Disclosure: I was given an ARC of this book by Raincoast Books in order to facilitate this review.  My opinions are my own.  You can read my full Disclosure Policy Here 

THE HANGING GIRL BY EILEEN COOK

BOOK REVIEW

When I found out that Eileen Cook had a new book being released I jumped at the chance to receive an advanced readers copy to devour on my summer vacation.  Nothing like a good psychological thriller while relaxing by the pool or chilling on the beach.  Last year, I read With Malice and was fascinated by the twist and turns throughout the novel to discover the truth. However, I was also fascinated by the choices the main character made at the end of the novel.  You can read that review here.  The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook delves into the female adolescent intrigue with an ending that left me with my mouth slightly gaping open wondering about the choices and motivations made by the main character.

I love, love, love the opening paragraph to the novel.

Destiny is like a boulder. Bulky and hard to move. It’s easier to leave alone than to try and change it. But that never kept anyone from trying to change it. Trust me, I’m a professional.

Right from the beginning, it’s a story about challenging one’s destiny. What is one willing to do to change their destiny?  What is one capable of in order to have that destiny boulder?  Do we make choices because that is our destiny or can we control the events in our life? On to the story.

Skye Thorn, the main character, does tarot card readings in the high school cafeteria for a little extra cash but not enough to make a difference in her future plans with her best friend Drew to move to New York City and live together.  Drew’s family has money, Skye’s does not.  So when Sky is invited into an elaborate plan to make a lot of extra money, enough to help her start a new life, she considers it and then agrees.

The plan involves the kidnapping of the town’s most prominent popular girl and Skye’s role is to act as a psychic to help the police with leads.  No one is supposed to get hurt and she would get a big payout at the end.  But how far is Skye willing to go?

Without giving exactly what happens away, in the end, again I’m left with this question: Would a real person make these choices?  And, do I believe in the actions this character takes at the end? Based on what I learn about her from the beginning and throughout the story do her actions and choices seem plausible? I will admit, at first, I was in conflict with her decisions. I had to go back and take look closer at her relationship with her mother. Family dynamics is central to this story.  Her endings are not tied with a nice little bow. They are thought-provoking, discussion creating and I love them.

I would recommend this book to any girl over the age of 15 that loves a good mystery with a bit of psychological intrigue, however, I would caution to be mindful of the girl as there is a sensitive topic contained within the novel.  The girl that is kidnapped was involved in a sexual assault in which she was asked to keep quiet and those in her life expressed an attitude that she may have asked for it.  Her father in the story is a prominent lawyer and future politician.  I feel it is a sensitive topic that should be considered with care with the age of girls who may read the book.

I would love to hear your thoughts if you have read this book or any great young adult books lately.

You can check out more from Eileen Cook on her website www.eileencook.com 

The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook is due to be released on October 3, 2017.

Bonnie is an admitted book, planner, craft, coffee and chocoholic. She spends her free time buried in books or craft supplies. When she is not creating she loves helping other women find their creative centre. Former high school teacher now she is the creator and owner of Adalinc to Life Blog and Boutique.