Challenge Corner discussion

This thrilling debut, reminiscent of new fan favorites like One of Us Is Lying and the beloved classics by Agatha Christie, will leave readers guessing until the explosive ending.

Welcome to dinner, and again, congratulations on being selected. Now you must do the selecting.

What do the queen bee, star athlete, valedictorian, stoner, loner, and music geek all have in common? They were all invited to a scholarship dinner, only to discover it’s a trap. Someone has locked them into a room with a bomb, a syringe filled with poison, and a note saying they have an hour to pick someone to kill … or else everyone dies.

Amber Prescott is determined to get her classmates and herself out of the room alive, but that might be easier said than done. No one knows how they’re all connected or who would want them dead. As they retrace the events over the past year that might have triggered their captor’s ultimatum, it becomes clear that everyone is hiding something. And with the clock ticking down, confusion turns into fear, and fear morphs into panic as they race to answer the biggest question: Who will they choose to die?

Starting this now!

Ch 10: (view spoiler)[this kind of reminds me of those thriller movies - truth or dare or escape room? (hide spoiler)]
Ch20: (view spoiler)[I just don’t get how she is so caught up in the play and not everything else.. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 32: (view spoiler)[so is Sasha addicted to drugs? Or just a sell out? I’m just trying to wonder why she keeps picking Scott to die (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[wowwww I didn't see that coming, Sasha bullied the shit out of her sister? Oh, and all the other stuff that went down. wow. (hide spoiler)]

10% (view spoiler)[ I dont think the mayor is that free and could care less playing like that. Someone else is resposible for it (hide spoiler)]

Ch 18 (view spoiler)[I'm not really loving any of the characters at this point. Sad that she went to befriending Sasha for her play and yet it's clear Sasha just uses her. And what was up with Diego ghosting Amber? Not sure at this point who is the 'villain' but I'm thinking it may be one of them locked in the room. (hide spoiler)]

21% (view spoiler)[come on take something and smash the freakin window (hide spoiler)]

Ch 34 (view spoiler)[Time and time again Amber realizes how shitty Sasha is especially to Priya and does nothing. I’d have stopped being her friend too, she’s a shit friend and doesn’t even try and defend her friend smh (hide spoiler)]
Ch 44 (view spoiler)[Damn Sasha is even worse than I thought. Seriously why is there a question on killing her or not lol (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[ Well I'll be honest I didn't think it would be Amber because I assumed that would be too stereotypical but alas it was her all along. Honestly I could accept this if there was an epilogue or a better resolved ending. Leaving it so open and with so many unanswered questions just pisses me off. Oh and I'm not even a little sad Sasha was killed. She was more atrocious than I expected. (hide spoiler)]

Attack Salmon wrote: "10% [spoilers removed]"

you are on the right path - did seem weird that they all thought the mayor would set that up.

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 18 [spoilers removed]"

Ugh, Sasha..

Attack Salmon wrote: "21% [spoilers removed]"

yeah... it probably would've made sense to do that

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 34 [spoilers removed]
Ch 44 [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

I agree with all that you said in your comments. (view spoiler)[I also wasn't sad about what happened either.. (hide spoiler)]

35% (view spoiler)[ ok Phil is our suspect (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 34 [spoilers removed]
Ch 44 [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

I agree with all that you said in your comments. [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I was actually super pumped when Sasha got stabbed lol. But really that ending being so open just was mean! (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Alaina wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 34 [spoilers removed]
Ch 44 [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

I agree with all that you said in your comments. [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers ..."

(view spoiler)[she was a really awful person. as for the ending, once she admitted everything they were like okay - let's go on with our lives, which was so weird to me.. (hide spoiler)]

Attack Salmon wrote: "35% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Interesting. I never suspected Phil but I can certainly see why you would. I was always thinking to myself, it's not going to be someone obvious so I'm curious how you'll feel when all is revealed!! (hide spoiler)]

89% (view spoiler)[ this is getting so crazy to me despite knowing this whole thing is probably a prank.

Sasha is disgusting (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[ The flashbacks are hard because it really seems like Sasha and the others are just using Amber for alcohol and whatever else and don't plan on doing the original play. I just want her to tell Sasha to fuck off.
Also, it really seems like the person behind all this is one of them. Amber's sister died after being bullied so I wonder if it's Amber? (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 10: [spoilers removed]
Ch20: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yeah Amber is letting the play blind her to Sasha using her (hide spoiler)]

Attack Salmon wrote: "21% [spoilers removed]"

Haha right?

50% (view spoiler)[ Sasha is taking drugs, big surprise. I can't stand her, she's a huge bitch. There's one girl that was the biggest bully to Amber's sister and I wonder if it's Sasha's sister or one of the others? (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 34 [spoilers removed]
Ch 44 [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

Reply to ch 34 (view spoiler)[ no kidding. Amber was a terrible friend to Priya (hide spoiler)]

66% (view spoiler)[After Priya's accident and her telling Amber all the bullying she's been through, I think Amber is behind everything. She doesn't want Priya to end up like Maggie. (hide spoiler)]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 34 [spoilers removed]
Ch 44 [spoilers removed]
Finished [spoilers removed]"

Reply to ch 44 (view spoiler)[ Yep, she's the one to die if it has to be someone (hide spoiler)]

finished (view spoiler)[ Is it bad that I don't care Sasha died? She was a terrible person. The twist wasn't shocking but at least it was a bit intense.
I thought this was okay but I had higher hopes (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I thought it was Sasha's sister, not her. That was crazy (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

SAME, but then that guy was like oh hey - that's you. Mind blown.

Nail in the coffin really

25% (view spoiler)[
Oh man, I love/hate when the direction the book is going is obvious (like written in the description) and the book heavily hints at something, but the characters have no idea yet. I was internally saying "nooo" when Amber arrived at the dinner. There were all these signs that something was off, but Amber was completely oblivious. However, part of me also looks forward to things going wrong because that is when the book gets interesting! (hide spoiler)]

I hope you like it! There are some twists

Lol same!

Aly wrote: "I hope you like it! There are some twists"

I am enjoying it so far! There are definitely some things about the book that I wish were different, but overall I am really intrigued by the plot.

50% (view spoiler)[
I'll be honest, even if Phil had a really good reason, he shouldn't have brought a gun to school (even if it turned out to be a BB gun, that wasn't obvious). Becky was really mad at Amber because she didn't ask Phil why he brought the gun. I, however, don't blame Amber for not asking. She didn't know if Phil was dangerous or not! I think Becky (and probably Phil's) blame was in the wrong place for the situation Phil was in. (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[
Oh my God, Sasha is the worst! She is so mean and manipulative and a liar! I can't believe Amber is/was friends with her, and I don't blame Priya for eventually giving up and walking away from that group! (hide spoiler)]
100% (view spoiler)[
I had a feeling about halfway through that the person who trapped them was actually Amber. It was a little predictable, but I found it also to be a pretty good ending. I can't believe how understanding Diego and Priya were when Amber told them the truth! Also, good for her for deciding to risk her future and tell the truth. (hide spoiler)]

Marissa wrote: "75%
(view spoiler)[Oh my God, Sasha is the worst! She is so mean and manipulative and a liar! I can't believe Amber is/was friends with her, and I don't blame Priya for eventually giving up and walking away from..." (hide spoiler)]

Yeah (view spoiler)[ I thought it was probably Amber, but I still thought it played out well. I didn't feel bad that Sasha died, she was a horrible person (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "75%
[spoilers removed]

Yeah [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Agreed! My opinion of her kept getting worse as the book continued to reveal all the horrible things she had done. (hide spoiler)]

I know it's a bit late but I quickly listened to the audio and I think I'm going to give it 3 stars as well

Marissa wrote: "50% "

(view spoiler)[I thought it was really sad he felt like he needed a gun on himself to be safe from his dad. If I had been Amber I wouldn't have asked why he had one at school either. She had the right reaction to run straight to an adult. (hide spoiler)]

Marissa wrote: "75% ."

(view spoiler)[Omg yes!! I hated Sasha so much. It was so frustrating to see her manipulate and treat everyone badly! (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "75%
[spoilers removed]

Yeah [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I didn't feel bad about Sasha dying either. It was pretty obvious that Amber was probably behind it. I'm glad Diego and her friend understood her motives and it's good she was going to do the right thing and confess even though it left me a bittersweet feeling at the end. (hide spoiler)]

100% - (view spoiler)[One thing I didn't expect was for Sasha to be Amber's sister's bully. That added another layer of evilness to her character. (hide spoiler)]

Kelly wrote: "I know it's a bit late but I quickly listened to the audio and I think I'm going to give it 3 stars as well"

lol, you are never late!

Kelly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "50% "

[spoilers removed]"

Definitely agree with this! You never know what is going on in someone else's life but dang, that would've been scary to see in person. Especially at a school.

Kelly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "75% ."

[spoilers removed]"

lmaao everyone loves hating her - especially me.

Kelly wrote: "Aly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "75%
[spoilers removed]

Yeah [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

I knew someone in the party was behind it but was too late to figure out it was Amber..

Kelly wrote: "100% - [spoilers removed]"

YES! That blew my mind.

Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "50% "

[spoilers removed]"

Definitely agree with this! You never know what is going on in someone else's life but dang, that would've been scary to see in person. Esp..."

Yeah it's scary to imagine it. It makes me think I'm glad to be in a country where gun violence and having a gun in general is very rare compared to in the US

Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Aly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "75%
[spoilers removed]

Yeah [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

I knew someone in the party was behind it but was too late to figure out it was Amb..."

I'm glad you didn't see it coming. I usually enjoy mystery/thrillers more when I'm surprised :)

Kelly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Kelly wrote: "Marissa wrote: "50% "

[spoilers removed]"

Definitely agree with this! You never know what is going on in someone else's life but dang, that would've been scary to see..."

I wish it was a rare thing over here.