Cover Image: The Girls from Hush Cabin

The Girls from Hush Cabin

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank-you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Marie Hoy-Kent for the eARC.

okay so Holly = Hanna, Zoey = Aria, Calista = Spencer, Denise = Emily, Violet = Ali, and Janie = Paige no I will not be taking any criticism

I love a good murder mystery, especially when it involves multiple POVs and plenty of secrets that come out to light. Unfortunately (for me, at least), it didn't feel like we spent enough time with the "come out to light" aspect of it all. I feel like this book could've used a LOT more flashbacks than the few that there were so we could actually SEE how different the girls were in the past and all the things that they did as opposed to simply being told they'd all changed so much and then briefly mentioning things from camp every not and again. Perhaps the title is what misled me a bit. For a book titled THE GIRLS FROM HUSH CABIN, we really don't spend any time IN Hush Cabin, like, at all. The ending also felt a bit rushed to me and, in complete opposite of my last read, I feel like this book COULD (and maybe SHOULD) have been longer. It's set to be 280 pages according to the info page, and I think we definitely could have used another 50 - 75 pages to really flesh things out and not rush the ending so much.

Also quick question I need further clarification on some of these age differences because like do I need to call the police???

ANYHOO.

Is this one of the top YA murder mysteries I've read? No, definitely not. But I WOULD recommend it at work the the youths looking for a mystery who have already read all the popular ones.

Was this review helpful?

This book was fast paced and gripping very similarly to pretty little liars in my opinion! I liked that it felt all the characters had their own voices through the separate POVS. Following along trying to piece this together with the characters was really enjoyable and I think it’s a stellar YA thriller!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars. I love the cover for this one. It’s subtle yet tells a lot about the story. I’ve always found books like this amazing. My life was so boring at 17 and these 4 girls are out here solving murders and dodging bad guys. I also don’t have a bunch of little secrets that would ruin my life if they ever got out. Their lives seemed way more fun. I enjoyed this book for the action and mystery. I was on my toes through it and I like all the red herrings it throws at you. I kept throwing out ideas of who the killer was and I was glad to be wrong. There were some parts that gave me the ick though. Zoe wants to go to bars with a fake ID and meet men there and she gets with Violet’s best friend who I’m assuming is at least 21 and she’s 17. It’s never mentioned how gross that is. These are still girls in high school and they portrayed as way older then they should be.

I never went to summer camp, but I can never see myself THAT obsessed with my camp counselor. I guess I just wasn’t about that life. I also feel like if I was best friends with a group that I considered family for every summer of my life and they were that into their counselor, that I would at least text them every once in a while and not be so weirded out after seeing them 4 years later. I have friends I haven’t seen in 6 or 7 years and I would love to see again.

All in all, this was a very fun read because of the intrigue and mystery, but there were plot points I didn’t understand or like. The characters were likable enough, but I wanted to shake them a few times. I love all the spooky summer books and I was happy to get to add this to my list

Was this review helpful?

It's funny because I don't often read YA but I really love them every time I do end up picking one up! This book is no different! The concept immediately had me hooked! Who doesn't love a good camp friends-turned older adult story! I don't know why but I've always been a fan of that.

Anyways this YA thriller is GOOD y'all. And it's perfect timing for the end of summer. A little summer camp reminder for all of us too old for summer camp now and a great book for those still going! It's so twisty and full of up and downs. I thought I had it figured out but I did not till the very end! So so good!

This book is a great choice for the end of summer and for fall spooky season!

Thank you Blackstone and NetGalley for the eARC!

Was this review helpful?

I typically do not leave feedback for books that I did not finish, but given the popularity of mystery/thrillers amongst my high school students, I wanted to leave a quick one for any educators who might use NetGalley reviews to guide their classroom/library purchasing. I read about a third of this novel and found it difficult to follow, keep track of characters, etc. The POVs alternate, which I typically enjoy but in this case I felt like the dialogue between all the girls continued throughout each one enough that I struggled to identify distinct characteristics and personalities between them, and none really stood out as likable or interesting. As a teacher, I don't think this is one my students would really enjoy or stick with.

Was this review helpful?

We follow four girls seeking answers about the death of a beloved role model they shared.

Zoe, Calista, Holly and Denise were once the best of friends, inseparable for the summer months they shared at camp. Now, they don’t talk anymore. Something bad happened at camp one summer, causing the camp to shut down, and thus creating the rift in their bond.

Their favorite camp counselor, Violet, the girl they always looked up to has died and it ends up bringing the girls back together. They are determined to find out what really happened to her, considering the ways in which she had changed since their camps days just a few years ago…

Not only are we along for the ride to find out who or what caused Violet’s demise, but there is this underlying mystery to what really happened at camp before it shut down.

This was a really interesting mystery and a well done debut! There were a lot of layers. There were a lot of different aspects to each of the characters, and I really enjoy friend groups who have to come back together after a tragedy.

Was this review helpful?

Overall, this was a likable book, but not anything special. I liked that it was written in first person, with multiple POV's. The chapters were short and alluring. The flashbacks to the past were done really well, it was the perfect amount and done at the right times in the story.

Although I enjoy multiple POV's, these were a bit confusing at times. A couple of the girls were so similar I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with whose perspective I was reading from. I also found pretty much all of the characters hard to like.

The twists at the end felt predictable and underwhelming, but keeping in mind the audience this was intended for, I still think this was a likable read and a YA would enjoy this plot!

Thank you to Marie Hoy-Kenny, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for “The Girls from Hush Cabin!”

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This was an entertaining mystery that was reminiscent of Holly Jackson, Maureen Johnson, and E. Lockhart’s YA thrillers. I look forward to reading more of Marie Hoy-Kenny’s work when it’s published.

The four main characters from “Hush Cabin”—Calista, Zoe, Holly, and Denise—are all very different young women who were manipulated in their special way by their beloved, and now dead, camp counselor, Violet when they were in their early teens. Like the best manipulators, Violet made the girls feel important and seen—they would do anything to win her approval and praise, including things that have haunted them since the summer camp closed following a camper’s tragic death. Violet’s shocking demise has forced them to reflect on their relationship with her and puts them in harm's way as the mystery surrounding Violet comes to light.

I liked how girl-centric “Hush Cabin” is, and I really liked how morally gray Violet is depicted as being. I haven’t read many books where the main female characters are manipulated and gaslit by another woman, especially one they look up to as much as Violet. I enjoyed how the girls grappled with their realizations about Violet and how they learned to look at her as a complicated person instead of the perfect being they thought she was. However, some of the other relationships left me a little befuddled and head-scratchy, which I can’t discuss without giving away spoilers. The ending to the mystery came out of nowhere and I am still confused about certain character motivations and reactions. I went back a few times to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, and I hadn’t. Some of the reasoning was just really simplistic and perhaps a shade or two underdeveloped. That being said, the core characters and their relationship with Violet and her mystery kept me intrigued until the end, and I think that Hoy-Kenny’s future thrillers will be even better than this one.

Was this review helpful?

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

The Girls from Hush Cabin is a young adult novel in the thriller genre.
Our four female main characters were childhood best friends who used to go to a sleepaway summer camp together until it closed down after a tragedy. They drifted apart after that, but they now have to team up to help solve a murder. Or what they believe is a murder after one of their favorite camp counselors dies.
As they're investigating, it becomes blatantly clear that someone doesn't want them interferring... so who can they trust?

There some ... predictable twists in this book, and I found myself a LITTLE bored overall. I think some younger teens may enjoy this read though.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my copy of The Girls from Hush Cabin!

This was a really great YA thriller. I haven't been able to finish any as of the recent as it has been making me cringe but this was one was really well written and plot focused. It was fast paced, story weaving was pretty good, it didn't feel like it dragged on forever. Marie Hoy-Kenny can definitely write an action scene that make your heart pound.

I enjoyed every single character especially Callista. I love how smart she is although I'd probably be annoyed with her in real life. Holly and Zoe were okay characters that I feel like were given issues or situations that were just brushed off at the end. And Denise... Well I just hate her. She's too whiny and just so unlikeable.

This was just so well written and I can't wait to see what's next from the author!

Was this review helpful?

This almost hit it for me. There were a few different scenarios that took me out of the story and it was difficult to get back into it after those scenes. Most of the dialogue was great but some conversations erred on the cheesy side. Still a good plot line throughout the book.

Was this review helpful?

A riveting and fascinating thriller…. I stayed up much too late reading it. Entertaining while also adding LGBTQ representation: I recommend!

Was this review helpful?

Found at random on netgalley and honestly wasn't sure what to think about this book. I was drawn by the blurb and once i saw i was approved to read this book i was a bit excited because i wasn't sure if i read something by this author before but i went into reading this book with a clear mind. didn't know much about it besides what was said in the blurb. after reading this book i wanted more. it was a good book to read and i couldn't put it down at all
5 star book and i highly recommend this book
already told a few people that they need to read this book and hopefully they do and i might reread this book later on in the year if not this year then next year.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely loved this, the pace was perfect and I couldn’t put it down, I am definitely excited to hear more from this author

Was this review helpful?

- Written in First Person
- Alternating POV
- Short chapters
- Past and Present


The book is mysterious and intriguing. It has alternating POV and it’s written in first person. So a group of friends gets to know about Violet’s mysterious death. They all gather for her funeral. Their gathering brings back memories from past and her death seems to have some connection with mysterious disappearance and accidental death of someone. Everything is strange and scattered like a different pieces of puzzle.

To solve the mystery of her death, they must find the missing link intervening past and present. The most unexpected things happens in plot and all of them are in grave danger if it’s a well planned murder, the killer is on loose or what if the killer is one among them? What if their lives will also get tragically cut short just like Violet? The truth is twisted and so unpredictable.

Thank you Author, Publisher and Netgalley

Was this review helpful?

Callista, Holly, Denise, and Zoe used to be best friends at summer camp until tragedy struck and caused their camp years to end…. Now they have reunited for a solemn reason: the funeral of Violet - who went to summer camp with them as well. However, after seeing each other again, they start to question the circumstances of Violet’s death and wether or not it had something to do with what happened at camp all those years ago….

I love a classic summer camp thriller, and I was drawn to the beautiful cover art and promise of suspense. Overall, it isn’t as thrilling as expected and some of the character’s POVs got a little convoluted for me when switching from character to character and exploring their pasts. Their personalities are obviously supposed to fit into certain character archetypes but they were pushing the cliché a little much and it made them a little less believable.

However, it works for a YA audience and while I feel the plot had some gaps, the book was fun to read and fits right into a summer TBR or a quick (camp)fireside read!

Was this review helpful?

I couldn't put down this book from #NetGalley and #Blackstone Publishing! This young adult mystery weaves together summer camp, memories, and unsolved murders in such a way that keeps the reader guessing page after page. Readers experience both the past and present through four different points of view. Who do you trust? Who do you not trust? Author Marie Hoy Kenny keeps the reader guessing throughout the entire book. Recommend for lovers of mystery, intrigue, suspense, and young adult books.

Was this review helpful?

So, this one was kind of just there for me. I didn't find myself reading to see what happened, I found myself reading to finish. None of this was scary to me or even thrilling to me. I was hoping for a summer camp thriller and was waiting for more flashbacks but it was none of that. It wasn't terrible but it also wasn't the best book I've ever read by far.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, & the author for this eArc.

Was this review helpful?

The plot sounded exactly like something I would love. I love these "isolated" and thrilling type of reads.

I find the pacing slow. Not horribly, but it takes several chapters before things start to brew. Yes, I know that the author needed to introduce us to each character, while simultaneously describing the event that joins all these four for life.

It has a decent "who dunnit" vibe and while the author could have used some editing, I did like the second part of the book.

Was this review helpful?

The Girls from Hush Cabin
By Marie Hoy Kenny
Pub Date August 15, 2023
Blackstone
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
YA , mystery, queer , thriller
I would recommend this book to YA readers who love a good mystery.
I liked the use of multiple POV. I think this book could use another edit to assist with structure and pacing. I feel we should be at Hush Cabin more,
3 stars

Was this review helpful?