This was a good teen mystery. There were lots of twists and turns along the way. Anyone can read this and be entertained.

This one was a miss for me.

Within the first couple of pages I was thrown off by some of the character names, like Clementine-Tangerine Briggs and Millicent Cordelia Caltrope-Newton-Rose. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be satire or some kind of tongue-in-cheek commentary about the wealthy, but it made the characters seem like caricatures and that didn’t improve as I continued reading. The characters were one-dimensional, lacking depth, and there was no character growth throughout the story. It was hard to care about characters that we didn’t really know.

There was also a good amount of telling instead of showing. We’re supposed to believe that Jess was scared for her life and scared of losing her scholarship, that Tommy was sad about losing his best friend, and that Clem was utterly devastated by everything that was happening but we never really feel that in any way. The only way we know any of this is because the author tells us. Again, this made it hard to feel invested in the characters and what they were dealing with.

The timeline didn’t help. A lot of things happen in a very short period of time which made things feel rushed and especially unrealistic. While I appreciate that everything that happened led to a shake up at the school and that it was ultimately positive for many of the characters, it was hard to believe that so many friendships could be formed and changes made in such a short period of time.

On a positive note, this was a quick read and there were a few scenes that kept me engaged and had me turning pages to see what was coming next. There were also a couple of surprises at the end of the book that I wasn’t expecting.

Ultimately, this one just wasn't for me.

Thanks NetGally and Sourcebooks Fire for this copy.

Jess is a scholarship student at her school. She writes a murder story with another student and somehow it comes true. Only who committed the crime??? Naturally Jess is at the one blamed for the murder but did she really do it? Read to find out. Very good book and first time experiencing anything written by this author.

What is it with rich people and their secret clubs?!
Anyway, this was an easy to follow mystery that takes place at an elite boarding school. Scholarship kid, Jess, is one of the "poors" and doesn't feel like she belongs with the old money kids around her. After turning in a murder mystery as part of a creative writing assignment, a student mysteriously dies with inspiration from Jess' story.
I had my suspicions early on who the killer was and I was right. But I don't think that necessarily means the story is predictable, I'm just suspicious by nature! But the why I did not see coming!

I loved this book! I'm a fan of A Good Girls Guide to Murder and this book had the same feel. I couldn't put it down and needed to know who the killer was.

I really enjoyed the last half of this book. There were some great twists and much more character development that sucked me in. The first half love just a little too slow for me and I struggled to get into the characters at first with a little bit too much going on between all the students/suspects. The author did a great job however wrapping up the story line with the twists.

I really enjoyed the last 25%, but the first 75% was just too slow. I did enjoy the main characters, they were well-written and had some layers. I was able to figure out one of the twists, but there were some other twists that made the ending interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

If you enjoy teens solving crime or popular titles like One of Us Is Lying or A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, this one is a must read! There were so many twists and turns in this book that I truly didn't see the end coming and that was a delightful surprise! I thought a few times I had it figured out but I never did. The setting and setup of the story was perfectly spooky and dark academia fans will love it: the main character writes a murder mystery and someone at the school is killed in the same way. Can Jess figure out who the killer is before she's the next victim? This is a great read-alike for fans of Lauren Oliver's Broken Things which is similar in context (teens write a murder and their friend is murdered that same way) but this private boarding school setting makes things feel even creepier -- there's nowhere that's safe and they could literally be sleeping among murderers. Another standout element of this title is the conversations about privilege, race, and class. It's not heavy-handed but shows a realistic portrayal of how these elements affect real lives. This adds a level of depth and sophistication and sets it apart so it's not just another teen murder mystery. I also really enjoyed the character development in this story and how that played a large role in the plot. I recommend adding this to any public library collection and any secondary classroom or school library. Kids and adults will love this one and it would be a great choice for book clubs as well!

(This book felt a little drawn out, could have probably been 2/3 the length)

Jess is a new student at an elite boarding school, Heybuckle. She’s on scholarship, so her financial situation varies from the other 99% of students in a vast way. She has one friend at school, Clem, so one might say she’s an outcast. Thriving in the subject of English (and challenged in Math), Jess takes a Gifted and Talented (G&T) course where she is paired with another student and they decide to write a novel - a mystery/thriller of sorts. Summer, wants nothing to do with Jess, other than to get the assignment submitted. She doesn’t agree with some of the plot points Jess chooses for their novel, but it’s gets submitted nonetheless.

A few days later, a student is killed. Soon following, details about the death are released - and those details align with the book that Summer and Jess submitted.

Who had access to their book? Can Summer and Jess track down the murderer before there are more deaths? Can they do it before they, themselves, have their scholarships taken away for “tainting” the name of the school on the book they collaborated together on?

This book was so good. I thought I knew who it was but ended up being so wrong. I thought I knew everyone hand and also ended up being wrong until the very end. Love how it's from Jess point of view and her writing the story. At one point I even forgot it was her writing due to it being so good. Great job

The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, making it hard to put down. The characters are well-developed and relatable, adding depth to the suspenseful storyline. Overall, it's a thrilling read that fans of mystery and suspense will thoroughly enjoy.

An entertaining YA mystery that talks about so much more than just the mystery aspect. Friendship, belonging, mobbing, racism and even more topics were part of the discussion. Especially for younger teens this would be a great read imo.

I went in to reading this book would 0 expectations. I wanted a thriller and I left thoroughly enjoying this story! I wouldn't say it's not necessarily scary but there were parts where I was shocked! I truly believe that more people should read this book! I don't normally read YA books but I'm glad I got a chance to read this!!

I really enjoyed this book. It is the first book I've read by Guron. The title and cover are what drew me in. I am really hooked on YA mysteries lately. The characters of this book are well developed and you tend to like the protagonist of the story. Guron throws in several clues to make you think you might be able to solve the mystery but then there are several twists that lead you in the wrong direction. There were several times I was sure I know who the murderer was but, of course, I was wrong. This book was full of suspense. I had a hard time putting it down.

3,5*

Jess has enough on her plate. She is a scholarship student at a prestigious boarding school. She already feels like she does not belong and has to work so much harder to prove herself.

And now, a popular kid at school has just been murdered. What an inconvenience.

Jess together with a couple other students will investigate and try to figure out who killed Hugh and why before anyone else gets hurt.

I appreciated that even though we have some teenage angst and drama, the main focus was always trying to solve the murder.

But figuring out who is responsible will not be so easy. There are several suspects that could have committed the crime.

This was a very entertaining and well paced murder mystery. Like Agatha Christie for young adult readers.

The book will have you guessing and trying to figure out together with Jess who is targeting students.

Perfect for: Fans of a good whodunit and mystery thrillers with an academic setting.

What a good YA thriller story! A classic whodunnit with some twists. I truly did not expect how everything actually turned out and finding out who the killer was, I was thrown for a loop! And how everything came together in the end. I was proud of Jess for finding her voice and speaking up for herself and following her gut.

Thank you NetGalley! I loved the characters in this book. They made me laugh and pay attention to the story. This was a great Young Adult novel. I throughly enjoyed it

This book has been on my radar for months. I hoped for A Good Girl's Guide to Murder vibes. This Book Kills delivered. I loved the academic setting and the cast of characters. There was so much going on that I was second-guessing myself the entire time. I guessed the culprit correctly, but I doubted myself so many times. This was so fun and fast-paced, a great YA thriller/mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly this was a fun read. The setting was described well so you could fully get immersed and feel like you’re right there with Jess. And the actual ending? I didn’t see it coming. I feel like I should have but it was written in ways that it always mislead me. Love that! Definitely a great YA mystery. Plus it has the “oh you think you love a character? Well got ya!” moment.

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron  is a YA mystery novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Jess Choudhary is on scholarship at the prestigious Heybuckle School, as one of only two students of Indian heritage.  Her mom just tells her to keep her head down and stay out of trouble.  Jess has never felt like she truly fits in among the "elite" at this school,  and they have not made her feel welcome. So when Clementine-Tangerine Briggs (Clem) befriends her, Jess feels much more at home.

But when Hugh Henry Van Boren is murdered in the woods outside the school, Jess finds herself in the middle of the investigation.  She gets an anonymous text messaging thanking her for the inspiration in killing Hugh.  Apparently the murderer had used the exact method to kill him as Jess and Summer had written about in their short story....the same short story that is now missing.

Then Jess gets another message saying if she doesn't confess to what she did, she'll be next.  Jess knows she did nothing, so she is intent on finding the actual perpetrator before she either dies, or loses her scholarship!




My Opinions:
This was quite good.  Yes, the book was aimed at the YA crowd, but that has never stopped me.  A good story is a good story. 

The story is told entirely from Jess's perspective, and that worked well.  Her thoughts, sometimes all over the place, rang true for a teenager (well, for me too).  The other characters, and Jess's reactions to them felt real.  

Although I had identified the killer early on, there were a lot of twists and red herrings to keep the story going.  There is actually a lot going on at this school, so figuring out which parts had anything to do with the murder remained up in the air.

Yes, the book is about murder, and secrets, lies, and "entitlement".  It is also about fitting in, and friendship, and first love.

Overall, I think the author is one to watch!