Ultimate Blog Tour Review: The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Hey everyone!
Today is my stop on the Ultimate Blog Tour for The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, and I am excited to be sharing my review with you all.

A massive thank you to @The_WriteReads, and @PenguinUKBooks for allowing me to be a part of the tour, and for providing me with a copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

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Book 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.

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My Review:

Despite the huge amount of hype surrounding Karen M. McManus’s other novels, I hadn’t actually read anything written by her before, but I have wanted to check out her books for a while. When Dave announced the blog tour for The Cousins, it was the perfect opportunity to do so, and with such an intriguing blurb, that sounds exactly like the type of books I love to read, how could I possibly turn it down? Well, I can honestly say that I now understand the hype, and that this book definitely lived up to my expectations.

From the very beginning, this story really draws you in, with lots of mystery that instantly raises questions. It’s one of those books that you tell yourself “just one more page” but then you find out some new information that keeps you absorbed, and before you know it, it’s half an hour later and you’re still reading! There were so many secrets along the way, and I was desperate to find out all of the answers, and get to the bottom of the mysteries.

From first impressions, the cousins are an interesting bunch, but not alike in any way. I particularly liked Milly, especially her witty remarks and comebacks. I felt that she was the one that I could relate to the most. I liked Aubrey, but I wanted her to stand up for herself more, and Jonah initially came across as a bit of a dick (but I think that was intentional). It was interesting to see the different perspectives of each cousin, especially given their different backgrounds and personalities, but I really loved watching their relationship grow, and them coming together as one as the story progresses, and I even warmed to Jonah, who turned out to be quite a nice guy.

Wow, this book was jam packed full of twists, and shocking revelations, it was completely jaw dropping. I certainly never could have expected that ending, which was fantastic, it seemed to round the story up perfectly to then drop a cliff hanger right at the end. I enjoyed this book so much, and I really struggled to put it down. I will definitely be reading more of Karen M. McManus’s books in the future.

Once again, a massive thank you to The Write Reads and Penguin for allowing me to be a part of the tour, and for providing me with a copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

I give The Cousins a 5 star rating!

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About The Author:

YOU CAN FIND KAREN HERE:
Website, Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads

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