“Everybody has secrets,” she says, taking a sip of her drink. “That’s nondebatable. The only question is whether you’re keeping your own, or someone else’s.”


Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 336
Published: 1st December, 2020
Rate: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis
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.

“Bottom line is, nobody’s ever gonna care as much about your own money as you do.”

Disclaimer: A copy of the book was provided to me for the tour but all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

My Take
I have come to the realization that I love books set in an Island, especially thrillers. The Cousins is a thrilling book that took me on a long journey filled with surprise and suspense and I loved every minute of it. This being my first book by Karen McManus, I didn’t know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved her writing. It’s easy and flows really well, I’d say she is a good storyteller.
I loved the pacing of the book… Not slow yet not fast, just enough to keep you on edge and had me wanting more.

The characters are a treat to follow along, each with a secret and my favourite thing about them is seeing how they navigate through the lies and secrets, while trying to maintain a relationship with each other. Talk about gratifying!

The book is more character based than anything and if this is something you enjoy, I definitely recommend. With Karen’s clever writing, the book will draw you in from the first page.