Codie Crowley

Sundae made a deal with a monster she met at the bottom of a motel pool when she was only a child. Fast forward to today when she goes back to the same town for her class's prom weekend, where the same monster still resides. She only used 2 of her wishes and he is demanding that she use her third wish so she forfeits her life to him. In the same small town, meanwhile, the monster convinces Lia, who has a major crush on Sundae, to make a wish, which leads to a whole heap of trouble, show more especially when the bodies start piling up.

This was an interesting premise. I was expecting a straight up slasher type of horror movie, and while people did get killed by the monster and his "creations", it was more out in the open and up to our MCs to stop, again out in the open, without any suspense over who was committing all these murders. I'm not saying that was bad, just not what I was expecting.

I loved the idea of the monster offering up 3 wishes, each of which comes with it's own set of complications, which he fails to mention to both Sundae and Lia. I also loved the characters. They were all well written, relatable, and easy to connect with. Both Sundae's and Lia's friends made great secondary characters. The pacing was pretty even, and the ending, while predictable, was still satisfying.

All in all, while this book wasn't quite what I was expecting, I did enjoy it.

4/5 stars

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Codie Crowley for the opportunity to read and review this book. show less

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is a rare debut gem--a young adult horrorfest with vengeance at its best. If the title doesn't grab you, the plot will.

From the moment I delved into its pages, I knew I was hooked and embarking on a journey unlike any other. It's not just a book; it's an experience. It's a visceral, emotional rollercoaster that left me breathless and rooting for Annie from start to finish.

Annie is an outstanding character with guts, sarcastic wit, and an immortal determination to show more find out what happened to her and her best friend Maura. Her amateur detective work is entertaining and her interactions with other characters is priceless. However, its the bad things that happen to her before her terrible death that make her vengeance even more satisfying to read.

The writing and pacing is incredible. The character development is exquisite. The worldbuilding is original with a wrathful ghost/revenant who has unearthly skills I'd never seen before.

As I turned the last page, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer brilliance of Crowley's superb craftsmanship. It's bizarre, it's funny, and it opens the darkest corners of the imagination. I'm adding this to my favorite books of 2024.

Thank you to Ms. Crowley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

"Murdered bad girl Annie Lane is back from the grave and hellbent on revenge . . . she just has to figure out who killed her."

Annie is only a teenager when she is murdered and dumped on a haunted mountain, which is why she decides to investigate her own murder, because she has no memory of it at all. Little by little she pieces it together, and we get to discover the clues alongside her.

I loved the premise of this book, and did enjoy reading it, but the fact that Annie was unlikeable took show more some of the joy away for me. The story did move along at a rapid pace, so it was a quick read, and I guessed who the murderer was before they were revealed, but I still enjoyed the big reveal.

All in all, I did enjoy this story and recommend it.

4/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Disney Hyperion, and Codie Crowley for the opportunity to read and review Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch. show less

A murdered teen returns to find answers to her untimely death.

Annabel attends a party with her ex-boyfriend, but doesn't return alive the next morning. Annabel finds herself in a river with a stab wound when she wakes up. She finds refuge with a few other kids who also died violent deaths. Annabel's ability to appear solid rather than ghostly leads her to track down her ex-boyfriend and his friends.. Annabel's close friend is also missing which causes concern. As Annabel gets closer to show more finding her murderer, she uncovers events leading up to her death which she doesn't remember at first remember.

This is a book you won't be able to put down as you will want to find out why Annabel was murdered. Codie creates many strong characters. Annabel's character as it develops from a confused teen trying to figure out what happened to a brave teen seeking vengeance is my favorite. The paranormal world adds a nice aspect as Annabel is able to be in human and spirit form. A highly recommended read for its intense and at times humor plots. show less