Kara Thomas | THE CHEERLEADERS

Plot (via Goodreads):

There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.

First there was the car accident—two girls gone after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know why he did it. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they lost.

That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget. Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad’s desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow Monica is at the center of it all.

There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.

Review:

The Cheerleaders is perfect; end of review. No, but seriously I absolutely loved this story and Kara Thomas's writing is superb. The plot to this one is definitely a thriller combined with two separate coming-of-age stories and was entertaining, addictive, and fun to read the entire time. I forced myself to take a break midway just to relish in how much I loved the first half and to savor the second half because I just didn't want it to end. 

I thought this one would be a little bit confusing with the amount of characters in it and not as much of a "thriller" when I was reading it and kind of expected more of a generic young adult book, but as I got further on into the plot I was slapped in the face with one hell of a story from Thomas. My expectations were more coming-of-age combined with a dash of a thriller aspect but what I got was an equal measure of both and a plot that is sinister, dark, refreshing, and filled with great characters that lash out at you from the pages. I loved the way that Thomas told this story between Monica and Jennifer's perspectives and left the reader with just enough breadcrumbs regarding the final reveal to both keep me confused and also begging for more. When it comes to storytellers, Kara Thomas is top notch and I can honestly say, this is one of my favorite reads of 2019. 

I loved these characters, the setting was atmospheric and at times creepy and revealing, the plot was brilliantly paced and well planned, and the final reveal and how everything was connected was fantastic. I loved this one so much that I already can't wait to read it again. I think this is the perfect read year around, but would love to enjoy this one in the heat of the summer by the pool. I personally read it in the fall and found it to be the perfect fall read, but to be honest? This is just the perfect read whenever and wherever you read it. 

Rating: 5/5