Beautiful Little Furies

by Laurel Osterkamp

It's 2004 in Minneapolis, and Hazel Ford is an English teacher at a diverse urban high school, where she loves discussing The Great Gatsby with her Advanced Placement students. Plus, she's crazy about her fiancé/fellow high school teacher, Vance. But when the two of them are involved in a horrific car accident, everything comes crashing down, leaving Hazel with a traumatic brain injury and no memory of the accident--or of her supposed breakup with Vance. When Hazel's brilliant but troubled student, Febe, reveals dark secrets about Vance, Hazel must navigate the twists and turns of self-discovery, risking everything--even her own safety--to protect those she loves most and uncover disturbing truths that were buried deep.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

357 pages, Paperback

First published December 21, 2023

About the author

Laurel Osterkamp is the award-winning author of roughly a dozen novels, such as Favorite Daughters and the #1 Amazon bestseller, Beautiful Little Furies. She is obsessed with writing and doesn't know how to stop. In addition to her novels, she has short fiction published in literary journals all over the web, writes a monthly column for Writer's Fun Zone, and runs her website, laurellit.com, with book reviews, lesson plans, and writing advice.

When she's not writing (which is rare) she's often teaching adult ESL or middle school enrichment classes, going running while listening to audiobooks, or educating her daughter about the OG teen soap opera, Beverly Hills 90210. She lives in Minneapolis with a family who loves to argue, and their cats, who love to hiss at each other. Ramona Quimby is her spirit animal.

Follow her on Instagram @laurel_osterkamp.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this has divided the crowd. All I can say is, I was bored rigid and skim read it to get it over and done with. Not exactly the best advertisement for a book.

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting trip. Hazel is our MC for the most part and this is her story. It took a bit of a wander to get where Ms Osterkamp was going, but the end result was worth it. Hazel is a high school teacher near Minneapolis and a budding playwright. Also in the mix is Febe, basically an orphan immigrant from Iran, who is having struggles of her own. It's all about empowerment in the end, primarily for women who have been denigrated and mistreated for too long. Good one.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a retired high school English teacher (and having grown up in Minnesota, I knew I'd love this one! Teachers Hazel and Vance have been in a horrific car accident that leaves Hazel with amnesia and headaches. Vance is on leave but Hazel returns to school to discover she broke up with Vance but can't remember any details, Best friend Olivia is there to take care of her as she attempts to regain her memory and help Muslim student Febe as she recognizes her talents. But things get crazy as we are never quite sure what's true and what isn't as the book vacillates between past and present and there are surprises around every corner!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Ashleigh Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so I was given an ARC to review and I think it’s important that review reflects my experience of the story, and isn’t just flattering because I got a free book. So let’s do it.

Subjectively, this book was not for me at all. I didn’t buy the stakes at all- the situation they were all in was made to seem critical, but they could have all just gotten another job. The main character is unhinged, but not in a way that makes interesting literature - she is weirdly obsessive and basically harasses the men in her life and this is treated as an entirely normal thing to do. Nobody comments on the utter delulu needed to continually email a man who you’re broken up with or how she went off the deep end after she envisioned her entire life with a one night stand. Girl.

Objectively, this book wasn’t great. The twist was very, very predictable, the dialogue was pulled straight from a bad telenovela and the characters were just plot devices. There was also a LOT of awkward and over the top white saviourism. You can imagine my complete lack of surprise when I googled the author to find she was a white woman working in the same job as the main character. Shock. It’s 2024, we can probably do better.

Altogether, not the best. May make a good beach read if you’re looking for something that won’t take up too much brain space. Otherwise, I’d swerve it.

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how the facts slowly get disbursed in this story, leading you down a trail to discovery right along with Hazel. Solving the mystery was satisfying, and it was more of a mental mystery, which is an interesting take on the genre. The incorporation of literature was also unique.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Little Furies by Laurel Osterkamp.
It's 2004 in Minneapolis, and Hazel Ford is an English teacher at a diverse urban high school, where she loves discussing The Great Gatsby with her Advanced Placement students. Plus, she's crazy about her fiancé/fellow high school teacher, Vance. But when the two of them are involved in a horrific car accident, everything comes crashing down, leaving Hazel with a traumatic brain injury and no memory of the accident - or of her supposed breakup with Vance.
When Hazel's brilliant but troubled student Febe reveals dark secrets about Vance, Hazel must navigate through the twists and turns of self-discovery, risking everything - even her own safety - to protect those she loves most and uncover disturbing truths that were buried deep.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Hazel. Beautifully written. 5*.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mash-up of The Great Gatsby and Greek mythology, set in a diverse Minnesota high school in 2004, Beautiful Little Furies addresses sexism and racism, romance and friendship and intergenerational tension. That's a lot of weight for one story, but Osterkamp carries it well. The writing is vivid, the characters are memorable, and the pages are compulsively readable even when the subject matter is serious. An absorbing, provocative, and memorable story, worth dropping everything to gulp down in a few days.

[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. Opinions are my own.]

[Chrissy D (Chrissysliterarybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this 3.5 stars if Goodreads allowed partial stars… I enjoyed this book- it had lots of twists and turns. I was constantly wondering who did what and what the truth was. I enjoyed the time period being in 1998-2004 - it covered some things like Columbine, 9/11, etc. I got confused on who was narrating a few chapters but it all makes sense once you figure out the twist so that was creative. I like how you couldn’t really trust the narrator because she couldn’t really remember what actually happened so you had to slowly piece it together with her.

[Dawn McGill Dalrymple · Rating 4 out of 5]

What first drew me to this book was the eye-catching cover. Hazel has been having a rough go at life lately. It's 2004, and she's a high school AP English teacher. Her partner Vance teaches at the school also along with her bestie Olivia. You'd think this is the perfect happy team, but you'd be wrong! Hazel has just awoken from a head trauma from a car wreck that Vance was in also. And conveniently enough, Vance splits town after all this happens. Now Hazel is trying to pick up the pieces and figure out what really happened. Thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours for the book to read & review.

[Bebo Saucier Carrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

To say I am not a fan would be an understatement. As a high school English teacher, I had such high hopes for a book about a high school English teacher WRITTEN by a high school English teacher. Unfortunately, this book fell short in so many ways.

1. The writing was CLUNKY. The golden rule of "show don't tell" felt completely ignored. I was told every. single, little. thing. This was especially apparent in the first few chapters. They felt like the biggest infodump and I seriously thought about putting the book down as early as chapter 2. Unfortunately, this didn't get much better.

2. The plot twists were gimmicky, obvious, and made me want to scream with how unrealistic they felt. I know books require some suspension of disbelief, but as a trained teacher, Hazel's actions "for the sake of the students" were incomprehensible. The publishing of the school magazine with a wildly risky story? The going to a students' house to check up on her? The telling the office secretary to basically fuck off? WHAT??Not only this, but the big reveal about Vance's affair partner was something I saw coming a mile away, and I don't consider myself particularly good at spotting plot twists either.

3. The story screams white saviorism. It is over the top and sickly how Hazel talks about her minority students as if they are incapable of taking care of themselves. It is important to give a voice to minority students, but talking about it in front of them CONSTANTLY and making comments about protecting them is so icky and feels very performative. Not to mention the whole Febe situation at the end of the book.

4. Related to point 1, but slightly different: the dialogue felt overly dramatic and like nothing actual people would say. Having taught AP English, I can pretty much guarantee that most of the kiddos are NOT going to make such insightful comments, but somehow most of the AP Lit kids in this book understood the book to the same level as their teacher? Wild. The weird stuck-in literary references (by students, nonetheless) didn't help the dialogue at all.

All this to say, I disliked this book from both the perspective of a reader and as a teacher. The writing was not fun to read and I couldn't suspend my disbelief about the main character's actions because they go against so many things teachers know to do. It made this book so hard and frustrating to read, and I leave it incredibly disappointed.

Publication date: Dec 20, 2023

[Style and Savings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel teaches a high school AP English class and especially enjoys teaching The Great Gatsby.
Hazel has become close friends with Olivia, a math teacher. Despite Olivia’s warning, Hazel starts dating Vance, the art teacher who later becomes Hazel's fiance. Hazel and Vance are in a car accident after the staff Christmas party and Hazel can’t remember anything that happened the night of the accident and the few weeks leading up to it. Vance has left town and barely responds to her emails. Olivia is there to check on Hazel (maybe too often) as she recovers. Hazel returns to work while still trying to piece together her memories.

When one of Hazel’s favorite students approaches her about starting a blog featuring students’ art and writing, Hazel is put in a difficult situation when a controversial anonymous essay is submitted.

This book was truly a thriller! I could not put it down! I appreciated how the author captured the early 2000’s as this story takes place during 2001 - 2004. The story addresses how the events of 9/11 affected Americans and specifically the high school students at Hazel’s school.
The romantic entanglements among the teachers added to the twists, but were sometimes hard to follow.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers, an unreliable narrator and bold women.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel Osterkamp's Beautiful Little Furies is an intense exploration of the human mind and self-discovery through the intersection of the characters' stories. This book revolves around the story of an English teacher, Hazel Ford, who gets into an accident and suffers a traumatic brain injury that causes her to lose some of her memories.

Why did her fiancé leave her when she needed him most? Was the accident her fault? Is her best friend lying to her? Could she be endangering her students? Who can she trust? What started as an unrelenting show of curiosity soon put all in mortal danger. This central conflict catalyzes a chain of events that leads the characters to make decisions that influence events.

There is no mistaking Osterkamp's skillful storytelling. It shines through as she intertwines the characters' lives, dexterously resolving all plot conflicts. This book deftly navigates the subjects of love, trust, and redemption.

A notable aspect of this book is the narrative structure. Alternating perspectives provide insights into the minds of the characters as events unfold. This gradually reveals their pasts, insecurities, and desires, letting readers in on the intimate details of what even the protagonist does not know yet. Osterkamp's prose flows smoothly, making it easy to transition between these perspectives and helping to build a well-rounded view of the story's events.

Beautiful Little Furies does not hesitate to address complex topics like racism and religion. They were handled with nuanced sensitivity and authenticity. The interactions between the characters feel genuine, evoking both sympathy and frustration as they grapple with the consequences of their choices. The complexity of the relationships might require readers to stay attentive, as the intricate connections between characters and their pasts can be challenging to keep track of.

Beautiful Little Furies stands out as a powerful exploration of human emotions. It also provides a mirror into a path of self-discovery as readers follow the protagonist on her own journey, weaving through the drama and raw authenticity of the characters' emotions.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hazel Ford is a dedicated teacher of Advanced Placement students in a high school with a diverse student body that includes Muslim, hijab-wearing students like the very bright Febe.

It is 2004 and the US is still very much dealing with the aftermath of 9/11. The book addresses many issues still pertinent today, including racism, sexism and stereotyping.

Hazel is very happy with her life, her friendships, her classes teaching The Great Gatsby to her students, and her relationship with her boyfriend Vance.

But everything changes after she and Vance are involved in a serious accident which leaves Hazel with a dramatic brain injury and limited memories of what happened. To make matters worse, Vance leaves his job, disappears from Hazel's life, and refuses to answer her messages.

Now Hazel needs to figure out what really took place between them. But can she handle knowing? There are hints of a darker side to events that may require her to face up to uncomfortable truths if she is to move on with her life. And Febe holds part of the key...

This is an intelligent and provocative story that effortlessly holds the reader's attention. Hazel is a relatable and immensely likeable MC and you find yourself empathizing with the challenges she faces.

Delving into the complications that sometimes lie under the surface of romantic relationships, the ties that bind and break female friendships, and the truths that we hide - even from ourselves - the book takes us on a memorable journey that includes Hazel's gradual (re)discovery of her own recent past. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Tavi Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel Osterkamp's Beautiful Little Furies (such an excellent title!) is a surprising, genre-defying blend of Women's Fiction, YA, and Psychological Fiction with well-plotted twists that keep the reader wondering just what the characters might do. As fine as those surprises were, characters, not plot, are why this reader keeps reading.
Addressing themes such as prejudice, poverty, and friendship, this part coming-of-age drama, set in a high school, follows, untraditionally, the lives of the teachers, rather than the students. The book begs the question: when is it right to step in and become involved in a struggling student's life?
Each of the characters, from the slightly awkward protagonist Hazel, to the traumatized student Febe, from ex-hook up Cyrus to the rapscallion Vance, are well-developed and believable. I loved how culturally diverse the characters were--it read true to what a real school environment would be like.
The Fitzgerald quote, woven into the body of the story through the thoughts of frenemy Olivia, elevates the novel, as does the Aeschylus epigraph.
As a reader, the novel made me feel for teachers and all the challenges that social media and cell phones bring to the educational process. Here's a shout-out to teachers everywhere-- and to the author, who is writing from experience, according to her fine dedication: "To the staff and students, past and present, at Columbia Heights High School. It may not seem like it, but this book is my love letter to you."

[Michelle (Read Momma Read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Little Furies is set a few of years after 9/11. Hazel is an AP English teacher who was involved in a car crash and suffered a traumatic brain injury. When she wakes up, she can’t remember things leading up to or involving the accident and the one person she wants to ask (her boyfriend, Vance, who was also in the accident) has left her and she has no idea why. Her friends are holding things back, trying to protect her, and someone from her past reemerges. This book follows Hazel trying to piece together her memory and also some self discovery. Her student, Febe, is a troubled student who is also going through a trying time. Shes a female Muslim student in a post 9/11 world. She is trying to navigate high school while trying to stand out for colleges as blend in as a student. Febe is also wanting to help Hazel but is she hurting Hazel or helping her? I really enjoyed how The Great Gatsby and Greek Mythology were a big part of the book, as I really enjoyed both as a student. There are very real issues (racism, sexism, sexual assault, friendship) discussed very eloquently.

The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was because I saw the twist coming very early on. It was still very good but I like to be wrong with my suspense/thrillers. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and Black Rose Writing for my ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit I was drawn to this book because of its connection to the classic 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐲. So I love that Hazel, the main character, is teaching 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐛𝐲 to her high school English students.

The story has a thriller-esque-like quality as Hazel, who is slowly recovering from a car accident, returns to teaching. But she has trouble remembering the details surrounding the accident. She also doesn’t understand why her boyfriend Vance, a fellow teacher who was in the accident with her, won’t answer her texts and emails.

Hazel hears rumors about Vance and their relationship; a picture of him with another woman is posted. But she can’t remember; memories are too fuzzy. Things get more confusing for Hazel when a Muslim student, Febe, who may have written an accusatory essay, knows more about Hazel’s situation than she even does. Meanwhile, Hazel’s friend Olivia constantly hovers over her, treating her like a child.

All this gives a feeling of uncertainty and haziness, but only in the sense of making Hazel feel off balance or unwell. People were playing games, as in most psychological thrillers. It all comes to a dramatic conclusion, and I love the nod to literature once again.

𝐴𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠.


Thank you @KateRockBookTours @laurel_osterkamp and @BlackRoseWriting for a spot on tour and a gifted book.

[dianas_books_cars_coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book, and I enjoyed reading it.  This was my 1st book by the author, but I will definitely be reading more.

In 2004, Hazel Ford was an English teacher at a diverse urban high school in Minneapolis, MN.  She's engaged to the school's art teacher, Vance, and is about to receive her tenure.  Things are going well for her.  But when she and Vance are in a horrific car accident, everything seems to fall apart.  While Hazel is the hospital still recovering from her head injury, Vance leaves without an explanation.  Hazel doesn't remember anything from the night of the accident, and as she tries to piece things together, some dark secrets emerge.  Apparently, she had broken up with Vance, and she doesn't remember doing it or why.  Will she be able to discover the truth without risking it all, including her life?

This book was well written and had me turning pages to see what really happened the night of the accident.  I found the mystery intriguing, and even though there were little clues along the way, I was shocked by the ending.  I really liked The Great Gatsby and Greek Mythology references.  They definitely made the book.  This was a good, entertaining read, and I would recommend it.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
I liked this book better at first than as I got further in. It was fun seeing the literary references and connections and how the author wove them through. I even enjoyed the podcast aspect and the students search for the truth. Initially, the descriptions of teaching high school kids seemed pretty much what I'd experienced in my 30+ years of teaching in a public school, and the author herself was apparently also an English teacher, but apparently she decided to let her character ignore rules teachers MUST follow regarding reports of students in danger, appropriate interactions with students and so much more. It's not a bad who dunnit, but even beyond the false image of school, the main character is so clearly stalking her ex, that it was hard to find much sympathy for her. Also puzzling as to why no one will actually tell her why he doesn't want contact with her.

[Becky Cavazuti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Beautiful Little Furies by Laurel Osterkamp. Hazel is a high school teacher in Minneapolis. She loves the Great Gatsby and teaching it to her AP English students. But she gets in a car accident, and suffers a brain injury, and everything gets weird. Did she really break up with her boyfriend before the accident? What is her favorite student trying to tell her? How does she handle life now, and who does she believe? This is a quick read and fairly light even though the subject matter is dark. #beautifullittlefuries #laurelosterkamp #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

[Anne Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A character towards the end says the occurrence is like a TV show. And that's at the core of my three star review. If Laurel Osterkamp had not attempted to combine so many genres and plot points, this novel would have been so much better. In thickening the plot, the author has made it confusing with too many unnecessary characters with similar names (Lucas, Cyrus) and too many women with long, dark hair.

It's pretty easy to see who is lying and who is not. Osterkamp's writing would have been much better off had she concentrated on the things she obviously knows best: Teaching High School AP English and school administration politics. (Her HR representative was a gem.) Also well done was her depiction of Febe, an Iranian girl and her centrality of depiction of racism.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC copy to read pre-publication.

[Kami Boley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the aftermath of an accident, Hazel Ford struggles to put her life back in order along with her memories which are still as lost as she feels. Hazel is a dedicated high school teacher. Even though she’s still recovering from a traumatic brain injury, she promptly returns to educate a class of Advanced Placement students. There are several hard lessons ahead for all involved.

I enjoyed revisiting the themes spurred by references to The Great Gatsby and the spirit of reinvention and redemption. I also felt it was over the top at times with a few plot holes that were patched together with spit and glue. I still recommend this novel if you like stories that contain many worthwhile references to art, literature, self-discovery, and female empowerment.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Beautiful Little Furies for my unbiased evaluation.  3 stars

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author so deftly weaves so many threads at one time only to bring it all together in a great ending. Once you begin this book, you are engaged until the very end. The protagonist, Hazel Ford, an urban city high school English teacher is in a horrific accident with her boyfriend, Vance, also a teacher at the school. The result is that Hazel doesn't remember anything about the accident or why her boyfriend just left not to be seen. With so many issues facing Hazel and one of her students she tries to help, and secrets being held back by the girl and her best friend, and weaving The Great Gatsby and Greek Mythology into the story line, there is just so many threads to pull on until the very end. A wonderful literary experience that I just had to absorb in one sitting! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[2manybooks2littletime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to my partners, Kate Rock Book Tours and Black Rose Writing, and the author. I appreciate the gifted paperback, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 - There is a secret narrator intertwined in some chapters. The words are full of bitterness and spite and the reader can feel the maliciousness that she has. And when her identity is revealed, these traits come out in person.

2. 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 - It is obvious that Osterkamp has experience as a teacher. Everything is spot-on. The care that we teachers have for our students is genuine and all-encompassing. If only we could save them all…

3. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 - A fantastic plot line showing the damage that is inflicted by many people. Febe’s character brings to light the devastating effects that racism and sexism impose on innocent human beings.

4. 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 - As the story progresses, it was evident that Hazel just needed to know the truth of what happened before the accident. Many things contributed to the outcome, but thankfully, the truth was revealed.

5. 𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - Again, it’s that teacher heart. The fact that Hazel throws caution to the wind and does what she knows is necessary proves the depth of emotion most teachers have for their students.

[Renee(Reneesramblings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hazel is a high school English teacher who cares deeply for her students. In the blink of an eye, she loses her memory of the events prior to the car accident she survived. But that’s not all, her fiancé Vance, who was driving has left her and Hazel has no idea why. While trying to regain her memories, various pieces of what happened are revealed by her friends, Olivia, and a student Febe. Can Hazel trust what they are telling her and what did actually lead up to that fateful night?
There are a lot of heavy topics in this book. How some students gain privilege, whether they deserve it or not, and how unfair life can be to those students who are different. I can’t say a lot without waiting into spoiler territory, but I would’ve loved to have a teacher like Hazel. It’s a thought-provoking story and will definitely make you question who in life you can ultimately trust.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @laurel_osterkamp @KateRockBookTours @BlackRoseWriting for my complimentary book.

Everything changes for HAZEL FORD when she is in an automobile accident with her fiancé VANCE. When she wakes up she learns she has suffered a brain injury and she has no memory of the accident. Vance has moved out and is no longer in communication with her. As Hazel returns to work (as a high school English teacher) she struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding the car crash and the break up. But is everyone telling her the truth, or could someone be manipulating her?

This well-written story kept me turning the pages. There were twists at every turn. I especially loved the tie-ins with 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘣𝘺. At 357 pages, it takes awhile to fully unravel the mystery, but the journey is worth it.

Read this if you enjoy:
*Women’s Fiction
*Twisty tales
*Friendship Drama
*Relationship Drama

[Macie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, this book just wasn't for me. I almost DNF'ed it at 43%, but I was curious enough about the ending to continue. I skimmed the book's second half and could pick up on what was going on by reading the dialogue. By the end, the book seemed a little far-fetched for my liking.

This book was difficult for me, as I'm in the same career as the author. The adults in this novel were immature and made decisions that had me questioning their professionalism. I also struggled to follow the different perspectives we were provided because it wasn't always clear who was narrating the chapter.

In general, I think this book had potential, and it did have dramatic aspects that some people may enjoy, but I didn't care for it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ML · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This novel’s premise was very intriguing to me, being a former high school AP English teacher and a person who loves The Great Gatsby: Hazel, a high school teacher who discusses The Great Gatsby with her class and her fiance/co-worker Vance are involved in an awful automobile accident from which Hazel has a serious brain injury and amnesia regarding the accident. The plot progresses as Hazel works to regain her memory. There are some good twists and turns along the way, although quite a few are pretty predictable, as well as some eye-rolling incidents that somewhat strain the willing suspension of disbelief. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this read, particularly the incorporation of literature into the storyline. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Gail Olmsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

A car accident leaves high school English teacher Hazel Ford with a traumatic brain injury and no memory of the accident itself or her break-up with her fiancé Vance, a fellow teacher. Desperately trying to regain her physical strength and rebuild her shattered life, Hazel is thrust into a world of dark secrets and danger as she attempts to sort out the truth about her ex. A troubled student’s shocking revelation adds to Hazel’s anguish, propelling her to risk everything she has left for the ones she loves.

Beautiful Little Furies is a suspenseful tale that will leave you guessing. The plot twists will keep you turning pages and the main character, a teacher worth rooting for, will have you believing in the power of redemption. Highly recommended.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am excited to be spotting a booktour spot with @katerockbooktours and @laurelosterkamp for Beautiful Little Furies and my tour stops here.

This suspense mystery novel is definitely a psycho-mystery with ample twists and turns. It got me thinking and guessing while contemplating the whys. I love Hazel and her determination to find her redemption. The event that led to her car accident was a bit murky but the ending gave a great explanation and then more. I enjoyed this book because self-doubting and what I call gut-feeling is truest in my opinion just like Hazel. To sum it up, I think this novel has everything from mystery, romance, racism, discrimination and love. I highly recommend this book if you love dark-mystery.

[MeMe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book skillfully weaves together elements of mystery, heartbreak, work drama, and more in a tasteful and beautifully written way. I felt immense sadness for Hazel, who had lost her memories and was dealing with the sudden shock of losing her partner and experiencing betrayal. How the author wrote this book really captivated me. The surprises that the characters brought to the story made it all that more enjoyable for me. The book had me hooked, as I eagerly tried to unravel the mystery and unmask the villain. I'm thoroughly impressed by this book and would absolutely read more thrillers written by this author.