HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR MURDER just swooped it to take the place of top read in 2022 for me!

From the momentI started reading this book I was hooked in the same way you watch an amazing horror movie that you can’t look away from. There are moments that make you cringe, moments that make you laugh, and moments that make you scream “don’t go in the basement”! HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR MURDER oozes in Scream-vibes, taking all the parts we love from that movie and others like it and putting a modern twist on the horrors of a Halloween night gone wrong.

Just like in the best horror movies, I suspected everyone of being the killer at least once! While I was able to piece together what was happening before the big reveal, it didn’t stop that moment from making me want to clap my hands. Valentine’s writing is simply addictive in the way it draws you into the story and steals all of your attention.

I could gush about how much I loved this book for ages! If you’re looking for a fun and addictive horror read that serves up a major dose of nostalgia, while shouting out all of the best horror movies, you’re gonna need to run and get a copy of this book now!

A huge thank you to Razorbill and Penguin Teen for my gifted copy!

I love love Horror Movies, do I loved the chance to check out How to Survive Your Murder. The story was very engaging at first and hit a lull toward the middle, but thankfully picked up towards the end. It's definitely worth sticking with throughout, and the references are SO much fun for horror fans. I found the killer to be a little predictable, but the ending still SHOCKED me.

Such a great spooky season read, and will be insisting my little book club join in!

3.5 ⭐️

🔘 First for all, I was clearly not the right audience for this book. I think it’s geared towards those who love slasher movies, and to a younger (YA)audience. With #yabooks it can be a hit or miss for me depending on whether they are written for a more adult or younger audience. And that’s ok😃⁣
✔️ the overall story is enjoyable; the plot twist at the end is pretty good (that’s what got the last half star from me !)

I got 15% into this and did not vibe with the authors writing style. Bummer for me since I usually love this genre!

Picture the slasher horror movies of old, or even new, with nail biting cornfield chases, hair raising coincidences, creepy dark corners and an increasingly terrifying whodunnit mystery. How to Survive Your Murder pays homage the classic slasher film complete with a Final Girl. Alice is the sole witness to her sister, Claire’s murder and in the wake of tragedy, Alice’s life and her family has completely fallen apart. On the first day of the murder trial, Alice is set to testify against (insert character name, Owen?) when she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott-lookalike in the courthouse bathroom. When Alice awakes, she is transported back in time to the day of Claire’s murder. This is her chance to make things right! But the Sidney Prescott-lookalike tells Alice she only has until midnight to uncover the truth and save her sister’s life and the deeper Alice digs into the mystery, the more she begins to realise that there is a certain comfort in not knowing.

I’ve never been one for horror movies, regardless of whether it’s a slasher, psycho thriller or straight up paranormal but the one thing that has fascinated me the most about horror films is the concept of the final girl and the order of deaths. It’s so cool that even the scariest of films are so formulaic. I unfortunately did not get most of the references in How to Survive Your Murder such as the Sidney Prescott-lookalike and the Halloween theme song and the constant references to Scream. But, I enjoyed it nonetheless! Mostly because there wasn’t any creepy music or jump scares to scare the living wits out of me.

How to Survive Your Murder takes you on an incredible ride from plot twist to plot twist, all the while the frenetic energy of the midnight deadline inches closer. Danielle Valentine is a fantastic writer in that they were able to recreate the dark, menacing atmosphere of slasher films so much so that I felt I was watching a movie in my head. The tension and palpable fear of the characters is fantastic as they tiptoed into dark rooms with bated breath and peered around suspicious corridors. I could feel Alice’s anxiety and helplessness as she struggles to save the victims from the suspected murderer and I was constantly screaming (in my head, of course!) at Alice to stop making stupid decisions. I also really loved that when she does make stupid decisions, she owns up to it and scolds herself for making them, even though she and her friends are horror film connoisseurs and should know better. I just can’t get enough of how well-written this book is!

I also really loved how youthful the characters’ voices are. Most of the time, I feel authors aren’t able to capture the experience of teenagers but the characters in How to Survive Your Murder all feel age appropriate. I also really loved that Valentine did not shy away from the gore and brutality of the genre; they’re all described in horrific and vivid detail. It truly captured the essence of the 90s slasher film.

But, I wish scenes had been longer because some of the plots and settings were too rushed. Readers barely had time to adjust and digest the scene and information, especially when important details are being revealed. The dizziness of the scene changes probably contributed to the sense of urgency, anxiety and helplessness. And while this pacing may work for a visual format, the written form requires a different approach. I think characterisation and motivations would have been clearer if there was more time given to character introspection and for Alice to process everything going on. Even in the visual form, there are low energy points in the pacing to give time for a scene to build in intensity.

Please skip this section if you don’t want How to Survive Your Murder to be spoiled. It’s not a major spoiler but for some, may ruin the anticipation and reading experience.
Spoiler Section

While a lot of reviews on Goodreads say that the ending absolutely ruins the entire book for them, I beg to differ. I saw the ending coming from a mile away but the reveal was perfection. Only just some of the character motivation seemed a little murky and implausible but that’s a slasher film for you. It gave me Final Destination vibes, if you know, you know. Also, once you’re done reading, you’ll sort of under the title of the book.

Spoiler Sections Ends

Did I Enjoy It?: Conclusion

Perhaps if you’re really into the horror or slasher genre, this book may not be for you as it reads exactly like a play by play of a typical slasher film. It’s deceptively simple in all of its aspects but as someone who does not enjoy this type of genre, this was so enjoyable and I finished it in a single sitting. It was very well-written, atmospheric and kept me on the edge of my seat. I’d definitely recommend it if you love old school slasher films.

How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine
@DanielleValentineBooks
Pub date: August 30, 2022
Narrated by Valerie Rose Lohman
@ValerieRoseLohman
Duration: 9H 38M
4 stars

Alice is a nerdy girl, preferring to stay In and watch horror movies and true crime instead of going to parties or basically, anything else. When her friends persuade her to go to a Halloween Party with a little pushing from her older sister, Claire, she decides to go. I mean, what could happen to a bunch of teens partying in a corn maze anyways? Alice knows exactly what can happen, she’s seen the movie! If there’s one thing Alice knows, it’s how to become a Final Girl and nothing good happens in a corn maze on Halloween!

When the unthinkable happens, Alice gets a shot to go back and change her one regret but this doesn’t come without some strings attached. She’s got until midnight to save her sister and to find out who the real killer is but beware, sometimes the wolf appears in sheep’s clothing!

First off, the character of Alice is fantastic – her need to save her sister and others is not only noble but well thought out and second, what the heck! This is no fluffy YA thriller that’s all happy happy – there’s some real meat with these potatoes! Then there’s a whole host of references to some of my favorite horror movies and even a Sidney Prescott look-alike guide (kind of?). I really enjoyed this and Alice’s take on the various movies! Spot on, my friend!

The plot is tight and action-packed with one hell of an ending! I’ll be recommending this one to all fans of the genre.

Narration: Valerie Rose Lohman is spectacular and brought the tension and thrills. A true pleasure to listen to! Well done, Valerie!

My thanks to @PRHAudio and @PenguinTeen for the gifted ALC and DRC!

Allie was the only person to see her sister get murdered. When she is knocked out on day one of the trial, she finds herself waking up back on the day of the murder. Can she turn events around and save her sister this time?

YA thrillers are usually hit or miss for me. I'm pleased to say I quite enjoyed this book. It was fun, entertaining and fast paced. I have to admit, I was also particularly roped in by the cover - if you liked A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you Penguin Teen for my review copy.


I'm a big fan of the 90's and Scream is my FAVORITE movie franchise so I jumped at the chance to check this book out. I was living for all the references as well. The plot started off strong, kinda of stalled in the middle, but went full speed ahead towards the end. I did figure out the killer early on, but the ending was wild. I was not expecting that at all and the author chose straight violence!!

If you’re looking for a good horror story for spooky season check this one out and then come to yell at me about that ending in my messages. I listened to the audiobook from PRH Audio and the narrator was very good and sounded like an actual teenager which can be hit or miss at times.

Thank you so much to @penguinteenca for the advance digital reading copy of How to Survive your Murder by Danielle Valentine. HTSYM comes out tomorrow, August 30, 2022.

I went into How To Survive Your Murder nearly blind, I knew it was suspense, and that it was YA but that was about it.

I was so enthralled by this book that I managed to finish it in a day. I don't want to say too much about it, because it was so much fun to be on the ride without knowing where it was going. This is another case where I recommend going into the book totally blind!

What I will say is that this book feels like a love letter to Horror Movies, slasher flicks, and pop culture through the years. There are a ton of references to the big 90's horror movies (Scream etc), as well as the slashers that started it all (Maybe I should change my ring tone to the halloween theme?)

As someone pretty familiar with the horror movie genre, I didn't find the book particularly scary, but there is some graphic slasher stuff - but it's YA, so it wasn't too gory.

I enjoyed figuring out who did it, it took until I was about 80% of the way through. I was so pleased with myself.
Highly recommend this book if you're a fan of horror/slasher movies. It will be right up your alley.

Right now my attention span only allows for quick thrillers and mystery books and this one was just what I was looking for.

Alice is a self proclaimed expert on Final Girls. And, sadly, she’s the only witness to her sisters murder. But when a Final Girl appears telling her that she is wrong it causes her question everything and she’s given a chance to make things right.

This one made me question everything. I thought I had people and stories figured out but it just kept twisting around. I really enjoyed the nostalgia of all the horror movies I grew up with that you can tell the author clearly loves. And I really enjoyed the anticipation this one built up in me while I waited for each page turn.

How To Survive Your Murder is a tribute to slasher horror movies that lovingly incorporates classic tropes from movies such as Scream and Happy Death Day while staunchly establishing its own identity in the horror genre with very creative and unique plot twists. It starts out innocuously enough with a killer in a cornfield wielding a chainsaw against a hapless teenage girl (just normal horror things!) before pivoting to the first-person perspective of our protagonist, Alice, and recounting the events that led up to the attack which ultimately ended in her sister Claire’s death at the hands of Owen Trevor Maddox.

A year later, Alice is bitter and traumatised with her life in tatters and no goal other than seeing Owen sentenced to prison. The blurb mentions her encounter with a Sidney Prescott doppelganger on the day of Owen’s trial and it’s safe to say that you will not predict her real identity nor understand the role she has to play until the author pulls the curtain off that reveal. There is a large amount of suspension of disbelief required as the Sidney aspect is outrageously on-the-nose; I almost feel it would’ve been better not to have included her because her presence is so distracting, but the character is vital to Alice’s arc as she miraculously finds herself in the past on the day her sister died. Now she has the chance to save her sister from Owen—it’s almost too good to be true, but Sidney cautioned her that he was innocent…despite witnessing him kill Claire with her own eyes, could there be more to the truth than Alice realises?

Beyond any time travel quirks and slasher shenanigans, the real key to the success of Happy Death Day and similarly themed horror-comedy movie The Final Girls was the emotional journey of its heroines as they struggle to deal with their grief and loss after the loss of a loved one. How To Survive Your Murder utilises its own fantastical trappings to elevate the plot beyond a by-the-numbers slasher, but at its core is a very believable and emotionally resonant arc about a girl in pain because she blames herself for leaving her sister to be killed. Even though there was no way possible she could have known that Claire would die that night, Alice regrets not being at her side, and this rings very true for most people that have experienced loss. What would we change if we had the benefit of foresight? Don’t we all regret not having made the effort to spend more time with loved ones before they passed? Aren’t there last words we would change if we’d known at the time it would be the final time we spoke to them?

As genre-savvy fans will be aware, changing one event in the past inevitably opens up a new can of worms; Alice saves her sister, but now there’s a killer on the loose and she knows other people will die unless she intervenes. Her desperate efforts to thwart the killer she’s absolutely certain must be Owen becomes bogged down in confusion and suspense as she starts to uncover details she never knew about before and the spiralling changes to the timeline throw her off-kilter. For readers, this will be an absolute blast to read – the author expertly leads us down the garden path right along with Alice, showering us with red herrings as bodies start to drop. I very confidently predicted the killer about five times before giving up when proven wrong yet again, but that’s all part of the fun!

The ending will be controversial as the rug is pulled from under the reader’s feet right in the last couple pages. If you’ve enjoyed the journey, it will only be a minor frustration, but I can see some people throwing their book or e-reader at the wall once they finish the story. Your mileage will vary depending on how you react to unresolved endings—this one is perfectly set up for a sequel, however the book is listed as a standalone. Unless the pleading screams of the audience move Danielle Valentine to put us out of our misery, it appears the reader’s imagination will have to suffice regarding what happens next. I have to applaud her audacity as it ensures this book will live rent-free in my head for years to come!

Slasher fans will relish sinking their teeth into How To Survive Your Murder, an engrossing, heart-pounding story with many call-backs to fan-favourite moments in horror and fun deconstructions of popular clichés through a genre-savvy heroine. Its thought-provoking central plot of going back in time to prevent a murder and dealing with the frantic bloody aftermath is effortlessly engaging, suspenseful and memorable. With a strong focus on the bond between sisters that brings sincerity and poignancy elevating the stakes beyond a typical slashfest, this is well-worth adding to your TBR.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley for review.

CWs: blood, gore, injury detail, murder, death, coach/athlete relationship (high school girls with married man, mentioned but no details)

I found this one took me a little bit to get into, but then once I was into it I didn’t want to put it down. Until the very end. I’m conflicted over the end. Not sure I really like what happened. There isn’t really any kind of resolution or closure, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.
I liked Alice’s character. She’s super into horror movies, so there are a lot of references to characters, plots, and villains. I liked how she was trying to think like a Final Girl, and she recognized when she was making dumb horror movie girl decisions. It gave the narration some humour that I enjoyed.
The writing was easy to follow along with, and I liked the narration style. The characters were good. Alice and Claire were both really interesting. The plot was really fascinating, and I was completely hooked. Again, it was the ending that threw me for a loop but not really in a good way. I wanted real answers and resolutions and the ending didn’t satisfy me after the intensity of the last 30% of the story.

Murder. Family. Time travel. Death. Cornfields. Halloween. Horror movies. What more could a ya, horror/mystery reader want? The answer is nothing. This book was very close to flawless for me.

There's a fine line between making a mystery too easy for the reader to solve or too hard. I've read mysteries on both sides of the spectrum, and, usually, I brush off books I guess early because, to me, that makes them poorly written. Not so with this book! I had my theories and there were hints given along the way, but when it was revealed (and I was RIGHT!!!!), I was still on the edge of my seat.

I'm not a horror movie watcher, so I'm not sure if all of the references would add to the reading experience for those who understood them or take away. As someone who doesn't have any experience with them, they were an added piece I appreciated and it didn't feel overwhelming for a horror newbie.

The characters were super fun and I liked all the side characters in the MC's life. The MC's failure to really try and SOLVE the murder for the first half really bothered me, but I understand the book was playing on typical horror movie tropes. And when there's a murderer after you, it is difficult to get your thoughts in order.

So why isn't this a 5-star read? It was super close! But ultimately the ending felt very rushed and I thought there was a better way to go about it. Maybe the way the ending is written is typical in horror movies as well, but that's my preference.

Definitely recommend!

This was a tense YA slasher full of red herrings and a murder spree on Halloween night. The ending was WILD and I felt like I missed something because of how abruptly it ended. It lost a star just based on me wanting a little more and being confused if Wes actually died because the judge didn't list him by Alice said he was? Anyways I guessed what was happening with the girls and why they were being targeted and wavered on who the killer was but ultimately found the reveal to be satisfying.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
This book took a different turn than I was expecting. I did not expect the paranormal side of the book to be a part of it. Once the story started flowing and I got the justness of what was going on, everything made sense. This is a book that horror lovers will love because it is a lot of talk about horror movies within it. For me, I thought that was neat. I was not expecting the time travel, so I was confused until it hit me like, duh. Our main character lost her sister, and when given a chance to possibly change what happened, she goes for it. Yet, she has to remember what her choices will be that can cost others their lives and who truly is behind the murder/s. That is the part that had me going NO WAY!! This is a book I will keep in my library for my older students to read. I think once they got into it, they would enjoy this one. Just keep reading because it does it better. It was not super gory or graphic, so I know the teens will like this one.

I ate this book up with its slasher film reference’s and 90s nostalgia.. oh take me back to those days!

Alice is the only witness to her sister Claire’s brutal murder. Her parents have divorced and she has moved into a small apartment, life just isn’t what it was for her. A year later she’s forced to face her sisters killer in the courtroom with a bunch of skeptical people who don’t really believe what she saw. While she’s preparing herself for the trial, she gets knocked out in the bathroom and wakes to Halloween a year earlier, the same day as Claire’s murder, and she gets a chance to save her sister and discover who the killer really is before someone else dies.

This story instantly made me think of Happy Birthday to Me, where the main character reawakens on the same day to solve her murder, but instead this one’s a year early and a sister is involved. This book is exactly what my horror loving heart needed. And to all those slasher flicks of the 90s I love… I’m especially looking at you SCREAM!!

If you’re looking for the perfect Fall/Halloween book, I really recommend this one. There honestly isn’t enough YA Horror out there and I really really enjoyed this one. My only reason for a 4star instead of 5 is that a bit of it was predictable. And sadly that happens when you read a ton, but the whole execution was perfectly done. The plot and characters were well written. And honestly I really hope there’s a sequel.. because what’s a Horror movie without a sequel!!

Check out the aesthetic video I made for this book on TikTok @katherinebichler. Here is the link:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRfh8gjS/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS

This is a YA horror/thriller.

Alice witnesses her sister’s death at a Halloween party. A year later, she gets the chance to travel back in time to see what really happened to her sister.

This book is full of 90s nostalgia horror film references, like Scream, and has a final girl trope. It has a fun, younger aspect to a horror book as it is YA. I did not love the time travel aspect, but it worked for the story. It is an easy, quick read, perfect for Halloween. There is a twist at the end when the killer is revealed.

It does have the potential for a sequel and I would definitely read it if there was one.

Thank you Penguin Teen for an advance reader copy! 🔪🎃🩸

This was too YA for me. It reminded me of The Mary Shelley Club so I think a lot of YA horror/thriller readers will like. Thank you but was not for me.

If, like me, you grew up in the 90s and devoured/loved every and all slasher and “final girl” movie that was made up to that point in time, this book is for you.

Well, even if you weren’t raised in the 90s, any horror and thriller fan of any age will enjoy their time spent lost in these pages.

Valentine delivered a stellar and heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat novel.

This was freaking.. EPIC. Alice being the only witness to the murder of her sister in a ~spooky~ cornfield on Halloween night, must now relive the worst night of her life in order to save her sister’s life. THAT is all you need to know to dive into this AMAZINGLY PERFECT spooky season (or all season) book.

I was literally obsessed from chapter one. Being a HUGE fan of Scream, scary movies, the “final girl” trope and spooky season in general, this book knew how to suck me right in. The twists just kept on coming, this was LITERALLY a page turner for me and I can 100% see myself recommending this a ton during this upcoming fall season and in general!

I will say, I did guess who did what but I couldn’t figure out why literally until near the very end. But even still, I genuinely enjoyed it. Which is saying a lot since I knew who done it haha.

I’ve seen some chatter about a sequel. Is that true? I don’t know. Do I hope it’s true? YES.

FOR FANS OF:
- 90s slasher flicks
- Final girl references, Scream style
- All of the spooky season vibes 🎃
- Sidney Prescott look-alikes
- Charter named Wes as in Wes Craven?!
- Twists and turns galore
- Page turner
- Heart stopping//STRESSED
- Spooky corn mazes
- Teen scary movie stupidity
- Crazy endings?!?