Book Review: The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
by The Book Pup on July 1, 2026
Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):
First there was the car accident—two girls gone 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 why he did it. 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 lost.
That 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. Only, 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.
There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.
My Summary:
Monica investigates the mysterious deaths of her sister and the cheerleading squad five years ago. As she uncovers secrets and questions the official story, she realizes that nothing about these deaths was as simple as everyone claimed.
Perfect for readers who love mystery thrillers and small-town secrets.
My Review
Note: This is a critical review but contains NO spoilers! 🦊📚
The Cheerleaders was a frustrating 2-star read for me. It had SO much potential and at one point I genuinely thought it would be a 4-star book, but the ending completely let me down. 😕💔
At one point, I felt like this was heading toward 4-star territory! 🌙💫 The tension was building well, the clues were intriguing, and I was completely engaged. Thomas had me! 🦋🔍
I didn't like who the author made the killer. 🐱😕 (Not saying who to avoid spoilers!) The choice felt wrong for the story and undermined what could have been a really satisfying mystery. It was such a good book up until that reveal, and then it just... wasn't. 🥀🦊
The mystery wasn't really solved clearly. 🦉🤔 You had to scratch your head and piece things together yourself to figure out what actually happened and how it was resolved. Not everything was wrapped up nicely—there were unsolved mysteries and loose ends and unclear resolutions that left me confused rather than satisfied. 💨
The ending includes a MAJOR scene where one of the main characters (not specifying who!) becomes an indirect killer. 💔😰 This was bad. Really bad. It added unnecessary darkness and moral complexity that didn't feel earned or appropriate for where the story had been going. 🌲😔
It's sad because this could have been really good! 🌙📖 Thomas has the skills to create an engaging mystery, but the execution in the final act just didn't deliver. The pieces were there for something great, but they didn't come together the way they should have. 🐾😔
2/5 pawprints 🐾🐾
Who I think this book is for: Readers willing to overlook unclear endings 🦊💭, people who don't mind loose threads 🌸, fans of small-town mystery thrillers 🦉
Not recommended for: Readers who need clear resolutions 📚✨, anyone frustrated by ambiguous endings 🐱😕, people who want satisfying mystery conclusions 💔
Content warnings: Deaths (cheerleading squad), indirect violence, morally complex ending ⚠️🦋
Cheers, and happy reading! 🐾🌙
The Book Pup
P.S. So close to being good, and yet so far. The unfulfilled potential hurts! 😭🦊