Kayla Reviews THE IT GIRL

• Genre: Mystery/Thriller
• Length: 432 pages
• Buy: Amazon

Summary

April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford.

Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the second, April was dead.

Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder.

My Take

Thank you to #Netgalley and Gallery Books for an early look in exchange for an honest review.

I have been meaning to read a Ruth Ware book for a while because everyone says she’s fantastic. That said, I’m often leery of authors who receive such high praise because I’ve been disappointed before. Lucky for me, this book was FAR from a disappointment. 

The pacing was fast and kept me glued to the page nonstop. I couldn’t put it down! Whenever I’d get a break at work, I’d be reading this. 

Another thing that impressed me was Ware’s ability to craft believably flawed characters. Hannah is likable from the very beginning. The smart girl who feels slightly out of place amongst the wealthy students at Oxford is absolutely relatable. I would venture that I relate more to this character than to any I’ve read lately, especially in regards to her pregnancy and feelings on motherhood. There were a couple of times I found myself thinking, “Been there, girl,’ when Hannah’s pregnancy symptoms would kick in. 

The actual “It” girl was not so instantly likable, in my opinion, but that’s what makes this thriller so intriguing. April is the murder victim, but she’s far from an angelic martyr. I ended up liking April not because of her actions, but because of Hannah’s loyalty to her friend. 

As for the twist…yeah, Ware really got me there. 

Overall, this is a great read, and I imagine it will be a huge bestseller.