I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

kinda (very) boring, if i wasn't the type of person who feels bad when dnf-ing i wouldn't have forced myself to finish it, on the bright side i love the fact that it was that person who died

I really enjoyed this book! After reading that it was YA I was a hit hesitant to dive in but I am so glad I did. This book gave me SUCH Gossip Girl vibes. Any book about rich kids behaving badly…hand it right over. I’ll be recommending to my millennial friends, New Yorkers and gossip girl lovers alike.

Gossip Girl meets Big Little Lies in this twisty thriller set in NYC’s elite social circles.

Jessica Goodman is an auto-borrow author for me. Her YA thrillers are so good and they never *feel* YA, you know what I mean?

I actually liked most of the main characters, except Skylar. For a bunch of rich kids, they weren’t the most annoying.

I do wish the ending was extended. I wish the author expanded more on what happened after the murder and more details on what each character did after that night. Some people will enjoy the ending that is open to interpretation.

highlights:
- quick read that keeps you wanting more
- POV from three main characters, plus unbiased narrative chapters of what happens immediately after the murder
- fun pop-culture references

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

This book reminded me of the Pretty Little Liars series. Although I have never read any other books by this author I know this will not be my last.

Even though I enjoyed this book I found it slow at times. I felt like i got board at times. There were alot of characters and found myself going back to reread about them to keep track. But in the end I truly enjoyed this book and recommend.

I also love to read YA books for a change.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I am a little confused about this book and my rating for it. I think that it is mediocre. There is nothing all that interesting about it. The story is cliched and the characters are uninteresting. So I am confused as to why I am still thinking about this book 2 months later. The story here is that we start the book with the murder, and we are following the characters in the past., building to who did this and why. The book is trying to say something about class, it just isn’t interesting or groundbreaking. Rich people are manipulative and poor people are honorable, without a lot of nuance. I don’t know that I would recommend this book, but I wouldn’t steer anyone away from it either.

❥ 2 stars ☆

❝Looks like a great party,❞ one cop mumbles to the detective. ❝Except for the dead body.❞

Hey, Upper East Siders... Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite.

This is a high school drama mystery that reminds you about the world of Gossip Girl along with some Pretty Little Liars vibes. I wouldn’t say that this is a thriller book, but maybe it’s more fitting for a younger audience.

The main characters in the story are Bernie Kaplan, Isobel Rothcroft, and Torri Tasso. They are seniors at the private school Excelsior Prep, and they have been invited to become members of the exclusive Legacy Club in New York City. Being a member gives you a lifetime of access to power and wealth, and guaranteed safety and security as Legacy Club members always look out for their own, including their secrets.

Bernie and Isobel along with all their friends in school come from wealthy families so it’s no surprise they both were nominated as Legacies, but Torri is a scholarship student who doesn’t really fit in or know any of them and none of them knows who invited her.

The story is told from the point of view of Bernie, Isobel, and Torri, and the chapters alternate between them. There is also an “after the ball” point of view that is mixed into the book, which takes place after the murder.

Torri is the most tolerable character in the whole story. While Bernie, Isobel and most of the other characters come off as typical boring rich teenagers and people, who have never cared or worried about anything or anyone else because they’re living in their own wealthy bubble and have never had to step outside of it. All that matters are parties, other rich people and rich people’s activities, and they all just seem the same so none of them seems like an actually interesting individual.

Bernie and her boyfriend Skyler are just together because their families are friends and want them to be together and ‘that’s how it should be’, but Skyler really shouldn’t be together with anyone and he is just a very shitty person.

Bernie and Isobel are still friends even though it’s clear that they’re both frustrated with each other for different reasons. As the story progresses and before it ends, Bernie and Isobel manage to solve their differences and actually come together, showing that they are real friends to each other after all. They both also show that they can change and they do care about more than their own rich world, and they do become better people in the end.

I thought the book would be better and more interesting than it was, but I think the typical boring rich teenagers were indeed too boring for me, and it annoyed me that all of them just couldn’t be themselves and also be honest with each other if they’re supposed to be close with each other.

I didn’t predict the outcome of the murder so I will give the book that, and if I may say so, I quite liked the outcome and how the book ended.
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Thank you to netgalley for my advanced copy of The Legacies. I’ve read at least two of Goodman’s previous novels and really enjoyed them both. Unfortunately, this one did not pan out as enjoyable for me, but I pushed through to the end. I found none of the characters likable and the plot a little lackluster.

Of course, as a Jewish reviewer, I have to acknowledge the Jewish rep as I always appreciate this about Goodman’s novels. It’s dropped in there as casual and not fussy about being Jewish, they just simply exist as Jewish characters.

Regardless of my disappointment in this one, I’ll still continue to pick up and support other novels and hopefully this is just a one-off dislike for me.

An invitation to the private and exclusive Legacy Ball guarantees a charmed life for a select few. This year, the coveted invitation ends in murder. Told in alternating viewpoints between 3 main characters, Goodman keeps her readers guessing not only whodunnit but also who died to the very end. Readers who love stories about private school wealth will enjoy this mystery, even though its events revolve around the Legacy events and teen parties and mischief far from the classroom. The characters wrestle with addiction, nepotism, fraud, cheating, exclusion and although the impact of each affects some characters more than others, no one seems to care overly much. The action kept my attention, but I expected more glamor and fun and got more difficulties without a satisfying resolution.

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill & NetGalley for providing a copy for review!

THE LEGACIES was another fun story from Jessica Goodman, a total brain candy easy read that also touches on some tougher topics like substance abuse and privilege. I enjoyed it! It wasn't a five star book from me because I definitely had unanswered questions at the end (how did Tori's mom get into Excelsior / the legacy club in the first place?! What happened in Isobel and Kendall's childhood that she ditched him once she went to Excelsior? Didn't he go there too?) and felt the multi-POV may have taken away from getting to know the characters as well as I wanted to.

I enjoyed this book, although found it a little predictable in places. It is a brilliant YA mystery though, and easy to read. The characters are well told, and fit the whole narrative perfectly, but it just wasn't particularly my kind of book. Sorry!

I've loved all of Jessica Goodman's books, so was very excited to get my hands on her new one early! This book did not let me down. A mix of Gossip Girl and Big Little Lies, I flew through it in a day. The Legacy Club is an exclusive club in NYC that equates to a lifetime of power, access, and influence. Six seniors from each of the most prestigious Manhattan schools are chosen each year to join. The process culminates with the Legacy Ball, which is supposed to be the best night in their lives, but this year, someone ends up dead. Lots of secrets, flashbacks, and multiple POVs really let each character's voice shine, and I couldn't put it down until I knew what had happened. I guessed a couple of the more minor twists, but could not have predicted the last one! Ultimately, I would definitely recommend this book when it comes out, and I can't wait to see what the author does next! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

While this book followed a somewhat typical pattern, it managed to keep my interest with its unique take on a murder at an elite prep school during a significant event. I found it intriguing and had a hard time setting the book aside.

It’s the summer before their senior year of high school, and the Legacy Club is ready to invite their newest nominees into their exclusive group. For some, it’s what they have always dreamed of. For some, it’s just following in their parents’ footsteps. For some, it’s what is expected of them. And for a select few, it’s their ticket into New York City’s elite class. Told in multiple voices, this book leads the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions, getting entangled in the various relationships and issues surrounding the nominees, all leading up to the shocking end of the story in a classic “who done it” trope.

Loved the mystery and flawed characters. Goodman really knows how to set the scene and that's one thing I really enjoy about her books.

Jessica Goodman does suspense amazingly well. This novel is told through multiple perspectives, and across multiple timelines. Each chapter you read asks more questions than it answers until the very end.

The Legacies is a great book for teenagers looking for murder, mystery, secrets, and betrayal.

I loved how this story was told in alternating flashback style. It really helped keep readers in the dark and trying to figure things out until the very end.
I personally didn't really relate or like any of the characters but I found myself needing to know what happened next. Like a bad train wreck you can't look away from. That is the beauty of Jessica Goodman's writing. Making people you absolutely hate and despise and make you not want to look away.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman is a YA thriller that has it all. Tension, intrigue and a compelling ending. The shorter chapters made this a really fast and bingeable read. This has a Gossip Girl vibe and if you loved that show, this will be a great pick for you.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. A great YA book. It took me a while to guess the killer so thats a plus for me.