📚: The Legacies by Jessica Goodman (@jessicagoodman)
⭐️: 4/5

In a read that’s a bit like Gossip Girl meets The Skulls (say no more, my prep school alumna heart), The Legacies is a juicy thriller with enough backstabbing, scandal, secrets, and murder beyond its YA genre.

The Legacy Club isn’t just a prestigious club, but an institution of its own. It opens up doors for college, internships, careers, social status, wealth. It sets up a members’ life but also, of course, reeks of nepotism and is about who you know. So how is it that an outsider becomes nominated as a new member?

A page-turner with a few twists that left my jaw on the ground, this is a solid summertime binge read. Big thanks to @penguinbooks/@penguinteen via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Legacies is out next week on July 25th!

Dark, twisty thriller set in the bougie social circles of NYC and centers on a group of elite prep school seniors. My students will definitely enjoy this thriller that keeps you guessing and turning the pages. They seem to really enjoy the dark academia trope. Also loved the author's previous work-The Counselors!

3.5 ⭐️s / 5

The Legacies is a good YA thriller and murder mystery. It reminded me of one of my favourite TV shows called Elite. So if you like that you’ll love this.

It was such a quick and easy read but I found the characters very shallow but then again I suppose that’s who they are supposed to be.

Thank you netgalley for the arc

I feel as though if you've read a book by Jessica Goodman before, then you know to expect murder, mayhem, and mystery. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔 is true to form and met my expectations. The characters were decently developed, but the highlight for me was the mystery of the whodunnit. The social interactions were well written and, honestly, I wasn't expecting to find myself rooting for anyone in particular because there's a question of motive with everyone involved. Overall, it was an interesting read that I'd recommend to anyone who likes a murder mystery.

I was excited when I received a copy of this book because I love a good thriller set in a private school setting. I will admit it took me a little bit to get into the story, I think in large part because none of the characters were particularly likable, but I felt like they fit in the world created or the book. The mystery was a little bit simplistic and I was hoping for me, but I did love the general format of showing an event and then instantly going to the past to show what happened leading up to that event. The story centers around a group of prep school seniors who have been tapped to enter a secret society which will hook them up with connections for their whole lives. 3 of the kids weren’t surprised, their families are all also members, but one member is a scholarship student and there is more to her invite than meets the eye. I found this to be a pretty quick and fun read in general. I gave it 3.5 stars rounded dead up because it was such a fast read.

Another gripping book by Jessica Goodman, this time a mix between Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl with a mysterious murder in the middle.

It’s a quick read, especially considering the speed events unravel. It starts off calmly and it builds up very quickly. There is mystery, teen drama, suspense and a few surprises throughout the book. Goodman really knows how to make you completely hooked on a story, and not be able to stop until the end. The way she included snippets of the moments after the murder just added to that extra suspense and built up the curiosity levels even further.

The characters are quite nicely developed. Isobel is an aspiring artist and a party girl who always helps her best friend Bernie Kaplan when she’s on the edge. Bernie is driven and ambitious, dating her childhood friend Skyler Hawkins. Tori Tasso is an unknown scholarship student from Queens that gets access to the Legacy Club through illegitimate means. She holds a big secret and is aiming at gaining the prize money to pay off her family’s debt.

From all of them, I felt more for Tori, who doesn’t fit in this elite society and doesn’t really get involved in the others’ drama.

The story is intriguing and kept me guessing. The ending wrapped nicely and was very satisfying, leaving no questions unanswered. A solid 4 starts for me.
I’m looking forward to the next book from Goodman!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

There were moments of this story that I really enjoyed. Some of the “action” at the end and the mystery. However, this felt like such a low-stakes story. I never felt the urgency from any of the characters. Speaking of the characters, I didn’t really like any of them and the POVs started blurring together. I also felt like the jumping back and forth in the story was confusing. I did want to find out the mystery of who died and who the killer was…which I guess is good since it kept me reading to the end.

This was something else. I’ve enjoyed Jessica Goodman’s YA thrillers but this one was maybe too much for me to swallow. All of the ongoing drama really took away from the thriller aspect with the murder. You just got swept up in all the drama and it was genuinely frustrating that we weren’t getting anywhere. I’ll still be reading whatever Jessica Goodman publishes, this one was just a bit of a let down but it’s okay!

I love Jessica Goodman, but sadly, this story was a let down when compared to her others. When i read the description, i was expecting more high stakes blackmail and deception, and the story itself was a lot more bland and nothing really stood out to me. The ending of the book felt more like an opening to a more in depth and cutting edge story, and i feel like the book could have been a lot better had it focused on the more nitty gritty of the club, instead of little teenage drama. It felt like the story was way overdrawn and over explained and was hard for me to stay interested.

4.5/5 stars, a quick and fun thriller read

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group & Razorbill for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I've had the pleasure of reading all of Jessica Goodman's books, most of them as arcs from Penguin Teen throughout the years, and I can honestly say that they're really fun. Most of her stories are very quick reads and relatively short as well, which makes a great combination for a thriller. I don't read many thriller or mystery books anymore, especially in the young adult category, but this author always manages to create an interesting story for me to enjoy.

This story focuses on a high-society club that has a lot of secrets and mysteries surrounding some of the members, especially the new initiates. Every year there are a group of teenagers from the best schools in New York that are nominated and then accepted into this club, that's essentially secret, and then they are forever "one of them." This year seems to be the same until one of the main character's mom goes missing (and she is one to be involved with everything), there's an unexpected nomination, and some teenage drama in the mix as well. While reading about rich people drama isn't something I do too often, when I do read it every now and then it usually is interesting, but Goodman made it even more fun.

While the plotline moved fast and kept up a great pace for such a short book, I wish there had been a little more depth behind some of the actions and events that happened. It felt like the story was reaching for that but couldn't quite make it there, though on multiple levels it was still really fun to read all the twists happening, many that I admit I did not predict. Other than that, I wish there had been a bit more description of the setting to make it really feel set in New York, because it felt here that it could have just been in any big city, but it wasn't enough for me to not enjoy the story. I did also really enjoy how we got snippets of "after the murder" because it really helped build the suspense for it.

The main points of view in this book are Bernie, Isobel, and Tori though I would argue some of the other main characters include Lee and Skylar (boyfriends of Isobel & Bernie respectively). They all played an essential part in the story with a few more characters coming in later. Bernie and Tori were a lot more compelling to me, just because of the things happening in their lives, which was a lot. Isobel could have been a little more interesting if there had been more depth behind her just having mental health issues and doing drugs and alcohol all the time. While it was annoying to see her spiral, I also did not blame her because of her mental health issues, I just wish there had been more expansion on her.

[TW: underage drinking, blood, murder, death of a parent mentioned, underage drugs]

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3/5

Themes: Mystery, Competition, Multiple POVs

The Legacies is about the new group of kids that have been picked to be apart of an elite society full of the rich and famous. When a body shows up at the closing ball we go back in time to see the events that lead to the death. This book did remind me a lot of Gossip Girl and many other tv shows about rich kids off doing their own thing, often illigal things, with zero parenting. It might be that I am not the target audience for this, but the entire time all I could think of is ‘where are their parents’. While this book wasn’t my cup of tea I can see how it can appeal to a younger audience. The mystery of who did it and who was even killed was exciting to read and kept having me guessing.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

NYC's Upper East Side Rich Kids? An Exclusive Society? Wealth and Power? Uh count me in, I would like an invitation!

This story is a YA thriller that follows three characters from Excelsior Prep. All three characters got nominated to be inducted into the Legacy Club which gives them lifetime access to New York's elite society and networking that will bring them anything they could ask for. While you would think that rich kid's on the upper east side have nothing to dwell on, this story is loaded with breakups, sex, drugs, and glam. The story follows the day of the induction ball and the week leading up to it. It allows up to try and piece together who was killed, who killed them, and what secrets did they take to their grave?

I binged this YA thriller and do not regret it. All of the characters were extremely unlikeable and selfish but it did not stop me from following along and rooting for them. This was my first introduction to Jessica Goodman and I can definitely say that she will be a repeat author for me!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book, in return for my honest review.

“All anyone knows for certain is that as the clock strikes midnight, a member of one of New York City’s oldest, most exclusive institutions is dead, and that Bernie Kaplan is the one with blood on her hands.

The Legacies appears to be grittier version of Gossip Girl, a roller coaster of a YA thriller that was easy to read and kept me guessing until the very end. Initially, I had a hard time getting sucked into the story, only finding I was able to get 2-4 pages in before my interest was lost. I am glad I stuck it out because the ending was well worth the wait.

The books alternates between four different views, three of which are of nominees who are set to gain access to the most exclusive club New York City has to offer in the week leading up to the prestigious Legacy Ball, and the fourth view is of the night the ball, which is also when the elusive murder takes place.

Sometimes, the switching between storylines threw me off and I definitely was more interested in Bernie and Tori’s storylines than I was Isobel’s, but ultimately I guessed 100% wrong at the murder victim, which made the read more fun. Overall, I would give the book a 4/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who loves YA thrillers.

Big thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of The Legacies to review for my honest feedback!

The Legacies is Gossip Girl with murder!

The students at Excelsior Prep are rich and entitled, and the students who are nominated into the Legacy Club are the absolute elite. The Legacy Club gives you lifetime access to an exclusive New York Club and contacts that open doors.

Seniors, Bernie, Isobel, and Skyler are nominated, following in their parent’s footsteps they have prepared for this their whole lives. For wild card nomination, Tori Tasso, this is a world away from her family diner.Tori may not fit in or indeed even want to, but she does want to win. She just has to navigate the events week that culminates in a lavish ball.

The narrative switches between the female characters as they prepare for the ball. There’s romance, breakups, sex, drugs, and glamour. While it looks to the outside world that these girls have everything, they are all coping with their own demons and family secrets.

The narrative also switches between the present day Ball where someone has died and the past week. The reader has to put together the pieces of the puzzle to find out who has been killed and why, who is responsible, and what secrets did they hide.

This is a pacy, YA thriller. With the possible exception of Tori, the characters are all quite unlikeable but that doesn’t stop you from wanting to find out what happens to them all.

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted, digital copy of The Legacies.

I love a mystery that kicks off with the end result — the book kick off a murder at the Legacy Club, an ultra elite club for wealthy New Yorkers and their offspring. We follow rich teens Bernie, Isobel and Tori as they attempt to solidly their entry into the club, with insights from the present at the murder scene interspersed throughout.

Rich teens behaving badly is my favorite genre and Goodman excels at immersing the reader into the wealthy, privileged worlds of the characters. Bernie and Tori were excellent, fully fleshed out characters and I enjoyed getting the multi-POV on the same events. My only minor complaint was that Isobel felt fairly one dimensional but I suppose that was intentional due to some of the struggles she faces in the book.

This is not my favorite of Goodman’s books (that honor goes to The Counselor) but it was a fun and fast paced read. If you loved Jessica Goodman’s other books, you’ll enjoy this one too!

Not my favorite Jessica Goodman, but still really enjoyable! This was such a fast read that I flew through but I just wanted a little more at the end and a little more explanation for some of the plot points. Still really entertaining.

I DNF'ed this book but there wasn't anything particularly wrong with it. It was a little bit slow but I've realized Jessica Goodman's writing feels that way to me. The covers of her books look very shocking and thrilling but her books are more slow burn and almost slice of life? This felt like a bird's eye view to a secret society/debutant ball situation. And while I would probably be a little more interested - I was distracted by the similarities this book has to Gossip Girl. The characters feel very copy and pasted from the show - there are name parallels as well as character traits that are the same. I couldn't shake it and was therefore not interested in continuing. I have no doubt it probably would have been a 3 star read had I finished. So good for someone, just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader copy!

The elite have their own world but when one of their own ends up dead that world may shatter. Told from multiple povs The Legacies shows us the not so glittery world of the wealthy.
Bernie has always been told she will be a part of the Legacy club like her mother before her but the day she’s been waiting for - the ball - ends in murder. With old money, damning secrets and questionable motives this group of so-called friends and Legacy club nominees take us on a thrilling ride. These kids are given the opportunity to be a part of this club that can change their lives and give them every opportunity from wealth, influence and connections and they will not let this opportunity pass them by with letting their secrets out. An easy teen drama with a murder mystery for a great beach read.
Unfortunately I didn’t like any of the characters but to be honest I don’t think we are suppose to. Jessica Goodman always writes an intriguing story.

this one actually turned out way better than I thought when I started it! I feel like YA high school murder mysteries are hit or miss - and I’m so happy this one was a hit for me!

I think the cliché of starting out the story with an unknown murder and then going back in time to get the backstory is so overdone - however, the plot was so captivating to me (I mean, who doesn’t love secret cult-like societies) that I actually didn’t mind!

the MCs go through a lot in this short span of time, and while it was a bit unbelievable at times, I was back in my PLL era and was soaking up alllllll of the drama! the stark difference between the “rich white kids” and tori, the token non-legacy child, was a lot let me tell you

I loved the conversation jessica started about how rich white people get everything and how much harder those of color, lower class status, and LGBTQ+ communities have to work for the same thing. however, as none of the MCs were BIPOC or AAPI, it was a little disappointing that this fact wasn’t expanded upon more.

it was definitely a fast-paced quick read with a ton of twists and turns, but ultimately forgettable over time for me 🙃

thank you to netgalley and razorbill for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: alsace grüner veltliner

"This is when you will receive a key, which lets you into the Legacy Club on Sixty-First Street, a key that every single other member has, a key that binds us together."
I've seen people comparing this book to gossip girl and pretty little liars, and I say they are pretty spot on with vibes, and I'd add a dash of Skins, maybe.
Rich kids will be rich kids, right, they all are Nepo kids and don't always have to do anything to get something and achieve some goals. And add a murder mystery and suddenly the rich kids aren't as boring anymore.
When the death scene was revealed I was on edge, I already suspected it was going to be that character pages before I got there and even though I would never say that about a living person, let alone a teenager, I'm glad it happened in the book. Pretty satisfying death, and ending was quite good.
I probably would have liked more murder and less mystery, but it was a fun book nonetheless.