Title: How to Survive Your Murder
Author: Danielle Valentine
Publication: August 30, 2022
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: Mystery, YA Fiction
Pages: 302
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial.
And in the year since Claire’s death, Alice’s life has completely fallen apart. Her parents have gotten divorced, she’s moved into an apartment that smells like bologna, and she is being forced to face her sister’s killer and a courtroom full of people who doubt what she saw in the corn maze a year prior.
Claire was an all-American girl, beautiful and bubbly, and a theater star. Alice was a nerd who dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist and would rather stay at home to watch her favorite horror movies than party. Despite their differences, they were bonded by sisterhood and were each other’s best friends.
Until Claire was taken away from her.
On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween morning a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered. Alice has until midnight to save her sister and find the real killer before he claims another victim.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
You couldn’t possibly get more “my type” than a book called How To Survive Your Murder that falls into the mystery and YA Fiction genres. It was like it was built for me. What intrigued me the most though was that this book had a little twist… time travel possibly? Now I am not much for science fiction, but this was an interesting twist and right away I was interested.
I think my favorite part about this book is that I could literally see it playing out on a big screen too. Not that a book should automatically be considered a movie, but it was like it was playing out in my head on a screen. Which means the author really got me INTO the book. I felt like I was there and created this world I fell right into. The character Allie was a fun one. I really liked her personality. Obsessed with true crime, suspicious of everyone, and yet terrified of real life horror. Allie and I could definitely be friends. Claire on the other hand was definitely not my type. She was polar opposite of Allie and yet the two were the perfect sisters, always backing each other up.
The only thing keeping me from giving this book a five star was the ending. It was so abrupt and left a lot of questions. I don’t have to fee like a story wraps up nicely, but I do want some form of closure in a book and this one blew the opening wide and left me kind of in shock. Now, I will give it credit to the fact that I did not see it coming at all! It was insane. My mouth literally dropped on the last page. Valentine sure does know how to hit that climax and then leave you stunned. I just wish it hadn’t left me so… needing more. Maybe this isn’t a huge issue. Maybe it’s because I need more? A sequel possibly? That sounds perfect. Here’s to hoping Danielle Valentine can write me a sequel.
This all summarizes into How to Survive Your Murder being a great mystery with twists and turns and kept me guessing the entire book. I think I suspected everyone at least once. If you love a good YA mystery then this book is for you. Grab a copy instantly! You will not be disappointed!
