The Magpie Society: One for Sorrow

A good book for teens, but anybody who likes mysteries will enjoy it. Initially, I had trouble getting into the book because Ivy was so unlikeable for the first half of the story. I didn’t find the “motivation” for her rudeness and unkindness believable; it was just hard to read. But it did turn around and I will definitely be reading the next installment.

This was an excellent book and I am so pleased that I was given it as a Christmas book.

I KNOW WHO KILLED LOLA AND ONE OF YOU IS NEXT

Audrey is the new girl at Illumen Hall, a prestigious boarding school a world away from her old life and the memories that haunt her. Shes sharing a room with Ivy, who doesnt seem to want anything to do with her. It isnt long before Audrey learns that Lola, one of Illumen Halls most popular girls, died recently.

The police have closed their case but there may be more to the story than meets the eye. While the students and staff are still coming to terms with their loss, a new podcast raises the question of whether Lolas death was an accident, suicide, or something more sinister. It turns out that Audrey isnt the only one at Illumen Hall thats keeping a secret.

I probably would have been slightly obsessed with this book if Id read it when I was 13. Ive always loved stories set in boarding schools and the mystery of the death of a student, combined with a school that has such a rich history and a potential secret society, would have been all I needed. Even as an adult I found this book easy to get into, but I found myself questioning things that wouldnt have even registered on my radar as a kid.

The podcast transcripts were an interesting way of building the mystery and introducing theories, although none of them had enough content to last more than a couple of minutes. I had a lot of trouble believing a Detective would discuss any details of a case, no matter how briefly, with an anonymous caller.

A time stamp on a photo is believed to be accurate by the people who see it, with no questions raised about its authenticity. Although theres nothing in this book to indicate that the time stamp had been fudged, it seemed strange that it wasnt even a consideration. The resolution in this book that related to the person concerned was too easy for me.

I liked the idea of Ivy and Audreys points of view being written by different authors but if I didnt already know this book was written by two people I never would have picked it. Usually I would think that this was a good thing, as the transitions between chapters felt fairly seamless. However, in this instance, I thought there should have been something obvious about the writing styles to differentiate the girls voices.

After the initial mystery was introduced the investigation didnt move quickly enough for me for much of the book. I didnt feel the urgency of the investigation. Towards the end of the book the pace picked up and I was really starting to look forward to getting some answers, but then the book just ended. Right in the middle of a scene.

There is a planned sequel, Two for Joy, currently scheduled for release in 2021. I knew ahead of time that this was the first in a series so I suspected I wouldnt learn the answers to all of my questions here but I dont feel like I got any of the answers I was seeking. Unfortunately, while I expected to be excited about the answers that will hopefully be revealed in the second book, Im left frustrated by the lack of resolution.

Theres a website mentioned in the book that I obviously had to look up. The website doesnt currently exist but perhaps it will by the publication date. Likewise, I tested out an email address but it was undeliverable.

I wont cross the magpies, and the magpies wont cross me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Childrens UK for granting my wish to read this book. Im rounding up from 3.5 stars.

I was drawn to this book for several reasons as Zoe Sugg was one of the authors listed. I had previously read her series Girl Online which was hyperfiction based loosely on herself and her rise as a viral Youtuber. The second thing that grabbed me was the mystery aspect of the story as I love my YA mysteries and thrillers and last but not least – the setting of an elite boarding school. The book starts at an exclusive school party that bans all social media and one of the students Lola is found dead. Was it a suicide as she washed up from the water? The book then jumps to a start of a new school year where American student Audrey is being banished by her parents to start fresh after an incident occurred which we see glimpses in the story. Audrey happens to get Lola’s old room assignment and is roomed with Ivy who was roommates with Lola. Though Lola was talked about being so amazing it seems that things don’t add up when the true story is revealed. Then a podcast starts airing called #WhoKilledLola and soon secrets that students want to keep secret will start to bubble to the surface. Who killed Lola or was it an accident? During this book, we also discover a secret society called “The Magpies”. Book #1 ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and now I am looking forward to reading Book #2 in the series Two for Joy.

I absolutely devoured this book once I started reading! It was an easy enough read that I could just relax and keep flipping through the chapters without feeling like I was struggling to comprehend the plot. It was fast paced and had a ton of action that kept me wanting more. The ending is such a great cliff hanger that left me hungry for book two! I loved the contrast of an American and a Brit writing each perspective. I think the authors did a fantastic job of narrating these two perspectives in the story and made the characters feel like two people whom I knew and grew to love. I will definitely be reading Two for Joy when it comes out!

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member