This title (and cover of the book) grabbed me from the beginning. I enjoyed the story from beginning to the end! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC #HereLiesaVengefulBitch #CodieCrowley #NetGalley

A quick read that was overall enjoyable. It would have been nice to do a bit more world building and learn more about the other dead people and how they came to live in the house.

I was taken by the title, but the text doesn't have the same urgency. I mean, the MC is vengeful and bitchy, but kind of without the in-your-face panache of the title. The mystery is so much of a surprise that it's kind of unbelievable, and the ghost universe doesn't make a ton of sense.

Also, the pdf of this digital ARC is a drag. In the NetGalley reader, I couldn't even change it to white on black. That worked in Bluefire Reader, but I couldn't change the print size. My near vision is weak so I had to change the size back to regular every time I wanted to turn the page.

I really like the premise of this book and some of the descriptions, but I just couldn't get into it and I was confusing the characters around. I appreciate being able to read it, but it just wasn't good enough for me.

I have so many conflicting feelings about this book! Let’s talk about the good first. I loved the premise of this story and the spooky vibes are going to be perfect for Halloween season. And the feminine rage of this book! It spoke to my angry soul, and that was hands down my favorite aspect of the whole story. I loved our main character and was rooting for her the whole time.

Now, the not-so-good. I didn’t feel like any side characters got any depth whatsoever, which was so frustrating. I understand the point of using dated lingo, but I’m much older than the usual YA reader, and I had no idea what most of the slang meant. There were too many details not explained about how this whole ghost situation was working in the “real” world and what these spirits could and could not do. Also, there was no resolution to Annie’s relationships with several side characters, and that really aggravated me - does everyone make up or not? I needed to know!

I LOVE the idea of this story, but I just wish that the writing had been a little tighter. I do think YA readers will be drawn to this story due to the cover, title, and genre, so it’s definitely worth a purchase for a high school library. It’s a fast and entertaining read, and I was surprised to find out it’s an author’s debut!

Favorite Quotes:

“He wants to kill me. All because he can’t control me.”

“Maybe I’d still be alive… if I had only tried to be a good girl. But to be honest, I think I’d rather be dead than good.”

The premise was interesting but the authors style of writing was not for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

* Thank you NetGalley & Disney Hyperion for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is the perfect title for this book. Annie Lane has been failed by everyone in her life - her parents, her town, the kids at school, and especially the adults in her life. When she finds herself dead in the water, she knows there's only one answer: find out who killed her, and make them pay.

I would not have guessed this was a debut novel. The first couple chapters are a little odd but stick with it, It really picks up by chapter 3, and I flew through the rest of it.

The side characters are not incredibly complex, but I don't need them to be. Our MC was fleshed out enough to make up for that. A troubled teen who has been pushed around, ignored, mistreated, and condemned by the people who should care most, Annie is heartbroken and reckless and frankly, a mess. But you can't say the girl doesn't try her best.

"Because girls like her don’t get justice unless they take it for themselves."

Oh goodness, does this story live up to its title! Such a spooky and fun book. It gives some creepy, dreary, Halloween vibes and would be the perfect October read, or anytime really. Thank you so much to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for the ARC. Check this one out when it publishes August 06, 2024.

I wanted to like this! I love the ghosts, I loved how weird the ghosts were. But I felt like I didn't get to know any of the characters aside from the protagonist, which was sad because the other ghosts had such interesting characteristics. The pacing felt off to me as well, I had a really hard time orienting at the beginning.

TL;DR cool concepts but not super well-executed in my opinion

1. It took Annie way too long to figure out that she was dead.
2. For the majority of the book, she just ran around and confronted people like she was human. Seriously, she was a ghost - why did locked doors stop her?
3. Sam's lingo was annoying.
4. Too many plot holes - the mystery of the other children, how their powers worked, the hellhounds, her running around town even though she's dead.
5. I figured out her killer about a quarter of the way in.

Would I still order this for my library? Yes - because my students love this kind of stuff, even if it isn't perfect.

This captivating debut novel is a thrilling adventure that doesn't hold back. The snarky humor and engaging plot will keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are believable and entertaining. While the build-up for some of the characters can be slow at times, the payoff is well worth it. This book is not your typical Disney "Cinderella" story, but rather a tale that will keep readers up late at night wanting to read "just one more chapter."

I am particularly intrigued by the characters of Sam, Fern, and the rest of the motley crew. I hope this is just the beginning of the series and that there are more books to come. This was a fun and wickedly good ride that I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this fun, fast-paced debut, Crowley combines mystery, romance and the supernatural to great effect. Annie Lane is a bad girl, a murdered bad girl, and most people in town (her mother included) would say she had it coming, but that doesn’t mean that her killer shouldn’t pay for what they did. The ins and outs of spectral haunting do seem a little convoluted here, but the enjoyment of Annie being able to investigate her own murder and render her own brand of justice make every idiosyncrasy worth it in the end.

An amazing debut. I’m stunned by how much I loved this. I think the plot was very original. The dead comes back to seek revenge on her killer. It kept me hooked the whole time.

Hands down one of the most unique thrillers I've read in awhile! I loved Annie's voice and quest for revenge, and the mystery kept me on my toes all the way until the closing chapters.

OMG! I loved this. Honestly, picked it up for the title, read the blurb and then plowed through it in a couple of hours. Annie and her "friends" are awesome. The whole story works well together, the side characters are their own people and are truly amazing when mixed with the FMC. This is a debut novel? Really?

**Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. My opinion is my own.**

Annie Lane wakes up in a strange place with strange people and she has no memory of how she got there. When she tries to get revenge on those who have wronged her, she starts realizing not everything is as it seems. Following her story of uncovering what happened to her, Annie finds new friends and works on taking out those who have harmed her.

I thought the premise sounded so good. I just wasn't wild about the execution. There were a few times that places changed name and I thought the writing could be improved. The dialogue was interesting too, it really pushed that there were different generations involved, but honestly I thought it was overdone.

I did finish the book because I wanted to know what happened! Overall I gave this one a 2/5

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for a copy of this work.

Like others have mentioned, I was surprised this was a Disney title. It is dark, gory, and uses some adult language that I was just not expecting. That said, I did enjoy the story. It was quick paced and a one-day read for me. While the villain seemed very obvious to me from the get go, I think the YA audience would enjoy sussing it out. The language does add some realism to the story, and there were some modern day touches that would appeal to a younger audience.

That said, I didn't really connect with any characters. I'm a bit confused about the way every person in town could see/talk to a ghost, and I missed getting more backstory to the supporting ghosts--unless those will be revealed more in later installments? But.... I'm willing to overlook those for the other elements that the book DID provide.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

**Thank you to NetGalley & Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

There's a lot of good here, but there's also some issues I took with this one. This was one of my most anticipated of the year, and it's not a disappointment, but it's also not what I expected.

I've been following Codie Crowley since before this book was even announced, and if you're a fan of her content, this book definitely fits those vibes. It's a bit campy, a bit spooky, and 100% angry girl. However, I did feel like there was a tone problem. I need it to be more campy or more serious, but the blend as it was didn't work for me. I do want to note that this was a super early ARC and so it could easily be fine tuned for finished copies.

The instalove with Sam also really bothered me. I felt like i had no reason to believe in their relationship.

Overall, I didn't dislike it, but it was not a five star as I hoped it would be. I read it in just under 24 hours and it definitely kept my attention. I look forward to seeing what Crowley does next

3.5 rounded up

This book was awesome. Such a cool spin on the vengeful ghost with such a punk rock heroine. It’s gory, angry, and satisfying as hell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch (moment of appreciation for the best book title ever) was both exactly what I wanted and not quite enough. First, like others, I will say I’m surprised this is a Disney title. Getting past that, I absolutely adored the title and the premise. A young woman fighting back against her killer(s) and showing her wrath? Yes. In fact, really diving into her upbringing and small town and getting her own back against those who wronged her in general? Totally there. And while all that happened, the secondary stories around the other ghosts and her best friend missing fell short for me. I wish those storylines had been depended to truly create a well rounded functional world for me to sink into.

I did love the main premise and felt this book delivered. It was fascinating and I wanted so much more, but I don’t know if I felt the end left an opening for a series that could explore the ghost storylines further. I would recommend this for teens and adults who are fans of the mystery / horror genre (without much gore).