The Cheerleaders Book Review

Written By MK

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas Book Review and Recommendation.

Date: 3-08-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 5.0/10

Book Cover Rating: 6.2/10

(My personal opinion)

Author: Kara Thomas

Pages: 370

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Subplots: Thriller

Series: The Cheerleaders #1

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Published: 2018

Number of Editions: 31

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio

Awards Won: Rhode Island Teen Book Award, Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction

Goodreads Rating: 3.75

# of Goodreads Ratings: 50,866

Amazon Rating: 4.3

# of Amazon Ratings: 3,622

Movie/TV Show?? : No

Book Type: Standard

POV Type: Single, First Person

Pacing: Mid-Fast

Generally: Five deaths five years ago, thrilling, dark search for truth

Hook:

First there was the car accident. Not long after, the murders happened. 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 what happened.

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.



My Review

Going Into It:

Going into this book, I was excited for a thrilling mystery. I had just read A Good Girls Guide to Murder, and was hoping for a similar type of book.

Main Characters:

  1. Monica Rayburn- Monica is the main character in this book. She is a popular high schooler. Her sister was one of the five cheerleaders who notoriously died five years ago. Monica is not a very good decision maker, and struggles with grief and doubt over her sister’s death.

  2. Ginny- Ginny is a very unpopular high schooler. She is quiet, but smart and loyal.

  3. Jenn Rayburn- Jenn was Monica’s older sister who supposedly killed herself. Jenn was also a popular high schooler when she died, but had a lot of harmful secrets.

    Um…. To be completely honest I didn’t love these characters. They were okay…. I guess. The main character was clearly going through a hard part of life, but other than that she felt a little bland to me. In my opinion, none of the others really stood out. There was some character development, but nothing impressive.

Character Rating: 4.5/10

Setting:

This book takes place in a fairly small town called Sunnybrook.

Like with many realistic fiction books I’ve read recently, completely average setting. It didn’t change much throughout the book, and there was very little focus on it (which I’m not saying is a super bad thing, as long as the rest of the book is good enough that you don’t notice it).

Setting Rating: 5.0/10

Plot:

Okay, this plot was super interesting. It had a great idea behind it, but I’m not sure if it came through. There wasn’t too much action, and it was more about figuring out who the criminal was through information gathering.

Plot Rating: 7.2/10

Writing:

This was decently written for a YA book. Nothing special but not a disappointment either.

Writing Rating: 5.4/10

Ending:

Nooooooo!! This is what really tipped this book into the ‘I don’t really like’ category. This ending felt super abrupt and unsatisfying. It left me feeling like there were a TON of other YA books I’d rather read.

Ending Rating: 3.0/10

The Overall:

Overall, this was an average YA mystery book with limited action, right up until the end which RUINED the book for me 😭. The idea behind this book had a TON of potential, but I feel like it wasn’t all used up.



Overall Book Rating: 5.0/10

I would not particularly recommend this book


Buy on Amazon: The Cheerleaders


ChatGPT’s Opinion: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas is a gripping thriller that blends mystery, suspense, and emotional depth. The story alternates between past and present as Monica investigates the deaths of five cheerleaders, uncovering dark secrets and personal tragedies. The book’s pacing keeps the tension high, with well-timed twists and reveals, while also delving into Monica's emotional journey as she processes grief and loss. The characters are complex and relatable, and the atmospheric writing adds to the sense of suspense. Overall, it’s a compelling and layered mystery that goes beyond just the whodunit, offering a poignant exploration of secrets, relationships, and personal growth.

  • KARA THOMAS is the author of the YA novels The Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, The Cheerleaders, and That Weekend, as well as the adult novels Out of the Ashes and Lost to Dune Road. Kara's books have been sold in multiple languages and have been nominated for the International Thriller Writers Award. In 2013, she wrote and developed the pilot The Revengers with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack for The CW. She lives on Long Island with her husband, son, and rescue cat, where she spends way too much time on Reddit Unresolved Mysteries trying to solve cold cases.

    • The Champions

      View my Review: The Champions

    • That Weekend

    • Little Monsters

    • The Darkest Corners

    • Prep School Confidential

    • Wicked Little Secrets

    • Deadly Little Sins

    • Lost to Dune Road

    • Out of the Ashes

  • Goodreads

What did you think of this book??

MK https://alltruereviewsbymk.com
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