We Review...

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

This Book Kills is a new YA thriller set in an elite boarding school, Heybuckle School. When the most popular, rich boy in Heybuckle is murdered, hell breaks out. Jess is a scholarship student: not popular, not rich. Just a nobody, right? However, she somehow finds herself in the center of the murder investigation when the short story she wrote with her classmate, was used as an inspiration for Hugh’s murder. It also doesn’t help that the school has an anonymous secret club called “The Regia Club”, where students are asked to pull dangerous pranks on each other. The adults know about this, but none dare to interfere due to the reputation and power the group hold. Together with the people she gets close to along the way, they try to unmask the murderer and bring down the Regia Club. But Jess has to act fast, or else she might just be the next one dead…

There were quite a few important topics discussed throughout, such as sexism and racism. I feel like people would relate to Jess, being shy and awkward as well as being the “scholarship girl” in a posh high school, where she feels the need to prove herself worthy of being there. All the characters had their own unique personalities which were expanded upon through character development and I feel like this book really does show what a typical high school is like, meaning there were some characters that I really wanted to punch.

The pacing was done incredibly well, and kept me so immersed in the book. I remember deciding to start reading this book at night (big mistake) and ended up flying through the pages, unable to stop! There were constant scandals, secrets, and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing right to the very end, which kept the whole book fresh and exciting.

Overall, this book is definitely worth reading, especially those who are fans of murder mystery. We dive straight into action and the constant twists and turns are so captivating that it will keep you on your toes.

- E, DofE Volunteer