First read with this author snd enjoyed it. Good characters snd interesting story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I adore everything about Hannah Capin: her dark, poetic writing style, the diabolical young women she creates, and her refusal to pull punches (murder? NBD.) Foul is Fair remains one of my favorite YA books, so as soon as I could get my hands on a copy of her newest release, I dove in. It's in the same vein as FIF, and has all of the hallmarks of Capin's style, but it's far more literary than I think most readers will be prepared for. This isn't YA and it's not really a thriller; this is a literary ghost story, prose poetry along the lines of Daisy Johnson or Max Porter's 2016 hit Grief is the Thing with Feathers. What made FIF so brilliant was that while it was whip smart and sharp as Jade's blade, it was still accessible. Anyone with a strong stomach could pick up that book and luxuriate in the writing, or they could just enjoy it for its plot and characters, regardless of their understanding of Shakespeare or more highbrow literature. But this book is written for a very specific niche. It's not accessible to the masses and it requires patience with its lyrical repetitiveness. It's not a book you gobble up in a single sitting, nor is it a book with characters or circumstances with which you may identify. This book keeps you at a distance. That being said, it is beautifully written, and I think Capin's skill has grown immensely since Dead Queens Club. Can't wait to see what she does next!

Set at a Naval summer camp, the story follows a group of girls whose lives were altered the summer before.

There’s a fair share of jumping around from past to present, which at times was hard to follow. I do enjoy the style of writing that seems almost poetic but at a few points I wish it was less so for clarity’s sake.

I really enjoyed the author’s previous Foul is Fair but I had a harder time connecting to this story. I enjoy the way she tells a story so I’ll definitely be on the lookout for future books.

One thing that nagged at me.. I couldn’t tell what parts of the story were supposed to come as a surprise. I felt as though the plot synopsis made one aspect easy to spot from my the get go. I wasn’t sure if it was something we were supposed to know that the narrator wasn’t. Or if we were supposed to be as surprised as she was.

Rating: ALL THE STARS FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER

I love Hannah Capin.

She completely blew me away with The Dead Queens Club, which might be the most accurate portrayal of the women shackled by marriage to Henry VIII. She captured their personalities so perfectly, especially naive, young Katie (I will forever have a soft spot in my heart for Catherine Howard. Leave the child alone and let her rest in peace).

THEN she topped DQC with Foul is Fair, a retelling of Macbeth that I devoured in mere hours. It was brutal and beautiful and violent and I don't think she can ever top it.

But I am Margaret Moore comes close. So very, very close.

Capin has a unique writing style that will be jarring for some if this is your first time reading any of her work, but I promise it will be worth it. There is a lot of stream-of-consciousness here a lot of the time, as there was in Foul is Fair. It is beautiful and lyrical and haunting. Just like with Foul, this book is in me now, in my bones and in my soul. I love Margaret the way I love Courtney Summers' Sadie, and neither will ever let me go.

I am okay with that.

So in my eagerness to get the book, I either forgot or never really saw that this is marketed (rightfully) as a paranormal thriller. All I saw was Hannah Capin's name and my fingers were just itching to get ahold of this one.

The story focuses on four friends: Margaret, Rose, Flor, and Nisreen. Four girls who return summer after summer to their elite summer camp, Marshall Naval School. They are girls from wealthy families who have their summer homes on the lake Marshall also calls home. The boys and girls sail, march, and compete for honors in the Victory and the Valor Races. It is where they belong. They are Marshall and Marshall is them.

This summer is different though. In a place where they're normally safe from the world, where they are free of everything else but bound to one another forever, something has changed.

This summer a boy is dead.

Girls are missing.

Everyone is whispering, it is all Margaret's fault. Rose and Nisreen and Flor will not stand for that. They have to tell. Margaret has to tell.

What happened that night in the storm? The night everything changed. Girls were sent home. Races were cancelled. All Margaret's fault, they keep whispering.

The place where they once felt safe and protected, the place they felt most at home, has changed. Things will never be the same.

There are plenty of clues along the way but I was so involved, so focused, I missed many. A little naggling here and there when my brain paused long enough to tie something I just read back to something a few pages ago, but otherwise I am happy to say I did not see what was coming until I was within a few pages of it. This doesn't usually happen with YA thrillers, and I am happy to say Capin had me going for a long time before it hit me over the head like a ton of bricks.

The story is haunting, and it is beautiful. Capin will make you feel for Margaret, feel the story all the way down in your bones too, if you let her.

The murkiness of what is going on is intentional. Things are not clear for Margaret as it slowly unravels, so we only know what Margaret knows. The fogginess that envelops her slips around the reader early, weaving a tight little cocoon that you want to escape but can't because you have to know what happened that night.

Margaret has to come to terms with it, to remember what happened. And when she does, when she claws her way into the deep recesses of her mind, she has to tell. They all have to tell.

The tension is almost unbearable as things begin to unravel, faster and faster. I could not skip ahead because I did not want to miss anything, but I wanted so badly to KNOW. To know what Margaret finally remembered, to know what happened that night in the storm.

There is a constant dreamlike quality to the writing and it is rather poetic, something else that readers new to Capin might have trouble with. But once you are in the flow of the writing, it gets easier to follow. As Margaret jumps back and forth between this summer and last, and summers before, we get a beautiful pictures of the girls, their sisterhood, how they are bound together forever.

Nisreen, Flor, and Rose do what any sisters would, and fight to clear Margaret's name so to speak, to stop the lies that what happened is Mar's fault. They protect her when she can't do that for herself.

"When they are unpacked they will come out to me, and we will be together again, and it will be our summer: this is what I hope with all my life.

I sit in the crook of our sycamore tree and I wait for them.

I need them back. We need us back.

Everything depends on it." (1%)

I will be rereading this one again to see what I missed on the first read-through, and I can't wait to get started.

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books, for the chance to read and review this book!

Each summer the girls come back to Marshall Naval School. They sail, they march, they bound with each other, they forge strong friendships. Margaret, Rose, Flor and Nisreen come back each summer to this place, where they feel safe from the world and where are bound to each other strongly. But this summer is different and girls are missing, a boy is dead and everyone think it's Margaret Moore's fault, because something happened one night last summer. And when her friends start to disappear, Margaret is forced to confront the lies she told.

I Am Margaret Moore is an intense paranormal thriller, about sisterhood and friendship, lies and truths, love and loss, haunting and set in a summer school. The characters are amazingly written, the story is atmosphetic, the writing evocative and lush and I was hooked since the beginning. It's clear since the start the profound bond between the girls and I absolutely loved it. I loved how the author wrote this story, like a puzzle, scattering pieces and pieces and making the reader following them until the final picture and the truth.
Margaret is a complex and intriguing character and the book is eerie, brilliant and really thrilling.
The way it's narrated is peculiar,swinging from past to present, remembering the other summers and building the plot and the twists.
There's only one thing that put me off from completely loving this book and it's the writing style. Unfortunately I found it a bit too slow or too rushed at times and sometimes repetitive and this kept me from loving everything, even though it's really evocative and the story is absolutely well written.

I recommend this book to those who are looking for a complex character, brilliant plot and peculiar writing style.

This book in 3 words: Immersive. Dark. Beautiful. 

This is the first of Hannah Capin's books I've read and it certainly won't be the last. I Am Margaret Moore is an elaborate puzzle and the author is a master at revealing each of the pieces. Taking place at Marshall Naval School, we know something terrible has happened the previous summer and you're trying to uncover the details. The girls of Deck Five have a bond you dream of as a young person, which strengthens summer after summer. The journey of finding out "what" and "why" feel so possible because of these friendships. 

I Am Margaret Moore is delightfully frustrating and tragic. Important themes are present in these pages... it's more than a YA thriller. This book is friendships, loyalty, boundaries, love, loss, and dreams. 

Some of the most beautiful lines I've ever encountered live in these pages. Capin pulls in this beautiful poetry-esque feel to her narration and it's spectacular. I'm sure this will be an adjustment for some readers, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the pacing was solid...a few lulls but mostly I attribute that to me being so excited for what was next. The writing style pairs perfectly with the non-linear timeline, and while it may be different from your normal style, I strongly encourage you to give it a chance. 

I'm still thinking about this story, days after finishing. I definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Hannah Capin for the opportunity to read an ARC of I Am Margaret Moore!

Thank you to Netgalley, Hannah Caplin and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like the writing style of this book would easily throw some people off as it's written almost poetically instead of in a linear fashion but as someone that really liked that style of writing, I actually really enjoyed it. I was sucked in by the drama and thriller part of this book as it had just a tinge of True Crime and I was intrigued how it was going to play out in the plot which didn't leave me disappointed.

I actually really enjoyed it and was captivated by the overall story!

I wanted to like the story but the writing style just wasn’t for me. I found it jumpy and hard to follow along with.

This book was written well but I just couldn't get into it. I really didn't like any of the characters, which isn't always a deal breaker but for some reason with this book I just had a hard time with it. Nevertheless thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I originally said I wouldn’t be giving feedback because I couldn’t finish this book, but then started thinking maybe that’s a bit selfish.

I’m giving this feedback because someone may like exactly what I didn’t.

What I liked about what I read was the plot. It was intriguing and kept me trying to read it.

What I didn’t like is why I couldn’t finish: the writing style.

I’m not a poetry fan and there are a lot of lyrical poetry verses The just repeat what was written in the paragraph above. Too much lyrical repetition. I really wish I could read a version of this book without the poetry and repetitions as I believe it would be great, even if it made it into a novelette.

If you like or don’t mind lyrical poetry, you’ll probably love this story.

I was so intrigued by the description of this book but unfortunately it was a let down for me.

I absolutely love thrillers and murder mystery books, I like reading books that freak me out and are engaging and twisty. This book didn’t have the twisty, nail biting mystery that I was hoping for.

The writing style is very poetic and lyrical which I personally don’t like so it made reading difficult and hard to engage with the story. However, if you enjoy this type of writing I think you would really enjoy it.

Overall I wasn’t a huge fan of this book, but I can definitely see why others might enjoy it. This book reminds me of We Were Liars, if you enjoyed that book I really think you would like this one.

This book actually made me really angry. It's like someone took the timeline and put it in a blender, then pasted whatever came out. That was actually intentional, so fine. But when you smoothed out the pieces and put it all back together, it still didn't make any sense.

It's pretty clear from the very beginning that Margaret is dead. But wait! She's alive! People are talking to her. She responds, they interact with her. Girls are missing! Except the girls who were sent home are the ones asking about the missing girls. They were sent home and didn't come back, except they're there. The boy is dead, killed by a ghost. Nope, he's alive. Wait, he's dead. Just kidding! The girls are dead? Nope. They've all gotten old and gray...

I kept going to the end in case it somehow all made sense, but nope. There's stuff happening in places it can't, or shouldn't happen, even when you account for the messed up timeline. Flor and Rose and Nisreen are in two places at once. Margaret is dead yet bleeding. Nope nope nope.

Frustrating because it was such a cool concept but the execution HAS to fit together.

Book: I Am Margaret Moore
Author: Hannah Capin
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC.

What can I say? When I saw that Hannah Capin had written another book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I really enjoyed Fair is Foul and was hoping to have another revenge story. I did get that, but it didn’t go in the direction that I thought it would. No, in fact, I actually really liked the direction it went and I am so glad it went there.

This book takes place at a military summer camp. Last summer, something bad happened and we are left trying to figure out what in the world went down. None of the characters seem to know and when they ask, the staff shuts them down. This idea of not knowing what actually happen is what actually hooked me. I like trying to figure out what happened right along with the characters. It add so much to the atmosphere and story. You, as the reader, have to keep reading to find out what happened. You want to know. We have this really awful event that no one wants to talk about and a main character who will not speak a boy’s name. In fact, it seems like she almost goes as far as to pretend that he doesn’t exist. This sense of the unknown and not really knowing what is happening is actually what keeps me going when I am reading. It’s like something in me just has to know what is going to happen next. Hannah did an amazing job with this.

The characters…I really enjoyed them, but I didn’t think they were as well developed as Fair is Foul. I really enjoyed the bond the girls had. At Marshall, the girls are broken up into decks and these decks allow them to form a sisterhood. Seeing this deep level of friendship and loyalty to each other is great. I would much rather have a deep sense of friendship and seeing those bonds thickened than a romance any day. While the book is told from Margaret’s point of view, the bond these girls have is clearly visible. We see them come together as they try to make sense of what has happened. We see them gather together. I think if Margaret had ordered it, they would have actually went full murder squad. I was fully expecting that actually.

Anyway, I did enjoy Margaret’s character, but I just felt like she was missing something. I understand holding certain details from us, but I think we did need something more to really make her character stand out. We can feel the pain and the hatred coming off the page. While we do find out the source of her pain, I would have liked to see just a little bit more. I didn’t get a full sense of who she was. I guess I would have just liked a little bit more to really drive her character home.

Hannah’s writing isn’t the easiest to get into. I know this is the major compliant about her books. I really enjoy it. It’s not your typical YA writing style. To me, her writing style reminds me a lot of the adult books I read. It’s very lyrical and are the more choppy side. However, I think it works. It sets the environment up so well and keeps us thinking. We don’t know where this is going. We think we do, but it turns out to go in a completely different direction. I just find the writing works really well at throwing you into the story and keeping you engaged.

I guess that what I’m getting at is this sense of the unknown and not really knowing what was happening just what actually kept me engaged and kept me reading. I had to find out what was happening and what happened that summer before. It’s a slower paced thriller, but, once again, I found that it worked.

So, this book comes out on October 12, 2021.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/39xcThRIoDc

I had high expectations for I Am Margaret Moore and unfortunately this book didn't meet them. The sinister description was very catching and I was excited to read the book. But the writing style was difficult and the story was confusing and slow. In the end finishing this book felt more like a chore than anything else.

I don't think there is a Hannah Capin book I'd ever not fall in love with. I would be able to recognize her style and prose even if she wrote something anonymous because that's how unique her writing is and how powerful her words are. I Am Margaret Moore is no exception. I was blown away by each and every paragraph, disecting it and finding the rhythm and finally understanding why I love Hannah's books so much!

I'm entranced by the stream of consciousness of her writing and the rhyme found in every single paragraph of one of Hannah Capin's books. I Am Margaret Moore had the most rhyme out of all of her other books combined. It's poetry and the best part is it's disguised as a novel. Choppy, repetitive and absolutely glorious.

"As Marshall girls, we'll live and die. Forevermore we are Deck Five."

If you love paranormal mysteries and Pretty Little Liars, I Am Margaret Moore is a book you won't want to miss.

Each summer the girls of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School and leave their realities behind. They become part of a sisterhood, strong and resilient and something a bit sinister...

The story follows Margaret Moore returning to her friends Rose, Flor, and Nisreen: sisters bound by something more than blood. But this summer everything has changed. Girls are missing and a boy is dead. It’s because of Margaret Moore, the boys say. It’s because of what happened that night in the storm.

Margaret’s friends vanish one by one, swallowed up into the lies she has told about what happened between her and a boy who she loved fiercely at one point and maybe still does.

The tension is maddening when Margaret drops little hints in the beginning of the book of what terrible thing had happened last summer. And I had a lot of anxiety leading up to the big reveal. You learn a lot about Margaret Moore by focusing on what people around her think about what happened that night.

I feel haunted in the best possible way. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a digital review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really struggled to get through this. The writing style is not something I gravitate towards and it was hard to get into. I'm pretty bummed this didn't go well because the premise was really intriguing. I would still recommend to readers who enjoy this lyrical writing style.

One girl, a tragic summer and bonds that will never give. The story follows Margaret Moore and her Deck Five girls, Rose, Flor, and Nisreen. They all summer at the Marshall Naval School. Each summer they come together and their bonds grow stronger and stronger. However, one summer, things go terribly wrong and now their bonds are tested. Margaret falls in love with a boy, a boy who destroys everything, and now she must live with the consequences. The story is told in an extremely lyrical format, and to be honest it did not work for me. I was not invested in the plot and found it difficult to get through till the end despite this being a short book. Reading in the lyrical format and deciphering the events that have occurred as well as Margaret’s narrative was just not working for me. I was initially intrigued by the premise of the story but after finishing it, it just felt a bit anti-climactic. There is a paranormal aspect to the story and even though its suppose to be a thriller... there really was no thrill. The whole story boils down to <spoiler? Margareet falls in love with someone who is off limits and he gets her pregnant while seeing other girls the entire time, and then he nearly hits her with a car and then she tries to drown him. </spoiler>

*Thanks Netgalley andSt. Martin's Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

When I find myself asking: what is going on? while reading, I’m either in for a wild ride or a major disappointment. I AM MARGARET MOORE definitely veers towards a wold ride, but unfortunately, it’s

The simple truth is that this book isn’t going to be for everyone. Disjointed and lyrical, Capin sets up an immersive experience which pulls you into the pages until you swear you hear the buzzing of insects and the first rumble of thunder. Mixed with an unusual POV, a setting that steadily grows more bizarre, and a dark mystery, I AM MARGARET MOORE had all the elements needed to win me over.

Unfortunately, it didn’t.

Instead of pulling me in, the writing style fought against me, and I struggled to push through to the end. Normally I’d tap out at this point but I wanted to uncover what went wrong with Margaret’s summer love, while also figuring out what the heck was going on with the summer camp. In that sense, Capin succeeded in creating a mystery dark enough to sink into me, but not far enough to the point that I enjoyed the process of uncovering it.

Everything goes back to the text that I AM MARGARET MOORE isn’t going to be for everyone. Maybe the payoff in the end will make the confusing process of finding answers worth it for some readers. While I didn’t find my groove here, it’s still a book I can see myself recommending given everything the book does have going for it.

I received a complimentary copy of I Am Margaret Moore from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a great concept for a novel! I was definitely hooked on the storyline, but some of the writing style actually almost put me off to the point where I didn’t finish it. Although upon finishing the novel, I understand the purpose of some of it, there was still way too much repetition (and use of present tense linking verbs) for my taste. I guess this is one way to “live the moment” and smack the reader in the face with an event or feeling, but I was already paying attention, so it just got old for me—which is a shame because it detracted from a really great (but sad) storyline. Margaret’s puppy love situation definitely did not end in the innocent way that it began at her beloved Marshall summer sailing camp.

I just finished this book and have so many conflicting thoughts.

Let's start with the writing style. It was very lyrical, and sometimes hard to follow. On the other hand, it added to the dark atmosphere of the whole thing - it almost had a gothic feel. I don't usually enjoy books with this type of writing, but I did in this case. It just took me a while to get into the flow and enjoy it. Kind of like when you are looking for a hidden word -instead of concentrating, let your eyes relax and you will see them. This book was like that -you had to go along with the story and relax and not try to figure it out.

Next topic - the timeline. This was sometimes hard to follow - it was not linear, but often (usually?) didn't tell you when each chapter took place. It got a little confusing at times. And sometimes I think the book repeated itself, but again it was hard to tell.

The writing itself was well done. But there were too many words I didn't know - I assume they related to boats and boating... But at times I wondered what country this story took place in, since there were so many unfamiliar terms.

Next topic - the story. I was intense, it was dark, it was actually kind of depressing. And frustrating,. Now this makes it sound like I didnt like it, and again I DID. I just kept hoping it would turn around and get....happier..

So looking back on this review, it gives the impression that this was not a good review. This book was dark, it was full of drama, it was confusing, and intense and I really, really liked it. I think my review is as confusing as the book -maybe thats appropriate?

Thank you to the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.. I almost want to give it 5 stars because it gave me such a "wow" but it was too dark and confusing for that.