These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin (review)

Laurin, Katherine These Vengeful Hearts. Inkyard, 2020 [368p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781335145871 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781488069369 $16.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 7-10

Ember has finally been invited to the Red Court, a secret society at Heller High that rigs homecoming elections and adjusts GPAs in exchange for favors from indebted students. Ember has a secret agenda, though: two years ago, her older sister April had an accident related to the Red Court that left April paraplegic, and Ember is out for bloodthirsty revenge. Partnered up with senior Haley, Ember will separate sweethearts, fudge homecoming votes, and expose teacher affairs all in the name of finding the identity of the Queen of Hearts so she can destroy the Red Court at its source—if she doesn't lose herself in Red Court politics first. Readers will recognize a similar plot to Mean Girls, wherein the main character infiltrates a cliquey, elusive group and struggles not to assimilate to them. Though Ember is occasionally melodramatic about her quest for revenge as petty high school drama is given life-or-death stakes, there are some interesting plot twists, and the intensity is gratifying. Teens will relate to the struggle of maintaining friendships and identity in a hegemonic group.