This book kills

Max year 8 Ardingly

SPOILER ALERT!

I liked the suspense in the book, and after every chapter it left some sort of cliff hanger. I was surprised that Clem was the killer in the end, it made me confused at first but when I looked back at the book it made sense on the choices Clem made and how she influenced jess.

Ash

This book kills is one of my favourite murder mysteries, the twist at the end was so sudden and unexpected. I loved how the character of Summer was portrayed as we got to know her. I liked the fact that it was written in the first person so that it was an unreliable narrator which made it more fun to read as you never knew if Jess was hiding something from you whether intentionally or not. I would give this book a 10/10 and will make sure to recommend it to my friends.

Dhani Ardingly College

This book kills is a fast paced immersive murder book; my favourite part was when the author finally revealed who the murderer was as I found it really unexpected. I love this genre of books as it keeps me engaged and I find it very interesting as it feels like the book sucks you into it and makes you a part of the murder case. How the murderer used the book to show how Hugh died was also very smart as it becomes very engaging. I would highly recommend.

Jauhara Ardingly

I loved ‘This book Kills’ as it had the perfect murder book recipe with a pinch of mystery and a cup of blood. If you like ‘Murder most unladylike’ this book is definitely for you! When the murderer was finally revealed I had goosebumps down my spine. This book was amazing and in my opinion is the best of the shortlist as by the end of it, you feel so close to the protagonist Jess!

Celia (Seaford Head)

This book kills is a captivating read for any fans of thrilling plot and intriguing characters. It was absolutely steeped with mystery and suspense, and I found myself losing track of time as I became immersed in the characters’ lives and tried to puzzle out the mystery of the murder.

The book is set in the classic boarding school, which Ravena Guron kept feeling fresh and new by adding the idea of the school’s classic, sophisticated reputation being a mask to hide the fact that the strings are being pulled by a secret student society. The setting also added to the plot by upping the stakes, as it made the students completely isolated from the world with no escape from the chaos and danger that was happening around them, as well as meaning that the murderer was somewhere close among them.

The main character, Jess Choudhary, is a scholarship student at the school. Underestimated and under-appreciated by most at the school, her scholarship became in jeopardy as she was thrown into the thick of the action when her short story was used as inspiration for the killing of one of her classmates. But the victim wasn’t just anyone, it was Hugh Henry Van Boren, who had a complicated relationship with Jess’ best friend Clem. As the situation became more and more dire, Jess had to use every clue she had at her disposal to try and piece together what really happened when Hugh died, and who was responsible.

I thoroughly enjoyed puzzling out the mystery alongside Jess, and loved seeing her relationships with her classmates change and grow as she found herself working together with unlikely friends, and discovering more about people she thought she knew (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse). The reader gets to experience Jess’ viewpoint on living in a school where she is often made to feel like she doesn’t belong, and learn with her as she deals with challenges and hardships and comes out on top. Her perseverance in the book is admirable, and Jess is constantly facing setbacks and having her theories turned upside down in her quest for the truth.

I found This Book Kills a very worthy read which was not only thrilling, exciting and filled with edge of seat action, but also contained brilliant character development and thoughtful ideas blended seamlessly into the storyline. A wonderful book which I would definitely recommend!

Livy S Yr9

SPOILER ALERT!

This book kills is an amazing murder mystery set in a school. It is full of plot twists and the writer makes you feel like part of the story. The best part of the book for me was when we find out that Clem was the murderer as she acts really innocent throughout the book. It’s very interesting how the murder is based on Jess’s story because it adds an interesting element that leads Jess to suspect not only students but teachers. The story is very fast paced which makes it hard to put down, and is extremely enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a murder mystery that is fast paced, funny and gripping.

Keela Year 8, Seaford Head

This Book Kills left me on the edge of my seat because of all the suspense, I found it incredibly hard to put down! As well as that I really enjoyed it because with every chapter I read a thousand new questions would rush to me which meant I would want to keep reading! I think this novel is really good also because raises the awareness of racism further as the main character Jess Choudhary experiences racism multiple time throughout the book as she is from an Indian background; This Book Kills is also a great example and representation of the LGBTQ+ community to show how diverse the world is and that people shouldn’t be afraid of who they are.

Another thing I adored about the book is how Jess Choudhary started with only Clem as her one friend then through the investigation, Jess became closer with Summer -the other school scholarship student- and Tommy – Hugh’s best mate. Even though, those two became Jess’s best friends Jess and Annabell also became closer during the murders. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Jess took matters into her own hands about the scholarship and threatening the school to take them to the press. At the end of the book I was overjoyed with the fact that Jess and Tommy got together even though in my opinion he was giving massive hints into liking Jess and they were a match made in heaven.
In conclusion, I give this book 5 stars and I will definitely be recommending it to people in the near future.

Billy Yr8 Ardingly

This book kills is my favourite book that I have read for a long time. I love the way that when you are reading the book you forget about everything else and just read. The plot is so exciting and it flows really quickly which I love. It feels really serious but really interesting and fun at the same time. This is the first time that I have read a Murder mystery book and I really enjoyed it, so I will try and read some more of those type of books. The characters are easy to understand and really interesting.

I really enjoyed this book and will remember it for a long time.

Isabelle

This book kills is an exciting and exhilarating book. It follows Jess Choudhary, a quiet studious girl. But when beloved student Hugh Henry van Boren is murdered, Jess is launched into a adventure that could endanger her scholarship. When one day she gets a mysterious text thanking her for the inspiration, she discoverers that if she doesn’t find the murderer, she will be next.…
This is a brilliant book that I highly recommended!

George, Ardingly

This Book kills explores how Jess is taunted by the murderer as she looks for clues behind the murderer’s plot. The author sets this story up fantastically as everyone’s favourite student, Hugh Henry Van Boren is killed. This is a really good detective book and it sends out a message to always look for the dark horse. I really enjoyed this book because it was making me think the whole time and switch between who I think is the murderer.

George, Ardingly

This book kills Is an intriguing book about a murder mystery at a posh private school. It explores many posh students to see who committed the crime as Jess’s book comes true. Hugh Henry Van Boren gets killed one night leaving Jess feeling petrified. Jess soon finds out the real murderer as the author keeps you guessing.

Grace, Ardingly

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I loved this book!

I loved the storyline of how Jess came in as a scholarship student expecting nothing crazy to happen in her new school and then she finds out about a murder with the same storyline as her English project. I love how the thought of one murderer turns to multiple and how suspects are changing all the time like Summer to Millie and Millie to the Regia club.

Overall, I really loved this book. 5 STARS!!!

Chris Y8

I found This Book Kills an exciting and very well written book, I genuinely enjoyed the whole plot of the book as it had quite a few plot twists. Another great thing about the book is how the characters really feel alive, like they could be actual people. I also really enjoyed the atmosphere this book created it felt mysterious.

Overall I loved reading this book because it just felt so well written and well thought out.

Aaron

I really enjoyed this book (This Book Kills) as I liked how much suspense was in it but also how it wasn’t too slow or too fast paced. I also really enjoyed how unexpected the murderer was and how many turns of events there were. I loved this book and will definitely be reading more of Ravena Guron’s books. A very good read from my perspective. A recommended book as I love suspense and action.

Graham

I loved this book it just kept me guessing until the end when I found out who the murderer was. This book was very fast paced. I personally love reading mystery books. It is genre of books because it keeps me so engaged. Overall I really like this book and how it kept me at the edge of my seat because I didn’t know what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed this book.

Hugo, Ardingly College

There is a murder at one of the best boarding schools, someone is killing, mysteriously, silently and using Jess Choudhary as a cover. When Henry Van Boren is found dead, there is one suspect, one person who may be the killer. Jess may lose her scholarship, she may go to jail. She might be murdered. But when she finds herself in the middle of an investigation, it’s shown that Henry Van Boren dies the EXACT same way she planned in a story.
Jess finds a text message, reading, ‘Thanks for the Inspiration’ she needs to solve the mystery uncover the clues and try to not get murdered…
The story is well written and is builds up in suspense, 4.2 stars/5.0

Yashika Y8 Ardingly Collage

This was definitely my favourite book out of all the other SSBA books! I was guessing all throughout the book who the murderer would be, but, I would have never seen the ending coming! I loved the plot and there were so many twists and turns. I could never put this book down and the author made it feel so realistic! There was so much suspense. I liked how Jess also had something to lose, so she felt compelled to solve the murder mystery. I would 110% recommend this to all my friends, and I hope they find it as enjoying as I did!

Pippa (Ardingly College y8)

I LOVED this book, I loved the plot twist, the way it was written, in short I loved EVERYTHING, I would rate it a 10/10 and would definitely recommend it, I was sucked in from page 1, I was sceptical before opening it but now I know I was wrong, amazing book, loved it!

Sophie – Year 9 – Burgess Hill Girls

I loved how the author kept dropping subtle hints that kept you interested and that kept throwing you off who the murderer was. The plot twist at the end was a shock as it was the person you’d least expect it to be. I liked how the characters got what they deserved in the end. However, I felt that it dragged on a bit through the story and that she could have included more key events. In conclusion I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to others!

Aphaia. Year 8, Seaford Head

Wow, just wow. What an amazing book. I finished it in 30 minutes! It has everything you could want in a murder mystery: 3D characters, fear, paranoia and a plot that has you second guessing if you can even trust the main character, Jess.
The way the book is written it completely blocks out all chances of the murderer being who they were, and yet they still did it. Even if you did suspect who it turned out to be it was STILL surprising. There’s not many mystery books that can do that to you. What a book.

Lotta

“This book kills” is totally thrilling! It’s a gripping mystery with twists and turns that’ll keep you guessing. The characters are relatable. A must read for any book lover!

Rory, Ardingly

This book kills was a good book. There was a lot of tension and loads of plot twists making for a really good plot. The narrating as a whole by Jess was good. It was filled with suspense.

Louis, Ardingly Y8

This book kills is a very good book. There are so many plot twists. Reading the book I was trying to guess who killed Hugh. It was a very interesting reading about Jess and her friends trying to find out who killed Hugh. There is a lot of suspense. Without spoiling it I think the ending worked well with the plot . I think that Jess narrating was done perfectly by Ravena Guron.

Sophie, Ardingly

This book kills.

I really enjoyed this book as there were many plot twists and how clear the story was. Also how it wasn’t obvious who the murderer was. And at the beginning of the book when she said “I did not kill Hugh Henry Van Boren. I didn’t even help. Well not intentionally…” It gives it that suspense of wanting to read it to find out, then who did?

Zoe, Emily, Rose and Georgina – Downlands

We loved This book kills because the characters felt real and the plot had lots of twists and surprises. We also liked that Summer’s personality was not only defined by her sexuality (as it is in some books) but who she really was as a person. The book was really improved by the fact that the characters also made lots of mistakes when investigating, which was very relatable and made it seem like a real school. This book also blurred the line between good and bad, which is something not many books do, and many of the characters were not what they seemed.

Also, all of the characters had weaknesses and strengths which played off each other and made the book more engaging. It also didn’t just focus on the main character, it showed the lives and feelings of the background characters. The fact that the red herrings where a mystery to both the characters and the reader made it feel like you were working with the characters. It was also a really unique book because it took the classic aspects of a murder mystery and modernised them and in doing so will be an exciting read for many years to come.

George, Ardingly

This book kills
I found it very exciting and I was also on the edge of my seat from all the twists and turns in the book. I liked the idea of the book and I thought it was written well I liked the fact that if Jess wasn’t going to be able to find out who was the murderer then she would lose her scholarship and have to go to a normal school as her family weren’t very wealthy at all.
Normally I don’t like reading murder mystery books as I find them a bit boring or to obvious but this book kills was really not easy to know who the murder was.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more novels by Ravena Guron

Sienna, Ardingly

I really enjoyed this book as I liked how much suspense was in it but also how it wasn’t too slow or too fast paced. I also really enjoyed how unexpected the murderer was and how many turn of events there were. I loved this book and will definitely be reading more of Ravena Guron’s books

Theo, Ardingly

SPOILERS AHEAD!

This was a good book because it was very tense and i liked the fact that it was a serious situation and that Clem had acted very innocent about the whole murder and i also think that it was a good book because Jess was a good character and had a good personality and that she was not wealthy and she was an indian and had a a scholarship was very interesting and i liked how they used her story to pull of the murder.

Regan, Ardingly

This book kills is a very creative book with lot’s of twists and turns.
The story line isn’t expected, and the change of scenes are very sudden creating more suspense throughout. The students have to work together to figure out who the murderer is before it’s to late.
Every day the tension raises as the murderer is still on the loose roaming the halls of the school looking for their next victim. Solve the crime quick as you’re next in line.

Rukaiya

AMAZING I loved reading this book – it was the best mystery book I’ve ever read !

My favourite of them all!

Bertie, year 8 SRWA

Absolutely brilliant book. Kept me guessing! I really enjoyed it. A completely original who-dunnit based at a fancy private school, classmates can’t trust each other anymore…

Emily, Year 9

This book kills is gripping and very fast paced, I loved how there were several plot twists – especially at the end – it was very shocking.
It is written really well, and keeps the reader intrigued the whole way through.
Before this book was part of SSBA 2023, I had found it on amazon and been interested in reading it; now I am glad I found it – and finally read it!
I would absolutely recommend this book – it’s really good!!

James, yr8, Ardingly

I really enjoyed reading This Book Kills and would happily go back to the book to find out more information and clues on who could be the murderer. I also really enjoyed predicting who could be the murderer. This changed almost every reading session of the book (I ended up never getting it right once). How the suspense was building up was very exciting and was hard to put down.

Every part of the book was interesting and had a unique spin on the story such as the first murder being based on Jess’ story.

I recommend reading this book because the turn at the end is a must read.

Louisa, Ardingly college

Spoiler Alert!

This book kills is an amazing book, and I really enjoyed reading it. The book is filled with unexpected plot twists and is a real page turner. I loved how at the beginning of the book it made you believe that there was only going to be one murderer however there ends up being multiple. It was very interesting how one day Jess is in her English class writing the plot of a murder and the next day someone uses it as inspiration to kill Hugh Henry Van Boren .I was extremely shocked at the end too find out who the murder actually was. I will definitely be reading more murder mystery books and more of Ravena Guron’s books.

Lyla, Ardingly

I really enjoyed This book kills as there were many plot twists and how clear the story was. I really liked how fast paced it was and also how there were many murders but it wasn’t obvious who did it. The more chapters I read, the more I wanted to continue and find out who the murderer was. Another thing I really liked is how much tension there was for Jess to find out who the murderer was without losing her scholarship. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of Ravena Guron’s books

Ivan, Ardingly College

SPOLIER ALERT!!

This book kills is a very… interesting book. I find some of it funny for example the fact that the murderer has to go out of their way to use a trophy to kill people. Why would they do that? Wouldn’t a knife be easier?
I also enjoyed the plot twist that Clem was the murderer. That was unexpected and the best part by far was the thrilling part when Clem reveals that she is the murderer. I really like the friendships and the drama of it all and it’s definitely 5 Stars from me.

Charlie, Ardingly

I loved this book and I really like the plot twist at the end; not giving it away but it is really surprising so this by far is my favourite.

Lizzie, Year 9 Ardingly College

This book was brilliant. There were so many AMAZING twists and the plot just would not stop thickening! The characters were perfectly thought out and I loved trying to figure out who the murderer was. Towards the end there were so many perfectly placed twists and I really loved it. Also, I never could have guessed what was going to happen, and I love it when that happens in a book. I would absolutely recommend this book to a friend, and I will happily read it again and again until I can recite it from memory. It was the perfect balance between funny and scary; overall I loved it!

Lucy Fielding

-WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILER ALERTS –

I really enjoyed This Book Kills. I found it a thrilling and hooking read, I could barely put the book down! The way the main character narrates the story is well thought out, Ravena makes the reader feel as though they are in the story. The plot combines school drama with something much darker – murder – in a way that feels surreal and like it was plucked out of a story. In a way, it was.

When ‘beloved’ student, Hugh Henry Van Boren, gets murdered one school evening, Jess feels like something is going on at Heybuckle school, a private school for society’s wealthiest. Especially when the private investigator hired by Hugh’s family and the police seem to be at a standstill. As she digs deeper into the mystery, she finds herself attracting the attention of the schools infamous secret society (which everybody knows about) – ‘The Regia Club’. Linking the two together, Jess attempts to find the trail of breadcrumbs every murderer leaves behind.

Having attracted too much attention to herself, the murderer sends Jess multiple death threats after an initial thank you text for ‘the inspiration’ and one thing becomes clear – she will be next. The stakes are high as her scholarship, and life, are on the line.

Friendship proves to be invaluable to her, saving her from a fate of death and deception. Yet all is not as it seems.

Jess’s only link to the killer: the short story she wrote was used to set up the murder, she almost predicted how Hugh would die…

The way the author keeps the reader guessing as Jess investigates all potential leads is pure genius. The murderer – read the book to find out! I highly recommend this book and will look for more books by this author.