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All These Beautiful Strangers
In the last day of summer, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Allister Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions.
Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New Englandschool she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd.
Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well known for terrorizing the faculty, administration, and their enemies. To become a member of the A’s, Charlie must play The Game, a semester-long, diabolical high-stakes scavenger hunt that will jeopardize her friendships, her reputation, even her place at Knollwood.
As the dark events of past and present converge, Charlie begins to fear that she may not survive the terrible truth about her family, her school, and her own life.
Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New Englandschool she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd.
Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well known for terrorizing the faculty, administration, and their enemies. To become a member of the A’s, Charlie must play The Game, a semester-long, diabolical high-stakes scavenger hunt that will jeopardize her friendships, her reputation, even her place at Knollwood.
As the dark events of past and present converge, Charlie begins to fear that she may not survive the terrible truth about her family, her school, and her own life.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published July 10, 2018
1,066 people are currently reading
24k people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Klehfoth
5 books422 followersElizabeth Klehfoth grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. She received her BFA in creative writing from Chapman University and her MFA in creative writing from Indiana University, where she taught fiction writing and composition. She currently lives in Los Angeles. All These Beautiful Strangers is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,566 reviews
July 12, 2018
Let me begin this review with LOOK AT THAT COVER! Doesn't it just scream summer? So gorgeous! I actually did spend the day at the beach with my toes in the sand, sun on my shoulders, and this book in my hand. What a glorious day!
Now to the story! Elizabeth Klehfoth has written a clever YA mystery novel. Is it all completely believable? No, it isn't. Is it a fun page turner? Absolutely!
Charlie Calloway is the wealthy daughter of Allistair Calloway who is a highly regarded real estate mogul in NYC. When Charlie was 7 years old her mother, Grace, left and never returned.
Charlie is now attending the prestigious Knollwood Prep where a secret society of sorts called the A's have tagged her to become an initiate into this elite group. You are then presented tasks to complete by a certain time. If you don't complete your task you will be outed by the group in the most humiliating of ways and which will more than likely lead to your expulsion. That is how powerful this group is. They seem to have rank over everyone, students and staff alike. The thing is that no one knows who is part of the A's except the A's themselves. What happens in the group stays in the group. Period.
Charlie has always questioned her mother's disappearance. Why would she leave her and her sister Seraphina? As she looks more into her mother's disappearance she is finding more clues that her mother may of been planning to leave her father and that there were cracks in their marriage. It also becomes known that her mother's high school sweetheart, who had tragically committed suicide, was friends with her father back in their days at Knollwood Prep.
That's all I can say about the plot because I don't want to slip in any spoilers unintentionally.
The ending - I LOVED IT! Just perfect!
Just know that this is an easy, breezy book to get lost in on a warm summers day!
Thank you to William Morrow for kindly sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I have also won a copy of this in a Goodreads Giveaway, thank you Goodreads!
Now to the story! Elizabeth Klehfoth has written a clever YA mystery novel. Is it all completely believable? No, it isn't. Is it a fun page turner? Absolutely!
Charlie Calloway is the wealthy daughter of Allistair Calloway who is a highly regarded real estate mogul in NYC. When Charlie was 7 years old her mother, Grace, left and never returned.
Charlie is now attending the prestigious Knollwood Prep where a secret society of sorts called the A's have tagged her to become an initiate into this elite group. You are then presented tasks to complete by a certain time. If you don't complete your task you will be outed by the group in the most humiliating of ways and which will more than likely lead to your expulsion. That is how powerful this group is. They seem to have rank over everyone, students and staff alike. The thing is that no one knows who is part of the A's except the A's themselves. What happens in the group stays in the group. Period.
Charlie has always questioned her mother's disappearance. Why would she leave her and her sister Seraphina? As she looks more into her mother's disappearance she is finding more clues that her mother may of been planning to leave her father and that there were cracks in their marriage. It also becomes known that her mother's high school sweetheart, who had tragically committed suicide, was friends with her father back in their days at Knollwood Prep.
That's all I can say about the plot because I don't want to slip in any spoilers unintentionally.
The ending - I LOVED IT! Just perfect!
Just know that this is an easy, breezy book to get lost in on a warm summers day!
Thank you to William Morrow for kindly sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I have also won a copy of this in a Goodreads Giveaway, thank you Goodreads!
October 12, 2022
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A beautiful story about families, love, betrayal, the difference between the rich and poor, and a girl that tries to discover what happened to her missing mother, while discovering herself.
Charlie Calloway has a life most people would kill for – a tight-knit family, a loyal set of friends, and top grades a privileged boarding school. But Charlie’s never been interested in what most people want. Like all Calloways, she’s been taught that she’s different, special – better. So when her school’s super-exclusive secret society extends a mysterious invitation, Charlie’s determination to get in is matched only by her conviction that she belongs there.
But their secrets go deeper than she knows.
Charlie finds herself thrust into the centre of a decades-old mystery – one that implicates her family in not one terrible crime, but two. Uncovering their past may destroy everything she knows – or give her the answer she’s always craved: Who or what was behind her mother’s disappearance ten years ago?
I haven’t heard about this book until I received it as a birthday gift from my sister. The cover is just – gorgeous! You can feel the raindrops on the cover, and the sides are painted black, and you can read out ”I KNOW”. They have been thinking of all the little details.
[image error]
The story is a bit slow at the beginning. It took me a while to get into it, as they delay the plot for a while, but once you get past that little hill of boredom, it gets better and better. I could imagine myself climbing a mountain with my bike, struggling while climbing, just so I can enjoy the great fast downhill and wind in my face.
The story is told by many people’s perspective, and it changes after each chapter. The amazing thing was, the stories go back in the past as well, but the story keeps flowing in one direction, event by event, which I really enjoyed. If this was poorly made, the book would’ve been so confusing, but fortunately, it wasn’t.
Even though I didn’t expect, this turned out to be a great mystery-solving novel, with wonderful and unexpected plot-twists, and a cliffhanger until the end. Is the mother dead or alive?
Many of the topics covered are very relatable. The difference between children raised in rich families versus the children raised in not-s-rich families. Their thoughts and mindsets, their beliefs, and the people they hang out with. And when a girl like Charlie, who has a father from a rich family and a mother from a poor family, is on the cross-road, it is amazing to see this character develop and make choices for herself, that reflect on both her backgrounds.
A lovely read, fast-paced novel, with a beautiful cover and even more beautiful reading material, this is one of the stories that I would recommend for you to read on a rainy day, covered in a blanket, with a hot chocolate – despite the summer theme on the cover, this was a winter book for me.
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A beautiful story about families, love, betrayal, the difference between the rich and poor, and a girl that tries to discover what happened to her missing mother, while discovering herself.
Charlie Calloway has a life most people would kill for – a tight-knit family, a loyal set of friends, and top grades a privileged boarding school. But Charlie’s never been interested in what most people want. Like all Calloways, she’s been taught that she’s different, special – better. So when her school’s super-exclusive secret society extends a mysterious invitation, Charlie’s determination to get in is matched only by her conviction that she belongs there.
But their secrets go deeper than she knows.
Charlie finds herself thrust into the centre of a decades-old mystery – one that implicates her family in not one terrible crime, but two. Uncovering their past may destroy everything she knows – or give her the answer she’s always craved: Who or what was behind her mother’s disappearance ten years ago?
I haven’t heard about this book until I received it as a birthday gift from my sister. The cover is just – gorgeous! You can feel the raindrops on the cover, and the sides are painted black, and you can read out ”I KNOW”. They have been thinking of all the little details.
[image error]
The story is a bit slow at the beginning. It took me a while to get into it, as they delay the plot for a while, but once you get past that little hill of boredom, it gets better and better. I could imagine myself climbing a mountain with my bike, struggling while climbing, just so I can enjoy the great fast downhill and wind in my face.
The story is told by many people’s perspective, and it changes after each chapter. The amazing thing was, the stories go back in the past as well, but the story keeps flowing in one direction, event by event, which I really enjoyed. If this was poorly made, the book would’ve been so confusing, but fortunately, it wasn’t.
Even though I didn’t expect, this turned out to be a great mystery-solving novel, with wonderful and unexpected plot-twists, and a cliffhanger until the end. Is the mother dead or alive?
Many of the topics covered are very relatable. The difference between children raised in rich families versus the children raised in not-s-rich families. Their thoughts and mindsets, their beliefs, and the people they hang out with. And when a girl like Charlie, who has a father from a rich family and a mother from a poor family, is on the cross-road, it is amazing to see this character develop and make choices for herself, that reflect on both her backgrounds.
A lovely read, fast-paced novel, with a beautiful cover and even more beautiful reading material, this is one of the stories that I would recommend for you to read on a rainy day, covered in a blanket, with a hot chocolate – despite the summer theme on the cover, this was a winter book for me.
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June 2, 2018
All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth is a young adult mystery that is told from multiple points of view and several timelines. Reading this one I had the thought that the author successfully made a book stew, she managed to combine a couple of mysteries and some drama into an interesting story.
First we have seventeen year old Charlie Calloway who is a junior at the prestigious Knollwood and looking forward to joining Knollwood’s secret elite society, the As. Charlie is ready to put her past behind her and step out of the shadow of her family name so when invited to join the high stakes scavenger hunt that begins the initiation into the As Charlie is excited to join the in crowd.
Ten years before when Charlie was seven her mother had gone missing and even a decade later there were never any definite answers to what happened. Rumors still swirl that Charlie’s father had murdered Grace but evidence points to Grace having planned to leave the marriage and disappear.
And then twenty years earlier there was another mystery that involved Charlie’s family. Her mother had been good friends with a boy named Jake who had attended Knollwood back then and had been said to commit suicide. Grace had never really believed of the suicide and blamed herself for not knowing what was going on with Jake.
The story was very easy to follow along even as it changed the point of view and went back in time. Just as much as Charlie’s pledging to join the As was interesting and drama filled in the present time the mysteries of the past were just as compelling. This one became quite the page turner just waiting to see what would happen and how all the secrets and lies could be woven in together and be solved making a very enjoyable read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
First we have seventeen year old Charlie Calloway who is a junior at the prestigious Knollwood and looking forward to joining Knollwood’s secret elite society, the As. Charlie is ready to put her past behind her and step out of the shadow of her family name so when invited to join the high stakes scavenger hunt that begins the initiation into the As Charlie is excited to join the in crowd.
Ten years before when Charlie was seven her mother had gone missing and even a decade later there were never any definite answers to what happened. Rumors still swirl that Charlie’s father had murdered Grace but evidence points to Grace having planned to leave the marriage and disappear.
And then twenty years earlier there was another mystery that involved Charlie’s family. Her mother had been good friends with a boy named Jake who had attended Knollwood back then and had been said to commit suicide. Grace had never really believed of the suicide and blamed herself for not knowing what was going on with Jake.
The story was very easy to follow along even as it changed the point of view and went back in time. Just as much as Charlie’s pledging to join the As was interesting and drama filled in the present time the mysteries of the past were just as compelling. This one became quite the page turner just waiting to see what would happen and how all the secrets and lies could be woven in together and be solved making a very enjoyable read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 10, 2018
WELL THAT WAS UTTERLY AND IRREVOCABLY DISAPPOINTING.
Let me just start off that if you like Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and the dramatic flair for the points of being hella extra.....
.....then look no further folks because we got here the same run-of-the-mill mediocre and somewhat boring (mystery/drama) tale of a pretentious high school student uncovering the buried secrets of the past, all the while getting caught up in a tangle wood of lies and deceit in the present.
Doesn't that sound like a juicy fishhook of a TV show/movie you might find somewhere like on the CW or Lifetime??
Because literally hellllll nooooo. I'm over it already.
So I legit thought this book was Adult but it wasn't; it's YA.
And if y'all know me (chuckle, chuckle)...
I LITERALLY DO NOT LIKE YA MYSTERY THRILLERS.
Well, most of the time anyways.
And 'thriller'???
Um nonexistent. Maybe that's just on me and its just marketed as mystery/suspense. Well whatever because that wasn't even the fault I had with the book; it was with the main character herself. Charlie Fairchild. And don't get me started on these names lmaooo. I.e.: montgomery, spencer, avery,....rich, spoiled, ass, *&!*!@#.
In short, I found Charlie to be extremely arrogant and ignorant. She was annoyed and rude to her 'friend' and found this so called 'friend' irritating because she wasn't some rich girl who wore the designer clothes and labels -- No, it was more like she was trying too hard because her parents couldn't afford the school so she's on a scholarship so what a try hard yada yada.....
um excuse me, as someone who was on scholarships for the very same reason,....don't get me started.
And the suicide jokes. Really? It's 2018. Not even that. It's just in poor taste and quality.
But all things aside, was it the worst book I've ever read?
Hell no. But to say in the least: somewhat overbearing and pretentious, this book does have an interesting aspect (unrealistic) of an anonymous club, full of hierarchy and power, and the corruption that runs with it. Not to mention the consequences.
This book is choked full of them, in fact.
2 JUDGE JUDY STARS
Arc provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to William Morrow for sending me an arc!
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Let me just start off that if you like Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and the dramatic flair for the points of being hella extra.....
.....then look no further folks because we got here the same run-of-the-mill mediocre and somewhat boring (mystery/drama) tale of a pretentious high school student uncovering the buried secrets of the past, all the while getting caught up in a tangle wood of lies and deceit in the present.
Doesn't that sound like a juicy fishhook of a TV show/movie you might find somewhere like on the CW or Lifetime??
Because literally hellllll nooooo. I'm over it already.
So I legit thought this book was Adult but it wasn't; it's YA.
And if y'all know me (chuckle, chuckle)...
I LITERALLY DO NOT LIKE YA MYSTERY THRILLERS.
Well, most of the time anyways.
And 'thriller'???
Um nonexistent. Maybe that's just on me and its just marketed as mystery/suspense. Well whatever because that wasn't even the fault I had with the book; it was with the main character herself. Charlie Fairchild. And don't get me started on these names lmaooo. I.e.: montgomery, spencer, avery,....rich, spoiled, ass, *&!*!@#.
In short, I found Charlie to be extremely arrogant and ignorant. She was annoyed and rude to her 'friend' and found this so called 'friend' irritating because she wasn't some rich girl who wore the designer clothes and labels -- No, it was more like she was trying too hard because her parents couldn't afford the school so she's on a scholarship so what a try hard yada yada.....
um excuse me, as someone who was on scholarships for the very same reason,....don't get me started.
And the suicide jokes. Really? It's 2018. Not even that. It's just in poor taste and quality.
But all things aside, was it the worst book I've ever read?
Hell no. But to say in the least: somewhat overbearing and pretentious, this book does have an interesting aspect (unrealistic) of an anonymous club, full of hierarchy and power, and the corruption that runs with it. Not to mention the consequences.
This book is choked full of them, in fact.
2 JUDGE JUDY STARS
Arc provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to William Morrow for sending me an arc!
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October 26, 2020
"No one can really understand the whole of a person. In many ways, the people I was closest to, the people who meant the most to me-were strangers. Beautiful strangers."
4.5 beautiful stars!! It’s honestly the best feeling ever when a book you were hesitant to start ends up in your favourites list and leaves you absolutely stunned. First of all, I would like to thank Penguin NZ for sending me a physical ARC of this book. And let me also tell you first up that I was not expecting to love this book. I don’t usually read mystery but I do enjoy YA contemporary and this seemed like a good mix which is why I was curious enough to give it a go. Another thing I was not expecting was to fall in love with these characters and invest my heart in their relationships so badly that their grief would literally show in my mood. I can’t believe that I am already looking forward to rereading the book again to experience those emotions again?? What has this book turned me into??
The MC, Charlie Calloway, was a joy to read about because honestly I have read about a lot of strong and badass women in fantasy but not so much outside of that genre so this was a great change! I loved reading about her journey and noticing the changes in her character from the choices and paths she chose to follow and I’m just SO proud of her for doing what she did in the end :’)
Okay since I mentioned relationships before, let me clarify and say that they w r e c k e d me. I am still a mess reeling from all those feelings. I particularly enjoyed the first half of the book and I am glad I cherished all the build up because the second half just stole all my hopes and dreams and ripped them far apart :)))
Once again, the flashbacks surprised me because I loved them so much!! It’s very unusual for me to like reading about the past since most of the time I end up finding it boring but I genuinely wanted to read about Grace and Alistair’s POV’s because their story was so heartbreaking and real and just so well written.
Now that I think about it, one thing that I really liked about this story is that none of the characters are perfect. They are all messed up in their own way and have their own issues which to me is a reflection of our society today. Things almost never turn out to be as they appear to be from the surface and this story uncovers this harsh reality bit by bit as aspects from the past are revealed. There’s three different timelines that are involved which maintain the suspense as you make your way through the story, uncovering bits and pieces as you go and the result in the end was quite satisfying in my opinion.
I would love to read more about these characters and I still have to come to terms with the fact that their story has ended. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author and hope to pick up more mystery books similar to this one!
July 24, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Dear All These Beautiful Strangers . . . .
Not even kidding. This was exactly what I was hoping for when my friend Michelle’s Review popped up on my feed. I mean let’s face it, while I would looooooooooooove to be able to say I spend summer break like this . . . . .
If I were every to vacay in the Hamptons I assume it would be more like this . . . .
(Sidenote: I totally read a book that gave me a serious Grey Gardens vibe. Maybe one day I’ll get around to reviewing it. Sidenote 2: If you haven’t watched Documentary Now yet you should immediately log off and go do it . . . . and then send me Amazon gift cards as a thank you for introducing so much awesome into your life.)
Okay where was I? Oh yeah, that I’m poor so my summertime fun actually is something like this . . . .
All that being said - I want to ESCAPE when it comes to July reads. If that cover doesn’t sell you that you’re in for a YA beachy good time, I don’t know what will. I mean just look at it . . . . .
Did you look at it???? Okay then.
What better way to spend a summery timesuck than with a bunch of privileged white kids? AmIrightoramIright????
The story here focuses on Grace, a richie rich boarding school type of gal who has just received an invitation to begin the initiation process in order to become a member of a supersecret club known asThe Skulls . . . .
Whoops. I mean the A’s. Then you have a second storyline regarding Grace’s mother and Grace trying to figure out if she (a) ran away from home or (b) was murdered – dun dun dunnnnnnnnn! It’s only a matter of time before Grace starts to realize . . . .
I’m pretty sure I need to go put my dinosaur back in his pen and finally check out Gossip Girl. I know I know . . . . .
I am old and was still Twiharding superbad and missed all the gossipy good times. I shall rectify it post haste!
Dear All These Beautiful Strangers . . . .
Not even kidding. This was exactly what I was hoping for when my friend Michelle’s Review popped up on my feed. I mean let’s face it, while I would looooooooooooove to be able to say I spend summer break like this . . . . .
If I were every to vacay in the Hamptons I assume it would be more like this . . . .
(Sidenote: I totally read a book that gave me a serious Grey Gardens vibe. Maybe one day I’ll get around to reviewing it. Sidenote 2: If you haven’t watched Documentary Now yet you should immediately log off and go do it . . . . and then send me Amazon gift cards as a thank you for introducing so much awesome into your life.)
Okay where was I? Oh yeah, that I’m poor so my summertime fun actually is something like this . . . .
All that being said - I want to ESCAPE when it comes to July reads. If that cover doesn’t sell you that you’re in for a YA beachy good time, I don’t know what will. I mean just look at it . . . . .
Did you look at it???? Okay then.
What better way to spend a summery timesuck than with a bunch of privileged white kids? AmIrightoramIright????
The story here focuses on Grace, a richie rich boarding school type of gal who has just received an invitation to begin the initiation process in order to become a member of a supersecret club known as
Whoops. I mean the A’s. Then you have a second storyline regarding Grace’s mother and Grace trying to figure out if she (a) ran away from home or (b) was murdered – dun dun dunnnnnnnnn! It’s only a matter of time before Grace starts to realize . . . .
I’m pretty sure I need to go put my dinosaur back in his pen and finally check out Gossip Girl. I know I know . . . . .
I am old and was still Twiharding superbad and missed all the gossipy good times. I shall rectify it post haste!
November 24, 2018
Ten years ago, when Charlie was seven years old, her mother disappeared. Charlie is now seventeen, and away at boarding school. When she is tapped to join the A’s, the school’s secret society, she’s excited, but a little concerned about the initiation process. As she plays the game the A’s ask of her, she learns they may not be as great as she originally thought. In addition to school life, Charlie starts to think there is more to the story of her mother’s disappearance, and looks into the past to uncover the secrets.
Told using alternating points of view – Charlie, Grace, and Alistair. Charlie is the main character. She’s popular, rich, smart, and pretty. She seems to have it all, but she is haunted by her mother’s disappearance. From Charlie’s viewpoint, the reader learns about the present and the past. Grace and Alistair are Charlie’s parents. Their chapters are mostly about the past. The alternating timelines and POVs were handled well, and easily distinguished from one another.
A large portion of the book is about Charlie’s school life, friendships, and initiation into the A’s. The initiation process involves an elaborate scavenger hunt, that often has risks. The mystery part comes from Charlie learning something new about her mother, which reignites Charlie’s interest in her mother’s disappearance. She decides to look into the past, and attempt to uncover what happened.
This is listed under adult fiction, but it reads like a YA mystery. I was fine with that, but if you don’t like YA books, then this might not be a good fit for you. If you enjoy YA, mysteries, and books that involve elite boarding schools, then this is perfect for you.
A compelling debut novel. Captivating, mysterious, and clever. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Told using alternating points of view – Charlie, Grace, and Alistair. Charlie is the main character. She’s popular, rich, smart, and pretty. She seems to have it all, but she is haunted by her mother’s disappearance. From Charlie’s viewpoint, the reader learns about the present and the past. Grace and Alistair are Charlie’s parents. Their chapters are mostly about the past. The alternating timelines and POVs were handled well, and easily distinguished from one another.
A large portion of the book is about Charlie’s school life, friendships, and initiation into the A’s. The initiation process involves an elaborate scavenger hunt, that often has risks. The mystery part comes from Charlie learning something new about her mother, which reignites Charlie’s interest in her mother’s disappearance. She decides to look into the past, and attempt to uncover what happened.
This is listed under adult fiction, but it reads like a YA mystery. I was fine with that, but if you don’t like YA books, then this might not be a good fit for you. If you enjoy YA, mysteries, and books that involve elite boarding schools, then this is perfect for you.
A compelling debut novel. Captivating, mysterious, and clever. I look forward to reading more by this author.
September 20, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth will hook you from the very start and eat up ALL of your free time.
What it's about: Charlie is 7 when her mother disappears from the family lake house never to be seen again. Now at age 17 Charlie is going to a prestigious boarding school called Knollwood Prep where there is an elite group of students called the "A's". The A's have chosen her to be an initiate to their secret club, but to be a part of it she must play a very serious game that will threaten everything. As if that wasn't enough, secrets of the past are coming to light and causing Charlie to wonder if her mom really did run off, or if something much worse is at play.
This book was SO GOOD! I believe this is a young adult novel but I found myself forgetting that as I read. I also cannot believe it is a debut novel because it reads like this author has been in the game (of writing silly) for a very long time. I was fully engrossed in the story and had a hard time putting it down. This book is over 400 pages but I didn't even notice because the pages fly by so fast.
All These Beautiful Strangers switches through a few different viewpoints and from past to present, but I think Charlie in present time was my favorite overall. I loved the boarding school setting and seeing her grow as a person throughout the book. There are some pretty unlikable characters but most were the type that you love to hate, and I saw enough growth in Charlie that she didn't end up bugging me as a character. It was actually quite fun reading from her POV and I adored the humor Klehfoth infuses into the novel.
Plus, I think we can all agree that the cover of this novel is gorgeous. It screams summer to me and would make the perfect beach read (or all year round read since it's so dang good!). I loved the mystery aspect about Charlie's mom and there are quite a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.
Final Thought: Overall I really loved All These Beautiful Strangers. There is a mystery, a dash of romance, secrets, drama, and so much more. The pace was on point and not once did I find this book dull or want to stop reading it. I thought it read more like adult fiction but maybe that's just me. Either way, I can tell that Klehfoth has a ton of talent and I can't wait to see what her next novel brings! Highly recommend this addicting, duplicitous novel.
All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth will hook you from the very start and eat up ALL of your free time.
What it's about: Charlie is 7 when her mother disappears from the family lake house never to be seen again. Now at age 17 Charlie is going to a prestigious boarding school called Knollwood Prep where there is an elite group of students called the "A's". The A's have chosen her to be an initiate to their secret club, but to be a part of it she must play a very serious game that will threaten everything. As if that wasn't enough, secrets of the past are coming to light and causing Charlie to wonder if her mom really did run off, or if something much worse is at play.
This book was SO GOOD! I believe this is a young adult novel but I found myself forgetting that as I read. I also cannot believe it is a debut novel because it reads like this author has been in the game (of writing silly) for a very long time. I was fully engrossed in the story and had a hard time putting it down. This book is over 400 pages but I didn't even notice because the pages fly by so fast.
All These Beautiful Strangers switches through a few different viewpoints and from past to present, but I think Charlie in present time was my favorite overall. I loved the boarding school setting and seeing her grow as a person throughout the book. There are some pretty unlikable characters but most were the type that you love to hate, and I saw enough growth in Charlie that she didn't end up bugging me as a character. It was actually quite fun reading from her POV and I adored the humor Klehfoth infuses into the novel.
Plus, I think we can all agree that the cover of this novel is gorgeous. It screams summer to me and would make the perfect beach read (or all year round read since it's so dang good!). I loved the mystery aspect about Charlie's mom and there are quite a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.
Final Thought: Overall I really loved All These Beautiful Strangers. There is a mystery, a dash of romance, secrets, drama, and so much more. The pace was on point and not once did I find this book dull or want to stop reading it. I thought it read more like adult fiction but maybe that's just me. Either way, I can tell that Klehfoth has a ton of talent and I can't wait to see what her next novel brings! Highly recommend this addicting, duplicitous novel.
Read
January 23, 2021One of the best thrillers I’ve ever read!
May 8, 2018
I received a free copy of All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth from Goodreads for my honest review.
Wonderful read, keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Charlie Calloway has it all, a wonderful family, fantastic friends, money. Charlie finds out about a secret society at her school and is determined to get in it. Little does she know that the secrets are deeper than she can imagine. Charlie always wanted to know about her mother's disappearance and now she might just find out. The secrets that are uncovered about her family might destroy everything she is and knows.
Wonderful read, keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Charlie Calloway has it all, a wonderful family, fantastic friends, money. Charlie finds out about a secret society at her school and is determined to get in it. Little does she know that the secrets are deeper than she can imagine. Charlie always wanted to know about her mother's disappearance and now she might just find out. The secrets that are uncovered about her family might destroy everything she is and knows.
November 10, 2024
I haven't read YA in a while and I didn't know it was YA when I started listening to the audiobook of All These Beautiful Strangers. Yet, it didn't take long for the story to suck me in.
The plot revolves around Charlie Calloway, a teenager in her junior year at a prestigious prep school, Knollwood. She is part of the "it" crowd and more so when she is asked to join the elite secret society that goes by the A's. During the current year, the A's will be asking her to do multiple things that could get her in real trouble if she were to be discovered but she wants to be part of the A's more than anything else.
Charlie comes from a rich family and most people know or recognize her last name. When Chloe was seven her mother, Grace Fairchild disappeared with money from their bank account leaving Charlie and her sister Seraphina behind. Charlie's father changed after this. Things were never the same. So when her maternal uncle tells her that he believes there is more to the story, she can't let it go and will begin investigating her parents' past and their connection with Knollwood.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. Charlie grew on me. At first, I thought she was a brat but as more of her was given to us by the author, the more I was rooting for her. The ending was a plus as well despite not being completely believable, it left me quite satisfied.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The plot revolves around Charlie Calloway, a teenager in her junior year at a prestigious prep school, Knollwood. She is part of the "it" crowd and more so when she is asked to join the elite secret society that goes by the A's. During the current year, the A's will be asking her to do multiple things that could get her in real trouble if she were to be discovered but she wants to be part of the A's more than anything else.
Charlie comes from a rich family and most people know or recognize her last name. When Chloe was seven her mother, Grace Fairchild disappeared with money from their bank account leaving Charlie and her sister Seraphina behind. Charlie's father changed after this. Things were never the same. So when her maternal uncle tells her that he believes there is more to the story, she can't let it go and will begin investigating her parents' past and their connection with Knollwood.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. Charlie grew on me. At first, I thought she was a brat but as more of her was given to us by the author, the more I was rooting for her. The ending was a plus as well despite not being completely believable, it left me quite satisfied.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
December 2, 2018
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for a review copy of this book.
This young adult mystery is the story of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Calloway, the daughter of a real estate mogul who attends a posh prep school, Knollwood Preparatory. She has just received an invitation to be inducted into the very secret club, the ‘A’s’ at the school for which she (and other initiates) will be given three difficult challenges which will get them to push many boundaries. But Charlie’s life is plagued by another mystery—her mother disappeared ten years ago, literally all of a sudden, and no trace has been found of her. Grace Calloway was from an ordinary, working class background so the Calloways only think the worst of her—her being a gold-digger and such. On the other hand, her mother’s family and friends believe Charlie’s father had something to do with her mother’s disappearance. When Grace’s brother, Charlie’s uncle Hank contacts her with some information about Grace, she decides to start looking into the matter. As the story proceeds, we start to see different events in different timelines from the perspective of Grace, and also of Alistair, Charlie’s father, besides Charlie herself. Going back and forth in time, the different pieces of the puzzle start to come together.
While this was a mystery, one of my favourite genres, it was very different from the mystery stories I usually read, with the prep school setting, and Gossip Girl vibes (as the description itself said). But still I found it to be a pretty interesting read. I liked how the story switched between different timelines and viewpoints, which meant that at times, the reader had learnt more about the characters’ (Charlie’s parents and friends and relatives) complicated (very) backstories than Charlie had at that point, and one was waiting to see how she finds out and how it helps her put the puzzle together. Being in a school setting, there are the usual school storylines moving on alongside—escaping curfew, classes, homecoming dance, and even a touch of romance. Though most of the students are the typical prep-school rich kids (a la Gossip Girl), one does like Charlie, even if not many of the other characters. As far as the mystery itself was concerned, it turned out that there was more than one puzzle that needed solving, but about less than halfway into the book, one could more or less work out what the broad answers to the mystery would be and how the two main mysteries were connected. But despite that, I found the book did have me hooked and reading on, both because I wanted to see whether I was right, and how things would turn out for the characters. Also the whodunit I only figured out a little later. Although about 500 pages long (a little over in fact) the book didn’t feel like it was dragging at any point, and kept me interested all through. My rating: 4 stars for this one—for a mystery to get full points from me, it really has to surprise me or have a twist I didn’t see coming, which this one didn’t really. But still, it was a very enjoyable read.
This review also appears on my blog: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2...
This young adult mystery is the story of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Calloway, the daughter of a real estate mogul who attends a posh prep school, Knollwood Preparatory. She has just received an invitation to be inducted into the very secret club, the ‘A’s’ at the school for which she (and other initiates) will be given three difficult challenges which will get them to push many boundaries. But Charlie’s life is plagued by another mystery—her mother disappeared ten years ago, literally all of a sudden, and no trace has been found of her. Grace Calloway was from an ordinary, working class background so the Calloways only think the worst of her—her being a gold-digger and such. On the other hand, her mother’s family and friends believe Charlie’s father had something to do with her mother’s disappearance. When Grace’s brother, Charlie’s uncle Hank contacts her with some information about Grace, she decides to start looking into the matter. As the story proceeds, we start to see different events in different timelines from the perspective of Grace, and also of Alistair, Charlie’s father, besides Charlie herself. Going back and forth in time, the different pieces of the puzzle start to come together.
While this was a mystery, one of my favourite genres, it was very different from the mystery stories I usually read, with the prep school setting, and Gossip Girl vibes (as the description itself said). But still I found it to be a pretty interesting read. I liked how the story switched between different timelines and viewpoints, which meant that at times, the reader had learnt more about the characters’ (Charlie’s parents and friends and relatives) complicated (very) backstories than Charlie had at that point, and one was waiting to see how she finds out and how it helps her put the puzzle together. Being in a school setting, there are the usual school storylines moving on alongside—escaping curfew, classes, homecoming dance, and even a touch of romance. Though most of the students are the typical prep-school rich kids (a la Gossip Girl), one does like Charlie, even if not many of the other characters. As far as the mystery itself was concerned, it turned out that there was more than one puzzle that needed solving, but about less than halfway into the book, one could more or less work out what the broad answers to the mystery would be and how the two main mysteries were connected. But despite that, I found the book did have me hooked and reading on, both because I wanted to see whether I was right, and how things would turn out for the characters. Also the whodunit I only figured out a little later. Although about 500 pages long (a little over in fact) the book didn’t feel like it was dragging at any point, and kept me interested all through. My rating: 4 stars for this one—for a mystery to get full points from me, it really has to surprise me or have a twist I didn’t see coming, which this one didn’t really. But still, it was a very enjoyable read.
This review also appears on my blog: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2...
July 31, 2023
✰ 4 stars ✰
“That’s what you still don’t understand, Charlie. That’s the thing about the truth: nobody wants to tell it. Not even you.
Nobody tells the whole truth and comes away unscathed.”
The irony in the title All These Beautiful Strangers was not lost to me, as I neared the conclusion of the story. It is an even more unique story that even though it is a YA thriller, the inclusion of having two POV's dedicated to Charlie's parents was quite well-done. With her debut novel, Elizabeth Klehfoth spun a tale that was part family drama-part mystery-part academia that may have been difficult to pull off, if not for the engaging way in which she led me through the story - with enough clues and details in each POV that left me wanting to know the actual truth, for sure.
“Here it was plain and simple: a conscience would strangle you. Normal people could have their sensitivity and vulnerability and feelings and live their pretty little lives, but that was all they were ever going to be.
Normal. Average. And I’d never wanted to be average. I was a Calloway.”
And that's what made Charlie Calloway such an unlikable character - that she was so apathetic to her own life - almost to an extent of being a loner, without truly having a deep-rooted friendship with anyone - that she simply did not care about the decisions that she made to get to where she was - without regard or remorse to others, simply as long as the end justifies the means, and she always has the upper hand. Since her mother's unexplained and unresolved disappearance ten years ago, she knows what it takes to be selfish - to ascertain her position over others - to manipulate people with her words, just so she could always achieve.
And yet, watching her struggle to find out further hints into her mother's strange disappearance - to try and unlock the mysteries and secrets that haunt the school - to find that hidden connection that ties her parents' past to her present - it made for an enticing read. It was effectively done because we also got to see the POV's of Charlie's mother, Grace Fairchild, and father, Alistair Calloway - what were the histories of their personalities that made Charlie who she was - what was their relationship like - their dynamic - that makes us question who is truly the culprit and the victim in the unsolved tragedy of the A's.
“The A’s were something everyone knew about without really knowing anything about them. There was no way of even knowing who the A’s were, really, unless you were one of them.
Because unlike all of the other clubs at Knollwood Prep, you didn’t choose to be in the A’s. The A’s chose you.”
It's not a novel concept - secret societies and pledges that lurk in the hidden vicinities of prep schools - impossible challenges that will earn your place among the elite - but, having it as a backdrop to Charlie's own family dilemma and investigation was a unique dynamic. I appreciated how seamlessly the ties to the past intertwined with Charlie's present school timeline. I didn't quite approve of some of the tactics involved, but the author did not shy away from showing how pretentious and how scheming and how vindictive students can be, simply for their own twisted form of entertainment - one simply to adhere to tradition.
What tradition is there? To potentially damage the careers and livelihood of people who are not even guilty? To smear the reputation of innocent students and teachers for their own enjoyment? It is an awakening call for Charlie - an insight into a privileged life that she never quite took for granted, but never quite realized how much at fault she was with her way of thinking. And that's what made the three-way POV all the more illuminating, because we saw the potential roots of what kind of person she could really be - if she was just guided in the right direction.
“That was the thing. It’s not what you look at—it’s what you see. And when you’ve been with someone long enough, you stop really seeing each other.”
If you've read enough of my reviews by now, I love a good mystery - solving the clues, putting the pieces together - I had plenty of those here. I enjoyed seeing Charlie try to balance her own personal issues against her journey into uncovering the truth. I liked how the details slowly fell into place, that they didn't randomly appear, but connect in a timely fashion that didn't appear sporadic or off-kilter. Again, I also appreciated having Grace and Alistair's POVs included, because we get to see the beginnings of their relationship - what kind of marriage they had - what secrets haunted them - and what mistakes were made on both sides that sadly and tragically drove a wedge between them, even if, perhaps in their hearts, it was not what they initially wanted. Charlie may never know the real truth behind her parent's marriage, but there is some comfort, as a reader, in getting closure to what really went on behind closed doors.
“If my investigation into my mother’s past had taught me anything, it was that no one can really understand the whole of a person. In many ways, my mother, my father—the people I was closest to, the people who meant the most to me—were strangers. Beautiful strangers.”
There were still a few things that did not make it an entirely perfect read. As much as I was caught up in it - haha, I literally held a finger up to my sister to tell her to hold on what she was trying to say to me, while I tried to read between the lines of the clues - there are still a few things that bothered me. It is a testament to an author if they can successfully build up the suspense till the end; however, once the suspect was revealed, I again, felt a dip in the heightened tension, and a brush under the rug conclusion to all the relevant plots. And while I don't have any complaints as to who was actually behind Grace's disappearance - I didn't quite believe how it could have been pulled off so easily, for so long - such a well-kept secret, as it was.
And if I could complain about one more thing that irks me to no end would be this - are boys at eighteen years of age really that awful that all they're thinking about is getting into the pants of their classmates - actually making bingo cards to see which girl they'll score on? This is the second time, I've come across this abhorring mindset in a storyline, and okay, fine, maybe my own experience with the boys in my class was different, but seriously? Is is always so necessary to show how rotten they are - that the reader will feel no sympathy to what awaits them? I wish, authors wouldn't use this plot device - it just feels so wrong. A moot point, perhaps, that does not, in any way, deviate from my overall enjoyment, but as a reader, I would still like to point it out.
But, apart from these few irksome views, I did have a good time with this. Ms.Klehfoth combined an assortment of different ideas and wrote an entertaining thriller that truly kept you going till the very end. And, that is always something I do take into account. 👌🏻
“That’s what you still don’t understand, Charlie. That’s the thing about the truth: nobody wants to tell it. Not even you.
Nobody tells the whole truth and comes away unscathed.”
The irony in the title All These Beautiful Strangers was not lost to me, as I neared the conclusion of the story. It is an even more unique story that even though it is a YA thriller, the inclusion of having two POV's dedicated to Charlie's parents was quite well-done. With her debut novel, Elizabeth Klehfoth spun a tale that was part family drama-part mystery-part academia that may have been difficult to pull off, if not for the engaging way in which she led me through the story - with enough clues and details in each POV that left me wanting to know the actual truth, for sure.
“Here it was plain and simple: a conscience would strangle you. Normal people could have their sensitivity and vulnerability and feelings and live their pretty little lives, but that was all they were ever going to be.
Normal. Average. And I’d never wanted to be average. I was a Calloway.”
And that's what made Charlie Calloway such an unlikable character - that she was so apathetic to her own life - almost to an extent of being a loner, without truly having a deep-rooted friendship with anyone - that she simply did not care about the decisions that she made to get to where she was - without regard or remorse to others, simply as long as the end justifies the means, and she always has the upper hand. Since her mother's unexplained and unresolved disappearance ten years ago, she knows what it takes to be selfish - to ascertain her position over others - to manipulate people with her words, just so she could always achieve.
And yet, watching her struggle to find out further hints into her mother's strange disappearance - to try and unlock the mysteries and secrets that haunt the school - to find that hidden connection that ties her parents' past to her present - it made for an enticing read. It was effectively done because we also got to see the POV's of Charlie's mother, Grace Fairchild, and father, Alistair Calloway - what were the histories of their personalities that made Charlie who she was - what was their relationship like - their dynamic - that makes us question who is truly the culprit and the victim in the unsolved tragedy of the A's.
“The A’s were something everyone knew about without really knowing anything about them. There was no way of even knowing who the A’s were, really, unless you were one of them.
Because unlike all of the other clubs at Knollwood Prep, you didn’t choose to be in the A’s. The A’s chose you.”
It's not a novel concept - secret societies and pledges that lurk in the hidden vicinities of prep schools - impossible challenges that will earn your place among the elite - but, having it as a backdrop to Charlie's own family dilemma and investigation was a unique dynamic. I appreciated how seamlessly the ties to the past intertwined with Charlie's present school timeline. I didn't quite approve of some of the tactics involved, but the author did not shy away from showing how pretentious and how scheming and how vindictive students can be, simply for their own twisted form of entertainment - one simply to adhere to tradition.
What tradition is there? To potentially damage the careers and livelihood of people who are not even guilty? To smear the reputation of innocent students and teachers for their own enjoyment? It is an awakening call for Charlie - an insight into a privileged life that she never quite took for granted, but never quite realized how much at fault she was with her way of thinking. And that's what made the three-way POV all the more illuminating, because we saw the potential roots of what kind of person she could really be - if she was just guided in the right direction.
“That was the thing. It’s not what you look at—it’s what you see. And when you’ve been with someone long enough, you stop really seeing each other.”
If you've read enough of my reviews by now, I love a good mystery - solving the clues, putting the pieces together - I had plenty of those here. I enjoyed seeing Charlie try to balance her own personal issues against her journey into uncovering the truth. I liked how the details slowly fell into place, that they didn't randomly appear, but connect in a timely fashion that didn't appear sporadic or off-kilter. Again, I also appreciated having Grace and Alistair's POVs included, because we get to see the beginnings of their relationship - what kind of marriage they had - what secrets haunted them - and what mistakes were made on both sides that sadly and tragically drove a wedge between them, even if, perhaps in their hearts, it was not what they initially wanted. Charlie may never know the real truth behind her parent's marriage, but there is some comfort, as a reader, in getting closure to what really went on behind closed doors.
“If my investigation into my mother’s past had taught me anything, it was that no one can really understand the whole of a person. In many ways, my mother, my father—the people I was closest to, the people who meant the most to me—were strangers. Beautiful strangers.”
There were still a few things that did not make it an entirely perfect read. As much as I was caught up in it - haha, I literally held a finger up to my sister to tell her to hold on what she was trying to say to me, while I tried to read between the lines of the clues - there are still a few things that bothered me. It is a testament to an author if they can successfully build up the suspense till the end; however, once the suspect was revealed, I again, felt a dip in the heightened tension, and a brush under the rug conclusion to all the relevant plots. And while I don't have any complaints as to who was actually behind Grace's disappearance - I didn't quite believe how it could have been pulled off so easily, for so long - such a well-kept secret, as it was.
And if I could complain about one more thing that irks me to no end would be this - are boys at eighteen years of age really that awful that all they're thinking about is getting into the pants of their classmates - actually making bingo cards to see which girl they'll score on? This is the second time, I've come across this abhorring mindset in a storyline, and okay, fine, maybe my own experience with the boys in my class was different, but seriously? Is is always so necessary to show how rotten they are - that the reader will feel no sympathy to what awaits them? I wish, authors wouldn't use this plot device - it just feels so wrong. A moot point, perhaps, that does not, in any way, deviate from my overall enjoyment, but as a reader, I would still like to point it out.
But, apart from these few irksome views, I did have a good time with this. Ms.Klehfoth combined an assortment of different ideas and wrote an entertaining thriller that truly kept you going till the very end. And, that is always something I do take into account. 👌🏻
August 27, 2018
This had everything I love in a YA mystery.
The summer Charlie Calloway was seven years-old her mother, Grace, vanished without a trace from their lake house. Due to her luggage being missing, and a large cash withdrawal by her the day before she disappeared, it is believed Grace left of her own accord. Consequently, Charlie has grown up hating her mother for abandoning not only her, but her father and younger sister as well. Ten years on, she’s enjoying a privileged life at an elite boarding school, and is beyond thrilled when she receives an invitation to join the A’s, an exclusive, secret, co-ed society, that rules the campus. Then, a stack of photos are found beneath the floorboards at the lake house, pictures of her along with her mother and sister, evidence they were being stalked. And written on the back of one are two words, ‘I Know’. What does the message mean? Who wrote it, and why? Charlie is determined to find out, and her actions set in motion a chain of events that is about to bring her perfect life crashing down.
Cross Pretty Little Liars with Gossip Girl, throw in some Cruel Intentions, put an original, sophisticated spin on things and you have All These Beautiful Strangers. Then add not one, but two past mysteries to solve, both with ties to the Calloway family, and you have a sure-fire winner. Plus, I’m a sucker for books set at boarding school, and Elizabeth Klehfoth did a stellar job of bringing Knollwood Augustus Prep, and it’s faculty and students, to life.
The mystery was a slow-burn, with enough creepy, ominous touches, to evoke that unsettled feeling within you while reading. Moments such as Grace enjoying a late night swim, with her two young daughters asleep inside, when the porch light goes out (it's not on an automatic timer). Or, Charlie on the edge of the school grounds, hearing footsteps behind her, able to see a kitchen light on in her dormitory, but not sure if she can make it there in time before the person behind her catches up to her. Also, the author came up with a couple of ingenious ways to move the mystery plot along, that out of all the mysteries I’ve read, I’ve never seen done before.
There’s a large cast of characters so you’ll need to pay close attention, so plenty of suspects to choose from. It’s also a very character-driven, coming-of-age story. At first glance Charlie appears to be a spoiler, self-centred, rich kid, whose only agenda is her own. But it soon becomes clear that there is so much more to her than meets the eye, and I formed a real attachment to her. I actually got pretty emotional at the end, seeing how far she’d come from where she started. And there are other reasons I became emotional, but I’m not going to tell.
It’s no secret that I’m an adult who’s a YA crime suspense fanatic, but even if you’re not, I still highly recommend this one – believe that there’s enough adult content to satisfy. Sure there’s a certain amount of teen speak, classes, dances, etc, but it’s not over-the-top. And, even though the majority of the story is told via Charlie (set in 2017), there are adult POV’s chapters as well, narrated by Grace, and Charlie’s father, Alistair Calloway (covering the period 1996-2007). To the teenage readers, read it now!
I only have one question – when’s Elizabeth Klehfoth’s next book?
Whoops, almost neglected to do a shout-out to the gorgeous, sparkly cover for the paperback edition. And ‘I Know’ is written along the pages as well – love it!
The summer Charlie Calloway was seven years-old her mother, Grace, vanished without a trace from their lake house. Due to her luggage being missing, and a large cash withdrawal by her the day before she disappeared, it is believed Grace left of her own accord. Consequently, Charlie has grown up hating her mother for abandoning not only her, but her father and younger sister as well. Ten years on, she’s enjoying a privileged life at an elite boarding school, and is beyond thrilled when she receives an invitation to join the A’s, an exclusive, secret, co-ed society, that rules the campus. Then, a stack of photos are found beneath the floorboards at the lake house, pictures of her along with her mother and sister, evidence they were being stalked. And written on the back of one are two words, ‘I Know’. What does the message mean? Who wrote it, and why? Charlie is determined to find out, and her actions set in motion a chain of events that is about to bring her perfect life crashing down.
Cross Pretty Little Liars with Gossip Girl, throw in some Cruel Intentions, put an original, sophisticated spin on things and you have All These Beautiful Strangers. Then add not one, but two past mysteries to solve, both with ties to the Calloway family, and you have a sure-fire winner. Plus, I’m a sucker for books set at boarding school, and Elizabeth Klehfoth did a stellar job of bringing Knollwood Augustus Prep, and it’s faculty and students, to life.
The mystery was a slow-burn, with enough creepy, ominous touches, to evoke that unsettled feeling within you while reading. Moments such as Grace enjoying a late night swim, with her two young daughters asleep inside, when the porch light goes out (it's not on an automatic timer). Or, Charlie on the edge of the school grounds, hearing footsteps behind her, able to see a kitchen light on in her dormitory, but not sure if she can make it there in time before the person behind her catches up to her. Also, the author came up with a couple of ingenious ways to move the mystery plot along, that out of all the mysteries I’ve read, I’ve never seen done before.
There’s a large cast of characters so you’ll need to pay close attention, so plenty of suspects to choose from. It’s also a very character-driven, coming-of-age story. At first glance Charlie appears to be a spoiler, self-centred, rich kid, whose only agenda is her own. But it soon becomes clear that there is so much more to her than meets the eye, and I formed a real attachment to her. I actually got pretty emotional at the end, seeing how far she’d come from where she started. And there are other reasons I became emotional, but I’m not going to tell.
It’s no secret that I’m an adult who’s a YA crime suspense fanatic, but even if you’re not, I still highly recommend this one – believe that there’s enough adult content to satisfy. Sure there’s a certain amount of teen speak, classes, dances, etc, but it’s not over-the-top. And, even though the majority of the story is told via Charlie (set in 2017), there are adult POV’s chapters as well, narrated by Grace, and Charlie’s father, Alistair Calloway (covering the period 1996-2007). To the teenage readers, read it now!
I only have one question – when’s Elizabeth Klehfoth’s next book?
Whoops, almost neglected to do a shout-out to the gorgeous, sparkly cover for the paperback edition. And ‘I Know’ is written along the pages as well – love it!
July 14, 2018
This felt like a very interesting YA/adult novel hybrid, with it's focus on both Charlie Calloway (in 2017) and her parents (in the 1990s). With Charlie's mother's disappearance, and the mysterious death of a boy on campus, there are more than a few secrets hidden by the Calloways, and as the book slowly unfolds, you get all the answers. The three POVs and different time periods means there's often dramatic irony in the relaying of information, so mostly I was waiting for Charlie to catch up on things I'd already read being admitted.
There was a lot of elements to this book that I enjoyed, like the secret society at the boarding school (very Frankie Landau-Banks) and Charlie joining the school paper, but I think I would have liked it more if the story was more heavily weighted on Charlie being a detective, rather than just given information by uncles and friends of the family.
Secondary characters swarmed this book, and I cared quite a lot for Drew and Grayson, but the focus on the parent storylines meant their prominence was weak. I did like that I couldn't put my finger on the romantic lead of the story though...everyone was either too non-committal or too detestable!
All These Beautiful Strangers definitely read like it was written by a creative writing professor (which is accurate according to Klehfoth's bio) and that tone made it an interesting and stand-out read from other things on my shelf.
Basically, if you wished that Gossip Girl was about the parent's generation, and that Pretty Little Liars had more 'getting to the point', then I'd really recommend this book!
There was a lot of elements to this book that I enjoyed, like the secret society at the boarding school (very Frankie Landau-Banks) and Charlie joining the school paper, but I think I would have liked it more if the story was more heavily weighted on Charlie being a detective, rather than just given information by uncles and friends of the family.
Secondary characters swarmed this book, and I cared quite a lot for Drew and Grayson, but the focus on the parent storylines meant their prominence was weak. I did like that I couldn't put my finger on the romantic lead of the story though...everyone was either too non-committal or too detestable!
All These Beautiful Strangers definitely read like it was written by a creative writing professor (which is accurate according to Klehfoth's bio) and that tone made it an interesting and stand-out read from other things on my shelf.
Basically, if you wished that Gossip Girl was about the parent's generation, and that Pretty Little Liars had more 'getting to the point', then I'd really recommend this book!
July 17, 2018
4.25/5 stars
I am quite surprised that this books isn't talked about more, on Goodreads specifically. It is the epitome of a perfect summer read - I ate it up in one day (and this book isn't small - 448 pages).
Also, I had no expectations whatsoever when I started reading it, so I think that contributed to me being very pleasantly surprised by this debut.
The beginning of the book has very strong Pretty Little Liars vibes, but much, much better executed. However, as the book progressed I started comparing it to The Secret Garden by Kate Morton (which I recently also read). The comparison is due to the story branching out through two generations- past and present colliding, and that is something Morton does in her every book. But, while The Secret Garden almost put me to sleep, All These Beautiful Strangers hooked me and didn't let go till the very end.
Mostly, we follow the story through Charlie in the present day, but we also get glimpses into the past from her parents' points of view. The overlapping was done really well, and the story flow felt very natural. And if I put you off by comparing this to Pretty Little Liars, don't worry All These Beautiful Strangers is far superior to PLL in every sense - structural, grammatical and just in general the writing is quite good.
Charlie is a great main character to follow around - she doesn't pull her punches, she says what she thinks and never takes it back. Sure, she might be a bit antisocial, but I was actually able to relate to that. The story is set in a prestige boarding school, but despite that it wasn't tacky in a way college novels can be.
By the end it did get pretty intense and I loved it! The book that makes me feel things (and I felt scared for the character) is a book worth reading my opinion! All These Beautiful Strangers is a perfect summer read, and as far as young adult mystery books go - this one is one of the best I've read so far.
Big thanks to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing an advanced reader copy for a review. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
________________________________________
Who doesn't love a surprise ARC in the mail?
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
I am quite surprised that this books isn't talked about more, on Goodreads specifically. It is the epitome of a perfect summer read - I ate it up in one day (and this book isn't small - 448 pages).
Also, I had no expectations whatsoever when I started reading it, so I think that contributed to me being very pleasantly surprised by this debut.
The beginning of the book has very strong Pretty Little Liars vibes, but much, much better executed. However, as the book progressed I started comparing it to The Secret Garden by Kate Morton (which I recently also read). The comparison is due to the story branching out through two generations- past and present colliding, and that is something Morton does in her every book. But, while The Secret Garden almost put me to sleep, All These Beautiful Strangers hooked me and didn't let go till the very end.
Mostly, we follow the story through Charlie in the present day, but we also get glimpses into the past from her parents' points of view. The overlapping was done really well, and the story flow felt very natural. And if I put you off by comparing this to Pretty Little Liars, don't worry All These Beautiful Strangers is far superior to PLL in every sense - structural, grammatical and just in general the writing is quite good.
Charlie is a great main character to follow around - she doesn't pull her punches, she says what she thinks and never takes it back. Sure, she might be a bit antisocial, but I was actually able to relate to that. The story is set in a prestige boarding school, but despite that it wasn't tacky in a way college novels can be.
By the end it did get pretty intense and I loved it! The book that makes me feel things (and I felt scared for the character) is a book worth reading my opinion! All These Beautiful Strangers is a perfect summer read, and as far as young adult mystery books go - this one is one of the best I've read so far.
Big thanks to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing an advanced reader copy for a review. All opinions are my own, honest and come from the heart.
________________________________________
Who doesn't love a surprise ARC in the mail?
My WEBSITE
My INSTAGRAM
My WORDPRESS BLOG
June 16, 2018
Charlie Calloway is a 17-year old with everything. She’s heir to a family fortune and attends an elite private school, Knollwood Augustus Prep. What’s more, she’s just been invited to join Knollwood’s most exclusive club, a secretive group known as the A’s. (Yes, that's how it’s punctuated in the book and yes, that bloody apostrophe took a few minutes off my life every time I had to look at it.) But Charlie is haunted by the disappearance, and possibly death, of her mother Grace ten years earlier. All These Beautiful Strangers is the story of her quest to discover what really happened to Grace.
The main narrative concentrates on Charlie’s days at Knollwood – the initiation rituals she must take part in to join the A’s; a tentative first romance; rivalries and alliances with other girls – while intermittent flashbacks take us into the history of the Calloways. We get to hear from Charlie’s father, Alistair, as well as the disappeared Grace. These chapters intrigued me most; I often felt I was wading through the Charlie storyline just to get to them. Once it became clear Alistair and Grace’s relationship barely resembled the rose-tinted tale they’d sold Charlie, I had to know what the real story was.
I was interested to see that All These Beautiful Strangers is being marketed as adult fiction in the US and YA in the UK; by my reckoning, the latter is more accurate. While the adults have the more interesting story, the narrative is unfortunately heavy on the social mores of a bunch of rich, obnoxious teens who expect to get into top universities yet seem to take pride in being ignorant. It’s a funny mixture of Gossip Girl and something much more old-fashioned (see: the subplot in which Charlie is persuaded to sign up for the school newspaper and must co-author a story with a scrappy younger boy.) The blurb can mention The Secret History all it likes; Donna Tartt this ain’t.
(I don’t know what Klehfoth has against Sylvia Plath – I can only conclude she was forced to study Ariel at some point and hated it, because there’s a weirdly large number of scenes in which characters either bitch about Plath’s poetry or flippantly dismiss it.)
(Also, the character names in this book are utterly ridiculous. There are people called ‘Royce Dalton’ and ‘McKenna St Clare’ and ‘Brighton Maverick’. They're like when someone tries to make a neural network come up with new human names.)
I didn’t believe in these people or their world for a second, but All These Beautiful Strangers was undeniably fun to read. Klehfoth really knows how to construct a twisty plot, how to fashion a cliffhanger that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can read them. It's ridiculous, and it’s also ridiculously enjoyable.
I received an advance review copy of All These Beautiful Strangers from the publisher through Edelweiss.
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The main narrative concentrates on Charlie’s days at Knollwood – the initiation rituals she must take part in to join the A’s; a tentative first romance; rivalries and alliances with other girls – while intermittent flashbacks take us into the history of the Calloways. We get to hear from Charlie’s father, Alistair, as well as the disappeared Grace. These chapters intrigued me most; I often felt I was wading through the Charlie storyline just to get to them. Once it became clear Alistair and Grace’s relationship barely resembled the rose-tinted tale they’d sold Charlie, I had to know what the real story was.
I was interested to see that All These Beautiful Strangers is being marketed as adult fiction in the US and YA in the UK; by my reckoning, the latter is more accurate. While the adults have the more interesting story, the narrative is unfortunately heavy on the social mores of a bunch of rich, obnoxious teens who expect to get into top universities yet seem to take pride in being ignorant. It’s a funny mixture of Gossip Girl and something much more old-fashioned (see: the subplot in which Charlie is persuaded to sign up for the school newspaper and must co-author a story with a scrappy younger boy.) The blurb can mention The Secret History all it likes; Donna Tartt this ain’t.
(I don’t know what Klehfoth has against Sylvia Plath – I can only conclude she was forced to study Ariel at some point and hated it, because there’s a weirdly large number of scenes in which characters either bitch about Plath’s poetry or flippantly dismiss it.)
(Also, the character names in this book are utterly ridiculous. There are people called ‘Royce Dalton’ and ‘McKenna St Clare’ and ‘Brighton Maverick’. They're like when someone tries to make a neural network come up with new human names.)
I didn’t believe in these people or their world for a second, but All These Beautiful Strangers was undeniably fun to read. Klehfoth really knows how to construct a twisty plot, how to fashion a cliffhanger that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can read them. It's ridiculous, and it’s also ridiculously enjoyable.
I received an advance review copy of All These Beautiful Strangers from the publisher through Edelweiss.
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November 27, 2018
*4 MYSTERIOUS STARS*
"Every great tragedy started with love.”
Don't you just love it when a lesser known book surprises you in the best way?
If you're into young adult murder/suspense mysteries similar to One Of Us Is Lying, with a little bit of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars thrown into the mix, you'll love this one!
I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this novel as much as I ended up doing! I wouldn't say the ending came as a complete surprise, and some things just weren't believable at all (which actually didn't bother me in this particular case) but the entire buildup with the different mysteries during different timelines and the interchanging point of views was incredibly well executed. Also, doesn't the beautiful yet eerie cover draw you right in?!
Despite this being a considerably long book, I somehow breezed through this and couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Though Charlie and Grace weren't particularly strong (or even likable) female leads, it just goes to show that nobody is perfect. Literally all the characters in this book have flaws!
I feel like one of the messages in this novel is the importance of communication (I mean, pretty much everything that happened in this book could've been prevented if the characters just talked to eachother), family and friendship.
Received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Every great tragedy started with love.”
Don't you just love it when a lesser known book surprises you in the best way?
If you're into young adult murder/suspense mysteries similar to One Of Us Is Lying, with a little bit of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars thrown into the mix, you'll love this one!
I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this novel as much as I ended up doing! I wouldn't say the ending came as a complete surprise, and some things just weren't believable at all (which actually didn't bother me in this particular case) but the entire buildup with the different mysteries during different timelines and the interchanging point of views was incredibly well executed. Also, doesn't the beautiful yet eerie cover draw you right in?!
Despite this being a considerably long book, I somehow breezed through this and couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Though Charlie and Grace weren't particularly strong (or even likable) female leads, it just goes to show that nobody is perfect. Literally all the characters in this book have flaws!
I feel like one of the messages in this novel is the importance of communication (I mean, pretty much everything that happened in this book could've been prevented if the characters just talked to eachother), family and friendship.
Received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
January 12, 2022
"In many ways, my mother, my father—the people I was closest to, the people who meant the most to me—were strangers. Beautiful strangers."📚 Series? No.
📚 Genre? YA Thriller
📚 Read for? A to Z: Letter A
📚 Cliffhanger? No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Incest. Murder.
⚠ Book Tags : Boarding School. Secret Society.
⚠ This Book In Emojis: 🕵🏼♀️🏣🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Overall thoughts:
I blame my sense of responsibility to finish a book I started for me to have a poorly-starred book at the start of the year.
As a fan of YA thrillers, I was hopeful for this one. But boy, did it fail me. Reading All These Beautiful Strangers read like a combination of Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, and something else that's unrealistic, badly written, and weird (???). I'm a fan of boarding school thrillers because there's an air of mystery and creepiness in them generally, but this one just felt like an attempt to give a thriller similar to the successful thrillers of recent years.
The initial premise of the book sounded so intriguing that I picked it up gladly from my Scribd recommendations. The book was written pretty dramatically, alternating narrations from the main character's current life and to the 90s when her parents were young adults themselves.
Charlie Calloway is a part of a ✨secret society✨ that made her do unnecessary evil things, including making out with her cousin (which I felt that the MC WEIRDLY LIKED! ew) and worse and worse things as the book progressed. She also discovered links to her mother's disappearance, her relationships, and the truth behind her family. The bad part, though, is it took a VERY LONG time to uncover what needs to be uncovered, because the MC is so busy getting into relationships with people she shouldn't, i.e, the school's bad boy, a college boy (she's in highschool!), and HER COUSIN! (Again, ew.)
Overall, I think the book was unnecessarily long, and if I weren't listening via audiobook, it would have definitely been an early DNF at the start of the year.
(A one-star but I just wanted to give an extra star for that beautiful cover and for the way our dear Charlie Calloway actually owned up to the bad things that the✨secret society✨ did.)
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Intrigue:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Writing Quality:⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Character Development: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Thrill: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Plot: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Enjoyment: ⭐☆☆☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 1.7/5 ☁
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July 12, 2019
I loved this book, though I wasn’t sure exactly into which genre the author intended it be placed. On one hand, this is adolescent lit, as it tells the story of high school junior Charlotte (Charlie) Calloway as she comes of age in a prep school environment. On the other hand, however, I felt like much of the subject matter (suicide, murder, sex, drugs, etc.) were handled in a way that would demand a certain amount of maturity in order to appreciate.
The plot that drives the novel is actually two fold. First is the story of Charlie and her initiation into a secret prep school “club” known as the A’s. Second is the tale of Charlie’s mother, who disappeared years earlier under suspicious circumstances, though Charlie was always led to believe that her mother abandoned her and her sister in search of greener pastures. The story of the A’s and that of Charlie’s mother intersect, delivering a powerful message about the destructive nature of secrets and lies.
The writing here is sound, and the characters are exceptionally well developed. The point of view is first person, with alternating speakers from chapter to chapter. The author handled these transitions beautifully, with a separate and distinct voice for each of these characters as they offered facts and background critical to a full appreciation of the work.
I always consider a book to be a success when first, it sticks with me, and second, when I can become so wrapped up in the reading that the room around me “disappears”. This novel did both. I still find myself wondering where those characters would have landed had the author written a follow up.
The plot that drives the novel is actually two fold. First is the story of Charlie and her initiation into a secret prep school “club” known as the A’s. Second is the tale of Charlie’s mother, who disappeared years earlier under suspicious circumstances, though Charlie was always led to believe that her mother abandoned her and her sister in search of greener pastures. The story of the A’s and that of Charlie’s mother intersect, delivering a powerful message about the destructive nature of secrets and lies.
The writing here is sound, and the characters are exceptionally well developed. The point of view is first person, with alternating speakers from chapter to chapter. The author handled these transitions beautifully, with a separate and distinct voice for each of these characters as they offered facts and background critical to a full appreciation of the work.
I always consider a book to be a success when first, it sticks with me, and second, when I can become so wrapped up in the reading that the room around me “disappears”. This novel did both. I still find myself wondering where those characters would have landed had the author written a follow up.
January 7, 2021
The only other mystery I have read is One of Us Is Lying, so I don't really know what is the usual standard for books like this.
But what I can say is...
This book scared the sh*t out of me! And when you're reading a thriller... I'm pretty sure that's something you want!
Anyway, I have basically implied that I don't know how to review mysteries, which is very true, so don't expect too much from this review, but I'm just going to start to cause oh well, my reviews are for me, myself and I so-
Sh*t, y'all. SH*T.
What the hell was that plot twist at the end?!
Oh my god.
Let's just get into it.
This book follows 17-year-old Charlie Calloway, the eldest daughter of millionaire Alistair Calloway. She goes to the Knollwood Prep School, an elite boarding school in a distant American town (and her father's alma mater).
When she was 8 years old, her mother disappeared.
There are a lot of theories. Some people say, that he used to abuse her and murdered her. Some people say, that she's just mad.
Most people say that she was a gold digger, because, well, we've all seen the bank tapes!
But Charlie doesn't believe any of them. She refuses to believe that her mother was a gold digger, the bank tapes implications are irrelevant. She just... knows, call it a daughter's instinct, that there is something no one is telling her.
And that's exactly what the A's can give her. Answers.
Ah. The A's. The infamous, powerful (scary) A's. They're a secret society and Knollwood, reputed for being powerful and extremely exclusive.
And oh my word, they're exclusive for sure.
But when Charlie gets a secret invitation from them, she has to choose.
Joining the A's would mean choosing between doing the right thing and staying safe from the secrets or getting into the most elite club of her school-
-and finding out what really happened to her mom. Because if anyone can help her figure it out, it's the A's.
The twists just never stopped coming. I was scared like sh*t after I was about halfway through. I just couldn't stop reading!
The whole story is based on the misunderstandings between all of them. It just makes you think... just how much we unintentionally assume about people, especially those closest to us...
This was my last book of 2020... and it couldn't have been more incredible. Just... incredible.
↠ 𝟒.𝟕𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
Buddy read with Johanna :)
Surprise surprise - all your theories were correct! :D
But what I can say is...
This book scared the sh*t out of me! And when you're reading a thriller... I'm pretty sure that's something you want!
Anyway, I have basically implied that I don't know how to review mysteries, which is very true, so don't expect too much from this review, but I'm just going to start to cause oh well, my reviews are for me, myself and I so-
Sh*t, y'all. SH*T.
What the hell was that plot twist at the end?!
Oh my god.
Let's just get into it.
This book follows 17-year-old Charlie Calloway, the eldest daughter of millionaire Alistair Calloway. She goes to the Knollwood Prep School, an elite boarding school in a distant American town (and her father's alma mater).
When she was 8 years old, her mother disappeared.
There are a lot of theories. Some people say, that he used to abuse her and murdered her. Some people say, that she's just mad.
Most people say that she was a gold digger, because, well, we've all seen the bank tapes!
But Charlie doesn't believe any of them. She refuses to believe that her mother was a gold digger, the bank tapes implications are irrelevant. She just... knows, call it a daughter's instinct, that there is something no one is telling her.
And that's exactly what the A's can give her. Answers.
Ah. The A's. The infamous, powerful (scary) A's. They're a secret society and Knollwood, reputed for being powerful and extremely exclusive.
And oh my word, they're exclusive for sure.
But when Charlie gets a secret invitation from them, she has to choose.
Joining the A's would mean choosing between doing the right thing and staying safe from the secrets or getting into the most elite club of her school-
-and finding out what really happened to her mom. Because if anyone can help her figure it out, it's the A's.
The twists just never stopped coming. I was scared like sh*t after I was about halfway through. I just couldn't stop reading!
The whole story is based on the misunderstandings between all of them. It just makes you think... just how much we unintentionally assume about people, especially those closest to us...
This was my last book of 2020... and it couldn't have been more incredible. Just... incredible.
↠ 𝟒.𝟕𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
Buddy read with Johanna :)
Surprise surprise - all your theories were correct! :D
May 27, 2020
All these beautiful strangers is a story about a wealthy family filled with lies. Charlie doesnt know what happened to her mother. Did she really disappear from her life? Did her father have something to do with her disappearance? Not only is she dealing with that but she has been invited into the secret elite society the "A's" which she has to complete difficult challenges to be a part of the society. Filled with mystery and secrets this book is told in alternating years and characters.
March 25, 2022
Decent idea with a poor execution. I picked this up after seeing it recommended on Reddit. I didn't read reviews on Goodreads before checking it out from the library ... let this be a lesson to me!! At least this book offers the funniest assortment of names I have ever read. I highlighted all of them for posterity.
September 14, 2018
This book was phenomenal and I still cannot believe it is Klehfoth's debut!!
All These Beautiful Strangers follows Charlie Calloway, a 17-year-old privileged, rich teen. Her father, Alistair Calloway, comes from a very wealthy upper-class family who bring all the classic rich stereotypes to life. They are stuck up and full of secrets.
Her mother disappeared ten years before the book starts, leaving a lot of unanswered questions and brewing up scandalous rumours.
In a short summary, we follow Charlie through her Junior year at her prestigious boarding school, Knollwood. An invitation to join the secretive society of Knollwood causes Charlie to land herself in a web of lies, secrets and costly challenges that question her morals and character. But the secrets could lead her to the answer she's been craving her whole life: What happened to her mother?
The other two protagonists in this book are Alistair (her father) and Grace (her mother). Their perspectives provide the missing pieces that would not have been provided by Charlie, and let us dive into the past, collecting much needed information.
Grace's point of view is gut wrenching and tear-jerking - I found myself crying at some of her chapters. I really loved how she wasn't just the 'Missing Mum'. We got to know the real Grace and her character was beautifully developed. Her perspectives really made this book a five star read and made this novel heartbreaking but wonderful.
I absolutely loved the boarding school setting and the privileged characters with all their secrets. I found all the characters to be well rounded, complex and wonderfully developed. Klehfoth did a brilliant job and I cannot praise her enough.
The mystery element to this book had to be well done, since that was the main pitch of the book. Was it well done? YES.
We are following Charlie as she picks at her family's past and little clues are given along the way. I had so much fun forming my own conclusions with every new piece of evidence.
I did have my small suspicions, but I was not prepared for the ending and it took my breath away.
I had so many questions but they were all answered when I turned the page and read the Epilogue, which was the cherry on top of a great ending.
As for character development, I really wanted to see Charlie get some well-needed character development, as she was slightly unlikable during the first half of the book. She was very self-centred and judgemental. The character development came towards the end of the book and I was delighted. It was great to see Charlie grow and find herself. I love, love, loved how she changed her perspective on life and changed herself for the better.
I also loved how different the two sides of Charlie's family were. The Calloways were your stereotypical rich, stuck-up assholes and the Fairchilds were your cosy, warm family. They were so different but they worked so well together.
I would have liked to have seen more from Serephina, Charlie's younger sister, but her absence during most of the book didn't really affect the story.
This book is now my favourite of 2018 - absolutely brilliant! The plot, characters, setting all a 10/10 for me.
Before going into this book, be mindful of the trigger warnings for sexual assault and abuse.
All These Beautiful Strangers follows Charlie Calloway, a 17-year-old privileged, rich teen. Her father, Alistair Calloway, comes from a very wealthy upper-class family who bring all the classic rich stereotypes to life. They are stuck up and full of secrets.
Her mother disappeared ten years before the book starts, leaving a lot of unanswered questions and brewing up scandalous rumours.
In a short summary, we follow Charlie through her Junior year at her prestigious boarding school, Knollwood. An invitation to join the secretive society of Knollwood causes Charlie to land herself in a web of lies, secrets and costly challenges that question her morals and character. But the secrets could lead her to the answer she's been craving her whole life: What happened to her mother?
The other two protagonists in this book are Alistair (her father) and Grace (her mother). Their perspectives provide the missing pieces that would not have been provided by Charlie, and let us dive into the past, collecting much needed information.
Grace's point of view is gut wrenching and tear-jerking - I found myself crying at some of her chapters. I really loved how she wasn't just the 'Missing Mum'. We got to know the real Grace and her character was beautifully developed. Her perspectives really made this book a five star read and made this novel heartbreaking but wonderful.
I absolutely loved the boarding school setting and the privileged characters with all their secrets. I found all the characters to be well rounded, complex and wonderfully developed. Klehfoth did a brilliant job and I cannot praise her enough.
The mystery element to this book had to be well done, since that was the main pitch of the book. Was it well done? YES.
We are following Charlie as she picks at her family's past and little clues are given along the way. I had so much fun forming my own conclusions with every new piece of evidence.
I did have my small suspicions, but I was not prepared for the ending and it took my breath away.
I had so many questions but they were all answered when I turned the page and read the Epilogue, which was the cherry on top of a great ending.
As for character development, I really wanted to see Charlie get some well-needed character development, as she was slightly unlikable during the first half of the book. She was very self-centred and judgemental. The character development came towards the end of the book and I was delighted. It was great to see Charlie grow and find herself. I love, love, loved how she changed her perspective on life and changed herself for the better.
I also loved how different the two sides of Charlie's family were. The Calloways were your stereotypical rich, stuck-up assholes and the Fairchilds were your cosy, warm family. They were so different but they worked so well together.
I would have liked to have seen more from Serephina, Charlie's younger sister, but her absence during most of the book didn't really affect the story.
This book is now my favourite of 2018 - absolutely brilliant! The plot, characters, setting all a 10/10 for me.
Before going into this book, be mindful of the trigger warnings for sexual assault and abuse.
July 9, 2018
ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS is a paragon of the perfect summer read. Klehfoth has a voice that dazzles, intrigues, and intimidates. Her writing is razor-sharp and sensational. The plot to this novel is spectacular and inviting. Combine that with dangerously well-written characters, a gorgeous setting, and a novel that teeters on the brink of different genres and you have one hell of a winner in my eyes.
This novel is like Cruel Intentions meets Pretty Little Liars meets Gillian Flynn. I absolutely loved the back and forth between different family members of the Calloway family and how the storylines (twenty years apart) blended together so smoothly as this read continued. Similar to the writing style of Flynn, Klehfoth's characters were mostly unlikeable and not to be trusted - just how I like them. I loved every aspect of this storyline. It has drama, a bit of comedy, and a gorgeous cold case mystery. Not only that, but the boarding school setting just adds so much to this novel, then you have the glitz of the city, the ominous setting in a house by the sea...I mean, come on; this novel was meant to be devoured piece by piece. And did I ever.
I loved the characters in this novel. They were ruthless, genius, and terrifyingly entertaining. I loved how Charlie Calloway wasn't your cookie-cutter sweetheart who hasn't done a thing wrong her entire life. She was strong, unapologetic, and imperfectly lovable all at the same time. Bravo to Klehfoth for not writing a female protagonist that requires saving, a shoulder to cry on, or assistance in getting to the bottom of this multi-layered novel. My only downfall was that throughout the novel between Charlie's classmates, friends, family, and friends of the family, it was hard to keep track of all of the characters between her perspective and other characters perspectives as well. Granted, Klehfoth does a great job of weeding out the ones that are mention-only by the second part, but it was a little intimidating at first.
I cannot say enough great things about this novel. I was completely immersed and this is easily one of the most enjoyable reads I have had in my hands in a long time. Thank you so much to Elizabeth Klehfoth for combining so many beautiful things in a book that I love and cramming it into a 400+ novel that has not one word wasted throughout.
Special thanks to William Morrow for my copy in exchange for my honest review.
This novel is like Cruel Intentions meets Pretty Little Liars meets Gillian Flynn. I absolutely loved the back and forth between different family members of the Calloway family and how the storylines (twenty years apart) blended together so smoothly as this read continued. Similar to the writing style of Flynn, Klehfoth's characters were mostly unlikeable and not to be trusted - just how I like them. I loved every aspect of this storyline. It has drama, a bit of comedy, and a gorgeous cold case mystery. Not only that, but the boarding school setting just adds so much to this novel, then you have the glitz of the city, the ominous setting in a house by the sea...I mean, come on; this novel was meant to be devoured piece by piece. And did I ever.
I loved the characters in this novel. They were ruthless, genius, and terrifyingly entertaining. I loved how Charlie Calloway wasn't your cookie-cutter sweetheart who hasn't done a thing wrong her entire life. She was strong, unapologetic, and imperfectly lovable all at the same time. Bravo to Klehfoth for not writing a female protagonist that requires saving, a shoulder to cry on, or assistance in getting to the bottom of this multi-layered novel. My only downfall was that throughout the novel between Charlie's classmates, friends, family, and friends of the family, it was hard to keep track of all of the characters between her perspective and other characters perspectives as well. Granted, Klehfoth does a great job of weeding out the ones that are mention-only by the second part, but it was a little intimidating at first.
I cannot say enough great things about this novel. I was completely immersed and this is easily one of the most enjoyable reads I have had in my hands in a long time. Thank you so much to Elizabeth Klehfoth for combining so many beautiful things in a book that I love and cramming it into a 400+ novel that has not one word wasted throughout.
Special thanks to William Morrow for my copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2019
ADOREI o livro! Thriller espectacular que me deixou agarrada até ao final!
Este livro conta a história de Charlotte (Charlie) uma adolescente da classe alta cuja mãe alegadamente desapareceu há 10 anos atrás e que vai estudar para um colégio interno de prestígio.
No colégio, Charlie fica a fazer parte de um grupo secreto onde só a elite pertence e durante o seu percurso para se afirmar como membro do clube vai descobrindo várias coisas que a levam a tentar perceber desesperadamente o que aconteceu à sua mãe.
E quando percebemos que a verdade vai magoar as pessoas que nos são queridas? Esquecemos ou vamos em frente e não nos calamos?
Este livro conta a história de Charlotte (Charlie) uma adolescente da classe alta cuja mãe alegadamente desapareceu há 10 anos atrás e que vai estudar para um colégio interno de prestígio.
No colégio, Charlie fica a fazer parte de um grupo secreto onde só a elite pertence e durante o seu percurso para se afirmar como membro do clube vai descobrindo várias coisas que a levam a tentar perceber desesperadamente o que aconteceu à sua mãe.
E quando percebemos que a verdade vai magoar as pessoas que nos são queridas? Esquecemos ou vamos em frente e não nos calamos?
April 28, 2019
All These Beautiful Strangers is super intriguing with lots of suspense. I’m a sucker for a good mystery. Right from the get go this one did not disappoint. 4 ☆
July 4, 2018
I really enjoyed All These Beautiful Strangers! I was immediately hooked by the prologue, and looked forward to finding out what the mystery was.
Part of this book is set at a boarding school, and part of it is set at a family lakehouse. I loved both settings. They were tense, intriguing, and it was very easy to get lost in the story. There's also a secret society, which is such a fun aspect of the story. All These Beautiful Strangers has a lot of mysterious flashbacks, and I liked figuring out the mystery as the story went on (I did not solve it before the final reveal, so that's good).
This book may sound like it has a YA storyline, but it's told with an adult voice. I really loved it, and I'm so glad that I was able to receive a review copy. If you're a fan of Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, but want something a little different, pick this one up!
Part of this book is set at a boarding school, and part of it is set at a family lakehouse. I loved both settings. They were tense, intriguing, and it was very easy to get lost in the story. There's also a secret society, which is such a fun aspect of the story. All These Beautiful Strangers has a lot of mysterious flashbacks, and I liked figuring out the mystery as the story went on (I did not solve it before the final reveal, so that's good).
This book may sound like it has a YA storyline, but it's told with an adult voice. I really loved it, and I'm so glad that I was able to receive a review copy. If you're a fan of Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, but want something a little different, pick this one up!
July 18, 2018
3.5/5
I have a rocky relationship with YA mystery/thrillers, I actually quit reading them over a year ago because I found the ones I picked up to be predictable and not suitable for an avid reader of thrillers like myself. But as soon as I saw the cover of this I did a double take, it’s stunning! Then I read the description and got a Gossip Girl meets The Skulls vibe so I said, to hell with my self imposed YA thriller ban and added it to my TBR. I’m SO glad that I did, while this most assuredly is a YA novel it had enough depth and maturity to satisfy me and made for the ideal light summer mystery.
This flips between 2017 as Charlie begins her junior year at a prestigious prep school and then goes back in time to the mid nineties and you hear from both her mom and dad as they meet and get married. This was easy to follow along with, all the chapters are labeled clearly and each character had a distinct voice of their own, no confusion to be found. The whole elite, secret society at a boarding school has been done before but the author still managed to keep me engaged as Charlie had to complete a hazing of sorts to be granted admittance to the A’s. At the same time she is starting to look into her moms disappearance and finds out some things about her family that are shocking and disappointing. There was plenty of intrigue surrounding her moms disappearance to keep me interested, dark and long buried secrets and old feuds that Charlie knows nothing about along with a fairly tense current plot about her initiation. It’s also chock full of the type of characters I love to hate, always a bonus for me.
While there is nothing groundbreaking here Klehfoth was a talented enough writer that I was completely wrapped up in the dark history of the Calloway family and it felt like an ultimate guilty pleasure read. I may have figured out a few things before they were revealed but in the end I wasn’t totally right and I had a whole lot of fun along the way, and if I’m entertained when I’m reading I’ll always call that a win!
All These Beautiful Strangers in three words: Manipulative, Dramatic and Polished.
I have a rocky relationship with YA mystery/thrillers, I actually quit reading them over a year ago because I found the ones I picked up to be predictable and not suitable for an avid reader of thrillers like myself. But as soon as I saw the cover of this I did a double take, it’s stunning! Then I read the description and got a Gossip Girl meets The Skulls vibe so I said, to hell with my self imposed YA thriller ban and added it to my TBR. I’m SO glad that I did, while this most assuredly is a YA novel it had enough depth and maturity to satisfy me and made for the ideal light summer mystery.
This flips between 2017 as Charlie begins her junior year at a prestigious prep school and then goes back in time to the mid nineties and you hear from both her mom and dad as they meet and get married. This was easy to follow along with, all the chapters are labeled clearly and each character had a distinct voice of their own, no confusion to be found. The whole elite, secret society at a boarding school has been done before but the author still managed to keep me engaged as Charlie had to complete a hazing of sorts to be granted admittance to the A’s. At the same time she is starting to look into her moms disappearance and finds out some things about her family that are shocking and disappointing. There was plenty of intrigue surrounding her moms disappearance to keep me interested, dark and long buried secrets and old feuds that Charlie knows nothing about along with a fairly tense current plot about her initiation. It’s also chock full of the type of characters I love to hate, always a bonus for me.
While there is nothing groundbreaking here Klehfoth was a talented enough writer that I was completely wrapped up in the dark history of the Calloway family and it felt like an ultimate guilty pleasure read. I may have figured out a few things before they were revealed but in the end I wasn’t totally right and I had a whole lot of fun along the way, and if I’m entertained when I’m reading I’ll always call that a win!
All These Beautiful Strangers in three words: Manipulative, Dramatic and Polished.
January 31, 2019
Such a wonderful YA read! A solid 4 stars from me here!! this book had characters that were so richly developed I really found myself emotionally invested in them and really caring about what happened to them, how their stories ended. So wonderfully written, I cannot wait to see what else comes out next from this author! In case you all don't realize this is a chunker of a book, 438 pages! Yet, it reads like 300 tops! I can't believe I put reading this one off for so long. I recommend anyone remotely interested in sorority slash fraternity / boarding school rich spoiled kids mystery tropes pick this book up immediately!!
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