a delightful treasure hunt for fans of the genre. The story unfolds with a perfect blend of suspense and excitement, keeping readers eagerly flipping through the pages in anticipation of the next chilling revelation. With its captivating narrative and spine-tingling atmosphere, Win Lose Kill Die is an absolute thrill ride that ensures sleepless nights, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a heart-pounding, immersive experience in the world of horror literature.

A fun, quick read with cliffhangers that kept me moving forward and fun little horror movie Easter eggs!

This is my new favorite book. Within the first page of WIN LOSE KILL DIE, I knew this was going to the a book that I loved so much. My favorite books are murder mysteries, and nothing tops a murder mystery like starting with a murder. I liked the aspect of secret society, people dying so someone can move up in it, and not knowing who the killer is. While reading WIN LOSE KILL DIE, all I could think about was who here is doing the killings...and I couldn't come up with a suspect because everyone seemed guilty and the school itself seemed shady. Not to mention trusting the new student from the get-go. I enjoyed how fast-paced WIN LOSE KILL DIE WAS, and it seemed each new action:murder, 'killer chapters', their idea to learn more about the cult, etc., came more eagerness to keep reading and figure out who was ultimately responsible. This book is perfect for those who want a quick read that keeps you guessing until the end, and this book kept me guessing until the end. The end...that was crazy, and I never would have guessed it.

What I Liked About It:
*the overall mystery
*the friendships of the group
*how everything revolved around a secret society
*the page-turning chapters

This wasn’t bad, but also wasn’t necessarily good either. I made it through the entire book and nothing really stood out to me. I didn’t like a single character and it felt pretty predictable to me.

This book had one of the best opening pages I’ve read. Talk about a HOOK!

This was such a quick start that slowed a bit in the middle, but then ramped it back up at the end coming to an explosive conclusion.

If you love YA thrillers, secret societies, and murder mystery, you need to add this to your tbr!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children’s publishing, and Cynthia Murphy for my free e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Win Lose Kill Die is a quick YA thriller by Cynthia Murphy. The story takes place in a boarding school for gifted students who strive to be the best. Those who are the best of the best belong to the school's secret society and are slowing being killed one by one.
The book is a typical YA thriller. You have the mean girls, the preps, the jocks, and the outcasts. You have teenage friendship and romance. You have hidden secrets. The book is a quick read as you try to figure out who is killing off the students and why.
The plot is easy to follow and the murderer is easy to surmise. The twist is slightly predictable and I figured it out in the first chapter. The secrets revealed at the end could have been woven into the story earlier, which may have heightened the suspense or made the ending less predictable. However, it was a very enjoyable book that I couldn't put down. It reminded me of One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes YA thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

All the girls at the historical Morton Academy want to be Head Girl. With the title comes not only prestige, but also a scholarship. However, bodies soon begin piling up, and the students start to worry that someone is determined to take the crown.

Liz and her friends set out to discover what is happening. Can they figure out the truth before it’s too late?

This was an easy and entertaining YA thriller read. It was also a quick read as the pacing was pretty fast. I found the writing engaging and it sucked me in from the start. I did find this one to be predictable, as I almost immediately figured it out. But it’s a YA read, and I don’t think its meant to be immensely deep or thought provoking. Even though I’ve been reading a lot of horror lately, I enjoyed how this one wasn’t a scary thriller. Because this book wasn’t particularly deep, the character depth wasn’t there so everyone is fairly surface level. I enjoyed the academia setting a lot. It’s always fun for me to read about colleges with secret societies, they seem interesting and that was the case here. The plot at the end of this book was a lot of fun and I didn’t see it coming.

If you are looking for a fun YA thriller with A Good Girls Guide to Murder vibe, then I recommend you check this one out.

3.5 / 5 ⭐️

Morton Academy, a competitive boarding school for the elite and home of the secret society, Jewel & Bone, where the title of Head Girl/Boy is the most coveted of them all. Once the top candidates for the position begin dropping like flies, Liz and her friends take it upon themselves to figure out what's going on.

This was a very engaging read that was meant to have a twist ending; however, within the first three or so chapters, I figured it out. Nonetheless, the story was still interesting to me since, having already figured out who the murderer was, I could spot the red flags and unreliability in the narration. I was also able to determine when there were purposeful red herrings thrown into the story in order to steer the reader away from the truth.

I found the majority of the characters likable, although I was not majorly invested in any of them. The majority of the book was well-paced and written but, the last few chapters did feel a little rushed and, the whole "reveal" regarding Dr. Patel felt as though there was little build-up. In terms of the reveal of the murderer, having seen the signs early on, the book did a good job of hiding clues in plain sight.

Overall it was a very fun, if predictable, read and I would definitely read more by the author. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.

Someone is killing off the best and brightest at Morton Academy. Liz and her friends are trying to find out who before their next.

This is a fun YA thriller. It’s definitely a great thriller if you don’t want it to be scary. If you like Karen McManus’ writing you’ll like this book with an English twist.

I thought I guess the twist. I was so annoyed because I thought I’d guessed it and I hate guessing twist. I didn’t guess right…

It’s under 300 pages so it’s fast paced the whole way through the book.

Genre: YA Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 272
Rating: 3.5⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

One of my favorite literary settings is a boarding school. Add in teen drama and a murder mystery and I am ALL IN. Overall, I did enjoy this one. It was fast paced, lots of great red herrings and a very interesting twist at the end that I definitely didn’t see coming. The book kept me engaged at all times and I absolutely was excited to see where the story would take us. I really enjoyed Liz as the narrator, but I do wish we would have gotten to know her and her friends a bit better. I very much liked their friendship dynamic, but since we didn’t get to know them very well, I didn’t feel much of a connection with them. Once the big reveal happened, there were a few things that I wish would have been explained a bit more or better, just little things that Liz had noticed and been concerned earlier in the story. I just think the ending was a little rushed with its explanation of the reveal. Still, I think this is a fun one though with a great surprise ending that’ll keep you on your toes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this E-arc for my honest review.
I don’t often read YA thrillers so I was looking forward to this book and it didn’t disappoint!! Very fast paced, read that kept me on the edge of my seat with an ending that was absolutely brilliant!! Highly recommend to thriller lovers of all ages.

Who is targeting the head girls at the elite Morton Academy, which exclusively accepts exceptionally distinguished, overachieving, and gifted students?

A series of murders has sent shockwaves through the academy, with the victims being the head girls and deputies who are part of the secretive society known as 'Jewel and Bone.' Suspicions are running high, and everyone is wondering who the killer could be. Could it be someone willing to go to any lengths to claim the coveted title of Head Girl? But the big question remains - who?

Could it be a member of the secret society, one that some students have sworn allegiance to? Or perhaps it's someone involved in a sinister cult? Even a teacher with a shadowy past is not ruled out.

Liz, who barely survived a traumatic head injury and spent the entire summer in the hospital, is now attempting to recover while grappling with the after-effects. She finds herself at the center of these unsettling events. First, Morgan drowns, and then a series of incidents unfolds, threatening the members of the secret society one by one. Liz is living in fear for her life, and she relies on her close-knit circle of friends: Taylor, Kat, Taylor's boyfriend Marcus, and her newfound crush, Cole, who recently joined the academy and is now entangled in the chaos. Time is ticking, and a relentless and highly dangerous individual lurks in the shadows, their identity carefully concealed as they do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. But who is this mystery person?

The circle of suspects tightens, and only a few remain untouched. Even their trusted teacher may harbor dark secrets from her past and family history, making her a potential perpetrator. Liz must uncover the mastermind behind this sinister scheme to protect everyone, but can she do it on her own? In this atmosphere of suspicion and uncertainty, no one is above suspicion, and nothing is as it seems.

Overall, this is a fast-paced, action-packed YA mystery and psychological thriller that is perfect for those seeking a gripping page-turner with a twisty ending. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest feedback.