STAGS: Nine students. Three blood sports. One deadly weekend. - Softcover

Bennett, M A

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1471406768 ISBN 13: 9781471406768

Publisher: Hot Key Books, 2017

Synopsis

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S.

To her surprise Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin' shootin' fishin' - an invitation to spend the half-term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S.

Greer joins the other chosen students at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, and soon realises that they are at the mercy of their capricious host. Over the next three days, as the three blood sports - hunting, shooting and fishing - become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school...

About this title

Review:

A very readable story in the hands of an experienced writer. Recommended Source: Thornton Rigg

the book delivered much more than I even anticipated Source: Book Mad Blog

The pacing and plot development is brilliantly executed and will have you on the edge of your seat, desperate to find out what happens next until the very last page, I couldn't put it down once I'd started. There's a brilliant twist at the end, I won't spoil it but trust me, It's a good one! I can't recommend this book enough, it's definitely in my top ten 2017 reads and I'll definitely be buying a finished copy when it's out. Source: Fantastic Book Dragon

STAGS is a pacey and well-plotted young adult story that champions outsiders and questions out-dated viewpoints in a constantly evolving world. It makes for an entertaining standalone novel but a sequel wouldn't be unwelcome. Source: Culture Fly

MA Bennett is brilliant at keeping the reader in suspense. Source: Book Murmuration

Students will love this as it also has a hint of romance without being intrusive for boy readers. Hailed as the new Hunger Games, it reminded me more of The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. A good read. Source: Reading Zone

I read and finished this book in just a day only putting it down for food. It was absolutely gripping and interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and I didn't want to put it down whatsoever and I wasn't let down by my anticipation for it which was good! Source: Niffler Reads

Part traditional, part modern, thriller and boarding school drama, with echoes of everything from Agatha Christie to The Hunger Games, this really is a wonderful mosaic of a novel. Source: Nudge-Book

MA Bennett reinvigorates the boarding-school thriller... This is a darkly compelling examination of the allure of privilege, and the unscrupulous means by which it preserves itself. Source: The Guardian

S.T.A.G.S is a thrilling and thoroughly enjoyable YA novel with dark undertones. A fun mystery thriller that sheds light on issues surrounding class and society. Highly recommend. Source: The Book Bag

From the Author:

M. A. Bennett is half Venetian and was born in Manchester, England, and raised in the Yorkshire Dales. She is a history graduate of Oxford University and the University of Venice, where she specialised in the study of Shakespeare's plays as a historical source. After university she studied art and has since worked as an illustrator, an actress and a film reviewer. She also designed tour visuals for rock bands, including U2 and the Rolling Stones. She was married on the Grand Canal in Venice and lives in north London with her husband, son and daughter. Her first YA novel, S.T.A.G.S., was published in 2017 and was shortlisted for the YA BOOK PRIZE 2018, won the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award 2019 and Gold in the Sussex Coast Schools Amazing Book Award 2019, both voted by students, and won the Great Reads 'Most Read' 2018 Senior Award. D.O.G.S., the second in the world of STAGS, followed in 2019. Follow her at @MABennettAuthor on Twitter and at @mabennettauthor on Instagram.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hot Key Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1471406768
• ISBN 13: 9781471406768
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320