{"product_id":"the-cheerleaders-isbn-9780593815397","title":"The Cheerleaders","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Sharp, brilliantly plotted, and totally engrossing.\"--KAREN M. MCMANUS, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eOne of Us Is Lying\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A crafty, dark, and disturbing story.\"--KATHLEEN GLASGOW, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eGirl In Pieces\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A little bit \u003ci\u003eRiverdale\u003c\/i\u003e and a little bit \u003ci\u003eVeronica Mars\u003c\/i\u003e.\"--RILEY SAGER, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eFinal Girls\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Goodreads Best Young Adult Book of the Year Nominee\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Darkest Corners\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eLittle Monsters\u003c\/i\u003e comes an all-new edge-of-your-seat thriller set in upstate New York about an eerie sequence of seemingly unrelated events that leaves five cheerleaders dead.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFirst there was the car accident--two girls dead after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know his reasons. Monica's sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No one wanted to be reminded of the girls they'd lost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it's not that easy. She just wants to forget.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnly, Monica's world is starting to unravel. There are the letters in her stepdad's desk, an unearthed, years-old cell phone, a strange new friend at school. . . . Whatever happened five years ago isn't over. Some people in town know more than they're saying. And somehow, Monica is at the center of it all.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn't mean anyone else is safe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cu\u003eMore Praise for Kara Thomas:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eGripping from start to finish\u003c\/b\u003e . . . with twists that left me shocked.\"--VICTORIA AVEYARD, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eRed Queen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eYou'll be up all night\u003c\/b\u003e tearing through the pages.\"--BUSTLE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This \u003cb\u003edeliciously deceptive thriller\u003c\/b\u003e...is a must-have.\"--\u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Cheerleaders\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eA YALSA Best Book for Young Adults\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Goodreads Best Young Adult Book of the Year Nominee\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Sharp, brilliantly plotted, and totally engrossing.\u003c\/b\u003e Every time I   thought I had it figured out, the story twisted again. Kara Thomas   should teach a master class in suspense.” —KAREN M. MCMANUS, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eOne of Us Is Lying\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eA little bit \u003ci\u003eRiverdale\u003c\/i\u003e and a little bit \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eVeronica Mars\u003c\/b\u003e,\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Cheerleaders\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea twisty page-turner that will have you doubting every character you meet\u003c\/b\u003e—and everything you think you know.” —RILEY SAGER, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eFinal Girls \u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A \u003cb\u003ecrafty, dark, and disturbing\u003c\/b\u003e story, but in Thomas's masterful book, the real crime is how dangerous it is to grow up female. \u003ci\u003eThe Cheerleaders\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea riveting read.\u003c\/b\u003e\"—KATHLEEN GLASGOW,\u003ci\u003e  \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eGirl In Pieces\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e “At times eerie, exciting, and even frightening…\u003cb\u003ethis\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003edeliciously deceptive thriller\u003c\/b\u003e and provocative drama \u003cb\u003eis a must-have.\u003c\/b\u003e”—\u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Keeping the audience guessing until the very end…[\u003ci\u003eThe Cheerleaders\u003c\/i\u003e is \u003cb\u003ea] satisfying, whodunnit\u003c\/b\u003e with a solution as complicated as its premise.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Thomas builds her novel around \u003cb\u003ean appealingly gruesome case…beset by herrings\u003c\/b\u003e, and it keeps the pace moving at a solid clip….\u003cb\u003eA solid pick\u003c\/b\u003e for mystery fans.”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eLittle Monsters\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A disturbing portrait of how bad news and gossip can curdle when mixed together.\"-Oprah.com\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eAn eerie and masterly psychological thrille\u003c\/b\u003er...[that]  culminates in a shocking and disturbing ending. Thomas expertly  captures the pointed nuances and the fickle, manipulative bonds of  adolescent girls’ friendships.\"-\u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eTaut and suspenseful.\u003c\/b\u003e..this gritty page-turner will easily hook a broad range of readers\"-\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eAn intense psychological thriller\u003c\/b\u003e that all but ensures the lights will be left on between dusk and dawn.\"-\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Gritty and realistic...\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003ethis mystery will leave readers in awe.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eVOYA\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA twisted story of obsession and manipulation\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLittle Monsters\u003c\/i\u003e captivated me right up to its surprising conclusion—and left me  wondering how well I really know my friends.\"-CHELSEA SEDOTI, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA brilliant, well-written masterpiece\u003c\/b\u003e, full of unreliable narrators, suspense, and plot twists that will leave you at the edge of your seat.\"-Inah P., \u003ci\u003eThe Bibliophile Confessions\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eA twisted and evocative tale of teenage friendships, obsession, and family dynamics\u003c\/b\u003e all wrapped up in a mystery that is \u003cb\u003eas compelling as it is dark\u003c\/b\u003e.”-Liz, \u003ci\u003eLiz Loves Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \"\u003cb\u003eThe ending left me staring slack-jawed.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-Leah Lorenzo, \u003ci\u003eBumble Bee Books  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eLittle Monsters\u003c\/i\u003e was \u003cb\u003eabsolutely amazing.\u003c\/b\u003e It pulled me in and now that I am done with it,\u003cb\u003e I am going to have such a major book hangover.\u003c\/b\u003e...Every time I thought I was close to having [the mystery] figured out, Kara Thomas would throw something at us and it would change EVERYTHING!”-Stephanie Torina, \u003ci\u003eReading is Better With Cupackes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Darkest Corners\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn International Thriller Writers Award Finalist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn ABC Best Book for Teens\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Junior Library Guild Selection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"\u003cb\u003eGripping from start to finish\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Darkest Corners\u003c\/i\u003e took me into an underbelly I didn't know existed, \u003cb\u003ewith twists that left me shocked\u003c\/b\u003e and racing forward to get to the end.\"-VICTORIA AVEYARD, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eRed Queen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “\u003cb\u003eA tight, twisted thriller, \u003c\/b\u003efull of deft reversals and disturbing revelations—\u003cb\u003edeeply, compulsively satisfying\u003c\/b\u003e!”-BRENNA YOVANOFF, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Replacement\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e“\u003cb\u003eAs dark as Gillian Flynn and as compulsive as\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSerial\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e…Kara Thomas’s mystery debut is intricate, chilling, and deeply compelling. Unforgettable!”—LAURA SALTERS, author of \u003ci\u003eRun Away\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eYou'll be up all night tearing through the pages, gasping through the twists and turns.\u003c\/b\u003e\"-Bustle\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003e[It] will have you questioning the lies young girls tell\u003c\/b\u003e, and the ripple effects they can have.\"-EW.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e“\u003cb\u003eThomas carefully crafts the suspense\u003c\/b\u003e, leaving present-tense narrator Tessa—and readers—to doubt even those she loves the most…An unsettling story of loss, lies, and violence lurking in the shadows of a small town.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\"On the heels of \u003ci\u003eMaking a Murderer \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Jinx \u003c\/i\u003ecomes a psychological thriller \u003cb\u003estrongly rooted in the true-crime tradition\u003c\/b\u003e...\u003cb\u003eExpertly plotted\u003c\/b\u003e with plenty of twists and turns—never mind a truly shocking conclusion—this \u003cb\u003egritty thriller\u003c\/b\u003e is sure to find a wide audience among teens and adults alike. Equally concerned with a quest for the truth and the powerful motivation of guilt, this compelling novel won’t linger on the shelf.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, Starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\"Thomas \u003cb\u003ekeeps it real with a jaded heroine\u003c\/b\u003e from the have-nots societal segment who holds onto her humanity, and a frank illustration of \u003cb\u003efailure in the justice system\u003c\/b\u003e. Hand this one to older \u003cb\u003eteens who love dark mysteries or fans of Netflix's \u003ci\u003eMaking a Murderer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e.\"—\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness,\u003c\/i\u003e Starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"\u003cb\u003eClearly drawn…[and] alive until the twisty end.\u003c\/b\u003e\"—\u003ci\u003eBulletin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Strong character development and thrilling reveals…\u003cb\u003ethis novel is a sure bet.\u003c\/b\u003e\"—\u003ci\u003eSLJ\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eKara Thomas\u003c\/b\u003e has written for everything from her high school newspaper to Warner Bros. Television. She is a true-crime addict who lives on Long Island with her husband and rescue cat. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, The Cheerleaders, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e That Weekend.\u003c\/i\u003e To learn more about Kara and her books, visit her at kara-thomas.com or follow @karatwrites on Twitter and Instagram.This house was made for someone without a soul. So I guess it makes sense that my mother wanted it so badly. I can imagine how her eyes lit up when she walked through the five-­bedroom, three-­and-­a-­half-­bath new construction. I’ll bet she thinks this house is the answer to what’s wrong with us.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When Tom, my stepfather, showed me the bathroom attached to my room with its own Jacuzzi tub, he said, Bet you feel like Cinderella, because he’s an idiot.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I should be happy for my mother and Tom, because the old house took so long to sell that it nearly destroyed their marriage. I should be thrilled I don’t have to hear the words terrible real estate market and bad location ever again. Neither they nor the listing agent had the balls to come out and say that no one wanted to buy a home on the street of horrors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The worst thing about the new house is that there’s no way to sneak into my room. The dining room is right off the front hall, so when I get home from dance team tryouts, I can see my mother at the table eating Chinese takeout with Tom and Petey, their “oops baby.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Petey is ten now. Mom married Tom when I was five. When I was a kid, I overheard her telling my grandmother that she and Tom both were done with children. Mom had Jen and me, and Tom had a college-­aged daughter with his ex-­wife. Four months later, Mom was pregnant with Petey.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e So, totally an oops baby.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Monica,” my mother calls. “We’re eating dinner.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In other words, Don’t you try to disappear upstairs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I plod into the dining room, the smell of the takeout souring my stomach. Everything hurts: standing, walking, sitting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At the table, Petey is sucking up lo mein noodles. One slips from between his lips and falls on the screen of his iPad, because God forbid he perform a basic function such as eating without playing Clan Wars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Petey,” Mom says, “please put the game down.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “But I have to harvest my crops.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Do you want the iPad to go in the garbage?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “You wouldn’t throw an iPad in the garbage.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Peter.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Petey’s eyes go wide, because Mom only uses his full name when she’s really about to lose her shit. I almost want to tell the poor kid it’s not his fault that Mom is acting like a psycho.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Monica.” Tom looks up from his phone, finally noticing me. He takes off his reading glasses and breathes on the lenses. Wipes them on his shirt. “How were tryouts?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Fine.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “The new Chinese place gave us extra fortune cookies!” Petey says, and I say, “Cool,” which pretty much sums up the depth of my interactions with my half brother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mom’s eyes are on me. I keep my own eyes on a carton of white rice. I grab a plate and spoon some onto it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “What’s wrong?” Petey asks. It takes a second for it to sink in that he’s speaking to me. Tom is watching me now too. My mother makes a face as if she just swallowed down vomit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Can I go lie down?” I ask.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Go ahead,” she says.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When I get to the hall, I hear Petey whine, “How come she gets to do what she wants?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I practically have to crawl up the stairs to my room. The over-­the-­counter painkillers my mom picked up for me are seriously garbage. I would call Matt, my ­ex-­boyfriend, because even though he denies it, he’s friends with people who can get the strong stuff. But Matt graduated and he’s not in Sunnybrook anymore and we haven’t spoken since July.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e My heating pad is still packed in one of the storage tubs Mom and I bought from Bed Bath \u0026amp; Beyond before the move. I dig it out, biting my lip. The nurse at Dr. Bob’s office said it would be like bad period cramps. But it hurts so badly I want to die.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I break into a sweat from plugging in the heating pad and flop onto my brand-­new bed. King-­sized, like my mom and Tom’s. She insisted—­the room would have looked too small with a queen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They say you’re not supposed to put the pad directly on your skin, but I do it anyway and curl up on my side. I’d gladly take my flesh melting off over the pain in my gut.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A knock at the door. I grunt and Mom pushes her way in, holding a bottle of naproxen and a glass of water. “When was the last time you took painkillers?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Lunch,” I lie. I popped four before tryouts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “You can have two more, then.” Mom perches at the edge of my bed. She might as well be a mile away. It’s really obscene, how big the bed is.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I groan and pull my legs up tight to my body, into the fetal position.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “I told you that you should have stayed home today.” My mother taps the naproxen bottle to her palm, shakes two pills out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Coach would have cut me from the team.” I accept the pills. Swallow them greedily.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mom is quiet. She drums her fingers—­the nails rounded and coated with clear polish—­on my comforter. Her anxious tic. Finally: “Have you told Matt?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “No.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I can’t tell what she’s thinking—­whether she actually wants me to call Matt at college and tell him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “He could support you,” Mom says, after a beat. “You don’t have to go through this alone.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “It wasn’t his anyway.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I stare straight ahead so I don’t have to see the look on her face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When she stands up, her profile comes into focus. She looks sad for a moment before she catches herself. “I hope you learn something from this pain.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e My mother shuts the light off on her way out—­or at least, she tries to. She can’t find the switch at first, because it’s opposite where it used to be in my old room. Finally, she gives up, leaving me under the glow of the top-­of-­the-­line energy-­efficient LED bulbs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She’s wrong, I think. Pain isn’t supposed to teach you anything. It only exists to hurt you. And she should know that better than anyone.","brand":"Ember","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302653055205,"sku":"NP9780593815397","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593815397.jpg?v=1742928499","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-cheerleaders-isbn-9780593815397","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}