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lmurray43's review against another edition
5.0
This story of Heather and her friends Becca, Rachel, and Gale kept me guessing. It went from her past to her present every other chapter so I was able to follow along with what happened pretty good but I didn’t know who the bad guy was until the very end. I love that about a suspenseful story. I like not being to guess what happened and who did it.
readwitray's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great book that gives you all the spooky vibes. This book teeters on the line of thriller and horror. I could not put this book down the whole time.
It was giving spooky, witchy and some 90s nostalgia thrown in with the flash backs.
Genre: Thriller
APK: Physical
Pages: 288
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
It was giving spooky, witchy and some 90s nostalgia thrown in with the flash backs.
Genre: Thriller
APK: Physical
Pages: 288
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
emilybsullivan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jdew4516's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
pam2375's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very creepy, very suspenseful murder mystery. The story is told in different timelines. The first is 1991 teenage girls while the second is 30 years later...
My thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this book is set for December 2019.
My thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this book is set for December 2019.
graveyardsierra's review against another edition
3.0
The premise of this book seemed really intriguing to me? 4 friends who like horror and spooky stuff.
I did like the now/then chapters how it went back and forth and you finally found out what really happened to Becca. - Obviously when you're a kid, you don't tell your family what's going on. But like Becca really needed help, with the drawings and being so obsessed with the Red Lady. And realistically she was sick, and needed help. - And Heather just of course blindlessly did whatever Becca said cause she didn't want to lose her friendship.
There were times when I felt bad for Heather, but the crazy giggling was a bit off putting. Then some times I was like maybe she deserves it. - For like on chapter I thought maybe her husband was trying to play tricks on her by leaving the metal detector, and he was trying to get her to confess. But then I was like NAH.
The ending felt a little rushed with Becca's real mom showing up out of nowhere and then the house burning down and everything.
But the end I was not expecting Heather's mom to have know THE WHOLE TIME. Like that was wild.
This was a really quick read for me. - And I still had some questions at the end of the book. It wasn't like a very satisfying ending. But it wasn't like ~awful~
I did like the now/then chapters how it went back and forth and you finally found out what really happened to Becca. - Obviously when you're a kid, you don't tell your family what's going on. But like Becca really needed help, with the drawings and being so obsessed with the Red Lady. And realistically she was sick, and needed help. - And Heather just of course blindlessly did whatever Becca said cause she didn't want to lose her friendship.
There were times when I felt bad for Heather, but the crazy giggling was a bit off putting. Then some times I was like maybe she deserves it. - For like on chapter I thought maybe her husband was trying to play tricks on her by leaving the metal detector, and he was trying to get her to confess. But then I was like NAH.
The ending felt a little rushed with Becca's real mom showing up out of nowhere and then the house burning down and everything.
But the end I was not expecting Heather's mom to have know THE WHOLE TIME. Like that was wild.
This was a really quick read for me. - And I still had some questions at the end of the book. It wasn't like a very satisfying ending. But it wasn't like ~awful~
daniellecherny's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In 1991, Heather Cole and her friends--Becca, Gia, and Rachel--were members of the Dead Girls Club. Self-professed lovers of serial killers and macabre, the girls exchanged stories both real--like the tales of Ted Bundy--and fake--like The Red Lady, a vengeful witch killed centuries before. Traumatized by the abusive Lauren Thomas, Becca insists The Red Lady is real and that only she can save her from the torment she experiences at home. This belief gets her killed.
Years later, Heather is now Dr. Cole, prominent child psychologist to those with tragic lives. Heather survived her childhood--and The Red Lady--but not unscathed. When a mysterious envelope arrives with the other half of her "Best Friends Forever" necklace--the very one Becca was wearing the night Heather killed her--Heather is convinced someone is sending her a message. Someone knows what really happened the night Becca died, and Heather can't hide behind her lies any longer.
While marketed as a supernatural thriller, I spent a good majority of my time immersed in the plot, wondering if The Red Lady would turn out to be a real entity. As an avid thriller reader, I expected her to be fake, a figment of the children's imaginations and an explicit representation of just how powerful our minds truly are. The way the author handled The Red Lady and her story, providing evidence for both sides, made for a thrilling, eerie, and unputdownable read.
I'm quite impressed with the character development. All four friends were affected by the events of that summer. Becca lost her life, and Heather killed her. Heather, now a child psychologist; Gia, now a physical therapist; and Rachel, now a lawyer, all work in fields that allow them to help people, especially broken, injured (either physically or emotionally) individuals. The years have not been kind to these girls, and I really enjoyed seeing how that summer changed them.
I disliked very little about this book. While some character and writing quirks became distracting (e.g. the cuticle picking and the ever-constant goosebumps), I wasn't bothered so much that I was taken out of the story. Aside from that, the ending did feel a bit rushed and wrapped up rather easily. Even so, I am satisfied with the ending, and I did not foresee the final twist. That makes me one happy reader. After all, the ending is what makes or breaks a good thriller.
Years later, Heather is now Dr. Cole, prominent child psychologist to those with tragic lives. Heather survived her childhood--and The Red Lady--but not unscathed. When a mysterious envelope arrives with the other half of her "Best Friends Forever" necklace--the very one Becca was wearing the night Heather killed her--Heather is convinced someone is sending her a message. Someone knows what really happened the night Becca died, and Heather can't hide behind her lies any longer.
While marketed as a supernatural thriller, I spent a good majority of my time immersed in the plot, wondering if The Red Lady would turn out to be a real entity. As an avid thriller reader, I expected her to be fake, a figment of the children's imaginations and an explicit representation of just how powerful our minds truly are. The way the author handled The Red Lady and her story, providing evidence for both sides, made for a thrilling, eerie, and unputdownable read.
I'm quite impressed with the character development. All four friends were affected by the events of that summer. Becca lost her life, and Heather killed her. Heather, now a child psychologist; Gia, now a physical therapist; and Rachel, now a lawyer, all work in fields that allow them to help people, especially broken, injured (either physically or emotionally) individuals. The years have not been kind to these girls, and I really enjoyed seeing how that summer changed them.
I disliked very little about this book. While some character and writing quirks became distracting (e.g. the cuticle picking and the ever-constant goosebumps), I wasn't bothered so much that I was taken out of the story. Aside from that, the ending did feel a bit rushed and wrapped up rather easily. Even so, I am satisfied with the ending, and I did not foresee the final twist. That makes me one happy reader. After all, the ending is what makes or breaks a good thriller.
badseedgirl's review against another edition
2.0
I am so disappointed in this book. The main character Heather, made so many bad, and stupid decisions, and I know she was suffering from guilt and PTSD, her decisions throughout the book were so bad. I seriously expected a scene where she followed someone to a zoo, and while there saw the tiger cage open and said to herself, here I think I'll smear myself in this handy bucket of pig's blood and then go lay in this tiger cage like a piece of dead meat so I can observe the person I'm following closer. Heather would of course be shocked that she was almost killed by the tigers.
Between that and the frankly lazy copout of an ending, I'm giving this book 2 stars. I was going to give it three, but I just can't do that. It establishes too low of a bar for the coming year as to what a "good" book is.
Between that and the frankly lazy copout of an ending, I'm giving this book 2 stars. I was going to give it three, but I just can't do that. It establishes too low of a bar for the coming year as to what a "good" book is.
musingswithmiranda's review against another edition
2.0
The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters sounded promising, so I first recommended it to my sister. She really enjoyed it, so when I could not decide on my next read, she wanted me to read this book so we could talk about it. The premise of the novel seems really cool, but it unfortunately fell a little flat for me.
The story moves between past and present, following the main character Heather Cole. As a young girl, she forms the Dead Girls Club with her friends. They talk about serial killers and monsters, but it eventually goes too far. Heather’s best friend, Becca, tells the story of the Red Lady, the spirit of a witch who was killed centuries ago. Becca becomes obsessed with this tale, and she insists that the Red Lady is real. Then, Becca is killed. In the present, thirty years have passed when Heather starts receiving anonymous mail starting with a necklace that Becca was wearing the night she died. This makes Heather spiral and lose control of her life. She must find out who knows what happened that night thirty years ago when she killed Becca. (This is not a spoiler; it is in the description for the book.)
I really liked the idea of a supernatural thriller. I did not have many expectations for this book because I did know too much about it beforehand. However, I did not really love it. While it was interesting in some parts, the story was underwhelming for me. The supernatural aspect was not what I was expecting either. The “then” parts of the story were more interesting. I enjoyed seeing what new tales Becca would come up with. However, most of the “now” parts did not hold my attention. This is partly because I did not care about the characters. I was mostly annoyed at Heather for her actions and how she treated others. The writing style was okay, but it felt a bit rushed or off to me sometimes.
I understand why some people enjoy this book, but it was somewhat disappointing for me. I respect that my sister and others have enjoyed it though. I wanted a bit more from it, but the author does craft an entertaining story. I think The Dead Girls Club has some strong or interesting qualities, so if it sounds like something you would enjoy then I would still recommend checking it out for yourself.
The story moves between past and present, following the main character Heather Cole. As a young girl, she forms the Dead Girls Club with her friends. They talk about serial killers and monsters, but it eventually goes too far. Heather’s best friend, Becca, tells the story of the Red Lady, the spirit of a witch who was killed centuries ago. Becca becomes obsessed with this tale, and she insists that the Red Lady is real. Then, Becca is killed. In the present, thirty years have passed when Heather starts receiving anonymous mail starting with a necklace that Becca was wearing the night she died. This makes Heather spiral and lose control of her life. She must find out who knows what happened that night thirty years ago when she killed Becca. (This is not a spoiler; it is in the description for the book.)
I really liked the idea of a supernatural thriller. I did not have many expectations for this book because I did know too much about it beforehand. However, I did not really love it. While it was interesting in some parts, the story was underwhelming for me. The supernatural aspect was not what I was expecting either. The “then” parts of the story were more interesting. I enjoyed seeing what new tales Becca would come up with. However, most of the “now” parts did not hold my attention. This is partly because I did not care about the characters. I was mostly annoyed at Heather for her actions and how she treated others. The writing style was okay, but it felt a bit rushed or off to me sometimes.
I understand why some people enjoy this book, but it was somewhat disappointing for me. I respect that my sister and others have enjoyed it though. I wanted a bit more from it, but the author does craft an entertaining story. I think The Dead Girls Club has some strong or interesting qualities, so if it sounds like something you would enjoy then I would still recommend checking it out for yourself.
chaosandbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I went back and forth with this book for awhile on the rating. My gut reaction was to give it a two star rating since it left me pretty disappointed with the way it ended. After thinking about it for awhile, I changed it to a three.
The reasoning behind this is that the book did do a great job of capturing the supernatural experience it claimed in the blurb. It left me on the end of my seat, a bit paranoid, and with a racing heart the entire time.
My actual problem with the book stemmed from the plot and the ending. Some of it was just a bit far-fetched and without consequence. I don't want to spoil that aspect. Overall though, it also wrapped up fairly quickly in the epilogue as if the author just ran out of steam and tied up all the loose ends in a handful of pages.
The reasoning behind this is that the book did do a great job of capturing the supernatural experience it claimed in the blurb. It left me on the end of my seat, a bit paranoid, and with a racing heart the entire time.
My actual problem with the book stemmed from the plot and the ending. Some of it was just a bit far-fetched and without consequence. I don't want to spoil that aspect. Overall though, it also wrapped up fairly quickly in the epilogue as if the author just ran out of steam and tied up all the loose ends in a handful of pages.