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eloharay 's review for:
How to Survive Your Murder
by Danielle Valentine
Alice Lawrence and two of her friends plan to start a podcast about the intersection of horror movies and true crime - in effect, how to survive a real life horror film. Soon, Alice finds herself at a Halloween party in a creepy corn maze and witnesses the murder of her sister Claire. A year later, she’s thrown back in time to the night her life changed and is given until midnight to find the truth of the events leading to her sister’s death.
I’ll let you in on a not-so-well-kept secret about me - I HATE horror movies. Have I seen some? Yes. I admit to being a teenage with questionable decision making skills, but as an adult, I refuse to watch them. How to Survive Your Murder is like reading a horror film, and yet, I couldn’t get enough of it! I was torn between not wanting the book to end and not being able to put it down so I could find out if my crazy ass theories were accurate. There are so many plot twists, you need a GPS to figure out where the hell you are by the end, but despite my horror aversion, I 100% would buy a sequel, should Danielle Valentine decide to grace us with one.
The author seamlessly integrates elements, quotes, and tropes from 90s horror films, keeping you on your toes while evoking a sense of nostalgia. I found myself yelling at Alice to not go in there, not trust them, not leave the safety of a crowded place, not open that door. There was even a character that was very reminiscent of Patrick Verona, the ultimate “bad boy with a heart of gold” from my favorite 90s rom-com.
This is a YA novel, but in my opinion it’s a bit gory for the younger of the YA crowd. This would have scared the crap out of me if I’d read it at 13 or even 17 if I’m being honest. I’m 50/50 on whether I’d have read this book if it wasn’t a pick from the “traveling books” club thing I’m currently doing. But I’m 100 on being glad I did.
I’ll let you in on a not-so-well-kept secret about me - I HATE horror movies. Have I seen some? Yes. I admit to being a teenage with questionable decision making skills, but as an adult, I refuse to watch them. How to Survive Your Murder is like reading a horror film, and yet, I couldn’t get enough of it! I was torn between not wanting the book to end and not being able to put it down so I could find out if my crazy ass theories were accurate. There are so many plot twists, you need a GPS to figure out where the hell you are by the end, but despite my horror aversion, I 100% would buy a sequel, should Danielle Valentine decide to grace us with one.
The author seamlessly integrates elements, quotes, and tropes from 90s horror films, keeping you on your toes while evoking a sense of nostalgia. I found myself yelling at Alice to not go in there, not trust them, not leave the safety of a crowded place, not open that door. There was even a character that was very reminiscent of Patrick Verona, the ultimate “bad boy with a heart of gold” from my favorite 90s rom-com.
This is a YA novel, but in my opinion it’s a bit gory for the younger of the YA crowd. This would have scared the crap out of me if I’d read it at 13 or even 17 if I’m being honest. I’m 50/50 on whether I’d have read this book if it wasn’t a pick from the “traveling books” club thing I’m currently doing. But I’m 100 on being glad I did.