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A review by richincolor
The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington
Review copy: ARC via publisher
If you read Joelle Wellington’s first book, Their Vicious Games, you know that she can do thriller extremely well. Now with her sophomore novel, she cranks up the thriller aspect, throws in some supernatural horror and takes the reader on an even more intense journey. Once the action of the story gets moving, it is fast-paced all the way to the end. Amidst all of this action is a story that focuses on friendship and sisterhood.
Even though she feels betrayed by her twin sister who graduated high school early, Devon tries to make amends by creating a list of things to do before her sister leaves for college. The problem – they don’t really have much in common anymore so Devon makes a list based on the activities they used to do. It all falls apart after they play with a Ouija board at a party and now their friends are being hunted by a demon. Luckily the demon doesn’t seem to be too particular about its kills, so if it can’t have one of the friend’s group, it will take someone near them that “somewhat” fits the bill. This is where the novel gave me the giggles because the group of friends realize they are playing out the plot of a horror novel so they develop a plan to defeat the demon. Like all plans this one falls apart, which as an avid reader I knew was going to happen because I was only about a third of the way of the book but what I loved was how all of it played out, especially because it came through a very cool plot twist. And if you’ve read any of my reviews before you know I love a plot twist that I didn’t see coming.
While the thriller of the story was fun, the heart of the novel is the relationship between Devon and Drew. At the beginning of the novel, while Devon is trying to make amends with her sister, the relationship between the two is antagonistic. Devon feels like she doesn’t know her sister anymore since they attend separate schools and is a bit insecure about herself due to being compared to her sister. It is a complicated dynamic and one that many of us could relate to – anyone with sisters would. The horror plot they find themselves in brings them together in a way they haven’t been in a while and through the events they learn more about each other and an appreciation for each other. While the novel is told through Devon’s POV, Drew is such a strong character that she almost feels like a protagonist as well. Both grow through the novel as they learn to open up and trust each other.
The Blonde Dies First is a fun ride of a book and because you get so drawn into the story, it’s a fast read. With school starting and all the stresses that come with it, Wellington’s newest book is a perfect book when you need a break.
If you read Joelle Wellington’s first book, Their Vicious Games, you know that she can do thriller extremely well. Now with her sophomore novel, she cranks up the thriller aspect, throws in some supernatural horror and takes the reader on an even more intense journey. Once the action of the story gets moving, it is fast-paced all the way to the end. Amidst all of this action is a story that focuses on friendship and sisterhood.
Even though she feels betrayed by her twin sister who graduated high school early, Devon tries to make amends by creating a list of things to do before her sister leaves for college. The problem – they don’t really have much in common anymore so Devon makes a list based on the activities they used to do. It all falls apart after they play with a Ouija board at a party and now their friends are being hunted by a demon. Luckily the demon doesn’t seem to be too particular about its kills, so if it can’t have one of the friend’s group, it will take someone near them that “somewhat” fits the bill. This is where the novel gave me the giggles because the group of friends realize they are playing out the plot of a horror novel so they develop a plan to defeat the demon. Like all plans this one falls apart, which as an avid reader I knew was going to happen because I was only about a third of the way of the book but what I loved was how all of it played out, especially because it came through a very cool plot twist. And if you’ve read any of my reviews before you know I love a plot twist that I didn’t see coming.
While the thriller of the story was fun, the heart of the novel is the relationship between Devon and Drew. At the beginning of the novel, while Devon is trying to make amends with her sister, the relationship between the two is antagonistic. Devon feels like she doesn’t know her sister anymore since they attend separate schools and is a bit insecure about herself due to being compared to her sister. It is a complicated dynamic and one that many of us could relate to – anyone with sisters would. The horror plot they find themselves in brings them together in a way they haven’t been in a while and through the events they learn more about each other and an appreciation for each other. While the novel is told through Devon’s POV, Drew is such a strong character that she almost feels like a protagonist as well. Both grow through the novel as they learn to open up and trust each other.
The Blonde Dies First is a fun ride of a book and because you get so drawn into the story, it’s a fast read. With school starting and all the stresses that come with it, Wellington’s newest book is a perfect book when you need a break.