This book was very fun. It was a sequel to "The Cheerleaders", which I also enjoyed. It has been a while since I read the first one but the author does a nice job of summarizing the first one. This one was entertaining and readable.

A good follow up to the first book in this series. I liked the characters of the story. There was a lot of unknowns in the story that took too long to reveal. Also the main character not having any real friends fell flat. Peter and her relationship didn't develop as well as I thought it could have for me. Overall the storyline was good enough for me to finish the book!

I remember reading books by her when I was in highschool. I would def say I think I 100% outgrew her writing, but she did a great job with this book. I just sis not enjoy it as much

Kara Thomas brings us back to the world of Sunnybrook that she introduced in The Cheerleaders in this new mystery, and for the most part the sequel is as good as the original. You can read this book even if you haven't read the first one, but there are connections you can appreciate more if you have the background.

If you are going to read this one, check the trigger warnings because there are some pretty heavy topics, but Thomas does a respectful job of handling them. Overall, I recommend this book for high school students.

I like this book better than the first one, The Cheerleaders, though I rated them both three stars. I believe some schools will go to great lengths to see their sports teams succeed, especially football, and this was a prime example of that.

Little disclaimer here, I didn't realize that this book was sort of a sequel to another book by the author. Kara did a good job for readers like myself that hadn't read the first book. She did a good job making this a standalone yet interconnected "sequel".

In this book, Hadley a new girl to Sunnybrook looking to make her mark on the school newspaper, shooting for the Chief Editor role. This leads to her having to cover her least favorite thing, sports - specifically their football team. A player is poisoned which kicks off our mystery. Hadley is determined to get to the bottom of it no mater how dangerous (and drama filled) it becomes.

I enjoyed it brought me back to my R.L. Stine's Fear Street, and Christopher Pikes but for the youth of the 2020's.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sequel to the Cheerleaders. This takes place 5 years after the town experienced all the deaths. They are trying to overcome the horrible reputation and become known for something else. They want to be famous for their football team. The school and coaches will do almost anything to make sure this happens. But murder? Blah blah has recently moved to the town and she wants to be editor of the school newspaper. Breaking the mystery behind the 5 year old murders and the current mischief going on could be her big break and help her get into the college of her choice. But, could it also mean her death?

A murder that remains unsolved. I did enjoy that this one was technically looking at a cold case crime. And that we get a teenage sleuth that's determined to solve it.

High school is tough for everyone, but more so when scandal seems repeat itself.

Well written and full intrigue, this is the perfect entry for any YA mystery. Can Hadley keep her sanity while fighting for editor-in-chief of the HS newspaper? Will the newest death in a town that has only recently recovered from a series of murders derail everything she has worked towards?

Hadley fights the good flight, deals with her rivals and being the new girl. She is strong when others expect her to be weak.

Hadley is a hero all young girls needs.

Content Warning: sexual assault, bullying, death, cheating, toxic relationships, car accident, abortion

Kara Thomas does it again! I consider her an auto-buy author. I can always expect lots of twists and carefully laid out clues.

Book 2 in The Cheerleaders YA duology.
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It’s been 11 years since the deaths of five cheerleaders occurred in the small town of Sunnybrook, NY. Hadley is new in town and works for the school paper, hoping to make editor. She’s assigned to work the football game because the town has a winning team and hopes to make it to state again. Hadley couldn’t care less about football, but a hard-hitting news story is right up her alley. When she realizes there’s something sinister about the football players and how they all close ranks around one another when their QB is poisoned at a party, Hadley decides to investigate with the help of Peter, Monica’s younger brother from book 1. What she finds puts her life in danger because the champions will stop at nothing to win.
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So I’m not sure this qualifies as a sequel because the main character is someone completely new and unconnected to book 1. I wish there had been more with Peter and Monica and towards the end, the amount of characters became so convoluted with the plot. Way too many cooks in the kitchen so I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be in this follow up.

CW: gang rape, sexual assault, drugging, hospitalization, bullying, alcohol, hazing, toxic relationship, gun violence, infidelity, emesis, grief, car accident, gaslighting, misogyny, sexism, addiction, panic attack, suicide

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. This is a YA mystery so it takes place when the characters are in high school. The story did keep me interested and there were some twists that were interesting.

I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Sunnybrook High is home to the celebrated Tigers football team, but its past is haunted by the tragic deaths of five cheerleaders over a decade ago. When Hadley moves to Sunnybrook, she’s uninterested in football—until a Tiger is poisoned at a party and she’s assigned to cover the incident for the school paper.

As cryptic emails warn her to back off and a second player meets a grim fate, Hadley suspects that someone is targeting the team. Are the murders linked to the cheerleaders’ deaths from years ago, or are the Tigers hiding sinister secrets of their own? Determined to uncover the truth, Hadley dives deep into Sunnybrook's dark history, but her investigation may come at a deadly cost.

Tropes
- Small-town secrets
- High school hierarchy
- Outsider uncovering hidden truths
- Sports team with dark secrets
- Linking past and present crimes

he Champions revisits the shadowy world of Sunnybrook where secrets refuse to stay buried. Hadley is a compelling protagonist—cynical yet determined—whose outsider status gives her a unique perspective on the town’s deeply ingrained culture. The story weaves past and present crimes seamlessly, drawing eerie parallels between the cheerleaders’ tragic deaths and the current targeting of the Tigers. Thomas builds tension masterfully, with each chapter layering on suspense as Hadley unearths disturbing truths about the town’s golden boys and their invincible reputation.

What sets The Champions apart is its sharp commentary on privilege, accountability, and the lengths people will go to protect their own. The football team’s façade of perfection crumbles under scrutiny, exposing a web of lies, betrayal, and guilt. At the same time, Sunnybrook’s fixation on moving past its history highlights the dangers of ignoring unresolved trauma.

The book’s pacing is excellent, with each revelation raising the stakes until the explosive climax. The connection to The Cheerleaders is satisfying but subtle enough for newcomers to enjoy this book as a standalone. Thomas’s writing is immersive and atmospheric, perfectly capturing the dark undertones of Sunnybrook’s seemingly idyllic setting.

Fans of high-stakes mysteries with morally complex characters and plenty of surprises will find The Champions impossible to put down.

More books like The Champions
- The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
- One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
- Sadie by Courtney Summers
- People Like Us by Dana Mele

The Champions by Kara Thomas is the sequel to The Cheerleaders. Though I enjoyed it, it didn't quite live up to its predecessor. The writing was good and the story was solid, but I think my expectations were a little too high.

*The Champions* by Kara Thomas is an engaging thriller that keeps you hooked with its fast-paced plot and intriguing mystery. While the twists are solid and the characters are relatable, the story occasionally feels predictable and lacks the depth to make it truly standout. A solid three-star read for fans of suspense, though not quite as gripping as expected.

This one took me a min, I wanted to read cheerleaders first, and I ended up really liking both!!! This was good, I liked it a lot!

An interesting and engaging companion book to the Cheerleaders. The writing was engaging, though some of the characters were a bit flat.

I love a good YA murder mystery and this book 100% delivered! I did NOT guess the twist, and I loved how close to the end it hit. Very little romance, which was a nice twist.
The writing was beautiful, I tested out the audiobook and the narrator was amazing. I found myself listening during showers/chores/lunch at work which means the book had to be good to get me to put in the effort for that! I will most definitely be looking into Kara Thomas' other books such as The Cheerleaders, it was mentioned vaguely in this book and I would read the books in order if you don't want to know who dunnit in the first book!

Well worth my time.

This book was a roller coaster, but a really really good one. I liked how the characters and how the book showed that the people who don't look like victims, really could be. Everything made sense and the ending was wrapped up very neatly. I would recommend this to people.