Review: Gemini Falling - Eleanor Wood - October 2013 As part of my 2026 mission to finally clear out the "digital dust" on my Kindle, I dove into Gemini Falling by Eleanor Wood. I went in expecting a sharp, Mean Girls -style drama set in an exclusive private school. The opening hooked me immediately: ‘First of all, let’s get something straight. This is not going to be one of those stories where the school bitch turns out to have a heart of gold.’ I love a book that promises a complex, unrepentant protagonist! But oh boy, "complex" doesn't quite cover where this story went. The story starts with Amie, the reigning Queen Bee, and her loyal second-in-command, Lexy. It’s that classic social hierarchy we all know (and maybe secretly love to read about). But the status quo is shattered when the mysterious twins, Elyse and Melanie, arrive mid-term. These twins aren't just new students; they have this "magnetic power" that completely disrupts the school’...

Review: The Perfect Cheerleader - Cole Baxter - October 2022 Cole Baxter, best known for his adult psychological thrillers, delivers a darkly addictive YA offering with The Perfect Cheerleader—a razor-sharp high school thriller aimed at the 16-30 crowd that asks: how far would you go to get rid of the most popular girl in school? Set against the backdrop of Sherman Oaks High School, this book plunges readers into a world where popularity is power and cruelty is currency. At the top of the food chain sits Bea Ardent—rich, stunning, untouchable, and utterly ruthless. She’s the kind of queen bee who rules through intimidation, and when she feels threatened by new girl Melanie Glass, the claws come out. Melanie is everything Bea isn’t: warm, kind, and genuinely liked. But being the “nice girl” doesn’t make her safe. As Bea’s schemes grow more twisted, readers are taken on a breathless ride through jealousy, manipulation, and psychological warfare. If you love books with unreliable friendsh...

Review: The Bitch Cup - Zachary Ryan - August 2023 I previously read a series called High School Queens by Zachary Ryan which was a series about a new girl known as The Marked Queen who wanted to expose the secrets hidden in their school walls and become Queen Bee. The series was a fun YA thriller set in the high school cliques of Queen B's. When I saw that Zachary Ryan had a new one out, I clicked buy now as I thought I would enjoy the book. However, when I opened it, it was a story I was familiar with, and then went to High School Queens to make sure this wasn't a re-release. It wasn't though as a brand new high school Lincoln High and a group of new characters and the Queen had a new name. In The Bitch Cup we have The Shadow Queen. Each year Lincoln High hosts The Bitch Cup where the new High School Queen will end up ruling the next Senior year. Everyone whose names are chucked in the cup, thinks they have it in to win and the goal aims to expose the others' deepes...

Review: Cutthroat Cheerleader - Zachary Ryan - November 2020 After reading Zachary Ryan's High School Queens which reminded me of the TV series Gossip Girl, when I saw that he had a new one and that it was another mystery this time with murder - it captured my attention and I wanted to read it. In Cutthroat Cheerleader we first meet Madison who is a cheerleader who is missing. We later find out that she has been murdered and was Queen B around the school. She was the one everyone wanted to be and pretended to like but deep down hated, she was feared and loved at the same time. Stuck in purgatory, Madison watches as life at the school unfolds and people she thought she knew and trusted are two-faced and that everybody is hiding a dark secret. When a new girl starts, Madison is impressed by her and hopes that as her dad is the sheriff - she can help solve her murder. Meanwhile, Kelsey - the preacher's daughter is busy paving her way to be the "new" Queen Bee but if she ...

Review: Saviors - Book #4 Pawns of Patience Series - Cassie James - September 2019 We have now come to the last book in the Pawns of Patience series by Cassie James and in one way I liked how it concluded but on the other hand, some parts were a little disappointing at how un-dramatic they were as in a big climax and little reaction or action for that matter. At the end of Book #3 Juliet had burst in on the boys and told them that she knew where Hollis's treasure was which has been the main storyline running through the books since Book #1 - people have been searching for it and wondering what was it was for years. The boys, however, are grumpy butts as they are jealous that she woke up in bed with Jake who btw didn't do anything but sleep. Later, of course, Jake gets welcomed into their group and Juliet's harem grows by one extra guy. The team all head down to the beach house and the guest cottage and learn the truth of the treasure and what it cont...