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clairebartholomew549's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was an absolutely delicious thriller. It unfolds at a steady pace, with a slowly creeping sense of wrongness that starts from the beginning. Belle is an intriguing heroine, with a lot of backbone but enough of doormat syndrome to understand why she's stayed friends with Summer for so long. The luxuriousness is lush and fun, and St. John does a great job of showing the dark underbelly of that type of wealth - extreme control, misogyny, awful business practices, etc. I was really invested in where the story was going, and the way things unravel was extremely satisfying. I loved this one!
The romance feels a little shoehorned in - I was way more invested in Summer and Belle's friendship - and the ending of course wraps things up a little too perfectly. But I can forgive those minor nits - this book is an incredibly fun romp.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism