Four stars

This was a fun read, and fans of McManus will not be disappointed.

The titular cousins - Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah - all receive messages that they are to visit their grandmother for the summer. While this sounds pretty average, the exciting part is that all four siblings in the intermediate generation (the cousins' parents and their remaining uncle) were mysteriously disowned many years ago. No one can quite figure out what's up here, but the parents mostly want their kids to figure it out. There is also A LOT of family money potentially up for grabs.

The novel is told from the alternating perspectives of all three cousins, and this works well, and the plot points are engaging. Each cousin's backstory, personality, and motives are unique, and though their character development is by no means the focal point of the work, they are round enough to invest in overall. There are also some nice twists that happen all throughout; these are not overly predictable, which makes for added intrigue.

As the title and details suggest, a central focus here is family and the ways in which we can stay connected through the worst offenses and cut ties for seemingly no reason at all. This undercurrent is my favorite part of the book. It's understated but powerful.

This is a quick, entertaining read with engaging characters and deeper themes if you're in the mood to consider them. Recommended.

This book caught my attention and never let up. I started it at 5 and stayed up to finish it that evening. The characters are well rounded and relateable and show growth throughout the story. The mystery was well played and was not predictable. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Ms McManus (of which I am one) as well as those who enjoy mysteries. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Another stunner! Secrets, drama, strong characterization, and delicious mystery! Fans of Karen M. McManus's other books, are in for another treat!

Once upon a time, a ridiculously wealthy family lived in a mansion on a hill. The children of Abraham and Mildred Story seemed to have it all intelligence, beauty, charm, money, and each other. But shortly after their father's death, each of the 4 story children (now young adults) received a letter from their mother declaring they were disinherited and should never return home. Now, a generation later, three cousins who do not know each and have never met their grandmother are invited back.

How perfect is it that their last name is "Story"? I relished in that fact throughout the whole reading. Doesn't every family have just that, a story? Makes me think of that quote from Anna Karenina "Happy families are all alike: Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".

This novels feels like the nostalgia of an 80's movie mixed with The Royal Tenenbaums. Highly, Highly Recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an early release copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I said after reading McManus’s second book that she was going to become one of my favorite authors, and now after finishing her fourth novel, I stand by what I said. She is definitely one of my favorite authors and now my go-to for YA mysteries.

The Cousins follows Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story – cousins who barely know each other – and they’ve been invited out of the blue to work at their estranged grandmother’s island resort for the summer. Though surprised and apprehensive as to why she’s reaching out now, they’re also curious.

Besides, their parents aren’t giving them a choice: they’re going whether they want to or not. This could be their chance to get back into their mother’s good graces after she suddenly cut them off twenty-four years ago. But when the cousins arrive to the island, they realize that something is off, and that there might be more family secrets lying around than they ever imagined.

Like her other novels, McManus does not disappoint with keeping my mind on its toes, looking for clues to figure out the mystery myself. And even when I do figure out something, she immediately throws another twist at I never expected. The beginning starts slow, easing you into the Story family and a teeny bit of their history with one another, which allows you to invest in the characters more. But once the mystery starts, it’s one thing right after another… and I love it!

As usual, the story is told in the POV’s of the main characters – Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah – but there are a few chapters with flashbacks to Milly’s mother, Allison, that help tie the story together. I found it really worked with this particular story and enjoyed the flashback moments just as much as reading the POV’s of the cousins. It’s McManus’s style and way of telling a story that has me as one of her fans, and I look forward to more of her work coming (hopefully) soon!

The Cousins by Karen McManus is a captivating YA mystery centered around three cousins who are invited by their estranged grandmother to spend the summer at the family owned beach resort. Familial secrets, lost inheritance, beach parties... what could go wrong? Overall, I really enjoyed this! I was instantly invested in the cousins (Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah), unpacking their baggage and figuring out how they all fit together. The author did a great job of making me root for the characters and sympathize with their motivations. I wish the ending could have been fleshed out a bit more, but I still found myself satisfied with the way things concluded. I look forward to reading more books from McManus!

*Thanks to Random House Children's and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy!

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
I feel like I should just put it out there that although the glorious opportunity for “Three” in the title was not lost on me, I’m a Karen M. McManus STAN and I’ll look past this oversight this one time. Now that that’s out there I’ll start by saying that overall “The Cousins” was another home run for McManus and a definite must read for any YA mystery or KMM fan! However, I will say that while I really enjoyed the voices and relatability of the characters, I did find myself turning back to figure out who was the POV for the chapter quite often and it was a bit difficult to distinguish between characters at times. I’ll also say that while I found the plot riveting, I did feel the ending/ big reveal was a bit rushed and could have been fleshed out a bit more. However these are all small nitpicks in an otherwise stellar read that I could NOT put down and I cannot wait for what KMM puts out next!

Thank you to Netgalley, Karen M. McManus, and Random House for the advanced read of “The Cousins” in exchange for an honest review!

Three cousins are invited to spend the summer at Grandma's house while working at a resort on a remote island off the coast of Massachusetts (but not Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket). Their Grandma has never been apart of their lives and has refused to speak with their parents. The parents have never told the cousins what happened, however are quick to send their kids off to be reinstated in the will (Grandma has money).
The cousins spend the summer unraveling the mystery of why their family fell apart as well as figuring out what Grandma's agenda is.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of The Cousins by Karen McManus. All opinions are my own.

I want to start off saying that I absolutely love Karen McManus. Her books are at the top of my "favorite of all-time" lists, and I will always read anything and everything she writes. That being said, this was not my favorite. I found this one really bland compared to her other writing. There were characters that didn't stand out, and I found myself having to go back in the book to remind myself who I was reading about. There was a very climatic moment to end this book, and I enjoyed that... but overall, I was a little disappointed. In terms of YA thrillers, this was a really good book, but, in terms of McManus, it just didn't do it for me!

I received early access to The Cousins by Karen McManus through Netgalley.

Karen McManus, the YA queen of suspense and twists/turns, didn't disappoint! The Cousins follow the story of three cousins who are all invited to work at their Grandma's resort for the summer. You quickly learn the cousins barely know each other and have never met their Grandma due to her disowning her children over 25 years prior. While their parents don't know why she exactly disowned them, they see this summer being a way the cousins can connect with their grandma and get back into "the family" (including the family fortune). But after they make it to the island, they soon realize their grandmother was not the one who invited them. So why are they here? And why are people acting so weird around them and around their questions surrounding their families' history? The more they dig, the more they find out and things will never be the same for the Story Cousins.

I enjoyed this young adult read. From the moment you meet the Story cousins, you quickly figure out that the parts they reveal about their lives aren't the whole truth. Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah each have baggage that they are bringing for the summer, but they aren't quite ready to share everything with their cousins. McManus's descriptive writing style and her ability to lead her reader one way and then completely change course is what makes her a strong suspense writer. While I was able to piece together her clues and have a suspicion as to what was going to happen at the end, McManus always leaves a twist at the end that no one sees coming. I love that and my students do as well.

Great read and can't wait to see what Karen McManus writes next!

I am not going to lie and say that I am not 100% a Karen McManus fangirl- because I definitely am. Each book she publishes only get better. Just to put into context- I love stand alone novels. While I sometimes delve into a world of series, stand alone novels are my jam. With that said, The Cousins does not disappoint.

McManus has a knack for creating a world that has plenty of twists and turns that a reader does not expect. My first experience with her work was Two Can Keep a Secret. The Cousins is similarly structured in that the secrets of the family and a generational downfall remains the center of the plot. The beginning of both of the books starts slow as they begin to build the background and let the reader invest in the characters. I would say that these two novels contrast her initial success with One of Us is Lying series- but are in no way less exciting.

McManus artfully captures a King Lear like familial drama that has much more twists and turns than one would expect- spanning 3 deaths and 3 generations, several impersonations, and a few unexpected romances. I loved every minute of following Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah. I look forward to reading more of her books- she has a long future ahead of her in YA. My students will love this book as much as they have loved all of her books- already on my list for purchasing next year!

The Cousins by Karen McManus will be out Dec. 2020! Keep a look out for it- you will not want to miss it!
http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/thriller-to-remember-the-cousins-by-karen-mcmanus

I absolutely couldn’t put this down! Karen McManus always manages to surprise me with her endings, and this is the perfect mystery to keep you guessing.

This book was satisfying. In the way a Nancy Drew mystery is satisfying. In fact, it may be a Nancy Drew mystery in disguise. A spunky teen sleuth, along with an athletic bestie and a model handsome fellow, looks into a family mystery on a secluded New England resort island. Clues are revealed in old photos, in mysterious documents, and in conversations with the housekeeper at the old family manse.

Strengths: diverse characters (Nancy, I mean Millie, is biracial; her uncle is gay), humor, detailed setting, and a good plot.
Weakness - the opening scene feels like it was from another book and eates a framework of expectations that is never referenced again.
Uncategorized notes; I really want to visit this resort. I also love the family name (Story). On the nose, yes, but with full grace.
Recommended for all of us fans of The Secret of the Old Clock

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Jonah, Milly and Aubrey Story are cousins and the grandchildren of reclusive Mildred Story, who cut off their parents decades ago for an undisclosed and mysterious reason. Mildred Story recently sent each of her grandchildren letters inviting them to the family island resort for the summer.
Once at the resort, it is immediately clear to Milly, Aubrey and Jonah, that there's much more going on at the resort than a fun summer making money and spending time with their grandmother.
The Story family has hidden secrets from the past and as the cousins search for the truth, they may die trying.

Well written and well-plotted novel.

As a fan of McManus' other novels, I was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of The Cousins. McManus did not disappoint! Similar to her prior novels, the story is told from the point of view of the three main characters: Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah. The Story cousins have never been close and barely know one another. The matriarch of the Story family had long ago cut off any contact or inheritance for all of her heirs and had never even met the three children, so they are shocked to receive an invitation from their estranged grandmother to spend the summer working at her resort. Nothing is what it seems and McManus takes the reader on a ride from one twist to another. Just when you think you have it all figured out, there is another wrench thrown. This novel kept me turning the pages and I could not put it down.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

Karen McManus is the queen of mysteries. The Cousins might have been my favorite of hers so far. It was totally immersive - I felt like I was one of the cousins. Milly Jonah and Aubrey were three very different characters, but each of their personalities complimented each other. It made it that much more enjoyable because I really rooted for them.

I’m usually wary of books that have a big secret because it usually ends up being a big let down, but this one delivered. I loved it, and I couldn't guess what was around the corner until the characters themselves could. There’s something about camps and isolated islands that really screams mystery and hidden bodies, and this gave in to that fantasy. It was amazing.

People who are already fans of Karen M. McManus's books will not be disappointed. I can't wait to recommend this one to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for letting me read this one early!

I always know I’m going to be in for a wild ride when I read a McManus but THE COUSINS made my jaw drop— literally drop— twice. And the last paragraph— my lips are sealed but dayyyyyyum! That’s how you end a story!

This book drew me in so quickly!!!!
This might be my favorite so far of hers.

Family secrets, money, greed, deception, there is so much in this book and it is all woven together so well. If you enjoyed her other books this will not disappoint!

Can you figure it all out before the end?

Loved this book! Karen McManus delivered yet again. I have many patrons who are fans of the author and I will be excited to promote this title to them. I will also be handing it to reluctant readers. The story has a quick draw and is very engaging throughout.

This mystery feels like a bit of a departure from McManus’ previous YA thrillers, with a little more mystery and a little less thriller. There are some excellent twists, that are satisfyingly surprising and also satisfyingly threaded through the narrative, if you’re looking for them. This will definitely appeal to fans of McManus’ previous titles, as well as YA mysteries like We Were Liars and Little White Lies. The mystery is well-paced, though it speeds up pretty dramatically towards the end, and all the plot threads that seem like they shouldn’t be able to be happily wrapped up are happily wrapped up. A fun read that I’m looking forward to recommending to my mystery-loving teen readers.

In classic Karen M. McManus fashion, The Cousins kept me reading until the very end, weaving clues and suspicions throughout multiple-perspective chapters. I found some of the plot points to be a bit predictable, but I wasn’t totally disappointed when my suspicions came true. Overall, a fun and suspenseful read! Great for fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars