“When you’re made of fire, do you feel guilty watching other people burn?”

These Vengeful Hearts is essentially an alt universe Mean Girls with that same darkness, just take out the humor. The story revolves around a teen girl named Ember, who is seeking out revenge on the elusive Red Court who once upon a time hurt her older sister. The Red Court being a group of girls who do favors for people who request them, but at a steep cost. These favors range from exposing peoples secrets to helping them secure something that they want. Being recruited to the RC means you get safety, and a no cost favor if you do your jobs and keep the RC secret. Ember’s been recruited and her goal is to take them down, but will she be able to resist the feeling of power that she gains from being let into this club? You’ll have to read Vengeful Hearts to find out.

I enjoyed this story. If you like YA level angst, fun cliche filled dialogue, and a character learning that doing the right thing is, well, the right thing, then you will enjoy this story too. I can’t say that it is super duper unique and original or that I’m not a little terrified now when I see a random playing card, but I loved the suspense plot and the sort of spin on the Mean Girls “take them down from the inside” plot. So good and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange
for an honest review. I loved this book! It was suspenseful and intriguing. Once I got caught up in the story, I couldn’t put it down. This book comes out September 8, 2020!

I thought this book was good, though fairly predictable. There were times when I felt like it dragged a bit, but I think for people who are fans of Mean Girls, this book would be right up their alley.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm starting to really enjoy YA books. This one was intriguing and kept me hooked since the first page. The cover itself is what made me want to read it and I'm glad I did.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Does anyone ever really know the whole truth? Revenge, take-downs, and secret society, all are things that come with regrets and consequences.
I read this book as an ARC and enjoyed it from a YA perspective. I have often used another YA novel to teach these same topics, as it fits so well with middle school age group. I would definitely add this to the list of books to read about this topic.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced by anything.

These Vengeful Hearts called to me. It sounded like such an amazing mystery novel that I knew I needed to read. The cover only tempted me more because look at it! As simple as it is, I love the flowers, the white hair that contrasted with the dark background, and the crown! I was super excited to read this book.

Heller High is ruled by the Red Court. They are a group of girls whose true identities are only known to their leader, the Queen of Hearts. Anyone can ask them for a favour, whether it’s becoming Homecoming Queen or changing your grades, but it always comes with a cost, once it’s completed, you’re indebted to them. Ember Williams knows exactly what they’re capable of, as there was an accident that left her older sister paralyzed. Ember blames the Red Court for what happened and has dreamed of revenge. She plans on taking them down from the inside. Being a member brings out a part of herself she didn’t know existed. Everything comes at a cost, but is she willing to pay?

These Vengeful Hearts was an interesting read and wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be. From the title and description of this book, I expected it to deal with dark themes and secret societies and the impact of it in the lives of teenagers but it didn’t quite deliver it. So I was rather disappointed in that sense and was a reason I wouldn’t rate this book five out of five stars. Don’t get me wrong, I really loved the idea of the story but I think it had so much potential and could have been such an amazing thriller novel.

However, all of that aside, this book was awesome! I wanted to spend the whole day reading this book. I have never read a book like this and would say the plot was quite original. It had a lot more high school drama aspects to it than I expected but I still loved it. It had mystery throughout the entire novel, I wanted to know who the Queen of Hearts was. And there was still that feeling of thrill when Ember had to complete favours. This book subtly dealt with obsession (over the control the Red Court had) but it’s revealed more in the second half of the book. It’s a topic I love reading about in novels revolving around teenagers. The end portion of the novel was my favourite, I found it to be the most thrilling part as everything was unfolding and being revealed. Also, it was very interesting reading about Ember’s internal battle of what is right and what is wrong, and if there was a silver lining in between. Ember kept a journal and would sometimes write a line of something she thought or felt in a moment and sometimes what she wrote made me go “woah”.

Ember is the main character in the story and whose perspective we read from. I’d say she was well written and a very developed character. She’s a smart and determined character, she’s focused on her plan and knows how to go through with it and comes up with a solution for any obstacle thrown her way. A reoccurring character is Gideon. I love that the author added a homosexual character to the story and I also love his and Ember’s friendship. And of course, there’s the love interest, Chase. To be honest, I wasn’t fond of him when he first appeared. I remember when he first spoke, I was like, ”oh my gosh, no one asked you,” but that definitely changed because, when he had more scenes, I ended up loving him. I liked all the characters really, even the bad ones, but I just wasn’t a fan of April, Ember’s older sister. I was a bit wary of her in the beginning but by the end, I was not a fan of her. But did I hate her? No. However, I think all the characters were wonderfully written.

I think Katherine Laurin did a good job writing this novel well, overall. It was easy to read the book. She also did a good job of making me feel for the characters, I would laugh along with them and I could sympathize with what they were feeling, even if I’d never felt it before. Around the end of the book, Ember wasn’t the same and my heart broke a little for her because of it. So I’d say Laurin did a good job in that sense. However, I’m saying this again, the book could have been much better. I still really enjoyed this novel and for sure would check out her other books.

I definitely recommend this book to everyone. If you love reading mysteries and high school dramas, then check this book out. Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Vengeance/revenge that is basically the name of the game. Ember is looking to get into a secret group that calls out liars and cheaters. Not a bad concept but it been done before. The book was good and I am going to place some of the blame on me as I have just finished a heavy book, I might not have been in the right place for this book., but I couldn’t help but think as I was reading this book I’ve read this book before. I wish that there was more to captivate my attention.

These Vengeful Hearts wasn't quite what I was expecting.  I was looking forward to secret societies meeting in the dark of night, plotting to exploit the secrets of all to get ahead.  Instead, I got a high school drama that read like Mean Girls.  The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting.  The ending left something to be desired, and seemed to hint there may be a sequel.

This was a quick and fun read - something I loved with all of the stress and uncertainty going on in the world right now.  The main character, Ember, was relatable and well-developed.  I also enjoyed the other characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

The basic plot of this book drew me in- its unusual for students to have power over the faculty, but I can imagine with blackmail and threats how things might be done. However, this book did not live up to my expectations and ended up being a basic mean girl's story. It didn't go as deep or as dark as I hoped, and gave up so much potential. Honestly, it felt flat and scripted. For the sequel (which I will not read), I hope Katherine Laurin will do better.
To start, the characters had an insufficient background. If I didn't have to review this book I doubt I would have finished it, as I had no connection with Ember. Additionally, I felt this book was very predictable and cliche.
Good premise- worse execution.

The synopsis for These Vengeful Hearts was so interesting. We basically have a a group of mean girls, the red court, that can either really help you or really hurt you. Our main character, Ember, is wanting revenge for something they did to her sister and so she decides to join them and destroy them from inside. The plot is very predictable, even for a ya mystery, and the characters were nothing special but they were relatable and fun to read about. All in all, I enjoyed this book, it was a quick read that managed to be entertaining through out. I’m excited to see what Katherine Laurin does next.

**Review will be posted on my blog on Aug. 31, 2020, closer to publication date.**

3.5 STARS...

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

These Vengeful Hearts is a mean girls story. There is a secret group at Heller High called The Red Court and they rule the school in a way. If you want something to happen, you can get in touch with The Red Court and they can help you with your goal. But in turn, they can come to collect a favor from you when it’s needed.

Ember Williams has revenge on her mind, but when she’s finally a part of the infamous court, can she carry out her plans?

What I Liked:
*Love the cover of this book and the concept of the story. Ember Williams is going to take down the red court because they hurt someone she loves. But once she is in, she admits she likes being part of a group that is in control of people’s lives. I liked seeing Ember walk her tight rope balancing revenge, lies, romance and eventually truth.

*Ember has a cool best friend, Gideon, and I love their relationship. He tells her things straight out and tries to keep her level-headed about her revenge scheme.

*The romance, though it starts off because of a Red Court mission…is something I did enjoy because Ember comes clean, but Chase does too. Anyway I’m glad even through it, things work out. The romance isn’t the main story which is nice too, it just shows how lies can hurt.

*I liked the twist in the story, it made things even worse for Ember but…it made her realize, truth was the right thing in the end.

Things That Made Me Go Hmmm:
*As much as I love the concept of the book, I didn’t feel like the story was sinister enough at times. The first half was losing steam and thank goodness it picked up in the second half but The Red Court just seemed to be breaking couples up and rigging homecoming election. So, it didn’t seem like a big deal at first but that was my biggest issue with the book.

*Maybe it was all too predictable and it had so much potential to be more…I was expecting more.

*Triggers: bullying

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed the story okay enough, mostly in the second half when Ember has to decide her course of action but I do believe this story had so much potential and fell a bit short. Main lesson from the story: if you live honestly then you have nothing to hide! It’s a good lesson. The teaser of a Black Court in the end left me intrigued! I’m not sure if there is a sequel…but if there is, I may read it to see where the story goes.

I enjoyed this one, I really loved the cover and story idea a lot and I thought that the beginning was so strong that I could barely put the book down. While after awhile it started to feel like maybe too much was happening in the book I found that I really enjoyed a lot of the plot-lines that were running through the book and was mostly able to overlook the ones that felt maybe a little extra.

I love me a good secret society book, I love the mystery and the cattiness of them and trying to reach the inner sanctum is always a thrill. So this book was right up my alley, throw in a clever, intelligent, witty protagonist and I am 100% here for it. I thought that the beginning was so strong and immediately invested me in everything that was happening. I really found myself rooting for Ember and her whole crusade, I even really loved the way the Red Court ran things, it was all super organized and felt very Gossip Girl (the TV show which I loved). I hated what the Red Court did but felt that they did a good job doing them.

I really enjoyed the characters in the book, especially Ember, mainly because they all felt very wonderfully high school. Katherine Laurin did a great job creating all the stereotypical high school students and throwing in a little something extra in order to make them likable or unlikeable. Ember was so wonderful in every aspect even her flaws were so well done and I loved that she found herself enjoying the dark side of herself that she discovered. We all have a side we try to keep hidden so it was nice to see Ember embracing it.

I found that the last bit of the book started to fall a little flat for me. I mostly just felt that so much of the book (perhaps too much of it) was in the set up of everything, the build up took up most of the book that by the time we got to the story arc it was so close to the end that everything was rushed and felt unbelievable. And I felt a little cheated by how quickly everything wrapped up and how neatly it all did. By the time the ending came along I was kind of like "meh." Which was a big disappointment because I liked the book for the most part and was really hoping that the strong beginning and middle would have followed by a strong ending. I think that the ending would have been stronger for me personally if there had been more of a fight for it, it was all just so rushed that you knew everything was going to be wrapped up because it had to be. If the build up for the story had been shorter or the story arcs had happened in the middle so that there was more of that tension and uncertainty I think things would have felt better for me.

All in all I am giving this book 3 stars. I think that it had a lot of potential and was a strong starter and had some great characters but ultimately the whole ending just felt too rushed for me. It just wasn't something that I felt worked but I think that the book idea, cover, story and characters were all really well done and look forward to seeing what else Katherine Laurin brings us.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was an excellent YA contemporary novel. The author did a superb job of crafting a believable and we'll written story about a group of girls that are change makers within their school. I loved The main character ember and how she was so motivated by revenge she almost lost herself to the take down of the Red Court. I loved Embers relationship with Gideon as well as her sweet romance with Chase which could have had a lot more for tingling moments. I was very very glad to see that in the epilogue the author has opened the door to a second novel and the Black Court. I can't wait to read that one! Over all a wonderful novel that keeps you reading and guessing how Ember will get out of the Red Court.

I liked this one! I guessed the ended pretty early on however. I did still enjoy the story for the most part. I really liked Chase and Embers relationship and thought they were adorable. Overall 4 stars!

I saw “for fans of Karen M. McManus” and I just HAD to request this and boy was I surprised by how much I truly enjoyed it!

This book boasts an original plot, a captivating protagonist, sharp clever dialogue, immersive descriptions, and a brilliant cast of character. An undeniably strong start for this author.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a review copy.
I thought the story here was interesting and it moved along nicely. I do think, however, the author relied too much on dialogue to hit plot points. I figured out much of the story halfway in, and that made it a tad predictable. But I liked Ember and Gideon, and found the moral implications of her actions to be engaging. I have to commend the author for writing a full disabled character in the book (April) without resorting to pity or inspiration. She was a complex character, neither saintly or evil. That is a rare thing in fiction, and especially in YA. I could tell the author understood disability, whether they are disabled themselves or did research. I would be interested in a sequel, and based on the ending, I hope we get one.

This concept was incredible, execution was rocky. I found it hard to follow and a lot of things happened without explanation so I think that took away from my ability to really enjoy the story because I was confused.

There are probably a few people out there who would love to read a "Mean Girls" and "Nancy Drew" crossover, this book is for them. Silly but readable, this is a book for popcorn and nostalgia but not much more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

After Ember's sister is hurt during a prank gone wrong organized by The Red Court, Ember takes it on herself to infiltrate the group and get revenge. Along the way, she begins to question who she is, and what lines she isn't willing to cross. On her search for answers, will she like what she finds?

I enjoyed this book. I thought Ember was well written, as were the other characters. I've seen a lot of people comparing it to Mean Girls, but I didn't feel that way. The whole "mean girls" stereotype aside, the girls in this book weren't just mean, they were cold, calculating, and diabolical. Mean is far too pretty a word for what these girls do as they destroy relationships and collect favors to hurt others. It goes beyond students as well, to teachers and kids that have graduated.

What i enjoyed was Ember's struggle between right and wrong, and learning the truth from the lies. It's well balanced and at times almost voyeuristic in how the reader sees into Ember's thoughts and feelings. The reader can really see her struggle and growth as she begins to see that what she had always believed may not be the whole story.

As many other reviewers have noted, this story reads very Mean Girls, typical high school drama type of a book. I don't disagree with that, but I also don't think that that makes this book less enjoyable. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the Red Court and the way that this book examined the protagonist's struggles with the ripple effects of the Red Court's actions. The character motivation for revenge and the ensuing character arc felt engaging to read about. The structure of this society (while a bit predictable) was fun to read and learn more about. I enjoyed the friendships that Ember developed over the course of the book. I enjoyed that there were consequences for the actions of characters in this book. Overall, this was a really fun and enjoyable YA mystery in a high school setting.