Blog Tour: Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor Review + Playlist and Giveaway

In this breathtaking debut that reads like Gossip Girl crossed with Twin Peaks, a Queen Bee at a blue-blooded New England prep school stumbles into a murder mystery.
Anne Dowling practically runs her exclusive academy on New York’s Upper East Side—that is, until she accidentally burns part of it down and gets sent to a prestigious boarding school outside of Boston. Determined to make it back to New York, Anne could care less about making friends at the preppy Wheatley School. That is, until her roommate Isabella’s body is found in the woods behind the school.
When everyone else is oddly silent, Anne becomes determined to uncover the truth no matter how many rules she has to break to do it. With the help of Isabella’s twin brother Anthony, and a cute classmate named Brent, Anne discovers that Isabella wasn’t quite the innocent nerdy girl she pretended to be. But someone will do anything to stop Anne’s snooping in this fast-paced, unputdownable read—even if it means framing her for Isabella’s murder.

Expected Publication: July 30th 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Purchase: Amazon

A lot of covers lately have the girl with the plaid skirt and high socks. You know, the usual boarding school outfit, and by that I mean this book, Also Known As, the Hex Hall books and the Gallagher Girls series. I'm a little skeptical when it comes to these covers but the books themselves are some of my favorite books and this one continued the trend.

Prep School Confidential was really fast paced to the point where there was never a lull. Either I was laughing out loud, or I was in the middle of a really intense page turning scene the entire time. The main character, Anne, can come off as a little snotty when you first start the books so, fair warning, but I liked her character. Is it wrong? Kara Taylor just did her cattiness so well. Anne didn't necessarily say rude things out loud but I found myself thinking the same thing she was thinking so I definitely related to her. As I said before, she can come off as too snobby and annoying in the first chapters, but as you read on and get to know Anne, you find out that she isn't like that at all. In reality she's the only one who actually cares enough to find out what really happened to her Isabella after she's found dead. 

There were two love interests, as there usually happen to be in young adult books. There's Anthony, Isabella's twin and Brent. I will tell you that I was super suspicious about one of them up until the very end of the book. And even now I still don't fully trust him. We'll see what happens in the next book (OH YEAH, THERE'S A SEQUEL).

There was no way I could have guessed who was behind the murder. I had some ideas and then started narrowing it down but Kara Taylor did a fabulous job with the mystery. The only problem I had was that there was an overload of information. So many things were going on at the same time in this school that I found it a bit overwhelming. There were some things that were left with an open ending but hopefully the next book develops more on them.

I didn't know there was going to be a sequel but I'm so excited for the next book now! There are still a plethora of things unresolved and I'm so curious. In my opinion, there aren't enough good mystery books in YA and that's my favorite genre. I highly suggest you fellow mystery lovers pick this one up.

4.5/5

Playlist:

I Love It by Icona Pop

-The main character doesn't care what anyone does or says and I think this really empowering song fits her character. Plus, she burned down part of her school..."and watched it, let it burn"...anyone?

Change My Mind by One Direction

Beautiful People by Cher Lloyd

Your Biggest Mistake by Ellie Goulding

This Love (Will Be Your Downfall) by Ellie Goulding

-Reminds me of Isabella's character and the way she thinks and sees things.

Giveaway:

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