I liked this book a lot, it was quite slow at the beginning but once it got going I was hooked! I was constantly guessing who Monday could be and was surprised by the ending. Perfect for a quick and fun mystery read!

Another gripping novel from Ravena Guron. I've really enjoyed her other books, so was very excited to read this one. It had definite touches of Good Girl's Guide to Murder, with massive family overtones to the plot. I did find the story a bit long, however. I found myself losing focus on the plot as the week went on, and the "week" as the plot device seemed to last an extremely long time, which made it feel very unrealistic. Otherwise, I found the story and the ending satisfying, and overall enjoyed the characters (whom I flip-flopped on "whodunnit" multiple times! Great job).

Ravena Guron quickly became one of my favourite YA thriller / mystery authors after reading just one book of hers. Mondays Are Murder keeps her in that category.

Mondays Are Murder is fast paced and twist. It took me a while to determine who Monday was! I did have a suspicion but no clues or evidence directly pointed in that direction so I wasn’t sure. I did enjoy the big reveal, it felt very sinister.

I loved the plotting of this story, and while the packing was fast, sometimes I felt this book could’ve been sharper and a bit quicker. It felt like the story got lost in the middle, with no real determinations being made, nothing substantial happening.

I liked the mystery element surrounding Ivy’s death and how that was impacting present day events in terms of the threats being made, but also how this had an impact on all the relationships in the book, like Kay’s with her friendship group.

I unfortunately did not find myself on board with the side plot romance, not because anything was wrong with it but because there was such a lack of chemistry! I knew it was going to happen because that’s typical, but the characters themselves just didn’t have any romantic chemistry. To be fair, the love interest didn’t really seem to have any personality outside following Ivy around.

I wish the book focused more on Kay and Nikki and their relationship, and their shared grief for Sandra. I feel like while Kay had some inner development with Nikki’s perspective on things, it would’ve been nice to see them have a conversation and work together through it. While it did end with them in a better place, I would have liked to see some of the in between stuff to get them there.
This was a good book, with some really great writing and scenes of tension. I just think it maybe could have been shorter.

j'ai aimé le contexte et les personnages même si j'ai trouvé dommage que le rythme ne soit pas complétement au rendez-vous. La tension et la curiosité sont pourtant bien présentes et j'avais envie d'avoir les réponses à mes nombreuses questions. Les protagonistes sont à la fois attachants et agaçants, on a envie de les voir découvrir la vérité, on se méfie de tout le monde mais j'avoue, je me suis totalement laissée berner par le final et ses révélations. Une intrigue certes un peu lente mais qui réserve un final en feu d'artifice qui m'a permis de refermer ce roman sur une note positive ! Une autrice que je suivrai avec plaisir !

This book has such a fun premise. A girl returns to a place where she used to live to find a note on her bed from an anonymous source who calls themselves Monday saying that they are going to play a game which will end with her murder. Kay finds herself wondering who she can trust while trying to discover who is targeting her.

This book gave me Pretty Little Liar vibes. Some chapters would end with an exciting event making me want to read on as fast as possible and at other times you would be given space to breathe just as the characters themselves felt themselves lulled into a false sense of security.

4.5 Stars. This would’ve been five stars because the story was amazing, I loved the characters, the suspense, EVERYTHING. But, there was one little bit that took me out of the story and really irked me. Everything else was amazing and I devoured this, but I had to put it down for a while because of this line.

spoiler:
I took off a half star for this: When the paramedic tells Kay “you’ve fractured your ankle - but its not a break”. Because… thats just straight up wrong. A paramedic can say “you’ve probably fractured your ankle” but I can’t think of any medical staff that can confirm a fracture without a scan - XRAY. So they really can’t say that. Second thing - a fracture IS a break. They’re the same thing, people seem to think theres a difference, but there really isn’t. I think the idea is people think a break is right through the bone, and a fracture is just a little bit. But they’re BOTH breaks and so this line just really bothered me, especially when Kay then jokes that she told Nikki she’s not break her leg falling off the roof …. Because she broke her ANKLE (which, most people would refer to as leg) falling off the roof.

Really enjoyable YA thriller with a compelling group of characters. Loved the countdown and the pacing, with enough red herrings to keep it interesting as the plot kept moving. Good ending which made sense, and gave closure to the story. Writing overall was strong.

Mondays Are Murder was a tense and tightly plotted YA mystery that pulls you into its investigation with heart and suspense in equal measure. Ravena Guron is a must-read author in the genre.

Ravena Guron is a real force in YA mysteries with inventive concepts that she spins into compelling stories with great characters and jaw-dropping twists. This latest offering hits all of those points once again. It ensnares you from the very first page—Guron sets the tone perfectly with a hooky line that speaks to both the personal and the wider scale stakes of the story. It hits your heart and endears you to Kay quickly. We have all been affected by loss and this encapsulates the associations it can create with everything, big or small.

Kay is an instantly endearing and brilliant protagonist. She is deeply affected by grief and being back in this familiar place, forever shifted by the absence of those she loves. Her voice shines on the page. I loved her determination and drive, her willingness to get tangled up to try and protect people. She is also trying to live up to these expectations she has created for herself—that impossible standard grief persuades you is what your loved ones would expect. Guron also explores how grief can romanticise a person, almost removing the sharp angles of their humanity and their messiness. People are not perfect. It is a really interesting take on grief and the darker aspects of it, with a few different angles within this.

The mystery itself is well-constructed and fantastically paced. It is layered, with plenty of great twists and turns. Guron has such a skill for creating complex and compelling mysteries. There are two timelines to keep track of, each with their own secrets and reveals. We move seamlessly between the two and Guron drops enough information to keep you gripped to the page. Kay has to re-examine the events surrounding Ivy’s death and the tangled relationships around this, as well as other events that weigh heavily on her mind. There is plenty of juicy drama in here and these feel like real teenagers, caught up in love and looking ahead to their futures. The friendship group is well-developed and you can see the way grief affects each of them differently. Guron has a great knack for writing dialogue that sounds believable, without tying too much to a specific point in time. It feels effortless and natural.

I loved how spine-chilling the notes were. They started this twisted game and the countdown added an extra layer of tension, forcing characters to make terrible decisions. I liked the spin on the classic nursey rhyme, assigning each day a new peril. There is a Jigsaw-like maniacal spin to it all, bringing chaos to Kay’s life. It follows a pattern but Guron inserts some twists into what you may expect. It is not quite as simple as you may think. There is an element of unpredictability in the precise details of what will unfold. That is the other thing that messes with Kay’s head, as Monday delivers these in slightly unexpected ways. It should be foreseeable and therefore preventable, but they are ten steps ahead. You feel like you are being pulled more into this aberrant web – very much a puppeteer pulling strings. Guron builds all of this towards a magnificent reveal and an explosive conclusion. It really sticks the landing in a way that is satisfying and sensational.

Mondays Are Murder is heartfelt and unputdownable with a sinister plot that grabs you immediately and never lets go. Simply put, Ravena Guron delivers yet again.

Great book couldn’t put it down. Read over a weekend as I was hooked, wanted to know what happened.
Kay comes to stay with family while her parents are away and gets left a series of cryptic notes from ‘Monday’ can she work out who Monday is before it is too late?
A murder mystery set in England that kept me guessing until the end, just when you think you know who ‘Monday’ there is is another twist, it will be a great addition to our school library.

I had certain expectations coming into this book as I have liked the author's previous releases but this one i didn't enjoy too much. This was mainly due to the main character Kay. She is a horrible person. She dismisses her cousin's heartfelt perspective. She is arrogant believing she can solve the mystery of the novel because she's decent at escape room. Kay also finds every teenage boy attractive, whether that needs to be told or not. It was awful to be stuck with her as the protagonist, impactign my enjoyment and how much I cared for the mystery.

MONDAYS ARE MURDER is the latest tense thriller by Ravena Guron.

This tale flips the typical murder mystery on its head - rather than starting with the death it promises that death will be coming by the end so it's a race against time to find the murderer before it happens. Along the way, there are plenty of other acts of violence to assure the cast (and reader) that Kay really will die if she cannot unmask the killer.

I liked this take on the classic set up. It meant you really had time to sympathise with the victim (Kay) as she was both victim and detective. Plus it made the stakes for finding the killer very high considering the murder hadn't happened yet. A normal murder mystery set up just has the satisfaction of finding the murderer as the final pay off, but here there pay off is survival too.

The book features very short chapters, which, in typical thriller fashion, end on a tension beat. Their frequency really helps make this book pacy and hard to put down as it's moment of peril or revelation after another. This combined with the count down and escalating attacks makes for a thoroughly addictive read.

Kay's absence for a year means that this village is full of memories and lapsed friends. I liked the way the book confronted those broken relationships and rebuilt them over the course of the week. It meant the book explored grieving but also healing alongside the horror of Monday's attacks.

I am looking forward to the next Ravena Guron thriller!

I would like to thanks the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an arc of "Mondays are murder" by Ravena Guron!
Given how much I loved her two previous works, I was eager to read her new book. I would rate it more around 3,5⭐️

As always, the writing is smooth and simple, yet detailed enough to immerse the reader. On the other hand, I really struggled with the pace... From a thriller, whether it's YA or adult, I expect tension and suspense, and unfortunately, I did not feel any of it here. Certain parts seemed hurried, while others dragged on.
The writing is in 1st person, which doesn't bother me, but I found that Kay lacked the emotions that would have made me feel afraid for her and the situation she finds herself in. This is why some of the revelations fall flat, as I didn't feel any excitement.
Fortunately, after 60% of the book, I became more engaged in the investigation. The tone in 'Murder is Mondays' is more youthful and lighter-hearted than in Ravena Guron's other books, which I believe made me feel detached.

I won't go into too much detail about the plot to avoid spoilers, but I found the idea very interesting, even if it could have gone further in the “teenagers leading the investigation” direction. On the other hand, I knew who “Monday” was right from the start, and I find the choice of character for the culprit really interesting, a far cry from what we're used to seeing! It's a shame that I knew who was the culprit from the beginning...

Kay is a protagonist I didn't loved very much, she was fun (perhaps a little too much given the circumstances) to follow, but some of her thinking, although logical for a 17-year-old, sometimes “annoyed” me. Although Nikki, her cousin, was not present, she had a significant impact on me because of her background and reflections on her relationship with her mother.
In general, I loved the secondary characters - Sophie, Mickey and Liam - some of whom have really sad backgrounds and are almost better developed than the protagonist, in my opinion.
In general, all the characters are morally grey, and I think that's important to emphasize because it's rather rare in YA thrillers!

Even though I was slightly disappointed by the plot, Ravena Guron is an exceptional narrator who knows how to incorporate important and serious themes into her works. In “Mondays are Murder” the main subject is grief. Through several characters, she shows how mourning is something personal and unique to each individual.

Despite my little disappointment with this book,I can't wait to read Ravena Guron's next work!

This was fantastic!! I absolutely love everything and anything Ravena Guron writes, the big reveal was effective, i was hooked the entire time, i couldn’t put it down and when i had to i couldn’t wait to pick it back up- it’s just always such a joy to read her work!

Once again Ravena Guron brings the mystery, the tension, and of course, murder with gripping style.
Reluctantly returning to her hometown a year after the dual tragedy that drove her family away Kay finds herself embroiled in a deadly guessing game with a thrill on Tuesday, a wreakage on Wednesday, treachery on Thursday, a fire on Friday, sabotage on Saturday, a stabbing on Sunday - and Kay's murder on Monday.

Kay has to sift through family secrets, try and work out how the death of her ex-best friend Ivy, and all her estranged friends, the vicious village committee (serious Hot Fuzz vibes from that lot) tie into the game as she desperately tries to unmask monday before they can hurt her family and kill her.

I loved this a kept reading on through even as I wanted to curl up and sleep because I had to know who did it. Ravena has definitely fixed herself in the position of autobuy author now!

A Good Girls Guide To Murder meets Pretty Little Liars.
This is an explosive YA murder mystery where the twists and turns just don’t stop.
In this book we follow Kay who returns to her hometown after 1 year away, while she is there she is targeted by the unknown Monday who wants to play a deadly game of Hide-and-seek.
The drama and the thrills never stop in this novel by Ravena Guron.
One major pitfall to this book is I feel like the characters are aged wrong, it feels like they should have been 15/16 not going on 18 while it doesn’t feel like a huge age gap it is especially in England where kids leave school at 16 yet Kay was almost 18 and still in high school. It feels like the smallest thing but it annoyed me a lot. (I know A-Levels are a thing. But it wasn’t mentioned).
Other than the age discrepancies in this book I did have a fantastic time reading it and when I picked it up I didn’t want to put it down, I just wanted to know who Monday was and all my guesses were totally wrong. That reveal is possibly one of the best I’ve ever read. And for a YA book this one definitely triggered my anxiety while reading.

Kat returns to the town she left after her friend Ivy died and finds a letter on her bed threatening her. As the week follows the predictions within the letter can Kay work out who is doing this. The best one Ravena has written

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

After fleeing from the tragic deaths of her Aunt and her friend Ivy, Kay returns to the place she grew up. On her first Monday back, she receives a note laying out the week from hell she can expect, culminating in her own death in one week's time.

This tightly plotted, action packed thriller is an unputdownable read, guaranteed to ease fans of Holly Jackson. Highly recommended for readers aged 13 and up.

I loved Ravena's other books and was so excited for this one! and I did end up enjoying it. Ravena has to be one of my favourite YA thriller authors and Im gonna read everything she publishes

Really wish we could give half stars cos this is a solid 3.5. The black humour of the characters reminded me at times of A Good Girls Guide to Murder which I haven't felt with other teen murder mysteries but I just found it dragged in some places but then was rushed in others and the final unmasking of the villain didn't quite ring true. I found it a great page turner though, and I will definitely be recommending to the pupils at school.