A review by booksrbrainfood
The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

3.0

*This was not the real narrated audiobook*
This was a surprise offer to read and review The Initial Insult prior to publication, not by visually reading it, but by listening to an early synthetic voice release of the eARC. The voice was difficult at times to follow, causing me to go back to be certain that I heard something correctly. I think this was also due to this wild story!
There are multiple POVs and one of them is an actual cat. Crazy right? But essentially, without spoiling those who like to go into a mysterious or thriller read with zero knowledge of what to expect, this is a story about teenage girls who are on opposite ends of socioeconomic standing in their small town. It is based on a classic Poe story and has the atmosphere for it, if somewhat fluffier. Set in the small town of Amontillado, OH, the story centers on Tress who has lost her parents with no explanation as a small child and is living with her crazy grandfather who can't sufficiently care for her and Felicity, who is from the wealthy side of town, and who was being taken home by Tress's parents when they disappeared. Tress wants to know what Felicity knows and will try many ways to pry the truth from her.
The story takes off as the kids are having a costume party and ends on a cliff-hanger.
It was a fun read and hasn't changed my opinion of the author. I enjoy her work and will anticipate the conclusion to this duology.
#HarperChildrens #KatherineTegenBooks #TheInitialInsult #NetGalley