One for Sorrow (1) (The Magpie Society)

I really enjoyed this book I felt like it gave me that feeling you are supposed to get when reading a suspense novel, nervous anticipation. I was not happy it ended on a cliff hanger but I enjoyed it and immediately ordered the following book.

Such a great book keeps you on the edge of your seat! I can't wait for the next one to come out!!!

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. She’s sharing a room with Ivy, who doesn’t seem to want anything to do with her. It isn’t long before Audrey learns that Lola, one of Illumen Hall’s 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 Lola’s death was an accident, suicide, or something more sinister. It turns out that Audrey isn’t the only one at Illumen Hall that’s keeping a secret.I probably would have been slightly obsessed with this book if I’d read it when I was 13. I’ve 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 wouldn’t 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 there’s nothing in this book to indicate that the time stamp had been fudged, it seemed strange that it wasn’t 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 Audrey’s points of view being written by different authors but if I didn’t 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 didn’t move quickly enough for me for much of the book. I didn’t 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 wouldn’t learn the answers to all of my questions here but I don’t 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, I’m left frustrated by the lack of resolution.There’s a website mentioned in the book that I obviously had to look up. The website doesn’t currently exist but perhaps it will by the publication date. Likewise, I tested out an email address but it was undeliverable.‘I won’t cross the magpies, and the magpies won’t cross me.’Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for granting my wish to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

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!

Magpie Society is a great read and when I started reading I couldn’t put it down, it's the best young adult thriller book and I can’t wait for the next book. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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 can’t give an accurate review as I decided half way through this book it just didn’t suit my personal tastes and so I decided not to read any more. Personally I didn’t enjoy the writing style and found it a little annoying and simplistic. But I’m sure many others will think differently.

This book is brilliant if you are a crime novel fanatic like myself; you will really enjoy this book. It is incredibly well written and with amazing adjectives. Some of the words in the book are quite complex so definitely aimed at a teenage audience and above. Overall, this is an absolutely amazing book and will recommend it to everyone.

I really wanted to like this book however I found the writing style frustrating and a little cringe at times. It was too wordy and not in a good way, it just doesn't flow well. The story is interesting however I'm a little confused who this book is actually aimed at. The writing seems to be better suited to a younger audience while the story has dark elements and some swearing in it that I'd expect from an adult novel. I also feel like the story wasn't tied up properly and the biggest mystery of Lola's death was overlooked, so not a satisfying ending sadly. It was interesting enough for me to finish it however I won't be rushing to read the 2nd book.

I've been reading this book off and on between work over last few days. Work has been hectic. The book is gripping and a really good suspense novel. I know its target market is Young Adults but I'm 56 and loving it. I love the alternating author character chapters, it works really well.The reason I am so annoyed with myself is I just went to get the book out of my bag and realised I've left it on my desk at work. Oh well a bit more anticipation and suspense wont harm me.

I'm trying to get into reading as im dyslexic, I'm not to bad dyslexic to be honest but still, sometimes I find it difficult to soak in the information I'm reading, and I have to reread the page sometimes. Bit with this book it so easy to follow along, and get what's happening. I'm actually really loving this book and that never happens I normally give up half way, I just can't put it down! Would 100% recommend