The Swallows

3/5 stars

When new teacher, Alex Witt, arrives at Stonebridge Academy, she has no clue about the dark secrets hidden within the school’s walls. She realizes something is up when students share disturbing responses to a writing assignment. One student, Gemma, is fed up with the sects and is ready to do something about it. As more is exposed, the people of Stonebridge learn exactly what happens when boys will be boys and when girls fight back.

I though this would be a quick read due to the short chapters and POV changes. Instead, it took me three weeks to read instead of my usual three days. The writing was descriptive and intriguing. I felt like I was at the school with the characters. The problem was how dark I found the material. I found the entire plot to be very disturbing. 

There were several characters to follow. This could be confusing to read, but I did enjoy how the timeline worked. When the POV switched, you’d jump back in time to read about events that occurred concurrently. The book did feel a bit long, but the last 25% really picked up for me.

This was a solid book, but it can definitely be triggering for some. Be aware before you read this dark story.