This book illustrates the harm rumors can do and how a simple lie can become so much more.

There is a LOT in this book. I'm still processing it. This book examines the consequences that rumors, lies, and social media can have in real life.

I had to DNF around 25% as I just could not get into this book (and I tried a few times). I generally love this topic but this one just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own and are mainly written from the standpoint of a school librarian.

FABULOUS! I thoroughly enjoyed the alternating narrators and attempting to figure out how they relate and how they differ. Would make a great YA book club read!

The Rumor Game was a fast read! It was engaging and I feel like this is a topic that a lot if teens will eat up. Its extremely reletative to something many kids go through right now. I did struggle with the believability of some aspects of the story along with the relationships and the why behind some of the actions. I felt like maybe addressing mental health a in a more in depth way could have added that little extra that this book needs. It was still an ejoyable read nonetheless.

It had a slow start but once I got into it I couldn't put it down.
Rumors. They spread far and fast and become like a living being all on their own. For high school students it can be devastating. Georgie goes to fat camp over the summer and comes back to school a while new person. Georgie's neighbor is another high school girl.
Once a member of the "it" crowd but no now an outcast, Bryn's life is falling apart. Both victims of rumors. Horrible rumors. From my perspective the authors could have done a better job at explaining what really happened with Bryn at the end, it felt like they used an easy out. And I would have really liked to see the characters learn the power of forgiveness and giving second chances which so many people don't do anymore...well for anyone but Jase.

I thought The Rumor Game was an excellent social commentary on rumors and bullying. I also thought it was a good look into the things that a lot of teenagers are dealing with. Having issues at home with your parents is no excuse for bullying, but some of these characters represent some really big problems and emotions that teens face today as well. The story showed how rumors can spread like wildfire and how multiple takes of the same scenario can add fuel to the fire. This was a great read, and I think an important one for teens.

I was excited for this read but found myself to be very in the middle for how I felt about it... I will say that I was very glad to not be in the height of social media when I was in school. I would not have survived lol.

I’m not a huge fan of not finishing books, but this one just didn’t snag me like their other work has in the past. ):
Some things felt super juvenile, even for high school kids. I kept hoping it would get better, but it was just flat.

Rumors, gossip, bullying, sexual abuse, self-harm, partying, underage drinking. Not only are these key topics addressed in this book but they are also very real topics that way too many teens face every day. What makes these even more prevalent and harmful is adding social media to the mix. It is not just spoken or written words on a piece of paper like it used to be, everything is now shared and exposed to the World Wide Web within seconds. The yearning and needing to be popular combined with learning true friends from fake friends, real life versus the life you want to portray, and how to juggle it all is so hard and delicate. The Rumor Game captures the life of three girls living this life and learning how it works the hard way. I was completely captivated while reading this, partly because it was written so well, but also because I have two teenagers and can see the affect of all of these topics happening if not to my children directly, then to someone they know. I especially loved the authors note and the message for teens to reach out to parents or adults if they are experiencing cyber bullying, and also advice for parents and adults to take. I am actually watching the original Gossip Girl right now and this book reminded me of this series. I think this is an important read for parents and teens. It is a book of fiction but is also very educational. I would love to see this made into a movie or series. I would definitely read more by these authors.

The Rumor Game is a YA novel told through the perspectives of three teenage girls at an elite Washington DC high school. Throughout the story each of them is impacted in some way by the rumors, lies, and social media attention until they decide something must be done. Overall, I give this book 3 stars (which I consider to be a good, but not great book) My reasons are as follows:

Pros:
Unfortunately social media has made bullying easier than ever and this book highlights that. All three of our narrators as well as other students are intrenched in rumors and lies. It impacts all areas of their lives and it often causes them and other characters to make decisions that they might otherwise not in response to feeling attacked, shunned, or even worshipped.

I also like that in the end there were consequences (some deserved, some satisfying, some frustrating), but it wasn't like they got out of this mess unscarred. In real life there are consequences ranging from losing friends or your reputation to serious accident, death, or jail time and this did show that reality.

I was nervous about the format, but ended up really liking it. Having the story take place not only through our narrators' perspectives, but also through social media platforms shows their lack of control over the rumors and how much it impacts a whole community.

There is a lot of diversity in this book and I believe kids would find someone who at least looks like them.

This book is entertaining and dramatic like a Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale ( or Tiny Pretty Things: the authors' other book)
so it should draw treens in and keep their attention, but it also deals with very serious topics like: cyber bullying, gaslighting, racism, slut shaming, and sexual assault.

Cons:
I personally think that having all the characters be the sons and daughters of politicians, diplomats, and wealthy business owners lessens the relatability for your average teen as it focuses on the experiences of the upper 20% with their gated communities, country clubs, lavish houses, servants, and unlimited resources. It makes it seem like this is more of a rich kid problem instead of something that faces all teenagers.

I think it tried to take on too much. As stated before, this book covers a lot of issues (more than I even mentioned) so it can't really go in-depth on any of them. I personally found parts of the book so traumatic I wasnt sure I wanted to keep reading, but then we just get a list of different resources in the back instead of serious discussions of these topics. I just feel like the authors could have focused on less issues and gone more in-depth on those.

Overall, I might recommend this to my students (after discussing the content), and I do think it shines a light on the serious issues teenagers face. Definitely check all content warnings before reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an audiobook version of this book. This is my honest review.

I was really excited to read this book since I love Clayton and Charaipotra's Tiny Pretty Things duology, but their newest collab didn't do it for me. The characters didn't feel fleshed out and the relationships between the three narrators also felt underdeveloped. There was supposed to be a lot of history and friendship between Bryn and Cora, but it didn't feel believable in the scenes they had together. I did think the plot took some interesting turns and I liked the text and social media elements, but overall, I was hoping the story would be better.

This book is perfect for readers (and my students) who enjoy gossip and drama! It would be a great starting point for conversations with teenagers about the destructive power of gossip and social media.

The Rumor Game is an exciting return to co-authored YA books from fan favorites Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra! Fans of Tiny Pretty Things will find lots of familiar tropes in The Rumor Game. Told through several perspectives, this book will keep readers interested. Just when you think you've figured out what's going on, the authors provide such a great twist!

The characters had great backstories and I like how diverse and accepting the majority of the characters were. I enjoyed the alternating points of view and the plot, dialogue, and setting all felt very realistic to me. The range of topics dealt with - from racism, sexism, bullying, fatphobia, sexual assault and harassment, to drug use were handled in a way that was easy to absorb.

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The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton
The Rumor Game
by Dhonielle Clayton
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Read in March 2022
I get what this book was trying to do, but I just don't think it was done that well. It held my attention and the pacing in the last quarter of the book really picked up so I think I'll go with 3 stars.

The good - commentary on what social media can mean in the life of a high schooler, the power of rumors and gossip, the long lasting effects of gaslighting, people of color being held to a higher standard than their white peers.

The bad - there was A LOT going on in here. It wasn't just about the rumor mill... there seemed to be an overabundance of details that just weren't needed. Cora has a twin sister that skipped a year of school and goes to Harvard and apparently solves mysteries, Georgie's dad had a mistress, Bryn's mother was in rehab, Cora has an ex-girlfriend, Georgie has an eating disorder, Bryn wants to hold onto being student body president..... There's just a lot. This book could have been significantly shorter without the additional unnecessary baggage.

Not my favorite, but not awful. It was alright.

I was excited to read this book because the description reminded me of Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl- obscenely rich teens with sneaky and backstabbing secret lives. And in a way, I was right! There were rich teens with teenage problems who were obsessed with hanging on to their social status.

On the other hand, it wasn’t as twisted and thriller-y as I had hoped. It was an enjoyable read and I look forward to sharing it with some of my students!

Bryn was the queen of Foxham Prep with her best friend Cora, until her relationship went south at the same time that her family life took an unexpected turn. The desperation she experiences as a result leads to some bad choices and she is ostracized by her peers and former friends. The only person left listening to her is her neighbor Georgie, who has experienced a change herself this summer: from overweight outcast to the newly "hot girl" in the spotlight. Bryn decides to use Georgie's new status to her advantage, and the resulting rumors and backlash lead to problems for all three girls.

Clayton and Charaipotra do a great job of developing these characters and the stress they are under in a way that is both believable and sympathetic, despite the questionable choices they sometimes make. The result is a great commentary on high school rumors and social games, and the resulting impact these things have on teen mental health - especially for girls. I really felt for all three of them, both sympathy for their suffering and anger for the unfair blame that is thrown on girls when these status games are played. I'd definitely recommend this in a print version to really enjoy the online exchanges.

Thanks to Netgalley and Disney for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure what I want to say about this book. It was a long book to read but I feel like there could have been more added to it. Like it's missing something. The story focuses on three high school girls, Cora, Bryn, and Georgie, who go to an elite Washington, D.C. school. Bryn and Cora were best friends until Bryn mad a huge mistake that almost cost the life of Cora's boyfriend. Trying to win her back she forms a plan to start a rumor to break Cora and her boyfriend up. But things backfire. I never felt connected or invested to the girls in the story. There was a mantra to the rumors that kept getting put in over and over again that was kind of annoying. It did feel realistic that this is what goes on with high schooler's, social media, and bullying. I could so see this play out and it felt real to me.

So in conclusion it was ok. It wasn't really a thriller like I thought it would be. The characters aren't likable, well Georgie is a little. It deals with fatphobia, sexual abuse, underage drinking and drug use, cyberbullying, bullying. Definitely for older teens. It reads at a slow pace and is an interesting story. I do like the cover. It's what drew me to want to read it at first.

Bryn, Cora, and Georgie are the trifecta of typical teenage characters in this young adult novel about the manipulation of social media and the politics of high school. Switching between the perspectives of these three gave insight into the truth of the rumors and, as one of them said, there are always multiple versions of the truth. For me, this was reminiscent of Gossip Girl and Cruel Intentions, with Mean Girls thrown in. I didn't think any of the characters were likeable, except possibly Millie, as they all had what seemed like purely selfish intentions, getting caught up in revenge and payback. (Which I suppose is also characteristic of typical teenagers.) I enjoyed the audio for this one and thought the narrators were thoughtfully chosen and represented each character well. However, I missed the visuals that are throughout the book, and it was awkward and hard to follow when the narrator read the text messages and social media posts. The Rumor Game does show the lingering effects of social media and how difficult it is to recover once rumors are out in the world but even with the ongoing list of rumors it was a lot to keep up with in addition to the sub-plots for each character.

My feelings on this book are complicated. On one hand, I think it was an (unfortunately) accurate portrayal of how vicious high school can be, of flawed teens making questionable choices when under social and mental duress. On the other hand, though, I found most of the characters extremely frustrating, which hindered my reading experience.

I will say that the final third of the book revealed one very unexpected plot twist that single-handedly saved the book for me. Up until that point, nothing had shocked me except how horrible some of the characters were being. It was all very cleverly done on the authors’ part.

One aspect I have mixed feelings on is Georgie’s character. While she did end up being one of my favorites—alongside Riley and Baez—I question the authors’ choice to make her narrative what it was. Prior to the start of the story, she was a fat girl sent to a summer weight loss camp, which already isn’t my favorite thing. Then the new school year starts, and suddenly, despite being ignored when she was fat, now that she’s lost weight and started dressing differently, she becomes more popular. I realize it was in part a commentary on fatphobia in society, and one of the most significant parts of Georgie’s journey was her realization that she’s beautiful and worthwhile no matter what she weighs or how she looks. But I ask: why was any of it necessary? Why, in 2022, are we still giving this rather offensive cliché any attention? Why couldn’t Georgie realize those things without losing any weight? Alternatively, instead of any sort of self-image character arc, she could’ve been a transfer student, new to the area, and that was why she was attracting attention. I don’t know—maybe I’m over-analyzing this, but I just didn’t really like it regardless.

Also, I would’ve liked to see a bit more about Cora’s queerness. I am completely aware that it’s not meant to be a focal point in this story, and I accept that. However, it’s briefly mentioned a couple of times that she previously, secretly dated a girl, and that’s it. I think it would’ve been interesting to see more of that part of her.

Ultimately, I did like the ending. I liked where each of the characters ended up, and even liked most of the major players by the time I was done, which was a huge improvement from the first half of the book.

As for the book as a whole, I’m not sure. My criticisms of the first half combined with my unexpected investment in and the surprise improvement of the second half equal an overall neutral rating. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. I would recommend it if you’re a fan of prep school mysteries and contemporaries with social commentary, but it’s not my first choice recommendation either. So yeah—50/50, basically.