Alex Michaelides is officially one of my favorite authors. After reading The Silent Patient last year, I was obsessed, but I was nervous to read The Maidens because I was so highly anticipating it and didn’t want to be let down. Well, I am happy to say that I absolutely loved this book. It went straight into my ‘2021 Favorites’ shelf on Goodreads; this is going to be a book that I think about for a long time! The twists and turns woven throughout the story left me trying to figure out who was behind the murders. I was so set in my guess and was screaming at Mariana that it was right in front of her. . .only to find out that I was wrong too. Michaelides does such a great job immersing readers into the stories he creates with his strong descriptions and captivating plots. I love books with dark academia vibes to them, and I didn’t want to put this one down after I started it. I really wasn’t sure who I could trust, and I certainly wasn’t expecting the plot twist at the end. Although many of these characters were unreliable and shady, I expect and even want to see that in thrillers—I think it makes the reading experience more interesting. I loved The Maidens so much and wasn’t quite ready for it to end. I would definitely recommend reading it if you love thrillers and dark academia books!