I really enjoyed this book! It's a fun, twisty read filled with secrets!

Three teenage cousins who hardly know each other have been summoned to their long lost Grandmother's to work for the summer. Their Grandmother cut her 4 children, their parents and uncle, out of her life 24 years before so this is the first time they have ever met her. Oh yeah and she's super rich and owns an island!

All 3 of the cousins are likeable with individual personalities. Milly was my favourite but I really liked all three of them and how their friendship delevoped throughout the story. The story alternates through each cousin's point of view which allows you to get to know them and their story quite well. There is also a fourth point of view from Allison, Milly's mum, which sheds some light on events that happened in the past!

McManus's books are like bingeworthy Netflix dramas. I read this one over two nights because just as one secret was revealed another one would rear its head! It's like a teenage soap opera, yes it borders on the ridiculous at times and is very far fetched but I would actually say it's perfect escapism for this current climate, not too taxing but gripping and addictive.

This is perfect for the teenage audience, and older of course. There's very little sexual or violent content which I like about it. Sometimes YA can be a bit dark and I wonder what age these books are written for! But this one will happily be passed onto my 10 year old in a year or two and I think she will love it as much as I did!

Oh Karen McManus, where were you when I was 14, stealing my mum's Danielle Steel books 😂

I was delighted when my Net Galley wish was granted and I was able to read this thrilling book.

The story line of family feuds and disinherited children is nothing new, but Karen McManus manages to take it and develop a plot that keeps you reading. This book has so many false turns and unexpected twists that even at 80 % of the way through when I felt most things had been wrapped up, there were more surprises to come!

Anders, Allison and Adam, are 3 spoilt children who, once disinherited by their mother, seem to have spent their time lamenting the loss of their future fortune and make bad life choices. They claim to have no idea what led to their dismissal from the island many years previously. In this novel, we meet their children: Aubrey, Jonah and Milly, who have been unexpectedly summonsed back to their Grandmother's island and their parents are all hoping this will be a way back into the family fold and a share of the family fortune. Relationships all round are fractured and dysfunctional. Many of the characters are not who their initially seem to be and from the first moment I was hooked and needed to read on.

Gull Cove Island sounds idyllic, yet, as history is revealed it has its own dark illicit secrets which have set this family on a path of self destruction.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was irritated by the weakness displayed by the parents' of the three children and I think that Jonah, Milly and Aubrey needed to get away from their tainted, disillusioned parents to really learn who they might be growing up to be. The ending is satisfying and seems appropriate once the murky details of past actions are uncovered!

The Cousins is set in Mildred Story's fancy resort on Gull Cove Island. Rumours have roamed on the island about the reasons Mildred disowned her children twenty-five years ago however the reasons are still unknown. When Mildred's three grandchildren receive a surprising letter inviting them to work at the resort during their summer break, everyone is keen to understand why she made contact after so many years and if there is something sinister behind her actions.

Family drama and tension is at the center of The Cousins and a big chunk of the first half of the book focuses on the three cousins trying to under the relationship between their parents and their grandmother. The messy family dynamic was at times difficult to follow, especially as there were many characters introduced in both timelines however once I learnt the relationship between the characters it became easier to discern.

I often struggle with YA Thrillers as the plot is usually too oversimplified however there was plenty of action in The Cousins. The twists were unexpected and the ending quite unpredictable. The alternating chapters from 1996 to now allowed for progression of both storylines and created an ever increasing tension as more secrets were revealed.

Although there were some moments which made me cringe, The Cousins was overall both engaging and enjoyable. It felt like there were many paths the plot could take but I was ultimately satisfied with the ending and outcome. It was a quick read for me and I can see many readers speeding through it.

Many thanks to Dave at TheWriteReads for providing an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a thrilling ride!
Couldn't put this down, there were twists galore and I loved them all! I'm becoming a huge fan of this author and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Great characters that had excellent personalities, I definitely identified with Aubrey!
A couple of my questions at the end weren't answered as clearly as I hoped, but there is no way this book deserved less than 5 stars!
Highly recommended!

This is without a doubt, my favourite Karen M McManus book yet! It was gripping from the offset and relatively pacey. A very fun and entertaining read.

I really loved the setting of this one, it was nice to have a YA set outside of highschool and I liked the concept of it these rich, privileged kids being forced to go to this small island during the summer. There is lots of family drama and lots of mystery around why Granny Mildred disinherited the family 24 years prior when everyone swears they don’t have a clue what for!

The characters were also brilliant and I loved them all. There was some great development for the characters and their relationships to each other too.

It was really fun to read and very clever, I couldn’t figure out where it was going! If you like Karen’s other books, I think this one will definitely be for you and also, if you enjoy a fun, non-cheesy YA outside of a high school setting! Definitely worth a read!

This could just as easily be a general mystery rather than YA save for the main characters being teens, it’s written at a mature level. I took me a few chapters to gel with the main characters but once they went to the island I got increasingly absorbed in both the characters and the weird estrangement between the cousins and their grandmother. There were some good twists and secrets along the way but for me no huge shocks overall but it was good to see the story play out by following the clues. Overall this has a great cast, intriguing setting and some very interesting history.

I loved both 'One of us is Lying' and it's follow-up, so I was beyond excited to get hold of a copy of this. It really did live up to my (high!) expectations - with a story that felt just as cinematic as McManus' previous books. The legacy of the Story family plays our really nicely, full of all sorts of unexpected twists and turns. Think Gossip Girl meets murder mystery. If you liked 'Beautiful Strangers' or 'S.T.A.G' - then I think this is one for you!

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each other, and they've never even met their grandmother. Each of their parents had been disinherited around 25 years ago when they received a letter saying that she knew what they did. Since then they have all lost touch with each other. When the cousins each receive a letter themselves asking for them to work at their grandmother's resort for the summer, the parents all agree that they must go. The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over--and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.
I love Karen’s books and this one did not disappoint. An easy yet addictive read, filled with twists and turns throughout, I couldn't put it down.
With multiple character points of views but written in a way that it doesn't become confusing, it helps to build their stories. Aubrey was possibly my favourite character, starting off mousey and shy with not much going for her, she had a really nice character arc where she finally found out who she was. I liked the addition of Alison’s chapters, Milly’s mum, it gave us the background story filled with secrets that made me keep guessing and wanting to find out more.
Overall, a brilliant book with some wonderful relatable characters and plenty of twists that you don't see coming, I can't wait to read what else Karen has in store for us.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Milly, Aubrey and Jonah Story are invited to spend the summer working at their grandmother's resort. However this is no 'ordinary' invitation since they all know the story of how their grandmother dismissed, and disinherited, their parents, along with their Uncle ...., with the single sentence "You know what you did".
Millicent was true to her word and has not be in touch with any of her family until now!
The three teenagers redetrmined to find out what happened 18 years earlier but they are not prepared for what they discover. Could it be that some secrets are better left that way, secret?
Another amazing novel from Karen McManus with many twists and turns that will keep you reading until the ultimate climax!

This book was my most anticipated read of the year. And I have read previous works of the author which I absolutely enjoyed reading.
This book has family drama at its peak with so many mysteries. So if you enjoy family drama the book is for you!

Characters-
We have three main characters of the story, Milly, Aubrey and Jonah. The three of them are “Cousins” and get invited to a resort owned by their grandmother.Also their grandmother has banished these kids' parents from the estate. So the parents think it is a good opportunity to let the children go there so they might get a portion of the estate. All the characters in the book are so uniquely written. One common thing between Milly and Aubrey is that we get to see that they want to prove that they are good enough for their parents and the so called legacy of their. Milly and Aubrey are very different, Milly has a strong character whereas Aubrey blames herself. Aubrey had the most character development in the book.

The Story-
The story was the best part, I finished reading a book in a day. Which I didn’t want to do but well, the story build up was way too interesting to not finish it as soon as possible. The story is crafted so well. ALSO THE ENDING OF THE BOOK WAS NOT FAIR. Overall I loved the story and characters. This was one of my favourite read of the year.

I’m a huge Karen M. McManus fan. She just knows how to write a good mystery, one that needs to be read in one sitting. I always think I know where the story is going and yet somehow each time McManus manages to catch me off guard.

The Cousins follows three characters; Aubrey, Milly and Jonah. Years ago their parents were cut off by their mother and each claims they have no idea why but secrets always have a way of resurfacing.

The setting of this Martha’s Vineyard wannabe island of the rich and famous was so much fun. Honestly this whole book was fun. You have the exclusiveness, a bitter grandma with a grudge and her bit**-pack along with the nice townies caught in the crossfire. We even got a fancy gala thrown in. It had all the makings of a classic “rich people problems” story but McManus gave it her classic touch and ended up making it her own. It’s definitely far from typical with a cast of characters who are anything but conceited, cold or stereotypical.

Milly, Jonah and Aubrey meshed so well together and I loved them all! Aubrey started out so sweet. She wasn’t one to rock the boat and her development was so nice to see. Ironically I saw a lot of myself in her so I really felt a connection to her beyond just having the same name. Jonah started out as a bit of a prick with a chip on his shoulder but he grew on me by the end, especially when we learned his story. Milly was one I was unsure of. I thought she was going to be this comes-from-money sharp tongued brat use to getting her way but that was not the case at all. Their relationship and seeing them come together was my favorite part of this book.

That mystery though was brutal. I was a few chapters in and I thought I had it all figured out. To be fair I had half of the mystery solved, but this book just goes to show that never give up on a mystery halfway through. It might surprise you in the end.

If you’re a McManus fan you won’t be disappointed in The Cousins. Even if you aren’t a fan, if love a good mystery that will keep you guessing until the end I highly recommend picking this one up. I actually think it’s her best book yet with a touch more of maturity than her previous novels. The ending wasn’t open-ended per say, but I’m definitely hoping we get to see a bit more of the Story family in the future.

I always really enjoy books by this author and this is one that had intrigued me and been on my anticipated Gems for months. 
I definitely haven't been disappointed, this is a book which has been completely worth the wait and anticipation.
This is unique and intriguing from the very beginning. McManus has created a well-written and interesting novel which I have devoured in just one sitting. 
I love this author's other books but this one has definitely been my favourite. I have been completely unable to put this down. A definite five star read.

The Cousins is a fascinating story of family dynamics, drama, mystery, and more.

The story is told from three main POVs. Aubrey, Milly, and Jonah take turns spinning the tale of a family torn apart by secrets. We also get an occasional flashback scene from Millie’s mother, Allison.

The characters are written to pull emotion from the reader. The three cousins suffer for their parents’ sins, and the parents have never reconciled to their disinherited fate.

The pacing was steady throughout the book but intensified rapidly in the last quarter of the story. It kept me turning page after page as I tried to unravel the mysterious past and how it tied together with present happenings.

A resort island off the east coast makes up nearly the entirety of the setting. Quaint shops and town features bring Gull Cove Island to life. I would love to visit this fictional vacation spot if only residents didn’t turn up dead so often.

This book is the first I’ve read from Karen McManus, but it won’t be the last. I recommend The Cousins to lovers of twisted family dynamics, mystery, murder, and suspense.

You know what you did…

Those five words were the last each of the four Story children heard from their mother before disinheriting them. Those five words, written on a single sheet of paper, one for each child. Five little words and then nothing. Not for over 20 years.

The Cousins is the latest book by Karen M. McManus, author of the equally thrilling One of Us is Lying. Again we are met with secrets and lies. Of half truths and where what lies on the surface is on the beginning. And where even those who proclaim innocence aren’t as innocent as they might seem.

The Cousins is told from a variety of viewpoints. Not only are there chapters told from each cousin’s point of view, there are also several chapters from summer/fall of 1996 – just before the four Story children are disinherited. I will not say just who narrates those particuar chapters, just that their addition gives some very good insight as to why what happened did.

The main characters of The Cousins are the three cousins themselves; Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah. I found them all to be quite likeable. Each is a well rounded and well thought out character. Written in a believable manner where like almost every one else, they too have something to hide. Each one is a product of the background and upbringing and their actions through out the novel reflect that.

My only real complaint was while the main characters of the three cousins were well rounded, the same could not be said of the secondary characters. I honestly would have liked to have seen more of the original Story children as older adults along with the flashbacks that we see them in. The same can also said for the grandmother, I would have really liked to have seen more of her aside from the very brief glimpses we are given. While I understand that McManus could only include so much background before inundating us, I still would have liked to have had a least a little more.

In the end though, I enjoyed reading The Cousins. I found it to be a very entertaining read and had a good time trying to put the puzzle pieces together just as the cousins themselves were trying to do. Readers who have enjoyed McManus’ other books will enjoy this one and those who are new to her work should definitely give it a try. It was a fun read and I look forward to going back and reading more of her stuff.

I really enjoyed this story of the Story cousins. There are quite a lot of twists, few of which I expected.

Milly was my favourite of the three, but Aubrey definitely had the most growth throughout the book. I warmed to her fantastically towards the end of the book.

The Cousins is an engaging Y/A mystery thriller centered around the illustrious Story family, over the course of a summer with twists and turns galore. This is the first book by Karen M. McManus I’ve read so I went in with no expectations or preconceived notions about her writing style or the story and I quite enjoyed this book. I know the author is well known for writing another Y/A thriller called One of Us is Lying which I’ll be reading soon, so fingers crossed I like that one just as much. I wanted to also say a big thank you to The Write Reads Tours for asking me to be part of this blog tour, providing an ARC & being such a great platform as always!

One of my favourite things about this book was definitely how the mystery element plays out, switching between past and present. This is a format which needs no introduction and is super common, I think it was used well here and definitely helped to ramp up the tension and sense of mystery further. There’s one big ‘secret’ in the plot, which is why the Story matriarch, Mildred Story disowned all her children with no notice save an ominous one liner ‘You know what you did’ which is at the heart of the book. I liked that while this was the central point, there were also many other plot threads which all interlinked so seamlessly and added a lot to the story without it feeling too busy.

I also liked the three main characters, which is great since we get to read from all of their perspectives as well as some of the more secondary characters. Aubrey, Jonah and Milly are all likeable characters and I really liked the close relationship the cousins form with each other, and how this develops over the course of the novel. Estranged family dynamics is not one I’ve read a lot of in the books I usually read so it was something different for me. In particular I really enjoyed the fact that both Milly and Aubrey – whose parents have been distant and critical their entire lives – were able to form such a great friendship and become so in tune with each other. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, female friendships done right are some of the most enjoyable things to read, so I liked how both girls got to a good point, despite some minor roadblocks along the way.

Speaking of the relationships in the novel, I also liked how much of a clear divide there was between the somewhat idyllic childhood of the cousins parents and the stark difference to their own upbringings. I always like it when books have this sense of contrast and show the passage of time in whatever way and this was done so well here. Especially because we get to read through some of the parents perspectives and see what they were like when they were younger, in comparison to their older selves, this was quite interesting. It adds so much more depth to the story and makes you wonder how they got from point A to B.

I also want to note that there are certain things about the book which would be strictly in spoiler territory so I won’t be able to mention certain things that happen so I’m trying to be as vague as possible here! I totally want to gush about it all, but in the interest of anyone who might be wanting to check this book out, I’ll control the urge. If you’ve read the book already you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Overall, The Cousins was a page turner which I can see being a popular pick for a summer read or on the plane or beach, or because of the current state of the world and the UK being in lockdown, a fun mystery to curl up with from the comfort and safety of your own home! I would definitely recommend this book to any readers who want a clever, fun new Y/A thriller to dive into.

Rating 3.5/5

I was really looking forward to this book after very much enjoying another of the author's books earlier this year. Family secrets are always a big draw for me add to that a reclusive grandmother and of course all the drama that an inheritance can bring, so I was excited going in.

The cousins is written from four points of view from the cousins themselves, Milly, Aubrey and Jonah in the present day but also from the past through Allison’s point of view. The voices of each character were really clear and I liked the occasional glimpse into the past, whilst it helped to build the suspense it also gave us a bit more insight into the Story children.

I really liked the chemistry between Milly, Aubrey and Jonah, they are all very different but what starts as a forced union quickly becomes real friendship. They all have some issues with their families and it was nice to see how they manage to support each other and create a family bond where there wasn’t one. I did like that it wasn’t entirely plain sailing for them though and there are some situations that put a strain on what they are building, it made it feel genuine and added extra angst here and there.

True to form there were quite a few unexpected twists and turns in this story and in no way had I figured out anything before it was revealed, however, I didn’t feel like these had the impact that I was looking for. I think this is because of the pacing of the book, I read thriller in the Goodreads description and thought that I would be thrown into the action from the off, instead the book really builds upon the characters and as a result, didn’t have that immediate unputdownable grip for me.

The pace of the story does really start to build momentum about three-quarters of the way in but does then leave you with the feeling of the ending being rushed because all of the action is in such a short space of the book. The book is still very enjoyable and I still had trouble putting it down because I was desperate to discover the secrets of the Story family, but I think if I had realised it was more of a character-driven mystery rather than a thriller, then I would have had a slightly different reading experience.

The Cousins is an intriguing book, with well-developed characters and plenty of unexpected surprises to keep you entertained, I know I’m definitely looking forward to picking up my next Karen M. McManus book.

Ive been a big fan of Karen M McManus for a while and have read all of her other books so i was so stoked when i was given the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour run by @TheWriteReads for her new book The Cousins.
The Cousins follows the story of the Story family who reside at Gull Cove Island on the East Coast. When the matriarch of the family Mildred invites her three gandchildren whom shes never met to spend the summer working at her resort its too much of a mystery to pass up. The grandchildren Milly, Aubrey and Jonah want to find out what happened many years ago to fracture their family, all they have to go on is that Mildred dis-inherited them by sending a letter stating 'I know what you did'.

Mildreds children are Adam, Anders, Allison and Archer. Allisons daughter is Milly, Adams daughter is Aubrey and Anders son is Jonah making up the 3 grandchildren/cousins. The family tree is a bit complicated but luckily its included at the beginning of the book, not very handle when its an e-arc as its not that easy to flip back and forth but definitely a nice touch that it was included.

No one writes a YA mystery like Karen M McManus, her books are all superbly written and The Cousins was no excpetion. It had all the elemets of a gteat book, interesting premise, interesting characters and an intriguing mystery. I was kept on my toes throughout, there was so many twists and turns and i was so engrossed. If life hadnt got in the way then i would have read this in one sitting. There was so many twists that i just didnt see coming, not a single one (which is a bit embarrassing but oh well). I really loved the theme of family and how they can shatter so easily, i applaud McManus for not leaving it as a happy ending which is so customary for YA that eveything is fine and dandy at the end but in this book the siblings are still not harmonious at the end of the story, made it feel a lot more real to me. I also would have enjoyed more of Allison's chapters from the past and a greater look into the childrens relationship with their mother, i did enjoy the brief glimpses into the past that we did get.

A massive thank you to Penguin Platform, Karen M. McManus, Dave from TheWriteReads and also Netgalley for letting me read one of my most anticipated books of the year early. This book was fast paced, interesting and fun. It reminded me in a way of The Inheritance Games which was another blog tour i was part of last month. I really liked the characters of Milly, Aubrey and Jonah but i must admit i did get their parents mixed up especially Archer and Anders. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes books such as The Inheritance Games and A Good Girls to Murder.

4.5 stars

I’ve heard excellent things about McManus’s previous books and, since rediscovering my love for YA thrillers, have had my eye on One of Us is Lying for a while, although the high school setting does make me slightly wary – I wasn’t especially fond of secondary school and have little desire to relive those agonies through fiction in my adult years! The Cousins, with its more contained family-drama vibes, appealed more – although on the basis of reading this, I’ll be throwing caution to the wind and catching up with McManus’s other series very soon!

The Cousins centres, unsurprisingly, on three cousins – Milly, Aubrey and Jonah. They’ve never met but all of them are well aware of the glamour and mystery surrounding their family. Their respective parents were the Story siblings – rich, beautiful, and privileged. Until, one day, they weren’t. Cut off without any explanation by family matriarch Mildred Story, the four Story siblings have spent their adult lives resentful, confused, or absent. So when letters arrive out of the blue inviting Milly, Aubrey and Jonah to meet their reclusive grandmother, their parents make sure that they accept – whether the teenagers themselves like it or not.

Alternating between the perspectives of the three cousins – all of whom come with an appropriate amount of teenage baggage – The Cousins is a page-turning family mystery, with plenty of dark revelations and emotional highs and lows. Because, of course, there is a reason behind the Story siblings banishment from their beautiful childhood home – one founded in the secrets and lies of a summer spent there many years ago. More than that however, it appears Mildred Story herself may have more secrets to hide.

Despite occasional frustrations with the sheer teenagery-ness of the protagonists (Milly in particular knows how to throw an A-grade teen girl strop), I really enjoyed spending time in the company of Milly, Aubrey and Jonah. Each of the protagonists is sufficiently different to offer a unique perspective on both the events of the present, and the secrets and revelations coming out about their family’s past. They’re also lively, funny, and smart – quite a surprise given that, for the most part, they have at least one truly awful parent a piece (no spoilers but the elder Storys are, on the whole, not the nicest bunch of people around).

The plot itself canters along from the off. The alternating perspectives – plus the occasional switch back into the past, and the fateful summer when the Story dream came to a close – keep the tension high and the cliffhangers coming. The contained resort setting also helps to control the cast – there’s always a risk with family dramas that the cast list will begin to run away and become confusing, especially when everyone has the same name and is related to each other – and the book had, for me, the feel of one of Agatha Christie’s enclosed Country House mysteries. McManus is also perfectly capable of a Christie-worthy twist – more than one revelation in The Cousins saw my jaw drop and my eyebrows reach for my hairline!

All in all The Cousins made for a fantastic pacy read – despite its length (just over 300 pages), I devoured it over the course of an evening – that combines an edge-of-your-seat mystery with oodles of family drama, a dollop of teen romance, and some smart, sassy protagonists. Fans of McManus’s previous books are sure to flock to this one whilst anyone looking to introduce themselves to her work has a fantastic place to start!

Have you seen that bit in The Office US where Michael Scott shouts "I love it!" and then follows it up with "I LOVE IT MORE!"? That's how I felt about this book. Each and every twist was like ramping it up, winding me closer in to the Story's, and I was completely obsessed with how it was developing.

I've always admired Karen M. McManus's ability to tell a story full of twists and turns, and The Cousins might be her most twisty turny yet. There really were surprises right up to the very last page with this book, and when I stayed up to finish it at 1am because I couldn't put it down after a certain point, I wanted to wake up my husband and force him to discuss it with me. Thank goodness for the book blogger group chat where I could talk about it freely!

The idea of "family first" is a problematic one that is slowly becoming more challenged by society, so to see this potentially toxic issue represented in a young adult book is something that I think draws brilliant attention to the fact that you might be related to someone - but ultimately you owe them nothing. Coupled with the flip side of adult children being disinherited with a simple note - "You know what you did" - and wanting to get back onto speaking terms with their mother, all for their own reasons... The backdrop to this novel is complex and utterly realistic, along with being slightly bizarre, which I loved.

The story is told from the perspectives of the three cousins, as well as flashbacks to one of the Story children as a teenager, which gives an extra layer of input to the story, helping pieces connect along the way, but still keeping the reader in the dark enough that each of those twists and turns is still a shock as they come along.

Compared to her other novels, this book could be seen as a bit of a slow burner, but I think it's more that you realise the high impact levels the further along you read, and the ability to write a novel that makes you think and feel like that, particularly in the young adult genre where mysteries and thrillers are still a growing genre, is something I'm very pleased to be able to say I'm witnessing as a reader. I actually think it might be my favourite of her books, and I didn't think it would be possible to dislodge One Of Us Is Lying from that spot. The characters, their backstories, their development, and the well thought out plot... Just the perfect Story.