Book Review: Little Monsters

Title: Little Monsters
Author: Kara Thomas
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: July 25, 2017
Source: Purchased
Format: Audiobook


Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.
Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.
Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.
But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.
Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone (goodreads)


That was mind blowing!
Plot: Little Monsters kept me guessing at every turn. While the synopsis sounded very generic in the world of Young Adult mystery, nothing about this book was generic. The chapters were told from Kacey's perspective as well as chapters from Bailey's diary. That combination and the timing of each perspective made Little Monsters thrilling and impossible to put down. I was caught off guard by the Who Dunnit and unsettled by the ending. I'd love to see this turned into a TV movie. 

Characters: I feel like most YA heroines in mystery novels start to blend together; they are usually the naive new girl who is desperate for acceptance. Kacey was a breath of fresh air because she had a somewhat troubled past and didn't depend on Bailey and Jade - like most girls in the genre would. Her family life was rough and I could see her past trauma playing into Bailey's Missing Person case. What I loved about Little Monsters was that everyone was a suspect, even when I thought someone had an alibi I was still suspicious. Kacey's family life was the most interesting and I enjoyed seeing how this case tested their trust in each other. 

Worldbuilding: Broken Falls, Wisconsin was spooky. It was the dead of winter and Kacey kept contrasting it to the bustle of New York City. I loved the small-town feel that this one had and the urban legend made it all the more interesting. The diversity was decent, it wasn't anything to write home about, but there were characters of various backgrounds. 

Short N Sweet: Little Monsters will surprise and entertain all mystery lovers, I recommend! 


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