Review: S.T.A.G.S (STAGS #1)

S.T.A.G.S (STAGS #1)
MA Bennett

Published By: Hot Key Books
Publication Date: August 10, 2017
Date Read: October 12, 2019
Genre: YA - Mystery / Thriller
Source: Review Copy from Hot Key Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 290

From Goodreads:
Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin' shootin' fishin'. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S., she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry's parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports - hunting, shooting and fishing - become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school...

"It's unbelievable really, the reviving power of a hot bath, a cup of tea and a roaring fire."

Thriller's never used to be my sort of read. I never really would have chose to pick them up until a year or two ago when I picked one up out of the blue and loved it. Since then, it's never been a favourite genre of mine but every now and then I do love to dive into this genre. As it was nearing Halloween, it was the perfect time for me to read a thriller so when I was offered the chance to review this one I jumped at the chance. S.T.A.G.S was a interesting and addictive read and I enjoyed it.

S.T.A.G.S follows the story of Greer, a unpopular and quiet student at the prestigious S.T.A.G.S boarding school. When Greer is invited to a mysterious weekend with the most popular people in school she is intrigued and excited. But is there more to this weekend? Greer may be in danger by going... but can she resist the popular and the powerful?

Honestly, I was a little bit disappointed in S.T.A.G.S. It is dubbed as a YA thriller and I was super excited to be creeped out, but this was not creepy in the slightest. I would call this book a thriller in the loosest sense of the word. It was more like a YA contemporary where the characters had some murderous tendencies. It was more a mystery than a hard-core thriller. I just feel like I was expecting mroe from it and although I really enjoyed the storyline I wanted it to be a bit more thrilling.

One thing I really enjoyed was the storyline and the writing. MA Bennet's writing was addictive and I couldn't put the book down. It was a fast-pacing and intriguing storyline and I enjoyed the world building and story telling. I will definitely pick another MA Bennett book up at some point.

S.T.A.G.S was an intrguing and addictive storyline but it just fell a little bit flat for me. If you enjoy contemporary books with a mystery twist then this will be the perfect book for you. Unfortunately, I'm just not much of a contemporary reader and I was expecting more.

"It was like that bit in Beauty and the Beast when the Beast dances with Belle. Except there was no Belle. And no music. And no candlelight. Just a beast."