Good Girls Lie appealed to me because of the boarding school setting. It sounded like the perfect setting for a thriller-author to wreak some havoc! I wasn't wrong. She turned the Goode School upside down. I kind of wished the school would have been based in Tennessee, though.

The characters in the story are the kind of girls the rest of us love to hate. They're beautiful, filthy rich, and oh-so-snotty. The dean of the school comes across as classy and eloquent, yet there's this feeling that she's super shady. So of course, you're just waiting the whole time to see it all come down.

B | This is a solid thriller/mystery book that had me on the edge of my seat half the time. It’s a dark and twisting tale. It has elements of Gossip Girl tossed into the mix, although this is certainly more grown-up. From the very first page, this book refuses to let you go. It makes you go back and forth, making you question what is truth vs. lies.

The first impression I had with the book was that it has a very Gossip Girl like vibe. Except, you know, this book opens with a death. Now, this is one of those books (well, eARC in my case since I received this book as part of the blog tour, but you know, schematics) that I can honestly say I enjoyed it. But while it captured my attention from the start, it wasn’t until I made it to about the middle of the book where I truly started to devour the book, even then I felt like the moon — waxing and waning in interest. Before that, I was only really interested in certain parts of the book because they were so — different.

Strange? Well, let’s just say that it had to do with the tone of some of the chapters written in 1st POV. I won’t say anything more than that.

But the tone is one of the biggest strengths in this book. While I didn’t care for Ford or any of the other characters presented to us in 3rd POV, every character had their own distinctive tone and voice. That’s part of the reason why certain chapters caught my attention more than others. My interest waxed and waned until I reached the middle part of the book, and then I was all in.

Still, while it took me a while to get into the groove of things and care — I did like Ash. Her POV chapters were mostly interesting and the more I read, the more I needed to know.

Another strength of this book is the writing. Ellison’s writing is to the point. It is straight forward and doesn’t weigh you down with nonsensical descriptions. While I tend to appreciate the worlds around the characters described in sci-fi/fantasy novels (or hell, even historical fiction) because they are different worlds/times, after all, I don’t like to see it very much in contemporary fiction. This was a “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am,” sort of book which I’m happy for — at least in this case.

However, where there are strengths, there are weaknesses. One of the biggest weaknesses was pacing. The book felt stretched out — like things were added in just to add more pages. There were times where I told myself to just keep going and reading. Yeah, the plot is interesting, but even an interesting plot can be maimed by bad pacing.

Another weakness is the other characters. Yes, Ash is an interesting character and her chapters in 1st POV made things even cooler because I ended up wondering if she was a reliable narrator. But, aside from Ash, Becca was the only other interesting one. Everyone else felt — boring? A bit dull, really. They were just there.

Overall, I still say that this is a solid thriller. I recommend that you give this book a try.

I received this book as I am taking part in a blog tour for this novel. Thank you to Harlequin Mira for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this read. I enjoyed the boarding school aspect of this one. It provided a little mystery, some creepiness with all the secret societies, and a solid twist in the end.

I don’t like to tell much about a book in a review because it ruins it for others, so I will just say this: Girls boarding school, rich and powerful girls, haunted tunnels, secret societies and murder. What else do you need in a book?

Slow start with a great ending! What drew me to this book besides the synopsis was that it is set in a prep school in the mountains of Virginia. Any books set in my home state will usually pique my interest even though this is indeed a fictional prep school and town. Back to the story.. I did indeed guess a few of the plot twists but still enjoyed them. If you're a Gossip Girl fan you'd enjoy this book as the characters are all catty and dramatic high school girls. So many lies! Towards the end of the book is when things get really interesting and I had a hard time putting it down. This is the first book I've read by J.T. Ellison but I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am regretting my procrastination because it means I read this book 6 weeks ago and my memories are already hazy. One thing I can definitely say is that it was probably a mistake to read it so closely to The Swallows, which had a similar setting and feel. (Props to Ellison for setting this is Virginia and actually making a strong effort to get the geography right - I can picture the location of this town and school perfectly because her description matches my geographic memory so well.) The school is filled with girls of all types, many of whom it's easy to love to hate 20 years removed from the time when they would have tormented me in reality. There are quiet girls who go along to get along. There are few who stand out; I found it difficult to like a single character, even the murder victim. When the twists start coming at the end, they are totally out of left field—I don't remember there being any possible way the reader could have predicted it. Great plotting in general, particularly around the school's Honor Code. A good summer read, but if you choose one girl's boarding school book to read this year, go with The Swallows.

Rating: 3 stars

What I loved: The sass in this one is REAL. I loved how gossipy and just plain awful these girls were. It was like Gossip Girl level sass but amplified by 10. These are the kinds of girls I love to hate. Nothing beats a good villain, or in this case, a whole book of villains. There were also a few good twists, which is obviously a must in a mystery/thriller. I really enjoyed the narrators and learning more about what made each one tick.

What didn't work for me: This one was just a little too long, I think. The first 60% of the book dragged a lot and although I was enjoying the read, it took me 4 days to get through. I almost DNF'd it a few times.

Reccomend: If you loved Gossip Girl as much as I did, pick this one up. It starts out slow, but I promise the last 25% of the ride is worth it.

WOW! This book is insane! (In a good way). This book gives me this eerie feeling when I start to read it.
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The Goode School is a private prestigious all-girls school. The girls are intellegent, they come from wealthy families, and they do things teenagers do. They will enroll in prestigious and well-known universities they choose after they graduate from Goode School. Everything is well-put until a new girl comes to the Goode School...
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The writer's narration is so realistic and good. I can feel those feelings instantly (those eerie, spooky, heart gripping, and other feelings). The pace is fast and the plot is interesting. I can't put my phone down. Totally a page turner. Well, I don't know it will turn out like that. That is shocking. Moreover, I like the setting. I like vintage things and places. That makes like this book evenmore. All in all, it is a good book and a page turner. Thank you for writing this book!

I really liked the storyline of this book and thought it was an interesting read but something just didn’t click for me. I felt like it dragged on at times and something felt very familiar about the twists. The characters were great and overall it was still an enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this story. I need to check out more of Ellison’s work. Great characters and that twist, are you kidding me?! So good!

“Good Girls Lie” by J.T. Ellison
Genre: #fiction #thriller ⁣⁣
Synopsis: see comment section⁣⁣
CW/TW: suicide, homicide, drug addiction, abortion⁣⁣
Rating:☀️☀️☀️/5 ⁣⁣
1-Word Review: ⁣⁣
histrionics[ his-tree-on-iks ]⁣⁣
noun⁣⁣
dramatic representation; theatricals; acting.⁣⁣
———————————————————⁣⁣
𝟑.𝟎/𝟓.𝟎:⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:⁣⁣
The girl drama is strong with this one. I loved the gossip girl-esque setting with characters that are driven and smart (despite what their motives/intentions may be). This book kept me entertained from start to finish. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝟓/𝟓? 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳: 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝟻𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵:⁣⁣ 𝟷. 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 ⁣⁣ 𝟸. 𝘐𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘤....⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞:⁣⁣
•This is not a book that will necessarily “keep you guessing” until the end. You figure out at an earlier point than most thrillers, what is “going on”. What keeps you reading, is blatant curiosity for how this will turn out.⁣⁣
•I need more shock, more surprises, more “OMG” from my thrillers. In cases where I don’t have the aforementioned qualities- I need the book to be wrapped up beautifully in terms of closure for all characters and story lines. For me, there were characters that were beautifully developed and essential to the plot ...and then at the end it was like: hey here is what ended up happening to them but in ONE sentence. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: If you’re ok with no big SHOCKING moments in your thrillers (and you are in the mood for some gossip girl vibes)- I recommend this book for you. ⁣⁣

It's been a while since I read this one, but I remember really enjoying it. There were twists and turns around every corner and it did not end as I had expected!

WOW. I'm not even sure what to write that won't give much of this story away. So I will just say that this book was insane. INSANELY AWESOME. There was so much drama! and crazy boarding school sorority type chaos, and unbelievable twists and turns, and death...and it was just such a quick fantastic read!! This was my first JT Ellison book, and let me say I feel the need to read another of hers RIGHT AWAY!

After reading the synopsis, I was quite anxious to give this book a try. Like a lot of people, I like boarding school settings and the mystery seemed...well, quite mysterious. The Goode School is located in a small Virginia town. It has been run by family members for many years, even though the current Dean isn't really thrilled with her duties.

In the beginning we are introduced to Ash, a teen from England. Both of her parents recently died and she is coming to the States for a new start. Yet something doesn't seem quite right about Ash. She has a lot of secrets, ones which the Dean is willing to help her keep, and in the beginning, she isn't quite fitting in. However, when she begins a tumultuous relationship with Becca, a senior (and I mean TUMULTUOUS), things start to change.

While I kind of guessed a few of the plot twists early on, I still found it enjoyable. In fact, I think I enjoyed it a tad bit more than my friend Stormi, who read it earlier than me. The characters aren't really likable, but I don't know that they are supposed to be and I'm not kidding when I say EVERYONE in this book is lying about one thing or another. I kind of enjoyed the secret society aspect of the book but felt like it was a tad over the top for a high school boarding school.

The ending did have a few shocks and overall I'm glad I read it. I can see people who like boarding schools or closed circle mysteries really loving Good Girls Lie. This is the first thing I've read from this author but it definitely won't be the last.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars - If you like gothic vibes psychological thrillers – this one for you!

The story takes place at an exclusive boarding school, where one can expect secret passageways, secret societies, murder, to name a few. I loved everything about the setting and the atmosphere of this book! It was truly creepy and mysterious!

Also, it was very unpredictable! If you think you know what will happen, think again! I’ve never read something quite like this, a very creative premise!

Finally, the ending! WOW, that was such a great ending! Definitely, a must-read! Expertly written, and full of surprises!

Definitely twisted and undeniably entertaining, this book hit all the right notes for a psychological thriller. The author did a fantastic job of dropping subtle hints throughout, some of which were barely noticeable even though they made a huge impact. When I finished, I had to go back and re-read it to see what clues I had not realized were vital. The twists were interesting, and the end was amazing. You can see a full review at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This was written based on a digital ARC of the book.

Good Girls Lie, by J.T. Ellison

Short Take: Get in loser!! (You totally want to go for this ride.)

(*Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review.*)

Hello my lovelies! I am pleased to announce that after drowning in winter doldrums, we had a freakish seventy-degree day here over the weekend, meaning I was able to go out with the Spousal Unit and Junior Nerdling for some much needed fresh air and today I feel MARVELOUS. So I’m here to bring some of that joy to all of you, or, you know, to tell you about the book I just read which is pretty much the same thing, right?

Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the Goode School began a century ago as a boarding school for unwed mothers or other types of incorrigible, socially unacceptable girls, the kind of girls who read novels and had opinions. Now it’s where the best of the best go to work their perfect little hineys off in exchange for a golden ticket - admission to the college of their choice, followed by a lifetime of success in their chosen field.

Of course nothing that fabulous is easy, as Ash Carlisle will soon discover. When both of her parents die suddenly, she leaves Oxford in hopes of Starting A New Life at Goode. Although the dean of the school, Dr. Ford Julianne Westhaven (and omg y’all THAT NAME) is willing to help her with the transition, and Ash is smart enough and disciplined enough to keep up with the work, there’s a whole ‘nother pack of problems in the form of the 199 other girls at Goode.

Let me be the cleverest nerd in the world, and point out that although these are Goode girls, they are not necessarily good girls. Despite a strict honor code, there’s drinking, drugs, secret societies whose over-the-top hazing is pure teenage girl sadism and the occasional dalliance with cute townie boys - and not just for the students. Ford also longs for escape (Ford Escape?) from the school, despite a many-years tradition of its leadership being passed from mother to daughter.

Of course, Ash herself has a few secrets of her own that could Cost Her Everything. As both Ash and Ford (seriously FORD) struggle with their place at Goode and in the larger world, keeping each other’s secrets while maybe also hastening each other’s downfall, one student then another is killed, the truth starts to dribble out, and the final set of twists slams it all home.

Good Girls Lie was a seriously fun, twisty book, with incredibly rich characters, a setting I couldn’t get enough of (I read way too much stuff that takes place in suburbia), and a killer (heh) pace. Ms. Ellison has a knack for cranking the tension, bit by agonizing bit, until everything inevitably explodes and I do love me a good tension explosion.

I really have only one complaint with this one, and it’s put me in a bit of a conundrum. There’s a character who is just TOO mastermind-y, too difficult to believe for a lot of reasons that would be spoilers. So I’m going to break one of my most iron-clad rules here, and just say that this character didn’t work for me, without explaining why. I hate to do that, because I like to imagine that I’m important enough for all authors to care about my opinion (by the way, Stephen, CALL ME! I have some very important feedback on that last one!), but this was a book I genuinely enjoyed despite that one little blemish, and I wouldn’t want to ruin anyone else’s good time with it. Because it really IS a good (or Goode)(heh) time!



The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and a shot of dresser-drawer vodka. Is it spring yet??)

5/5 stars for this boarding school thriller!

Had such a great time chatting with JT over at Words & Whimsy book club, and couldn't wait to dive into this book! Such a great setting, Ellison does a great job painting a picture of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Also has some great morally grey characters! Loved the boarding school aspect so much! There are SO MANY twists and turns that I did not expect! Highly recommend if you enjoy thrillers! Can't wait to read more of this author in the future!

Ash Carlise is the new girl at the prestigious Goode School. Still grieving from the devastating loss of her parents, Ash tries to focus on staying under the radar and not attracting any unnecessary attention to herself. In a school like Goode it's hard to remain a ghost for long; your grades are expected to be high, appearance is everything and there are the secret societies everyone wants to be a part of. When a death in the school causes chaos throughout the school staying under the radar becomes harder than Ash ever imagined. Now with the past coming back to haunt her and secrets threatening to bubble over Ash has to figure out how to protect herself before it's too late.

Goode Prep School has a ton of secrets ranging from secret societies to murder, so when Ash Carlise goes to Goode she hopes her secrets can remain as quiet as theirs. Good Girls Lie takes us on a dark twisted journey where you don't know who to trust and who to watch.

I found myself trying to figure out the twist throughout the whole story. I knew something was up but couldn't quite figure out what. Just when I thought I had everything figured out Ellison twisted everything and it just became so much more complex. I hated to put this one down as it quickly drew me in and kept me on the edge until I could finish it. While there wasn't really a lot of character development, this book was really plot driven so the story wasn't effected by it. I really enjoyed this book overall. It was well written and fast paced. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

‏I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

J.T. Ellison's latest work, Good Girls Lie, is set in an elite boarding school which is set atop a hill in the small town of Marchburg, Virginia. The students are only the best girls who are hand-picked each year by the dean. However, it is not a young adult book. It is a thriller full of secrets, secret societies, lies, and a strict honor code that is not always followed.

In the beginning, I found it difficult to get into the book but I am glad I kept reading. Several reviewers described it as fast-paced but I disagree. It is a slow burn but it does definitely burn. The twists were both expected and unexpected but worked well.

It opens with a body being found then flashes back to learn the events that lead up to the death. It is not a new tactic but, with the story, it works well.

J.T. Ellison is best known for her Lt. Taylor Jackson series. The 8th book, "Field of Graves" was published in 2015. She has teamed up with Catherine Coulter to write "A Brit in the FBI" series. The 6th book in the series, The Last Second, was published in 2019.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/10/2020.