Killing November by Adriana Mather- A Book Review

Note: This review is spoiler free 
Book: Killing November
Author: Adriana Mather
Genre: Mystery
Age: For readers 13 and up 
Rating: 4/5 Stars

I’m going to be honest. YA mystery books have ALWAYS let me down. They’re just too predictable and I LOATHE the bland characters who have like zero brain cells. I was expecting Killing November to be some average mystery book where I would zone out for most of the book and still be able to guess the murderer. And I was right...in a sense. I did guess the murderer and I’m sure many others could too but I did not zone out of this book even for a second! This book was FUN! The sad part is that it was doing so well but then the book went and blew it all in the end 😑  The ending is very predictable and disappointing but I promise, the rest of the book makes up for it. The side plot where November adjusts to this assassins school keeps the book interesting at all times! If you’re a fan of fantasy and mystery this is THE book for you because it has cool assassin stuff (yes, “assassin stuff”. Very specific of me I know 😌 )

Synopsis: It’s a school completely off the grid, hidden by dense forest and surrounded by traps. There’s no electricity, no internet, and an eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from Knife-Throwing and Poisons to the Art of Deception and Historical Analysis. And all of the students are children of the world’s most elite strategists—training to become assassins, counselors, spies, and master impersonators. Into this world walks November Adley, who quickly discovers that friends are few in a school where personal revelations are discouraged and competition is everything. When another student is murdered, all eyes turn to November, who must figure out exactly how she fits into the school’s bizarre strategy games before she is found guilty of the crime…or becomes the killer’s next victim.

What I liked

• The setting and premise: FOR ONCE this YA mystery novel was not set in the same old small town setting where a mysterious teen death occurred at school and the main character happens to be some mastermind detective who easily is able to get down to the bottom of things when no one else can (I’m looking at you Karen McNamus). This story gives a different take to YA Mystery involving a school to train spies and assassins, which was WAYYY more interesting than whatever story Karen McNamus comes up with at some small town school. (Sorry I need to get over the grudge I have with this author, but everytime I try I get reminded of the monstrosity of “One of Us is Lying” and “Two Can Keep a Secret” and my grudge starts all over again. *Shudders*) 
• Plot: The main reason this book is getting such a high rating from me is because it was SO FUN. Like seriously, after you get to page 50 it’s really hard to put this one down. As the plot progresses, the secrets about the school are slowly revealed bit by bit and you’re left wanting to know more.
• Fast Paced: There were no parts where the book got unbearably slow. Which is actually surprising because most books I have read in the past few months have had some really slowwwwwww middle parts. Then I end up taking a “small break” (more like a week-long break) where I avoid reading the book because I was bored. Huh, maybe that's why I have the reading speed of a snail. Anyways the pacing of this book is very well done and there are no slow parts here 😌 

What I didn’t like:

• It was so predictable??? You know how mystery books usually choose a character to display as the obvious culprit but it never turns out to be them in the end? Yah well the author of this book never got the memo to make the murderer the least obvious choice. The really obvious choice ends up being the real culprit. It’s a huge letdown and I remember thinking “Ok at any moment now there will be a twist and the real murderer will be revealed”. I basically sat there through the last 50 pages waiting for a twist to happen and when it didn’t, I was beyond disappointed because THE MURDERER’S IDENTITY WAS LITERALLY SO PREDICTABLE. 

• 2. A bit unrealistic:
• Is THERE NO FINGERPRINT DETECTORS IN THIS SCHOOL? Legit the whole mess would have been resolved if someone bothered to check for fingerprints 🙄  Plus, November, Layla and Ash constantly touched objects in places they aren’t supposed to without worrying about leaving fingerprints behind
• Even if November hadn’t attended the elite assassin school since she was a kid, somehow she was better than everyone at the school? Even better than the top students? 🤨  Yes I get that her dad taught her how to use knives and stuff, but these students have been training every day for years at the academy. Then suddenly some intermediate student (November) enters the school and is able to beat all the advanced students. Yah, totally realistic! 😐  All the best students are being beaten by someone who spent her time going to normal school and at most, training 3 hours a day at home. Whereas the academy kids spent 7+ hours training every single day since they were kids. 
• November’s Character: For most of the book November ran around the school super confused and clueless (I don’t blame her.. The school is absolutely crazy). However, while she is figuring out the confusing school, she also has moments where she suddenly is able to be the most confident person at the school and able to defeat everyone there. Sometimes she’s presented as a clueless and nervous wreck and then sometimes she’s presented as the most confident person on earth?

Go read this book, it’s pretty good and has an interesting plot. Just don’t expect too much out of the ending! 

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