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They Wish They Were Us

This one is really, really good. 

SUMMARY

After a tragic start to her high school career, Jill Newman is *finally* a senior. Walking into Gold Coast Prep, Jill's friend group since freshman year sits in the front row of each year's opening assembly. For the third year in a row since the death of Jill's dearest friend and most daring Player, Shaila Arnold is honored for her dazzling life before she was murdered by her boyfriend and former Player, Graham Calloway. 

At this point, you should probably know what a 'Player' is. A Player is the name for a member of the most elite social group at Gold Coast Prep. Senior Players choose the fittest and coolest freshman candidates for Players every year in the fall. The freshman candidates must prove their worth by performing 'pops' - near impossible challenges issued by the seniors to freshmen. The Players are an elite and tight-knit friend group (which is why the murder of Shaila Arnnold still rings in the group's ears); however, two facts are simple, but true and not good. (1) When the Players are out of school (and sometimes in school), they are always drunk. Always. Every pop, every party, every challenge, every sleepover, every game night is always supplied with an unhealthy amount of booze. (2) The Players cheat. With an entire app full of photocopied tests and asssessment answers, members are always top-notch students who all attend Ivy League universities. Man, constantly drunk + having good grades. Those reeeeeally go together. 

Graham did it, mudered Shaila, I mean. There's no question, right? He was covered in blood on the beach that night. He confessed. He must have. That's what everyone thought, until this year. This year, after all, was supposed to be different. Supposed to be more tame. Supposed to be less dangerous. Supposed to keep the fun comraderie and lose the drunk, reckless, hook-up culture. Jill realizes the Players will be no different this year, but Graham's guilt might be. 

REVIEW

While I expected this book to have a little more of a msyterious element to it, the ending had me reeling. As you all know, I've read enough books to call myself a conisseur in YA-mystery-ending-guessing (*hair flip*). I had no idea that this book would end in the manner it did. While reading I really never asked WHODUNIT? because I knew who. I got a big head a little bit; I'll admit it. To make a long sotry short (too late), you WON'T guess the ending of this book. The red herrings were just - MUAH - *chef's kiss*. 

The characters are vivid - the secret / not-so-secret society environment makes for designing and excuting larger than life charcters very natural. Even more enjoyable was the setting. Gold Coast is described impeccably: the quientessential East Coast rich town. Y'all, lil bookworm, innocent Hallie wanted to be a Player (until later, but you get what I mean). If my wish to be part of such a riske group doesn't tell you how well the Players are described, I don't know what will. 

I ate. this. book. up. Absolutely to die for. Well done, Jessica Goodman. They Wish They Were Us absolutely deserves the hype it receives. Must read this summer. FIVE BRIGHT STARS. 


*TW: Murder (it IS a murder mystery), grief, alcohol/drug (light) abuse, rape/sexual assault (light), sex
Age Range: 14/15+
ISBN: 9780593114292
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Tags: YA fiction, mystery, YA mystery, prep-school fiction, Jessica Goodman
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