Almost every high school has an “elite clique” but in These Vengeful Hearts, the Red Court is the ultimate clique! The Red Court is a super secretive collection of high schoolers who can make anything happen. Want your crush to break up with his current girlfriend? Just ask the Red Court for this favor! But remember the Red Court will ask for their favor in return. And you might not want to pay the price. Ember manages to get her invite to be a member of the Red Court, but she’s got ulterior motives: she wants to bring the Red Court down after they left her sister paralyzed and wheelchair bound. Can Ember avenge her sister, or will the power of the Red Court prove too much for her?

So this book was a little bit of a let down for me. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. I can tell I was a little too old to be reading this one because there was a lot of drama. The concept of the story was a great idea, but I felt like some of the situations and the way things played out just seemed a bit far-fetched for me. Overall this one gets 3 stars.

This is a dark story about a girl seeking revenge who ends up struggling a lot with the bad side of the things she has to do to get the revenge she seeks. I enjoyed it for the most part and I liked Ember as a main character. I loved the idea of a secret society and the way that the society operated was well thought out and unique. I did feel like the motivation behind the society was a little weak and unrealistic though. I also didn't love the ending, I wanted it to be a little more dark. Over all I enjoyed reading it but was a bit underwhelmed by the end. I still think it was a good read.

I must admit, the first thing that caught my eye on this book was the cover. It’s absolutely stunning. Then the description had me hooked. Secret societies? Forever debts? Sounded like the perfect read to get my mind off regular life and keep me interested. It did not disappoint.

Katherine Laurin’s These Vengeful Hearts seems like it's going to be about just another high school secret society, but its so much more. The way Laurin designed this elaborate club that some wanted in to protect themselves, some wanted favors, and some were just… well, vengeful. I loved the characters the most. Ember’s personality was much like myself in high school. I related to her fervor to want good grades and I was on the debate team. Her drive was appreciated. Her best friend Gideon was that sarcastic best friend that I think every girl should have. We knew a little about the back stories of many of the main and side characters, but in this instance, not much back story didn’t leave the story lagging, it made it more intriguing.

The mystery to be solved here was who is the Red Court and how do we dismantle them? I can honestly say I was guessing wrong the entire book. It wasn’t until the end when Ember had her big aha! moment that I also had my aha! moment. Every time she suspected someone, I wanted to know more. I love when an author can keep me guessing.

Another perk is how the main plot line of this story didn’t completely block out real life for a teenage girl in high school. There were plenty of aspects that kept the reality flowing and wasn’t like other stories that just brush over the fact that these kids are in school and have responsibilities. She had boy interests, which caused her much stress. She had grades that struggled when she was juggling too many things, like real kids do. The reality of Ember’s life was well thought out and plotted to make this story incredibly believable. Now all I need to know is what schools really have secret societies? Or are they just fancy names for bullies? You will have to read to find out.

It doesn’t matter if you are an adult or teenager, this book is a fantastic read for anyone who wants some series mystery drama with one of my favorite set of characters in a book I’ve read in a long time. Pick it up. Check it out. Then let’s all beg Laurin to write us more. This will be going in my top ten books of 2020. A must read!

Interesting premise, poor execution. I stopped caring about what was going about halfway and the twists were subpar. I wanted there to just be more, especially in the drama department. It just all seemed mediocre and childish.

This book didn't exactly live up to my expectations, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the writing style, the characterization, the way the author acknowledged wrong behavior, and the cliffhanger ending. This book never felt preachy but it still really drove home the destructive nature of secrets and the whole doing a bad thing for a good reason thing. I'm curious to read more by this author!

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Inkyard Press/RB Media in exchange for an honest review.
What an absolute delight this book was! I was drawn in by that gorgeous cover and the intriguing premise, and this book definitely surpassed my expectations. These Vengeful Hearts is the story of Ember, a girl set on revenge against a mysterious society at her school known as The Red Court. This society takes requests from students and puts out 'hits' on people, taking down their reputations, relationships and more. Ember's older sister lost the ability to walk after being targeted by the group and so Ember is determined to join them and take them down from the inside.

Firstly I really have to compliment the writing style of this book. It goes for more of a contemporary than a YA thriller tone, and as a result it was incredibly enjoyably and well-paced. There was plenty of intrigue but where most YA thrillers fall flat in their execution, These Vengeful Hearts managed to excel by making it focused on characters and the relationships between those characters. I adored Ember and I found her very compelling. Even throughout her more morally-ambiguous actions, she remained both sympathetic and likeable. The side characters were similarly complex and I found them all vivid and distinct, which again doesn't always happen with YA fiction.

Secondly, this is a very well-crafted book in terms of pacing and plot. Rather than relying on cheap cliffhangers or nonsensical clues to keep you reading, instead it lulls you into a false sense of security with the contemporary tone. You get used to things being a certain way and then the Court will suddenly change or raise the stakes and you are caught off guard. I was lucky enough to get both the audiobook and the e-ARC and I ended up listening to the whole thing in the space of a few hours because I was so absorbed in the world. I would recommend the audiobook as a great way to consume this story and it makes for a very enjoyable experience.

Overall, I would strongly recommend this book for people who enjoy the plots of YA thrillers but are usually disappointed by the writing. As I have said, it isn't quite a thriller in tone but this was definitely more of a positive. I know I will remember the world and characters of this book much longer than I usually would with a book of this type, and I am very excited for a potential sequel.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I fell in love with this cover and contacted the author about coming on the show. Well sadly this book just wasn't for me. It was a dark contemporary mean girls tale that was far closer to the Mean Girls movie than it should have been. I didn't connect to the main character and I just felt like this didn't bring anything new to the world of mean girls getting what they deserve. The pacing was done pretty good and the start of the book was fabulous. I mean it was crazy. You start your Monday off with a car soaked in blood. You can't get more creepy than that.

This story just lacked that spark to keep me interested and in parts it felt like the story had gotten going long before I started it. Which again made the story feel off. I know that this is only the author's second book and I have to say that it really shows. It didn't feel very well refined. And after about 60 pages I just had to put it down.


Go Into This One Knowing: To close to mean girls movie, lacks good plot

This cover is gorgeous and I love a good revenge book. Sadly, this one was disappointing.

This is less a revenge book than just a "mean girls" book. Ember says she's infiltrating a secret club at her school in order to avenge her sister's accident, but we aren't told many details about the accident and her sister seems indifferent to the whole plan. Furthermore, the club is more just mean girls doing dirty deeds for people and then calling in favors from them later to do someone else's dirty deeds. An multi-level marketing scheme or pyramid scheme for mean girls if you will.

I was hoping that the romance or the ending would redeem this, but no. I'm really sad. I had high hopes for this one but it didn't live up to them.

The Quick Cut: A teen girl dedicates herself to infiltrating her high school's secret society and taking them down from the inside. Things get chaotic when it has unanticipated effects on her personally. 

A Real Review:Thank you to Inkyard Press for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.   

The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions. Sometimes we do things for all the right reasons, but they end in us changed and questioning who we are. If someone close to you was hurt, how far would you go to right the wrong? For Ember, the answer is that she'll do what it takes to end the Red Court. 
 At Heller High, the Red Court is infamous for the tangled web they weave. You want to win a school election? They can make that happen. Need someone to get taken down more than a couple notches? They can do that too. There's very few actions they can take within the walls of the school. This is a truth that Ember knows all too well as her older sister was left paralyzed after one of the Red Court's movements. All she's wanted to do since was find out who the Queen of Hearts is and take down the entire organization. So when her achievements in school lead to their attention, she accepts the invite in order to learn more about them. Will she find that not all is how it seems? Or will she instead learn that she isn't very different from the people she's dedicated to take down? 
 This book has that sort of high school vibe that is very reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars and One of Us is Lying. Although the plot itself is absolutely insane and would probably never happen in real life, there is a sense of reality in the way that Ember reacts to them. She's dedicated herself to the cause to protect her family and keep anyone else from getting hurt. That's something that I think many of us can relate to and for that reason, the story is compelling. A few twists near the end to keep you guessing adds to the suspense of it all as well. 
 That being said, a good amount of the story does feel like it meanders a bit with Ember making no progress on her mission. If some of that bulk was taken out, this could've been a shorter book with a stronger bang for your buck so to say. 
 A thrilling high school story that speaks of the ills that secret societies can bring. 
My rating: 4 out of 5

had no clue what to expect going into this one. Little did I know that I was about to be HOOKED!

For one thing, I was in complete shock to find this book has Queen of Hearts vibes (which if you don’t already know is one of my favorite retellings), and the author did a fantastic job incorporating it into the perfect, secret society story.

If you are fans of YA thrillers with tons of suspense and mystery, bits of retelling vibes, engaging characters, a high school vengeance, AND a plot that immediately sucks you in, this book is perfect for you! Especially during the fall season!!

I absolutely LOVED every inch of this book, and the cut-throat twists are just the beginning. This is a story that I would recommend readers go into completely blind because I think it really impacted my enjoyment of uncovering just what was going on??

I gave this fast-paced read a solid 5 out of 5 stars!

Welcome to the Red Court
These Vengeful Hearts is the second release for author Katherine Lauren and she means business. This was a fun and twisty high school drama about a secret society that barters in favors and secrets.

After her sister suffers a paralyzing accident at the hands of the mysterious Red Court our leading Lady Ember has vowed to join their ranks and destroy them from within. She has worked her entire High School career to make herself the perfect candidate and it pays off when she receives a Queen of Hearts card in her locker, her invitation to the Red Court. Once in she quickly realizes that to gain their trust and the information she needs to move forward with her plan she will have to do things that make her question herself and where her loyalties lie.

This definitely gave me “Pretty Little Liar” vibes, but from the POV of “A.” What if the hero of the story is the bad guy in everyone else’s? I wasn’t sure how much I would be able to connect with the characters as it centered around High School drama (break-ups and Prom Queens oh my!) but I was quickly proven wrong. It goes beyond what the Red Court’s tasks are and delves deep into morality and decency. Ember is put to the test multiple times when her assignments get personal and she must decide if her revenge mission is worth harming those she cares about.

I was impressed with Katherine Laurin’s ability to create a realistic world where a secret society that consists of High Schoolers not only seems plausible but inevitable. In today’s world of information overload it is not unreasonable to think that our youth will eventually access and weaponize the secrets of their peers. She was able to develop enviable relationships between her characters, with a ride-or-die in Ember’s best friend Gideon, and a blossoming crush on a seemingly unattainable popular boy who is more than meets the eye.

I will anxiously wait to see if Heller High has any more secrets for us and will definitely be reading more from Katherine Laurin. If you are looking for a fast-paced story with twists and turns I highly recommend These Vengeful Hearts!

If I were to categorize this book, it would be Mean Girls meets Pretty Little Liars with a touch of Carrie. I had high hopes going into this one but it was just ok for me. I liked the characters of Ember, Gideon and Chase well enough but I found the plot a little too predictable for me. Nothing stood out or gave me that "wow, that's messed up" feeling I was hoping for when I go into a thriller. It wasn't a bad read and the pacing was fine but I don't think I ever felt like it was a true thriller.

A fun quick read. An entertaining story with a Mean Girls vibe. Ember is a smart, successful, well rounded, sophomore on a mission. She is determined to become part of the Red Court, A secret society of girls at her high school who pulled the strings and rule the school. Want to insure your girlfriend is going to be homecoming queen? Or that cute boy you have a crush on finally breaks up with his girlfriend? The Red Court can make it happen. BUT be careful once they help you out you owe them. Ember’s hope is to infiltrate the court and bring it down, this is all about revenge. Several years ago when her older sister April was at the school she was involved in an accident caused by the mysterious and powerful RED COURT.

This was an engaging story, however I would not classify it as a thriller. Ember was a very likable character and even though she got a little caught up in the power she never got too crazy. I also really liked her BFF Gideon and her crush Chase. The story was slightly predictable and I wasn’t riveted, but it was an enjoyable read. I think this would be the perfect story for someone in middle school or just about to start high school. The story gives you a lot to think about and it’s pretty rated G. Ember is a good person who gets caught up in a bad situation, and the use of the playing cards in the story was fun.

This book in emojis ♥️ 📸 🗳 🎨 🏃🏻‍♀️ ☕️

*** Big thank you to Ink Yard Press/Harlequin for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

This is a really fun, perfectly paced, YA thriller that is centered around the taking down of a secret society. Ember is the typical straight A, perfectionist, student except for the fact that she has a vendetta against the Red Court and has infiltrated them to take the Red Queen out. I really appreciated the agony and inner conflict that Ember dealt with has she carried out her Red Court orders. The favors and jobs that the Red Court takes on all felt devious but also very realistic to a high school experience so Laurin did an incredible job toeing that fine line. Of course, being a YA, there is some romance involved but it was the competing for the top spot at school trope and we have feelings for each other trope so it was everything my angsty loving heart enjoys. The Red Court was such a well thought out organization and I loved slowly understanding all the moving parts and how it all worked. I really liked how the story unfolded and I wouldn't mind reading more from this world in the future.

The Vengeful Hearts was a very nice surprise. I went almost blind on this one because I liked the cover and the title… I know! Lol I’ll be honest I expected a fantasy novel and had to read the synopsis after the first few lines. I’m very happy I stumbled onto this one. This is a bit different from what I usually read, and a great read.

This story is about Ember Williams who is on a mission to avenge her sister after a terrible accident caused by The Red Court—a secret society in her school. Ember’s sister tells her about the Red Court and she comes up with a plan to stop this secret society from hurting more innocents once and for all.

Ember is a smart girl, determined to avenge her sister. As the story progresses, we learn what happened to her sister and why this is so important to her. I very much enjoy the plot, the intrigue, and the mystery behind who the Red Queen is. Secrets are the currency in this society and it’s a particularly interesting power play. I like how each plan is executed (good and bad).

The cast of characters is entertaining. Gideon is a true friend from end to finish and exactly what Ember needs. As for Chase, I love the banter between the two characters. The romance doesn’t take too much space in the story, but it feels right. Her plan to take down the Red Court and the friendship she creates as she goes are the main focal point in this story. I very much enjoy that part. Ember is very relatable because she is often in a gray area and she knows it. She questions herself many times.

Overall, this is a great story where the plot keeps you going. It’s well-paced and with the right amount of drama. If you enjoy reading YA mystery, suspense/thriller, I would definitely recommend it. You won’t regret it.

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of These Vengeful Hearts in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist
I was obsessed with the Pretty Little Liars TV show for its entire run. High school thriller, with lots of intrigue and conspiracy. Sign me up!

I welcomed the possibility of high school being the exact opposite of what it was like for me. So, it’s a sort of nostalgic feeling I get when reading high school thrillers that offer me an alternative option for experiencing the good old adolescent years, even if it’s just in books.

That’s what grabbed my attention in the first place. I mean it’s in the name: vengeful plans and secret agendas.

I have to say, though, the title itself kept misleading me a little. There is the possibility that I may have read of a book with a similar name that belonged to the fantasy genre, which made this a little confusing at the beginning.

The Details
As hard as this might be for me, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in These Vengeful Hearts. The idea was good and the premise very promising, but the execution fell flat.

Ember, a determined, smart and ambitious high school student, out for revenge seemed like the perfect protagonist to get this story off the ground. Alas, she didn’t have much of a personality.

The story is narrated from Ember’s perspective. It’s a good opportunity to give the reader good insight into her emotions, the struggles she might be facing and a deeper understanding of her character. Instead, all the reader gets is a play-by-play narrative of what she is doing.

It’s too factual and it lacks any sort of personality traits that would let Ember stand out in a crowd.
A reason for the reader to continue, because of something that makes Ember unique.

Just like with the protagonist, there really wasn’t anything wrong with the plot. It had a lot of potential. These Vengeful Hearts sadly just never really got there. Nothing stood out and nothing made this story unique.

The writing was good. It was clear and concise. I could picture everything described and nothing felt too abstract.

The Verdict
Overall, I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but I could see the potential in These Vengeful Hearts. it was right there and yet never really made it.

I was hoping for a clench-the-book-with-white-knuckles kind of read. Unfortunately, it couldn’t quite capture that atmosphere.

I might suggest it as a lighter read.

A secret organization at Heller High School can grant favors or deal out punishments. Only no-one knows who they are or why they do what they do. But Ember Williams is hell-bent on finding out and getting in.

"Half of the school treated them like the Boogeyman..."

Why was Ember so obsessed with getting into this organization. For revenge, to take down the Queen of Hearts - the leader - down, for what they did to her sister. But it's more than just that... She might also secretly...

Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out what happens. Ember is an interesting character who keeps a few people close and there are some lines she won't cross. Being someone with a moral compass pointed to good, wanting to get into this type of secret club took all her determination...

I liked how Katherine wrote an open ending, while answering the biggest of your questions. Now the only question is what will happen next? Quite a nice page turner mystery for young readers to sink their teeth into.

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this dark thriller. The Red Court rules Heller High. If you want something done, make a request. But if your request is granted, you owe them. The Court seriously injured Ember’s sister years back, leaving her in a wheelchair. Ember vows to join and infiltrate the group, flushing out the Red Queen and ending the group once and for all. What she doesn’t know, however, is how dark her ambitions will take her. This one is out tomorrow (9.8.20), and is recommended for grades 7+.

I am a fan of secret society plots like in The Skulls, and the focus on school as well as the writing style plus the mention of Phoenix reminded me of the Twilight Saga, although having liked those books I found that choice of city a little predictable.

Ember wants revenge on the secret society for their actions that left her sister paralysed. How far is she prepared to go?

She is not the most popular person at school but she does have Gideon.

The Red Court and its leader the Queen of Hearts are what Ember must expose herself to if she is to get revenge for what happened to her sister.

The ways she, and the reader, are subtly exposed to the Red Court at the beginning of the story lured me in and kept me there.

These Vengeful Hearts is a different, but refreshing novel that combines friendship, a high school secret society and begs the question of what people really do for those that matter most to them.

4 stars

Short and Sweet
Ember is ready to take down the Red Court. Whenever something scandalous happens at Heller High there’s one name that comes up and its the Red Court. Ember has been ready to get revenge on them ever since the accident that left her sister paralyzed. Now that Ember has been invited into the club she has the chance to dismantle it. The Red Court is more than Ember bargained for, especially when the jobs will effect those closest to her.
I did like the mystery of who the Red Queen was and who the other members of the court might be. Ember did get a little caught up into the world of the Red Court she liked the power and control she felt. It was interesting, she got a partner, Haley who was kind of like a mentor in all things Red Court and they had jobs that they had to accomplish. Most of the jobs were kind of heartless. All of the jobs that the Red Court received were from students of the school and once that job is completed the student ends up owing the Red Court.
Ember did have a little romance with Chase. I honestly thought their interactions were really cute. I love how competitive they were with each other. It was hard for Ember to keep her secret from Chase about being involved in with the Red Court. I also liked Ember’s relationship with her best friend Gideon although I did think he was a bit much sometimes, but he did try to keep Ember in check during her involvement with the Red Court.
I really liked this book! The mystery was great and I didn’t suspect who was the Queen of Hearts. This was a quick read and it held my attention the whole time. Definitely pick this book up if you’re interested in revenge and mystery books!