#VBT Review - The Reunion - Sonya Bateman

Review: The Reunion - Sonya Bateman - July 2025

Y'all, let me tell you about a book that had me clutching my coffee mug and triple-checking my door locks! This psychological thriller serves up everything I crave in a good revenge story – think "I Know What You Did Last Summer" meets your worst high school reunion nightmare.

Our protagonist Desi was once part of the untouchable crew known as The Westgate Eight – you know the type, those impossibly cool kids who ruled the hallways like teenage royalty. But fifteen years ago, their perfect little world shattered on prom night when Flynn Bartell turned up dead and their queen bee Modesty vanished into thin air. Talk about a graduation gift nobody wanted!

Here's where it gets juicy: every year since, the surviving members have been meeting up at this swanky resort (run by a former classmate, because apparently nobody can escape high school), basically having the world's most morbid book club meeting. But this year marks the 15th anniversary, and honey, someone's been counting down the days for all the wrong reasons.

Enter Desi, who's been dodging these reunions like they're her high school math teacher. But after coming into some inheritance money, she decides it's finally time to face her demons. Plot twist – her demons have been busy! There's a podcast called "Killer Teens" making the rounds, and guess who's the star attraction? Yep, our girl and her former squad.

I'm not gonna lie, when Desi fainted after that revelation, I felt it in my soul. I probably would've needed smelling salts and a stiff drink! The author absolutely nailed that "oh crap" moment we've all had when our past comes knocking with a sledgehammer.

What really hooked me were the unexpected connections between characters – especially the dynamics between Desi and Lenora, and that absolutely gut-punching revelation about Modesty and Desi's relationship. These weren't just thrown-in twists; they added real emotional weight to what could've been just another slasher-style thriller.

As someone who's obsessed with reunion revenge stories (seriously, "Urban Legend 3" and "Valentine" are my comfort horror movies – don't judge!), this book hit all my favorite tropes while still managing to surprise me. The pacing kept me flipping pages way past my bedtime, and I'm still thinking about that ending.

If you're looking for a thriller that combines nostalgic dread with genuine psychological depth, this one's definitely worth adding to your TBR pile. Just maybe don't read it before your own high school reunion!

Perfect for fans of: Ruth Ware, Liane Moriarty, and anyone who's ever wondered what their high school classmates are really up to these days.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jSkFlB