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

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Then there's this lovely snippet: - The last thing we needed would be for some hillbilly Lake District community to start doing weird witchcraft and setting fire to us in some straw effigy[sic]...

I think Greer gets more and more confused. At the beginning of STAGS, even though she is an outsider, she has quite a strong sense of self. She thinks she's got it all figured out. But as time goes on she feels simultaneously attracted and repelled by the lifestyle of the STAGS, just as she is simultaneously attracted and repelled by Henry. As her feelings strengthen towards Shafeen, far from weakening towards Henry, they strengthen towards him, too. Book 5, entitled HAWKS, is set in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Most of the action takes place in a castle on the Isle of Skye.Greer’s boyfriend and some of her friends are POC, and express to her how they feel targeted by behaviours, but Greer TOTALLY dismisses them - the author even makes out like Shafeen is completely paranoid and ridiculous for having these feelings. MA BENNETT's bestselling STAGS series ( STAGS, DOGS, FOXES and now TIGERS) - which is being developed for film - follows scholarship girl Greer to an exclusive boarding school where she discovers the Medievals, the dangerous and seductive clique who really run STAGS.

The mystery that surrounds these books is so constant and intense, I am in awe guessing what’s coming next in every chapter. The foreshadowing and subtle hints scattered throughout are perfect; even if I don’t realise they’re hints at the time. Admittedly (and unfortunately), as much as I was a fan of the idea surrounding the plot, this novel was just not for me. It was a case of "it's not you, it's me". The writing was well done but my full attention was not getting grabbed. Throughout the novel, I found myself becoming easily distracted and not as invested in the story as much as I hoped to be. Also, I didn't find that any of the characters (even in the main friendship group) were likeable. That's my personal opinion but that can detract from the novel when I find I'm not as invested in figuring out the character's outcome. months later, Greer begins as a sixth form student as STAGS. She notes the heavy emphasis on the school emblem, the stag, as antlers bristle from every wall. The nature of the school is devout, very religious, and its mentioned Greer...is not. Yet another differing factor between her and the STAG students. There are constant references to movies, which spoke to the film nerd in me, and Greer is a likeable lead to follow as she battles between wanting to be part of the Medievals and survive their savage behaviour. Even when she knows that she’s next on their hit list, she still yearns for their approval. It’s a perfect representation of how young adults look for endorsement from their peers to gain a sense of self-worth.This was a really fun YA thriller but it definitely wasn't as good as the first book in this series. The main character was not my type of main character. Besides that she didn’t have a spine and drowned in Henry’s eyes every time she got a fraction of attention, she was jealous (at things she isn’t entitled to), annoying and extremely naïve. Not to forget the strange scenes she talked to a cut of head of a STAG, she even gave it a name. Henry and his five friends are known as the Medievals; they’re the unofficial prefects of the school – all tall, beautiful, intelligent and high on their own sense of power. Greer is initially surprised and then flattered to be not only noticed by them, but to be invited into their inner sanctum, and so she accepts the invitation to go huntin’ shootin’ fishin’. Along with two other carefully selected misfit students, Greer arrives at the ancient, sprawling Longcross Hall, where she realises that the only adults are Henry’s silent and obedient servants. What could possibly go wrong?