In The Girl You Know (by Elle Gonzales Ross), the protagonist Luna works for minimum wage in a small town in Washington state, barely scraping by each month. She and her twin sister were largely left to their own devices after her mother died, as their father was unable to help out. Any of Luna additional earnings went to making sure her sister Solina was doing well as she was completing high school away from home.

The twins have had a rough go of it since their mother died, bouncing around in group homes and struggling to survive. When Solina is found dead, Luna goes under cover at her high priced boarding school trying discover who may have intentionally hurt her sister.

Normally I love a good YA thriller, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I found the characters to be very contrived, especially the rich teens. The plot was also pretty pedestrian, as though it was pitched to be the triller version of Gossip Girl. While I did appreciate the inclusion of a transgender character and a couple of the discussions on race and class, it was not enough to make me enjoy the story. A disappointing one for me, I give it 2.5 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

This is hands-down one of the most enthralling and emotionally charged mysteries I’ve read in ages! From the very first page, I was hooked by Luna’s determination to uncover the truth behind her twin sister Solina’s tragic death. Her transformation into her sister to infiltrate Kingswood Academy was both chilling and fascinating—it had me on edge the entire time.

Luna is such a compelling, strong, feminist character. Her grief and resilience were palpable, and her growth throughout the story was phenomenal. I found myself rooting for her through every twist and turn, and let me tell you—those twists were mind-blowing! The whodunit and the why behind it all left me completely floored.

The fast-paced plot, layered with heartbreak and suspense, was so addictive. The diverse cast was a refreshing touch, and the side characters—especially Tiffany—brought so much depth and emotion to the story. I also loved the twin dynamic, which added an extra layer of intrigue and intensity.

And THAT PLOT TWIST. Never in a million years did I see it coming, and it elevated this book from a great read to an unforgettable one.

If you love thrillers with complex characters, emotional depth, and jaw-dropping revelations, this book is a must-read! Add it to your TBR—you won’t regret it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.25

Luna’s twin sister Solita turns up dead. The police think it was suicide but Luna doesn’t believe it. Solita has been away at boarding school and was home during break. Luna decides to impersonate her sister to see if she can find out who killed her sister. While at school she learns that her sister wasn’t who she thought she was. I really enjoyed joining Luna on a journey of discovery and also of retribution.

I really enjoyed this one. I read it in a day so that should tell you I didn’t want to put it down! It definitely kept me guessing til the end with many twist and turns. I really appreciated its diverse cast. I couldn’t give this book five stars because I wanted the school to pay for their part in Solita’s death.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children’s book for this digital ARC l received in exchange for my honest review.

Secrets, lies, murder and revenge.

Luna and her twin, Solina are inseparable until Solina dies. Luna, lost and spiraling, is determined to figure out who took her best friend away from her. So much so that she enrolls in Solina’s preppy school as her just to find out. What she discovers instead is how little she knew her sister. While Luna was giving up everything so Solina could have the life they’ve always dreamed of, was Solina acting like her sister didn’t even exist? Who was she and can Luna get to the bottom of each secret before it’s too late?

This was fast paced and super easy to get into. I love the idea of twins so much so that was definitely an added bonus for me going in! I love how everything played out so effortlessly and was easy to follow. I really enjoyed the side characters, especially Tiffany! Luna was a complex character and I really felt for her throughout the book.

The ending or the “who dun it” was definitely a shock, but a little anticlimactic in my opinion. I felt like I needed a little more in that aspect. It just came to a conclusion pretty abruptly.

Overall, this was a great YA thriller and I def would recommend!

Book:
THE GIRL YOU KNOW by Elle Gonzalez Rose
Thank you to Bloomsbury USAchildrens and Netgalley for the EARC(Feb 18)

Review:
5⭐
THE GIRL YOU KNOW is a mystery full of secrets, lies, and sweet, sweet revenge.
Luna's sister was found dead, and she believes it was murder. When the leads dry up, and it seems like no one is doing anything, Luna takes matters into her own hands---going back to the school Solina didn't want to return to. She'll do whatever it takes to find her sister's killer and get justice.
This was hands down one of my favorite reads of the month. THE GIRL YOU KNOWN was chocked full of a mystery that I never quite solved. I spent the entirety of the book---hooked---trying to rule out suspects until I landed on one. Never in a million years would I have seen that plot twist coming. The whodunit was mind blowing, and their reason for such things was a whole other story in and of itself. Honestly, 10/10 would recommend.

dramatic and fun little story with an interesting but expected twist and strong characters. 3.75, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Girl You Know” by Ella Gonzalez Rose is a heart-wrenching dark academia thriller that focuses on both grief and revenge. The book follows Luna, a young LGBTQ woman who is devastated by the death of her identical twin sister, Solina. Determined to uncover the truth behind her sister's tragic end—officially ruled as an accident or suicide but something Luna suspects is far more sinister—Luna decides to impersonate her twin at the prestigious private school Solina attended, plunging herself into a world of privilege, secrets, and dangerous power dynamics. Before going into this book, I do want to provide a content warning for SA. While not actually depicted in the book, the perpetrator is not punished whatsoever by the school administration despite clear evidence.

The depiction of grief in the novel is raw and unfiltered, capturing the depths of Luna’s pain in losing her twin sister and the lengths to which she’ll go for closure. In her quest, Luna unearths painful truths not only about the elite institution that harbors dark secrets but also about the sister she thought she knew. Gonzalez Rose does a remarkable job painting a sharp portrait of privilege and inequality, portraying wealthy, well-connected students who seem untouchable and an administration more concerned with preserving reputations than addressing allegations of assault. This setting of a high-stakes private school also highlights the pressures placed on students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, specifically scholarship students like Luna’s sister and her sister’s roommate, who are forced to navigate drugs, cheating, and an unspoken social hierarchy.

While there is a touch of romance, it remains secondary to Luna’s journey and is tinged with tension due to her hidden identity. The story’s feminist angle shines through as it exposes the unfair treatment and immunity that wealthy, white male students often experience, delivering biting commentary on issues that echo real-world injustices. The plot itself is fast-paced, with each twist driving you to uncover the secrets alongside Luna. As she delves deeper, Luna’s revelations not only reveal the fractured lives of those around her but also challenge her own understanding of her twin. Gonzalez Rose keeps readers guessing until the final reveal of the true perpetrator, which I found to be shocking but also fits perfectly with the message of the book involving societal norms in private schools. In the book’s conclusion, Luna achieves a bittersweet sense of closure with both her revenge and her acceptance of her sister’s death.

Overall, “The Girl You Know” is a powerful thriller that not only captivates with its mystery but also sheds light on poignant social issues, making it a must-read for fans of dark academia and stories that challenge societal norms.

THIS FREAKING BOOK!!!!

okay so i tend to be deliberate when choosing my mystery/thriller reads, and i knew this one would tick every box i had. the dark academia vibes, the take-no-shit main character, the sapphic elements; all of these were stellar. the fact that there was more than one reveal that i didn’t guess really worked for me. also, i feel like the comp title of “ace of spades” is the best one for this. uncovering a pile of shit under a school that puts on a flashy facade.

i cannot rec this book enough, and can’t wait to help it find its niche of readers of ya thrillers!!!!

This was the first book I've read from this author but it definitely won't be my last. I thought she did a great job crafting a story that had a really interesting premise. I knew that this was probably going to be a great fit for me after seeing it described as a Dark Academia Thriller and it was even better than I anticipated.

The storyline is fast-paced with characters that definitely bring out strong emotions from a reader. I was rooting for Luna and trying to solve the Mystery right alongside her.

I think this one is worth adding to your TBR!

Thank you Elle Gonzalez, Net Galley and Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Elite boarding school? Murder cover-up? Twin bond? Undercover mission? Sign me up! Reminiscent of "Good Girl's Guide to Murder," Luna thinks there's more to the story and takes it upon herself to reveal the truth. This one was a wild ride - I'm a sucker for a good thriller, but the loss aspect made it heartbreaking at the same time. I loved Luna's strong, feminist character and her growth from start to finish. Some parts lulled, but the ending felt SO satisfying! Thank you so much for the ARC!

Thank you Bloomsbury and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This is the most heartbreaking mystery I’ve read in so long!! Luna and Solina, identical twins, haven’t had the easiest life. Their mom died and their dad fell into addiction. They ran away from group home to a cousin they didn’t know. Now Luna works full time to give Solina all the opportunities she can have at her private school. Luna knows she’s going places. That is until Solina dies. The police rule it an accident or suicide, but Luna knows her sister would never do that to her. She knows someone at that school did something to her. She’s determined to find out, she’ll become Solina and make them pay. But the more she looks the more she realizes that her sister was a stranger. And there are multiple people who might have killed her. She’ll search for clues but also has to keep up with the rigorous schoolwork or they might kick her out before she gets her revenge. Can she capture a killer? Or will her sister’s secrets destroy her? “The bitch at table 3” could there be a better first sentence to a book?!! I knew that I was going to be hooked and I consumed it! Luna is so damn likeable! My heart broke for her and the hits just kept coming! Enthralling and heart pounding! Left me shattered! Do not miss this one!