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St Jude's Academy #1
Young, Gifted and Dead
You can’t get into St Jude’s Academy unless you’re gifted, talented and supremely rich. New girl Alyssa is on a scholarship and feels like an outsider - she's not even that smart, apart from her photographic memory (and that's cheating, right?). Then one day her room-mate Lily is found floating face down in the lake. It looks like suicide, but, torn apart with guilt and grief, Alyssa is convinced that things aren't as they seem. Soon a jolted memory puts her on the trail of a sinister secret that might hold the clues to Lily's suspicious death. But Alyssa is in too deep, and she's being watched . . .The first in a brand-new YA series, perfect for fans of The Gallagher Girls.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 7, 2013
First up; Alyssa was such a good narrator! I sometimes find in YA books that surround several characters that entwine into the dialogue frequently, that sometimes the main character voice can get lost, but Alyssa is up there with my favourites. And being her point of view, I felt that extra connection with the plot, and it really does help a reader when we can empathize and root for the main character throughout, by bonding with them.
Onto the story! Wow. Lucy Carver is on her way to becoming the next Ally Carter. I was hooked without a doubt to the suspicion surrounding Lily's death and the whirlwind of chaos that became Alyssa's life. Lily's death is supposedly a suicide, but Alyssa knew Lily in a different way to how she was perceived, and knew better than to think that anything that felt sinister wasn't just a coincidence. But what I wasn't expecting was the further thrills of more bodies and a tale of the back story that would uncover the truth...if it didn't tear apart the lives of the ones the death effected first.
I was slightly reminded of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series, not because of similar storylines or plots, but because of the incredible rollercoaster-of-a-book that Young, Gifted and Dead truly was. I knew it was going to be great, but it totally exceeded my expectations by miles! From diary entries to parties and sneaking out of St Jude's Academy to the hints of romance, I had my eyes peeled on clues and the mystery for the whole time.
Everything came together in an epic conclusion with an ending I couldn't have flawed at all; totally how I would've ended it--better, though, a thousand times more amazing. I can already tell that Lucy Carver's Young, Gifted and Dead is going to be a huge hit for the other YA-lovers who will choose to be taken on a ride of secrecy, enchantment and thrills.
A massive 5 star novel! A favourite of mine this year, definitely.
full reviews: http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
Onto the story! Wow. Lucy Carver is on her way to becoming the next Ally Carter. I was hooked without a doubt to the suspicion surrounding Lily's death and the whirlwind of chaos that became Alyssa's life. Lily's death is supposedly a suicide, but Alyssa knew Lily in a different way to how she was perceived, and knew better than to think that anything that felt sinister wasn't just a coincidence. But what I wasn't expecting was the further thrills of more bodies and a tale of the back story that would uncover the truth...if it didn't tear apart the lives of the ones the death effected first.
I was slightly reminded of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series, not because of similar storylines or plots, but because of the incredible rollercoaster-of-a-book that Young, Gifted and Dead truly was. I knew it was going to be great, but it totally exceeded my expectations by miles! From diary entries to parties and sneaking out of St Jude's Academy to the hints of romance, I had my eyes peeled on clues and the mystery for the whole time.
Everything came together in an epic conclusion with an ending I couldn't have flawed at all; totally how I would've ended it--better, though, a thousand times more amazing. I can already tell that Lucy Carver's Young, Gifted and Dead is going to be a huge hit for the other YA-lovers who will choose to be taken on a ride of secrecy, enchantment and thrills.
A massive 5 star novel! A favourite of mine this year, definitely.
full reviews: http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
September 28, 2019
This was an okay mystery, but I really have to say way does Cole believe everything she says. For all he knows she could have been the murder(but she was not) It was not my favorite murder story. Would I read it again mostly not.
April 9, 2017
Usually I am not one for the more realistic fiction stories, but the title grabbed my attention from the get-go. Every bus ride to my internship, I indulged in reading books, since I wanted to read more this year. The entire week I go sucked into the mystery and suspense that Young, Gifted&Dead had to offer me. This truly turned out to be a case of: ''Don't trust a book by its cover''.
The mystery of Lily's dead was wonderfully written and boy, was my initial suspect way off!
Well done, Lucy Carver. Well done!!
The mystery of Lily's dead was wonderfully written and boy, was my initial suspect way off!
Well done, Lucy Carver. Well done!!
August 4, 2018
3.7/4
September 15, 2018
I just didn't enjoy this at all. The pacing was really slow, the insta-love was really annoying and unrealistic and honestly the conclusion didn't feel realistic. In short, I didn't like any aspect of this but I didn't hate mostly because I didn't care about ANYTHING enough to hate it or care about it. This was just okay- it wasn't the worst book I read but it wasn't a good book (in my opinion) either. I felt like I never got to know any of the characters properly ever.
Overall, I didn't like this and wouldn't recommend.
Overall, I didn't like this and wouldn't recommend.
March 19, 2014
Actual rating 1.5 stars.
The book started off at a good start. A girl gets dumped at a boarding school and she looks kind of forward to the time there. Sadly it was not meant to be as one of her roommates gets dragged from the lake... dead.
And that is where the story kind of fell flat. I know the girl barely knew Lily and all, but other than a few tears, a few fleeing from the room, I didn't see her grief. And later on when something else happens, she again, doesn't grief that much. The only thing that happens is that she goes in full snooping/sleuthing mode. Which also brings me to the next thing, the whole snooping/sleuthing thing. Normally in books, adults would say something like: It is dangerous, leave it to the professionals and now hop along to your friends.
Instead they seem to encourage her and motivate her. What are they? Lazy to do it themselves and just leave it to a 16/17 year old?
Then we have the whole photographic memory thing. Which I must say was a really nice touch. Well, ok, at the beginning then. It started to get annoying after a few pages when we had random action replays of things we already had read a few pages back. Like was that really necessary? In the end, I mostly skipped the whole action replay crap and just went on with the book.
Also her relationship with people. Jack and her, was just awkward, at times I knew they were you know, together, but most of the time I felt like they were just good friends.
With her and Paige I had the same problem, at times they seemed like really good friends, but at other times they avoided each other and seemed more like casual roommates. Or Alyssa was making remarks about Paige and her horse parfume...
Even the conclusion to the book was quite, well over the top. I won't spoil anything, but I just thought it was too much.
All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book.
The book started off at a good start. A girl gets dumped at a boarding school and she looks kind of forward to the time there. Sadly it was not meant to be as one of her roommates gets dragged from the lake... dead.
And that is where the story kind of fell flat. I know the girl barely knew Lily and all, but other than a few tears, a few fleeing from the room, I didn't see her grief. And later on when something else happens, she again, doesn't grief that much. The only thing that happens is that she goes in full snooping/sleuthing mode. Which also brings me to the next thing, the whole snooping/sleuthing thing. Normally in books, adults would say something like: It is dangerous, leave it to the professionals and now hop along to your friends.
Instead they seem to encourage her and motivate her. What are they? Lazy to do it themselves and just leave it to a 16/17 year old?
Then we have the whole photographic memory thing. Which I must say was a really nice touch. Well, ok, at the beginning then. It started to get annoying after a few pages when we had random action replays of things we already had read a few pages back. Like was that really necessary? In the end, I mostly skipped the whole action replay crap and just went on with the book.
Also her relationship with people. Jack and her, was just awkward, at times I knew they were you know, together, but most of the time I felt like they were just good friends.
With her and Paige I had the same problem, at times they seemed like really good friends, but at other times they avoided each other and seemed more like casual roommates. Or Alyssa was making remarks about Paige and her horse parfume...
Even the conclusion to the book was quite, well over the top. I won't spoil anything, but I just thought it was too much.
All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book.
September 21, 2014
"Young gifted and Dead" by Lucy Carver follows Alyssa Stephens, a shy red haired girl who earns a scholarship to St Judes Academy- an academy for the elite. Coming from an extremely different environment, you are taken along with her struggle to fit in, which is something i can relate to. When Alyssa decides to investigate further into the death of her roommate Lily, she unearths suspicious clues, and as she follows them she finds herself getting deeper and deeper into the puzzle.
I decided to read this book because it had been bought for me by my grandmother as a Christmas present and i thought it looked like a good book to read.
A character i found interesting in this novel was Lily, an anti-social outcast "punk". I found her interesting because she was just so different to all the other prestigious students at St. Judes', and provided a kind of relief from all the "proper" characters which became quite boring.
"The deep brown current boiled to either side of the stepping stone. By the time i turned round, the black undertow had sucked Cooke below the surface. A few seconds later he resurfaced fifteen metres downstream- just his head and left arm. Frozen in horror, I saw the water spin him round, drag him down again then push him up to the surface twenty metres away, in the deepest part of the river. His mouth opened and he gulped in air and water as the current twisted and pushed him on."
I like this quote because of the use of descriptive language to paint a picture of what is happening in your mind, and the imagery that Lucy Carver uses.
This novel made me think more deeply about the dark sides of people and how lucky i am to be living in such a friendly neighborhood, where i do not have to worry or fear for my life on a daily basis, which the characters in this novel do.
I decided to read this book because it had been bought for me by my grandmother as a Christmas present and i thought it looked like a good book to read.
A character i found interesting in this novel was Lily, an anti-social outcast "punk". I found her interesting because she was just so different to all the other prestigious students at St. Judes', and provided a kind of relief from all the "proper" characters which became quite boring.
"The deep brown current boiled to either side of the stepping stone. By the time i turned round, the black undertow had sucked Cooke below the surface. A few seconds later he resurfaced fifteen metres downstream- just his head and left arm. Frozen in horror, I saw the water spin him round, drag him down again then push him up to the surface twenty metres away, in the deepest part of the river. His mouth opened and he gulped in air and water as the current twisted and pushed him on."
I like this quote because of the use of descriptive language to paint a picture of what is happening in your mind, and the imagery that Lucy Carver uses.
This novel made me think more deeply about the dark sides of people and how lucky i am to be living in such a friendly neighborhood, where i do not have to worry or fear for my life on a daily basis, which the characters in this novel do.
February 23, 2014
I reached page 60 and gave up... Really not worth the read. The main character, Alyssa just appears slightly superficial and this is just waay too teenager-ish..obsession over this Jack guy she barely met just irritates me.
October 7, 2013
Rating 3.5 to 4
Really enjoyed this book, the murder, the mystery! It left you hanging til the very end. Great debut... Review coming shortly!
Really enjoyed this book, the murder, the mystery! It left you hanging til the very end. Great debut... Review coming shortly!
January 1, 2014
I absolutley LOVED this book, definatley deserved 5 stars. Unexpected ending with Guy but a really good ending! ♥♥
July 11, 2022
It's not that it's BAD - it's just extremely silly and everyone in it is astonishingly stupid and unpleasant.
From the first page - where we are told the school is for 'nothing but the best, the pupils are all the smartest and the richest - but then that is immediately contradicted by the next lines where Alyssa states she is not rich and isn't especially clever.
Alyssa's only actual skill seems to be her eidetic memory - which seems to appear and disappear as the plot demands anyway.
The story never explains what it is about this school that attracts the super rich and the parents of the super smart. They seem to have the same basic facilities as any slightly posh english boarding school. The school also seems to be extremely dependent on Lily's father's contributions - even though the £2 million in 5 years must have actually been fairly small change for a school populated by the fabulously wealthy. They seem to have good sports provision but there's very little mention of the education or facilities anywhere in this story.
And they all behave like very typical basic teenagers - these kids are introduced as having understanding of quantum physics, being set for the Olympics, maths geniuses etc - but that doesn't seem to affect the plot at all. If it's not relevant then what's the point in it? And why is the book so obnoxiously pointing out their correct grammar and vocabularies if it's not going to affect anything?
Lily is clearly mentally ill from her first appearance in the book and we later find out she was diagnosed as bipolar - but this is played off as her just being 'creative' by her mother - who is also seriously mentally ill. The story seems to be telling us that Lily's violent mood swings and instability are just cute quirks that were unfairly labelled and medicated. And we never get an answer on whether the school was actually following the plans put in place to keep her safe - like the nurse checking on medication etc. Or if they had provided Lily with any additional support.
This book also leans heavily on a trope I dislike and see in real life a lot - the idea that because someone isn't visibly grieving they aren't grieving. These teenagers, one of whom had only known Lily a few months, mock her brother and nickname him 'the automaton' because they don't feel like he's showing enough emotion at the death of his sister. I hate this expectation that's placed on grieving people to publicly perform grief for the satisfaction of others, where you're expected to cry and shake and panic or there's something wrong with you. They set themselves up as the guardians of Lily's memory, to the extent of stealing her diary and keeping it from her family, because they don't recognize or respect her family's grief.
And then the entire story takes a wild turn into politics. And this silly little book about a murder investigation at a school for rich geniuses re-centers itself on anti-semitism. Somehow this school for the uber rich is actually at the centre of a right wing extremist group headed by a teacher who collects teeth. Lily's death is because her mother is Jewish and her parent's media company was going to run an expose documentary on fascism.
It's all just very silly - which I could more easily forgive if it wasn't roping serious subjects like mental illness and racism into its silliness.
Especially as in the end we're told that her brother has moved on to create a rival news company to their father's and Alyssa's final thought on the family is 'I only hope that in the future they steer clear of conflicts with fascist and racists'. That's a terrible lesson to learn! You should always conflict with fascists and racists! Especially if you're going to run a media company! How could anyone's conclusion at the end of this story be 'try not to piss off fascists' and not 'fascists can go to hell'!? And yet that's where the story goes.
From the first page - where we are told the school is for 'nothing but the best, the pupils are all the smartest and the richest - but then that is immediately contradicted by the next lines where Alyssa states she is not rich and isn't especially clever.
Alyssa's only actual skill seems to be her eidetic memory - which seems to appear and disappear as the plot demands anyway.
The story never explains what it is about this school that attracts the super rich and the parents of the super smart. They seem to have the same basic facilities as any slightly posh english boarding school. The school also seems to be extremely dependent on Lily's father's contributions - even though the £2 million in 5 years must have actually been fairly small change for a school populated by the fabulously wealthy. They seem to have good sports provision but there's very little mention of the education or facilities anywhere in this story.
And they all behave like very typical basic teenagers - these kids are introduced as having understanding of quantum physics, being set for the Olympics, maths geniuses etc - but that doesn't seem to affect the plot at all. If it's not relevant then what's the point in it? And why is the book so obnoxiously pointing out their correct grammar and vocabularies if it's not going to affect anything?
Lily is clearly mentally ill from her first appearance in the book and we later find out she was diagnosed as bipolar - but this is played off as her just being 'creative' by her mother - who is also seriously mentally ill. The story seems to be telling us that Lily's violent mood swings and instability are just cute quirks that were unfairly labelled and medicated. And we never get an answer on whether the school was actually following the plans put in place to keep her safe - like the nurse checking on medication etc. Or if they had provided Lily with any additional support.
This book also leans heavily on a trope I dislike and see in real life a lot - the idea that because someone isn't visibly grieving they aren't grieving. These teenagers, one of whom had only known Lily a few months, mock her brother and nickname him 'the automaton' because they don't feel like he's showing enough emotion at the death of his sister. I hate this expectation that's placed on grieving people to publicly perform grief for the satisfaction of others, where you're expected to cry and shake and panic or there's something wrong with you. They set themselves up as the guardians of Lily's memory, to the extent of stealing her diary and keeping it from her family, because they don't recognize or respect her family's grief.
And then the entire story takes a wild turn into politics. And this silly little book about a murder investigation at a school for rich geniuses re-centers itself on anti-semitism. Somehow this school for the uber rich is actually at the centre of a right wing extremist group headed by a teacher who collects teeth. Lily's death is because her mother is Jewish and her parent's media company was going to run an expose documentary on fascism.
It's all just very silly - which I could more easily forgive if it wasn't roping serious subjects like mental illness and racism into its silliness.
Especially as in the end we're told that her brother has moved on to create a rival news company to their father's and Alyssa's final thought on the family is 'I only hope that in the future they steer clear of conflicts with fascist and racists'. That's a terrible lesson to learn! You should always conflict with fascists and racists! Especially if you're going to run a media company! How could anyone's conclusion at the end of this story be 'try not to piss off fascists' and not 'fascists can go to hell'!? And yet that's where the story goes.
August 29, 2017
Almost DNF'ed this book, but my kindle kept encouraging me by telling me I only had another 30 mins to go (it was more like an hour)
There were just so many things that I didn't like about the book:
1. The obsession with her boyfriend's quads. What.
Also the insta-love and the fact that she basically ignored her boyfriend just because he went away for a tennis tournament for a few weeks. Boohoo, my boyfriend is a nationally-ranked player and I'm upset he just abandoned me for a tournament. *rolls eyes*
2. For a school full of gifted kids, none of them seem to do ANYTHING at all! It would have been much better if the author had incorporated some schoolwork/athletic practice into Alyssa's investigation. I feel that it would be much more realistic if she had to struggle a little to cope with both school activities and detective activities.
3. The whole plot was just conveniently pulled along with Alyssa's eidetic memory... Which coincidentally only works when the plot needs some carrying. Honestly, when the entire start of the book harps on how Alyssa's special because she has a photographic memory and that's how she is gifted and got accepted at the school - blah, blah - it kind of sucks when she doesn't even remember important details.
4. How the mystery just derailed in the middle of the book...
All in all, I probably will not be reading the second book.
There were just so many things that I didn't like about the book:
1. The obsession with her boyfriend's quads. What.
Also the insta-love and the fact that she basically ignored her boyfriend just because he went away for a tennis tournament for a few weeks. Boohoo, my boyfriend is a nationally-ranked player and I'm upset he just abandoned me for a tournament. *rolls eyes*
2. For a school full of gifted kids, none of them seem to do ANYTHING at all! It would have been much better if the author had incorporated some schoolwork/athletic practice into Alyssa's investigation. I feel that it would be much more realistic if she had to struggle a little to cope with both school activities and detective activities.
3. The whole plot was just conveniently pulled along with Alyssa's eidetic memory... Which coincidentally only works when the plot needs some carrying. Honestly, when the entire start of the book harps on how Alyssa's special because she has a photographic memory and that's how she is gifted and got accepted at the school - blah, blah - it kind of sucks when she doesn't even remember important details.
4. How the mystery just derailed in the middle of the book...
All in all, I probably will not be reading the second book.
June 24, 2018
FINALLY!!! A FEMALE LEAD WITH READ HAIR!!!! Serious brownie points for a fellow redhead protagonist.
Damn this cover is so ugly but I'm so glad I looked passed it and allowed myself into this story.
Also, I study french in college and Alyssa speaks french in some parts of the book. I did notice a grammatical error in her french. There was also a time when Paige used Alyssa's name when she should have said Lily. It didn't make sense when she said Alyssa.
I really enjoyed this story and felt like I was really listening to a fellow teenager whole reading Alyssa's account of things. I really enjoyed the characters and even though we only saw some of them for a very short time, I still really connected to them and missed them if they weren't in a certain scene.
The mystery element was a tiny bit far fetched for me. It felt a little bit like the author wrote the death and then the middle section of the story and had to quickly think up of a reason for the murder/ an actual murderer. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the mystery and was really invested.
Moving straight onto the sequel. Really dubious about the sequel, really feel like it didn't need a sequel but I'm not going to complain too much because I love reading Alyssa's perspective.
Damn this cover is so ugly but I'm so glad I looked passed it and allowed myself into this story.
Also, I study french in college and Alyssa speaks french in some parts of the book. I did notice a grammatical error in her french. There was also a time when Paige used Alyssa's name when she should have said Lily. It didn't make sense when she said Alyssa.
I really enjoyed this story and felt like I was really listening to a fellow teenager whole reading Alyssa's account of things. I really enjoyed the characters and even though we only saw some of them for a very short time, I still really connected to them and missed them if they weren't in a certain scene.
The mystery element was a tiny bit far fetched for me. It felt a little bit like the author wrote the death and then the middle section of the story and had to quickly think up of a reason for the murder/ an actual murderer. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the mystery and was really invested.
Moving straight onto the sequel. Really dubious about the sequel, really feel like it didn't need a sequel but I'm not going to complain too much because I love reading Alyssa's perspective.
January 19, 2019
Entertaining enough, but I found the description to be quite misleading. Ostensibly, Alyssa is at a school for rich kids who happen to be off-the-charts smart. She's been admitted (and given a rare scholarship) on account of her perfect recall, and I was looking forward to seeing how she and the other students applied their brains and privileges to solving mysteries.
Alyssa's eidetic memory aside, though, St. Jude's could more or less be any fictional prep school chockablock full of teenagers with more money than common sense. There's a mystery (with a verrrrry complex, wartime-era backstory) that Alyssa's unusual memory helps solve, but...I was really hoping for more out of the smart-kids end of things. We only barely see the students in class at all, as most of their time seems to be taken up sneaking off campus and going to parties and riding horses and investigating possible murder and falling into insta-love. Much less Gallagher Girls than...umm...Prep School Confidential, maybe? Which is fine, and those books were plenty of fun, but they're very different comparisons. It has its moments for sure, but I wanted a lot more from this.
Alyssa's eidetic memory aside, though, St. Jude's could more or less be any fictional prep school chockablock full of teenagers with more money than common sense. There's a mystery (with a verrrrry complex, wartime-era backstory) that Alyssa's unusual memory helps solve, but...I was really hoping for more out of the smart-kids end of things. We only barely see the students in class at all, as most of their time seems to be taken up sneaking off campus and going to parties and riding horses and investigating possible murder and falling into insta-love. Much less Gallagher Girls than...umm...Prep School Confidential, maybe? Which is fine, and those books were plenty of fun, but they're very different comparisons. It has its moments for sure, but I wanted a lot more from this.
August 2, 2020
I love YA, I especially love mystery who done it YA I did not love Young, Gifted and Dead.
I almost DNF'ed this book and only finished because it was all I had with me but I did start skimming the pages about half way through because I hoped it would get better but instead it ended up jumping the shark.
Messy writing that wasn't very cohesive. Ridiculous plot points (seriously why are police/teachers etc listening so much to a teen instead of politely telling her to bugger off and leave the investigation up to the professionals? Could have done without the forced romance which seemed to lack chemistry. Commits the book sin of throwing in too many red herrings.
The synopsis was actually way better than the actual book. Will not be reading the sequel nor would I ever read the author again based on this.
I almost DNF'ed this book and only finished because it was all I had with me but I did start skimming the pages about half way through because I hoped it would get better but instead it ended up jumping the shark.
Messy writing that wasn't very cohesive. Ridiculous plot points (seriously why are police/teachers etc listening so much to a teen instead of politely telling her to bugger off and leave the investigation up to the professionals? Could have done without the forced romance which seemed to lack chemistry. Commits the book sin of throwing in too many red herrings.
The synopsis was actually way better than the actual book. Will not be reading the sequel nor would I ever read the author again based on this.
July 3, 2025
Oh…
No thank you.
Okay, I loved (and still do love) the second book in this series, I didn’t know there was a first book and I found the book by chance, and because it was so good i wanted to read where all began…
No I hated this. It was ridiculously a huge let down.
I didn’t even want to finish it (I’ve only ever done this once in my whole life!!) and I didn’t which honestly speaks volumes.
In the second book, Alyssa highlights how much she misses her ‘amazing’ best friends but they. are. not. that.
They’re something but ‘amazing best friends’ *she says in a mocking tone* is not it.
Paige is so rude I just hate her, I don’t even want to go into specifics because it makes me so upset!
Wouldn’t recommend but would absolutely recommend the second book.
Xoxo… :(
No thank you.
Okay, I loved (and still do love) the second book in this series, I didn’t know there was a first book and I found the book by chance, and because it was so good i wanted to read where all began…
No I hated this. It was ridiculously a huge let down.
I didn’t even want to finish it (I’ve only ever done this once in my whole life!!) and I didn’t which honestly speaks volumes.
In the second book, Alyssa highlights how much she misses her ‘amazing’ best friends but they. are. not. that.
They’re something but ‘amazing best friends’ *she says in a mocking tone* is not it.
Paige is so rude I just hate her, I don’t even want to go into specifics because it makes me so upset!
Wouldn’t recommend but would absolutely recommend the second book.
Xoxo… :(
April 27, 2025
It took me quite a while to get into this book as I felt the start was quite slow, however the investigation and build up to finding out who murdered Lily really picked up the pace and got me hooked!
It definitely didn’t take the route I was expecting, taking a political route rather than a romance/friendship route, and whilst I liked that it was different, I feel that to fully understand what is going on, you need to have some basic understanding of the politics behind the plot. I also did get a little confused on who some of the characters were and how they were involved in the plot. Despite this, I did enjoy reading it!
It definitely didn’t take the route I was expecting, taking a political route rather than a romance/friendship route, and whilst I liked that it was different, I feel that to fully understand what is going on, you need to have some basic understanding of the politics behind the plot. I also did get a little confused on who some of the characters were and how they were involved in the plot. Despite this, I did enjoy reading it!
August 15, 2018
Although it took me a little over a year but thats cause of my really busy schedule as a design student. Nonetheless, 4 stars cause it was an easy read and unexpected mystery plot and the ending too. Of course, to add on, Alyssa is an interesting character and I love her. Love the character development of Alyssa in the book and her really good photographic memories. I could almost picture the moments of the story in my head.
December 22, 2021
A YA murder mystery an odd dark academia atmosphere mixed with a murder mystery. The story is told in a mix of flashbacks and present investigations. I liked how the MC has a photogenic memory and a unique intelligence and drive for justice. The mystery turned quite political near the end which I liked. I liked the twists and turns. I also didn't mind the romance though it was massive intstalove .The ending was suspenseful and unpredictable.
August 24, 2025
Found myself captivated by this story, I love a crime and Alyssa was an excellent narrator.
There were elements that didn't quite make sense like the romance, the memory and the inspector believing absolutely everything she said.
I really enjoyed the descriptions and the portrayal of the characters without overshadowing the main character or the plot.
Overall, really interesting story that had some great twists.
There were elements that didn't quite make sense like the romance, the memory and the inspector believing absolutely everything she said.
I really enjoyed the descriptions and the portrayal of the characters without overshadowing the main character or the plot.
Overall, really interesting story that had some great twists.
December 9, 2016
This is a really intelligent series (no pun intended) and I loved the perspective. Lucy Carver wrote in a really engaging style and her storyline had me hooked from the start.
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone who wants an engaging mystery with a bit of YA romance--but without any non PG scenes.
I would seriously recommend this book to anyone who wants an engaging mystery with a bit of YA romance--but without any non PG scenes.
May 29, 2022
3.5 stars - this had to be the best murder mystery book i’ve ever read as you could follow along with the flashbacks from the character so you could guess along with the MC
i loved the subplot of romance however one point of it showed miscommunication which i hate in books
the ending was great and summarised everything together :)
i loved the subplot of romance however one point of it showed miscommunication which i hate in books
the ending was great and summarised everything together :)
June 17, 2017
Honestly could not be arsed to properly read this book beyond 50ish pages; I just skimmed through it to see how everything would end up. The way it was written, and the main character just really annoyed me somehow, but I can't seem to figure out why exactly.
October 18, 2017
absolutely love this book. of course me being a teen i have different opinion but i adore the way the author came up with such an intense plot and delicately unravelled the story bit by bit. it should all of the characters insecurities and feelings really well.
February 1, 2024
I think it should be made compulsory for every person to read these. This book was literally my Roman Empire the amount of times I found myself thinking abt desevers jail time. And I just picked it up in some random libary cause I was bored and I’m in love w her boyfriend Lowkey
January 17, 2014
St Jude’s sinks it’s claws into you, with its deceit & mysterious airs, which extent well beyond murder.
blog review here- with GIFs
I definitely don’t regret buying this (cos that’s essentially what happened). The beautiful thing was that although the school is elite we feel like it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be & lots of the students don’t want it to be like that. Boarding schools work both ways- it’s up to the author. Do they want the children to act like the sun shines out their backside cos of their parents occupation? They’re still upper class but... not totally spoilt. I feel like here they have the intelligence to know better & Alyssa thinks she’s an outsider but... no. Blurb, no. Alyssa doesn’t feel elite but she’s fantastic & I love this book for how we pick up on her thoughts in such a lovely and true-to-life way. She fits in & doesn’t really let it cross her mind. She’s OK if she has to walk around school on her own! She’ll do it in style. Girl got a sense of humour, brownie points for the witty, abrasive attitude (it’s not OTT though, we still like her). Can you tell that I think I’m acquiring a fictional BFF? XD
Sure, she’s being a detective but at the heart of it it’s because a) she cares about Lily & all the other people it affects b) she’s very clever. Even with the supreme intelligence, she’s like many teenage girls. She’s mature, comes across as down-to-earth and her relationships with peers & facilitators alike are awesome to read about. Jack can’t stop her figuring it out & unlike many protagonists, she isn’t too distracted by her love life. She doesn’t completely ditch him and they’re a nice couple but when she’s on a mission which other priorities... Alyssa remembers it & follows through. We’d be OK if saving the world was left to her in a YA book, not some girl attached to a clingy guy. Jack cares about her but... he doesn’t control her.
She doesn’t beat around the bush even though it takes a long while to come out...
It helps, of course, that Alyssa has a photographic memory but not as much as you’d first anticipate. It allows clues to link up better but it’s not the total overly convenient character trait you may just have imagined... You get used to her flashbacks as well, in time. It may seem weird, especially at first, how its changed from just what was happening but that’s apparently how Alyssa’s brain works; it’s consistent & understandable- even though my normal brain wouldn’t comprehend it that started happening IRL ;)
Who killed her roommate? We want to discover straight away. Is it the obvious? As she explores the likelihood of different suspects it could be confusing but the hints and twists blend together harmoniously. There’s also different themes, some pop up quite far into the novel. Yet, it’s not that strange for the reader, in my opinion. It’s just not necessarily what you’d have guessed. So yes, YG&D leaves you hanging and when it’s wrapped up it’s with such style. Debut novel, Carver? Seriously...
Oh and, on that point, I’m SO surprised it gets a sequel (I’ve just seen that). Does it need one? I’m not sure it does. I loved the book but I think it would be drawn out to have another book in the same series. Some have marked it as to-read though... It worked as a standalone, truly! It was more refreshing that way...
I’m a bit disappointed now that they expect us to read a sequel. It’s optional though, as you guessed- there’s no cliffhanger... (more on the ending).
As I said, a part of me is recalling when I read it (at the end of January) but well... Kudos. It's quite funny how it reminds me of a journey. I think I'd associate this with a journey anyway. All the movement coming to life, it'd be a fabulous play or something to watch. But yes, my real life train journey wasn't going anywhere & wasn't fast. This book was. It takes you places, it shows you people, it's a puzzle being solved.
Despite reading around 3 weeks ago (time of writing) I still am clear on the bits that worked, which is most of it. If there were issues they have been mostly been forgotten.
I feel like I should mention it, slightly spoilery way tho (I’ll mention no names!)...
I was just glad by the end: Murderers have been dealt with, other people in her life left a little more satisfied. I mean, I’d like The Tyrant to be shot or something but... it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon, I know that. Anna & Lily’s brother (though not at first) are much more likeable & help along the way...
blog review here- with GIFs
I definitely don’t regret buying this (cos that’s essentially what happened). The beautiful thing was that although the school is elite we feel like it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be & lots of the students don’t want it to be like that. Boarding schools work both ways- it’s up to the author. Do they want the children to act like the sun shines out their backside cos of their parents occupation? They’re still upper class but... not totally spoilt. I feel like here they have the intelligence to know better & Alyssa thinks she’s an outsider but... no. Blurb, no. Alyssa doesn’t feel elite but she’s fantastic & I love this book for how we pick up on her thoughts in such a lovely and true-to-life way. She fits in & doesn’t really let it cross her mind. She’s OK if she has to walk around school on her own! She’ll do it in style. Girl got a sense of humour, brownie points for the witty, abrasive attitude (it’s not OTT though, we still like her). Can you tell that I think I’m acquiring a fictional BFF? XD
Sure, she’s being a detective but at the heart of it it’s because a) she cares about Lily & all the other people it affects b) she’s very clever. Even with the supreme intelligence, she’s like many teenage girls. She’s mature, comes across as down-to-earth and her relationships with peers & facilitators alike are awesome to read about. Jack can’t stop her figuring it out & unlike many protagonists, she isn’t too distracted by her love life. She doesn’t completely ditch him and they’re a nice couple but when she’s on a mission which other priorities... Alyssa remembers it & follows through. We’d be OK if saving the world was left to her in a YA book, not some girl attached to a clingy guy. Jack cares about her but... he doesn’t control her.
She doesn’t beat around the bush even though it takes a long while to come out...
It helps, of course, that Alyssa has a photographic memory but not as much as you’d first anticipate. It allows clues to link up better but it’s not the total overly convenient character trait you may just have imagined... You get used to her flashbacks as well, in time. It may seem weird, especially at first, how its changed from just what was happening but that’s apparently how Alyssa’s brain works; it’s consistent & understandable- even though my normal brain wouldn’t comprehend it that started happening IRL ;)
Who killed her roommate? We want to discover straight away. Is it the obvious? As she explores the likelihood of different suspects it could be confusing but the hints and twists blend together harmoniously. There’s also different themes, some pop up quite far into the novel. Yet, it’s not that strange for the reader, in my opinion. It’s just not necessarily what you’d have guessed. So yes, YG&D leaves you hanging and when it’s wrapped up it’s with such style. Debut novel, Carver? Seriously...
Oh and, on that point, I’m SO surprised it gets a sequel (I’ve just seen that). Does it need one? I’m not sure it does. I loved the book but I think it would be drawn out to have another book in the same series. Some have marked it as to-read though... It worked as a standalone, truly! It was more refreshing that way...
I’m a bit disappointed now that they expect us to read a sequel. It’s optional though, as you guessed- there’s no cliffhanger... (more on the ending).
As I said, a part of me is recalling when I read it (at the end of January) but well... Kudos. It's quite funny how it reminds me of a journey. I think I'd associate this with a journey anyway. All the movement coming to life, it'd be a fabulous play or something to watch. But yes, my real life train journey wasn't going anywhere & wasn't fast. This book was. It takes you places, it shows you people, it's a puzzle being solved.
Despite reading around 3 weeks ago (time of writing) I still am clear on the bits that worked, which is most of it. If there were issues they have been mostly been forgotten.
I feel like I should mention it, slightly spoilery way tho (I’ll mention no names!)...
I was just glad by the end: Murderers have been dealt with, other people in her life left a little more satisfied. I mean, I’d like The Tyrant to be shot or something but... it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon, I know that. Anna & Lily’s brother (though not at first) are much more likeable & help along the way...
January 30, 2020
mc only had photographic memory but is not very smart..
keep getting caught in danger
and bf Jack seems a bit pathetic..
sad that both room mates die
keep getting caught in danger
and bf Jack seems a bit pathetic..
sad that both room mates die
October 30, 2020
3.25 stars. A cheesy yet gripping book. Will be interesting for teenagers and young adults.
Read
October 4, 2022Normally I don’t like reading but this book was amazing. It had drama and romance. Deaths and cliff hangers. This is a must read for all murder mystery fans 💀😝
December 7, 2022
Its alright but it put me in a reading slump but who cares lolz good plot.
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