I’m a huge fan of twisty thrillers. When I saw The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas, between the cover and the synopsis, it had everything I could have ever wanted. I’m still reading this one, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to take part of the blog tour.
Before we get to the interview with Kara, let’s check out the book.
Title: THE CHEERLEADERS
Author: Kara Thomas
Pub. Date: July 31, 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 384
Find it: PRH | Indiebound | B&N | Amazon | GoodreadsThere are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.
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.
Sounds good, right?
1. Please give the elevator pitch for The Cheerleaders.
A town haunted by the mysterious deaths of 5 cheerleaders prepares for the anniversary of the killings, while the sister of the last cheerleader to die sets out to find the truth about what happened.
2. What came first: the characters or the plot idea?
Definitely the plot idea—I wanted to write about a town like Sunnybrook that was recovering from a tragedy. The character of Monica came after, and then the character of Jen, her older sister.
3. Why do you love Monica and why should readers root for her?
Monica is both strong and vulnerable; she’s someone who doesn’t take any crap and shows up for her friends, but inside she’s not as put together as she looks. I think we can all empathize with the feeling of needing to put up a strong front for the rest of the world when really we’re feeling insecure inside.
4. What was the weirdest thing you googled while researching?
How to hack a police department’s case file database! I didn’t find a concrete answer, obviously, so I had to get creative and find another way for Monica to access the information she needs.
5. Without spoilers, what was your favorite scene to write?
There’s a scene where Monica tells off an older guy in detention for being gross and obnoxious toward her friend. It’s a simple scene, and not really a very important one, but I love how much it shows about who Monica is.
Speed {ish} round:
1. What was your last 5 star read?
Mirage by Somaiya Daud
2. Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Plotter
3. Do you have a go-to snack or drink you need while you’re writing?
Blow-Pops
4. Is there any music/tv/movie you’re currently obsessed with?
TV—Sharp Objects on HBO
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Kara Thomas is a true crime addict and the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, LITTLE MONSTERS, and THE CHEERLEADERS, all published by Delacorte Press. She’s written for everything from her high school newspaper to Warner Brothers Television. You can find her on Long Island, bingeing on true crime podcasts and TV shows.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
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Huge thanks to Rockstar Book Tours for the invite and to Kara for taking the time. Make sure you’re checking out the rest of the blog tour for extra goodies and keep scrolling for a giveaway!!
**Good Luck!!**
SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS! I don’t think Kara can ever go wrong with her thrillers.
So excited for this one! :D
Oooo! Monica sounds like she’s a bad mamajama! Can’t wait to read The Cheerleaders!
This sounds awesome! I can’t wait to follow along with Monica to discover the truth! She sounds like a great character! And now I want blow pops!
I loved Kara’s other books, so I can’t wait to read this one!
I’m so glad that ya thrillers are big right now and the Cheerleaders sounds great. It makes me think of old school 90s ya.
I’ve seen this book around lately, sounds pretty interesting :D
sounds like a fun one
I’ve been seeing so much of this book, and the premise sounds really intriguing. I kinda want to pick it up, but I’m such a scaredy cat I’d probably stop reading after 5 pages. I also really love the cover. It’s so cool!
Lovely interview post sweetie :D Thank you for sharing about this one. <3 I have not read this book, but gosh, I like that cover, haha :D So curious about this one. I hope you loved it tons. <3 (And now done commenting for today. Gah. Exhausted, haha, as I have commented on so many blogs for a few hours now. Ugh. More comments coming soonish, when I have more time. <3)