What I loved about the first book I read by Goodman was how it actually focussed on the characters, their personal issues and lives, their struggles and drama. Yes, it had thriller elements, but it didn't feel like the thriller and the murder were the true focus of the story. And I'm a character focussed reader. I care less about the plot, as long as I feel like I get to know the characters and see them grow. I therefore hoped to find the same thing in this book!

Just like in "they wish they were us" Goodman takes her time to build up the lives of our main characters. We get a sense of their daily routines, of everything that had happened in their past, of the kind of life they had and have. We mostly get a sense of their emotional struggles and in a brilliant way it means that quite soon I started caring about both these girls. Even when they are nothing like me and made choices I never would have made myself.

And that's what powers the rest of the story. Because I cared about these girls, because I rooted for them and wanted them to find their happiness I was sucked into the mystery, the drama, the questions, the shade and all the misunderstandings. The more evidence there was, the more our girls seemed to get in trouble, the closer I moved to the edge of my seat. I Just really hoped all the misunderstandings would be cleared up for them.

Although the plot takes a little while to really start going that way, it's quite exciting to see everything unfold, but also to get an idea of the pressure on high school students in America to get those scholarships, to push themselves, to be the best, to not get into trouble. I understand why all those characters make their choices, what they're fighting for and what's at stake and I think in a very touching way the author shows us how this kind of competition can go horribly wrong.