I was intrigued by the concept of this book. Sadly it didn't deliver. I rated it 2 stars. This book actually resulted in me naming a new Goodreads Shelf, "stupid kids doing stupid things." Maybe I'm just getting to old for this genre? The main characters was not a nice person. She was irritating and rude. Her friends were also flat, unlikeable people. Yes, the killer ended up being someone I wasn't expected but I think overall it was poorly executed. I disliked every character in this book full of dislikable characters except Maggie. Props to the author for including a deaf character - but other than that this book was just unbelievable and boring.

As a fan of YA Thrillers, this book by Kelly Garrett had been on my list to read from its spooky eerie cover to the title and the hint that it was a YA thriller. Other than that, I had no idea what the book was about and often I love going into my thrillers blind as it means you get more enjoyment out of the story. The book starts with us meeting Sarah Dietz who is wanting to join an already-formed clique of friends. The friends Harper, Alex, Paisley, Benji, and Gin rob each other's houses and then pawn off items, but they have a burglary code and rules they must abide by. About six months later, Alex wants to take the ante up a notch and Harper and Alex break into a random house and are almost caught. This spurs a decision led by Gin and then Harper, Benji, and Paisley that they want "out". Alex and Sarah exchange words with the four of them and leave. The next day, Sarah is dead and it's supposedly a suicide. Harper knows Sarah wouldn't kill herself and is convinced Alex is behind it and so she starts her little investigation. What happens though when Paisley is the next to die and Maggie- Harper's sister is kidnapped to lure Harper out? Who is killing the females in the group and why? Will Harper be the last female standing or The Final Girl in Horror movie terms? Find out in this YA thriller that fans of Natasha Preston and Natalie D. Richards's books will enjoy.

If you want a book full of teen angst then this should work for you. A group of teens decide to rob each other's houses, with rules of course. Until things get out of hand...

I appreciated that the author included a Deaf character, Maggie, that stood up to her ableist father and had family that backed her up.

Burglaries, Teen Angst, Competition and Murder?!

Why, it’s positively sinful!

Harper and her friends have spent the last weeks of their summer doing what regular teens do. Drinking, beach days, trips to the mall, a smattering of experimental drugs and a casual burglary or two. With strict rules to only steal replaceable items from each of their houses, marking their personal bedrooms as off-limits, the teens take turns stealing items and pawning them off. The rush of adrenaline and excitement to be doing something illegal gives each of them a high like no other, that is until one of them is found dead. Though the police believe it to be a suicide, Harper knows better and searches frantically for the culprit. But as the deaths begin to stack up, she realizes she may be next.

If you’re looking for a quick-paced book that you’ll have no problem reading in one sitting, this one is for you.
This group of teens is far from your normal squad wanting to enact in a little rebellion and mischief. They are each a little crass, moody and fairly disrespectful to one another on a daily basis…which makes for some pretty interesting dynamics. There are six friends in total – Harper, Paisley, Sarah, Gin, Benji and Alex. Early on into their Summer, the gang decides they need some excitement and a new game to spice things up. They decide to take turns breaking into each other’s homes, using house keys and alarm codes, and taking items from their parents and selling them in pawnshops. They steal things like luxurious watches, alcohol, subscription bottles and other random decorations. Never personal, irreplaceable items.

Harper is an interesting character and voice of this story. She has a snide comment and blunt opinion about any and everything, and literally no filter. Most of the time I enjoyed her freedom to say whatever she wanted (f<3ck politeness) but at times I wish she would just get her head out of her ass. Harper is dating Gin who seems to be the most responsible and levelheaded one in the group. Paisley is innocent and sweet and is dating Benji who is laid-back and has the vibes of an all-around good guy. Sarah is the slightly promiscuous and overly catty teenage girl that makes you want to smack yourself in the face, and she is dating the equally cringey and creepy Alex. The weirdest dynamic here is the one between Harper, Sarah and Alex. Alex makes constant suggestive comments to Harper, which gets a huge rise out of Sarah, which amuses Harper to no end. But the real strangeness is between Sarah and Harper.

These two are supposedly friends, but oh my gosh do they go at it!! And not just figuratively, Harper literally punches Sarah and they are constantly making comments about how much they hate each other.

Anyways, eventually things go a tad too far (as they always do) and one of the characters turns up dead. Harper has a very strong opinion that they hadn’t committed suicide, and that one of their friends was actually behind it. Needless to say, things get a little wild and you’re left having no idea who to trust. In natural fashion for me, I was blaming Harper herself. But that’s probably because I’ve been listening to WAY too many murder podcasts in my spare time.

Basically, this book goes by really fast and before you know it, you find out ‘who done it’. Though it WAS a TOTAL blindside, I am still left with a scrunched-up face and thinking the ending was a tad silly and ridiculous. There is that dramatic moment of when the killer explains why they did it, and guys…it was cringey. Call the Soap Opera Awards, because this takes the cake for the most eye-roll worthy forced anger and jealousy award!

But that painful exchange aside, this was a fairly decent book and one I didn’t hate giving my time to. It had an interesting premise, very quirky and edgy characters, and a special something that we’re all looking for this November – Murder. <3

Unfortunately I didn't finish this book, as I couldn't get into it - nothing against the author or book, just not to my personal taste. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

2.5/5 rating

I had such high expectations for this novel. The blurb made it out to be this teenage murder mystery party with rebellious high schoolers and a witty protagonist, but instead what I got was a sarcastic little shit who had no true feelings about anyone but herself?

The protagonist was written in a way that didn't just make her unlikeable, but damn near irritating to witness. She had no emotional connection to anyone in the book except *maybe* her little sister. Everyone else, even her friends who get MURDERED, get a sarcastic comment on how they died. AND THAT'S IT??

There was no tension, no closure, just disappointment.

I'm sad. There was so much potential, just poor execution.

This book is a pile of idiocy driven by unlikeable characters in a pointless plot. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate some good unlikeable characters, but these weren't even well written. Similarly to The Last Girl on Earth, The Last to Die's only saving grace was its length. I raced through its excruciating boringness. Oh joy.

Ok, this book sounds like I wouldn't like it or the main character. Rich bored kids with "issues" playing at robbery. Normally not my thing, but it actually turned out to be highly entertaining, almost like a guilty pleasure or watching a CW teen drama.

I had to stop a little over halfway through this book because the main character is a bitch. I don't think she actually cares about anything or anyone.

This was more of a grown up mystery than you would think, with teen protagonists. The stakes ramp up when the teens decide to try stealing from someone else and not just themselves and someone ends up dead.

slightly immature. and just a tad bit uninteresting. The concept was intriguing but all in all it was just an okay read.

First off, thank you Netgalley and the awesome publishers for my copy of this new YA thriller.

I was hooked from the beginning. A bunch of rich teenagers get bored and decide to rob each others houses, what a wonderful idea, nothing could go wrong(insert eye roll).

The story is told in Harper's POV and I must admit I had a love hate relationship with. Yes, her character was sarcastic and at times extremely annoying but I believe the author really captured the way teenagers can be.

I think this is a quick and fun read that will keep you guessing until the end. Perfect for young adults who are looking for a fun and thrilling read.

A 3.5 rounded up to a 4. It's a strong start for a debut novel, and I'm excited to see what the author comes up with next. There were a couple of things that kept me from a higher rating: I occasionally had a hard time keeping track of the characters and their motivations, particularly in the beginning. And I didn't completely buy the ending. It's still a nice quick read that I enjoyed. Good for YA readers, particularly those that love a little mystery.

Teenager Harper and her friends have a strange hobby: breaking into houses. It's certainly not to steal what they think they're lacking, or get ahead in life. They only steal from their own homes, friends going in with a key and alarm code while the family that lives there is on vacation. They have rules: no stealing from each other. Don't take anything that's irreplaceable. It seems to be for the thrill and a kind of "screw you" to the parents they have resentment for. They go too far, and break into the home of a classmate who isn't part of their group. Harper starts to feel a little guilty, and she and her boyfriend decide that they're done with the break-ins. Another couple in the group follows suit, but two more don't agree. Cocky Alex isn't ready to stop, and his girlfriend Sarah (who is sort of a frenemy to Harper) goes along with him. The burglaries end up the least of their worries when a member of the group overdoses and dies. Harper isn't believing that it was an accident, but figuring it out might bring her transgressions to light at the cost of her future.

I received an ARC of this novel from Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I was intrigued by this book, and was expecting a good mystery when reading the description. The ending was pretty easy to figure out however, and I found myself more interested in the characters.

Harper is an interesting character to narrate the story, as she is not very likeable, especially in the beginning. I was a little disappointed the characters were not developed more as the book felt a little rushed, especially near the end. I think more time could have been spent exploring their past.

I did like the ending, as it felt more real than many others. Characters rarely see consequences for their actions.
Overall I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a light, easy read mystery with character depth.

Sixteen-year-old Harper Jacobs' life looks pretty great from the outside. She’s popular at school, a starter on her soccer team, and a good student without working really hard. At home she's the daughter of an alcoholic mother, takes care of her hearing-impaired little sister, avoids her workaholic dad, and tries not to think of her druggie older brother who is in rehab again.

Brash, sarcastic and often outspoken, Harper is always up for a challenge. When Alex suggests a way to have some fun and make a little money, she's the first to agree. Of course, the break-ins he has planned might not be totally legal, but that makes the idea more thrilling. None of them really need the money.

Harper's group of friends have hung out since grade school. Gin has always been Harper's guy. Alex dates Sarah Dietz, Harper's sometimes friend and rival, and Alex's cousin Benji dates Paisley. They live in the same neighborhood with nice houses on large lots. The break-ins will stay within the homes of their group only, and happen only when the family is out of town. Alarm codes and keys are easily shared. They'll only take things that can be replaced by their parents, and not steal from each other.

When these break-ins happen without a hitch, Alex is ready to spread out and include classmates' homes in the burglaries. Harper doesn't take much convincing. She even chooses the next target, but things don't go well and not long afterwards, one of their group turns up dead. Harper thinks she knows who the killer is, but who would believe her? Guessing might get her killed.

Sorry, thanks for the book, but I couldn't finish it. It sounded pretty great, but then I saw what they were stealing and sorry, but what? I thought they would just go for little things, like something that is barely worth anything, but instead they steal diamond earrings, diamond watches, and other expensive trinkets..... :|

Plus the MC is not likeable at all.

Interesting idea makes me wonder where writers get their ideas from.This one was certainly original.I didn't really like the main character, I'm not sure if she was written to be very likable, and the games she and her friends played were certainly not likable,it made for an interesting read though and made me want to find out how it was going to turn out.It kept me guessing and I liked that.Well worth a read,thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I absolutely love thrillers, and I'm always interested in YA thrillers since YA is the genre I'm a huge fan of, and there aren't enough thrillers found in the genre. Again, I ran into a YA thriller that I'd consider better than most, but, in the end, was still just okay. I think most people will enjoy this, but it's no Dangerous Girls.

So, we're introduced to a gang of rich, teenage robbers, and I know you're probably immediately writing them off as unlikable, but they actually weren't too bad. I thought it was interesting that they robbed each other's houses for the thrill of it, not only because it sounded stupid, but because it seemed sort of risky and useless, since they didn't steal anything big, but whatever. Harper is the main character, and, of course she has a younger sister who's deaf, and this reminded me a lot like Alex from the horror/thriller movie Don't Breathe from last summer, but that's getting off-topic. I thought Harper was an all-right character; I didn't really cheer for her, but I wasn't praying death upon her, so that was good! I thought the rest of the gang was sort of forgettable, and weren't developed enough, except maybe Alex and Benji.

I thought the premise was interesting, and was pretty much what I expected from the synopsis. I was surprised to see that people actually died, and there were some moments that were really touching, especially during one of the member's deaths. I will say, the book was addicting. I told myself I'd stop at one chapter, and, of course, I completely failed to do so. I just needed to know what was going to happen next, and I appreciate the fact that Garrett just wrote a straight-forward thriller without feeling the need to insert unnecessary filler. And hooray for the fact that the romance didn't overtake the plot!

I honestly don't know how I feel about the ending. At the same time, I thought it was entertaining, but on the other hand, I feel like, again, I've suffered through a conclusion that seemed to have an unbelievable villain, which way too many damn YA thrillers suffer from sometimes. Instead of trying to make a believable thriller, instead, some authors fall victim to wanting to have this big, crazy twist that shocks people, and it just doesn't make sense. I don't want to spoil, but I just felt like the way things were handled, the "villain" had to be the best actor in the history of acting and there also had to be a lot of coincidences, and they had to be a mastermind. But, I'm sure some people will love it.

Overall, if you're interested, I'd say you should just go for it, but, personally, I wouldn't set other people's expectations to be TOO high.

An absolutely ridiculous book unfortunately. None of the characters seemed believable or acted in an even half-way realistic manner.

A shame too, because the plot had potential, and could have been really interesting if the characters hadn't been so hopelessly exaggerated. And twist seemed completely unmotivated and was never properly resolved or explained.

Granted, it did keep me reading, and despite how overdone everything was, I did want to know how it ended. But when push came to shove, I couldn't really bring myself to care about any of the characters other than Maggie, and most of them seemed more like caricatures than anybody you'd meet in real life.

With all the awesome YA books out there, give this one a miss.

Thank you to Poison Pen and NetGalley for allowing me to review this complimentary ARC copy of FIRST TO DIE in exchange for my honest review.


Harper and her wealthy friends rob each others' homes for fun, following careful rules. Steal nothing that can't be replaced, and nothing personal. When two in their group die under separate, mysterious circumstances, she wonders whether someone is targeting them and if so, is that individual one of their own.

Kelly Garrett created an imperfect, not always likable narrator in Harper. At times she seemed to lack a conscience, allowing her drug addicted brother to take the wrap for the theft in her home, while also having a heart of gold looking out for her younger, deaf sister. She grew considerably throughout the novel. The minor characters were also interesting.

I devoured FIRST TO DIE, a compulsory readable light mystery, in a few hours. Garrett's writing style kept me turning pages. Plot wise, the mystery aspect of the story felt bland and lacked the twists and turns that add a WOW factor. I liked the wrap up better than the mystery resolution. Covers can make a book, and unfortunately this one wouldn't draw me to this very enjoyable novel.

I recommend FIRST TO DIE as a quick, satisfying read.