Review: League Of Strays by L.B. Schulman

Title: League Of Strays
Author: L.B. Schulman
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Amulet (Oct. 1, 2012)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 This suspenseful debut follows a group of teenage misfits in their delicious quest for revenge on those who have wronged them at their high school. When a mysterious note appears in Charlotte’s mailbox inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a motley crew of loners and an alluring, manipulative ringleader named Kade. Kade convinces the group that they need one another both for friendship and to get back at the classmates and teachers who have betrayed them. But Kade has a bigger agenda. In addition to vandalizing their school and causing fights between other students, Kade’s real intention is a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.

My Review: 

  I went into this story not knowing what really lurked in the pages. Not knowing that a mad man was there, just waiting for me to reveal his dark and twisted story.

This isn't really a story about bullies or lost souls banning together to form a bond of friendship. No.

This is a story about a clever little monster that wanted to have some fun.

A sociopath that fooled them all...at least for awhile.

Wow. Really I am still trying to absorb this story. Still process all that I read and uncovered about Kade, Zoe, Nora, Charlotte and Ritchie. Honestly, I am sort of speechless. This book wasn't anything like I thought it would be. It was better.

It was dark and twisted ( I know, I know, I already said that, but those two words are so fitting for this story I had to use them again) and left me eagerly turning the pages wondering what was going to happen next.

This really will catch you by surprise and leave you reeling with emotion, both good and bad.

The author did a fabulous job crafting this and I give them props. This story was completely captivating in all its wrongness.

Charlotte was a great character and by the end of the story, I was really proud of her for standing up for herself, for her friends and for what she knew was right.