<b>“Looks like a great party,” one cop mumbles to the detective. “Except for the dead body.”</b>

Bernie, Isobel, and Tori. Something is wrong. Really wrong. Readers will be flipping pages like, “what. happened?!” I HAD to know! I had to know the truth. The vibes: gossip girl 🤝🏼 pretty little liars. LOVE Jessica Goodman’s mystery novels! I’ve read them all and loved them! Cozy, cozy murder!

✨ THINGS AND STUFF ✨
-multiple pov (three)
-dual timelines
-the legacy ball
-elite New York society
-exclusive prep school (academia)
-MURDER!!! (murder?)
-pulsing secrets & shocking betrayal
-presentations, donations, nominations
-illicit substances
-blood money
-family dynamics
-rumors & lawsuits
-plot twist!
-“the truth about (redacted) and what we did to her all those years ago.”

Thank you Penguin Teen for the physical copy. #THELEGACIES is available today!
#penguinteenpartner

🎶Song: I Did Something Bad by Taylor Swift

It’s Gossip Girl but with no sense of humor.

I’ve been kind of up and down on Jessica Goodman’s books, and this one is unfortunately closer in quality to They Wish They Were Us than the fun and satisfying The Counselors.

The biggest problem is that it’s just a really shopworn, overused premise, and this book doesn’t bring anything unique to the equation. Put that together with the fact that if you look too closely, there are a lot of holes in the plot, and it makes for a pretty rough reader experience.

I try not to be too demanding in terms of quality on books like this, but the problem is that there are plenty of YA mysteries out there that DO have the originality and quality of plot that we ask for in adult mysteries, and that makes books like this just feel sloppy.

The pacing is good, certainly, but it feels a bit like a lot of Karen McManus books in the sense that the frenetic pacing feels like it’s there to keep you from looking too closely at the details of the plot.

All of the characters are really standard archetypes who don’t deviate at all from type, and that doesn’t make you like any of them very much. The scholarship student—presumably supposed to be the one we root for—is irritating and preachy. Then there’s the golden girl, privileged but with a heart of gold (yawn) and finally the screw up, a well-intentioned party girl. Stop me if you’ve heard all of this before.

I have never read a Jessica Goodman book I didn’t love! The Legacies was no exception. It took me a couple of chapters to get all of the players straight (mostly excuse kids home on summer break make concentrating hard lol). But once, I got into it, I was hooked! We meet the characters as they are becoming nominees for a prestige club. The Legacy Club is a members only club for the most elite of the elite from Excelsior Prep School. Entrance into The Legacies is a guarantee for an easy ride through life with all of the best opportunities at your finger tips. After all, it’s not what you know… it’s WHO you know that matters. The final event of nominations week is private ball. Halfway through the evening someone is dead and someone knows what happened. The story is told through alternating viewpoints of characters, before and after the ball. The identity of the victim is kept a secret until the end and I have to say I wasn’t sad at all when the identity was revealed lol.
Grab this one soon!!

I had such high hopes for this book, but I was so disappointed that I couldn’t finish it. It was just boring and none of the characters were likable. Had there been at least one or two I felt anything towards, I probably would have finished it. Just not for me. I’m a big fan of the cover, though!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

The Legacies is a YA mystery that is a bit like Gossip Girl set in glitzy New York prep school and an exclusive club. I was into the premise of this book but like other Jessica Goodman books the storytelling fell flat. I find the writing style itself to be fine. But characters are very surface level and are not anything special. I didn’t find myself caring about any of them or what happened to any of them.

The mystery isn’t so much a mystery. I genuinely didn’t care who died and then you find out relatively quickly who it is.

4 stars

I think this was a entertaining thriller. It was slow at times, but other than that this was a good read full of lies and plot twists.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

The book opens after a murder, though we aren’t told whose, and what follows is told from 3 different POVs leading up to the actual murder.

I really liked this book! I liked the characters (well most of them, iykyk) & there were some twists I didn’t see coming!

This book is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and YA Thrillers. If you like those or Jessica Goodman’s other books definitely give this one a chance!

3.5 stars

Getting into the Legacy Club is an honor, it opens doors that can change your life. Most are born into the privilege of this club but this year there is a surprise nomination: the scholarship kid. How did she secure such a coveted nomination? In a world of old money and secrets, what lengths will everyone go to to protect themselves?

This gives all the Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liar vibes so intriguing for fans of dark academia and secret lives of the rich.

I am such a fan of dual timeline, multiple POV, I was very excited to see that format used here. I especially enjoy when stories don’t reveal the victim until later to add another sense of mystery. However although the twists made for an entertaining storyline, they were too easy to guess early on.

Despite getting their POV throughout the story, I found myself unable to connect with any of the characters. Well I didn’t particularly dislike them, I also didn’t like them either. Which in addition to the predictability, made the book feel like it was a bit too long.

This was my first by this author and although it won’t be a top read of 2023 it was still enjoyable. I plan to give her other books a try.

Thank you Razorbill, Netgalley, and BookishFirst for my review copies in exchange for an honest review!

🖤 🤍 💛 The Legacies by Jessica Goodman🖤🤍💛

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 /5

I enjoyed this one! I completely agree with those that have referenced Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liar vibes. I’d also throw in vibes of that movie, The Skulls, with Joshua Jackson.

I’d categorize this one as a YA thriller, set around a prestigious school in NYC, where the alumni/parents have too much power and secrets of their own.

The story begins “after the ball” where we learn someone has been murdered, and alternates back and forth between the week leading up to the ball, from the perspectives of Bernie, Isobel and Tori, and the events after it.

We don’t find out who was actually murdered until late in the book, though the story kept a good pace.

If you’re a fan of YA, definitely give this one a read. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed it. Extra points from me for all of the NYC and Long Island references, as it’s my home too!

The Legacies is a story of intrigue and hidden secrets. We open with the knowledge that a body has been found at the Legacy Ball, and the story takes us through the days building up to the event.
In this exclusive school community becoming part of the Legacy Group is a sure fire way of getting success. Only a select few are chosen, and it is a key to a better life. Nobody questions it, and those who benefit from its existence are more than happy for it to be maintained.
Our story focuses on some key characters - teens who have been invited to join the group this year. We gain an insight into their lives, the ups and downs of their families and quickly realise that the impact of the group can be long-reaching.
From start to finish this is the kind of story that you get caught up in. The characters, naturally, have their flaws but it was most interesting to see how what had come before it continued to impact on those we were watching. The final twists and turns were quite captivating, and the closing scene suggested Theresa very real chance we could get a return visit.

YA suspense is one of my favorites and The Legacies does not disappoint. There were a few plot holes/mistakes that surprised me (phone broken overnight then she uses it the next day) in this late of a copy, but hopefully those are fixed by publication. I wish the ending had wrapped things up a bit more. I didn’t feel like some of the characters got quite what they deserved. Overall a fun read.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman is a non-stop thriller that kept me desperate to know what would happen next. The interpersonal high-society drama with a dash of potentially deadly twists hooked me right from the start. I went into this book already a fan of Jessica Goodman, having read and loved her three previous books, and The Legacies was not only as good as but surpassed what I've already read by her. I would absolutely recommend this book to fans of high school thrillers and dramas. This book gives you a little bit of everything-- from discovering secrets about money and corruption to rooting for the underdog. Definitely check out The Legacies by Jessica Goodman.

I never felt like I became submerged in the story. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley to write a fair review. The story is written in first person, but it feels like it is in third person. The narration has a way of distancing you from the story. The dialogue never felt genuine to me. The setting is very Gossip Girl but the characters didn’t strike me that way. I think it is safe to say this wasn’t the book for me.

"The Legacies" was a fast-paced psychological thriller set in the upper echelon of Manhattan. Its characters and setting are reminiscent of the "Gossip Girl" series or "Pretty Little Liars." The story had an intriguing premise that tackled issues like multi-generational trauma and social class bias. The fast-paced plot was easy to read and entertaining.

I truly enjoyed this read. It was a quick read that kept you on your toes. While I kept guessing I was never actually sure what was going to happen. Who is dead? Who is involved? Who does have secrets? Who doesn’t? Who belongs and who doesn’t? So many questions and it is wrapped up so nicely.

As a fan of Pretty Little Liars the show this book reminded me of it a lot. You have these teens who are the top of the top at their special private school and now they are being nominated to become members of the Legacy Club. It's a very hush, hush club to those on the outside but on the inside everyone at their school seems to want in for what that club can do for their futures. However Tori could care less until her family is faced with financial issues that could leave them to lose their family business. The friends you thought you had you don't and even their parents have them second guessing all they thought they know. Can mistakes from others cause issues with the future Legacies? Also is becoming a Legacy important enough to kill?

This story was full of twists, turns, surprises, and secrets!

It follows members of a high society as they are preparing to be accepted into the Legacy Club. Only those who get an invitation after being nominated get a chance to become a member of such an elite club. It's all about who you know and the connections they have. But not everything is as it seems. Secrets, hidden betrayals, and lies surround them. Will they all make it into the Legacy Club, or will what's been hidden be brought to the surface and cause issues for one or even all of the potential legacies?

I really enjoyed this story as it kept my attention while I tried to figure out what was going to happen!

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group-Penguin Young Readers Group and Jessica Goodman for this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

𝘼 𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙯𝙮 𝙔𝘼 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙡, 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮.

I have now read three books by this author and somehow I have given all three books the same rating. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not good - because they definitely are. I always have an enjoyable time reading them… they’re just not very memorable.

Every time I pick up a YA thriller, I struggle with how I feel after finishing the book. I heard this one being compared to Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, so I was delighted when I was sent an early review copy.

I always love following a whodunit story, and this one has three POVs - each being very interesting. There’s also a dual timeline.

I was able to predict most of the twists early on, but I do think they were quite enjoyable. I didn’t really care for the characters and I do feel like the story itself got repetitive at times.

Also, I did go into this expecting the mystery side to be more shown, however, I feel like most of it was just teen drama… which I didn’t care for too much.

Without a doubt, this was such a fun YA story. Some moments I really enjoyed - especially the Manhattan Elite vibes. This author writes some fun summer thrillers, but I don’t think I’ll ever love one too much… they always feel forgettable. I do think other readers will enjoy this, especially if you’re looking for a teen drama with a mystery aspect.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the review eARC and PRH Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

YA Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars. Rich kids, secrets, murder, and mystery! I wouldn’t classify this as a thriller but suspense. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. The pace at the beginning was a little slow for me. It didn’t pick up until closer to the end.

This book has the suspense, the characters, the plot structure, and that great dark academia vibe we’re all going ga-ga for right now. Sadly, what it doesn’t have is charisma or any ability to hold my interest. I saw the bones of a great book, but the book itself was boring enough to me that I had to keep asking people in the house to stop bothering me because I kept looking for excuses to put the book down and be diverted into something more interesting.

Maybe it’s my age. Maybe it’s how many suspense novels and thrillers I’ve already read this year. Maybe I’m simply too picky. Who knows? Simply put: There are so many great authors out there doing this same thing right now and they’re doing it better that this book just came across as a wet noodle, save that author Jessica Goodman has a knack for building suspense and knowing when to stop with one character’s POV and move onto another’s in order to keep that suspense blooming (this book has three present-day narratives told from first-person POV and then small interludes interspersed from third-person POV that occur after the book’s climatic events).

I wished for something more, since books like these are usually my jam. I just didn’t get what I had hoped to get out of this one.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you. Personal policy dictates this review will not appear on any social media or bookseller website due to receiving a rating of three stars or lower.