The It Girl

I like books that have a plot twist that you don’t see coming! This was a nice read. It’s a little slow in the beginning but was worth the wait.

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Amazon. Ruth Ware novels are some of my favorite thrillers to delve into when I've burnt myself out on fantasy, so this did fill that niche for me quite well. Would I say it's the best thriller I've read? No, not really. But it doesn't err on the side of predictability like I originally would have thought, so I enjoyed it more than I expected. The plot twists in this book are sometimes expected and other times seem to have come completely out of left field. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting thriller that is also a quick and easy read. Writing Style: 3/3 I really enjoy Ruth Ware's writing and have always seen her books as really stellar modern thrillers. This book was written beautifully as always, no complaints here! Plot: 2/3 The It Girl was a fascinating thriller, BUT while I blew through this book and enjoyed the ride, I couldn't get past how drawn out the middle of the book was. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple plot twists and the ever-changing theory behind the killer's identity...but it felt like this book could have been 50-75 pages shorter without losing any detail. I also find pregnancy tropes in books to be a bit of an annoyance, though I know that wouldn't necessarily bother everyone. Characters: 1/2 Ruth Ware's characters do typically tend to fall a little< flat for me, and this cast was no exception. I feel like the pregnancy was relied upon too heavily at times. Some of the plot twists that left you feeling like you'd discovered the REAL killer also fell flat due to characterization that just felt slightly off. I can't really pinpoint why the characters don't fly off the page and live in my brain, but something in this book left me feeling just a bit disconnected. That Extra *Spark*: 1/2 This book gets half points for this section due to the unpredictability of the plot twists alone. It's not a novel that lives rent-free in my brain or that I will remember the names of the characters years down the road, but it's a solid read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a unique thriller.

There’s a lot to like about this book, and then there’s a lot not to like. The story goes back and forth in time, which I don’t mind. There were a lot of twists, which is what kept my interest. However, this story was a LOT longer than it needed to be, and there was quite a bit of repetition. Everything seemed to focus on Hannah’s emotions and every scene seemed to drag on in too much detail on how whatever was happening made her feel. A lot of emphasis was put on the pregnancy as if the author was trying too hard to add a dramatic flare that would tug at the reader’s heartstrings, for me it fell flat. It was sentences such as “The baby moves uneasily…” and “The baby is fluttering nervously inside her…” that had me rolling my eyes. How could one possibly know a fetus is moving uneasily or fluttering nervously?! Fetuses grow and they move quite often. Some of April’s shenanigans were a bit far fetched, but I suppose nothing is impossible. The control she held over others seemed a little high-schoolish, but then some of the characters were fresh out of high school. Overall, it’s not a bad read as the story keeps you wondering who the suspect is. The story’s just a bit far fetched in some regards, and places too much dramatic emphasis on Hannah’s emotions.

Such a great read that is sure to keep you on your toes!!! One of my favorites by one of my favorite authors.

This is the first book I’ve read by Ruth Ware. I enjoyed it enough to say it won't be my last. Ten years ago, a jury found John Neville guilty of the murder of April Clarke-Clivedon, a young, vivacious, beautiful, brilliant, prank-loving Oxford student. Now, having steadfastly maintained his innocence for all those years, Neville dies in prison. Main character Hannah Jones was April’s best friend and roommate. She provided evidence that helped to convict Neville. When Hannah learns of new information casting doubt on Neville’s conviction, she feels compelled to find the truth about April’s death, despite the wishes and warnings of close friends and family, which, Hannah realizes, she may sorely regret not heeding. It was a pleasure to read this novel. After suffering through several poorly written supposed best-sellers, I was relieved to be reading a work in which the author clearly cared about what words she put on the page. The prose is descriptive without being overwrought. The dialogue is realistic and moves the story forward. The mystery is basically a “whodunnit?” Although at least one other reviewer has said they figured out the answer early on, I found that not to be the case. So as not to spoil the plot for anyone, I'll just say that author Ruth Ware had me guessing, and guessing again, and guessing again, until the reveal. I thought Ms. Ware did a fine job with her settings: Oxford University 10 years ago and present-day Edinburgh. I particularly enjoyed learning what it was like to be an Oxford student. And I came away from the novel hoping to visit Edinburgh sometime soon. The characters are well-drawn, for the most part. April is a wonderful “It Girl.” Sometimes, she’s an angel; sometimes, she’s a devil; sometimes, she's loved; and sometimes, she's hated—all of which makes her lots of fun to read about. Other, lesser supporting characters are distinct and interesting. I wasn’t quite as taken with Hannah as I might have been. She may be the heroine of the tale, but she spends a lot of time blaming herself for Neville’s conviction; and that self-blame doesn’t seem entirely justified in light of the facts Ms. Ware gives us. Also, Hannah ruminates a lot over her feelings. All of which gave me the impression that she was more self-centered, and self-righteous, than she needed to be, especially considering what she puts at risk. And all that ruminating slows the pace of the novel, IMO. There are also times when Ms. Ware almost crosses the line separating drama from melodrama. But only a few and only almost. But, whatever flaws there may be are counterbalanced by an engaging, realistic mystery with lots of twists and turns down a variety of Scottish lanes. All-in-all, "The It Girl" is a solidly entertaining four-star read.

I finished this wonderful book a couple of nights ago. When I attended An Evening with Clare Mackintosh a couple of years ago, Clare answered a question about who was her favourite author’s books to read and she replied that it was Ruth Ware. Since then, I’ve been wanting to read Ruth’s books. As I’ve said before, I’m a bit of a skinflint and slways wait until they are 99p on kindle 🙊. Last week, The It Girl was 99p! I wasn’t disappointed. If you enjoyed I Let You Go by Clare you will enjoy this. Set, initially, at Oxford University, it follows the lives of Hannah and her fellow students. Hannah finds her best friend and roommate, April, murdered and is sure that she has seen the murderer leaving the room. But was the man she saw leaving the murderer? Everyone else seems to have alibis. Ten years later, the alleged murderer dies in prison and Hannah starts to rethink things. I was disappointed when it ended but I’ve found another book by Ruth for 99p so I have another thrilling story to start soon!

Ordered as gift. Great author and story teller

I really enjoyed this book, which is rare for me of late. It's well written & has an engaging storyline that maintained my interest. Would recommend this book.

The book was amazing and in good n well condition and I am also satisfied with delivery and packaging 👍👍

Not really, a little predictable and waaaaaay too descriptive.