One of the first series that made me fall in love with reading was the Blue Bloods series, from Melissa de la Cruz. There was something unique and special about that series that made me read and devour each and everyone of those books. It just so happened that after that series, I developed a love/hate relationship with her books.
And it wasn’t because they are bad.
They aren’t.
They just weren’t for me.
So, picking up The Headmaster’s List, I had reservations. I didn’t want to read a book that I wasn’t going to love. Pitched as One of Us Is Lying meets Gossip Girl I knew that I had to pick it up. I loved One of Us Is Lying and the original Gossip Girl series will always remain supreme.
As I turned the pages on The Headmaster’s List, I told the person who sent it to me that I loved it. Normally, those are words that I keep to myself, because when I love something, it’s very hard for me to articulate. I want to tell the world all of the reasons that I love it.
Spencer can’t remember what happened, but she knows that she was in a car accident where one person died. Her ex-boyfriend has been arrested for the crime. One person in the car refuses to talk about it. She wants to remember, but would remembering make anything better?
Not many people seem to think so.
But for Spencer her world is turned upside down. She can’t even get into a car without experiencing a panic attack. Her whole world – one that by all means could be considered “perfect” – has crumbled around her. She’s not sure who she is anymore, but there is something in her that is telling her that there is more to what has happened.
What I loved about the character of Spencer is that she wasn’t perfect. She had a lot of issues – ones that she was willing to address and some that she wasn’t. But Spencer was a girl who had big dreams and they were not going to be hindered by the accident.
It didn’t matter what adversities came her way, Spencer was going to still succeed at everything that she wanted to accomplish. She was also going to succeed at saving her super rich ex-boyfriend from himself.
Spencer may not be able to remember a lot, but she doesn’t believe Ethan did it. She knows him better than that. But Ethan doesn’t want anyone to get close to him, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He just wants to be left alone.
When Spencer does see him, he’s reverting to his old ways. He’s drinking and being reckless. He tells Spencer to let it go, but she tells him basically that is not going to happen.
In the meantime, Spencer is working with Ethans BFF Jackson. Jackson seems like a really nice guy – he’s smart, cute, protective, and is doing everything that he can to help Spencer.
Jackson seems too good to be true. He’s gone through a lot in his life – his father going to jail and him having to live with the shame of it. His Mom is basically not around and Jackson has tried to be perfect.
But again, no one is perfect.
As the two work to solve what happened and to clear Ethan, they are having to deal with the politics of high school. At their school, everything was about getting on The Headmaster’s List. It’s the elite list that basically guarantees entrance to the college that you want to go to.
It’s something that everyone wants to get on and some people are jealous because people get on it for simply being rich. The fact that every kid that was in that car was on the list made a popular podcast host focus in on the list.
While it took me a few chapters to get into it, once I did, I could not put the book down. A book filled with twists and turns that kept me wondering what was happening and what really happened with the car crash.
While there were somethings that I questioned why they were in the book, overall the story surrounding Spencer, Jackson, and Ethan made me overlook those moments.
And Ripley.
Ripley can make anyone happy.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- I really didn’t think that the podcast was a necessary part of the story, I understood why it was there and that it brought some relevance to the story.
- I would have loved to have known more about Ethan and the relationship between him and Spencer.
- Also would have loved more of what happened when the kids were rushed to the hospital. It would have made me relate or feel for characters more.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
The Headmaster’s List is a well paced thriller that makes you question everyone and everything. Definitely an enjoyable read.
