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A review by claireelliot9
Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I was given a free e-ARC of this book thru NetGalley by Alexa Donne and her publisher in return for my honest review.
TLDR:
This book is a fun, fast read with a touch of romance. Had me guessing until the VERY end. And a very satisfying end it was!
---
The books starts with our main character, Cecelia Ellis, moving in with her famous author grandmother in a small town in northern California after the death of her mother. The death of Cecelia's mother is present throughout the book, but in a quiet understated way. Shortly after her arrival in this small town, the day before homecoming, one of the girls in her friend-group is murdered-- found dead drowned in the pool. This death matches a death in one of Cecelia's grandmother's books, which was itself a fictitious re-telling of a murder that happened in that town when the grandmother was a student in high school herself.
So the investigation begins-- was this murder a copy of the murder in the book? or a copy of the OG real-life murder? Are we dealing with a copy-cat, a crazy super-fan, or a serial killer come out of hibernation?
Each time a suspect is crossed off the list, some new information emerges that throws them back into the mix.
And so the book follows Cecelia as she escapes grief for her mother by throwing herself into investigating the recent murder and revisiting the murder from 50 years ago.
At times, the middle of the book is almost unwieldy with it's messy web of small-town lies and secrets, the ensemble cast is tightly woven. Like a soap opera, everyone has a secret, and everyone's relationships with the other cast members are complicated and in need of exploration (and I mean that in a good way.). And while being a lot, the characters are all distinct, rounded, and easy enough to keep track of.
There is a touch of romance that gives Cecelia some respite and leads to some juicy scenes that had me laughing or gasping. But it's not ABOUT the romance.
---
I put off reading this book for a while because Alexa has been pretty open about the fact this book was influenced by her grieving the death of her own mother.
So while I was looking forward to this book, I thought it might take a few spoons-- that I would cry or need time to 'recover' the way I did after reading The FireKeeper's Daughter-- a book I also enjoyed but that ruined me. I am relieved to say, this was NOT the case, and while death is everywhere in this book (the deaths of the murder victims past and present, of the MC's Mother, which happens just before the beginning of the book, and of others), this book is not depressing in a weep-yourself-to-sleep way, but more just dark, in a fun way. So IF you've been putting off this book for the same reason I did- fear not! and dive right in.
TLDR:
This book is a fun, fast read with a touch of romance. Had me guessing until the VERY end. And a very satisfying end it was!
---
The books starts with our main character, Cecelia Ellis, moving in with her famous author grandmother in a small town in northern California after the death of her mother. The death of Cecelia's mother is present throughout the book, but in a quiet understated way. Shortly after her arrival in this small town, the day before homecoming, one of the girls in her friend-group is murdered-- found dead drowned in the pool. This death matches a death in one of Cecelia's grandmother's books, which was itself a fictitious re-telling of a murder that happened in that town when the grandmother was a student in high school herself.
So the investigation begins-- was this murder a copy of the murder in the book? or a copy of the OG real-life murder? Are we dealing with a copy-cat, a crazy super-fan, or a serial killer come out of hibernation?
Each time a suspect is crossed off the list, some new information emerges that throws them back into the mix.
And so the book follows Cecelia as she escapes grief for her mother by throwing herself into investigating the recent murder and revisiting the murder from 50 years ago.
At times, the middle of the book is almost unwieldy with it's messy web of small-town lies and secrets, the ensemble cast is tightly woven. Like a soap opera, everyone has a secret, and everyone's relationships with the other cast members are complicated and in need of exploration (and I mean that in a good way.). And while being a lot, the characters are all distinct, rounded, and easy enough to keep track of.
There is a touch of romance that gives Cecelia some respite and leads to some juicy scenes that had me laughing or gasping. But it's not ABOUT the romance.
---
I put off reading this book for a while because Alexa has been pretty open about the fact this book was influenced by her grieving the death of her own mother.
So while I was looking forward to this book, I thought it might take a few spoons-- that I would cry or need time to 'recover' the way I did after reading The FireKeeper's Daughter-- a book I also enjoyed but that ruined me. I am relieved to say, this was NOT the case, and while death is everywhere in this book (the deaths of the murder victims past and present, of the MC's Mother, which happens just before the beginning of the book, and of others), this book is not depressing in a weep-yourself-to-sleep way, but more just dark, in a fun way. So IF you've been putting off this book for the same reason I did- fear not! and dive right in.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Death of parent