I was expecting OTT Slasher Cringies, but this was Deep. 

 

Energy: Jovial. Secretive. Truthful. 

Scene: 🇺🇸 A fictional American University in an unspecified campus town. 

Perspective: We follow two main characters. One is a skeptical, introverted Yr 1 Pre-Med student trying to get campus authorities to investigate the sudden disappearance of her roommate/childhood bestie. The other is a reserved Yr 1 Uni student reluctantly pledging to a popular Sorority to continue their mother’s Greek Life legacy. 

 

🐕 Howls: The immersive grief and sadness…but I just don’t like sad books so that’s me. 

🐩 Tail Wags: The main characters. The toxic academia and toxic parent dynamics. Using true crime as inspiration without feeling ick or lazy. The true crime commentary.   

 

🤔 Random Thoughts: 

This read fast-paced slow-burn to me. 

 

I felt like I was running along with Tegan trying to find her roommate and alternatively not make authorities angry to get them to take the disappearance seriously, while also being on the edge of snapping about their incompetence. 

 

This is one of the few fictional stories I’ve read ‘inspired’ by a true crime case that didn’t feel like it was capitalizing on it, rather it was exploring and providing commentary around how these things can happen. It’s a controversial and slightly open-ended one (also irl) and one close to home that I remember being terrified of as a kid. 

 

🤓 Reader Role: We are watching scenes unfold, almost from above as characters interact. Our narrator is also giving us bits of info in a non-intrusive way for context. 

🗺️ World-Building: Easy to imagine. Little details are woven into text so we have a foundation for building the surroundings in our mind, and the author doesn’t wreck it later. 

🔥 Fuel: Where is Tegan’s rooomate? Is she okay? If not, what happened? How can Tegan navigate dismissive academia and presumptive law enforcement to get her friend help? There’s also a side story around another student navigating parental abuse while pledging for a popular Sorority, and we wonder if she’ll stand up for herself or succumb to their toxicity. 

📖 Cred: Plausible

 

 

Content Heads-Up: Missing friend. Narcissistic, controlling parent. Imprisoned parent. Body shaming (fat, thin, breast size). Fatphobia. Sexual harassment. Hazing. Addiction (alcoholism, Adderall.) 

 

Rep: Dark and light skin tones. Ambiguously described Americans. Cisgender. 

 

📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited