Too Perfect to Die

by Juliana Goodman

"Bring It On", but with murder, this heart-pounding YA thriller follows Jonty, a star cheerleader forced to track down a killer and achieve her dream—before it's too late.

With competition this fierce, bodies are bound to hit the mat...

All Jonty has ever wanted is to lead her cheerleading team, The Exalted Ones, to win a NCA championship. Cheer is not just a sport, it’s her legacy. Her mother cheered for T.E.O. before she died, and Jonty would do anything to snatch the crown and honor her mother’s memory. This year she has a real shot, finally beating her rival Tommie and becoming the team captain.

But Jonty’s perfect season is shattered when Tommie shows up dead on the first day of practice. Now the team is down a flyer and everyone is convinced that Jonty killed her. Everyone except Adam, her co-captain, who was with her the night that Tommie died.

As the season progresses, girls keep dropping like flies, and one thing becomes Someone is sabotaging The Exalted Ones, and their willing to commit murder to get their way. But with the police still convinced it’s her, will Jonty be able to save herself, her team, and her perfect season?

Tense and full of twists, Too Perfect to Die is perfect for readers who
• True Crime
• Competitive Cheerleading
• Scream Queens
• Holly Jackson Books
• Karen M. McManus Books

Genres: Young Adult, Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 28, 2026

About the author

Juliana Goodman was born and raised in Blue Island, Illinois. She received her B.A. in English Literature from Western Illinois University in 2014 and her MFA in Fiction Writing in 2017 from Indiana. Juliana has received several awards and scholarships for her writing and was a 2014 Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Award Finalist. She’s had work published in Sigma Tau Delta’s Rectangle, Blackberry: a Magazine and Fiyah Literary Magazine. In her free time, Juliana enjoys watching horror films, reading the latest young adult novels and hanging out with her dog, Artie, and her cat, Pickle. She is a 2019/2020 Tulsa Artist Fellow.

Reviews

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC read! This was a fun Bring it On inspired YA murder mystery thriller! With a big intense team, pressure, competition, and jealousy, what would someone do to ensure their spot on the team? Jonty was just named Head Cheerleader, and hours later one of the girls on the team is murdered. It’s up to Jonty to keep her composure (and the teams), all while figuring out who the murderer is! Kept me on my toes, had me thinking like a detective for who all could have done it and why. I did feel like it went on a little long in some spots. It was a very solid read!

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Juliana Goodman’s “Too Perfect to Die” is a YA thriller that combines competitive cheerleading drama with a steadily unraveling murder mystery. This is a story filled with cheer, pressure, and plenty of pointed suspicion.

At the center of the story is Jonty, a driven cheerleader carrying the weight of legacy on her shoulders. Her late mother once led their team, The Exalted Ones, and Jonty has been molded, sometimes suffocatingly so, into following that same path. Cheer isn’t just a sport for her; it’s her entire identity, her dream, and the only acceptable way to honor her mother’s memory. That single-minded focus leaves her little room to explore what she wants, and the book does a strong job of showing how parental pressure and grief can distort ambition into obsession.

Everything implodes when Jonty’s biggest rival, Tommie, turns up dead on the first day of practice. After a public argument and being one of the last people to see Tommie alive, Jonty immediately becomes the prime suspect. She has an alibi—her friend Adam, the co-captain—but the detective on the case isn’t buying it. And to make matters worse, members of the team are convinced she did it too.

The murder sets off a season full of sabotage, paranoia, and interpersonal drama. While the story leans more heavily on team politics, rivalries, and secrets than nonstop danger, the slow-burn tension works for those who enjoy character-driven mysteries. Jonty becomes increasingly obsessed with clearing her name and uncovering the truth, and her desperate digging only reveals how many people on the squad had a reason to want Tommie gone.

The mystery unfolds at a measured pace (sometimes too measured) with stretches that focus more on drama than high-stakes suspense. But once the red herrings and subtle clues begin to click into place, the payoff is worth it: the final reveal is surprising yet completely earned. Goodman seeds the truth carefully, so rereading certain moments hits with that satisfying “ohhh, it was right there” clarity.

By the end, all major plot threads are wrapped up cleanly, and Jonty emerges with a newfound understanding that her life can be more than cheerleading; that she doesn’t have to live inside the confines of legacy or expectation. It’s a welcome arc that gives the story emotional grounding beyond its mystery.

While “Too Perfect to Die” isn’t the most groundbreaking YA thriller, it is a compelling, twisty cheerleading mystery with a memorable protagonist, well-planted clues, and a truly shocking reveal. Fans of competitive sports drama, true-crime-style plots, and YA whodunits will find plenty to enjoy, especially younger YA readers or anyone craving a fast, team-drama-heavy thriller.

[Gina Malanga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely think that this is a book that will have a place in my classroom and that my students would really like. It’s kind of like bring it on meet some murder mystery. My goddaughter was involved in the world of gymnastics and cheer for a while and it is so competitive and so time-consuming, and these men and women who cheer really are just elite athletes and I think sometimes people forget that. That being said, just like any other sport, the pressure to be perfect and to achieve the highest level of honor is just as much as it would be for a football player, and this book really showcase is that. When the team has finally reached a place where it might reach the highest honor ever has, people start getting hurt and not during the cheer routines. What follows is twisty tale as the cheerleaders and you try to figure out who the murderer is. I had lots of thoughts of none of them were correct and me that’s the mark of a good murder mystery. I will definitely be looking for this one when it finally comes out to bring it into my classroom.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the e-arc in exchanged for an honest review!

The fact that this was labeled as: Bring It On but with Murder is what made me intrigued by it in the first place. I was enthralled and it brought me back into my weird love for cheerleading things, despite not being a cheerleader myself. This was an absolutely page turner and once I got into it, I really couldn't put it down. It was a little bit of a slow start but once it got to the mystery aspect and Jonty and Adam acting as amateur sleuths trying to figure out who killed their teammate.

I stopped trying to guess who it was after the first time our sleuths thought they knew who it was. I was just there for the good times. There definitely could have been more drama, within the team (although, I do like how they all stuck together) or outside of the team. But overall, I did have a wonderful time with this book.

I definitely couldn't have guessed the plot twist at the end of the book, that was a shock!

[Andi ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whirlwind YA thriller! I was promised Bring it On, but with murder and it definitely delivered!

Jonty cares about one thing more than anything in the world-cheerleading. She’s a legacy in her cheer group, the exalted ones, and just won captain. Everything is going to plan for them to win a bid to NCA, until one of their own ends up dead. Jonty and her best friend, Adam, become prime suspects. It doesn’t stop there though, when more and more members of her team start dropping. Being harassed by the police, other cheer teams and parents alike, how can she possibly clear her name?

I loved this! The pacing was perfect and the characters were phenomenal. The web of secrets and who-dun-it kept me flipping pages and I’m so glad I did! I thought I had it figured out, but I was definitely thrown for a loop!

Pick this up if you’re looking for a fast paced, fun thriller!

[Ellie Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good YA mystery novel! The twists and turns were fun and kept me guessing. All loose ends were tied up nicely at the end! Definitely recommend if you’re a cheerleader or cheer fan with a love of mysteries :)

The plot and twists in Too Perfect to Die were great, but a bit heavy on the cheer specifics for me personally. I definitely wanted the cheer drama and tension between the characters, but I felt that the details of the stunts, routines, and performances took away from the story and slowed the book’s pace down, particularly in the first half. However, if you’re in the cheer world, you’ll definitely appreciate those specifics!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too Perfect to Die by Juliana Goodman is a gripping, twisty thriller that keeps you second-guessing everyone. The story pulls you in fast with its glossy, picture-perfect surface and then slowly cracks it open to reveal something much darker underneath. The tension builds beautifully, the pacing keeps you hooked, and the reveals are genuinely satisfying. I loved how the characters all felt a little suspicious in the best way—no one is as perfect as they seem. If you enjoy domestic thrillers full of secrets, lies, and “wait… WHAT?” moments, this one is absolutely worth the read.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in expecting a light YA mystery and ended up with so much more. The pacing kept me turning pages and I loved the mix of drama, secrets, and messy but believable characters. I thought I had everything and everyone all figured out, but was pleasantly surprised by the twist. (Keeping things spoiler free) I really appreciated the dive into the cheer world, the dialogue felt real and natural which I really enjoyed. A great YA thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Amy Clement · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how this book captured my attention. A little bit of “Bring It On” mixed with all the murder mystery I love! For me it also showed the pressures that athletes have placed on them, as well as placing on themselves. Although I thought I had it figured out most of the book, I was completely wrong, so the twist was a nice addition.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC on this book and the opportunity to read it!

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was YA thriller was a fun and quick read!

Bring It On but with murder is an accurate description. I thought I had it figured out early on but was pleasantly surprised to be wrong.

I enjoyed following Jonty on her quest for answers of who murdered her teammate. Even though it was a quick read, there were parts that were a bit slow and I kind of skimmed.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

[Kelcee · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the early copy! I actually really enjoyed this! It kept me interested and I kept picking it up to find out what happened next. Some parts were a little slow, which is why I gave it a 4, but it kept my interest enough for sure! The ending was also great! The ending makes or breaks a book and I enjoyed this one!

[Karley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an arc through NetGalley. It exceeded my expectations and I absolutely did not see the twists and turns that happen throughout the book. If you enjoy Bring It On with elements of thriller and great characters then this book is for you!

[Katlin Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this cheerleader thriller! Kept me guessing what was going to happen next and the ending absolutely shocked me.

[Alora Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good YA thriller, I enjoyed it, and I had a lot of fun trying to guess who the killer was. I thought that the story flowed well, and I enjoyed SOME of the characters (some of them were pretty annoying but I honestly think that was intentional). I had a great time with this story, and I think it was written well. The plot was solid, and there's a lot of suspects to sort through.

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in July of 2026.