Title: Beware That Girl
Author : Teresa Toten
Rating : 4 Stars!!!
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published May 31st 2016 by Doubleday Canada
ISBN : 0385678363
For fans of We Were Liars, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl,
this powerful psychological thriller with multiple mysteries is set
against the backdrop of the megawealthy elite of New York City. Toten
delves into the mesmerizing yet dysfunctional world of those who
manipulate but seem ever so charming. With its gripping pace and
Hitchcockian twists, Beware That Girl will keep readers guessing until the very last line.
The Haves. The Have-Nots.
Kate O’Brian appears to be a Have-Not. Her whole life has been a series
of setbacks she’s had to snake her way out of—some more sinister than
others. But she’s determined to change that. She’s book smart. She’s
street-smart. Oh, and she’s also a masterful liar.
As the
scholarship student at the Waverly School in NYC, Kate has her work cut
out for her: her plan is to climb the social ladder and land a spot at
Yale. She’s already found her “people” among the senior class “it”
girls—specifically in the cosseted, mega-wealthy yet deeply damaged
Olivia Sumner. As for Olivia, she considers Kate the best friend she’s
always needed, the sister she never had.
When the handsome and
whip-smart Mark Redkin joins the Waverly administration, he immediately
charms his way into the faculty’s and students’ lives—becoming
especially close to Olivia, a fact she’s intent on keeping to herself.
It becomes increasingly obvious that Redkin poses a threat to Kate, too,
in a way she can’t reveal—and can’t afford to ignore. How close
can Kate and Olivia get to Mark without having to share their dark
pasts?
Source : Goodreads
Today
is the #ThrillerThursday (!!!) This collaboration of Penguin Random
House Int'l and Book bloggers anywhere get to review and share their
thoughts with the theme.
Beware
That Girl is my first book from Teresa Toten. I can say that it was
indeed full of tricky parts. Kate O'Brien was the girl who keeps her
eyes on the prize, as the author describes her from the beginning, I
like that she made it straight-forward. Like there wasn't any blabber
about it, but all was pointed to the main goal. The clarity of the book
was magnificent, thrilling and psychologically haunting. The book gives a
trip to the readers on how Kate and with her manipulating skills can
gradually grab the heart of Olivia Sumner and use it by all means.
Believe me, I know it looks simple but once you dive in to the story,
confusions come in and well...it all turned out so worse.
That
being said about Kate's eyes to the prize, I saw how Olivia Sumner can
be such an easy target. A loving, warm, cheerful and
top-of-the-line-oh-so-rich girl, who wouldn't want to get to be friends
with her?!? I was skeptic what could be more of her other than a
luxurious life, surely she hides something in that serene face. Kate
studied Olivia, from her past school records up until to her medical
records. As Kate slowly opened and connects it together, it was
disturbing as I flip on to its pages. Olivia's psychological illness sidetracked my mind when I felt like I am now getting the sequences of the events. But it made it more fun and haunting actually. Which was cool to think, how can Kate lure Olivia to something more.
In addition to that, Mark Redkin, the cunning and manipulative man every girl wishes for. The steamy 'disturbing' romance of Mark and Olivia, added up the fire to the story. The obsession was astounding. Characters were straight forward to their commands. All things must be done on time. That is what I am surprised the most, when the moment that girls cannot help to get to be manipulated with the wrong man. Aside from that, the friendship of Olivia and Kate are not what I expected at the end. I thought someone might lose their wits and kill each other, but they never did, or maybe they nearly did.
Beware That Girl is a surprising and haunting novel you will love to read. Be careful though with the ending, it is not what you will expect and who is that GIRL that you should beware with the novel. I am looking forward to more of Teresa Toten books. Thank you Penguin Random House International for the opportunity!
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