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stephaniejo's review
2.0
IMHO it needed a little more editing as duplicate phrasings were noticeable.
rollaroyce's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lindsb's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
morgie_corgie's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
heyitsmeg777's review
5.0
Everyone loves a good murder mystery for the spooky season and the month of October, in the peak of fall and homecoming dances, horror movies and the promise of a new season, and you have Alexa Donne's new book!
Brightly Burning was my favorite work from her (A very successful Jane Eyre retelling in a sci-fi space opera vibes which were perfect!) And I get to add this on to the list. The murder mystery itself was really good, with a plot twist I did not expect at all (But hey, murder authors in books are meant to be creepy!)
Top 5 reasons to consider this one is as follows:
We can all relate to Cecelia's feeling of being an outsider in a new place in the middle of a chaotic year
If you're the type of person to enjoy murder mysteries with LGBTQ+ characters who ACTUALLY get to do some important things, read this one!
A good plot twist that has you wondering which love interest will stay with Cecelia is also worth checking out
It is in the homecoming season we all either hate/love but it gives Riverdale vibes and I AM HERE FOR IT
Alexa Donne has a way to pull you in with vivid imagery and topics that will really make you enter Cecelia's shoes and will have you rooting for her.
In summary, add this to the spooky October list now!
Overall:5/5
Brightly Burning was my favorite work from her (A very successful Jane Eyre retelling in a sci-fi space opera vibes which were perfect!) And I get to add this on to the list. The murder mystery itself was really good, with a plot twist I did not expect at all (But hey, murder authors in books are meant to be creepy!)
Top 5 reasons to consider this one is as follows:
We can all relate to Cecelia's feeling of being an outsider in a new place in the middle of a chaotic year
If you're the type of person to enjoy murder mysteries with LGBTQ+ characters who ACTUALLY get to do some important things, read this one!
A good plot twist that has you wondering which love interest will stay with Cecelia is also worth checking out
It is in the homecoming season we all either hate/love but it gives Riverdale vibes and I AM HERE FOR IT
Alexa Donne has a way to pull you in with vivid imagery and topics that will really make you enter Cecelia's shoes and will have you rooting for her.
In summary, add this to the spooky October list now!
Overall:5/5
librarydosebykristy's review
3.0
This was solid but very very twisty. Lots going on. I got a little lost and my mind wandered but ultimately I came back to find out what happened!
ninabyte's review
5.0
After seeing that Alexa Donne had published another mystery, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Pretty Dead Queens, and the anticipation did not disappoint! I had a hard time putting this book down once I started it and couldn't finish it fast enough. Once again, Donne has assembled a wonderful cast of characters in this whodunit set in a sleepy seaside town where nothing is what it seems.
Cecelia arrives in small town Northern California, where she'll be living with her estranged grandmother following the death of her mother. Shortly after she begins to adjust to her new life, she finds a dead body that appears to be recreating another murder that had happened decades before, permanently glorified in the memory of pop culture thanks to her grandmother's bestselling books. Cecelia propels herself into the center of the investigation as she looks for something to focus on in the absence of her dead mother, and before long, she finds herself in too deep.
A compelling read throughout! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC!
Cecelia arrives in small town Northern California, where she'll be living with her estranged grandmother following the death of her mother. Shortly after she begins to adjust to her new life, she finds a dead body that appears to be recreating another murder that had happened decades before, permanently glorified in the memory of pop culture thanks to her grandmother's bestselling books. Cecelia propels herself into the center of the investigation as she looks for something to focus on in the absence of her dead mother, and before long, she finds herself in too deep.
A compelling read throughout! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC!
book4grace's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5