They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

TV ADAPTATION "THE PLAYERS' TABLE" STARRING SYDNEY SWEENEY AND HALSEY CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT
Gossip Girl meets One of Us Is Lying with a dash of The Secret History in this slick, taut murder mystery set against the backdrop of an exclusive prep school on Long Island.
In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.
Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.
Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.
But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.

Why Did I Listen To They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman?

Straight up, I love a good gossipy, thriller, catty type read. They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman falls right into EXACTLY what I enjoy reading from time to time. Plus, it came up on my Libby holds so really, it isn’t like I had an option, I HAD to listen to it. Also? I just really enjoy listening to these types of books – they are easy to follow. I don’t get lost and confused while listening. It is really ideal for a time when I am feeling distracted and want something with a darn good plot line.

What’s The Story Here?

They Wish They Were Us is about Jill Newman who lives in Gold Coast, Long Island. She attends the private school. Her community is full of expensive shops, and beautiful and rich people. Jill is part of an elite group of students known as the Players. These students score high on all the tests. They go to the best universities after high school. The way is paved for them. You essentially get tapped to become a Player freshman year by passing these tasks called pops.

During Jill’s freshman year, her and her best friend Shaila are tapped. Unfortunately, Shaila ends up dead and her boyfriend Graham has confessed to the murder. Now it is Jill’s senior year and she’s getting texts that it was Graham who murdered Shaila. The texts are coming from Graham’s sister Rachel, who was a senior Player during Jill’s freshman year. Now Jill is questioning everything — what really happened to Shaila but also her involvement in the Players.

How Did I Like They Wish They Were Us?

I really enjoyed listening to They Wish They Were Us. It did a good job touching on things like sexism. For example, when Jill is questioning her participation in the Players, she reflects on how the pops for girls vs boys was different. The boys were treated more with kid gloves and not made to do anything that would sexualize them. The girls on the other hand… I also liked how Jill was a dynamic character and how she grows confidence in her academic skills and abilities and doesn’t need to rely on a certain app anymore – just hard work. There isn’t really much of romance in this book – except that Jill has a boyfriend which is a positive relationship, but it isn’t the main driver of the story at all, it is just a side focus.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook of Jessica Goodman’s They Wish They Were Us is narrated by Kristen Sieh. It is 9 hours 47 minutes long. Nearly ten hours, but honestly the audiobook goes by fast. I liked Sieh’s narration and voice – it felt realistic to high schoolers. This book was easy to follow along with and not at all boring. I would recommend listening to this book rather than physically reading it – it’s perfect for commuting, walks, and chores – because it holds your attention so well that time will just fly.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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