The Cousins Blog Tour

I’m so excited to be a part of this massive blog tour run by Dave over at TheWriteReads on Twitter. Over 150 bloggers around the world are coming together for one big ass book tour going from November 16th – December 16th.

Title: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Genre: YA Mystery
Publication Date: December 1st, 2020
Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Goodreads Summary:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying comes your next obsession. You’ll never feel the same about family again.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

I read this in one day. ONE DAY! The twists and turns had me completely hooked and I truly didn’t see anything coming. I love a good familial story and this was the ultimate mysterious family drama. How could a mother completely shun all four of her children? How could those four siblings seem to want nothing to do with each other? Is everything really about family, or just getting written back into the will? These three teens are being dropped on a small island with no real knowledge of what is waiting for them.

The ambiance of the island was so atmospheric, from the resort to the family estate. Each new person on the island we met were more and more intriguing. I’m still shook over the different events and characters that slowly evolved into this family’s story as it progressed. You don’t know who you can trust or who is telling the truth when everyone is pretty terrible.

The chemistry between the three cousins was so palpable, it just jumped off the page. It felt so authentic and it developed really well throughout the book. The multiple perspectives really gave readers great insight into their lives separate from the island. It was especially compelling to hear about what happened in the past, before the four Story siblings were banished from their home. It’s hard not to give any spoilers, but the relationships that formed were all so special and unique for each person.

This was such a bright spot in a rather dim time for book releases. I’m a huge fan of all of Karen M. McManus’s books, but I think this one is my favorite. It’s a departure from her previous work, but still holds the same essence. This kind of solidified a new trope I seem to enjoy in mysteries and thrillers: a story enclosed in a specific area like a small town, a summer camp, or an island. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.