The Girl in the Picture – Book Review

Title: The Girl in the Picture

Author: Alexandra Monir

Number of Pages: 272 pages

Publisher: Delacorte Press/Random House

Publication Date: November 15, 2016

Purchase: Thriftbooks//Amazon//Book Depository

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Nicole Morgan has been labeled many things — the geeky music girl, the shy sidekick to Miss Popularity, and the girl with the scar. Now only one name haunts her through the halls of Oyster Bay Prep.

The Girl in the Picture.

After high school heartthrob Chace Porter is found dead in the woods near the school, the police are in search of the girl whose picture with Chace is the only clue found amongst his personal belongings. A girl who no one knew was even close to Chace–and whose dormmate, Lana Rivera, was Chace’s girlfriend.

Nicole is that girl and now she’s the primary suspect in his murder. But what really happened that night? Were Nicole and Chace dating behind Lana’s back; were he and Lana over? Could either of them have killed him?

Told in alternating points of view, that of our suspect, Nicole Morgan, and her former best friend and roommate, Lana Rivera, readers will piece together the story of a starcrossed love, a fractured friendship–and what really happened the night Chace was killed.

My Thoughts:

I had very mixed feelings while reading this and those haven’t gone away. I do want to pick up more of Monir’s books because I truly fell in love with her writing.

The book is riddled with cliches and after the fourth one, it got really annoying. I don’t usually mind them but one after another on every single page got to be too much for me.

In a way, you are dropped into the aftermath of an accident. You have no idea what is happening and are piecing everything together with the other characters. I loved this because it truly felt like a mystery.

The dual P.O.V.s was fantastic especially because the girls are so different. You have the geeky girl who was in the picture and the rival aka the queen bee, which is not the term I would use to describe her. Monir brought their emotions out amazingly that makes up for the mystery part not being new or spectacular.

I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was in early high school. It feels more aimed at the younger side of YA.

Have you read this? If so, what were your thoughts?

What are you currently reading? Any recommendations?