A Year of Slump


Lia Setiawan has never really fit in. And when she wins a full ride to the prestigious Draycott Academy on a track scholarship, she's determined to make it work. On her first day there she witnesses a girl being forcefully carried away by campus security, while her schoolmates and teachers seem unphased. And as she uncovers the secrets of Draycott, complete with a corrupt teacher, a golden boy who isn't what he seems, and a blackmailer determined to get her thrown out, she's not sure if she can trust anyone...especially when the threats against her take a deadly turn.

So, it is fair to say that I had a tough year with books. Dear Ms. Sutanto my apologize for my super delayed review of your academic thriller. Between doing 30 job interviews to try and function after being home for two years due to covid I was not in the right space to want to read. Having said that I can say that I finished the audiobook in two days and will be reading more from this author in the future.

This was more of a psychological thriller, as you see the pure narcissism of privileged rich kids who honestly do not think that anything will every come of their actions. I enjoyed Lia’s character, even through everything that she got herself into, I found her to be a bit comical. It gave me Gilmore Girls but dark vines which made this so much more fun for me since I am a massive fan.
Unlike some readers who say that there might be parts of the story who lagged I didn’t feel that> I am not sure if it’s because I was listening to the audiobook or because this author’s writing style was beautifully interpreted by the narrator. Overall, this will be a 4 Star Read for me. # All-Nighter-Worthy ( )

This was an over-the-top YA private school thriller. Everything felt a bit dramatic and was essentially a series of farcically bad decisions. The first half was actually good and Jesse tapped into the social anxiety that comes with being the 'new person' incredibly well. However, all the characters felt exaggerated i.e. the super villainous mean girl, the innocent trusting (read incredibly dense) new girl, the doting golden boy. Then about the midway point something occurs and it all went downhill from there. Not down a gentle rolling hill but more off the edge of a cliff. It was a shame because prior to that I was actually absorbed in the paranoia and panicky feelings as the main character slowly realised how corrupt the school actually was. Also, the ending was ridiculous. Just okay for me. ( )

Content warning: drug use, a scene with eyeball-related gore, and possibly other stuff I've forgotten.

Lia Setiawan is Draycott Academy's newest student, there on a track scholarship. Although her fellow students, with their designer clothes (and designer drugs), might as well come from a different planet, Lia is determined to do her best. Unfortunately, there's an established pecking order on the track team, and Lia's presence disturbs it, earning her an instant enemy. It's not all bad, though: she also gains a few friends and somehow manages to catch the eye of super-hot Danny.

Her future at Draycott is put in jeopardy by Mr. Werner, her English Lit teacher. She strongly suspects that he's allowing students (like her track team nemesis, Mandy) to pay for good grades, and for some unknown reason he seems determined to fail her. If she can't keep her grades up, she can't stay on the track team, and she can't keep her track scholarship. Something's gotta give.

As the situation goes from bad to worse, Lia scrambles to keep everyone from finding out what she's done and desperately tries to find a solution that doesn't involve flushing her own future down the toilet. Even if she manages to figure something out, will she be able to live with herself afterward?

I very much enjoyed Sutanto's The Obsession and was sure I'd love this one too. I was especially intrigued to learn that the two books were set at the same school - I thought The New Girl might turn out to be a sort of sequel, but it's actually more of a prequel. There are cameo appearances from Sophie and Logan, and readers get a peek at aspects of their story that Logan never found out about.

Whereas The Obsession was a darker YA thriller starring a heroine who increasingly comes across as sociopathic, The New Girl had aspects to it that made it feel like a black comedy. Lia, unlike The Obsession's Delilah, had a conscience, and she spent a good chunk of this book being eaten alive by it. I don't know whether Sutanto meant it that way, but there was something darkly funny about her desperate efforts to somehow find a pathway through all of her problems that she could live with. Every mistake she made somehow worked out, but so narrowly that she was left queasy with guilt and anxiety. The first few times, I worried right along with her, but after a while it became a morbid comedy of errors.

Lia was really, really bad at solving her own problems, and a terrible judge of people, but at the same time also ridiculously lucky when it counted. This was the literary equivalent of a train wreck - I mean that in the best possible way. I'd feel guilty about how much I enjoyed watching things fall apart, except most of the people who experienced the worst consequences were, to put it mildly, pretty awful. Draycott is a delightfully horrible solid gold mess.

Overall, this was a fast-paced and addictive read. If Sutanto writes more YA thrillers, I'll definitely read them.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

Jesse Q Sutanto is back with more secrets, more murder, and more delicious Indonesian food in The New Girl.

Teenage track star Lia Setiawan gets a scholarship to an upscale prep school, and quickly discovers Draycott Academy is full of typical mean rich girls, nasty teachers, and the intense pressure to keep her scholarship. There’s a Gossip Girl-style rumor app, Draycott Dirt, full of catty backstabbing and just generally mean commentary on everyone at the school. All anonymous, of course, but you can figure out who absolutely hates Lia for bumping her spot on the track team. Fortunately for Lia, there’s also a certain handsome Indo classmate, who seems to like her a lot.

Full review on my book blog