She’s So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott

Ally Ryan never thought that she would ever see Orchard Hill again, not after leaving two years earlier in the wake of a scandal caused by her father when a bad hedge fund investment ruined so many families. She’s built up a new life for herself, one that doesn’t involve defining herself by money. But when her mother gets a new job, Ally is forced to move back to the site of an era of her life she’d happily forget. Ally knows the transition won’t be easy, but if she’s hoping that her former friends will at least tolerate her presence, then she’s bound to be disappointed. Because her former Crestie friends don’t forget and they certainly don’t forgive Ally for her father’s mistakes. But then there’s Jake Graydon, a relative newcomer to the scene. He wasn’t around for the drama and doesn’t share his friends’ resentment for Ally. If anything, he’s intrigued and more than a little interested. But no matter how perfect Jake and Ally could be for each other, the chances of them getting together are slim to none if Ally’s former friends have anything to say. Because if there’s one person who deserves to be punished, it’s Ally, even if it’s at the expense of Jake’s happiness.

I have actually never read anything by Kieran Scott except some books written under her pseudonym Kate Brian. I was a huge fan of how Scott/Brian was able make high school drama so addicting in her Private series, and I’m so glad this skill translated in She’s So Dead to Us. The strongest aspect of this novel is by far the characters. Alternate first person narrations from both Ally’s and Jake’s points of view give the reader great insight into these characters’ minds. I got to know everything about Ally and Jake, including their most secret desires, their tentative hopes and fears, and all of their innermost thoughts. As a result, Ally and Jake feel incredibly realistic, and even if they’re not always likable, it’s always easy to understand their motives. Therefore, even though I wanted to yell at these characters from time to time because their reactions to the situations forced upon them were sometimes so frustrating, I had to keep reading because I wanted so badly for them to succeed in at least something. In all, She’s So Dead to Us is undeniably a very juicy read, but one that also has substantive characters in realistic situations, and it’s not just because of the huge cliffhanger that I’m dying to catch the sequel in He’s So Not Worth It.

She’s So Dead to Us appeals to fans of the Private series by Kate Brian and The Elite series by Jennifer Banash.

Rating: 4.5

Review copy from personal collection