They Wish They Were Us

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I hate the guts of the characters. I couldn’t connect any of them including MC Jill Newman . When I cannot relate with the character, reading about her inner monologues, her actions, motives, choices turned into a torturous reading session. Yo me he visto sumido en cada palabra de esta novela. Quería saber más, más, más. Quería que Jill, la protagonista, volviera al pasado a contarme una escena concreta con uno de los personajes secundarios, o saber qué narices pasaría con la nueva oleada de Jugadores y sus retos para acceder a formar parte. Quería saber cada detalle. I think the biggest reason why I developed a major dislike ( choosing fancy words because I refuse to use 'hate') for this book is because of the length. The power that comes from our anger, our envy. The power that we crave and the power that we don’t even notice. The power that Something I did love were the characters. They were so different and multifaceted, something that isn’t usually covered so well in a clique-y book like this. Everyone assumes that the popular kids are the popular kids and the chess girls are the chess girls and the nerds are the nerds. That’s just them. But they are not and we are not.

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. Jill's best friend, Shailia died on initiation night freshman year and her boyfriend, Graham was arrested for her murder and now 3 years later...questions are emerging, did he really do it? 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.

I could almost forgive the non - existent mystery; it is very obvious from the beginning who the murderer is. Again, I wouldn't have a problem with that if the rest of the book was alright. Jessica Goodman’s thrilling debut is a modern-day Gossip Girl—but darker.”– Marie Claire, The Best Fiction by Women in 2020 But now that we’re actually here, parked in the Gold Coast Prep senior lot for the first time, a shiver slinks down my spine. We still have to get through Shaila’s memorial and it hangs over us like a cloud, ready to rain all over the fun. I really enjoyed this one! I listened to the audiobook, and something about the narrator annoyed me, so I think I would've liked it a touch more if I had read the physical copy.

Every year, 8 of the freshmen- veryyy creatively referred to as- undies- in the book are chosen as 'Players' by the senior year 'Players'. Megan Miranda, New York Timesbestselling author of All the Missing Girls, The Perfect Stranger, and The Last Guest House 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.Interesting Plot? Yes. Not very original, not going to lie, but it was intriguing. But did it deliver?