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A review by vaniavela
Mondays are Murder by Ravena Guron
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mondays are Murder follows Kay, who after losing her best friend and aunt—both tragically on a Monday—moves away from Longrove to escape the painful memories. When her parents go on an anniversary cruise, Kay is sent back to Longrove to stay with her grieving uncle and cousin. But the past quickly catches up with her, and what she thought were the worst memories to resurface turn out to be nothing compared to what’s coming. Someone wants her dead.
The cover alone is stunning, and the entire book gave me strong Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus vibes—two authors I really enjoy.
As I followed Kay through the twists and turns, I found myself suspecting everyone. Honestly, I didn’t expect the story to get so tangled up, and that's exactly why I’m not a fan of small towns! Guron does a brilliant job of weaving multiple layers into the story, keeping you hooked with every page turn while also tackling other teenage struggles and dilemmas.
A key element of Kay’s emotional journey is her relationship with her parents and her aunt. She holds her aunt in high regard, but she’s often critical of her parents. Over time, Kay begins to realize that her idealized view of her aunt, as well as her negative perception of her parents, might not be as straightforward as she thought. This personal growth is so relatable.
Another powerful theme in the book is how difficult things are often kept buried. The characters don’t talk about the painful experiences they’ve had, and instead, only the worst aspects of their lives surface. This leads to a deeper reflection on how avoiding hard conversations can affect relationships and our healing process.
I’m definitely going to check out more of Ravena Guron’s books in the future!
The cover alone is stunning, and the entire book gave me strong Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus vibes—two authors I really enjoy.
As I followed Kay through the twists and turns, I found myself suspecting everyone. Honestly, I didn’t expect the story to get so tangled up, and that's exactly why I’m not a fan of small towns! Guron does a brilliant job of weaving multiple layers into the story, keeping you hooked with every page turn while also tackling other teenage struggles and dilemmas.
A key element of Kay’s emotional journey is her relationship with her parents and her aunt. She holds her aunt in high regard, but she’s often critical of her parents. Over time, Kay begins to realize that her idealized view of her aunt, as well as her negative perception of her parents, might not be as straightforward as she thought. This personal growth is so relatable.
Another powerful theme in the book is how difficult things are often kept buried. The characters don’t talk about the painful experiences they’ve had, and instead, only the worst aspects of their lives surface. This leads to a deeper reflection on how avoiding hard conversations can affect relationships and our healing process.
I’m definitely going to check out more of Ravena Guron’s books in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use