I can't believe that I am about to say this but I actually read one of the books that I included in my Fall TBR post! I told you guys in that post that I am a mood reader and that post was non-binding---and I meant that. I am equally shocked and impressed with myself for this progress. Maybe if I'm feeling crazy, I might pick up a second book on that list! Who knows? Maybe I'll read them all this fall!
The Cousins is a young adult mystery novel written by author, Karen M. McManus. It was released in December of 2020.
If you would like to purchase The Cousins you can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can follow the author, Karen McManus, on Instagram and on Goodreads. You can also check out her website!
Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each other, 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.
I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads. There is just something about this author that I adore. Her book, One of Us Is Lying was the very first book review that I posted here on my blog. I loved that book----and gave it 5 stars. Fortunately for me, The Cousins did not disappoint.
The audiobook for this was one of my favorite listens of the year. It has a full production, with a different narrator for all of the four main points of view in this book. Speaking of the multi-POV...you know that (when it is done correctly), I love this feature in books! I thought this was excecuted well and added to the story. I am definitely not surprised that the multi-POV worked so well for me here. One of Us Is Lying also featured really well done multi-POV. It can be easy for books that are written from several POVs to become confusing, but Karen M. McManus does a good job of crafting her characters in a way that their unique personalities shine through and their voices/perspectives are easily identifiable.
Old money families in literature are also a niche interest of mine. I liked the world building and the explanations of family dynamics that were included here. This goes back to the creation of the characters and is a true testament to the author!
I have previously read and reviewed a book called We Were Liars. A book that, at the time, I did enjoy. Both books feature similar themes (though they do go in different directions). If you read and liked We Were Liars, I think you would like this book. If you are thinking of reading We Were Liars, I would actually recommend this book instead. I found the premises to be similar enough but thought that this book was a more engaging and enjoyable read, overall.
I would definitely recommend this book for readers 14/15+. There is some adult language used throughout and some adult dialogue/scenarios--as always, reader's direction is advised. This is marketed as a young adult novel. While I think that this book can still be approachable for those audiences, I didn't find it to read like a young adult novel. I never felt like it was too juvenile and I never struggled to get through it. The audiobook felt like a movie that I couldn't look away from--I was invested and engaged from beginning to end!
With all books that I read, I make a playlist to go along with the book. These playlists are full of songs which encapsulate the feeling of the story as a whole, capture the essence of a particular scene, or just remind me of one of the characters. You can find my playlist for The Cousins on Apple Music or Spotify.
Have you read The Cousins? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
As always, thank you for reading!
XO,
Madison
I listened to this book because of your review. I agree, it did not read like a young adult novel, it was great. I have decided to read more of Karen McManus because I also liked One of us is Lying. Thanks for always recommending good books for me to listen to.