This is the first Kate Weston book that I've read. Murder on a School night is a young adult mystery that will keep you guessing right along with the main characters.

I thought this book was pretty awful and cringey and not as comedic as I thought it would be with the whole "death by menstrual cup" set up in the premise. I felt a little duped and sad.

Kerry and Annie are two teenagers who have spent most of their school years trying to be popular. They finally get their chance when the school’s most popular girl, Heather, recruits Kerry and Annie to figure out who is trolling her on Instagram. But when the girl who is trolling Heather turns up dead, along with two other people, Kerry and Annie find themselves investigating the murders and uncovering a huge town secret.

This is the most dramatized version of high school and teenagers I’ve ever read. It’s super corny. The humor tries too hard, and it constantly crosses the line into cringey. I didn’t mind Kerry as a narrator, but Annie is obnoxious. There are also so many red herrings that I started to lose interest. I like YA books, but I think even most of my students would find this immature. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Children’s Books, and Kate Weston for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can't stand how good this book was! I mean, I can't remember the last time I've laughed so hard at a book that 's main premise had a murder.  The book centers around Kerry and Annie who are trying to solve the murder by menstrual cup. I loved the dynamics between the two main characters. This read was a whole lot of wacky fun, and a pretty sure it's about to become my personality for a while.

Kerry and Annie are two friends who are about to start their junior year. Annie is determined to be one of the popular kids and when they are finally invited to a party, there's a murder. When a second murder happens, it seems like there may be a serial killer or someone trying to cover something up. Annie ropes Kerry into investigating the murders, while Kerry gets closer to new kid Scott, who the police seem to think may be involved in the murders. Overall, a off-beat mystery featuring two friends who keep ending up in crazy situations. The two friends are quite different where Kerry would rather stay home and not venture out while Annie would rather throw herself into new things, but they have a strong bond. Fans of Booksmart will like this one.

3.75 stars

This is a YA murder mystery + satire (apparently I’m on a streak with these) that was a lot of fun to read!

Kerry and Annie are high schooler outsiders and best friends that get wrapped up in solving a murder mystery. When a popular classmate turns up dead at a party, apparently having been murdered with a menstrual cup (yes, you read that right) the school's queen bee welcomes the girls into her inner circle, on the condition that they prove her innocence, since the cops aren't taking things seriously. They are, after all, middle-aged men who insist it was “probably an accident” until a second victim turns up with a pad stuck over their eyes. 

There's a light bit of romance in this, which I probably was only as invested in as I was because I immediately pictured Scott, the new guy and Kerry's crush, as Cliff Pantone from "Bring it On", the superior teen movie love interest of our generation. My one pet peeve about him was that he brought up "The Shining" while in a house that had animal-shaped topiaries in the yard and did not make a joke about them. Huge missed opportunity, but no one's perfect.

The clues/leads were engaging and came together in a satisfying way, I did not guess the killer or the way the mystery came together, so that was fun. I didn't really connect with the characters, or I would have rated it higher, and some of the satire was a little heavy-handed, but overall it was a fun read that kept me guessing (and laughing), and I'd recommend as a palette-cleanser between heavier books.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

So, Murder on a School Night was a fun read, but it was also wildly unrealistic and forced in some areas. I will say that I didn’t expect the big twist, but I also probably don’t watch enough soapy teen shows. I didn’t love the main characters (Annie = highly annoying, Kerry = highly neurotic), but their dynamic could be very sweet. It doesn’t help to realize that I was 25 when these kids were born. I just felt old when reading their constant outrage over a certain topic. I really appreciate the inclusivity of today’s youth (I just grew a gray streak after typing that) but it got tiring to keep reading about. Maybe I’m just not the right audience anymore. In any event, this book was nicely written and pretty funny, and I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy it. 
Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is definitely for someone. However, it’s not for me. I didn’t really get any of the humor in the story and didn’t care for the characters. The plot wasn’t really interesting and I was overall disappointed.

This was an entertaining murder mystery, with a good amount of humor and a lot of talk about vaginas (maybe too much? lol). There are definitely cringey moments, like one of the characters talking about burning loins and being pretty sex-obsessed throughout the story, as well as yelling about vulvas for no real reason other than a vague notion of feminism I guess.

I liked following the girls as they investigated the murders and thought the plot was fun. Annie was my favorite, she's the true crime fan and makes a murder board with red string and everything. The image of her pedaling a child's Paw Patrol bike cracked me up every time.

The ending could use a bit of work, it just sort of crashes down and then everyone moves on. I didn't quite buy how things worked out, but it's not necessarily supposed to be that realistic I think.

If you don't take this book too seriously and don't mind constant dialogue about vaginas and menstrual products, you may want to pick this up for a quick read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Fast-paced, hilarious young adult murder mystery featuring Kerry and Annie, two English teens who are social pariahs compared to Heather and Les Populaires.

Annie is addicted to true crime; Kerry is neurotic, and our humble narrator. When Queen bee Heather asks them to investigate who's Cyber-bullying her, Annie jumps at the chance and drags reluctant Kerry along for the ride.

A serial killer in the village complicates matters, and everyone is a suspect. Their calling card: Heather's family's period products!

From the Paw Patrol bike to the sex- and period-positivity, Kate Weston lifts authentic vibes and attitudes from real life teens while creating a comical yet pointed take on young feminism and teen sleuths.

Okay. All the characters are so unserious when there are murders happening in their town. And I am HERE FOR IT! I read quite a lot of mystery novels but most of them are pretty serious. This book has a comedic element which kept my interest. The main character’s best friend, Annie was funny and enigmatic. Both of them somehow are able to bring laughter in any tension filled situation which made this read very light hearted. As a person who usually figures out the killer’s identity, I was surprised at the plot twist but not too shocked. All of the characters are two dimensional and I would think it would bother me but it didn’t. I think it’s because it was more of a quick comedy murder-mystery. But I would have liked to see more of Kerry and Annie’s friendship. Also, there were dialogues about menstrual cycles that was repeated word for word. And I also felt that certain reveals was done before. Overall, if you are looking for a light read then I would recommend this book!

Murder on a School Night is a captivating tale that skillfully blends genres, focusing on the intricate dynamics of girls' friendships and the ambitions of two best friends. In this engaging narrative, Weston masterfully weaves together the elements of mystery and comedy, creating a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. As the plot unfolds, readers are taken on a thrilling journey where the bonds of friendship are tested, and unexpected twists keep them on the edge of their seats.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Murder on a School Night is a YA murder mystery romcom which follows teen Kerry as she investigates a string of menstrual-product-related murders.

This was a pretty funny read. Despite the murders at its core, it manages to retain its humor. The plot is centered on relatively likable characters, and the Big Twist was deliciously twisty and unexpected. In all, this was a refreshingly entertaining read which balanced humor and severity well, and which I think a teen audience will thoroughly enjoy.

This book brings the awkwardness of '90s/ early 2000s high school comedy movies to a new level.

The dialogue and story felt give Mean Girl the movie vibe, with its camp take on present-day teenage life mixed with ridiculousness. However, it didn't know when to stop and lost its desired charm.
I can only handle things to a degree, and the book exasperated me with the vagina talk and annoying character of Annie.
The pacing was too fast for me with how things happened, and the plot was mundane without all the talk of vulvas and weird hardcore feminist talk that felt like the opposite - I know this is for teens, and feminism can be something to learn but didn't feel like it was done correctly.

Some ideas can only work as a movie or a show because they can be translated there well; this book might have fit the screen better because it wasn't a good fit as a novel.

This was a fun young adult murder mystery! I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone over 18 as the characters read super young, but I overall enjoyed the story. I think this could be a real hit for teenagers. There were some really fun scenes in here (ex: death by menstral cup or reading Umbrella by Rihanna at a funeral).

Thank you to the publisher and net-galley for providing an e-arc in exchange for my review.

4⭐️

Kerry's best friend Annie wants nothing more than to be popular. She doesn't care that the popular crowd regularly make fun of them and throw their coffee at them almost daily; Annie knows one day they will fit in. And they get their chance when the queen of the popular crew, Heather, starts receiving mysterious Instagram messages from someone pretending to be her dead father. Known for their interest in mystery, Heather asks Kerry and Annie to investigate.

Kerry does not want to be popular and would much rather stay home. Especially after she's made a fool of herself in front of the new guy, Scott, multiple times in a day. But she went to the party for Annie's sake. Kerry thinks she's going to get to hook up with Scott at the party when they accidentally stumble on the body of Heather's best friend, Selena. Selena was found with a menstrual cup in her mouth. Over the course of the week, Kerry stumbles on two more bodies, each with menstrual products found on the body. Kerry and Annie went from investigating a troll to a serial killer in the matter of a week and Kerry did not sign up for this. 

This was adorably campy and I love it. I loved following these young, anxious, feminists' as they try to make a place for themselves in the cruel world that is high school. I think Annie is the perfect opposite of Kerry. Kerry is extremely anxious and a people pleaser who wants nothing more than to stay at home with her Agatha Christie books. Annie is a social butterfly who desperately wants to be a popular kid no matter what. She lets every embarrassing thing  roll of her shoulders in what is probably false confidence, including riding a Paw Patrol kids bike to school and being covered in coffee regularly. I think every anxious person needs that social butterfly friend and Kerry and Annie are wonderful together!

Thanks Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books for providing this ARC to me!

This was a fun, delightful YA romp of a mystery! Two high school girls, Annie and Kerry delve into a mystery full of period products, murder, and suspicious going-ons. Though I had to overlook a few things like the book not knowing if it was taking place in America or the UK, the journey and ending was fun! I loved getting to know these characters and you could empathize with their teenage angst dealing with crushes and being in the popular group. But I never had multiple bodies showing up in my town during high school. Would recommend this for fans of fab YA mysteries and those who just want a light-hearted mystery! Looking forward to more adventures with this crew!

This was so silly & I was so interested in reading it based on the blurb alone, but I think this is a little too Young Adult for me to fully enjoy. To be fair I am 29 so obviously I'm not the target audience but if I was younger I think I would've had a great time with this one. It was a perfect mix of comedy and thriller to keep the pace up, while still making the story interesting enough to want to keep reading.

Thoughts

I wanted to love this one. I wanted it to be fun. And I think it was supposed to be fun. But that wasn't my experience with it. It started too strong, too cringe-worthy, and it didn't get better from there. It was a rough read, to say the least.

Pros
Trainwreck Friends: The one thing I did love here was the best friends at the center. Sure, I wasn't a big fan of their vagina monologues, but I did love their dynamic. They're always striving for more, for some way to live their best lives, and they're really, really bad at it. They're absolute trainwrecks on their own, and they're worse together. And I loved that energy.

Offbeat Humor: In a market absolutely flooded with mediocre teen thrillers, the one thing that really helps this one stand out is the humor Kate Weston weaves throughout it. It's discordant, off-beat humor, dark and darkly funny. I appreciate that. These characters are wacky, and that means you can't quite take this book seriously. And that's a good thing. That makes it stand out. 

Grisly: With a trainwreck at the center and humor holding it all up, I wasn't really expecting grisly murder scenes, but that's what I got. And I loved that. It feels wrong in just the right way. These murder scenes were absolutely macabre and grotesque--and creative with their use of menstrual products! They're unexpectedly jarring in a good way. They offset some of the irreverent humor, and they help to keep a reader on her toes. 


Cons
High Key: "High key" may sound exciting, but in this case, it really wasn't. This book hits you in the face pretty much on the first page and not in a good way. I'm glad these gals are feminists pushing for their right to exist without shame in the world, but hitting us with vagina banter right off the bat was coming on too strong. It was an off-putting beginning because I didn't know these characters yet. This book evidently means to push the envelope, perhaps in an effort to speak to teens, but... I don't think teens want it quite like this. Every aspect of this book was high-key and over-the-top, from the overtly "feminist" main characters to the sexist male teacher to the incredibly stupid adults they faced at every turn. It just... wasn't fun to read. 

Cliquey: The setup of these friend groups is so '90s, in a bad way. It's so stereotypical. The mean girls (and the hot guy boyfriend) are at the top of the food chain. The losers would do anything (yes, anything!) to be a part of the group. And... aren't we all a little tired of this dynamic? Not to mention that the social landscape for teenagers has shifted dramatically post-COVID, so this type of setup doesn't necessarily look the same. It felt overdone. It felt uninteresting. It felt cliché. 

Annoying Annie: I don't know if I've ever read a character so annoying. Her antics aren't really fun -- and aren't really antics. She's incredibly immature, which made me question on more than one occasion exactly how old they were supposed to be. She's ridiculous and over-the-top. "Ridiculous" is the only word that even comes to mind. Why Kerry is friends with her when she's obsessed -- yes, obsessed! -- with becoming popular is beyond me. And when she's one of our leads, I mean, it was hard to read. Very cringe-worthy. 


Rating
⭐⭐
2/10

Fans of Ripley Jones's Missing Clarissa might just enjoy this new best friend duo. Fans of Netflix's Sex Education may enjoy these offbeat feminists.

Thank you to Netgalley and Katherine Tegan Books for the ARC. 

🌟🌟🌟🌟4/5 stars

Murder on a School Night is a hilarious YA mystery about two friends determined to become popular…and to solve the murder of their classmate. Kerry and Annie finally get an invite to a party, only to discover the body of their nemesis. When the Queen Bee asks them to clear her name, Kerry and Annie use their knowledge of true crime (and Agatha Christie mysteries) to tackle the case. 

I laughed throughout this wacky murder mystery. Though it did have some odd elements, they cracked me up and I was entertained. There was romance, snappy dialogue, and a twisty mystery. This book was a combination of Booksmart and Truly Devious and I need a sequel now. 

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.