Very interesting book. I enjoyed the fast paced thrilling story! ( )

Mystery upon mystery upon mystery. Who killed Leo Rivera? Do the police have the right suspect? Will S.J. and Deidre stay together? Will Deidre's position at Brandywine be threatened? Is it possible to be openly gay/lesbian in a working class community? The Year of Needy Girls poses all these questions and takes a good while to answer them. Still, an enjoyable read, if at times fraught as the reader follows S.J. and Deidre as community events pull them in different directions. ( )

Received this book as part of the Early Reviewer program. The premise is good, but there is little connection with the characters. The characters worry a little too much. The mother who begins the witch hunt is stereotypical. The ending is a little too obvious. ( )

This was definitely a book that held my interest. I was engrossed in the story and thought it was a twist on a situation we've heard about--teacher and student involvement. There was also a lot of overlay with the murder in the background and the fact that neither protagonist was really sure what they wanted in life. Overall, a good book and I would recommend reading it. ( )

I received an advanced reader copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Group in exchange for my honest review.

When reading the synopsis of the book, I was expecting a bit more. I would chalk up my disinterest to the fact that I mostly read fantasy however, I have had contemporary romances sneak up on me. By the time I was halfway through the book I found I was still disinterested in the characters. This is also a shorter read for me, so I feel they could have spent a bit more time creating a fuller story. I feel for a thriller this was a slow read.

I feel like this book had so much potential and truly missed the mark. There were so many possibilities to explore with such a diverse setting between upper-class and lower-class, race, and the LGBT relationship it included.

As this wasn't the worst book I have read i will still give it two stars. ( )