05/01/2018
Gr 9 Up–In Monica's family, they don't talk about her older sister Jennifer's death. It's been years since five of Sunnybrook High School's most popular cheerleaders died in seemingly unconnected events, but Monica's family never really processed their grief. On the fifth anniversary of her sister's suicide, Monica discovers a pile of anonymous letters hidden in her stepfather's desk. These notes urge the police officer to reexamine the evidence, hinting that the deaths were all connected. Knowing her stepdad is ignoring the letters, Monica decides to delve into the subject herself, but soon her curiosity becomes an obsession, driving a wedge between herself and everyone she cares about. Monica and Jennifer's stories are told through alternating chapters, creating suspenseful cliff-hangers, but also a variation in pace and genre. Monica's sections speed along like a frenetic thriller as she teases out her sister's and the town's secrets, while Jennifer's chapters take on the quiet unease of a drama as she responds to first the betrayal and then the death of her friends. Following its characters' temperaments and decisions, the atmosphere is at times eerie, exciting, and even frightening. Though the realistic depictions of abuse and sexual violence might be too much for sensitive readers, the ending offers hope of healing through a dark, but empowering conclusion. VERDICT This deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a must-have for high school libraries.—Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA
2018-04-10
Years after a series of horrific events left five young women from a cheerleading squad dead, the sister of one of them begins to suspect that justice has not been done.Sixteen-year-old Monica is beginning her school year recovering from terminating an unplanned pregnancy after having a summer fling with a guy in his 20s. The physical and emotional pain that she feels is only compounded by the five-year anniversary of her kind and caring older sister Jen's death. Jen died by suicide, seemingly in reaction to two of her friends' dying in a car accident and then, just weeks later, two others being brutally murdered by an obsessed neighbor, who was then shot and killed by Jen and Monica's police officer stepfather. However, Monica makes some discoveries that cause her to begin questioning this story, and she doggedly pursues each loose end she can find. The fantastical setup underpinning this contemporary mystery is intricate, and readers may struggle to keep track of all the characters as the narrative moves between the first-person present perspective of Monica and Jen's third-person flashbacks. Yet, it cleverly layers a veneer of doubt over each of the players in the story, effectively keeping the audience guessing until the very end. Monica and her family are white, and there is diversity in secondary characters.A busy, but satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise. (Mystery. 14-18)
Praise for The Cheerleaders:
A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults
A Goodreads Best Young Adult Book of the Year Nominee
“Sharp, brilliantly plotted, and totally engrossing. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story twisted again. Kara Thomas should teach a master class in suspense.” —KAREN M. MCMANUS, New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
“A little bit Riverdale and a little bit Veronica Mars, The Cheerleaders is a twisty page-turner that will have you doubting every character you meet—and everything you think you know.” —RILEY SAGER, bestselling author of Final Girls
"A crafty, dark, and disturbing story, but in Thomas's masterful book, the real crime is how dangerous it is to grow up female. The Cheerleaders is a riveting read."—KATHLEEN GLASGOW, New York Times bestselling author of Girl In Pieces
“At times eerie, exciting, and even frightening…this deliciously deceptive thriller and provocative drama is a must-have.”—SLJ
“Keeping the audience guessing until the very end…[The Cheerleaders is a] satisfying, whodunnit with a solution as complicated as its premise.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Thomas builds her novel around an appealingly gruesome case…beset by herrings, and it keeps the pace moving at a solid clip….A solid pick for mystery fans.”—Booklist
Praise for Little Monsters:
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"A disturbing portrait of how bad news and gossip can curdle when mixed together."-Oprah.com
"An eerie and masterly psychological thriller...[that] culminates in a shocking and disturbing ending. Thomas expertly captures the pointed nuances and the fickle, manipulative bonds of adolescent girls’ friendships."-SLJ
"Taut and suspenseful...this gritty page-turner will easily hook a broad range of readers"-Booklist
"An intense psychological thriller that all but ensures the lights will be left on between dusk and dawn."-Publishers Weekly
"Gritty and realistic...this mystery will leave readers in awe."-VOYA
"A twisted story of obsession and manipulation, Little Monsters captivated me right up to its surprising conclusion—and left me wondering how well I really know my friends."-CHELSEA SEDOTI, author of The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
"A brilliant, well-written masterpiece, full of unreliable narrators, suspense, and plot twists that will leave you at the edge of your seat."-Inah P., The Bibliophile Confessions
“A twisted and evocative tale of teenage friendships, obsession, and family dynamics all wrapped up in a mystery that is as compelling as it is dark.”-Liz, Liz Loves Books
"The ending left me staring slack-jawed."-Leah Lorenzo, Bumble Bee Books
“Little Monsters was absolutely amazing. It pulled me in and now that I am done with it, I am going to have such a major book hangover....Every time I thought I was close to having [the mystery] figured out, Kara Thomas would throw something at us and it would change EVERYTHING!”-Stephanie Torina, Reading is Better With Cupackes
Praise for The Darkest Corners:
An International Thriller Writers Award Finalist
An ABC Best Book for Teens
A Junior Library Guild Selection
"Gripping from start to finish, The Darkest Corners took me into an underbelly I didn't know existed, with twists that left me shocked and racing forward to get to the end."-VICTORIA AVEYARD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen
“A tight, twisted thriller, full of deft reversals and disturbing revelations—deeply, compulsively satisfying!”-BRENNA YOVANOFF, New York Times bestselling author of The Replacement
“As dark as Gillian Flynn and as compulsive as Serial…Kara Thomas’s mystery debut is intricate, chilling, and deeply compelling. Unforgettable!”—LAURA SALTERS, author of Run Away
"You'll be up all night tearing through the pages, gasping through the twists and turns."-Bustle
"[It] will have you questioning the lies young girls tell, and the ripple effects they can have."-EW.com
★ “Thomas carefully crafts the suspense, leaving present-tense narrator Tessa—and readers—to doubt even those she loves the most…An unsettling story of loss, lies, and violence lurking in the shadows of a small town.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ "On the heels of Making a Murderer and The Jinx comes a psychological thriller strongly rooted in the true-crime tradition...Expertly plotted with plenty of twists and turns—never mind a truly shocking conclusion—this gritty thriller is sure to find a wide audience among teens and adults alike. Equally concerned with a quest for the truth and the powerful motivation of guilt, this compelling novel won’t linger on the shelf." —Booklist, Starred review
★ "Thomas keeps it real with a jaded heroine from the have-nots societal segment who holds onto her humanity, and a frank illustration of failure in the justice system. Hand this one to older teens who love dark mysteries or fans of Netflix's Making a Murderer."—Shelf Awareness, Starred review
"Clearly drawn…[and] alive until the twisty end."—Bulletin
"Strong character development and thrilling reveals…this novel is a sure bet."—SLJ
