A really strong and compelling look at female friendship and experience, of guilt and regret and loss. I found this to be emotional and powerful.

Rachel is a college senior when another student whom she knew as a child is murdered. Rachel and Alison had fallen out in middle school and Rachel holds a lot of guilt about her part in bullying Allison in 8th grade.

The story revolves around abuse of women, the media and differences in class but the thing that stuck with me the most is the angst. Rachel was an extremely weak person, not having any faith in herself and still somewhat living as a 14 year old. Her relationship with her boyfriend Cam was deplorable and I had a hard time having sympathy for her.

The story is well written and going back and forth in time to when the women were 14 worked well. the angst was just a bit much for me, maybe a younger person could relate more.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Putnam for the review copy of Until Alison. I’ve sat with this one for a bit, and I’m of two minds. On one hand, I appreciated the book’s focus on the long-term impact of middle school bullying and the complex, often messy years of college—the uncertainty, the slow steps toward adulthood, and the questions around accountability for ourselves and others. It’s not exactly a mystery, but the hint of one helps shape a story that’s really centered on character and reflection.

That said, it didn’t fully work for me. I had a hard time connecting with most of the characters and felt little empathy for anyone other than Alison, and maybe Brad. The main character’s growth felt underdeveloped, and while there was some change by the end, it came too late and wasn’t explored as deeply as I hoped. The tone also leaned younger at times, more like new adult than adult contemporary, and I may not have been the right audience. Some parts, especially the middle school sections, felt repetitive—early chapters about popularity, Facebook, and cafeteria dynamics went on longer than I needed. I can see this resonating with readers who enjoy introspective, character-driven stories with a hint of darkness, even if it wasn’t quite the right fit for me.

we all have a middle school rival (bully) that we dont think fondly of. this + murder mystery+ author of super host i was very excited to read and it was enjoyable.

Until Alison by Kate Russo was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
These characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

A very timely novel for the impact that social media and bullying can have on us all. I don’t think the ending/resolution held up with all the drama in the book, though.

This book is a slow unravelling of friendship, class, childhood rivalries and guilt. It is the kind that leaves a quiet ache long after the last page.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

As someone who can enjoy YA novels, I am sad that Until Alison (not a YA novel), read too juvenile for me to enjoy. Maybe the content itself wasn't juvenile but the characters and relationships nearly drove me up a wall.

I didn't really understand the relationship with these characters. Were they supposed to be 12? It felt like they were 12.

The book that this reminded me of most was Looking for Alaska. It doesn't quite hit the same age range - both middle school and college - but there were some similar elements. I didn't find the murder mystery very compelling, but I liked how the characters and their perspectives changed. The non-linear elements of the plot worked well too.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of UNTIL ALISON by Kate Russo from a Shelf Awareness/Publisher's Weekly giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I wanted to enjoy this story but found the plot to be unrealistic and slightly annoying. I can see where the audience is for this book, but unfortunately I am not part of it.

Until Alison by Kate Russo is a explores adolescent angst and a college murder mystery. It is recommended. This novel will be appreciated more by New Adult readers

In Waterbury, Maine, Rachel Nardelli and Alison Petrucci were friends as children, had a fall out during middle school, and Rachel really hasn't talked to her since they were 14. Alison was bullied and considered the weird girl in grade school and middle school. She came from a wealthy family and later went to an exclusive high school due to the bullying. During their senior year at college, Rachel was drunk at her boyfriend Cam's party when Alison showed up and later left with a guy. Alison's body was found in a pond the next day.

Rachel is a journalism major and part of the college newspaper staff so she starts investigating the murder with her fellow journalists. She also privately reflects on her former relationship and interactions with Alison, but neglects to mention until much later her previous relationship with Alison or the fact that she saw her leave Cam's party with a young man.

For mature adult readers it should be noted that this is really a new adult novel. The narrative reads exactly like an immature college student ruminating about her past. Most college students have matured, move on, etc. and don't dwell on or deeply ponder events from middle school to this extent. They are usually looking toward the future, leaving their childhood and many of the people they knew from school behind them, in the past.

As the narrator of the story, Rachel is unlikable and a large part of it, for me, is her immaturity. Rachel mistakenly thinks because she saw Alison that night she could have prevented her murder. She was also so removed from Alison in the present that she should have easily shared the fact that she knew her from years ago. They had no current connection with each other. Alison is never really developed as a sympathetic character other than her oddness in middle school when she was the target for bullies.

The quality of the writing is good, but it also seemed like Russo wanted to write a social commentary about class, gender, political alignments, and violence against women rather than a mystery. These topics are present in the narrative but don't feel incorporated into the plot in a natural manner. The novel held my attention and Russo gets points for her writing ability but the presentation could have been better.

Until Alison would be a good choice for New Adult readers on the younger side. Thanks to Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.






The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Until Alison is another dissection into what it means to be a woman. The alternating between high school and adulthood shines a light in this in different periods of life. Abuse, manipulation and violence are always lingering nearby. I was absolutely pleased by our main character’s personal development. As long as you go into this story expecting more of a character driven novel and not a super fast paced mystery, it’s easy to get wrapped up in. The high school sections did feel very YA, which comes with the territory - it’s not inherently a bad thing. It was extremely interesting to see how one person can indirectly affect your life in subtle ways that stick with you for years and years.

I really liked this book! I found Russo's writing to be suspenseful while also being reflective, and it painted a great picture of how it feels to come to terms with the wrong you've caused someone. Additionally, I felt like the book balanced being a coming of age story and a thriller well. I did cringe while the main character recounted their experiences being a bully, which really shows how well written it was. I would definitely read more by Russo!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for the ARC!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

A compelling captivating read with the capacity to open up old wounds in our own lives, and to help promote their healing.

Unfortunately, in my school years, I was both bullied and I was a bully. It is amazing that this book is not an autobiography, as the author perfectly captures the pressure cooker which children and young teens are forced to survive in public schools. Should adults, especially parents, think that this trauma is minor and is merely a right of passage ( or if were one of the few kids who passed through this nightmare unscathed) I hope they read this book because this trauma can (and will) cause lifelong wounds.

Regarding the mystery, it is captivating and enlightening. When you are done reading it, hand it to your teenager, so they can realize, that if they survive this minefield of youth, they will eventually become an adult, and life will, at last , improve.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this book. The way it was told through past and present made it easy to follow the history of the characters and helped me to draw my own conclusions about each along the way as I (like many characters in the book) tried to solve the age old question of who did it. It was a mix of coming of age and a mystery thriller. Kate Russo did a fantastic job at putting us in Rachel’s mind so we could understand her feelings especially guilt and regret. I’ll definitely read future books by Russo! She earned a new fan with this one.

I do think it could make a good book club read for groups that like to discuss complicated themes. However, in a world of strong FMC, this was not it for me. Themes of sexism, bullying, being a bully and becoming a bully…an unconfident FMC that experiences minimal growth. A bit weird how much she’s fixated on a girl from middle school that she fell out of friendship with. I had a hard time relating which impacted my ability to enjoy this story.

'Until Alison' is a beautifully layers, slow-burning literary mystery that explores grief, memory, and the subtle betrayals that shape us. Kate Russo brings a quiet intensity to the story of Rachel Nardelli, a college journalist whose world is rocked by the sudden death of her estranged childhood friend, Alison Petrucci.

The novel moves fluidly between present-day investigation and past recollections, unraveling the complex dynamic between Rachel and Alison as girls growing up in a town defined by class lines and unspoken rules. Russo captures that aching blend of nostalgia and discomfort that comes with revisiting a version of yourself you thought you'd outgrown. Rachel's narration is sharp and honest, with just enough distance to let readers feel the emotional weight settle in slowly.

This isn't a thriller in a traditional sense - it's more introspective, more interested in the emotional fallout than a dramatic reveal. And yet, the tension builds quietly as Rachel digs into Alison's life, questioning not only what happened, but what kind of friend she was - and wasn't.

This was an intrigue-filled mystery that kept me interested from page one. Everything I thought I knew or figured out turned out to be wrong, which is always nice when reading a mystery story.
There are TW of binge and underage drinking, SA, and intense bullying.