Another hit from Kara Thomas! A complex, tangled mystery capitalizing on the elements of success from The Cheerleaders. Strong narrative with plenty of dry humor and witty one-liners to balance the heavy subject matter, which is covered thoroughly, meticulously, and with sensitivity. We need more from Kara Thomas!

I found out this book was a sequel after I finished it, so I will have to go back and read the first one. Maybe that is why I found this one a little harder to get into. By the end of the book I had whiplash and was so confused by the ending because of all the flip flopping and information that was thrown at me. I did enjoy the story and yes I would read more by this author, but this one just had so much going on.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is your typical high school thriller where accidents happen and no one knows who is behind it. Where everyone has secrets and seem determined those secrets remain in the dark. I gotta say that I had a hard time putting this book down. It was sort of the intrigue in of A Good Girl’s Guide but all about football. Definitely makes me want to check out the previous book and more by this author. I liked it although it could have been a bit more twisty but I was still here for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Eleven years after the killer was brought to justice of “The Cheerleaders”, Hadley finds the town is ready to move on and is invested in The Tigers- the championship football team. Kara Thomas books transform me to my middle school days and the thriller books I used to read 25 years ago. And I mean this in a good way. From The Cheerleaders to the incredible Little Monsters, I know I’m in for a good story.

This story gives you what you expect- the unfair advantages to the successful sports teams at school. The mystery of the email warning Hadley to stay away from the football team. The twists never really feel very twisty, as this Lifetime movie has been told before but it never bothered me. As someone who doesn’t remember much from the book the Cheerleaders, you will still enjoy this one. It really only does quick references and explanations and is relevant as being in the same town. So you don’t really have to read it first. An easy read, with nothing new but Kara Thomas writes a great young adult story. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself saying I’ve seen this after school special before.

I was so thrilled when Kara Thomas announced this sequel. She has developed a creative yet dark world with Sunnybrook.

Kara Thomas does it again! I just love how she develops her characters over the course of the book it's hard not to get invested in their individual stories. I think this book is perfect for readers of mysteries who also like the teen detective trope!

Sunnybrook’s notoriety stems from the tragic deaths of five cheerleaders, a dark chapter that has haunted the town for eleven years. Now, with the killer finally in prison, the town is eager to move on. Enter Hadley, a new student transferring from another school. With the focus now on the Tigers, the high school’s championship-winning football team, Hadley’s assignment to cover their latest championship bid for the school newspaper thrusts her into an unexpected mystery.

At a party, one of the players is poisoned, and Hadley starts receiving disturbing emails warning her to steer clear of the team. As events spiral, it becomes evident that the Tigers harbor hidden secrets. With a second player’s death adding to the tension, Hadley suspects that someone might be seeking revenge for past wrongs or that the recent incidents are connected to the cheerleaders' deaths years ago. Feeling isolated in Sunnybrook, Hadley is determined to uncover the truth and solve the mystery, diving deep into the town's murky past.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was a gripping, fast-paced read that kept me on edge throughout. Each chapter left me eagerly awaiting the next, making it an excellent sequel. While this book can be read independently, reading The Cheerleaders first would provide helpful context. Kara Thomas’s writing is exceptional, and I eagerly anticipate her next work.

Many thanks to Kara Thomas, Delacorte Press, Random House Children's, and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Be sure to pick up a copy when it releases on 8/27/2024!

Trigger warnings include murder, domestic violence, and sexual assault.

Kara Thoma's YA mysteries are always on my radar and I was so excited to get an ARC from Netgalley! This one did not disappoint and I read it in one sitting because I just couldn't stop turning pages. Set after the events of The Cheerleaders, and including some of the same characters, The Champions follows a new MC and a new mystery surrounding events at Sunnybrook. I highly recommend reading The Cheerleaders before picking up the The Champions (and I want to go back and do a Cheerleaders re-read now) to help you better understand some of the content mentioned. A definite must read for YA audiences and Kara Thomas remains a must-read author for me!

This was a really strong sequel and I enjoyed it a lot! I felt like the suspense built gradually and the reveal was shocking! I really liked Hadley and Peter! I was on the edge of my seat until the end!


4.5 stars.

The Champions by Kara Thomas is a young adult mystery that I’ve been anxiously awaiting for!
It did not take but a few pages for me to become completely engrossed in this book after I picked it up.
This story was so intense and had so many plot twists!
It was addictive within the first few chapters.
I loved LOVED the writing! Kara has this ability to make everything sound so poetic and gripping!
The characters were very well fleshed out, and it was fascinating to see how they evolved and to slowly see their motivations take shape.
The Champions has an effective reel of characters.
The author has surely created characters that are relatable, some you will like and some that could make your blood boil.
The book is a real entertaining read that delivered the promise of a thriller.

Thank You NetGalley and Delacorte Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I felt like this was a strong continuation of the same world without recycling the same plot. I enjoyed how we got a look into how the town how changed after the events of The Cheerleaders. I liked that our main character was an “outsider” to the town so we learned things as she did. I did feel like some of the plot points were slightly more mature than I would have been able to handle as a teen. As an adult I understand that these types of things do happen in high school settings but I wasn’t quite prepared for them as an adult reading an YA mystery/thriller. The ending was a surprise I didn’t guess going in so I’m glad that the plot wasn’t completely obvious. I liked that we got to see how easy it is for a small town to become toxic when there is corruption involved.

This was an intense YA thriller from Kara Thomas. TW for sexual assault should probably preface the read.

Hadley has been assigned to write an article about the championship football team at her high school. As she gets to know the players and team, secrets are uncovered and tragedy strikes.

I think this book will keep readers guessing. There are a few too many characters to keep track of at times, but it all ends up coming together in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

The sequel we needed to The Cheerleaders. I loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning and brought right back into the story. Highly recommend

Kara Thomas fans, rejoice! She’s back with another series of unfortunate events at Sunnybrook High, 11 years after the events of “The Cheerleaders.” This isn’t a sequel, although some of the original characters play a minor role. In this suspenseful tale, the focus is on the football team, as one member falls into a coma under suspicious circumstances. Protagonist Hadley risks her future and her life to get to the bottom of the case, with help from her fellow writer/nemesis turned friend, Peter. It’ll keep you guessing until the end. A great read!

ARC Review!!

After the death of five cheerleaders, Sunnybrook became infamous. Time has passed and the cheerleader's killer was found guilty but other events start to unfold. Eleven years have passed and Hadley has moved into town with her mother. The town is back in swing with football season and their beloved football team, the Tigers, want to head to nationals for a third time.
Hadley writes for the schools newspaper and gets assigned to cover the teams latest championship bid but she could care less. Shortly after writing the paper, one of the football players gets poisoned at a party and right after Hadley starts getting warning emails to stay away from the football team.
With the start of this, Hadley starts to uncover secrets and has some to realize the football team is not filled with golden boys. After the death of one of the players, Hadley starts to believe someone wants the football team to pay or she comes to think it's connected with the cheerleaders all those years ago.
Since being fairly new to the town, Hadley sees the town and the football team for what they are and she knows she has to dig secrets up to come to the full truth. She's willing to do anything, even talk to the people who were involved eleven years ago with the cheerleader's.

This was such a fun read! I didn't think it would be a full on sequel but it kind of is. For sure can be read without reading the first book, someone might be a little confused but it connects the dots for someone who hasn't read book 1.
All those characters from book 1, who were younger, are back. It was a little confusing with the amount of characters introduced but as the books develops it becomes a little easier to keep track. The plot twist was crazy! I would've never guessed that's why the football team was being plucked one by one. They're so disgusting and I wish they would've gotten justice for what they did.
The story unfolded so well and flowed nicely.
A 3 star read!

4/5

This book was full of twists and turns. I would think that I had it figured out and then another red herring would show up.

I know that my students will really love this book so I plan on adding a copy to my Classroom.

This sequel to THE CHEERLEADERS focuses on the football players and their problems. References are made to events in the first book, so it is recommended that readers start with the first novel in the series. The narrator is a newcomer to the school, and thereby someone who knows nothing about the previous deaths. Her mother is the new superintendent, so Hadley has access to a lot of information and people that help her tell the story. It is another good high school story, with realistic characters and events. Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Pess for providing an ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kara Thomas for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Champions coming out August 27, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It’s been a while since I read the first book, so I might have needed a little refresher. I loved the writing though and I was so excited she came out with a sequel. I love high school drama books! I think this book definitely had some serious themes that hopefully most high schoolers don’t have to deal with. But I really enjoyed the mystery and the new characters. I’d definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA murder mysteries!

A dark YA thriller following a girl who is investigating her small town's high school football team and their deadly sins as they are being killed off one by one. The town of Sunnybrook is famous for the murder of cheerleaders eleven years ago and now the town's prized football team is being killed off one by one. Hadley dreams about being a journalist and is writing for her school's paper. The last thing she wants to work on is writing for her school's football team but when she ends up at a party where one of the footballers is poisoned and she begins getting strange emails... Hadley's interest is peaked. Something is off about these footballers and they're all hiding a dark secret that would expose just how corrupt the town is at covering up crimes. The more Hadley digs the more she begins to put herself at risk.... and as more bodies drop Hadley gets closer and closer to becoming the next one. This is a spinoff of the first book The Cheerleaders and takes place in the same town but a few years after the events of the first one, you do not need to read the first one to read this one. This one was definitely an interesting thriller that deals with a lot of dark topics and subjects. Though if I am being fair it felt a bit typical and super easy to guess the who and why after the first few chapters. I do think YA readers who like thrillers will have a fun time reading this and it's a quick and easy read. For me however, I kind of wish there was a bit more and that the mystery and story had a bit more to it. The villains are easy to guess and the outcome just felt... so typical and like any other ending and I was hoping for something more. It's not a bad book by any means but it is a forgettable one. I would say read it if you like YA thrillers with easy twist and turns.

Release Date: August 27,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I read The Cheerleaders when it was released and though I can’t recall much of it I do remember devouring it and wanting to get my hands on more books like it. When I saw The Champions was going to take place following the events of The Cheerleaders I was so excited to dive back into that world.

I appreciate that you can easily read this book without having read The Cheerleaders prior. I wish I had just to catch myself up but because we follow a girl who is new to town being unfamiliar with the events leading up to this book wasn’t a disadvantage. This story was fast paced and easy to get drawn into. I enjoyed the general vibe of it but I do wish that more happened to Hadley. So much of the plot was moved forward by other people telling her about things that had happened rather than things actually happening. There were also so many characters to keep track of (many from the same family) and it became difficult to remember which brother was which or who was related to whom.

Overall it was an enjoyable read. Because I have virtually no recollection of The Cheerleaders I can’t say how it compares but if someone is looking for a quiet and fun read I’d definitely recommend this one.