Queen B’s Decree: I received this early copy in the YA Book Box from The Strand months ago and I’ve been interested in it since then. Calliope is starting her junior year at an upscale boarding school and she’s decided that this is the year that she A) finds herself and B) get answers about her mother’s mysterious death.
Tipton Academy is full of richy-rich kids, with very little adult oversight, and with one secret society, Haunt and Rail. Calliope is invited to join this secret society, and she thinks she has finally found her place—or where she’s meant to be—with the “ghosts.” She soon learns that it’s not as ethical or democratic as they would have you believe.
I thought the mystery was done well. I really enjoyed the author’s writing and it flowed very well. The secrets slowly being revealed kept me interested and kept to a great pace. I thought Calliope was a realistic character: with flaws and typical teenage uncertainty and angst.
I felt exceptionally let down by the ending. As someone who loves epilogues, I love a great ending. In fact, I love reading what happens after the end. But Very Bad People just…ended without solving everything for me. It was left open-ended and that was just not satisfying.
Overall, I loved most of Very Bad People and I would be open to reading more from Kit Frick, but the ending of VBP ruined most of the experience for me.
Book: Very Bad People by Kit Frick
Series: standalone
Genre: YA
Hotness: mild salsa
Plot Devices/Tropes: secrets