Review of "Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer" and GIVEAWAY!!! :)

Expected Publication:  September 29th, 2013

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

By: Katie Alender

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545468091

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

Review

     Colette Iselin is determined to make it on her class trip to Paris.  She'll do anything to retain her popularity and image, even in the face of an ugly divorce between her parents, with reduced financial circumstances to top it off.  Finally having become friends with the too most rich and popular girls in school, Colette is determined to hold her social standing - hiding the reality of her lack of money and her new scholarship student status.  Once in France, Colette finds herself torn between being true to who she really is and what makes her happy & pleasing the mean girl who is her "best friend."  Also, high profile families once belonging to a secret society in service to Marie Antoinette are being killed in particularly gruesome ways - losing their heads just like the long-dead royal.  It's up to Colette to find a way to stop the killer or she might be next, because it turns out that Colette's family might have committed the worst betrayal of them all.  Can she save herself and her friends, learning in the meantime what's important in life?

     I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to think of this book, as I had seen some pretty negative reviews for it beforehand.  But once I got started I really enjoyed my time spent reading this one!  Colette goes through some serious character growth in this book, starting as a less vocally mean version of Gretchen from Mean Girls, and becoming her own person who makes friends based on who they are - instead of their popularity or bank accounts.  She is rude to her Mom and brother in the beginning, treating them like they are beneath her and all she wants is to stay with her Dad in New York so she'll have money again.  After everything she goes through in France and witnessing the easy and downright happy relationship her tour guide/love interest Jules shares with his family, Colette's attitude adjusts more favorably.  The dynamic between Colette and her mean girl friends Pilar & ringleader Hannah, versus the dynamic between her and tour guide Jules & laid-back, semi-outcast Audrey.  The relationships between all he girls are definitely true to real life high school girls and the mean girl traps they can fall into regarding each other.  But never are any of the girls portrayed as evil, only unthinkingly cruel and snobbish at the very worst.  

     I agree with other reviewers that this book is more of a teen drama/coming of age story, in the guise of a gory thriller/murder mystery.  It was a pretty well-conceived mystery though, with the murders not following any obvious pattern until Colette begins uncovering the connection between the victims.  The mysterious key/necklace she finds in her Grandmother's belongings at home before coming to France also make up part of the puzzle for Colette.  The only part that really rang falsely for me were the confrontations between the murderous ghost of Marie Antoinette and Colette.  I just never felt like the threat was real or I should take it all that seriously.  Overall, the writing  and plot in this book were pretty solid, but the character development in Colette and the descriptions of France itself were what made the book for me.  The secret society aspect definitely didn't hurt things either!  I would recommend it for a fun, somewhat light (if still thought-inducing) read.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is September 29th, 2013.*

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