#Murdertrending

MurderTrending #1

by Gretchen McNeil

@doctorfusionbebop: Some 17 y. o. chick named Dee Guerrera was just sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for killing her stepsister. So, how long do you think she'll last?

@morrisdavis72195: I hope she meets justice! She'll get what's coming to her! BWAHAHA!

@EltonJohnForevzz: Me? I think Dee's innocent. And I hope she can survive.

WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society's most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.

When seventeen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she's about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn't commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she's innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman's cast of executioners kill them off one by one?

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Dystopia, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 7, 2018

About the author

Gretchen McNeil is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS, 3:59, RELIC, GET EVEN, GET DIRTY, and TEN (a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth) all with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins. Gretchen’s first YA contemporary I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL, also with Balzer + Bray, hit shelves in 2016, and her next novel will be the horror-comedy #MURDERTRENDING for Disney/Freeform in August 2018.

Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.

Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.

Reviews

[BernLuvsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

🏢3.5 Stars for #murdertrending🔪

This was a fast paced, fun read that definitely kept me turning the pages. It has a certain edge of your seat factor to it as you ultimately never know when someone will be killed.

In a nutshell the plot centers around Alcatraz 2.0. America has green lighted a prison reality show where being on death row means you are sent to a prison "island" run by the mysterious Postman where his appointed executioners/psychotic killers hunt you down for America's viewing pleasure. On the beloved app you can bet, comment and create fanfare for your favorite killers!

Dee Guerrera awakens on Alcatraz 2.0 and immediately must fight for her life. She knows that she was wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime and wants to prove her innocence before she becomes the apps next victim. On the island she meets a group young, attractive inmates - who else would be starring on this reality show? The group unexpectedly begins looking out for each other despite the fact that they could all be killers. America aptly names them the #DeathRowBreakfastClub and can't stop watching their feed. Ratings are at an all time high but that means that time is running out for them because the more popular a criminal is on the feed, the more the Postman wants them dead.

This is not the type of book to go into expecting lots of character development or a well crafted and deeply probed backstory but it was definitely a lot of fun to read. It has a cheesy 80s horror film vibe & I'm not ashamed to admit that I loved that about it!

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super strange. I don't know if was meant to be a thriller, but I can tell you that I never felt any creepiness or suspense at all. And yet, there were super graphic grisly murders throughout the book. It reminded me of an episode of Scooby Doo, but with bloody murders.

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Yeah, like that.

The book is all about Alcatraz 2.0 where killers are sent to be killed by serial killers while being filmed and shown on the internet. Everyone is addicted to watching the gore. Our heroine is a teen who was wrongfully convicted of killing her step-sister. Well, who doesn't want to kill their step-sister? I think that even if she was guilty, they should have let her go. Have you ever HAD a step-sister? They are pure evil.


Huh. And, I just learned that step-sisters are slutty too. According to the place where only facts are printed - the internet.

This all sounds like a cool, scary premise, but the problem was that every single character was a bad caricature of OTT villains. The serial killers were all some sort of theme, like:
Prince Charming who dresses the girl victims up like Cinderella and kills them
Gucci Hangman who uses fashionable, Gucci, ties to hang people
Robin Hood who talks in ye old language and shoots them with arrows
Gassy Al uses poison gas
Hannah Ball cooks people and eats them
...etc...etc...
A bunch of "characters" who are more ridiculous than scary, and they are even called "The Painiacs".


Yes, it's as stupid as jazz. And, jazz-hands.

And, the heroine makes a bunch of friends on the island and they are called "The Death Row Breakfast Club" and they are all caricatures too.
Plus, the president of the United States is named "The Postman" and he is in charge of this computer show. Nobody has actually seen his face.



*sigh*
On the plus side, if you read it as a silly parody with the bonus of gross murders, you will like it.
But, if you are looking for a new Hunger Games - keep on looking.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm between a 3-3.5 star rating here.

We've seen oodles of YA novels published with themes of youth battling each other to the death, which is why I'm amazed at how unique and engaging Gretchen McNeil was able to make #MurderTrending feel. In a sea of similarly plotted novels, does it stand out above the rest? Not necessarily, but it was still a really fun read that I would highly recommend to those YA lovers who need something to bust their reading slump. It was incredibly fast paced and action packed, the type of book that has you gripped with bated breath while sitting on the edge of your seat.

I did find some of the character development lacking and the backstory a little underwhelming, but overall those were minor complaints and didn't take away from the fact that this is an enjoyable read. Readers who are squeamish will want to give this one a wide berth though; it is VERY graphic with explicit descriptions of violence of all kinds. If you enjoy the gory stuff like I do though, I think you'll want to pick this one up for the sheer fact that it's so gripping and the plot really draws you in. Gretchen McNeil once again proves that she's a force to be reckoned with in the world of YA thrillers and will continue to hold a place on my list of auto-buy authors. <3

*I received a copy for review from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Mogsy · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/12/...

I hate giving out 1-stars, and if you’ve followed me for a while, you may have already noticed you don’t see that rating here very often. That’s because even if I didn’t like a book overall, there’s usually still something I enjoyed about it. With #MurderTrending though, I think I’d be hard-pressed to find anything too positive to say about this hot mess. It simply did not work for me—on any level.

But first, here’s the book’s premise for some context of everything I’m going to discuss: It is the near future, and the President of the United States is a former reality TV star who thought it would be a great idea to outsource the justice and penal systems to a psychopath television producer known only by his internet handle, The Postman. Court trials have become a farce where anyone who is merely suspected of murder is pronounced guilty and sent to a prison island near San Francisco, dubbed Alcatraz 2.0, where every inch and corner is surveilled by cameras mounted on robotic birds. This live footage is streamed 24/7 to millions of viewers around the world tuning in to see the prisoners executed in the most brutal ways by federally sanctioned killers with names like Gucci Hangman and Molly Mauler, whose cheesy names and shticks are an attempt to drive up their popularity on social media.

The book follows Dee Guerrera, a teenager who was sent to Alcatraz 2.0 after being wrongfully convicted of murdering her stepsister. She becomes the next victim of Prince Slycer, one of the island’s executioners whose gimmick involves dressing up his executionees as princesses from Disney movies, immediately earning Dee the nickname #CinderellaSurvivor when she manages to escape his clutches. Determined to find her stepsister’s true killer, Dee teams up with other teens on the island in order to expose the reality of Alcatraz 2.0 and bring down The Postman.

Oh boy, where do I start? As an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy I consider myself to be pretty good at suspending my disbelief. But this book was beyond ridiculous. If it weren’t for the over-the-top gore and violence, I would have thought this was written for six-year-olds on account of how juvenile and ludicrous it sounds. Even leaving aside the more nonsensical elements, in today’s world where you pretty much can’t show anything on the television without getting someone up in arms over it, the idea of a 24-hour snuff show garnering wide acclaim and approval from the public isn’t just eye-roll inducing, it makes me want to bash my head against a wall.

And then there were the characters. Had they been written well, perhaps I could have put aside my incredulity of the premise. Unfortunately, at no point in the novel did Dee actually feel like a real person to me. She seemed detached and strangely unconcerned with her circumstances from the moment she arrived on Alcatraz 2.0. Sure, there might have been a brief flash of “Oh crap, I am screwed”, but this was quickly replaced by her utter conviction that she will find her stepsister’s killer—even though she has absolutely no resources on the island, zero places to start, and every reason to believe she’ll be up next on the literal chopping block. Yet there was no fear or sadness. No hopelessness or despair. This isn’t badass. This is bad characterization.

But maybe, just maybe, these characters were actually meant to be caricatures? After all, there was a character whose one memorable trait was his penchant to quote action movies from the 80s and 90s, and even as his friends were dying slow torturous deaths, he was busy channeling Rambo during the rescue mission. I mean, something this fucking goofy has got to be a joke…right? In fact, this entire novel was so absurd and extreme with its irreverence when it comes to violence and death, I was half convinced it was supposed to be ironic. But try as I did to see this novel as satire—a playful mockery on social media and the American obsession with Reality TV, perhaps—it was probably giving it too much credit. If this was meant to be satirical, then the author lacked the delicate expertise to pull it off properly. There was a desperation in the way her narrative attempted to justify the premise (with very flimsy logic) or to endear readers to the characters (by giving them very annoying quirks), and while sometimes exaggeration can be used as an effective device, in this case it was a complete disaster.

There were so many other problems with this novel, not least the fact the story gets even more unrealistic and ridiculous towards the end (believe it or not). Suffice to say, I think I’ve covered all the major disappointments so I’m just going to wrap this up by saying I probably won’t be picking up anything else by the author. I’ve heard that being this insanely over-the-top is part and parcel of her style, and clearly I am not the intended audience.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Gretchen McNeil's futuristic YA Dystopian novel #Murdertrending drops you straight into a world where the federal government has privatized part of the prison system.

After that decision was made the Postman app was launched.



Essentially the app turns capital punishment into a lucrative business by broadcasting death row as the ultimate reality show. Survivor has nothing on this, trust.

In addition to following the inmates, viewers can also follow their favorite executioners, collectively known as the Painiacs. There's fandoms involved. It's a whole thing.



The executions are also broadcast, with each executioner coming up with their own creatively brutally ways of taking someone out.

We follow Dee, who after being convicted of killing her step-sister is sent to Alcatraz 2.0, the most famous prison island, to serve out the last of her term. She is set to be executed, but you never know when it will happen.

That's half the fun, am I right?



The inmates in Alcatraz 2.0 live fairly freely on the island itself. They have jobs and can socialize with one another. Because of this, Dee ends up making some friends.

The friend group is dubbed DRBC, the Death Row Breakfast Club, through social media. Since they all claim to have been wrongfully convicted, they desire to uncover the truth behind Alcatraz 2.0.

But what is the truth?



#Murdertrending is a unique and interesting read. I enjoyed the themes explored regarding the criminal justice system and social media's effect on society.

It did take me a wee bit to get my bearings with this one because you are literally plopped down in the middle of Dee's world. I just had to relax into it and trust that McNeil would ultimately reveal everything I needed to know about the world and she did.



I enjoyed learning about the inmates and executioners. The executioners all had special names that reminded me of the type of punny names people use in roller derby, which added to the air of over-the-topness. It was fun.

I also enjoyed the mystery surrounding the Postman app. You can tell there is some sort of conspiracy happening, but how far does it reach? I tend to enjoy evil corporation vibes and this one definitely channeled that.



Unfortunately, I wasn't crazy about the final reveals. I really wish it had gone in another direction, but that is simply personal taste.

With this being said, even though it lost me a bit in the end, I am so happy that I finally made time for this one. I don't think that I will be continuing on with this series, but am still happy to have read this one.

Thank you to the publisher, Freeform, who actually provided me of a copy to read and review back in 2018. My apologies for not getting to it before now. I should have because honestly, I had a lot of fun with it!

[Helen Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! There were so many twists and turns in the plot that I was riveted the whole way through. I'm obsessed with things prison-related, San Francisco-related, and twisted reality TV show concepts, so this book was just my cup of tea!

I couldn't put it down (both because I was participating in a reading marathon and because it was just so good!).

Thanks to NetGalley and Freeform for giving me a digital ARC of this book.

Full review below:

Synopsis: Dee Guerrera is innocent of killing her step-sister, but this doesn’t stop her from being convicted of first-degree murder and sent to the country’s top prison – Alcatraz 2.0.  However, Dee doesn't spend the rest of her life trapped in a tiny cell. Instead, she becomes one of many stars of a sick reality TV show. Everyday she goes to work at an ice cream parlour on the island called “I Scream” and returns home to her house in the barracks.  But this isn’t an idyllic, peaceful existence.  She—along with all the other convicted criminals—are always in danger. Because on Alcatraz 2.0, there are serial killers who hunt down the prisoners, and the killings are live-streamed for the millions of fans watching from the luxury of their homes.

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting.  It is a fun, campy, thrilling read with lots of relevant references to pop culture.  However, there aren’t any pop culture references that would date the book. McNeil limits herself to mentions of things like Disney princesses, and classic movies like Rambo and Die Hard. It’s definitely a good idea to stick to the classics, because if you focus too much on a movie that’s a passing fad, the book will lose its relevance in a few years.


#Murdertrending reminds me a lot of The Hunger Games, but it’s a lot less emotionally taxing.  While I loved those books, they took themselves very seriously and Suzanne Collins was absolutely relentless in her attempts (successful attempts, I might add) to make me bawl my eyes out.  This is a much more “fun” approach to the reality-TV show where teenagers are hunted down and killed. There’s quite a bit of humour (a lot of it black, but not all of it), but the book isn’t without its intensity.  McNeil makes us care for characters before she does what she will to them.

Some of the complaints about this book are that it’s far-fetched.  A former reality star turned president is the cause of what society has turned into! How far-fetched! America would never elect a former reality TV—never mind.  All joking aside, the story isn’t too inconceivable, and it definitely holds a mirror up to what society is becoming, which adds a hint of unsettling-ness to an otherwise fun read.



As I just mentioned, the novel’s concept and many of the elements introduced throughout the story are a commentary on current society.  For example, there are a few times in the book where the reader is treated to the comment feeds of the viewers who are watching this reality TV show.  Viewers have become apathetic towards the pain of others.  These are “criminals” in Alcatraz 2.0, so they apparently deserve to be serial killed.  (Insert exaggerated eye roll here).  There’s a lot of #fakenews thrown around, conspiracy theorists who question everything, and this TV show has amassed an obsessed and decidedly-creepy fandom.  At one point the audience is fangirling over a character’s outfit while she’s fighting for her life.  McNeil is definitely making a statement here!

While the ridiculousness fit with the satire quite nicely, I did find that it got a little too far-fetched for me towards the end. The ways that the protagonist outsmarts the bad guys are very implausible. Very. I mean, maybe one or two villains can be stupid and gullible, but they all shouldn’t be.  These twists were still enjoyable, but I did groan a few times.

This satire is extended to the characterization of the protagonists of the novel.  Dee Guerrera meets several other prisoners her age when she’s first imprisoned on Alcatraz 2.0.  At first, they’re all two dimensional people – the jock, the cheerleader, the nerd.  But it’s quickly revealed that they’re voluntarily playing the role that they were assigned by the “Postman”, the producer of this widely-popular reality show.  I loved the characters and the directions that McNeil chose to go with them.  They’re quite diverse in every way, and I think that any teenager will have a hard time reading this book and not relating to at least one of these criminals.

All in all, I recommend this to anyone who’s looking for a fun summer read—so long as they aren’t afraid of a little (okay maybe a lot of) gore.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad enough she’d lost her sister, then been wrongly convicted of the murder; now she was going to be humiliated, forced to prance around the island in these stupid clothes while millions of people gawked and laughed and placed bets on how many days she’d survive until her blood was spilled in the name of entertainment.

This is one of those books that is just pure fun. The concept is neat mixing murder with reality tv in a near-future where death row means being sent to Alcatraz 2.0 where a psychotic killer will hunt you down and end your life - all while being live-streamed for the entire world’s viewing pleasure. And if they’d like, there will be replays available and forums where you can discuss your favorite murders or murderers. Interesting, right?

Dee Guerrera wakes up on Alcatraz 2.0 after her hearing. Three weeks ago, she would’ve never seen herself here. It actually makes no sense because she didn’t kill her step-sister regardless of what the jury said. Will Dee be killed off before she can prove she didn’t actually commit the crime?

If you think this sounds thrilling and fast-paced, you’re right. It could’ve been better if there was more development to the characters. I was more in the need of a palate cleanser read, so I didn’t mind it. I was in this for the murdery fun. I didn’t care about the lack of believability or the predictable moments. I still liked the journey of figuring out whodunnit regardless of how obvious it was.

I did love that Dee was constantly given Disney princess outfits. It made for some fun references throughout the action and gore. Now that I’m seeing there is a sequel, I am curious where it will go. More horror is always welcome. Since I enjoyed this and Ten, I’ll have to read more McNeil.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In a world where The Purge and The Hunger Games collide— #MURDERTRENDING shows us a society crippled by reality television and instant social media validation. Seriously folks, this book is a lot of fun and all too real for me. Dee Guerrera is wrongfully convicted for the murder of her step-sister Monica and sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for punishment. Alcatraz 2.0 is a man-made prison island off the coast of San Francisco where the worst convicts imaginable are sent to live out their days in fear. They must work, they are provided housing, and they are able to maintain their lives accordingly. However, the prison is run by The Postman—businessman and reality television producer who enlists the help of a rolodex of infamous serial killers to provide excruciating executions of the convicts; all captured on the The Postman app that viewers can tune into.

Dee awakens on Alcatraz 2.0 and immediately realizes that she's fallen victim to the show and must fight in order to survive. She knows that she was wrongfully convicted and wants to prove her innocence before it's too late. She meets a group of other young, attractive people in Alcatraz 2.0 and starts an alliance with them. #DeathRowBreakfastClub Time is running out for the newly established group, because as everybody knows—nobody gets out of Alcatraz 2.0 alive.

Gretchen McNeil, I truly love the sick and twisted world you provided in #MURDERTRENDING . I really didn't think this book would be as fun as you made it for us. The pacing of #MURDERTRENDING is fast, action-packed, and edge-of-your-seat thrilling. The story starts off with a bang, but it doesn't stop from there so I urge you to plan the day accordingly (seriously, this book is unputdownable!).

I had a few critiques about the story, which is why I couldn't give #MURDERTRENDING a higher rating. I felt that the backstory was a little weak and unbelievable. The foundation to the overall arc of the story was a little flat and could've been handled in more detail. I can't comment more about that without ruining the story for you, so after you read #MURDERTRENDING , talk to me! I also felt that there were serious plot holes and continuity issues that were made to keep the story going at it's fast-paced level. I wanted more story foundation, rather than continuous action—I actually rolled my eyes several times at how the situation was randomly handled and that definitely affected my rating. Maybe if the backstory was handled more and the secondary characters had a POV, the development of the story could have been more persuasive for me.

Even though I had some critiques about the story, #MURDERTRENDING was fabulous in the most disgusting way possible! It's very, very, very graphic at times so if you can't stomach gruesome violence, maybe give this one a pass! My boyfriend thinks I'm totally messed up in the head for enjoying this book, but what can I say?! I urge you to pick this story up if you're interested in a YA story with an original spin on a dystopian society.

P.S.: Don't think I didn't notice all the Rupaul's Drag Race references! Love, love, loved that!

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #MURDERTRENDING will be released August 7, 2018.

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

CW: gory deaths, PTSD after kidnapping, deaths of family members and friends

Seventeen year old Dee Guerrera has been framed for the murder of her step-sister, Monica. She now has to fight for her life on the island prison, Alcatraz 2.0, where she is being hunted by professional executioners (The Painiacs). The gruesome deaths are live-streamed to millions of viewers via the ‘Postman’ app. Viewers eagerly discuss the fates of prisoners and their favourite executioners via social media and online forums.

It is billed as a dystopian satire of reality shows and US politics where the President is a former reality TV star. It is in fact more about gory deaths and gutsy teens who against all odds seem to be able to defeat the highly experienced killers. Sarcastic yay. Dee inadvertently kills her would be executioner, Prince Slycer, and is labelled by the public as the #cinderellasurvivor. She and her band of moany merry misfits team up and uncover the dastardly plot to increase ratings by using young hot people on reality tv *rolls eyes*. There was also the darker underlying plot of Kimmi’s obsession with Dee. It becomes more apparent as the story progresses that Dee’s harrowing kidnapping ordeal (shown in flashbacks) as an 11 year old is linked to her arrival on the island.

It felt like I was reading two different novels smooshed together. The gritty, intense murder scenes were over the top and ridiculous but at the same time really engaging. Then between these scenes were some extraordinarily dull ones. I know it would be a bit much to maintain high levels of action and gore throughout the whole novel, but during the boring scenes the tension dropped away completely leaving me feeling disinterested. There was a lot of ‘fake mean girl’ snark and ‘why me I’m innocent’ whining, and ‘am I hot and does he like me?’ which was, quite frankly, annoying.

Last quick thoughts:
- Solid and not overly complicated world building allows the reader to immediately understand the environment they have entered.
- Unnecessary romance was out of place and awkward.
- I genuinely didn’t care who lived or died as long as it was an entertaining death, so this means I didn’t connect with or care about the characters.
- Ethan is black and likes sports, Gucci Hangman is flamboyant and dresses in drag, Blair is Asian and a lesbian = diversity box has been checked.
- In parts, the absurd executioner’s set ups seemed like they were staged by the cast of Fawlty Towers, and the resulting blood baths were darkly funny.
- Griselda uses her sex appeal to be popular with viewers....s’pose a girls gotta survive? Toxic femininity anyone?
- The book has a strikingly similar concept to the 1987 movie ‘The Running Man’, where murderers are sent to be hunted by highly themed executioners in front of cameras and live audiences.
- The idea for televising deaths and the use of social media in the justice system can also be found in the book ‘Cell 7’.
- The idea of ‘kill or be killed’ was never fully addressed as it was in ‘The Hunger Games’.
- Jeremy tries to escape by swimming off the island in shark infested waters and surprisingly gets eaten by sharks. He knew the sharks were there. #naturalselection

All in all this book delivered on the action and thrills in a quick and easy read. Don’t expect any insightful commentary on the justice system, the influence of social media, and societies desensitisation to human suffering. Just relax, read it for sheer comedic value and wonder who is next to get it in the neck.

[Danielle (The Blonde Likes Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the near future, eighteen year old Dee has been convicted of murdering her stepsister, and is sentenced to a new type of prison, known as Alcatraz 2.0, run by a mysterious figure known as The Postman. Located on an island, Alcatraz 2.0 is always under surveillance, and the public can tune in at any time to watch the live feeds of the prisoners. What makes this prison different is the fact that there are killers on the island, who, allowed by the government, torture and kill the convicted felons that end up there. The audience can watch the murders and place bets on who they think the killer will be for each inmate.

Dee swears she's innocent, and refuses to become one of the island's next victims. She forms a group of friends, nicknamed by the public the Death Row Breakfast Club, and together they try their best to stay alive day by day. Dee is determined to find a way off of the island to prove her innocence, but in doing so, has placed herself right in the The Postman's line of sight.

As soon as I read the blurb for #MurderTrending, I knew I had to read it! I am a huge fan of books that incorporate social media into the plot, given how prevalent social media is for most people these days. Reading the book was an interesting experience, because while we know from the beginning that Dee says she's innocent, you can't help but rooting for not just her, but her entire posse of friends, even knowing that they've all been sentenced to the island because they are convicted killers (regardless of whether or not they say they are innocent). 

Another element to the book that I loved was the mysterious character, known as The Postman - a former reality TV producer, who no-one knows the identity of, but who runs the island. There are a few chapters that are told from The Postman's point of view, which made him even more intriguing. 

If you are a fan of books like The Hunger Games and 1984, movies like The Purge and Untraceable, and shows like Big Brother, I think you'll be a fan of this book. There are elements of survival, voyeurism, social media, dystopia, and corrupt governments and legal systems, and I think some of these things are really relevant to today's society, just on a smaller scale. 

All in all, this was a perfect YA thriller for me, and exactly what I needed to read at the moment. Because it's YA, it was quick and easy to get through, but didn't skimp on the gore or reveals. I also loved the ending of the book - it did a great job wrapping up this story so the reader doesn't feel like they got ripped off, while leaving it open just enough to leave room for a sequel (which comes out next year!). I'd like to thank Freeform for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review. 

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dee is a teenager who has been found guilty of killing her stepsister. Dee maintains her innocence, but ends up in Alcatraz 2.0 anyway. Alcatraz 2.0 is a prison where convicted murderers are sent and killed while the public watches. The inmates live in a town setting and never know when or how they will die. The executioners, known as the Painiacs, are brutal killers who take pleasure in elaborate kills to promote views on the web.

Soon after arriving at Alcatraz 2.0, Dee meets some other young people who also seem to be innocent. Dee knows not to trust anyone, but she needs help if she's going to survive Alcatraz 2.0. Dee and the others suspect something is not right at Alcatraz 2.0, and set out to expose the corruption to the viewing public, while also trying to evade the Painiacs.

A disturbing story that seems like something that could happen. The idea of public executions is not new, but the brutal killings in this book highlight the bloodlust atmosphere found online. Also, the success of Alcatraz 2.0 depends on public opinion, which means videos/posts going viral and trending on the web. While there is plenty of blood and gore in this book, it also includes some humor. For example, Dee and her fellow inmates become known as the Death Row Breakfast Club - stereotypical characters like the jock, the nerd, and the princess.

This book is not all that well-written, but it is entertaining and fun to read. A fast-paced and exciting story of murder and mayhem.

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, I loved this book, but I knew I would. Gretchen’s words are always a favorite and she writes murdery goodness like no one else.

I loved Dee. She’s smart and somehow levelheaded and much more of a bad ass than I would have been. The Death Row Breakfast Club is just as awesome. I loved Ethan’s movie quotes and Gris’s sarcasm, and Nyles had me at being British.

Plot wise it’s quite unique, yet also a bit of a commentary on current events. It was fast paced from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the end. I know this is fairly vague, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

Overall, it was a quick read with characters I was rooting for right from the start. The ending was satisfying and I’m wondering if there will be more. Regardless, I’m 100000% here for Gretchen’s words.

**Huge thanks to Freeform for providing the arc free of charge**

[caleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

two words: fever. dream.

this book is essentially a dystopian horror novel, and i wasn’t sure what to expect from it. our main character dee has been wrongly convicted of murder and is sent to alcatraz 2.0 - a prison where murderers are murdered (think capital punishment with the element of surprise). now she, along with the “death row breakfast club,” are out to prove their innocence and take down the postman.

sounds interesting enough, which it was, but something was missing. i felt totally disconnected from the characters and the start of the story felt pretty dragged out. there were also points where i cringed, but with a book called #murdertrending, what do you really expect?
the second half redeemed it though - much more fast paced and more twisty (although the main plot twist was entirely too predictable). i grew to kinda like the characters and was interested to see what happened.

you know those cheesy 80s horror movies? sure they’re objectively bad but you just can’t help but keep watching and loving them? that’s what this book was. overall a fun time!

[Tucker Almengor]

Many thanks to Disney for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

If Hunger Games and One of Us Is Lying had a baby, this book would be it. It was the perfect combination of horror, science fiction, dystopia and classic mystery. And of course the Characters.

Characters:
♣ Dee - Even though she was the main character, I really did not like Dee. She just just felt like a bunch of tropes continuously vomiting on each other. She was rather whiny, a bit stupid, and very flat and generic. It was like someone bought a "microwavable main character."

♣ Nyles - Ha ha ha ha ha. F**king Nyles. I love him. He is so innocent and kind. He was so funny and light hearted even though he was literally running for his life. He used his intelligence to be charming and charismatic. I have a big time crush on him. I can't wait for more of him in book two!

♣ Griselda - Bab (Bad*ss B*tch). Yes, she was rude and these but I think that she is like a turtle. Hard on the outside but soft and fleshy on the inside. She was very strong, brave and dare I say it, funny.


♣ Ethan - Ethan was definitely just there for comic relief because he didn't add anything to the plot. He was not that bright (except for movie trivia) which lead to fun and hijinks.

♣ Mara - [SPOILERS REMOVED]

♣ Kimmi - She wasn't a main character but I just wanted to say..


♣ Postman - Obviously, the Postman is the villain. He is a bloodthirsty, dirty piece of sh*t!!! Like, how in the world did he become president??!! WHO LET THIS HAPPEN!? I NEED ANSWERS?!


♣ Killers - I'll get into this when I talk about Alcatraz 2.0 but I really wish I had gotten more background on the killers. How did they get hired? Why? How could they kill people in cold blood?!

The book takes place on Alcatraz 2.0, an updated island where inmates in death row are kept. But there's a twist. The inmates are not just being killed. Their deaths are being televised. Millions of people watch them die for entertainment which, to me, is thoroughly disturbing. This book is only one century in the future but I can honestly see this happening. Even so, it grosses me out that people watch death for fun. It's like some sort of Hunger Games b*llsh*t. The island is very high security and as Dee explored it, it surprisingly reminded me of the psych ward. Everything is danger proofed. The windows don't break, the beds, table and other furniture are one giant piece that's super glued to the floor. (All of these things were true on Alcatraz 2.0 and the psych ward.) It hit very close to home.

Something that really added to my enjoyment of this book is the online content. From threads to emails and stats, there is a variety of pictures and online images. It was really cool and accurately designed. It reminded me of Illuminae.


This book also reminded me of One of Us Is Lying, mainly because of the plot but also because of the characters. If you like One of Us Is Lying, you'll love this book. Or vise versa. If you liked this, you'll love One of Us Is Lying

Did you like this book? Do you plan on reading this book? Share your thoughts with me!

Bottom Line:
4.5 Stars
Rating: [ R ]: (For Graphic Conent, Terror Throughout, Peril, Scary Themes)
TW: Murder
Cover: 5/5 • Plot: 4/5 • Characters: 4/5

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[Melanie (TBR and Beyond) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much more fun than I thought it would be. This is my introduction to Gretchen's writing and I'm very happy. I have several more of her books, so I'll be checking those out sooner than later I hope. Another perfect October read, this is by no means scary but it's violent, has a high death count and is VERY fast paced.

RTC

[Kaila · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 stars

I never rate books one star. I feel like I’m really easy to please with books, but I really couldn’t help but hate this one to my very core. In the simplest of terms, this book makes me really mad. I’m not even sure I want to write a full review about it yet because I don’t think I can find many redeeming qualities and to be perfectly honest, I don’t want to spend more time thinking about this book than I have to. Any element that you mention, be it characters, romance or plot, I had a problem with it in this book. I think what made it worse was the fact that I was so super excited to read this because the concept sounded so grippy and thrilling. Let’s get one thing straight, this was neither gripping nor thrilling. I am very disappointed.



In a world where everything is filmed and capitalised, someone came out with the wonderful idea of making prison a reality tv show. Now everyone watches live streamed murders, can subscribe for behind the scenes of each prisoner and enjoy updates by the hour. Alcatraz 2.0 has completely taken the world my storm and everyone is glued to their phones to see who is going to get murdered next and how. Eighteen-year old Dee has been wrongfully accused of murdering her step-sister and has been sentenced to spend her time at Alcatraz 2.0. She has two choices, either she can just sit down and let herself be the next victim or she can try her hardest to survive and prove her innocence.

This is honestly the most disappointing book I’ve ever read, on so many levels. For one, I absolutely love crime podcasts, unsolved mysteries and prison documentaries. So, I know a little bit about the notorious Alcatraz. When I heard the synopsis of this book with Alcatraz 2.0 I was so excited. I actually loved the synopsis and was expecting a gritty, thrilling novel. What I actually got was the cheesiest, most ridiculous book that I’ve read in a long while. I was so unbelievably let down by this book, I’m actually feeling myself get worked up just writing about it now. I’m also super disappointed because this book was being promoted so much, especially on YouTube, so I was expecting something great. Generally I am so easy to please with books, but this one couldn’t even reach those low levels.



I guess a warning flag should have been the ‘prison’. I write prison like that because it wasn’t a prison at all. It was a cute little town with an ice cream shop and little houses for each prisoner to sleep in. Vomit. Are you absolutely kidding me?? This must be a joke. I can’t believe it used the name Alcatraz 2.0, which is one of the most extreme prisons to have been in existence. This book just stamped its feet all over the idea of a gritty, dark novel. This is like asking for black and getting a unicorn that has shat flowery rainbows all over your expectations.

I really can’t be bothered talking about everything I hated in this book. Even if I wanted to, I don’t know if I physically could because there was very little, if anything, that I found redeemable about the novel. One thing that is particularly infuriating to me is the romance. First off, how ridiculous is the idea of a romance in this story. This was marketed as a thrilling read, but in reality, the main character is more concerned about a cute boy than not dying (not that I would’ve minded very much if she had gotten herself cute). It was the cheesiest, most insta-love romance that just wasn’t necessary.

I really don’t know what to focus on because I’m really upset about everything in the book. As an umbrella explanation, the construction of this book was horrible. There was no development, EVERY character was a two-dimensional stereotype and the book was no where near as original as it pretends to be. A book with this kind of story requires a very developed world and prison, interesting characters and a unique story line, which were all lacking in the extreme.

Okay, I need to stop.
I’m getting seriously angry just typing this.
Like my mother told me, if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything (guess I’ve failed that already, oops)

[luciana · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It was dangerous to appeal to the most vulgar instincts of humanity, to normalize something as horrific as state-sponsored serial killers. But that's what you got when a former reality star was elected president."

Rating: 3/5 stars

SYNOPSIS: A wrongly accused teenage girl founds herself in Alcatraz 2.0, in which the worst murderers await for their ultimate death by state-sponsored serial killers on tv for everyone to see. Dee finds herself fighting for her version of the story to be heard, only to discover a bigger conspiracy behind Alcatraz 2.0 and its creator, the Postman.

REVIEW: While I enjoyed Murdertrending and the message behind it, I thought it suffered from fake advertisement, comparing this book to the like of Hunger Games and other battle royale/ dystopian type of books. So be aware before adding this to your TBR, this isn't a book about people killing each other, but rather about people being hunted down by serial killers.

So my rating is partly related to this false advertisement, I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed to learn that people won't kill each other. But the book was mostly fine, the intrigue was compelling, the characters had distinct personalities, and the writing style was strong.

However, the overall plot isn't all that strong, I found it ridiculous to believe that a country will hire serial killers to kill lesser criminals when they should be killing off the serial killers they hire? I mean, the serial killers are obviously the biggest threat to the community and yet they're the one who can come and go as they wish? That part seemed unrealistic to me, especially once you start to realize how much of a psycho some of those killers are. The Silence of the Lambs type of psycho.

I counted over 9 info dumps, and I'm sure I missed some. Those info dumps are usually, one or two Ebook pages long, and it honestly felt like I was reading some history course for class. I think this book also lacked of Alcatraz mentions, I mean, if you're gonna call a prison Alcatraz 2.0, I'd hope there'd be subtle references to the original prison or jail-break, and I was so disappointed in that regard because I also picked this book up for the name of the prison.

The characters had all distinct personalities but it also felt like they were caricatures of themselves, taking the archetypes of the Breakfast Club -the characters are named the Breakfast Club in the book by the fans of the show- with the jock, the princess, the nerd... I also noticed some choices and reactions that were out of character or overproportioned, in the most dramatic way.

However, this is still an enjoying ride, with decent tension and foreshadowing and with a compelling concept so if you're looking for a quick murder story to calm your own murderous thoughts, this will do the trick.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera comes to in a warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of The Postman app, which allows citizens to stream the executions of convicts from Alcatraz 2.0, a suburbanized prison island. It's one thing knowing that the worst of the worst are facing justice at the hands of legalized serial killers, but Dee isn't going to pay the ultimate price for a crime she didn’t commit. Will Dee survive long enough to prove her innocence? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners pick her off?

#Murdertrending is my first novel by Gretchen McNeil, but I liked it well enough with some minor snags. My favorite aspect of this story is that I felt like I should have been eating a big bag of movie theater popcorn while I was reading this action packed near future thriller. It's a fun and fast paced ride that feels like it meant for the big screen. I also particularly liked that it feels so current with the language, the app, and the social media usage. Plus, I have to admit that the dash of politics (and overall future world) we get don't come across as all that far fetched at the moment actually. The only place where it really stumbled for me was the character development - it's a bit lacking and everyone is little too flat for my taste - and that pacing is a bit choppy from chapter to chapter.

Overall, #Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil is an over the top, bloody, and darkly hilarious YA mystery thriller. If you like The Running Man, Scream Queens, Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, and bloodshed with a side of Disney princess references, then you may want to try McNeil's newest release. I think I'll have to read for more her work in the future such as Ten and Relic.

[Kelly Brigid ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I have diplomatic immunity?” … “BAM!” Ethan pretended to fire the gun. “It’s just been revoked … I’ve been waiting months for someone to try and kill you so I could use that line.”

I can’t quite comprehend what I read. I like the general premise of this book, but the scenarios and explanations for how everything occurs is absolutely absurd. Typically, I don’t have many issues with stories that have far-fetched worlds (this is fiction, after all), but I have tremendous issues with this particular setting. I refuse to believe that the government would sanction such a grotesque solution to capital punishment, and that they would choose to broadcast this to the outside world. How has the fan base for this morbid show escalated to the millions? We reside in a world where thousands upon thousand of people commit crimes, and yet the vast majority of people disprove of violent treatment towards any felon, regardless of their crimes. Am I expected to believe that the same population who considers hate speech to be a cruel and unjust transgression, will welcome the idea of executing criminals through horrific methods? Furthermore, the human race relishes this concept so much, that they develop a social media addiction to this show? Pardon me, as I roll my eyes. I am not denying the fact that a wide percentage of our population is more infatuated with social media than is necessary, but I find it awfully implausible that we would ever stoop this low.

Even if I could stomach the concept, the characters are another issue altogether. To describe them in a single word: fake. I never once felt that these characters were genuine human beings. The decisions they all make, in addition to the cheesy, dramatic, and forced dialogue are written purely to create drama and needlessly violent scenarios. Personally, if I was in these characters’ predicaments, I would be frightened out of my wits, not worrying about crushes and which wardrobe option suits me best. Perhaps I won’t be murdered if I don the pale yellow dress today. Call me crazy, but I think an ounce of fear in the hearts of these characters would’ve helped me relate to them on some meager level.

Hyperboles should be used in moderation. In all earnestness, is this novel supposed to be taken seriously or is it a parody? I honestly don’t have a clue as to what the tone of this novel is implied to be. This story reminds me of Scary Movie and other Hollywood satires, that poke fun at the tacky, high-school horror movie genre. Again, the actions and dialogue of the protagonist, Dee, along with the other members of the Death Row Breakfast Club felt so outlandish, that the only clarification I can conjure is that it must be a parody of sorts. Not to mention, their homage to the original Breakfast Club characters seemed too out of proportion to be sincere. The mystery element also isn’t too enticing, since it’s fairly clear what’s happening from the start.

I wanted to enjoy this one. Truly, I did. I dived into it with an open mind, but I couldn’t swallow the lack of realism in the world and plot, and the characters weren’t able to redeem it. The one element I did enjoy (assuming the story is in fact, satirical) is how the side character, Ethan randomly recites famous quotes from movies, despite the dire situation the characters are in. They made me chuckle more than once, and I appreciated the lightheartedness they brought to the story. I’ve never been a fan of over-the-top horrors such as this, so it isn’t too shocking that this one is no exception.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

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[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars?
This was so good, you guys! Until it wasn't.

Wow, oh wow. I'm not having a problem processing this book's plot. It's how it went from fascinatingly dark to childish and unbelievable within pages that's bothering my mind.

After reading the blurb, I had an impression #Murdertrening is trying to become Hunger Games 2.0
Yet, after diving into it, the story seemed fresh and nothing like the previously mentioned book. It was creepier, bloodier, more messed up, and definitely more mysterious than HG (not nearly as good tho, but it got me hooked).
But the closer to the end I was getting, the more laughable events became. Simply ridiculous. MC distracting the murdered by asking him what happened to his beard, because she realized how much he cared about his facial hair? And actually managing to kill him thanks to that? I mean hahahahhahaha
By the time I reached the big plot twist, I didn't even care anymore.

[Bookteafull (Danny) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

How to summarize this book in one sentence:

The Purge meets Deadman Wonderland meets Saw meets the The Breakfast Club.



Despite reading and watching similar storylines in various forms on media (i.e. Btooom, Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, and all the ones previously mentioned), McNeil still manages to engage the reader with this gruesomely fun read. The fact that I had such a hard time putting this novel down is why it's deserving of such a high rating. I'm a sucker for themes revolving around prisons, convicts, and jigsaw kill schemes; I'm not quite sure what that says about me - but McNeil is a author after my heart after using all the horror tropes I approve of. She's become an #automaticbuy for sure.

#Murdertrending was refreshing, creepy, and suspenseful in just enough ways to have me on the edge of my seat (which doesn't happen to me often tbh). I do wish we could have seen more interactions with inmates outside of the #DeathRowBreakfastClub and had a more elongated ending, as it felt rushed compared to the rest of the novel. I also think scenes with the serial killers could have been amped up a bit to make the situation more challenging as they were kind of easy to circumnavigate toward the end.

I don't know if you caught on, but all my criticisms have to deal with wanting more from the novel because it was already that addicting.

I highly recommend this book to people in need of a fast-paced, action-packed, and tension-filled read. People who are squeamish about gory scenes should probably hold off on reading this though, just fyi.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ebook version of this story. Yet another awesome read urging me forth to purchase the actual physical copy.

#ReaderStruggles

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leave it to McNeil to deliver something as exciting as it is frightening. With her unique take on murder mysteries and exploring the unknown and most of the time, horrifying, I can always count on her for an action packed and somewhat bizarre read.

Set in a very much realistic time and place, #murdertrending was something that you could see happening today in a world full of social media and reality TV, which is also what made this such an interesting and hard to put down read.

With twists and turns and danger literally around every corner, this was something fun and thrilling and completely different and I couldn't get enough of it.

Fans and new fans alike, old and young, will all be able to get lost in this one and enjoy it up until the very last page.

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[may ☆彡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. It’s not so much that I’m confused, it’s just a lot to take in.

Okay, so here we go.
#murdertrending is an amazing book. I absolutely loved it!! So many plot twists that I never realized were coming (and I’m normally really good at figuring out the mystery before the main character does)! I feel like the end of this book hit me all at once and I was just sitting dumbfounded for over 2 days, trying to comprehend what had just happened. This is a shockingly good, well-written story that kept me on my toes the whole time. I don’t normally read horror-y books (because I’m not really that kind of person) but as soon as I read one page in the bookstore I was immediately hooked and couldn’t put it down. It was so fast-paced and interesting and all of the characters had depth and mystery to them. I have to admit, Alcatraz 2.0 and that whole media world that was created in the story definitely freaked me out. I would never want to live in that kind of horrifying place. But what was the scariest to me was mostly the fact that the Postman app and watching people die in terrifying ways was a normal thing to do. And people that are a lot like the Postman exist in our world today. But I digress.

#murdertrending is a really great read that just keeps you guessing until the very end. I loved the #DeathRowBreakfastClub and the dark and mysterious plot. Definitely recommend!!

[samantha aly · Rating 1 out of 5]

this honestly felt like the hunger games was written by a 13 yo on Wattpad with a love for blood and gore.


rant review:
i have no clue what the author was aiming for here. the preface sounded like the hunger games, but instead of the morals about hope and not losing our humanity, we just have teenagers running around killing each other. ik our justice system is messed up, but who thought this was the answer?
there's literally an ice cream shop called "I Scream" in "Alcatraz 2.0". because why deal with the real problems at hand when you could just sell ice cream all day, right? of course silly me.

one of the biggest compliments i've seen for this *masterpiece* of fiction is that it's a more "fun" version of the hunger games. A MORE FUN VERSION?? i'm sorry that there weren't more rainbows and cupcakes, but children were idk, being forced to kill each other.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death Row Breakfast Club.
Beautifully accurate tagline.

This book reminded me of the cheesy horror movies of the 80's that I adore!
It was campy, relatable, slightly dramatic, and a bit ridiculous....this made for a winning combination in my mind!
I thought it was cool how she created the storyline around our real world obsession with reality TV, and even made the president a former reality TV star.
I hear there will be a sequel and I'm on board to catch up with these characters.

[Jessica *The Lovely Books* · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY HELL! This was f’n amazing.

The Hunger Games meets The Purge meets The Breakfast Club. Yesssss! I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I first picked up this book. (Thank you Cassie for sending me the galley!) the book hooked me from the very first page. In the very near future, crime is handled much differently than it’s handled now. For one, you get sent to a prison island known as Alcatraz 2.0. Two, you’ve pretty much dead as soon as you set foot there.

Dee has been sentenced to the island of doom for murdering her step-sister. She’s now in a reality tv show shown to the masses of the world. There’s an app called The Postman where people can subscribe to their favorite serial killers and chat with everyone else about who deserves to die, etc. But Dee will not go down without a fight—especially for something she didn’t do.

We’re introduced to so many quirky and amazing characters. In fact, their known as Death Row Breakfast Club. The scenes were absolutely perfect! With some of them being a little too gory for my tastes but hard to look away from all the same. As much as I loved this, there are some questions I still have about the entirety of the book. So I’m hoping we get a companion novel or something. With the way the book ended...

Overall, this was fun, it was thrilling, and I seriously read it in one sitting. It was that good! If you’re looking for something fast-paced and a good set of characters, I can’t recommend this one enough!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to start this review by saying this: this book is probably not, realistically, a five-star read. But honestly? I had the best time reading it and anything critical I could say about it, for me, gets completely overshadowed by how much fun I had during this reading experience.

Meet Dee Guerrera, a 17-year old girl plucked out of society after an ultra-speedy trial declared her her step-sister's murderer and thrown onto Alcatraz 2.0, an island full of convicted murderers getting just desserts via a handful of government-contracted killers. The clincher - everything is broadcasted via an extremely popular app called The Postman, named for a mysterious man in charge running the whole show. The thing is - Dee is innocent.

First of all, I wanna talk about the killers. There are several killers hunting down convicts and they each have their own unique theme. There's Gucci Hangman, Cecil B. DeViolent, Hannah Ball, Molly Mauler, DIYNona, The Hardy Girls, Barbaric Barista, Robin's Hood, Prince Slycer, and Gassy Al. Each have their one personal M.O. (For example - Cecil remakes scenes from films, DIYNona can turn you into a human candle, etc.) I LOVED THIS ASPECT OF THE BOOK. A minor grievance is that I wanted to see more and more kills with each of these characters, but there's at least a little glimpse of each. (FYI - they also do something similar with a convict. For example, Dee gets a wardrobe full of princess clothes, there's another girl that gets 'bad girl' clothes. The convicts are being made to fill certain roles, too.)

The island that these convicts live on is weird, set up with a little bodega, an ice cream shop, a library, and so forth and each of the convicts have jobs in order to get any amount of money to feed themselves. I LOVED this aspect too and again, I wanted more. It was definitely akin to a reality show I've seen before where people wander around an island until they're voted off. Only getting voted off on this island means you die.

Anyway, stuff starts to go awry. When Dee is plopped into the maze, she's meant to be a victim of Prince Slycer, and is dressed up in Disney princess garb. Deciding she's not going to run away from inevitable death, she takes a mirror off the wall and bashes Prince Slycer's head in. There's a target on her back from then on - the mysterious Postman doesn't love that Dee, aka #CinderellaSurvivor has taken out one of his own. Pretty soon, friends start disappearing. And Dee sees evidence that one of the Postman's killers was responsible for her sister's death and begins to realize that maybe her sham trial was about more than populating the island for pretty people to up the ratings, it might have to do with something from her past.

I dunno, this just reminds me of a really campy horror movie and I loved it. For that matter, I think this would make a GREAT movie. It's not for everyone and can scant toward cheesy, but I love cheesy. READ THIS BOOK.

[Jordan Davidson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was truly awful. One of the most interesting concepts I've seen in recent years, wasted on a book that suffers from:

- Flat characters who are barely characterized beyond "snarky badass protagonist with a ~tortured past~," "hollow token love interest," "bitchy mean girl sidekick who's just sort of around," "dumb jock guy," etc. At best, I didn't care about them. At worst, I was anxiously waiting for them to die in the most grisly ways possible just so they'd shut up.

- Absolutely abysmal prose. For example, at one point someone is "dressed in what appeared to be a makeshift outfit." Appeared to be?! It either is or it isn't, and regardless, you could've chopped that sentence in half and lost absolutely nothing of value. Said outfit is then described in painstaking detail for several sentences, rendering the description of it as "makeshift" completely moot anyway as if the description had been good (which it wasn't) the reader could've ascertained that for themselves.

- Corny dialogue, especially my least favorite writing element of all time: exposition as dialogue.

- An obvious lack of editing down to the smallest details - for example, towards the end one of the villainous characters who was described as bald just a few pages ago is suddenly "re-spiking his hair." Where did the hair come from? Why is he "re-spiking" it when he had no hair to be spiked initially? No explanation is given as to the source of the magically sprouting hair. This is just one example of ways in which this book's editor, if said editor even existed, failed miserably.

- Complete ludicrousness. I was expecting that to a degree as I figured this book would be silly, pulpy fun, but once some villainous characters tried to murder the protagonist and her boring token love interest via re-enactment of the "walk-off" scene from Zoolander, I began to wonder whether this whole thing was just one big dumb elaborate joke I wasn't in on.

- A reveal at the end that's somehow simultaneously laughably stupid and out-there, yet completely predictable.

Maybe I'm being harsher on this than I need to be, but I don't really think so. I did marginally enjoy this for what it was when it was just stupid, violent, pulpy fun, but after a certain point the ridiculousness became too much. Altogether, a fabulously creative idea that could've been excellent, but clumsy editing, over-the-top silliness, and boring characters who I wished would all just die already ruined it.

[marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAIT I LOVED THIS BOOK-

I’m not in the mood to write a full review but I’ll just say I fell in love with the characters, the plot was super interesting, there was never a dull moment, and can we get extra points in here for inclusiveness and a non-cheesy romance??? I appreciated how it wasn’t the main plot and was more of a side thing. The book concept was super cool and I totally recommend 👌
🪱🪱🪱🪱.9/5 worms