The Girl in the Picture

And am all about them right now. I adore a string of authors such as Karen M. McManus, Adriana Mather, Lauren Oliver, and Kara Thomas just to name a few. I was a little hesitant about reading/listening to The Girl in the Picture as the reviews keep saying over and over it's a "love story." While that sounds great and all...I want mystery. I want mayhem, and a good plot I can get lost in. So I took a chance, and was really hoping I hadn't landed a gooey star eyed book...And I didn't for the most part.The story opens up with Chace dying. Literally. (Side note, if you're listening to the audio version, just bare in mind the guys narration (shudder) goes away in a few seconds so you won't have to listen to his (I'm so so sorry guy person...) nasally voice). Chace is still on earch, but only in snippets and seconds as he is not bound to our world anymore. In saying that, our story focuses around Chace's death, and the two girls he was involved with. One, Luna, the beautiful daughter with the influential mother, and the other...Nicole. The plain girl whose only talent is her music, and her only recognition is a scar that mars her face. Enter love triangle. Ugh. But the story revolves around these two girls, told in their point of view, and in trying to figure out who killed Chace. Of course...them trying to solve it doesn't happen until literally the end of the story, but told throughout flashbacks and memories we get a sense of who Chace was to them, and their lives and how they thought, felt, and lived.So was it a big mystery? Honestly I didn't know who did it, or perhaps I wasn't guessing this time, and when the culprit finally emerged I was a little shocked, but the reasoning didn't sit well with me. I wish there had been more of a conspiracy or something else, but I will say it did end well, and on a note that I didn't think would happen with the two girls. I truly did like Nicole and Lana's character, and they were written well. Personally, I hated how Nicole thought of herself, and wished she had a little more man parts to face up to life's challenges, but it is what it is. She had to "grow" I know, but I still care for it. The plot did move swiftly for all the flashbacks and memories, and I wasn't actually bored. I ended up giving it four stars, as it was still good, but it's a light read without any real shocking twist or turns.

I first heard about Alexandra Monir's The Girl in the Picture on Facebook. I liked the cover and the blurb and I thought I'd give it a try. I'm a sucker for murder mysteries set on school campuses, my favourite of these being Red Leaves by Paullina Simons, and so far it's still my favourite.Like Red Leaves, The Girl in the Picture revolves around the death of a popular student and a forbidden relationship. While Red Leaves takes place on a college campus, The Girl in the Picture is set on a prep school campus. In the case of The Girl in the Picture, the murder of Chace Porter is what sets the story in motion. Chace is the son of a powerful congressman; his girlfriend Lana is the daughter of an equally powerful congresswoman. On paper, they're perfect together. But Chace is in love with someone else--Lana's roommate, violin virtuoso Nicole. In the aftermath of Chace's death, secrets are revealed, including his secret relationship with Nicole, which inevitably makes her a prime suspect in his murder.The reason that I am giving The Girl in the Picture three stars is that I found the ending a little disappointing. While I liked the twist of who the actual murderer was, I felt like the way we found out could have been tighter, more thrilling. Also, after the build-up of the secret relationship between Chace and Nicole, I expected a little more insight to it, and it seemed like they actually didn't spend much time together. Perhaps if the book had been a bit longer this would have felt more satisfying.Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, I can say that I really liked the contrast of the characters and how well they were portrayed in the book. Monir does a great job of capturing the intensity and the angst of being a teenager, of being on the cusp of adulthood and seeing a future you think is certain without realising that life is never so simple. I especially loved the scenes describing how Nicole felt when she played her violin and the passion she felt for the music and the scenes when she and Chace are getting to know one another on the train.So all and all, I liked The Girl in the Picture, but the ending wasn't really for me. Still, I would definitely recommend this story because it is addictive and a real page-turner.

Read it with my thirdteen year old daughter.

This murder mystery has it all…a love triangle, popular clique vs nerd clique, wealthy entitlement vs scholarship recipient, cover-ups, and political power players all set in an elitist boarding school.The characters develop throughout the story, and the plot has twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing until the final scene.Best of all, there is no overly-gruesome descriptions of violence nor graphic romance scenes to make it inappropriate for tween readers.

This wasn’t the most believable storyline, but the suspense made it worth it. I love when a book keeps me guessing until the very end. I was way off on who I thought was the villain. I enjoyed the twists. This was a quick read that kept me wanting more the whole time.

The way the author switches back and forth between point of view and time makes the mystery and romance of this story wonderfully compelling. In one chapter we get the point of view of the jilted lover from the past, and in the next chapter, we get the point of view of the new love interest in the present. And we switch back and forth as we unravel the mystery of the murder and the beginnings of the romance. And then just when the reader gets to a climatic point in the story, the author switches up the point of view to the other character, and the mystery and the romance continue to delight the reader even more. I loved this story.

This is a fantasic book. I absolutely love it. Well and matter of factly written. A dive into the post war demi monde told without any self pity despite the eye raising picaresque adventures, dodgy lovers and constant lack of funds. What a plucky narrator! I am three quarters of the way through and she is still only eighteen!