Review: They Wish They Were Us, Jessica Goodman

They Wish They Were Us was on my TBR for a little while, now. A murdered best friend, a secret society, I was SO excited to get into what seemed to be such an exciting read. Did I enjoy it? Read on for my full review!

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
Published by Razorbill on August 4, 2020
Genres: mystery, thriller, young adult
Format: Paperback
Buy on Amazon, Book Depository, Bookshop, Blackwell's
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A murder mystery set against the backdrop of an exclusive prep school on Long Island.
In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.
Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.
Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.
But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

violence, on-page character death, attempted rape, cheating, self-harm (implied), drug use, alcohol consumption, blood depiction, murder, hazing, confinement in a small, dark place, mention of spiders.

There are no spoilers in this review.

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I ENJOYED…

☂️

• Take Gossip Girl, add a dash of secret societies and a little bit of a murder no one can forget and you’ll get They Wish They Were Us. Not going to lie: this is what drew me to this book in the first place, this excellent mix it seemed to be between one of my favorite show with the rich and dramatic and thrilling mystery stories. I’m happy to say: this book delivered.
• One of my favorite things about They Wish They Were Us is the concept of the Players. It’s sort of a secret society, with the exception that it’s not that secret. Everyone wants to be a Player, to be admired by everyone and to be the best at everything, just as well. I really liked how they were introduced and the rules the author set for this little group, too. I thought that was such a great concept overall and well-played into the story.
• The story is told through Jill, senior, Player, on a scholarship (but no one knows), not quite the same since her best friend was murdered freshman year. I really enjoyed following her journey as she, little by little, take matters into her own hands to solve the mystery of her friend’s murder… and realizes the truth about the kind of person she’s become and the one she really wants to be. She’s passionate and angry and determined and also a little bit lost all at once and I really rooted for her from the start.

• Jill is surrounded by an interesting cast of characters, some of them friends, some others not really. One of the things I enjoyed the most is how layered some characters around Jill were. They’re not all black and white, all good or bad and I loved that. It was also great to see the relationships between them grow. Nikki’s a fierce badass, Henry’s an adorable cinnamon roll, Quentin, oh I really liked him and his moments with Jill, too.
• The writing style was another bonus point for me. I felt compelled to read on, captivated by the story and the emotions the author conveyed with her writing, too. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…

☂️

• My only criticism is about the pacing of the story. I feel like the real thrilling part takes a little bit of time to start. Sure, this leaves plenty of room for the atmosphere to properly set up, for you to start wondering about everything, but… I wanted to be thrown into the exciting part of who-has-done-it a little quicker.

OVERALL

☂️

If you’re a fan of thrilling murder mysteries with a prestigious elite school backdrop, you’ll love They Wish They Were Us. This lovely YA thriller kept me on the edge of my seat and I definitely recommend it!

FINAL RATING : 4 stars

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📚 Books similar to They Wish They Were Us that I’d recommend:

• For a school backdrop and a mysterious murder, check out The Ivies, Alexa Donne

Did you read They Wish They Were Us, or do you want to? What was the last thriller you’ve read? Let me know in comments!

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