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Conspiracy Girl
Everybody knows about the Cooper Killings – the Bel Air home invasion that rocked the nation.
There was only one survivor - a sixteen year-old girl.
And though the killers were caught they walked free.
Now eighteen, Nic Preston - the girl who survived - is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.
But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant.
Finn Carter - hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.
Fleeing across a snowbound New England, frantically trying to uncover the motive behind the murders, Nic and Finn come to realize the conspiracy is bigger than they could ever have suspected. But the closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, the greater the danger becomes.
To survive she has to stay close to him.
To keep her safe he has to keep his distance.
There was only one survivor - a sixteen year-old girl.
And though the killers were caught they walked free.
Now eighteen, Nic Preston - the girl who survived - is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.
But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant.
Finn Carter - hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.
Fleeing across a snowbound New England, frantically trying to uncover the motive behind the murders, Nic and Finn come to realize the conspiracy is bigger than they could ever have suspected. But the closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, the greater the danger becomes.
To survive she has to stay close to him.
To keep her safe he has to keep his distance.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2015
20 people are currently reading
1915 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Alderson
28 books2,768 followersHaving spent most of her life in London, Sarah quit her job in the non profit sector in 2009 and took off on a round the world trip with her husband and princess-obsessed daughter on a mission to find a new place to call home. After several months in India, Singapore, Australia and the US, they settled in Bali where they lived for five years.
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
She finished her first novel, Hunting Lila (winner of the Kingston Book Award), just before they left the UK, wrote the sequel on the beach in India and had signed a two book deal with Simon & Schuster by the time they had reached Bali.
A third book, Fated, about a teenage demon slayer, was published in January 2012.
The Sound, a thriller romance set in Nantucket, was published in August 2013 and this was followed by the critically acclaimed Out of Control in May 2014.
Her first non-fiction book - CAN WE LIVE HERE? - based on her blog of the same name, was published in August 2015 by Blink.
She also writes New Adult romance for Pan Macmillan (UK) / Simon & Schuster (US) under the pen name Mila Gray.
You can find Sarah on facebook and at www.sarahalderson.com or follow her blog at www.canwelivhere.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
March 16, 2018
actual rating: 2,5 Sterne
Mir tut dieses Rating im Herzen weh, da ich das Buch von einer lieben Abonnentin auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse geschenkt bekommen habe, allerdings hat es mir ÜBERHAUPT nicht gefallen und ich habe mich sehr schwer mit der Geschichte und den Charakteren getan.
Mir tut dieses Rating im Herzen weh, da ich das Buch von einer lieben Abonnentin auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse geschenkt bekommen habe, allerdings hat es mir ÜBERHAUPT nicht gefallen und ich habe mich sehr schwer mit der Geschichte und den Charakteren getan.
April 10, 2016
A fast-paced, action packed page turner which is so like Sarah Alderson's work. I absolutely adored this! Finn is gorgeous <3 and the mystery had me not wanting to put this down! I definitely guessed the plot twist that happened at the end but I'm not even mad because it was such a fun read!
Full review to come
Full review to come
August 4, 2015
3.5 stars
With all the bad luck I was having with Sarah Alderson’s books, I started to think that I wouldn’t like any of her works. But look at this, a Sarah Alderson book that I rather enjoyed! Conspiracy Girl is a quick thriller – I’ve been a reading slump as of the late and this really got me back on my feet with how easy it was to fly through, whilst being entirely interesting at the same time. I really loved Nic as a character. She’s a strong young woman who only trusts herself and I loved her strong sense of independence.
In addition, I loved Finn and Nic’s relationship. You can see that their history with each other runs deep and raw and I love how Alderson tackled that. I definitely grew to like Finn as the story went through and YAY for a romance that takes the backseat and lets the plot run the show like it should!
This one definitely goes highly recommended to anyone who wants something easy to read but thrilling (and romantic) all the same.
With all the bad luck I was having with Sarah Alderson’s books, I started to think that I wouldn’t like any of her works. But look at this, a Sarah Alderson book that I rather enjoyed! Conspiracy Girl is a quick thriller – I’ve been a reading slump as of the late and this really got me back on my feet with how easy it was to fly through, whilst being entirely interesting at the same time. I really loved Nic as a character. She’s a strong young woman who only trusts herself and I loved her strong sense of independence.
In addition, I loved Finn and Nic’s relationship. You can see that their history with each other runs deep and raw and I love how Alderson tackled that. I definitely grew to like Finn as the story went through and YAY for a romance that takes the backseat and lets the plot run the show like it should!
This one definitely goes highly recommended to anyone who wants something easy to read but thrilling (and romantic) all the same.
February 6, 2015
Conspiracy Girl was once again a fast paced heart in your throat sort of read that I’ve come to expect from Sarah Alderson. Right from the beginning we’re thrown into Nic’s dangerous world, a girl who we find is living with the utmost security in her home surrounding her. Why would a girl of Nic’s age need this much security? Who is she hiding from? Our fear for her is immediately kicked into overdrive when her house is broken into the first few pages, like I said she has the best surveillance installed, something only which a top hacker can get through and then her neighbour is shot and Nic is taken away to be kept safe, from whom we don’t know, but the worst thing Nic is put under care of one of the last people she wants to be with, isn’t she just better making it on her own? But who knows what dangerous people could turn out to be out there? Nic knew she had to place her trust with this guy for the foreseeable future; I was all for watching this bumpy ride out!
I’m a huge fan of antagonist relationships, relationships which start upon hate, but have the potential to become something more, but our two main characters are too blind to see or filled with rage to see what’s standing in front of them. Nic had all the right reasons to dislike Finn, if I was in her shoes I would be fuelled by the same pent up rage to punch him in the face and then run away from him as fast as I could. But when you have nobody else to protect you and have some crazy killer or who knows what after her and the FBI has deemed that Finn’s place and protection is the best place for you, you really have no choice. I loved watching the relationship unravel between Finn and Nic. There was a lot of early angry words thrown about and mistrust between them, but I adored how page by page, we were able to experience small cracks appear against the defences they had up especially ones put up by Nic. Of course it was hard not to fall for Finn, he was super intelligent, could crack any type of security, was willing to put his own safety on the line to protect Nic and did I mention hot? I loved some of the scenes Alderson decided to scatter amongst the tense scenes which took up most of the story, they were certainly great in bringing our hopes up that our characters would find a way to survive and an easy smile or (blush in my case) on many occasion. Also the dual pov contributed in a great way in getting a better understanding of Finn’s character, we knew why Nic didn’t trust him, but by being in his head we were able to get the fuller picture and also see a softer side to him than what Nic had originally painted of him.
There were many obstacles thrown against Nic and Finn, many which I was worried that they wouldn’t find their way out. But I was grateful that Nic had been put in Finn’s protection, as together they made a formidable team; there to calm each other down and always thinking one step ahead when they found themselves in tight situations. I feared the worst for Finn and Nic, but this was largely because we had no clue as to why anyone would be after Nic and why they were so adamant until much later on. The person who could have clued her in had legged it on the first chance, which made me slightly mad, if they really cared about Nic, wouldn’t they have ensured that Nic was safe when things hit the fan? Wouldn’t she be his number one priority and not himself? This characters decision aside, Conspiracy Girl was a fantastic read, Alderson had us guessing until the very last page about who could be behind it all, to say I was shocked was the biggest understatement of the year. Alderson once again has gone to show why she is one of my favourite authors with Conspiracy Girl; she’s written a story with two kick ass characters that will have you rooting for them until the very last page!
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
I’m a huge fan of antagonist relationships, relationships which start upon hate, but have the potential to become something more, but our two main characters are too blind to see or filled with rage to see what’s standing in front of them. Nic had all the right reasons to dislike Finn, if I was in her shoes I would be fuelled by the same pent up rage to punch him in the face and then run away from him as fast as I could. But when you have nobody else to protect you and have some crazy killer or who knows what after her and the FBI has deemed that Finn’s place and protection is the best place for you, you really have no choice. I loved watching the relationship unravel between Finn and Nic. There was a lot of early angry words thrown about and mistrust between them, but I adored how page by page, we were able to experience small cracks appear against the defences they had up especially ones put up by Nic. Of course it was hard not to fall for Finn, he was super intelligent, could crack any type of security, was willing to put his own safety on the line to protect Nic and did I mention hot? I loved some of the scenes Alderson decided to scatter amongst the tense scenes which took up most of the story, they were certainly great in bringing our hopes up that our characters would find a way to survive and an easy smile or (blush in my case) on many occasion. Also the dual pov contributed in a great way in getting a better understanding of Finn’s character, we knew why Nic didn’t trust him, but by being in his head we were able to get the fuller picture and also see a softer side to him than what Nic had originally painted of him.
There were many obstacles thrown against Nic and Finn, many which I was worried that they wouldn’t find their way out. But I was grateful that Nic had been put in Finn’s protection, as together they made a formidable team; there to calm each other down and always thinking one step ahead when they found themselves in tight situations. I feared the worst for Finn and Nic, but this was largely because we had no clue as to why anyone would be after Nic and why they were so adamant until much later on. The person who could have clued her in had legged it on the first chance, which made me slightly mad, if they really cared about Nic, wouldn’t they have ensured that Nic was safe when things hit the fan? Wouldn’t she be his number one priority and not himself? This characters decision aside, Conspiracy Girl was a fantastic read, Alderson had us guessing until the very last page about who could be behind it all, to say I was shocked was the biggest understatement of the year. Alderson once again has gone to show why she is one of my favourite authors with Conspiracy Girl; she’s written a story with two kick ass characters that will have you rooting for them until the very last page!
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
April 21, 2018
That was intense.
Conspiracy Girl is a definitely a page turner, from the very first chapter I was completely hooked!
Plot/Story
The action starts immediately, with Nic coming back home to her apartment only to hear an intruder. From there the action only escalates and pushes you to the edge of your seat, leaving you needing to know what’s going to happen next. But, Conspiracy Girl is not all action, there’s also the budding relationship between Finn Carter, and Nic Preston. Over the course of the time Nic is with Finn she discovers new things about the homicide that took place in her home in L.A and finds out that not everything she thought was true. Between the action and the romance there is also a spark of humor and tragedy, more than once Nic questions everything she knows making her situation even more ludicrous. Like all books by Sarah Alderson, Conspiracy Girl had some plot twists that left me veryemotionally unstable emotional.
The Romance Side
Like in pretty much every single book written by Sarah Alderson, you're guaranteed to have your heart stolen by -another- fictional character. In this case it was Finn Carter who was just... Well the gif says it all.
Ending
The ending was perfect.
Overall this book was really great and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to read YA fiction
Conspiracy Girl is a definitely a page turner, from the very first chapter I was completely hooked!
Plot/Story
The action starts immediately, with Nic coming back home to her apartment only to hear an intruder. From there the action only escalates and pushes you to the edge of your seat, leaving you needing to know what’s going to happen next. But, Conspiracy Girl is not all action, there’s also the budding relationship between Finn Carter, and Nic Preston. Over the course of the time Nic is with Finn she discovers new things about the homicide that took place in her home in L.A and finds out that not everything she thought was true. Between the action and the romance there is also a spark of humor and tragedy, more than once Nic questions everything she knows making her situation even more ludicrous. Like all books by Sarah Alderson, Conspiracy Girl had some plot twists that left me very
The Romance Side
Like in pretty much every single book written by Sarah Alderson, you're guaranteed to have your heart stolen by -another- fictional character. In this case it was Finn Carter who was just... Well the gif says it all.
Ending
The ending was perfect.
Overall this book was really great and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to read YA fiction
February 13, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley.)
This was an okay story, but I just had trouble concentrating on it!
Nic was a bit of an irritating character at times. She seemed a little full of herself, didn’t help when she could have at times, and didn’t even apologise when her dog pooped on someone’s carpet!
The storyline in this wasn’t bad, but I just found it really hard to keep focus on. Even the action couldn’t keep me interested, and I just found myself zoning out all the time. I cared less and less about what was going on the further I got into the book, and even the romance didn’t appeal to me.
The ending was alright, and I hadn’t guessed who it was who was trying to kill Nic, that might just have been because I had such problems paying attention though.
6 out of 10.
This was an okay story, but I just had trouble concentrating on it!
Nic was a bit of an irritating character at times. She seemed a little full of herself, didn’t help when she could have at times, and didn’t even apologise when her dog pooped on someone’s carpet!
The storyline in this wasn’t bad, but I just found it really hard to keep focus on. Even the action couldn’t keep me interested, and I just found myself zoning out all the time. I cared less and less about what was going on the further I got into the book, and even the romance didn’t appeal to me.
The ending was alright, and I hadn’t guessed who it was who was trying to kill Nic, that might just have been because I had such problems paying attention though.
6 out of 10.
July 15, 2016
Another book from Sarah Alderson? Well that alone sold me the moment I heard she had another book coming out. You guys know how much I adore her work thus making this one of the books I was most looking forward to this year. And true to all her previous work, Sarah Alderson never fails to disappoint!
The Cooper killings was such a high profile case that people are still talking about. Nic Preston, the sole survivor is trying to leave it all behind her but no matter what she can’t get rid of her OCD tendencies such as living in a highly secure apartment with every high tech security system. But when someone breaks through Nic’s fortress, she knows one thing….. The killers are back and they’ve come to finish the job. Teaming up with super computer hacker Finn Carter might be Nic’s only chance – if only she didn’t hate him. But with no other choice soon they embark on a mission to try and uncover the killers as well as running for their lives.
I don’t read many young adult thriller stories but like I said before, anything Sarah Alderson writes I’m going to read it. And I really enjoyed Conspiracy Girl and probably more so than Out of Control because I felt like it ticked all the right boxes for me. Hot romance – check! Awesome characters – check! A fast paced plot – check! And the most important one DUAL NARRATIVE – CHECK! You know I love dual narrative. Love it!
Nic and Finn are purely awesome characters. I liked them both from the start and I thought they complimented either other very well even at the start when they hate either other. It was interesting to watch their relationship grow and turn from hate to love. And they had so many special moments during the story that made me feel a number of different emotions.
I can’t help think what’s next for Sarah Alderson? I would personally LOVE for her to try some YA contemporary romance – just romance. No thriller. No paranormal. I know she’s writing more under her pen name, Mila Gray which is New Adult. But you can’t beat a good YA contemporary story and I think Sarah would do an amazing, amazing job!
In all, Conspiracy Girl is such a whirlwind ride that it’s impossible to not get swept up with the characters along the way. Read it, I guarantee you’ll love it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Cooper killings was such a high profile case that people are still talking about. Nic Preston, the sole survivor is trying to leave it all behind her but no matter what she can’t get rid of her OCD tendencies such as living in a highly secure apartment with every high tech security system. But when someone breaks through Nic’s fortress, she knows one thing….. The killers are back and they’ve come to finish the job. Teaming up with super computer hacker Finn Carter might be Nic’s only chance – if only she didn’t hate him. But with no other choice soon they embark on a mission to try and uncover the killers as well as running for their lives.
I don’t read many young adult thriller stories but like I said before, anything Sarah Alderson writes I’m going to read it. And I really enjoyed Conspiracy Girl and probably more so than Out of Control because I felt like it ticked all the right boxes for me. Hot romance – check! Awesome characters – check! A fast paced plot – check! And the most important one DUAL NARRATIVE – CHECK! You know I love dual narrative. Love it!
Nic and Finn are purely awesome characters. I liked them both from the start and I thought they complimented either other very well even at the start when they hate either other. It was interesting to watch their relationship grow and turn from hate to love. And they had so many special moments during the story that made me feel a number of different emotions.
I can’t help think what’s next for Sarah Alderson? I would personally LOVE for her to try some YA contemporary romance – just romance. No thriller. No paranormal. I know she’s writing more under her pen name, Mila Gray which is New Adult. But you can’t beat a good YA contemporary story and I think Sarah would do an amazing, amazing job!
In all, Conspiracy Girl is such a whirlwind ride that it’s impossible to not get swept up with the characters along the way. Read it, I guarantee you’ll love it.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2015
A fast paced thrill with a bit of insta lust, only to be counteracted by disgust. How refreshing (which in itself is a bit sad that that’s what constitutes as refreshing nowadays, but that’s for another day.) FULL REVIEW TO COME. POSSIBLE 3.5 STAR
It’s literally what the title gives us. There’s a conspiracy. Baddie mcBaddies. A girl who’s strong, yet vulnerable, trusts only herself. A super hot genius with a smashing body and a couple of great lines (ok I question the believability of such a character but hey, it’s fiction).
When we talk thrillers, I don’t want that PG13 “here let me accidentally shoot you in the leg, or bang your head with a pole but we all live because it’s a movie and bullets don’t actually exist, despite being sprayed with them”. Alright, so I lost control of the sarcasm for a bit there, but you get me. We don’t want the sugar coated (now, I don’t want to speak on your behalf kids, but I feel like the consensus falls here?) thriller where it’s mostly about a two hot people finding love on the run blah blah. I want real gore, I want real deaths (oh god, what’s wrong with me) and if we really must have romance (god forbid a YA without a little bit of love) I want it to be goddamn believable, for the circumstances. If someone was trying to kill me, I wouldn’t exactly go in for a pash in the middle of the road, you feel? Thankfully, Conspiracy Girl gives us a believable romance as a secondary storyline that isn’t overwhelming. We get intrigue. We get mystery.
I liked it. It was quick, the hot dude that didn’t make a big impression (sorry names, I am horrendous) had some good lines, and Nic, our main gal, is quite authentic to her backstory (which I’ll expand on in the full review). Lost me a bit with the rather bland characterisation and how quick everything was. But hey, we can’t all have trilogies, amirite?
Jess and her horrible colloquialism will now leave. Sorry, she’s been rather in love with the urban dictionary as of late.
February 8, 2015
This may be my favourite Sarah Alderson book yet. It knocked my socks off!
Tense, exciting, thrilling and with a drop-dead gorgeous and irresistible male co-lead, it was definitely my kind of book. I couldn't get enough of the characters or the story. It was utterly amazing and gripping and I never wanted it to end.
Eighteen year old Nic is trying to put her life back together. She has built some pretty impenetrable walls around herself and she is not about to let them down for anything or anyone. That is until everything around her starts to crumble and she is once again facing danger from every corner. A computer genius and hacker, Finn is the only one who seems able to protect her and the two end up going on the run, chased by people who are determined to see her dead.
I was hooked after the first chapter and desperate to find out how the plot was going to unfold. This meant that I had to stay glued to my seat for several hours as there is no way I was putting this book down! I was intrigued about the reason behind Nic losing her family but I certainly didn't guess the real reason behind her loss. I liked the way that Sarah Alderson tied in elements of the storyline with real life events, as it lent an air of authenticity to proceedings.
Now onto Finn ...I'm willing to fight anyone for him! He's hiding a lot of secrets but he's also geeky and gorgeous and pretty much perfect in my eyes. He goes above and beyond to protect Nic and from the moment he came into the story, I fell head over heels for him.
Sarah Alderson keeps her foot on the gas the whole time, as the tension builds from one extreme to another. I loved it! This book was everything a great YA thriller should be with a gorgeous boy who has a heart of gold and a kick-ass, tough heroine at the helm. I can't recommend this book enough and I will be urging everyone I know to read it immediately.
Tense, exciting, thrilling and with a drop-dead gorgeous and irresistible male co-lead, it was definitely my kind of book. I couldn't get enough of the characters or the story. It was utterly amazing and gripping and I never wanted it to end.
Eighteen year old Nic is trying to put her life back together. She has built some pretty impenetrable walls around herself and she is not about to let them down for anything or anyone. That is until everything around her starts to crumble and she is once again facing danger from every corner. A computer genius and hacker, Finn is the only one who seems able to protect her and the two end up going on the run, chased by people who are determined to see her dead.
I was hooked after the first chapter and desperate to find out how the plot was going to unfold. This meant that I had to stay glued to my seat for several hours as there is no way I was putting this book down! I was intrigued about the reason behind Nic losing her family but I certainly didn't guess the real reason behind her loss. I liked the way that Sarah Alderson tied in elements of the storyline with real life events, as it lent an air of authenticity to proceedings.
Now onto Finn ...I'm willing to fight anyone for him! He's hiding a lot of secrets but he's also geeky and gorgeous and pretty much perfect in my eyes. He goes above and beyond to protect Nic and from the moment he came into the story, I fell head over heels for him.
Sarah Alderson keeps her foot on the gas the whole time, as the tension builds from one extreme to another. I loved it! This book was everything a great YA thriller should be with a gorgeous boy who has a heart of gold and a kick-ass, tough heroine at the helm. I can't recommend this book enough and I will be urging everyone I know to read it immediately.
Read
February 23, 20194.5 stars
Such a cute and addictive read!
Both characters were delightful, their adventures so great and even though I knew who was the traitor I deeply enjoyed everything else.
Such a cute and addictive read!
Both characters were delightful, their adventures so great and even though I knew who was the traitor I deeply enjoyed everything else.
April 27, 2015
"We can’t save everyone...Sometimes it’s all we can do to save ourselves."
_____________________________
"That moment when I teetered over the edge and almost fell stays marked on my memory. I could have killed her. But the fact is I didn’t.
Sometimes we can save other people. Sometimes, as Finn said, it’s all we can do to save ourselves. And occasionally we get to save others, and in doing so we unexpectedly save ourselves."
Coming into this book blind, I really wasn't expecting much. But after reading this, I only have three words: What. a. thrill! Although it seemed like a quick read for me, I was more than satisfied with its jam-packed story. Yep, I more than enjoyed this book! I just loved how this one was a combination of a fast-paced thrill, a whirlwind of romance, and a whole lot of complications. Conspiracy Girl was definitely the perfect read to break my torturous reading hiatus.
"The only thing is, I don’t know if I can make myself that vulnerable. I’ve lived so long on my own, keeping people out, hiding behind locked doors with just a dog for company, that I think I might have forgotten how to live like a normal person."
I absolutely loved how Nic wasn't your typical "damsel in distress" even after all that she has been through. It's undeniable that she's really fragile, but I admired how she still tried her best to overpower her fears and uncertainty. Of course, she wouldn't have done this without Finn (And yes, I absolutely adore him #NewBookBoyfriend).
"It means inviting in chaos and uncertainty and all the things I’ve worked so hard to avoid. It means learning how to live with risk. And I’m not sure I know how...
If there's one thing I absolutely love about this book, it's Finn and Nic's relationship. I don't know, I just found them super cute, and I liked how their blossoming romance didn't seem forced. I appreciated the fact that their relationship wasn't at all about attraction, but also about trust--which for me is very important.
...But with all that, I tell myself, comes love and craziness and excitement and the type of feelings that let you know you’re alive and make you feel grateful for every breath you get to take. If I choose to, I can open myself up to all of it."
Can I just add that I really adore Finn. Besides the obvious fact that he's hot, he's also very caring and thoughtful. But what might be the best thing about him is this: his intelligence. I am utterly attracted to guys who can keep up with conversations and witty banters. Aside from that, pure intelligence is jut downright drool-worthy. So yeah, Finn, I LOVE YOU!
Anyway, as much as I loved this book, I felt the loss of the momentum around 70%, and it sucks that it happened. The book could have been better, but really, what more can I ask? Nonetheless, still loved this one!
4 stars!
"I saved myself. I didn’t save them."
"We can’t save everybody. No matter how much we might want to."
February 18, 2015
When Sarah contacted me about her upcoming blog tour, I didn’t even hesitate to sign up. After reading Come Back to Me, written under her pen name Mila Gray, I was already well aware of how fantastic Sarah’s writing was, and I knew this was a book that I had to read. I actually started off my love of reading many years ago with mysteries and thrillers. There was just something about them that really held my attention. I’m always happy when the opportunity arises to have another new thriller/mystery author that I love. Sarah is it! She’s a very talented author and one I will be following indefinitely.
Conspiracy Girl was intense from start to finish. This book literally had my full attention whenever I was able to find time to read. It starts off with a bang and never loses steam. Nic, at the young age of only 16, was the lone survivor in a home invasion that took the life of her mother and stepsister. Nic is trying her best to move on after such a horrific event, but it still sticks with her. She has taken excessive measures to assure the security at her apartment is unbeatable, and even took in a huge doggy companion to help with her fears. Nothing seems to help though. She lives in fear on a regular basis, fairly feeling relaxed or comfortable. Any hope she has of a “normal” life is shattered when her apartment gets broken into. She’s forced to go into a witness protection situation to prevent the home invaders from finding her and killing her. Of course nothing is that easy, and she’s ultimately on the run with a computer hacker, Carter, who is trying everything he can to keep her safe.
As you can probably tell from the synopsis, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. Running from bad guys is always high-blood-pressure inducing, at least for me, but adding in some romantic sparks and a few characters with tortured pasts and I was overloaded with tense feelings. This book seriously had it all. Even a few “awww” moments. With a strong, attention-holding story line and intense, extremely well-developed characters, this story was a complete package! I’ve been recommending this book to anyone that enjoys this type of story (and will listen to me gush about it for hours on end) and I will continue to recommend it in the future. Another fantastic book from Sarah Alderson!
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Sarah Alderson for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
Conspiracy Girl was intense from start to finish. This book literally had my full attention whenever I was able to find time to read. It starts off with a bang and never loses steam. Nic, at the young age of only 16, was the lone survivor in a home invasion that took the life of her mother and stepsister. Nic is trying her best to move on after such a horrific event, but it still sticks with her. She has taken excessive measures to assure the security at her apartment is unbeatable, and even took in a huge doggy companion to help with her fears. Nothing seems to help though. She lives in fear on a regular basis, fairly feeling relaxed or comfortable. Any hope she has of a “normal” life is shattered when her apartment gets broken into. She’s forced to go into a witness protection situation to prevent the home invaders from finding her and killing her. Of course nothing is that easy, and she’s ultimately on the run with a computer hacker, Carter, who is trying everything he can to keep her safe.
As you can probably tell from the synopsis, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. Running from bad guys is always high-blood-pressure inducing, at least for me, but adding in some romantic sparks and a few characters with tortured pasts and I was overloaded with tense feelings. This book seriously had it all. Even a few “awww” moments. With a strong, attention-holding story line and intense, extremely well-developed characters, this story was a complete package! I’ve been recommending this book to anyone that enjoys this type of story (and will listen to me gush about it for hours on end) and I will continue to recommend it in the future. Another fantastic book from Sarah Alderson!
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Sarah Alderson for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
October 31, 2016
Nic lebt auch Jahre nach dem schrecklichen "Cooper-Massaker", bei dem sowohl ihre Stiefschwester als auch ihre Mutter umkamen, immer noch in Angst. Das Verbrechen von damals wurde nie richtig aufgeklärt und Nic lebt mittlerweile mit einer ausgetüftelten Sicherheitsanlage in ihren eigenen vier Wänden. Die Erinnerungen und Erlebnisse sitzen tief. Und genau diese Situation wird im ersten Kapitel direkt eingefangen. Ich habe sofort mitgefühlt und spürte die Nervosität und Sorge. Die Autorin schafft es auch von Beginn an eine derart spannende Atmosphäre zu schaffen, die wirklich ihresgleichen sucht.
Nachdem sich Nics ständige Nervosität und Sorge als berechtigt herausstellt, trifft sie auf Finn Carter. Die beiden sind interessante Charaktere, wenn auch sehr unterschiedlich. Nic ist eher introvertiert und stark von der Vergangenheit gezeichnet. Finn hingegen ist ein genialer Hacker mit starkem Sinn für Gerechtigkeit. Insbesondere Finn war mir von Anfang an sehr sympathisch. Er ist einer diese Figuren, die man sofort ins Herz schließt. Amüsiert habe ich mich, als er es sofort schafft Nics Hund, der eigentlich als Sicherheitsanlage auf vier Pfoten fungiert, mit Essen zu bestechen. Allerdings ist er auch eine sehr perfekte Figur, etwas mehr Kanten und Ecken hätten ihm sicher nicht geschadet.
Der angenehme Schreibstil der Autorin haucht den Figuren Leben ein und lässt uns Leser an beiden Protagonisten direkt teilhaben, indem aus wechselnden Ich-Perspektiven erzählt wird. Der Handlungsstrang ist dabei so aufgebaut, dass es kaum eine Verschnaufpause gibt. Langeweile kommt nie auf, denn die Überraschungen und Wendungen reihen sich nahtlos aneinander. So besticht die Geschichte durch viel Spannung, viel Action und eine kleine Portion Romantik.
Insbesondere gefallen hat mir bei diesem Buch, dass ich als Leserin die ganze Zeit am rätseln war, wer damals wirklich für das Massaker verantwortlich war und was bzw. wer denn nun hinter den kriminellen Machenschaften steckt. Die vielen Brotkrumen, die unterwegs von der Autorin verteilt wurden, machen das Ende dann etwas vorhersehbar, aber dennoch gut durchdacht. Ich habe mich bestens unterhalten gefühlt.
Fazit:
"Keep Me Safe" ist für mich ein absoluter Glückstreffer gewesen. Dieses Buch ist hochgradig spannend, voller Action und zieht uns Leser sofort in die Geschehnisse hinein. Das ist ein Jugendthriller wie er sein muss! Ich hätte gern sofort den nächsten, liebe Sarah Alderson!
Nachdem sich Nics ständige Nervosität und Sorge als berechtigt herausstellt, trifft sie auf Finn Carter. Die beiden sind interessante Charaktere, wenn auch sehr unterschiedlich. Nic ist eher introvertiert und stark von der Vergangenheit gezeichnet. Finn hingegen ist ein genialer Hacker mit starkem Sinn für Gerechtigkeit. Insbesondere Finn war mir von Anfang an sehr sympathisch. Er ist einer diese Figuren, die man sofort ins Herz schließt. Amüsiert habe ich mich, als er es sofort schafft Nics Hund, der eigentlich als Sicherheitsanlage auf vier Pfoten fungiert, mit Essen zu bestechen. Allerdings ist er auch eine sehr perfekte Figur, etwas mehr Kanten und Ecken hätten ihm sicher nicht geschadet.
Der angenehme Schreibstil der Autorin haucht den Figuren Leben ein und lässt uns Leser an beiden Protagonisten direkt teilhaben, indem aus wechselnden Ich-Perspektiven erzählt wird. Der Handlungsstrang ist dabei so aufgebaut, dass es kaum eine Verschnaufpause gibt. Langeweile kommt nie auf, denn die Überraschungen und Wendungen reihen sich nahtlos aneinander. So besticht die Geschichte durch viel Spannung, viel Action und eine kleine Portion Romantik.
Insbesondere gefallen hat mir bei diesem Buch, dass ich als Leserin die ganze Zeit am rätseln war, wer damals wirklich für das Massaker verantwortlich war und was bzw. wer denn nun hinter den kriminellen Machenschaften steckt. Die vielen Brotkrumen, die unterwegs von der Autorin verteilt wurden, machen das Ende dann etwas vorhersehbar, aber dennoch gut durchdacht. Ich habe mich bestens unterhalten gefühlt.
Fazit:
"Keep Me Safe" ist für mich ein absoluter Glückstreffer gewesen. Dieses Buch ist hochgradig spannend, voller Action und zieht uns Leser sofort in die Geschehnisse hinein. Das ist ein Jugendthriller wie er sein muss! Ich hätte gern sofort den nächsten, liebe Sarah Alderson!
November 8, 2014
I've been lucky to get hold of a copy of Conspiracy Girl early, as Sarah is a friend, and I have to say - what another unbelievable ride. Set in the same world as Sarah's other YA contemporary thriller 'Out of Control' but with a different set of characters, Conspiracy Girl picks up the baton from OOC and ups the sprinting pace for the next part of this relay.
I don't want to give anything away because the key to this book is knowing relatively little going into it. What I will say is you're going to meet some complex main characters who are haunted by some serious demons and who are thrown together on a whirlwind roller coaster ride, doing all they can to survive. The journey main character Nic goes on is infused in the writing, I felt as on edge as her the entire time, I was infected with her paranoia and distrust, which literally turned the story into an absolute thriller of a tale. I've spent the entire day looking around me, jumping at every creek the house makes.
If you've read any of Sarah's books, I don't need to tell you about her ability to write a swoon worthy male lead. Finn is absolutely no exception. Magnetic and smart but flawed and troubled, he's the perfect character throw into the mix with Nic. The chemistry between them is hot hot HOT. There's also a depth there which is something Sarah always writes so well.
Nic and Finn are surrounded by a strong group of characters, all of whom you doubt at some point in time. The beauty of this story is the twists keep on coming but you can't really see most of them until they happen; you are literally suspicious of everyone.
Any fans of thrillers, get ready for an on-the-
edge-of-your-seat ride. You won't put this down. You'll just wish there was more...
I don't want to give anything away because the key to this book is knowing relatively little going into it. What I will say is you're going to meet some complex main characters who are haunted by some serious demons and who are thrown together on a whirlwind roller coaster ride, doing all they can to survive. The journey main character Nic goes on is infused in the writing, I felt as on edge as her the entire time, I was infected with her paranoia and distrust, which literally turned the story into an absolute thriller of a tale. I've spent the entire day looking around me, jumping at every creek the house makes.
If you've read any of Sarah's books, I don't need to tell you about her ability to write a swoon worthy male lead. Finn is absolutely no exception. Magnetic and smart but flawed and troubled, he's the perfect character throw into the mix with Nic. The chemistry between them is hot hot HOT. There's also a depth there which is something Sarah always writes so well.
Nic and Finn are surrounded by a strong group of characters, all of whom you doubt at some point in time. The beauty of this story is the twists keep on coming but you can't really see most of them until they happen; you are literally suspicious of everyone.
Any fans of thrillers, get ready for an on-the-
edge-of-your-seat ride. You won't put this down. You'll just wish there was more...
August 26, 2016
Sometimes we can save other people. Sometimes, as Finn said, it’s all we can do to save ourselves. And occasionally we get to save others, and in doing so we unexpectedly save ourselves.While I didn't quite enjoy Conspiracy Girl as much as I did Alderson's debut Hunting Lila, it is still an entertaining and engrossing read regardless.
Two years ago, Nic Preston watched helplessly as her mother and stepsister were murdered. She managed to survive, but her life has never been the same. When Nic's apartment is broken into, she is forced to face the fact that whoever murdered her family has found her again. And this time they won't stop until she's dead too.
Nic was a decent heroine and her narration is extremely well-written. You can't help but sympathize with her after reading about everything she's gone through and all the horrors she's witnessed. However, I wish there had been just a touch more complexity and depth to her because some aspects of her characterization felt undeveloped and forgettable.
Ultimately, though, the most underwhelming part of the story is the mystery itself. The culprit who murdered Nic's mother and stepsister is extremely predictable and it's surprising that Nic takes so long to figure out who it is. Mysteries and thrillers need to be shocking and unpredictable, but the mystery in Conspiracy Girl didn't quite hit that mark.
While Conspiracy Girl is definitely not Sarah Alderson's best novel, it does its job of providing a few hours of entertainment. Readers who regularly read mysteries will find the reveal to be rather predictable, but, even so, they'll still find themselves hooked from the first page until the last.
February 10, 2017
I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley
Nic witnessed her mother and step-sisters death. The media wouldn't leave her alone and soon every knew about the Cooper Killings. Years later, Nic is trying to live a normal life, but her traumatic experience has made that difficult. She is paranoid and does not trust those around her. One day her high security apartment is broken into and she nearly loses her own life. It seems as though the killers are back to finish the job.
I didn't particularly like Conspiracy Girl. I felt it was very dramatic, far fetched, theatrical, and in a way it was cliche. I haven't read any other Sarah Alderson, but I heard good things, especially about her Hunting Lila series, so I thought I might as well give this one a shot. Unfortunately it just was not for me. Looking at reviews and ratings, I also seem to be in the minority about Conspiracy Girl so perhaps it is a 'it's not you, it's me' type of books. I guess it just was not my cup of tea.
Conspiracy Girl was high paced from the start, and I felt as though this pace continued throughout. Also, I had already guessed the big plot twist at the end, perhaps I watch too many thriller/mystery/action movies and tv shows, so it really did not come as a surprise to me at all, which was another let down.
I never really connected with the characters such as Nic or Finn, and the romance was just not for me either. Perhaps that was just because I was not invested in the book or plot itself that I struggled to get invested with the characters and the romance.
Overall, this book was not for me, but it seems to be a hit with a lot of other readers.
Nic witnessed her mother and step-sisters death. The media wouldn't leave her alone and soon every knew about the Cooper Killings. Years later, Nic is trying to live a normal life, but her traumatic experience has made that difficult. She is paranoid and does not trust those around her. One day her high security apartment is broken into and she nearly loses her own life. It seems as though the killers are back to finish the job.
I didn't particularly like Conspiracy Girl. I felt it was very dramatic, far fetched, theatrical, and in a way it was cliche. I haven't read any other Sarah Alderson, but I heard good things, especially about her Hunting Lila series, so I thought I might as well give this one a shot. Unfortunately it just was not for me. Looking at reviews and ratings, I also seem to be in the minority about Conspiracy Girl so perhaps it is a 'it's not you, it's me' type of books. I guess it just was not my cup of tea.
Conspiracy Girl was high paced from the start, and I felt as though this pace continued throughout. Also, I had already guessed the big plot twist at the end, perhaps I watch too many thriller/mystery/action movies and tv shows, so it really did not come as a surprise to me at all, which was another let down.
I never really connected with the characters such as Nic or Finn, and the romance was just not for me either. Perhaps that was just because I was not invested in the book or plot itself that I struggled to get invested with the characters and the romance.
Overall, this book was not for me, but it seems to be a hit with a lot of other readers.
June 4, 2015
REVIEW BY MOLLY 8:1
I have to start by saying that the plot twist literally blew my mind, it was so unexpected and utterly brilliant.
Conspiracy Girl centres around Nic, the sole survivor of the horrific and brutal murder of her family. Two years later Nic is still living in fear, the perpetrators of the death of her family have yet to be apprehended. Nic is convinced they will track her down to finish the job they started that fateful night. Following a break-in at her apartment, Nic decides she has had enough of living her life ruled by the panic she can’t discard. It is time to take control, find the murderers and bring them to justice. She joins forces with a hacker called Finn. Together they set about uncovering the truth.
The dual narrative adds insight and understanding to both Finn and Nic as well as their interactions. It is Nic’s character that undergoes the most growth throughout the narrative. Nic is a strong character, a born survivor if you will. Understandably, she has some major trust issues, Finn has to work hard to get past her barriers and earn her trust. I really liked Finn, he is your quintessential ‘good guy’, funny, protective and loyal. Although I liked their dynamic I felt the way it was portrayed made me feel disconnected to their relationship. One of the case of ‘told’ as opposed to ‘shown’ within the plot.
Conspiracy Girl is an amazing story that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster while simultaneously maintaining an edge of your seat tension. It’s an emotional thrill ride
I have to start by saying that the plot twist literally blew my mind, it was so unexpected and utterly brilliant.
Conspiracy Girl centres around Nic, the sole survivor of the horrific and brutal murder of her family. Two years later Nic is still living in fear, the perpetrators of the death of her family have yet to be apprehended. Nic is convinced they will track her down to finish the job they started that fateful night. Following a break-in at her apartment, Nic decides she has had enough of living her life ruled by the panic she can’t discard. It is time to take control, find the murderers and bring them to justice. She joins forces with a hacker called Finn. Together they set about uncovering the truth.
The dual narrative adds insight and understanding to both Finn and Nic as well as their interactions. It is Nic’s character that undergoes the most growth throughout the narrative. Nic is a strong character, a born survivor if you will. Understandably, she has some major trust issues, Finn has to work hard to get past her barriers and earn her trust. I really liked Finn, he is your quintessential ‘good guy’, funny, protective and loyal. Although I liked their dynamic I felt the way it was portrayed made me feel disconnected to their relationship. One of the case of ‘told’ as opposed to ‘shown’ within the plot.
Conspiracy Girl is an amazing story that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster while simultaneously maintaining an edge of your seat tension. It’s an emotional thrill ride
June 28, 2015
This is the second book I read written by Sarah Alderson, and I have to say I'm highly impressed. Both books have you hooked from the first word till last.
This book is a mix of action, mystery, romance and thriller. Conspiracy Girl had a well written plot line with superb characters. I particularly enjoyed the chemistry/ sexual tension between Nic Preston and Finn Carter, adoring the fact that it wasn't one of those 'love at first sight.'
The journey these two go on is filled with clues, suspicions, blood and surprises. It has you on edge questioning, "who do we trust?" The ending has a good twist that I was hoping for.
I have to say Alderson is by far one of my favourite authors. Looking forward to reading her other books!
This book is a mix of action, mystery, romance and thriller. Conspiracy Girl had a well written plot line with superb characters. I particularly enjoyed the chemistry/ sexual tension between Nic Preston and Finn Carter, adoring the fact that it wasn't one of those 'love at first sight.'
The journey these two go on is filled with clues, suspicions, blood and surprises. It has you on edge questioning, "who do we trust?" The ending has a good twist that I was hoping for.
I have to say Alderson is by far one of my favourite authors. Looking forward to reading her other books!
September 9, 2015
So glad that j got to read this book! It has all the wonderful things you could want in a book with a ship that I loved and a suspense flavor that left me hanging off the page. I loved the mystery in this, the conspiracy, and the characters Nic and Finn made my heart warm.
Want to read
June 29, 2014The premise sounds interesting as hell, so I'll definitely be reading this when it comes out.
January 13, 2015
Rating - 4.5 Another terrific book by Sarah. Fast becoming my favourite author. Full Review to come.
February 8, 2015
Took a while for me to get into but was it got going I was hooked. Whole story hung together nicely. Finn is now my favourite fictional boy. Mostly because is is both geeky and hot.
June 11, 2017
Si bien me gustó mucho la forma en que la autora llevó este libro, creo que lo que más rescato es la historia que hay detrás, esto es, el negocio de los diamantes. Es imposible no imaginarse Diamante de Sangre, esa vieja película de Leonardo DiCaprio. Todo esto se enmarca en una conspiración bastante bien pensada, aunque no deja de ser una historia sencilla.
Una gran dosis de suspenso y un poco de romance es lo que hace que Conspiracy Girl sea un libro rápido y entretenido. En general, bastante impredecible (al menos para mí; salvo al final).
Como nota al margen: me encanta que, para Finn, sea tan importante decirle la verdad a Nic, incluso cuando sepa que sea algo que ella no quiere escuchar. Él confía en que ella tome sus propias decisiones, lo cual no deja de ser algo difícil de encontrar (de hecho, la mayoría de las veces es lo que desencadena el conflicto).
Una gran dosis de suspenso y un poco de romance es lo que hace que Conspiracy Girl sea un libro rápido y entretenido. En general, bastante impredecible (al menos para mí; salvo al final).
Como nota al margen: me encanta que, para Finn, sea tan importante decirle la verdad a Nic, incluso cuando sepa que sea algo que ella no quiere escuchar. Él confía en que ella tome sus propias decisiones, lo cual no deja de ser algo difícil de encontrar (de hecho, la mayoría de las veces es lo que desencadena el conflicto).
February 14, 2015
Once again Sarah Alderson has hit the ball out of the park with her latest YA thriller and created a story that will have readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Sarah's, I absolutely love her writing style and she is so good at creating heroes that I want to fall in love with so I had high expectations for Conspiracy Girl and I wasn't disappointed.
Nic's life was turned upside down when her mother and step-sister were killed during a home break in, she was the only survivor but only escaped with her life because the burglars didn't immediately realise she was in the house. Since then Nic has lived in fear, she is extremely conscious of her safety and finds it hard to let people close thanks to the media backlash after the murders. All Nic wants is to live in peace but when she once again faces the terror of a break in Nic finds herself on the run and in desperate need of protection. Fate brings her to Finn, a genius ex FBI trainee turned hacker, who now holds her life in his hands. Finn's testimony helped clear the people charged with her mother's murder but he believed in their innocence and has been hunting the real killers ever since. He is the only person who stands a chance of figuring out what is going on but Nic isn't going to find it easy to put her trust in him.
Conspiracy Girl gets off to a high paced start and the action continues throughout as Nic and Finn work together trying to uncover why she is being targeted. Nic initially comes across as quite a nervous character, someone who has taken to hiding from life because of her fear, which I have to say was quite understandable considering everything she has been though, but once she is under pressure she really starts to come into her own. It takes her a while but when she starts to fight back she really impressed me. Finn was easy to love, he is a hacker who isn't averse to crossing into grey areas but the more you learn about him the more you start to see how much good he does. He puts a lot of effort into helping the people around him and the internet is a much safer place thanks to his actions. I loved getting to see his relationship with his grandmother and nieces, they were a really cute addition to the story and I thought they really showed an important side of his character.
The romance between Nic and Finn was really well done, they have brilliant chemistry but their relationship is a slow burner and they take time to get to know each other before anything happens between them. I enjoyed seeing Nic's opinion of Finn change as she learned more about him and I thought they made a great couple. I don't want to say too much about the conspiracy because it's much more fun if you go into the book blind but I thought it was really well written and it raises some interesting questions for readers. It touched on subjects I know very little about but makes you think about the way the world works and how much we take for granted every day. If you enjoyed Sarah Alderson's previous thriller, Out of Control, then I'm sure you'll love this one too and I'm definitely continuing to add all her future books to my "must read immediately" pile.
Nic's life was turned upside down when her mother and step-sister were killed during a home break in, she was the only survivor but only escaped with her life because the burglars didn't immediately realise she was in the house. Since then Nic has lived in fear, she is extremely conscious of her safety and finds it hard to let people close thanks to the media backlash after the murders. All Nic wants is to live in peace but when she once again faces the terror of a break in Nic finds herself on the run and in desperate need of protection. Fate brings her to Finn, a genius ex FBI trainee turned hacker, who now holds her life in his hands. Finn's testimony helped clear the people charged with her mother's murder but he believed in their innocence and has been hunting the real killers ever since. He is the only person who stands a chance of figuring out what is going on but Nic isn't going to find it easy to put her trust in him.
Conspiracy Girl gets off to a high paced start and the action continues throughout as Nic and Finn work together trying to uncover why she is being targeted. Nic initially comes across as quite a nervous character, someone who has taken to hiding from life because of her fear, which I have to say was quite understandable considering everything she has been though, but once she is under pressure she really starts to come into her own. It takes her a while but when she starts to fight back she really impressed me. Finn was easy to love, he is a hacker who isn't averse to crossing into grey areas but the more you learn about him the more you start to see how much good he does. He puts a lot of effort into helping the people around him and the internet is a much safer place thanks to his actions. I loved getting to see his relationship with his grandmother and nieces, they were a really cute addition to the story and I thought they really showed an important side of his character.
The romance between Nic and Finn was really well done, they have brilliant chemistry but their relationship is a slow burner and they take time to get to know each other before anything happens between them. I enjoyed seeing Nic's opinion of Finn change as she learned more about him and I thought they made a great couple. I don't want to say too much about the conspiracy because it's much more fun if you go into the book blind but I thought it was really well written and it raises some interesting questions for readers. It touched on subjects I know very little about but makes you think about the way the world works and how much we take for granted every day. If you enjoyed Sarah Alderson's previous thriller, Out of Control, then I'm sure you'll love this one too and I'm definitely continuing to add all her future books to my "must read immediately" pile.
March 3, 2015
Review originally posted on The Slanted Bookshelf.
4 stars
Damn, Sarah Alderson knows how to write! Conspiracy Girl completely surprised me in how thrilling and engaging the plot was.
When someone breaks into Nic’s apartment a few years after her mom and stepsister were murdered in a break-in Nic is forced to go in to hiding until she can work out who’s trying to kill her. And the only person who can keep Nic safe is Finn: one of the best hackers in the world and the person who was responsible for her family’s killers going free. Needless to say there’s a hell of a lot of tension between Nic and Finn as well as the stress of being hunted down. Both characters were great to read about and the dual pov meant that I connected really well with both of them.
Nic was kind of incredible. She’s been through so much, has lost so much, but she keeps on fighting. She isn’t defenseless and can take care of herself and is also pretty smart. Finn was my favourite character and Sarah Alderson did a fantastic job with him. Finn is a genius hacker with a strong sense of justice. He isn’t a vigilante but he plays by his own rules. On top of his mad skills (and trust me, they’re impressive) he’s pretty darn sweet. Even when Nic hates his guts he does everything he can to help her and take care of her.
Okay, so I’m going to lump the romance and action into one section. Actually, scrap that; on second thought both aspects were freaking amazing and deserve their own little sections. So first: the action and plot. I loved how everything happening in the present day was linked to Nic’s family’s murder. At the time of the original break-in there were conspiracy theories linking her family to the diamond trade and things like that. The whole conspiracy web worked well and added an air of mystery to the book. There was a perfect combination of secrecy, tension, and action!
And then there’s the romance. Man, how I love this couple!! Nothing about the romance was rushed – it was a slow-burn and aahh SO good! There’s a lot of sexual tension between Nic and Finn and it was so wonderful seeing them learn to trust one another. While the romance definitely isn’t the focus of the book, it is there and may make my heart melt a little ;)
I don’t really have many complaints. My eARC had a lot of spelling errors (all the “f”s were missing as well as the “the”s) so that was annoying. Also, I would have liked to see the conspiracy theory played up more. Don’t get me wrong, it’s there, but I wouldn’t have minded if the whole conspiracy was more complicated and had me going in circles.
I have always enjoyed Sarah Alderson’s books and Conspiracy Girl was no exception! The combination of the plot and romance was superb and I was honestly hooked the moment I started reading. This book is definitely one to look out for!
YA
4 stars
**I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.**
4 stars
Damn, Sarah Alderson knows how to write! Conspiracy Girl completely surprised me in how thrilling and engaging the plot was.
When someone breaks into Nic’s apartment a few years after her mom and stepsister were murdered in a break-in Nic is forced to go in to hiding until she can work out who’s trying to kill her. And the only person who can keep Nic safe is Finn: one of the best hackers in the world and the person who was responsible for her family’s killers going free. Needless to say there’s a hell of a lot of tension between Nic and Finn as well as the stress of being hunted down. Both characters were great to read about and the dual pov meant that I connected really well with both of them.
Nic was kind of incredible. She’s been through so much, has lost so much, but she keeps on fighting. She isn’t defenseless and can take care of herself and is also pretty smart. Finn was my favourite character and Sarah Alderson did a fantastic job with him. Finn is a genius hacker with a strong sense of justice. He isn’t a vigilante but he plays by his own rules. On top of his mad skills (and trust me, they’re impressive) he’s pretty darn sweet. Even when Nic hates his guts he does everything he can to help her and take care of her.
Okay, so I’m going to lump the romance and action into one section. Actually, scrap that; on second thought both aspects were freaking amazing and deserve their own little sections. So first: the action and plot. I loved how everything happening in the present day was linked to Nic’s family’s murder. At the time of the original break-in there were conspiracy theories linking her family to the diamond trade and things like that. The whole conspiracy web worked well and added an air of mystery to the book. There was a perfect combination of secrecy, tension, and action!
And then there’s the romance. Man, how I love this couple!! Nothing about the romance was rushed – it was a slow-burn and aahh SO good! There’s a lot of sexual tension between Nic and Finn and it was so wonderful seeing them learn to trust one another. While the romance definitely isn’t the focus of the book, it is there and may make my heart melt a little ;)
I don’t really have many complaints. My eARC had a lot of spelling errors (all the “f”s were missing as well as the “the”s) so that was annoying. Also, I would have liked to see the conspiracy theory played up more. Don’t get me wrong, it’s there, but I wouldn’t have minded if the whole conspiracy was more complicated and had me going in circles.
I have always enjoyed Sarah Alderson’s books and Conspiracy Girl was no exception! The combination of the plot and romance was superb and I was honestly hooked the moment I started reading. This book is definitely one to look out for!
YA
4 stars
**I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.**
December 1, 2014
4.5 stars!
I was really excited when I heard about this book! I couldn't wait to read it when it released, so when I saw it on NetGalley, I quickly requested it, and then internally squealed when I got accepted lol! I loved this author's Lila series and her standalone book, Out of Control, and this book sounded a bit similar to Out of Control, so I couldn't wait to read it! This book was amazing! I really enjoyed it! It had just the right amount of suspense, romance and action to keep me flipping through the pages to find out how everything was going to develop! It was also different to Out of Control, which I liked! The plot was awesome! I loved the action and suspense in it, and although I had some idea as to who the bad guy could be, I can say that I was completely wrong, as the plot started to change and it then went in a completely different direction to what I was expecting! It was quite a unique and different way to take the plot though! I really enjoyed where the author took it, even though it did go in a different direction to what I was expecting! I have to admit though that I actually preferred the plot to Out of Control, which is why I felt I had to take my rating down half a star as I gave Out of Control five stars! I still loved the plot of this book though! The characters were amazing! Nic was the main female character, and she had been through a lot! She had lost everything, but yet she still powered on and she tried to move on and keep going with her life! I had a lot of respect for her! I loved Nic! She never complained, she took everything in her stride, and she was a very strong character! I also liked that she tried to not start something with her love interest as well! I could understand that because of the circumstances surrounding them, but their relationship was inevitable lol! Overall, I loved Nic and I think that she came a long way in this book! Finn was the main male character, and he was seriously hot! He was also seriously smart! I loved Finn! I believe that he did the right thing regarding his involvement in the trial of Nic's family's murder, but I could see why Nic held some resentment towards him! Finn was so cute with Nic too! He gave her space, but I could see that he wanted to lock her in his apartment and throw away the key lol! He was also super protective of Nic, which is what she needed considering the situation she was in! I loved how smart Finn was as well! It made him a bit different to my other book boyfriends lol! I loved that this book was written from both Nic and Finn's point of views! I wasn't sure if it was going to be after I read the synopsis, but I'm really glad it was! It really helped my connect more with both characters and it added a lot to the suspense! I can completely understand why this book is a standalone! The plot was resolved and all the questions raised were answered! The ending was also different to what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it! The cover for this book is stunning! I love the whole design of it and the bright and dark colours used too! Big thank you to Sarah, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC of Conspiracy Girl!
I was really excited when I heard about this book! I couldn't wait to read it when it released, so when I saw it on NetGalley, I quickly requested it, and then internally squealed when I got accepted lol! I loved this author's Lila series and her standalone book, Out of Control, and this book sounded a bit similar to Out of Control, so I couldn't wait to read it! This book was amazing! I really enjoyed it! It had just the right amount of suspense, romance and action to keep me flipping through the pages to find out how everything was going to develop! It was also different to Out of Control, which I liked! The plot was awesome! I loved the action and suspense in it, and although I had some idea as to who the bad guy could be, I can say that I was completely wrong, as the plot started to change and it then went in a completely different direction to what I was expecting! It was quite a unique and different way to take the plot though! I really enjoyed where the author took it, even though it did go in a different direction to what I was expecting! I have to admit though that I actually preferred the plot to Out of Control, which is why I felt I had to take my rating down half a star as I gave Out of Control five stars! I still loved the plot of this book though! The characters were amazing! Nic was the main female character, and she had been through a lot! She had lost everything, but yet she still powered on and she tried to move on and keep going with her life! I had a lot of respect for her! I loved Nic! She never complained, she took everything in her stride, and she was a very strong character! I also liked that she tried to not start something with her love interest as well! I could understand that because of the circumstances surrounding them, but their relationship was inevitable lol! Overall, I loved Nic and I think that she came a long way in this book! Finn was the main male character, and he was seriously hot! He was also seriously smart! I loved Finn! I believe that he did the right thing regarding his involvement in the trial of Nic's family's murder, but I could see why Nic held some resentment towards him! Finn was so cute with Nic too! He gave her space, but I could see that he wanted to lock her in his apartment and throw away the key lol! He was also super protective of Nic, which is what she needed considering the situation she was in! I loved how smart Finn was as well! It made him a bit different to my other book boyfriends lol! I loved that this book was written from both Nic and Finn's point of views! I wasn't sure if it was going to be after I read the synopsis, but I'm really glad it was! It really helped my connect more with both characters and it added a lot to the suspense! I can completely understand why this book is a standalone! The plot was resolved and all the questions raised were answered! The ending was also different to what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it! The cover for this book is stunning! I love the whole design of it and the bright and dark colours used too! Big thank you to Sarah, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC of Conspiracy Girl!
December 8, 2014
I am such a big fan of Sarah Alderson's, I really am. I think I'll always be incredibly excited to read a book by her. So when I saw Conspiracy Girl was on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. And while there were a few glitches to the actual text, I persevered with it because every book by Sarah Alderson has this amazing combination of being really exciting and fast-paced and romantic. And Conspiracy Girl had my heart racing both because it's quite thrilling but also the chemistry between the two main characters.
Conspiracy Girl is a dual-perspective novel told both from the point of view of Nic and Finn. Nic Preston is an 18 year old college student who is trying so hard to rebuild her life after a brutal home invasion several years ago meant that she was the only survivor. Both her mother and step-sister died and Nic has been quite understandably shaken up by the events and it's left her paranoid and safety-conscious. Especially because the two people who killed Nic's family were caught but then walked free. And then there's Finn, a super-smart hacker and the person responsible for the killers to walk free. When Nic's apartment building is broken into, and her security is compromised it's up to Finn to keep Nic safe and to delve into her case again and find out who is responsible.
As I said, I absolutely flew through the pages of this story. I think Sarah Alderson has an incredible for writing really exciting and addictive stories. I couldn't pull myself away from these characters and this story. I quite liked the twisty-turny plot and all of the dangerous situations Nic and Finn get into. I thought Nic's paranoia and grief was portrayed very well and I loved seeing her vulnerability throughout and also seeing how much more confident she becomes throughout this story as her and Finn go on the offensive towards finding the people responsible for her family's deaths and this current attack. I did kind of want to see Nic saving herself and relying less on Finn, but I also got that Nic needed to progress more to get to that.
My only real criticism of this book is a surprising one to me. For me, while the love story is usually my favourite aspects of a Sarah Alderson story, I felt like at times, it didn't feel quite right for there to be this burgeoning relationship between Finn and Nic. I get that there's is a complicated relationship with all the baggage they both carry, but I actually didn't want the romantic build-up and chemistry to be occurring at the same time as some of the thrilling aspects of the story. I really liked both characters and I loved that it felt like it was a bit of an obstacle for them to be together and while I did love how hot they were together, I just wanted more distance between the steamy kissing and the chase scenes in which bullets are flying.
All in all, I think Conspiracy Girl was an ace read - highly addictive and emotionally charged with great characters and relationships. Plus, bonus points for including an adorable dog!
Conspiracy Girl is a dual-perspective novel told both from the point of view of Nic and Finn. Nic Preston is an 18 year old college student who is trying so hard to rebuild her life after a brutal home invasion several years ago meant that she was the only survivor. Both her mother and step-sister died and Nic has been quite understandably shaken up by the events and it's left her paranoid and safety-conscious. Especially because the two people who killed Nic's family were caught but then walked free. And then there's Finn, a super-smart hacker and the person responsible for the killers to walk free. When Nic's apartment building is broken into, and her security is compromised it's up to Finn to keep Nic safe and to delve into her case again and find out who is responsible.
As I said, I absolutely flew through the pages of this story. I think Sarah Alderson has an incredible for writing really exciting and addictive stories. I couldn't pull myself away from these characters and this story. I quite liked the twisty-turny plot and all of the dangerous situations Nic and Finn get into. I thought Nic's paranoia and grief was portrayed very well and I loved seeing her vulnerability throughout and also seeing how much more confident she becomes throughout this story as her and Finn go on the offensive towards finding the people responsible for her family's deaths and this current attack. I did kind of want to see Nic saving herself and relying less on Finn, but I also got that Nic needed to progress more to get to that.
My only real criticism of this book is a surprising one to me. For me, while the love story is usually my favourite aspects of a Sarah Alderson story, I felt like at times, it didn't feel quite right for there to be this burgeoning relationship between Finn and Nic. I get that there's is a complicated relationship with all the baggage they both carry, but I actually didn't want the romantic build-up and chemistry to be occurring at the same time as some of the thrilling aspects of the story. I really liked both characters and I loved that it felt like it was a bit of an obstacle for them to be together and while I did love how hot they were together, I just wanted more distance between the steamy kissing and the chase scenes in which bullets are flying.
All in all, I think Conspiracy Girl was an ace read - highly addictive and emotionally charged with great characters and relationships. Plus, bonus points for including an adorable dog!
January 14, 2015
4.5 stars.
Please be aware this review will be brief, this book relies on the element of surprise and pieces falling into place to make a thrilling YA read, so I’ve tried to avoid spoilers.
Nic Preston returns home one night to discover someone has broken into her high security home. Only the burglars are still in the building and when disrupted by a concerned neighbour, shoot him and run. 2 years ago, Nic’s mother and step-sister were killed during a home invasion. It seems like history is repeating itself.
Someone has disabled Nic’s security system, her panic button and security cameras- could it be the same people who killed her family. Nic is taken to an FBI safe house. When the FBI safe house is compromised and an agent killed, Nic ends up on the run with Agent Corbell.
Finn is someone Nic never wanted to see again. He is the one that got her mum’s killers set free after he found evidence proving they were elsewhere at the time. Agent Corbell thinks he’s the safest person for Nic to be with while she investigates how the safe house was compromised and who is really after her.
It turns out failed FBI agent Finn has extreme computer hacking skills; when he unearths something, his and Nic’s lives are about to be thrown completely upside down as they end up on the run across country.
What makes this a great read is you never know what’s going to happen next. There are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings to throw you off the scent of what is really going on.
As with her other books Alderson’s use of pop culture references make an appearance. I feel they bring the story into the real world, with some novels you can feel detached, like they’re not really happening in our world, even though they are.
I love Nic and Finn. Nic although a strong character is vulnerable to a certain point and will always watch out for herself, trusting no one except herself (and Goz) in an effort to stay safe. Even when she starts to relax with Finn, something happens and she builds her defences back up. She’s conditioned herself to not get close to anyone, for the fear they could end up harmed because of her.
When you first meet Finn he came across as a bit of a ladies man, a good looking guy in his early 20’s with money. As you get to know him, you learn that he is more than meets the eye.
The book is written in dual person POV and this is easily read, not once did I get confused between the characters.
Conspiracy Girl is must for fans of Alderson’s previous books. Out of Control fans, look out for the mention of Liva and Jay. I know I will be reading Conspiracy Girl again and will definitely be reading it again when it’s released next year.
Also recommended if you enjoy YA thrillers such as, Kate Harrison’s Soul Beach series, or Sharon Jones’ Poppy Sinclair series
Review originally posted at A Life Bound Books.
Please be aware this review will be brief, this book relies on the element of surprise and pieces falling into place to make a thrilling YA read, so I’ve tried to avoid spoilers.
Nic Preston returns home one night to discover someone has broken into her high security home. Only the burglars are still in the building and when disrupted by a concerned neighbour, shoot him and run. 2 years ago, Nic’s mother and step-sister were killed during a home invasion. It seems like history is repeating itself.
Someone has disabled Nic’s security system, her panic button and security cameras- could it be the same people who killed her family. Nic is taken to an FBI safe house. When the FBI safe house is compromised and an agent killed, Nic ends up on the run with Agent Corbell.
Finn is someone Nic never wanted to see again. He is the one that got her mum’s killers set free after he found evidence proving they were elsewhere at the time. Agent Corbell thinks he’s the safest person for Nic to be with while she investigates how the safe house was compromised and who is really after her.
It turns out failed FBI agent Finn has extreme computer hacking skills; when he unearths something, his and Nic’s lives are about to be thrown completely upside down as they end up on the run across country.
What makes this a great read is you never know what’s going to happen next. There are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings to throw you off the scent of what is really going on.
As with her other books Alderson’s use of pop culture references make an appearance. I feel they bring the story into the real world, with some novels you can feel detached, like they’re not really happening in our world, even though they are.
I love Nic and Finn. Nic although a strong character is vulnerable to a certain point and will always watch out for herself, trusting no one except herself (and Goz) in an effort to stay safe. Even when she starts to relax with Finn, something happens and she builds her defences back up. She’s conditioned herself to not get close to anyone, for the fear they could end up harmed because of her.
When you first meet Finn he came across as a bit of a ladies man, a good looking guy in his early 20’s with money. As you get to know him, you learn that he is more than meets the eye.
The book is written in dual person POV and this is easily read, not once did I get confused between the characters.
Conspiracy Girl is must for fans of Alderson’s previous books. Out of Control fans, look out for the mention of Liva and Jay. I know I will be reading Conspiracy Girl again and will definitely be reading it again when it’s released next year.
Also recommended if you enjoy YA thrillers such as, Kate Harrison’s Soul Beach series, or Sharon Jones’ Poppy Sinclair series
Review originally posted at A Life Bound Books.
November 26, 2014
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf
I know this comes out in February 2015. I know - but as soon as I saw I was approved on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it at once. It's been AGES since I read Sarah Alderson and I fancied reading something that could leave me on the edge of my seat.
Everyone knows about the Cooper Killings, and the lone survivor was a fifteen year old Nic Preston. Now eighteen and emotionally scarred by the deaths of her mother and stepsister (and the horrors of the media and trial), Nic is trying to rebuild her life. But when someone breaks into her apartment, it looks like history is repeating itself...
So when Finn Carter comes on the scene as her protector, Nic can't help but be furious. Not only is Finn a computer hacker, rule breaker and very much a heart breaker, he's the reason the murderers walked free. But, as much as she hates to admit it, Finn's her best chance of staying alive.
But who wants her dead? And, more importantly, why?
It's been a while since I read a Sarah Alderson book (though I have most of her works on my kindle. Expect Out of Control [which I must get soon] and The Sound [which I have seemed to misplaced]), but I forgot how easy it was to read her writing and how, within a few chapters, you become addicted to the story and how breathless you can be at times.
If you have read Out of Control, you might notice tiny little Easter eggs. Another thing I liked - even though I haven't read Out of Control yet.
The leads - Nic and Finn - I liked them. Both of them were strong characters but flawed. It was interesting to see how their relationship evolved over the span of the book (which was a few days in real time - yes, the book moves quickly).
There are some flaws. My main fault is NetGalley's fault (which am not going to go into - what would be the point?). But there are two tiny points - the word flying was used quite a bit in this book. Maybe it was because of the main unspoken fault that I was aware of it but once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it.
The second is a slight worry that some of you guys who read thrillers will read this and go "It's a bit paint-by-numbers".
But I had a great time with this book. I am planning to read more of Sarah's books in future, but if you fancy an addictive read, this might a book you should investigate... Or, if anyone in TV land fancies turning this into a drama for BBC Three or E4, you should! I would watch it!
I know this comes out in February 2015. I know - but as soon as I saw I was approved on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it at once. It's been AGES since I read Sarah Alderson and I fancied reading something that could leave me on the edge of my seat.
Everyone knows about the Cooper Killings, and the lone survivor was a fifteen year old Nic Preston. Now eighteen and emotionally scarred by the deaths of her mother and stepsister (and the horrors of the media and trial), Nic is trying to rebuild her life. But when someone breaks into her apartment, it looks like history is repeating itself...
So when Finn Carter comes on the scene as her protector, Nic can't help but be furious. Not only is Finn a computer hacker, rule breaker and very much a heart breaker, he's the reason the murderers walked free. But, as much as she hates to admit it, Finn's her best chance of staying alive.
But who wants her dead? And, more importantly, why?
It's been a while since I read a Sarah Alderson book (though I have most of her works on my kindle. Expect Out of Control [which I must get soon] and The Sound [which I have seemed to misplaced]), but I forgot how easy it was to read her writing and how, within a few chapters, you become addicted to the story and how breathless you can be at times.
If you have read Out of Control, you might notice tiny little Easter eggs. Another thing I liked - even though I haven't read Out of Control yet.
The leads - Nic and Finn - I liked them. Both of them were strong characters but flawed. It was interesting to see how their relationship evolved over the span of the book (which was a few days in real time - yes, the book moves quickly).
There are some flaws. My main fault is NetGalley's fault (which am not going to go into - what would be the point?). But there are two tiny points - the word flying was used quite a bit in this book. Maybe it was because of the main unspoken fault that I was aware of it but once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it.
The second is a slight worry that some of you guys who read thrillers will read this and go "It's a bit paint-by-numbers".
But I had a great time with this book. I am planning to read more of Sarah's books in future, but if you fancy an addictive read, this might a book you should investigate... Or, if anyone in TV land fancies turning this into a drama for BBC Three or E4, you should! I would watch it!
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