The Cousins by Karen M. McManus – Review

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• Title: The Cousins
• Author: Karen M. McManus
• Publisher: Delacorte Press on December 1, 2020
• Genre: Young Adult
• Pages: 336
• Format: Hardcover, Paperback, & Kindle edition
• Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Dave at The Write Reads Blog Tours, Karen McManus, and Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC copy of The Cousins in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Miscarriage, Gun Violence

Pre-Order Now: Amazon US

The Cousins Blurb

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.

Delacorte Press

My Review

The Cousins is one of the best young adult novels I have read in a long time. The perfect amount of suspense mixes with a ton of mystery. Karen McManus is a master storyteller.

I didn’t think I would like any of the cousins from their first introduction. Milly was too pushy and trying too hard to be an adult. Aubrey was a pushover with a lot of trust issues. And Jonah was a sullen brat. But as the story unfolds, I came to love every one of these characters. They were all exactly as I described them. But when you learn more about these kids, you understand the why behind their behavior. And the truth is, it is heartbreaking.

I wasn’t familiar with Kaen McManus’s work when I signed on for this blog tour. But the blurb had me interested from the first, and now I can’t wait to read her other works. McManus spins a tale that is worthy of her bestseller status.

The setting of Gull Cove Island is spectacular. The author captures the beauty in every word. I could feel myself singing along with the folks hanging out at Dunes. Every cue ball shot by Jonah sent a chilling crack through my chest. I can’t get over how much I loved this world, and the mystery was excellent. Each chapter leaking a little more information. Every one ending with a tiny little cliffhanger that made me reluctant to put it down.

I am happy to award The Cousins a full 5 out of 5 stars. Anyone who loves a good mystery with some fun mixed in will love this novel. I recommend it to any young adult fans out there.

About the Author – Karen M. McManus

Karen M. McManus is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying, Two Can Keep a Secret, and One of Us Is Next. Her fourth novel, The Cousins, will publish in December 2020. Her work has been translated into more than 40 languages worldwide. Karen lives in Massachusetts and holds a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University, which she mostly uses to draft fake news stories for her novels.