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libellumartinae's review against another edition
3.0
Review (3/5):
I honestly have to explain to Edelweiss what a genre is, since this was said to be a supernatural thriller, although I would describe it more as an horror, since it got me quite some nightmare...
... still i am glad it got me out of my comfort zone and if you are some scaredy cat like me.
The book is honestly not the best of the genre, but I am just going to point out the fact that it might have been so, because the resolution the author has given is something I personally consider “lazy writing”, since instead of working with what she had written, she ended up introducing something new, which pretty much was more thrown in there, than actually planned. And this got me thinking that the author just ended up creating a more complex plot than she could handle.
Hence needing a little help from the outside of her writing, which, at least for me, wasn’t working.
Still I do have to say that I quite liked the entire “then” section, since I found it rather interesting, and probably the one that made me truly curious of the story and I have to admit that the writing style of author gets better the more you delve into the writing.
The plot is pretty plain, although the Red Lady story is rather interesting and truly horrifying if you might ask me, but everything else kind of fall onto the back in a rather normal and common plot, which honestly didn’t make me empathize with the main character, and I even have to say that I despised many of her choices, and what was worst was that this fall into madness was somehow fairytale-like interrupted without no explanation and no kind of retribution of acknowledgement on her part.
I honestly have to say that this story doesn’t have much depth and it does stay on the surface of a lot of things, something that might almost be caught as uneducative, so please read this with attention.
Although there were quite some interesting themes being discussed through the book such as domestic violence, gender equality and childhood trauma, but they are all kept as surface arguments, so I kind of expected something more, leaving the reader to deepen their interest outside.
Not inherently a bad book, although I do think it isn’t amazing and probably not the best of the genre, but if you are looking for some book, as a scaredy cat, to try out this genre, this might be the one for you!
I honestly have to explain to Edelweiss what a genre is, since this was said to be a supernatural thriller, although I would describe it more as an horror, since it got me quite some nightmare...
... still i am glad it got me out of my comfort zone and if you are some scaredy cat like me.
The book is honestly not the best of the genre, but I am just going to point out the fact that it might have been so, because the resolution the author has given is something I personally consider “lazy writing”, since instead of working with what she had written, she ended up introducing something new, which pretty much was more thrown in there, than actually planned. And this got me thinking that the author just ended up creating a more complex plot than she could handle.
Hence needing a little help from the outside of her writing, which, at least for me, wasn’t working.
Still I do have to say that I quite liked the entire “then” section, since I found it rather interesting, and probably the one that made me truly curious of the story and I have to admit that the writing style of author gets better the more you delve into the writing.
The plot is pretty plain, although the Red Lady story is rather interesting and truly horrifying if you might ask me, but everything else kind of fall onto the back in a rather normal and common plot, which honestly didn’t make me empathize with the main character, and I even have to say that I despised many of her choices, and what was worst was that this fall into madness was somehow fairytale-like interrupted without no explanation and no kind of retribution of acknowledgement on her part.
I honestly have to say that this story doesn’t have much depth and it does stay on the surface of a lot of things, something that might almost be caught as uneducative, so please read this with attention.
Although there were quite some interesting themes being discussed through the book such as domestic violence, gender equality and childhood trauma, but they are all kept as surface arguments, so I kind of expected something more, leaving the reader to deepen their interest outside.
Not inherently a bad book, although I do think it isn’t amazing and probably not the best of the genre, but if you are looking for some book, as a scaredy cat, to try out this genre, this might be the one for you!
heather425's review against another edition
4.0
What is it with young girls and wanting to scare themselves and each other? I remember being twelve and reading Stephen King nonstop, writing scary stories, and playing light as a feather stiff as a board. The Dead Girls Club just takes it all to another level. The synopsis gives away most of the story so I won't go into it here. The ending had a small twist that made the story more interesting. The story is told in alternating Then/Now chapters. I enjoyed the Then parts more than the Now. Adult Heather Cole was super annoying, but the past parts were well done and those kept the story going for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
smilesgiggle's review against another edition
5.0
I had to take a few days after reading this book to let it settle. Very well written. Fast paced. Great suspense. Not all questions are answered - but I felt very satisfied with the story. The characters are well developed - I was very attached to the main character. Moves between present and past when event occurred - smooth transitions, kept me wanting to know more.
seagullsaga's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Car accident, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Bullying, Violence, Alcoholism, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, and Stalking
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
shellysbookcorner's review against another edition
3.0
*NetGalley Review*
First off I love this cover which is what made me stop and check this book out. The blurb sounded good so I decided to take a chance on this new to me author. I didn’t hate the book but I didn’t love it either. The story is told in past and present. I really enjoyed the past parts of the book and reading about the Red Lady. I would have loved a point of view from Becca as well. The present part of the story is where I struggled big time. I didn’t care for Heather and found her to be bland and lacking personality. The ending of the book was anticlimactic as well. This book is billed as a supernatural thriller but I didn’t get that vibe while I read. It felt more of a mystery story than thriller. I wouldn’t be opposed to reading another book by this author in the future.
First off I love this cover which is what made me stop and check this book out. The blurb sounded good so I decided to take a chance on this new to me author. I didn’t hate the book but I didn’t love it either. The story is told in past and present. I really enjoyed the past parts of the book and reading about the Red Lady. I would have loved a point of view from Becca as well. The present part of the story is where I struggled big time. I didn’t care for Heather and found her to be bland and lacking personality. The ending of the book was anticlimactic as well. This book is billed as a supernatural thriller but I didn’t get that vibe while I read. It felt more of a mystery story than thriller. I wouldn’t be opposed to reading another book by this author in the future.
sarag19's review against another edition
4.0
***ARC received from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
I'm conflicted about this book, the majority of it I really enjoyed yet I still felt unsatisfied at the end. Perhaps because you go in knowing way to much about the story. You know Becca is dead and Heather, our main character, killed her. I just feel like the suspense would have been a little deeper if I hadn't known that going it. Doesn't meant that I didn't enjoy the book, it was still a good book.
The book itself is broken into two sections, now and then. We follow Heather through her adult years and as a twelve year old. At first, I wasn't as big a fan of the past section at the beginning, as it is written in first person it felt juvenile being first person as a twelve year old but at the book kept going as we got to learn about Becca and the Red Lady I really liked these sections. But what I mostly liked about this was the relationship between the four girls, it felt real and natural. Becca and Heather are best friends but they are also twelve with secrets and moody behaviors. Heather's interactions with her mother was just what you would expect from a preteen.
The present follows Heather in her thirties is where the book started strong for me but didn't fully deliver in the end. Pretty much the opposite of the past sections. Heather is presented to almost be having some type of breakdown, when you try to figure out whether everything she is experiencing is real or all in her head. It at times felt like it could be in her head which creates a very interesting thriller dynamic. Its such a shame that the reveal of the ending fell flat to me. A good build up to an ending that just didn't fully deliver, even if the rest of the book, particularly the past sections were so good.
I'm conflicted about this book, the majority of it I really enjoyed yet I still felt unsatisfied at the end. Perhaps because you go in knowing way to much about the story. You know Becca is dead and Heather, our main character, killed her. I just feel like the suspense would have been a little deeper if I hadn't known that going it. Doesn't meant that I didn't enjoy the book, it was still a good book.
The book itself is broken into two sections, now and then. We follow Heather through her adult years and as a twelve year old. At first, I wasn't as big a fan of the past section at the beginning, as it is written in first person it felt juvenile being first person as a twelve year old but at the book kept going as we got to learn about Becca and the Red Lady I really liked these sections. But what I mostly liked about this was the relationship between the four girls, it felt real and natural. Becca and Heather are best friends but they are also twelve with secrets and moody behaviors. Heather's interactions with her mother was just what you would expect from a preteen.
The present follows Heather in her thirties is where the book started strong for me but didn't fully deliver in the end. Pretty much the opposite of the past sections. Heather is presented to almost be having some type of breakdown, when you try to figure out whether everything she is experiencing is real or all in her head. It at times felt like it could be in her head which creates a very interesting thriller dynamic. Its such a shame that the reveal of the ending fell flat to me. A good build up to an ending that just didn't fully deliver, even if the rest of the book, particularly the past sections were so good.
beccalesurf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
thereadingbee's review against another edition
3.0
Dead Girls Club was a fun and thrilling read. I enjoyed the dual perspective timelines, especially the flashbacks to when the characters were younger. The book had quite a bit of spook factor added in as well as folklore. There were two twists at the end, one I saw coming and the other I didn't, neither earthshattering.
This was over all a decent thriller with a unique premise. Don't go in expecting to be mindblown and you will enjoy the tale.
This was over all a decent thriller with a unique premise. Don't go in expecting to be mindblown and you will enjoy the tale.
litabrarian's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75