Thank you to Netgallery and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an early release copy of Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley, this book will be available for purchase on August Sixth of 2024.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is a dnf for me at 29% page 82, these characters and the mystery in general aren’t holding my attention at all. The characters are boring, nothing stands out about them at all except the cringy and annoying way that they speak to one another. Annie is unlikeable and uninteresting to read about, I found myself not really intrigued to find out what happened to her at all. We do get some thrilling/mystery elements every chapter to try and keep us hooked but the bits just aren’t delivering for me at all.

I found the twins and especially Sam to be annoying, the way he’s constantly calling the Annie “baby” despite hardly knowing her makes me cringe every time I have to read it. I know the twins were probably written in a way to be cutesy with there “talking in riddles” type of thing but I find it to be really annoying. The only thing I’m picking up on from ending early is I think the found family troupe is good here however there is just a lot things that are bothering me and not holding my interest.

I honestly couldnt put it down! It gives off ghost thriller movie vibes in a way that has you wanting more and wanting to put the puzzle pieces together! Though i did have a hunch at the conclusion of the plot because i am an avid thriller/horror movie fan i still loved every minute of the story. From the moment the scene takes place to how it grows and unravels and develops all the way to the ending it was fantastic. I also love that it ended on a happy triumphant note and sort of with a found family for the fmc. It was nice seeing her go from a broken home to finding her place with a family who accepts her and supports her and never fails to show up for her even when she tries to push them away. This to me made the story even better because it made it more relatable. Someone who was always on the outskirts looking in and constantly judged and pinned to be a trouble maker but really just trying to find her place im the world finally acknowledged and accepted. It was truly great and i loved every minute of this story.

I’ve been dying to read this and it was FUN! Annie Lane is not a likeable character if we’re being honest with ourselves but she is a character you root for. She is a black sheep within her town, she wakes up with missing memories and has to piece together what happened and who are these new friends who are helping her, and where is her best friend during the most traumatic time of her life.

This book sends you on a tail spin and its easy to cheer for the vengeance that is Annie Lane.

Not gonna lie, the title made me giggle. So of course I had to read this. And this was a really good book. A fast read and the ending was insanely good. I can’t imagine most readers not enjoying this because it’s a lot of fun. But, I was super confused for the first 40% though, because I could not for the life of me figure out if this girl was dead or not. The synopsis straight up says that the concept is murdered girl comes back from dead to figure out who killed her and make them pay. But when Annie crawls out of the river confused and disoriented, a couple of fellow teens brings her to the mysterious and very haunted Chapel House they’re all staying at. I of course considered the other kids were maybe dead too, yet everyone could still eat, drink, get drunk, take showers, and ride in a car. What solidified it for me that she was still alive was as when other humans could still see and interact with her and she gets pulled into the principal’s office when she goes to school. Just when I had come to the conclusion that the synopsis was misleading and wrong and Annie was not dead but survived a murder attempt, you find out at almost the halfway mark she actually IS dead?

It may be too late since this synopsis has been up for a while and other reviews (mine included) have confirmed Annie is indeed dead. But, my biggest recommendation would have been to tweak that synopsis; don’t make it clear whether or not she’s dead. I spent like, half this book being confused as heck over, is she or isn’t she and it kind of took me out of the whole point of the story because all I was focused on was getting confirmation. Also, it would’ve made an epic plot twist if the synopsis didn’t already reveal she’s dead, so you think the whole time she’s survived a murder attempt then bam 40% in you find out she’s actually dead. No one would have guessed that, seeing as she’s eating, driving cars, other people can touch and see her and she has a physical body that works the same as any person who’s alive. The synopsis should have never made it clear that she’s dead, not only for the missed chance of a plot twist but also because of the unnecessary confusion it caused for like half the book, but too late now I guess.

Despite that, I liked this book a lot, and after the first half (where I no longer had to be in a constant state of confusion over whether Annie is dead or not) this book really revved up. It was a quick and easy read and I was really entertained by this. The ending is actually insane and this was so well written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hyperion for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

When Annabel wakes up cold, wet, and lost in the woods, she knows two things. Something is wrong about her and her ex-boyfriend, Gun, has something to do with it. Annabel sets out to discover what has happened to her with help from Fern and Sam, her new friends who live in Resurrection Peak, a town abandoned since the 1950’s. Annabel learns that not all is as it appears, including the people you once trusted to protect you.

The atmosphere and voice in this book are amazing! The voice felt authentic and fresh, which isn’t always the case with ya. Hard to believe this is a debut!

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley is the compelling tale of Annie, a teen girl investigating her own murder. She meets the other souls of Resurrection Peak who help and terrorize her, while she also wreaks havoc through her small mountain town.
I found this book hard to pull away from, even when the evidence of the difficult life Annie has led comes screaming off the page. This book has violence, murder, abuse, gore, death, and more, so be wary if those things are upsetting. But if bloody revenge is what you came for, you are in for a treat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book.

If you love true crime and paranormal books this book is for you!
At first I felt like it was slow paced but I hit a point where I just got hooked and couldn’t put it down! And I absolutely looove the whole Halloween vibe I got out of it! The author’s writing was very refreshing to me as well and I CAN NOT WAIT to know what happens next 🙌🏽🎃. Definitely a book I will be recommending constantly, especially during spooky season. Thank you NetGalley for the gifted arc

This book was everything I hoped for. It was weird, hilarious, swoony, and downright vengeful. I loved it! I was hooked from the very first line and couldn't put this down. Annie Lane was a character worth cheering for from start to finish. It was hard not to love her and see her get everything she ever wanted, even though she's no longer alive.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this!!! I'm not quite sure how to describe this without giving anything away other than supernatural with mystery and revenge. I want to know so much more about the side characters. I feel like this could do with prequel short stories. Kind of a where did they come.

Slow first half but pretty killer second half. It shouldn't take the protagonist almost half the book to learn what we already know from the title and cover. The first half also spends a lot of time setting up side characters who don't end up being very important. But Annie is a very fun and unique protagonist with a lot of attitude. Wish it had more horror elements but there were some scenes--one party scene in particular--with good spooky Halloween vibes.

“Some girls never rest in peace.”

Annie Lane is furious. Most things in life piss her off (her mom, her ex-boyfriend, sometimes even her best friend), but waking up dead takes the cake. Annie doesn’t remember who killed her or even how she died, but she’s hell bent on revenge.

Annie Lane, you vengeful bitch. Annie’s story was a little slow to catch my attention, but once we were all on the same page the book took off like a bat out of hell. Annie takes some time to come to terms with her untimely demise which I didn't love but trust the process, I guess! As the story progresses we slowly meet other characters that aid Annie on her revenge journey. Sam is the standout, with his old-fashioned vernacular and bad boy vibes. I’ve never highlighted a book before, but I went bananas on my (digital) copy and most of it was something Sam’s doing. Maybe the dialogue spoke to my angry, spiteful heart, but there were several times I just had to sit and revel in what was said. This is the perfect Halloween read, so make sure you add this to your spooky TBR! I’ll be keeping an eye out for Codie Crowley’s future work!

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is out August 6, 2024

Thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED Annie Lane. This was such a wild, spooky ride grounded in real emotional truth. After Annie wakes up in a river, still in her outfit from the night before, she struggles to remember exactly how she ended up there, but she knows something is *wrong* because her corporeal form isn't quite right. For one, she keeps coughing up water. And two, her skin and hair and clothes stay wet, no matter what. As she tries to put the pieces together, Annie meets an eccentric group of individuals who help guide her as she comes to terms with what happened: she died, and her boyfriend might have killed her. Annie sets out on a quest to find out exactly what happened to her and avenge herself. She's such a badass. Codie Crowley's voice is so unique and she's a writer to watch. God, I just LOVE the way she puts sentences together. If you like thrillers x Halloween x dead girls with agency, read this book.

If the title doesn't grab you by the throat and you don't enjoy it, then there's something wrong with you. Well, maybe there's something wrong with me... Either way, the title was enough for me to read this.

Then the synopsis hit and I couldn't help but scream. A badass girl who comes back from the dead to get revenge? Well, fuck. If this doesn't scream "Hold my beer", I'm not sure what does.

This book was everything I hoped for. It was weird, hilarious, swoony, and downright vengeful. I loved it! I was hooked from the very first line and couldn't put this down. Annie Lane was a character worth cheering for from start to finish. It was hard not to love her and see her get everything she ever wanted, even though she's no longer alive.

A lot of awful things happen to Annie and you feel for her. So her revenge is really sweet and justified. The way she stalks and hunts was extremely entertaining. Parts had me rolling and dying with laughter.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch was the back from the dead book that I've been hoping for. Annie and her new best friends make for a highly entertaining and captivating read. I can't wait for the world to meet them. Annie is to die for.

I think the greatest thing about this book was that, despite my dislike of the main character, I really wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery and find out who murdered her and why.
I had assumed I knew who the killer was, only for my expectations to be flipped at the last moment, which was well done. It was telegraphed but with such subtlety that it didn't come out of nowhere nor did it feel blatant.
The book had the ambience of a 1990s slasher film coupled with some of the darker comedies of that era such as Heathers or Jennifer's Body, which is my perfect mix.
I adored Sam and the other side characters whose behaviour emulated their living generation- although Sam's 1950s slang started to grate occasionally. There were occasions when I couldn't help but laugh out loud and other times when I wanted to take our FMC and give her a good slap- I understood why someone wanted her dead.

If you are a fan of an unlikeable main character and you love a good murder mystery with paranormal overtures then you'd really like this.
Fans of Karen McManus or Holly Jackson who would like a little ghost with their gore and some monsters with their mystery would enjoy this.
I give it 3.4 stars.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch follows seventeen-year-old Annie as she tries to figure out who killed her and why. While the reader knows Annie is dead from the first page, it was intriguing to see her figure it out herself and to find that she is something not quite alive and not quite a ghost. Immediately, the book captures your attention to trying to figure out what happened to her. I appreciated the twists and toes; I couldn't figure out who the killer was, which is always a huge positive for murder mystery type stories. I loved that Annie was a badass trying to live in a world that demonizes teenage girls that don't fit the picture perfect mold. The killer getting a taste of his own medicine and her having a happy ending with her friends made this ending everything I wanted it to be. I hope this has a sequel as I would love to know more about the backgrounds of her friends and to see them try to help another murdered girl.

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I saw the title. And the book perfectly fits it — it has a strong, clever narrative voice, interesting characters, and so many twists. It was almost impossible to put down once I started, as the mystery at the center was quick and engrossing.

4.5 stars - This book was a delight! Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own. This book was dark, suspenseful,and had me laughing out loud more than once. The characters were real and flawed, and the dialogue and descriptions were beautiful, poignant, and irreverent in the best way. The rules and intricacies of this supernatural story were well planned, creating a world that I almost believe exists beyond death now. There were twists throughout the story, though not so many that it seemed forced into the plot. I will be recommending this book for sure!

This book was a wild ride! I really appreciated how the narrator reflected on the unfairness of her life, and I enjoyed the supporting characters. The writing was also beautiful and made me stop to reread in multiple places. A great read!

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 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.