"Perfect Little Monsters" by Cindy R. X. He is a captivating novel that delves into the intricate dynamics of childhood, parental expectations, and the darker sides of human nature. The story masterfully blends elements of horror and psychological drama, creating a tense atmosphere that keeps readers engaged while encouraging them to reflect on the concept of perfection and the repercussions of unmet expectations.

The plot revolves around a group of children who appear flawless but conceal dark secrets and hidden lives. As the story progresses, readers become immersed in the lives of these young characters, each facing their challenges and the pressures from their families and society. The portrayal of childhood is both complex and unsettling, as the characters struggle with issues of identity, belonging, and the desire to fulfill the often unrealistic expectations of adults.

Character development is a standout feature of the novel. The author crafts intricate, multi-dimensional characters that resonate with readers. Although the children are depicted as "perfect," they are flawed and relatable, making their stories both engaging and poignant. The interactions between the children and their parents expose the toxic dynamics that can exist within families, adding emotional depth to the narrative.

The writing style is sharp and evocative, painting vivid images that enhance the eerie atmosphere of the story. The pacing is well-executed, with a gradual build-up of tension leading to shocking revelations. The suspense keeps readers hooked as the layers of each character’s story are uncovered, revealing the darker truths beneath their polished exteriors.

Themes of perfectionism, the loss of innocence, and the impact of societal expectations are interwoven throughout the narrative. The author challenges readers to consider the cost of striving for perfection and how it can distort relationships and self-worth. The novel serves as a powerful commentary on the pressures faced by children and the often unspoken struggles that accompany the pursuit of an idealized life.

In conclusion, "Perfect Little Monsters" is a gripping and unsettling novel that highlights Cindy R. X. He's talent for combining horror with psychological depth. With its richly developed characters, compelling plot, and exploration of significant themes, this book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and those interested in the complexities of childhood and family dynamics. The narrative is both entertaining and thought-provoking, leaving readers with lingering questions about the nature of perfection and the darkness that can lie beneath the surface. This novel is a haunting exploration of what it means to be "perfect" in a world that often demands the impossible.

Welcome back!

We are in the last week of the year! I accomplished a ton reading-wise this year, including finding some new favorites, some DNFs, and learning about some of the 2025 titles I am most excited to get my hands on. For this particular review, I thought I owned a copy of Perfect Little Monsters, but I scoured my shelves after reading this book, and it turns out I do not. So this turned out to be a random read, but that is totally fine!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Ella is both popular and hated at her high school. When a party is thrown and nearly the whole school is in attendance, Ella is murdered. No one who is there really knows what happened aside from whoever murdered Ella. But who is that? Someone who hated her? Someone who was her so-called friend? Did Ella actually have any friends?

Even though this was an unexpected pick up for me, I started to really enjoy the audiobook. I love a good mystery or thriller and trying to piece together what might have happened to Ella was interesting. However, a little over halfway through the story, I lost all interest. Everything felt weird and muddy with the plot and the book felt too long overall. I did continue with the audiobook mostly out of curiosity and would still potentially try something else by this author in the future.

Goodreads Rating: 1 Star

Thanks NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC. For the first 3/4 of this story, I was fairly disinterested, struggling to keep all of the characters straight and just waiting for the reveal. Then then last 1/4 took a hard left turn that I did not at all expect and blew my mind. I think that shocking, twisted, disturbing ending might haunt me for the foreseeable future. Definitely not safe for school.

Thanks so much to the author and NetGalley for my copy of this book; all opinions are my own.

I’m… really uneasy with the ending, and not just because we’re on a killing rampage again.

I enjoyed the unreliable narrator theme, it’s always a favorite, but I thought that the way it all played out was a little too unbelievable. High school girls are incredibly mean and not all of them are winning Nobel prizes, but they’re not complete idiots. Losing weight was enough for bullies who’d created profiles and photos of this girl to not recognize her anymore? My bullies didn’t care when I did this over the summer, they just found other things to hate.

Everything until the end was a psychological thriller that left me a little scared and sad and truly wondering who had done it, but to then take this girl’s mental illness and weaponize it? I don’t know, maybe the author was going for the “if her parents cared more then maybe she wouldn’t have ended up that way” but I haaate that argument, so in my book that’s no better.

This whole book had me teetering on the edge of uneasy with the mental health rep, and it’s really unfortunate because the author mentions in her author’s note that she attempted unaliving at a young age and is clearly passionate that others don’t experience the same level of helplessness.

I think it can be hard to judge a book that centers around mental illness, considering no one person is the same, but for me personally, this didn’t work for me.

It was a slow burn, but worked it's way upward
Hannah is bullied in school. She has tried to kill herself multiple times to no avail
She is fat and tries hard to please her parents
Dawn is new to the school. She wants to be a cheerleader. She wants friends. The cheerleaders she hangs out with are cruel. They are bullies
Ella, a main cheerleader, is dead. She died at a party, and now everyone that was at the party is a suspect
Who killed Ella
All of the teens seem to be holding a secret. They all seemed to hate Ella in some kind of way. How will they find out who really killed Ella and why

Perfect little monsters was a good story, however it felt like so many other similar stories I have read. There were many borrowed elements and little originality.

An enjoyable read with some characters that are not so friendly. I enjoyed the mean girls vibe of this novel. I recommend this one.

This was a fun read! You gotta love a good revenge plot and revenge is absolutely at the heart of this ya thriller. For sure check the trigger warnings because there are a few themes that are throughout the book that could be quite triggering for some. Everything I can think to say about the twist is quite spoilery so I'll just say the ending was fantastic. It was giving me some Jennifer's Body vibes.

Fun read. Do you need to suspend disbelief? Absolutely! Was it still a good read? You bet! There were a lot of little twists and turns. Some were quite predictable but I enjoyed it.

I always love a good Mean Girls type story, and Perfect Little Monsters did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the twist in this one, even if it wasn't wholly believable. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

Goddamn. Slapped me upside the head with that one, Ms. He. Truly. Great mystery. Great twists. Great settings and characters. I hated all the right ones and rooted for all the right ones. Had to stop twice to go, “oh, damn!” And I was so disappointed in myself that I didn’t figure that one thing out. Sssoooooo good.

Also, very important topics that are treated with compassion and kindness. I learned a great deal and I am grate for that. The trigger warning is for real, folks.

But a great read. Gonna have to check for other books by this author. 💜📚

I love YA thrillers and this one absolutely hit the spot for me.

When the most popular girl in school is murdered at her own party, there are too many suspects to count. People just loved to hate her. But the new girl, Dawn is the prime suspect, and determined to clear her name.

The book deals a lot with bullying and has some trigger warnings.

Overall, it was a fun ride. You have to keep in mind that it is a YA novel, so reading it as an adult, you will probably see the plot twist coming. You also have to put yourself in the mindset of a teenager.

But if you are looking for a fun and fast paced read, this is a good one.

Perfect Little Monsters was a classic queen bee who rubs everyone the wrong way. It just comes down to who has had enough?

Prefect Little Monsters I love so much. The cover, storyline and characters you love to hate. It has such crazy mean girls vibe. That crazy ending I never saw coming. I hope the aurthor continue this story.

Ummmmmmm what?!

Read this. I don’t know.

DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

Again what?

Also, justice for Isaac! This poor guy. And her poor Maddy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Well done book that will keep the reader engaged and entertained the whole way through. I really enjoyed this one.

Actual Rating 3.5

TW: Bullying (Intense On-Page), Suicide, Mental Health Disorder

Dawn is new at Sierton High and soon finds herself drawn into the cheerleader clique, which is ruled by Ella Moore the most popular girl at school. Dawn soon attends a party thrown by the popular kids, and by the next morning she receives the news that Ella is dead. While she’s certain it must have been an accident, she and the other attendees soon find themselves suspects in the case. Dawn isn’t willing to sit back, though, and starts her own investigation to try and clear her name. But everyone seems to be lying about something, and the truth may just cost someone their life.

The characters overall were well written. Despite being set in a high school with cheerleaders, they mostly didn’t feel too cliched. And though some of them fell into familiar tropes, they still felt alive and unique enough to make them interesting.

One of the things I actually enjoyed about this one was the protagonist trying to solve who the murderer was rather than simply leaving it to the police. Reasonable motivation was provided for this, and it wasn’t the typical “the police are more incompetent than a teenager” excuse that is often used. The plot was also really well done, with the story told from dual POVs and timelines and coming together in a surprising and fascinating way. The ending was certainly OTT, but I enjoyed the ride so didn’t really mind.

This one is very YA and over the top, so keep that in mind before reading. If you’re interested in a YA mystery that’s entertaining and easy to read, then you should check this one out. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I worte a review for this book as soon as I read it, but it keeps popping up on my list of books to be reviewed on NetGalley, so here we go again.
Dawn moves to a new school and joins the cheer squad. While navigating her life as the new kid with a group of cheerleaders who would give The Plastics a run for their money Dawn just wants to fit in and befriend those the cheerleaders may not approve. But, when Ella (their Regina George) dies everyone has a motive and Dawn feels them all trying to place the blame on her. Will she be able to clear her name?

First, thank you NetGalley for an eARC of this novel. This story being told from two different points of view was great, as you were getting a sort of before and after perspective of an important event to this story. What I didn’t see coming however, was the unreliable narration trope and I was here for it. I thought it was done very well, and I had no idea until right before it was revealed. I will definitely recommend this book to others.

Dawn Foster is the new girl at Sierton High. Being new and cute, she easily makes friends, and joins the cheerleading squad. At her first party with the "in" crowd, the most popular girl in the school dies. However, as the death is investigated more, all of the "it" crowd become suspects in the death. As the investigation continues it is clear that there is more to this story than meets the eye.

I appreciated this book, and thought the twist at the end would be great, however, I believe there was a writing error that caused a fair amount of confusion at the end. The book explains that Dawn did not move away, but then explained her moving back... so not sure how to interpret that. That being said I appreciated where the writer wanted to go with this novel, and I would have appreciated the reveal and twist at the end had the writing been more clear.