I wasn’t sure about this book at first because of the multiple character pov’s but I am glad I stuck with it. This was a great story of lies, deceit, murder and friendship. I never would have predicted the ending! This was a really unique book and storyline and would definitely recommend. Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.

"Need something stronger?"

"I do," Freddy says, walking to the kitchen. he returns with a bottle of scotch.....

Need something stronger? Ummmm......yep, yep I do. Something that will wash away the emotions, the images, the terrible anxiety....something stronger, yes, precisely what the moment calls for.

What the heck?!?!? What the actual heck did I just read?? Was I even prepared for this? Maybe? Maybe I thought the book would be an interesting thriller, a mystery. I mean a missing girl on a remote island, at an elite and prestigious school for written off trust-fund girls. But what the actual heck did I just read??????!!!!!!!!

Rating this book for me is difficult. First off - the subject matter on the surface is a mystery surrounding a missing girl - possibly a murder. But there is so much more tucked in here and themes explored that are disturbing. How far does one go for a person they love, to prove loyalty to friends. When do healthy bonds become trauma bonds. When is too far, too far. When lines are drawn in sand are they too easily moved? Suicide, murder, old rites that date back hundreds of years, sex, unwanted pregnancies, betrayals, blackmail, love triangles, obsessions, and so much more. There are honestly parts of this book I want to erase from my mind. However, that being said - it is a psychological thriller and that is precisely what this author skillfully pulled off.

Warning - if you pick this book up you will not want to put it down. At just under 300 pages it is easy to finish in a weekend - and the anxiety it causes will drive you to finish it is quickly as possible!!

First off - this book is one of the most unique uses of multiple POV I have seen in a long bit. EVERY character has at least one chapter from their POV. And while this might seem overwhelming as you read that - it is essential to the story. IF this story had been told from a limited amount of POV instead of each character the tension would have been lost. The anxiety of the situations, the gravity of the lies and secrets, the intricacy of the woven relationships would have been lost. So to this - Kudos, Anya Mora. And - The most disturbing POV comes at the very end!! I just want to wipe my brain free of the entire second half of this book!

Now the story. Well, many stories, woven into one. All interlocking, overlapping a wonderfully woven tapestry of anguish, hurt, loss, betrayal, friendships, loyalty, coming of age, losing ones way and those who help us find our way. A story of hidden things, secrets among friends, things that maybe are best left forgotten.

A young teacher with no memory following a horse accident? (or was it an accident at all really). A headmaster of a school who has his own secrets. A cook who spies on everyone, imagines herself as a mother figure and confidante. A group of girls that want to step back into town and are controlled by one girl who is larger than life. And - a missing girl - the leader of the group of girls. A single father dectective and his partner.

Everyone has secrets, everyone has a past they want to outrun, or leave behind. Everyone has hopes for something better.......but how one gets to the better matters. And what one does in the past sets in motion things that can't be avoided. But can a person ever see that in the moment? "I don't want to think about it," she says. "I just...want to back to before." - But can this ever truly happen. Because, the truth usually is that secrets, dark secrets, tend to destroy, to eat away at the fabric of life. "We could have told the police, the teachers, {her} parents - told them everything. We didn't. We held our secrets close to our chests out of loyalty. out of fear"

"Maybe if we hadn't spent so many months separated from the rest of the world or if we hadn't been living at Glennmare without families we wouldn't have agreed. But we were living in distinctly unique universe where bonds strengthened faster, deeper and more fully than in the real world." And this sets the scene for a story that is so twisted - and honestly gross in many aspects - and yet this is at the end of the book. Isolation from reality is a recipe for disaster if it the isolation is filled with broken, hurting people seeking ways to change their own reality. It's a setting for the writing of stories that should be left alone when .... "as a child I always wanted to be someone else. Wanted a different life, I never acted without selfish ambition...>"

I just reviewed THE GLENNMARE GIRLS by Anya Mora. #THEGLENNMAREGIRLS #NetGalley

QUOTES

"Enjoy the view for as long as you can," Baker says, her burger box in hand. "Soon the tide will change and it will never look like this again."

Besides, we're just girls. GIRLS! What do we know anyways except how to french-braid hair and draw heart eyes on our feelings?!

We don't actually love him. It was the idea of him. OF someone choosing us.
Our hearts are equally broken, we've picked up the shards. But I don't want to fight with pieces of glass.

Our hearts are equally broken, we've picked up the shards. But I don't want to fight with pieces of glass.

The sad truth is most girls are lost. And by the time they are found, it's too late.

My back burns. I want the water to wash away my sins, scour out my horrific thougths.

....and I close my eyes, praying that what is behind this screen is anything other than the desperate truth. But the truth is inescapable, and it always catches up.

I can't say that aloud, of course; some things are too private to tell even your closest friends. Some desires to forbidden. - Wells' POV

The girls began sobbing as they realized that there were limits to what one would do for the person they loved.

"We could have told the police, the teachers, {her} parents - told them everything. We didn't. We held our secrets close to our chests out of loyalty. out of fear"

Maybe if we hadn't spent so many months separated from the rest of the world or if we hadn't been living at Glennmare without families we wouldn't have agreed. But we were living in distinctly unique universe where bonds strengthened faster, deeper and more fully than in the real world."

It is shocking the things you will do when you love someone. We were willing to clean up Kitt's mess, even if it meant the blood was on our hands.

we buried the sacrifice in the well with tear-streaked eyes and hands shaking and hearts ripped out.

As much as I love multiple narratives I think this jumped around a bit too much, because the chapters are short and it changed perspective after every chapter you didn’t have time to be invested in the individual people, especially “The Girls” chapters where it was around 4 people at once.

The characters didn’t draw me in as much as I would like (possibly because of the constant jumping) and the story was only intriguing at times, some parts felt like “filler” or added just to confuse you.

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

This book was absolutely crazy. Just when you think things are about to calm down in this story, some crazy new plot twist is introduced. I read this story in literally one day because it was so entertaining and gripping. I NEEDED to know what happened.

Basically the story line follows three adult friends that are in a weird love triangle, one of which works at a boarding school. All of these friends have boundary issues in one way or another which gets them in trouble. Said boarding school doesn't allow any technology which lets their students get into trouble as well. With both of these components, some real demented stuff happens.

I loved how the perspectives changed between every character in this story. It gave a great insight into each aspect of the plot because there was SO much going on. This also really helped get connected to the characters since they all played a huge part in the storyline. There really aren't any "side characters". For me this really felt like solving one of those murder mystery games. Except there was no way that I was going to be able to solve this with all of the plot twists. Truly a great thriller/mystery vibe.

My only real criticism is that there should be a trigger warning on this bad boy. So many messed up things happen that this may not be for everyone.