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The Perfectionists (Perfectionists, 1)

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Book details

  1. Book 1 of 2
    Perfectionists
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    HarperTeen
  5. Publication date
    May 12, 2015
  6. Grade level
    9 - 12
  7. Reading age
    14 - 17 years
  8. Dimensions
    5.31 x 0.79 x 8 inches
  9. ISBN-10
    0062074504
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0062074508
  11. See all details
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Book overview

Don’t miss the Freeform TV series, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists!

From Sara Shepard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series, comes a series that’s perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and We Were Liars, now in paperback.

Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie, Julie, and Parker are all driven to be perfect—no matter the cost.

At first the girls think they have nothing in common, until they discover that they all hate the same person: handsome womanizer Nolan Hotchkiss, who's done things to hurt each of them.

They come up with the perfect plan to murder Nolan—jokingly, of course. They'd never actually go through with it. But when Nolan turns up dead in the exact way they'd discussed, the girls suddenly become prime suspects in his murder.

Only, they didn't do it.

So who did? Unless they find the real killer, and soon, any one of them may be the next to die….

Review

“Fans of Pretty Little Liars will line up for this new-but-familiar guilty pleasure.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

A “scintillating series kickoff. Shepard expertly crafts characters that are morally complicated, yet sympathetic.” — Publishers Weekly

“Suspenseful and juicy.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Thoroughly unputdownable. Fans of the author’s Pretty Little Liars series and the Lying Game series won’t be disappointed.” — Booklist

“This novel contains an in–depth, multifaceted plot….Well written and interesting.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: “An intriguing tale full of provocative exploits and adventure…It will not disappoint the fans.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Shepard writes a suspenseful page–turner that will have teens thirsting for more.” — School Library Journal

“Expect this teenage soap opera to fly off the shelves.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for THE LYING GAME: “The Lying Game is a stay–up–past–your–bedtime type of thriller…full of amazingly believable plot twists and turns.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“A fun and fast–moving mystery…[readers] will race through the pages as Emma pieces together clues.” — Publishers Weekly

“A thrilling mystery with just the right doses of romance and danger.” — School Library Journal

From the Back Cover

Five perfect girls. One perfect murder.

In Beacon Heights, Washington, five high school seniors know that you don't have to be good to be perfect.

Mackenzie, Ava, Caitlin, Julie, and Parker are all driven to be perfect—no matter the cost. At first these five girls think they have nothing in common, until they discover they all hate the same person: rich, entitled Nolan, who's done terrible things to each of them. They come up with the perfect plan to murder Nolan—a hypothetical murder, of course. It's all wishful thinking . . . until they wake up one morning to find that their wish came true. Nolan was killed, in exactly the way they planned. The thing is, they didn't do it. So who did?

Suddenly the girls are the prime suspects in the murder. And they need to find the real killer before their perfect lives are ended—for good.

About the Author

Sara Shepard is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game, as well as the series The Perfectionists. She graduated from New York University and has an MFA from Brooklyn College.

About the author

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Sara Shepard
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Hello! For lots of updates, follow me on twitter at @sarabooks, on Instagram at @saracshepard, and on Snapchat at sarabooks. I try very hard to get back to everyone, so send me a message!

I'm from outside Philadelphia, lived in New York for a long time, Arizona for less time, and now I'm in Pittsburgh, PA.

At five, I made up stories about my sister's blanket, BeeBee. From there I wrote about squareheaded creatures, an environmental saga about little yellow men who live in vegetable gardens, teenage dramas well before I was a teenager, a book series about a Japanese girl who finds out her ancestors are samaurai (and she must be one, too), a bunch of arty short stories, and some books that maybe you've heard of. The PRETTY LITTLE LIARS series is based on my experiences there...kind of.

I've also written THE LYING GAME, which is about a dead twin and an alive twin, THE HEIRESSES, which is about a rich family's curse, and THE PERFECTIONISTS, which is about five somewhat strangers who get everything they wanted...but that comes at a price. I wrote THE VISIBLES, which is about jackalopes and mental illness, and EVERYTHING WE EVER WANTED, which features a guy who discovers his ex lives on a commune. And then there's THE AMATEURS, a three-part series about amateur detectives (with a lot of soapy love stuff thrown in-- and a lot of scary, dark moments too). And finally, THE ELIZAS, which is about a young, unreliable narrator trying to figure out if someone's trying to kill her.

Hit me up on twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat if you want to chat!

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Frequently bought together

The Perfectionists (Perfectionists, 1)
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The Good Girls (Perfectionists, 2)
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Pretty Little Liars: Pretty Little Secrets (Pretty Little Liars Companion Novel)

Frequently bought together

The Perfectionists (Perfectionists, 1)
This item: The Perfectionists (Perfectionists, 1)
$10.99
The Good Girls (Perfectionists, 2)
The Good Girls (Perfectionists, 2)
$9.99
Pretty Little Liars: Pretty Little Secrets (Pretty Little Liars Companion Novel)
Pretty Little Liars: Pretty Little Secrets (Pretty Little Liars Companion Novel)
$9.99
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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars4.4 out of 5
1,038 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the storyline incredible, suspenseful, and appealing. They also describe the pacing as super fast and the writing style as very similar. Readers say the story is hard to put down. However, some find the characters less relatable.

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StorylinePacingWriting styleStoryEntertainment valueCharacters
StorylinePacingWriting styleStoryEntertainment valueCharacters
16Customers mention
16Positive
0Negative

Customers find the storyline incredible, great, and addicting. They say the characters and plot draw them in and hold their interest. Readers also mention the book is suspenseful and exciting.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...She builds tension and creates suspense as the investigation heats up and the police begin to hone in on their suspect and as the girls try to catch..." Read more

"...Love the characters too, they were easy to like, hate, etc. Love this book" Read more

"...2. Too similar to Pretty Little Liars without the fear factor. It's suspenseful, but I like when a killer taunts you... so far, the killer and the 5..." Read more

"...'ve read by her, this book has its share of red herrings, and plenty of good suspects to keep me flying through the pages...." Read more

8Customers mention
8Positive
0Negative

Customers find the pacing of the book super fast and easy to read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...PERFECTIONISTS is a must for fans of the author, readers who want a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read, and those who like a mystery that won’t be..." Read more

"...has got me hooked on her books - especially because they're such easy reads I can typically get through them in a day...." Read more

"...But it's still a good quick read with fun and drama -- something we all like to see in our stories!" Read more

"Love this mini series read both books in about 3 weeks. Super fast read you'll never want to put down...." Read more

8Customers mention
8Positive
0Negative

Customers find the writing style very similar to other books written by Sara Shepard. They also say that the book is wonderful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...Her writing style is fun and creative and will leave you on the edge of your seat. I read all of her Pretty Little Liars novels...." Read more

"...The perfectionists, while not PLL, def. has a very similar writing style - I guess Shepard knows when she hit a home run, not to differ too much...." Read more

"...Sara Shepard writes wonderful books, and this one is no exception." Read more

"...It’s such a fast, easy read & hard to put down! Warning- the book ends abruptly & on the edge of a cliff, so to speak ;) have book 2 ready & waiting!!" Read more

4Customers mention
4Positive
0Negative

Customers find the story hard to put down and easy to like.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...Love the characters too, they were easy to like, hate, etc. Love this book" Read more

"...It’s such a fast, easy read & hard to put down! Warning- the book ends abruptly & on the edge of a cliff, so to speak ;) have book 2 ready & waiting!!" Read more

"...It was really short and easy. I had to try very hard not to finish it in one night. I would have taken off a star if it wasn't by Sara Shepherd." Read more

"The Perfectionists keeps you interested the entire time and is so hard to put down. You just can't resist reading just one more page...." Read more

3Customers mention
3Positive
0Negative

Customers find the book entertaining.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...Suspenseful, fun, exciting and a little bit wicked, THE PERFECTIONISTS is a must for fans of the author, readers who want a quick and thoroughly..." Read more

"it was a very interesting and entertaining read. it kept me wanting more and the ending is definitely a cliffhanger!" Read more

"fun, fast, easy read..." Read more

5Customers mention
0Positive
5Negative

Customers find the characters in the book vain and less relatable. They also say the book is very similar to Pretty Little Liars.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

"...-down from Pretty Little Liars and it also seems to be very similar to Pretty Little Liars...." Read more

"...But it was very similar to pretty little liars...." Read more

"...the same if not extremely similar vain but with different, less relatable characters...." Read more

"Good. Too many characters to get to know. Excited to see how it ends in book 2. I like sequels" Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

Heather Strong
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
A Must Read!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2017
I must first start off by saying that I love Sara Shepard. When things are tough and I just want to read a book that flows and is an easy read, Shepard is my go-to. Her writing style is fun and creative and will leave you on the edge of your seat. I read all of her Pretty... See more
I must first start off by saying that I love Sara Shepard. When things are tough and I just want to read a book that flows and is an easy read, Shepard is my go-to. Her writing style is fun and creative and will leave you on the edge of your seat. I read all of her Pretty Little Liars novels. Once I saw that there was a new TV show in the making of this series, I HAD to read it. This story follows Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie, Julie, and Parker. All students who go above and beyond to achieve greatness with their education and everything else in their lives. Most of these girls are not too close, but they have one thing in common for sure: Nolan. A ruthless bully who has left an impact on all of their lives for different reasons. But when the girls plan a prank to get back at a Nolan, something goes wrong. In the same night as the prank, at a high school party, Nolan ends up dead and these girls are at the top of the suspect list! This is for sure a page turner! I am SO GLAD that I bought the second book the same time I bought this one because I have to see what happens next in this cliff hanger!! Happy reading!!! This one should be on your list!
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Fiktshun
4.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
A wildly entertaining and highly addictive mystery
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2014
Revenge, murder, mystery, secrets, lies, betrayal, a touch of romance, and a few surprise twists make Sara Shepard’s THE PERFECTIONISTS a wildly entertaining and highly addictive read. Told in the alternating point’s of view of five girls - Caitlin, Julie, Ava, Mackenzie... See more
Revenge, murder, mystery, secrets, lies, betrayal, a touch of romance, and a few surprise twists make Sara Shepard’s THE PERFECTIONISTS a wildly entertaining and highly addictive read. Told in the alternating point’s of view of five girls - Caitlin, Julie, Ava, Mackenzie and Parker - who sought vengeance against a boy who made their lives, and everyone else’s, a living hell, a boy who just happened to be murdered in a way very similar to how they’d jokingly planned to do it shortly after their prank that placed them at the scene of the crime, this story with its lightning fast pace will immediately grab readers and keep them hooked.

With a number of potential suspects, including the girls themselves, unraveling the mystery about who really killed Nolan Hotchkiss won’t be easy. Especially when, with each new chapter, secrets are revealed, creating doubt and suspicion, and when new information comes to light that makes those who appear to be the most guilty seem innocent.

And with five protagonists whose personalities, lives, goals, and reasons for hating Nolan Hotchkiss are very different, discovering what those reasons are and finding out who can be trusted or who might be hiding something, makes this a real page turner.

Author Sara Shepard teases readers with each new revelation, each jaw-dropping twist, each surprise. She builds tension and creates suspense as the investigation heats up and the police begin to hone in on their suspect and as the girls try to catch who they think is guilty. She introduces interesting and appealing characters to tell this story who readers will want to know more about, whose secrets they’ll want to uncover, and whose innocence they’ll be hoping for.

THE PERFECTIONISTS is the first book in this new two-book series by the author, which means that not every question will be answered by the story’s end. And as it is told from five different point’s of view, there is still plenty to be discovered about each character’s story in the next book. While much is left up in the air, the author struck the right balance between revealing too little and too much, creating a very satisfying read that allows readers to get to know enough to become invested in the characters and the plot and make them anxious for the next installment.

Suspenseful, fun, exciting and a little bit wicked, THE PERFECTIONISTS is a must for fans of the author, readers who want a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read, and those who like a mystery that won’t be quite so easy to solve.
2 people found this helpful
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Danie
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
This book is an amazing follow up to those incredible books
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2015
When I was done with PLL there was the lying games, when the lying games ended I wondered what I was going to do with myself. Sara Shepards books have been the guilty pleasure to my adult reading. This book is an amazing follow up to those incredible books. She seriously... See more
When I was done with PLL there was the lying games, when the lying games ended I wondered what I was going to do with myself. Sara Shepards books have been the guilty pleasure to my adult reading. This book is an amazing follow up to those incredible books. She seriously has got me hooked on her books - especially because they're such easy reads I can typically get through them in a day. The perfectionists, while not PLL, def. has a very similar writing style - I guess Shepard knows when she hit a home run, not to differ too much. Though, a little difference could be nice - and a little difference is what you get with this book, which is why it's so great. Love the characters too, they were easy to like, hate, etc. Love this book
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Athenarose
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
5 Stars, I Love It
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2014
I am loving this book! The book came in wonderful condition, with nothing wrong with it. The only problem I had with delivery was my mail lady putting the book in the mail box, which has proved to be a problem in the past, and I was ready to be fuming if I had to pull and... See more
I am loving this book! The book came in wonderful condition, with nothing wrong with it. The only problem I had with delivery was my mail lady putting the book in the mail box, which has proved to be a problem in the past, and I was ready to be fuming if I had to pull and yank my book out, and it getting torn. That happily did not happen at all, and the book is perfectly fine. Sara Shepard writes wonderful books, and this one is no exception.
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James J. Cudney IV (Jay)
3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Fun Escape into the Minds of Teenagers with Secrets - Who's behind all this drama?
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2016
3 stars to Sara Shepard's The Perfectionists. A few things to say on how I chose this book before I get into a review of it: Earlier this year, I found myself with some free time and an interest in watching Pretty Little Liars. I had seen several commercials and... See more
3 stars to Sara Shepard's The Perfectionists. A few things to say on how I chose this book before I get into a review of it:

Earlier this year, I found myself with some free time and an interest in watching Pretty Little Liars. I had seen several commercials and thought that despite it sounding like it was more for a young adult crowd, I would give it a chance. I love suspense, intrigue and drama when I read or watch a movie or TV. I finished the first season in a week and was hooked -- who was "A" and when would we find out? Since I'm practically a "read-the-last-page-of-a-book kinda guy," I immediately searched for spoilers all over the internet which is when I learned it was actually based off of series of books. (Note, I want to know spoilers of what will happen -- not the whole ending -- as I still want to feel suspense). I continued my research and finished the whole series within the month. Unfortunately, once I see a movie or TV show that is a remake of a book, I find it hard to read the book without already having a certain perception of the characters and story. Given this one was over ten books, I wasn't going to sink into reading them but if it's a really good story, sometimes I can still read a single book afterwards. And that's when I saw that Sara Shepard had another book series called "The Perfectionists" that was being optioned as a potential new TV series. BOOM! I could read the books first this time. And so, I put it on my list and it arrived last week which is how I chose to read The Perfectionists...

I gave 3 stars because while the story is good, it's a bit of a let-down from Pretty Little Liars and it also seems to be very similar to Pretty Little Liars. Change the lies, change the cast, change the setting and you've got a new story... well, it had its strengths but it also had some weaknesses. I'll definitely read the second book (even tho I accidentally read who I think is the killer on someone's review) to see how it all plays out. It's definitely more of a young adult book than other YA books I have read but it is still a fun read -- took me about 3 to 4 hours to finish yesterday.

Story
Five (5) 17 year old girls who are not quite friends (just go to the same school together) are doing a review in their film class of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None. " Challenged to determine whether a killer is justified in killing and/or whether someone deserves to die, the 5 stumble upon a connection in that they all hate Nolan Hotchkiss for various reasons. They agree on how they'd kill him (all in good fun) since they believe sometimes murder is an acceptable solution -- and then go on with their lives. It was afterall just a fun conversation except that it seems someone must have overheard their plans...

At some point, they have an opportunity to get revenge on Nolan at his house party and use part of their plan to pull a prank on him -- not to kill him. The next morning after the party where they attempt the prank, they learn he has died from a possible overdose. The girls feel bad but they didn't actually do anything except slip him 1 pill. And then a few days later, they learn he died in the exact way they had theorized - murder by cyanide poisoning. Fear strikes each of the girls as they already had their own issues to deal with between past accidents, cheating boyfriends, college plans, falling in love, shady teachers/therapists and bad parents.

Book 1 walks you through all of the major players, their immediate families and friends setting up a long list of possible suspects. By the end, there's a second death and several of the girls are people of interest to the local police. Book 1 ends with the girls realizing the person they all thought was the killer couldn't be and now they are back at square 1 -- only this time they are clearly number 1 on the police hit list.

Strengths
1. Large cast with varied characters and families. Each of the girls have their own troubles to deal with: sick mother, twisted father, 2 gay moms, overly strict parents, step-parents, etc. Each has a boyfriend of sorts who is either cheating or being cheated on... helps you flush out who they all are.

2. Suspense is good. Each chapter ends with a good conflict or question. You want to keep reading and it's hard to just put it down for a while.

Weaknesses
1. Writing is too easy. It's YA, but I think it's a bit too fluffy and could be stronger.

2. Too similar to Pretty Little Liars without the fear factor. It's suspenseful, but I like when a killer taunts you... so far, the killer and the 5 girls have had no interaction whatsoever.

Final Thoughts
I like Sara Shepard's style and approach. She crafts good stories and characters. She knows how to entice her audience. She has a lot of books so it may get difficult to keep up the intrigue and mystery which I can see happening in this story. But it's still a good quick read with fun and drama -- something we all like to see in our stories!
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Cameron Logan
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
You'll never want to put this down
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2019
Love this mini series read both books in about 3 weeks. Super fast read you'll never want to put down. I really hope they don't make the TV show totally random and nothing like the books like with pretty little lairs
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Jaclyn
4.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Just what I was expecting, in a good way.
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2015
Here are a few things that you need to know before reading a Sara Shepard book: 1. The guilty party will never be the first person the girls (because the main characters are always teenage girls) suspect. The girls will suspect someone obvious (or obviously set... See more
Here are a few things that you need to know before reading a Sara Shepard book:

1. The guilty party will never be the first person the girls (because the main characters are always teenage girls) suspect. The girls will suspect someone obvious (or obviously set up) and then be too blindsighted to consider the possibility that they could be mistaken or that the killer is smart enough to fake them out.

2. You'll be left hanging until the last possible moment of the last book in the series, so unless the book is a one-off like a The Heiresses (and even then..), better prepare yourself by gathering up the other books in the series before starting the first one, because once you start, you'll want to binge-read until you finally get some answers.

3. The cops/detectives working the case are the most inept bunch around. And they all seem to think that teenage girls are criminal masterminds.

I've read plenty of Sara Shepard books, and I've come to enjoy these 3 givens. As with the other books I've read by her, this book has its share of red herrings, and plenty of good suspects to keep me flying through the pages. Because this is a two-parter, it ends on a cliffhanger. Sara Shepard books are my guilty pleasure, and this one was just as fun as they usually are. I'm moving onto the second book in the 2-book "series" immediately so I can get some closure, but I definitely enjoyed the ride.
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H. Albert
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Love love love
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2018
LOVE this book & how many characters you get to know. It’s such a fast, easy read & hard to put down! Warning- the book ends abruptly & on the edge of a cliff, so to speak ;) have book 2 ready & waiting!!
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Top reviews from other countries

Lizzie
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
5 stars
Reviewed in Canada on September 9, 2020
Exactly as described
Exactly as described

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Ro
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Muy buena compra
Reviewed in Mexico on May 18, 2020
El envío llegó mas rápido de lo que pensaba y en muy buenas condiciones, un libro muy ligero y fluido, el ritmo de este no da tiempo de aburrirte y es de sencilla lectura para quienes comienzan a leer en inglés.
El envío llegó mas rápido de lo que pensaba y en muy buenas condiciones, un libro muy ligero y fluido, el ritmo de este no da tiempo de aburrirte y es de sencilla lectura para quienes comienzan a leer en inglés.

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Basia
5.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2018
I read this absolutely amazing book in 5 days! The book is so addictive and unable to put down because you just want to know who killed who, what happened to who and the truth! Sara Shepard perfectly mixes the the 2 genres of teen drama and murder mystery into 1 book. She...See more
I read this absolutely amazing book in 5 days! The book is so addictive and unable to put down because you just want to know who killed who, what happened to who and the truth! Sara Shepard perfectly mixes the the 2 genres of teen drama and murder mystery into 1 book. She drops hints about experiences that have happened to the characters and it keeps you gripped in every chapter! The 5 main characters also have a variety of mental health issues and different backgrounds (like most of the characters in Sara Shepard books) so it is very relatable if you have had a dark past. Summary: 5 schoolgirls, Mackenzie, Ava, Parker, Julie and Caitlin have all been tortured by the popular boy and school bully, Nolan Hotchkiss. One day in film studies class the 5 girls discuss how they would kill Nolan if they were going to. Someone ends up killing Nolan the exact way they said they would and this person is framing the 5 girls for the murder. It is now their job to clear their name and find the real killer. Overall this is an amazing book which is really easy to get into to. If you have read and enjoyed Sara Shepard’s ‘Pretty Little Liars’ series then you will definitely enjoy this book. There is also a sequel to this book called ‘The Good Girls’ which wraps up the story. I am still yet to read ‘The Good Girls’ but I am sure it will be just as amazing! By 11 yr old, Liam Farrell
I read this absolutely amazing book in 5 days! The book is so addictive and unable to put down because you just want to know who killed who, what happened to who and the truth! Sara Shepard perfectly mixes the the 2 genres of teen drama and murder mystery into 1 book. She drops hints about experiences that have happened to the characters and it keeps you gripped in every chapter! The 5 main characters also have a variety of mental health issues and different backgrounds (like most of the characters in Sara Shepard books) so it is very relatable if you have had a dark past.

Summary:

5 schoolgirls, Mackenzie, Ava, Parker, Julie and Caitlin have all been tortured by the popular boy and school bully, Nolan Hotchkiss. One day in film studies class the 5 girls discuss how they would kill Nolan if they were going to. Someone ends up killing Nolan the exact way they said they would and this person is framing the 5 girls for the murder. It is now their job to clear their name and find the real killer.

Overall this is an amazing book which is really easy to get into to. If you have read and enjoyed Sara Shepard’s ‘Pretty Little Liars’ series then you will definitely enjoy this book. There is also a sequel to this book called ‘The Good Girls’ which wraps up the story. I am still yet to read ‘The Good Girls’ but I am sure it will be just as amazing!

By 11 yr old, Liam Farrell
3 people found this helpful

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Ramya suharika
2.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Quality poor
Reviewed in India on February 3, 2018
Bad n cheap quality paper
Bad n cheap quality paper

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sarah24747
4.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
I loved this book
Reviewed in Australia on July 15, 2017
I loved this book. It had a hint of familiarity with pretty little liars but wasnt so similar that it was boring or predictable. Such a good read i couldnt put it down
I loved this book. It had a hint of familiarity with pretty little liars but wasnt so similar that it was boring or predictable. Such a good read i couldnt put it down

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