We had so much fun discussing The Cousins at our recent virtual YA book club. Instead of just telling you our thoughts, we’re going to mention a few of our discussion questions and reactions from the group.
Have you read McManus’s latest YA book? Let us know your answers to our questions in the comments!
Book Summary
Milly, Aubrey and Jonah Story have never met their grandmother. Years ago, she disinherited their parents and cut off all contact. Out of the blue, she sends them letters inviting them to stay at her resort on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts for the summer. Their parents make them go, hoping Milly, Aubrey and Jonah can reclaim the family inheritance.
Only, it’s a lot more complicated than that. When they arrive on the island, nobody seems to expect them. Their grandmother keeps them at arms length, but the more time the cousins spend on the island, the more they realize the dark family secrets that have been hidden for the past 25 years.
Discussion
1. Was The Cousins able to grab your attention immediately?
We all agreed that this book hooked us immediately. McManus knows how to write a mystery. The setting of a small tourist island combined with family mystery had us intrigued. The dual POVs between Milly, Jonah, and Aubrey kept us interested and wanting to learn more about their parents and why they were disinherited. We figured it had to do with murder, but it ended up being so much more!
2. What made the book’s setting important to the overall story?
The story had to be set on an island. Someone in our group pointed out that if it took place in a big city, the characters could easily leave. The fact that the island was so remote and off the coast of Massachusetts played an important part in the story. The island could not have been in any other part of the country, considering the nautical vibes.
McManus wrote vivid descriptions of the island so it almost felt like we were there with the Story family. The beaches and the rough terrain enhanced the plot.
3. Which character did you relate to the most in the book, and why?
This question had mixed responses. We agreed that Milly was our favorite. We like a smart, sassy MC who everyone underestimates. She took charge and didn’t put up with any BS.
The guys in the group both picked Jonah, no surprise. They liked that he seemed the most down to earth out of all the characters. He also overcame a lot of challenges. Jonah had the most shocking story line of the three cousins early on, so he basically had a built-in wow factor.
Other members liked Aubrey for her girl next door vibes. She started as Milly’s sidekick, but eventually gained confidence and stood up to her doubters. Plus, Aubrey had the most character growth overall.
Everyone also thought that out of the four story siblings, Archer was the best and Allison second. Nobody liked Anders or Adam, which made total sense. They were evil.
4. What did you think of the ending? Was there anything about the ending that you would have changed?
We all really enjoyed the ending, which left us shocked. McManus has a way of ending her books that always leaves us with our mouths agape. In this case, the letter at the end left a lot to be interpreted and had us questioning one character’s intentions. It also made us wonder if a sequel is in the works.
Our only gripe with the ending was that a lot of the evidence felt very convenient. The cousins stumbled upon some damaging information that just happened to lead them in the right direction. We loved that Aubrey was the one to finally piece it all together, though. It brought her character full circle.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm All Booked Up - a young adult book blog 
This sounds like such an interesting book and something I’d like to read. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! We hope you give it a try. 🙂
LikeLike
This book is so awesome and I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in mystery!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re glad you enjoyed it as much as we did!
LikeLike
I’m not one for thrillers, but this sounds more mysterious than anything. I’m definitely intrigued, just from reading your thoughts here. It was fun to read the Q&A-style review of the book and to learn what others thought about each element of the book as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s definitely a mystery. We think people who aren’t fans of thrillers will enjoy this too. Thanks, we really enjoy discussing our book club picks with others because it gives us different perspectives.
LikeLike
i’ve been eyeing this one since i saw it on netgalley!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We hope you give it a try.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The cover drew me in! The book summary makes me want to read this book immediately, and I love how you shared the answers to your discussion questions. The way you described the ending is amazing, so now I 100% need to get a copy. Thank you for sharing another wonderful review. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!! The ending had us so surprised. McManus writes in a way that makes you think everything is solved and then she drops something even more drastic at the end. We can’t wait to see your thoughts. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome book! I like the writer who knows what and how to write the book. Going to check this book. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Great review! Glad you enjoyed this one
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This discussion made me want to read The Cousins even more! I also love mysteries that take place at remote locations because there is the sense that there’s no escape.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re excited for you to read it. The island is a perfect setting for a mystery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like how you answered the series of questions to analyze the book and what makes it special.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
I still haven’t read any of McManus’ books, I really need to. This one sounds so good. I love this style of review as well, bringing in the different opinions from everyone in the book club.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, we really like changing it up for our book club reviews. We hope you also read One of Us is Lying.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t heard of this book before or the author before. Thank you for sharing your detailed review.
LikeLike
I read it just at the end of last year and absolutely loved it! It was the first book from this author that I read, but I will surely get back for more! Thanks for sharing x
LikeLike
I’ve read a one book by Karen McManus and I thought it was super well written, so I’m super happy to hear that you enjoyed this book as much as you did! I have this added to my TBR list, and definitely want to read this! Great post xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
LikeLike