Another Jessica Goodman book that I absolutely couldn't put down. This one centers on a secretive, invite-only society for high schoolers from elite backgrounds, and the mystery that takes place during initiation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Razorbill for providing me with an ARC of The Legacies by Jessica Goodman in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled with the first half of this book. I honestly can't remember most of it because it didn't hold my interest--I kept putting the book down and having to reorient myself to the characters and plot over and over. However, at the 50% mark the mystery came alive and I plowed through to the end very quickly!

I didn't like not knowing who had been murdered--it made it hard for me to care about the story. However, by the time I finished, I realized that this was necessary to the overall plot because of the way the story unfolded. I also had a few issues with the switching of POVs and time periods, mostly because I was constantly stopping and restarting the novel and couldn't keep up with the characters and setting; this style just didn't work for my short attention span. In the second half of the book, I got a deeper feel for the characters and their entanglements. I really liked Isobel, but wish she had been more directly involved in what was going on with Tori and Bernie rather than mostly being an onlooker. I did like that this novel didn't turn out the way I thought it would!

I don't think I will purchase this for my classroom. If I struggled with it, I know my students will give up too soon to get to the good part. This book was not for me, but I think many YA mystery readers will enjoy it!

I’m going to be perfect honest here, the first three books that Goodman released, really weren’t that great. I actually kept reading her books as a joke because I didn’t like any of them at all.

BUT, this one was so much better!! Her writing and storytelling really grew and shined through on her fourth book release!

If you loved Gossip Girl and easy binge worthy books, The Legacies is it! There are twists and turns, betrayals, rich teens that are entering a exclusive money hungry club only one of the main characters is from the lower class side of town and mysteriously gets chosen to join this club. It was pretty entertaining the whole story and definitely will still be picking up Goodman’s books!

I couldn’t put the book down, it’s perfect for a summer day where you just want to binge the heck out of a book, which is what I did lol.

Read if you like:
- Gossip Girl
- Private clubs
- Betrayal
- Twists & turns
- Secrets
- Multiple POVs
- Messy characters
- Binge worthy
- Dual timeline

Rich privileged kids. An invitation you don’t want to miss. A party to die for.

The Legacy Club is a club you must have an invitation and nomination to be a part of. If you’re in, it opens up endless lifelong possibilities. THE college shoe in. THE career path of a lifetime. AND favors from friends in high places. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this? Most of the kids nominated are a given. They have family members that are already a part of the group or are well off living the life of luxury. There is one scholarship that sticks out however, Tori Tasso. She isn’t wealthy and doesn’t live that high life normally. So what is she doing there? The week leading up to the Legacy Ball there is a lot of pressure but soon everyone will find out how Tori was nominated and why? She doesn’t fit in, but desperately needs the winning prize. One dead body at the party and a lot of gossipy privileged kids is the perfect mix for a drama filled book!

This book was a fast paced young adult thriller that I flew through in one day! I thought the book was entertaining because it was full of backstabbing, lying, betraying characters. The mystery behind the missing mother I had a hard time piecing together and kept me interested until the end. At times, I did have a hard time connecting with the characters because I didn’t really like any of them, except maybe Tori. The kids were all self absorbed entitled people. I absolutely enjoyed the setting of exclusive club invite only setting. it’s intriguing to me because this power driven, “who you know” type of relationship happens in real life and I always enjoy seeing how it plays out! Thank you Jessica for inviting me into this world!

This format was done so perfectly. I definitely got some gossip Girl vibes which I loved. The back and for POV kept me wanting to read "just one more chapter". I loved the suspense of not knowing who the victim was and trying to figure out who it could be. The competitiveness really just moved this story forward and kept me very intrigued. This is what a YA thriller should be!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Legacies is a thriller that has secrets hidden inside other secrets. The pacing was really fast jumping between the night After The Party and the week leading up to it. The characters were interesting and I liked that everyone were flawed.

A perfect read for fans of intrigue, betrayals and secrets!

Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Everyone seems to enjoy this book, so I went in with high expectations. But for me it just did not deliver. I found most of the characters very unlikeable, their experiences too unrealistic, and just too many drawn out pages with unnecessary information. Even the ending was a let down, by not letting you learn the entire truth to one of the stories many mysteries. There was just too much going on throughout this story.

I was initially drawn in by the glitz and glam of the rich and elite of NYC. We meet and follow a group of seniors, Bernie, Isobel, Skylar, Tori, and Lee. They all attend the ultra elite school, Excelsior, and have all been nominated to be inducted into the prestigious Legacy club. We follow their adventures, and mishaps the week leading up to the Legacy Ball, which ends in tragedy.

Again this book wasn’t a great read for me, but I do think if you’re into YA and a mystery with lots of moving parts, it could be enjoyable for you!

This is a YA thriller about NYC's elite teenagers and the "Legacy" society they are nominated to join. I thought this book started out great. The plot was driven and enthralling. The reader isn't even sure of who died until later in the book. It moves from the past to present with each chapter and told in multiple viewpoints of each female main character, so you know their internal thoughts and struggles. Then you get to the end. That was the real "what the hell?" moment. How do you even end a book that way? I actually tried to keep scrolling thinking it was a kindle problem, but no, that was the unsatisfying ending.

The last fourth of the book got choppy and I struggled to find out the WHY for everything. Why did Bernie's mom have to disappear? Yes, there was a divorce and legal matters but she couldn't make herself available to her own daughter or even give her a heads up as she's about to embark on a week she's been waiting for her whole life BECAUSE OF HER MOTHER. Then all of a sudden, lawsuit be dammed, mom shows up for the ball.

The death. I am still unsure about this one. The fight scene was so jumbled I was left wondering if it was an accident or was murder the end goal. For a thriller you kind of want that to be loud and clear.

They could have edited so many things to make room for a more substantial ending. It feels like time and maybe page count got in the way and this great story (reminiscent of the gossip girl days) was left with a mess of an ending. It left me having to make too many assumptions about motive and what actually happened instead of leaving me satisfied with the story. So, I thought maybe its left open because its meant to be a series. Nope, no signs of that, and even if it were it was left open like a gaping wound. The rest of the book was great, so I have no doubt the author had a better ending rolling around in their head. I felt sloppy and rushed.

I enjoyed this book! Like another reviewer on Goodreads, I would characterize this book as 'Gossip Girl' meets 'Pretty Little Liars'. The book is set amongst the New York City high elite rife with nepotism and wealth. There are multiple POVs from the characters Bernie, Isobel, and Tori, soon-to-be seniors at a prestigious high school who have all been nominated for the coveted Legacy Club. The layers of mystery are well-blended wondering who died and who did it amongst cheating, backstabbing, gossip, money, and lies.

I think that the synopsis speaks for itself in terms of how interesting the story is to read. This was a quick and enjoyable read due to the suspense laced throughout and the short chapters. While I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, I think that is part of the allure; in the same way that we want to know what celebrities are doing because they are completely unrelatable. I think that this was well reflected in some of the language used throughout the book as well because there were terms that I was unfamiliar with simply because of the affluence tied to them.

My only concern with the book is that the beginning is a bit leading with no reward at times. A perfect suspense novel balances giving readers just enough to make them want to keep reading, but doesn't give too much or too little because in both situations the reader loses motivation to continue reading. Toward the beginning of the book, I didn't feel I was given enough to keep going. However, I am glad I continued to read because the second half was much faster-paced and struck that balance of suspense perfectly.

The ending wraps up everything nicely and has a satisfying ending that I appreciated. Unsettling enough to think about why there are still some threads to pick at, but well-rounded in that everything is addressed. One last thing to add is that I wasn't expecting there to be so much discussion of substance abuse by one of the characters especially since they're so young, so keep that in mind as well!

Overall, I think this was a fun, quick, and engaging read. I would definitely recommend to those who are looking for an older YA suspense/mystery book that is easy to read.

This book is a solid 3.5 out of 5 star rating! Think Gossip Girl meets true crime. "The Legacies" by Jessica Goodman offers an intriguing read with notable character relationships and a murder that has you guessing from the beginning. The concept of exploring power and privilage is intruiging especially for those who don't get to experience it first hand makes this book compelling.

I believe the charater development was really well done, I could have used a little more but I did feel like I knew the characters well enough. The relationships in the book were intriguing, adding depth and complexity to the story. Additionally, the sense of justice for Tori throughout the narrative was fantastic, creating a satisfying and empowering experience. I love a great underdog success story.

In summary, "The Legacies" presents an interesting read with captivating character relationships. While it falls short in terms of character development and pacing, it remains a worthwhile choice for fans of mysteries and those who are intruiged by the sagas of the ultra privilaged.

rating﹕★☆☆☆☆
｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ
Finally finished this! Awhile ago, I read a little bit before putting it on hold. I wanted to dnf this so many times, but didn't. I kept hoping that it would get better but it didn't, I was really underwhelmed.

This story is told in three POVs: Bernie, Isobel and Tori. I was bored throughout the whole book. The entire book was really slow in my opinion, I had no idea what was going on or what the plot is. Even now that I've finished the book, I still haven't fully understood the plot... it was all really confusing to me. There are scenes from the night of the Legacy ball scattered throughout the book, but that just confused me as I somehow didn't realize they were scenes from the night of the Legacy ball until I was halfway through the book. When it finally got to the night of the Legacy ball where we find out what happened, it was kind of a let down. Honestly the death wasn't who I expected to be and the killer was a surprise as well, but I didn't particularly care about what happens...

This book ended on a cliffhanger, which lays the groundwork for a possible sequel. I like mysteries and thrillers, but this book wasn't it.

🗝 Thank you Penguin Young Readers for accepting my Netgalley request for this E-ARC!

Notes: The review is posted today (22/06/23) on my Goodreads account and on my Twitter page.
Links to the posted reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5482079808
https://twitter.com/linasimplyreads/status/1671973682942451730

Oh my gosh the way I absolutely devoured this. And I mean in a stay up all night, cancel my workout class even though there will be a fee to pay kind of devoured it. This was twisty and fun and even though I ultimately guessed what was going on, I still really enjoyed the journey to get there because of Goodman's writing and the universe we were transported into. I just love YA thrillers!

A highly enjoyable book that reads like a cross between Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. Fast paced, with unexpected plot twists. A mysterious death, a missing parent, four life long friends and an outsider in their world, all come together because of a Manhattan, super elite Legacy Club. Entry for the chosen few is all about who you know and not what you thought you knew about them.

This is Jessica Goodman’s best yet! The glitz. The drama. The elite club. The mystery. The Legacies has it all.

An elite group of New York high schoolers are looking for nominations in to a lifelong elite club and the night of the big Legacy ball someone is dead. It’s like Gossip Girl with a murder. I‘m a big fan of Jessica Goodman and couldn’t have loved The Legacies more.

The story was fun and so fast paced I couldn’t put it down. I needed to find out what happened at the ball.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is easily my favorite Jessica Goodman book yet. Gossip Girl meets Big Little Lies set in an illustrious NYC club for the rich? Sign me up!

This book is told from 4 POVs, 3 first person narrations from 3 of the year’s nominees to the club and 1 omniscient POV from after the “ball” where the crime is committed. I loved the way the timeline jumped around and the way the reader doesn’t know the details of the crime until the very end.

All of the characters have motive and opportunity and I thought the mystery here was so well done.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So… this author. I have read her other books, and I just couldn’t get into them. I always tried anyway because they got so much hype. They never lived up to it… until this book. I was actually able to finish one of her books. It had me hooked from the start. This one almost felt like a completely different author wrote it, so if you like her style of the other books, beware. (I’m not saying I think someone else wrote it, just that it feels like a different style which is a great thing- she’s improving as a writer)

4.5 ⭐️

I have read every book that Jessica Goodman has ever written and loved them all. So when I saw this on NetGalley, it was a no brainer for me to request it.

Jessica Goodman does YA thrillers SO well. They’re always entertaining, suspenseful, about the rich (I love books like that) and dark academia! She is a fantastic author and the stories flow. This one is no different.

I loved the 3 POV’s and getting to see the workings in each of the girl’s head. While I did figure out how the deceased was before the end, I didn’t work out how it was all going to end.

Fast paced and great!

2.5 stars rounded down

This was one of my most highly anticipated mystery releases of July and I'm incredibly sad to say that I didn't enjoy my time reading this. There was nothing enjoyable about reading from the perspective of Tori, Isobel, and Bernie. Isobel and Bernie were both impossibly unlikable characters to follow. They're wealthy, privileged high schoolers who are completely out of touch with reality and don't understand anything about the real world. They consistently made poor choices and their inner monologues were painful to read. Sometimes reading about wealthy people can be super entertaining, but in this case, it was just kind of miserable.

Tori was an okay perspective to read from. Obviously she was much more relatable, being from a middle class family and being on scholarship to the fancy school, but her perspective was just boring. The story was just happening to her instead of her really being involved in solving any of the problems and mysteries. She just existed for her story to be a main conflict for the Bernie character.

This just makes me sad, but I still have hope for other novels by this author since I really loved The Counselors. I just need more fun out of the story compared to how I felt reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an Arc in exchange for my honest review.

(Full review to come on YouTube)

The Legacy Club is a secret society for New York's elite - think even more exclusive than SoHo House. Every year the club chooses 6 seniors from each prestigious NYC prep school to join the club, and at the end of the initiation week, there's a $25,000 prize (that of course none of these rich privileged teens actually need). However, this year a scholarship kid was nominated to be part of the club, and she really needs that prize money. The Legacies is told from the perspectives of her and two of the rich teen girls she's competing against for the money. As the week unfurls, it's revealed that they're connected to each other in more ways than you think and that this week ends with death of one of the new members.
I LOVE a rich unsupervised teen trope and nobody does it better than Jessica Goodman. This is Gossip Girl but someone dies at the end!! I found this book riveting, and probably would've finished it in a day, had work not gotten in the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book in 3 words: Devious. Cryptic. Immersive. 

If you're a fan of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, or dark academia, this book is for you. 

This is my first read by Jessica Goodman and it feels like I've been missing out. The Legacies is written from both the past and present, spread across different perspectives. I thought the voices were unique to each character and the execution was spot on. 

I never had this figured out. There were a few things I had a hunch on but I wouldn't call this book predictable at all. I love when a book twists and turns and surprises you along the way. 

All I know is this book kept calling my name. Every time I had a free 15 minutes, I could feel it demanding to be read. I wanted to get through it so badly. It was an enjoyable experience and I can't wait to get caught up on Goodman's other books. 

I think this is a solid thriller/mystery and will get some hype when it's released. Definitely will recommend.