ARC REVIEW – CONSPIRACY GIRL by Sarah Alderson

Posted January 20, 2015 by Emma in Blog / 21 Comments

Conspiracy Girl
by Sarah Alderson
Publisher – Simon & Schuster
Release Date – February 12th 2015
Buy – Amazon | Book Depository

Everybody knows about the Cooper Killings – the Bel Air home invasion that rocked the nation.There was only one survivor – a sixteen year-old girl.And though the killers were caught they walked free.

Now eighteen, Nic Preston – the girl who survived – is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.

But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant.
Finn Carter – hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.

Fleeing across a snowbound New England, frantically trying to uncover the motive behind the murders, Nic and Finn come to realize the conspiracy is bigger than they could ever have suspected. But the closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, the greater the danger becomes.

To survive she has to stay close to him.To keep her safe he has to keep his distance.

One of my most anticipated reads of this year for me and it didn’t disappoint yet again. Since meeting Sarah last year, I’ve made it my mission to read all of her books, especially her upcoming ones. I also met Jasprit last year decided to buddy read it together. What I found is that Sarah creates such a gripping, intense and action-packed thriller that it really is unputdownable. 
Conspiracy Girl, a novel written in dual perspective takes on the life of Nic Preston, a life ruined by grief, loss, humiliation and her celebrity status. She has lived her life splashed across the tabloids after her mum and step-sister where murdered one night in LA. Copper Killings have lived on, until one very night in Nic’s apartment building was broken into. Her dearest neighbour, was murdered in cold blood trying to help her, and now she is on the run fighting for her life and finally survive yet another stake on her life. After going from safe house to safe house, she finally lands at the doorstep of Finn Carter, a man of many talents as well as no stranger to the Cooper Killings trail. 
From the beginning of the novel, you are undoubtedly thrown in at the deep end. Literally. Adrenaline is pulsing, through, you have no idea what is going on apart from a very paranoid, panic-driven scared girl with a bulldog named Goz hiding in a room from the intruders. Nic certainly is an defensive character, but yet one I found cleverly created. Goz, her bulldog was just adorable and really showed how she relied on someone like that, but also how her character is so raw and full of cracks, that she almost seems breakable. Dogs really are your best friends and your protector. 
While the plot thickens, you have Finn, Oh Finn. Sarah Alderson has the capacity to make any male character make you swoon, deeply and irrevocably. She doesn’t just give you the full picture, of who Finn his and his many talents. He certainly has many talents that for sure. Sarah lets you warm up to Finn, slowly and painfully. The tension and your general concentration is completely thrown out of the window. Between Nic and Finn they are a dismantled bomb…with their past firmly stuck in the middle connecting on more deeply levels, they both really don’t know which way too look. Nic a suspect in a murder investigation, Finn liaison with the FBI and a defense against Nic’s mum and step-sisters death. But you are in for an explosive climax. Whilst Sarah really focus on the characters, she also creates some moments of pure joy and humour. Between Nic and Finn, their interactions grow throughout the whole book. There is a scene which had me in a fit of laughter…here’s a snippet…

“Finn’s lying in the bath, his head tipped back against the edge and his eyes closed… For a heart-stopping moment I think he;s dead and then I realise he’s just asleep….I turn in a fluster, almost tripping over Goz, who has come to investigate. Goz struts right past me and pads over to the bath.
‘Goz!’ I hiss. ‘Come back!’
But Goz ignores me….He picks up a paw and in a moment of pure horror I see exactly what he’s about to do….’Goz!’ I shout as my dog’s paw touches the water, prodding Finn in the stomach. Finn shoot upright in the tub, jumping straight to his feet…”

Although this does remind of some of her novels, like The Sound, which can make this a little predictable at times, if I were to be picky. But that is uber pickiness. Yet Sarah still does capture my attention for more…If you want a combination of some action-packed scenes and swoon-worthy characters, your in for a winner. From page 1 you are already half-way there…
Rating – 4.5 
*Quotes are taken from an Advanced copy and could be subjected to change in the final copy* Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Sarah for reading this book in exchange for an honest review!*

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21 responses to “ARC REVIEW – CONSPIRACY GIRL by Sarah Alderson”

  2. Keertana

    I'm so glad you enjoyed this one so much, Emma! I've really enjoyed Alderson's novels in the past precisely because of their breakneck pace and thrill factor, not to mention the major swoon. I definitely need to push this up my TBR at once! Wonderful review, dear! 🙂

    • admin

      I really did. She is so verstile in her writing from NA to YA, that I love it. I can't wait to see what you think of it, Keertana! 🙂

  3. Pili

    Ooooh, I really haven't read anything by Sarah Alderson yet, but this one sounds fantastic! Adding it to the wish list! Thank you for sharing Emma!

  5. Jasprit

    You nailed everything I enjoyed about this read Emma, things were definitely intense from the very first page and especially as we didn't have any clue about what was going on. But I'm glad that Nic was forced to stay with Finn, he so had his wits about him, unlike some other people and of course who wouldn't want to stay with hot Finn? Fab review as always Emma! 🙂

    • admin

      It was soo good reading this with you Jasprit. Finn was most definitely hot and I loved the fast paced thrill of the book too. Thank you! 😀

  6. Melliane

    Oh it's great that you were taken that much into the book. I love when it's like that. Plus, I confess that I didn't know about the book or the author so it's interesting! thanks for the review!

  8. Jenny

    "Sarah Alderson has the capacity to make any male character make you swoon, deeply and irrevocably."

    SO TRUE EMMA!!! Sarah definitely knows how to write fictional men who will make you fall madly in love with them over the course of the book. I can't wait to meet Finn:)

  9. Melanie

    I didn't have the best experience with this author's The Sound but I do think this is something I might enjoy!

    Lovely review, Emma <33

    • admin

      Oh I loved the Sound, it reminded quite of bit with her writing style. You may have better luck with it! 😀 Thank you, Melaine1 🙂

  10. Danielle

    I really need to read one of Sarah's books. I absolutely loved her book Come Back to Me as Mila Gray so I'm dying to try her YA and NA novels as herself and this sounds like a treat. Great review, Emma

    • admin

      Oh I'm so glad you loved CBTM, one of my favourite NA's of last year. You should read her YA books too. Hope you get to them soon. Thank you, Danielle!