Review: The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery

Author: Carla Spradbery
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Hodder Children's
Publication Date: September 4, 2014

For sixth-form student Grace Becker, The 100 Society is more than just a game; it's an obsession. Having convinced her five friends at Clifton Academy to see it through to the end, Grace will stop at nothing to carry out the rules of the game: tagging 100 locations around the city. With each step closer to the 100-mark they get, the higher the stakes become. But when the group catches the attention of a menacing stalker - the Reaper - he seems intent on exposing their illegal game, tormenting Grace with anonymous threats and branding their dormitory doors with his ominous tag.

As the once tight-knit group slowly unravels, torn apart by doubt and the death of a student, they no longer know who to trust.

With time running out, Grace must unmask the Reaper before he destroys everything she cares about for ever..

Review The 100 Society was a book I download for pure pleasure. I wasn't expecting literary genius or a Masterpiece Theater worthy mystery but I was hoping it would entertain me nonetheless.  I guess on some level it did, I mean, I finished it but on the other hand if not for my need to figure out the plot driving me, I could of easily put this one down content with the fact I at least gave it a try.  One of the biggest issues that I had with The 100 Society had to do with the main character Grace. I simply did not like her at all. Grace easily could of put a stop to the madness ten times over but because of her own selfish desires she sits idly by while her "friends" are either maimed or killed. I get without her doing this we'd have no story but c'mon at least try and make her likable to some degree.  I also really took issue with how unrealistic the plot was. OK, OK, I know it's a guilty pleasure read but I mean, come on people, no way would a Boarding School for the privileged sit by and let all this shit happen without hiring private eyes to discover the little delinquent behind it all. Unless of course the Author wanted this to be read like some B rated Slasher film *cough* I know what you did last Summer *cough*.  Lastly, I really hated Grace's constant whining about her family. You don't have it rough girl, your father clearly loves you or else he wouldn't work his ass off to send you to Clifton in the first place. Yet, because she's sooo unloved by her family she takes up illegally tagging structures around the city. Sensible move right? Did I mention yet how much I really didn't like this girl? Now although I had plenty of issues with The 100 Society, I did like the fact that the mystery was actually decent. Although I pegged the murderer early on, I think the way it unraveled was OK. The story reminded me greatly of films like Urban legend, Scream and even Cruel Intentions just given a Fear Street or Point Horror twist. I could easily picture 90's Jennifer Love Hewitt running around on screen playing Grace shouting "What are you waiting For?" to the yet unmasked Killer.  And I'd have no problem plopping down $7.99 to watch the cheesiness unfold on screen. Final Thoughts Although The 100 Society will win no awards, it wasn't all bad. I recommend this title for those who can suspend disbelief and read it for what it is, a B-movie wrapped in a book jacket.  With that being said, I'll be rating The 100 Society by Carla Spradbery  ★★★★.  *Copy provided for review by Netgalley.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in an which way  for providing them.

About the Author

After working with teenagers for more than a decade, Carla decided to start writing for and about them. Having had a lifelong obsession with dark literature, it only seemed natural to write stories that would thrill, scare and maybe make her readers think twice about reading alone in the dark. 

Carla lives in Hampshire with her husband and two children. She still enjoys working with teenagers, although she finds it harder and harder to understand why the music they like has to be quite so loud.

Her first novel, The 100 Society, will be published by Hodder in September 2014.