Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Debut authors- love to hear about new authors, but because they are new- it’s tough to know what to expect. But when a book talks about triplets who like to murder the men they are involved with- and the cover looks as cool as this one does- well, it’s a no brainer to accept the Netgalley request.

What I liked:

This cover is pretty cool. I love the colors and the silhouette of the triplets.

The murdering triplets angle. I found that to be interesting.



Bottom line: Overall, I enjoyed this book. I felt a good part of it was 3.5 stars with some parts being more just straight up 3 stars. Will I read another book by Ren DeStefano? Yes, if her next one sounds good. Is she on my auto-buy list? No, but time will tell if I will add her to my auto-buy list.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Dark and addicting. I love a thriller and the triplet twist was SO unique and fun. Very different than anything I've read before- in a good way.

How I’ll Kill You was a quick read, interesting enough but not really significant or a book I would recommend to my friends.

I picked the right spooky month to listen/read this macabre and dark romance. I didn’t know romantic thrillers were a thing but this was definitely fitting into that genre. As someone who loves thrillers and often doesn’t like romance, this was an interesting mash up for me .

Sissy is a triplet with a troubled upbringing. Her sisters, Moody and Iris make up the other 2/3rds of this trio of murderers. They pick their love interests and make them their marks and then hunt them down. But what happens when Sissy starts to fall for her intended victim, Edison?

I couldn’t stop reading , even when it got pretty dark and sinister 👀

I thought the story was good, but had some questionable plot points. You will need to suspend disbelief for this one a bit. It also got a bit too gruesome at times so I wouldn’t recommend it for those that couldn’t handle someone getting their teeth pulled out and pulverized or their body parts severed after they’ve been murdered. Hmmm was that too gruesome for my review. Perhaps. 😂

Anywho, I’m giving this one 4 stars. Entertainingly dark and gruesome, but perhaps a HEA ending ❤️ 😆

Pick this up for Halloween!

In this gripping thriller by Ren DeStefano, three psychopathic identical triplets who have a history of committing heinous crimes team up to wreak havoc.
The sisters, known by false names Sissy, Moody, and Iris, have always followed a strict rule - to seduce their targets, fulfill their fantasies, and then brutally murder them. But when they settle in a quiet town in Arizona and target a grieving widower named Edison, things become complicated. Sissy develops feelings for Edison, which forces her to choose between loyalty to her sisters or betrayal. As the story unfolds, shocking revelations emerge, making the decision more difficult.
The author skillfully portrays the disturbed psyche of the triplets, creating a dark and suspenseful narrative that is impossible to put down.

This book is a must-read for fans of thrilling and chilling tales of malicious mayhem.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

HOW I'LL KILL YOU
By: REN DESTEFANO

Dark and disturbing, this devious debut is a killer and make that a triple threat! I have read lots of thriller novels at this point, but this one blew my mind. It is exceptional and a true stand-out and entertaining read that is hard to put down. So sit back and enjoy – this was truly a fun read.

Oh Ren DeStefano, what a unique premise you have with How I'll Kill You. This book caught my attention immediately because it's not too often you will come across triplets who are into killing. It reminded me a little bit of another book I read with twins, but for the most part, this was a very fresh thriller that I absolutely loved. The entire book is told through Sissy's (AKA Jade) viewpoint, and the audiobook was spectacular with Karissa Vacker at the helm. I feel like you 100% need to listen to the audio for this book and will fully stand behind my next statement: the story and characters will get to you SO much more by listening to Vacker narrate. I also happened to quite like Sissy, and she was a wealth of knowledge when it comes to cleaning up a crime scene.

I do think the story ended up getting a little bogged down with Sissy's inner monologue, and there is a lot of it that becomes quite repetitive after a while causing the book to become a little too slow toward the middle. For this reason, it was missing some of that pizzazz for me, but I loved the first half of the book along with the last 25% where things get especially crazy. How I'll Kill You also put tears in my eyes which I was absolutely NOT expecting, so well done DeStefano! I didn't know it at the time, but this author only slightly changed her name to write this thriller, and her other books are under her actual name Lauren DeStefano. She is no stranger to writing if you check that out, and I can't wait to see what she writes next using this pen name.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up but assumed it had something to do with murder, given the title and the fact that a woman on the cover is holding a knife. Turns out those women are identical triplets! Although this book was repetitive in parts, at least it was something I’d never read before.

From GoodReads: Sissy has an…interesting family. Always the careful one, always the cautious one, she has handled the cleanup while her serial killer sisters have carved a path of carnage across the U.S. Now, as they arrive in the Arizona heat, Sissy must step up and embrace the family pastime of making a man fall in love and then murdering him. Her first target? A young widower named Edison—and their mutual attraction is instant. While their relationship progresses, and most couples would be thinking about picking out china patterns and moving in together, Sissy’s family is reminding her to think about picking out burial sites and moving on.

Then something happens that Sissy never anticipated: She begins to feel protective of Edison, and before she can help it, she’s fallen in love. But the clock is ticking, and her sisters are growing restless. It becomes clear that the gravesite she chooses will hide a body no matter what happens; but if she betrays her family, will it be hers?

The story is told from Sissy’s perspective, so you never get to know her sisters all that well, which makes the story more interesting. You are guessing what they are up to just as much as she is. Her love for Edison seems plausible, even though she’s being someone she’s not toward him. But the mystery of what her sisters do when Sissy isn’t around is the best part of the plot. Sissy trusts them entirely, but can they actually be trusted? I thought this book needed a bit of an edit to condense some redundancy, but overall, I really enjoyed it and had no idea where the plot was heading.

Serial killer triplets? Say less. I had to read it. And honestly, it was a lot of fun! There were some slow moving parts and the end felt a little drawn out, but I was obsessed reading about these sisters' lives. I felt like Sissy, Iris and Moody all were very unique and distinct characters who had been through so much. The perfect definition of unlikeable and unhinged characters. The storyline definitely isn't plausible, but it was the perfect bingeable thriller. Highly recommend if you're looking for something quick.

Told from the perspective of one of three triplets abandoned as infants, this novel mines the depths of love, romantic and familial. The three sisters have spent the last six years as a serial-killing team, but Sissy, our protagonist and narrator, has yet to actually do the deed herself, instead serving as the clean-up artist to keep them all out of trouble. Now, though, is her chance. She's finally found a mark, and with a false identity as Jade, she sets out to seduce widower Edison before killing him. Her sisters, who go by the monikers Iris and Moody, are concerned that Sissy will be unable to follow through with the murder and so, make their own plans to hedge their bets.

This novel touts itself as an up-all-night thriller, but I found it easy to put down and saw more romance than suspense in the story. The ending felt cliched and the characters were all a little one-note.

Book Summary:

Sissy is one of three. She and her sisters have always been close. Closer than most siblings, at any rate. Like many sets of triplets, the sisters have rituals and unique ways of connecting.

For example, they all tend to kill their boyfriends. That is until Sissy rocks the boat by falling in love with her intended mark. Now things won't go as planned, and her family has strong opinions about that.

My Review:

Readers who enjoy dark secrets and twisted families should consider checking out How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefano. These sisters have an odd way of staying close to one another, but it's the perfect foundation for this thriller.

This book kind of reminded me of a more murderous version of Heartbreakers. Only instead of money, it's lives they're stealing. And there are three of them. Much like that movie, one has second thoughts, catching feelings for her current mark/boyfriend.

The best part of How I'll Kill You had to be the character development. That surprised me, grounding this dark thriller in a way I hadn't anticipated. It heightened the experience and helped me feel more invested in the characters (especially Jade).

Highlights:
Debut
Dark Thriller
Triplets

Great story! Loved the premise of the murderous triplets. I experienced all the feels with this one. You really don’t know what direction it will go in until the very end.

This was an absolutely wild ride! How I'll Kill You is truly unique and one of the most original books I've read all year. Unfortunately, it was a bit too far-fetched for me and I had trouble suspending my belief for the sake of the story. I listened to the story as an audiobook and I loved the narrator! I thought her voice was perfect for the main character and it added so much to the story.

Holy smokes this book was fun!

This was quite the twisted psychological saga of triplet boyfriend slashers!

I loved the premise - so unique and dark and original I gobbled this one up.

Usually the clean-up gal, it's Sissy's turn to pick the mark and end his life. But uh oh! Someone has feelings!

This was a twisty page-turner for sure. I loved following these three and seeing where things would take us all and how everything unfolded. So much was just delightful disturbing in theory... but for a book that literally has "kill" in the title... dare I say... it just wasn't murdery enough for me?!?!

Overall a super fast fun and original read - the back story was a bit vague and I was left with a lot of questions - but all in all it was a fun time and I'm super impressed by the clever plot!

Ren DeStefano's "How I'll Kill You" delivers a dark and macabre thriller that explores the disturbing lives of identical triplets with a shared penchant for murder. The story centers around Sissy, the cautious and responsible sister who has spent her life cleaning up after her serial killer siblings' gruesome crimes. When the trio arrives in Arizona, Sissy reluctantly takes on the role of seducing and dispatching their next victim, a young widower named Edison. However, as their relationship deepens, Sissy finds herself falling in love and facing an internal conflict between her loyalty to her family and her growing desire to protect Edison.

This book remains an unsettling and chilling read that will appeal to fans of dark and twisted thrillers. DeStefano showcases a knack for crafting disturbing family dynamics and exploring the intricacies of moral ambiguity. While the characterization and pacing could have been stronger, the novel still manages to provide an unsettling glimpse into the dark recesses of the human psyche.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for honest feedback.

A thriller about sisters who kill men together? I'm in LOL

Seriously, these girls are INSANE! I've never read a thriller with killers who enjoy killing like these girls. Well, two out of three.

The book starts with a gruesome murder and it's fast paced throughout the way! Really liked it.

This was a difficult read for me. So much so I had to drop the ebook, almost DNFd, and then heard from someone else I needed to finish it so I got the audio from the library.

The author is no doubt a talented writer and I think many will really love this book, but as many reviewers have pointed out, it’s not easy to categorize it. It’s sister-relationships, heavy romance, and part psychological thriller. It’s upsetting in how the MC thinks and yet pulls you to the end thinking you’ll finally have answers.

I think the hardest thing for me was the MCs ridiculous thoughts about murdering the man she loved. Like why would they think it’s a good idea ever? Why not give in and kill the “bad” people she wants to vs falling in love and being fleeced to kill him to what? Prove her “devotion” to her morbid and horribly un-sister like sisters.

I see what the author was doing and think she did a great job of it, but I think it was too heavy on the descriptions of the MCs fantasy’s of murder that got to me. Was she trying to prove to herself she could do it? Not really because at the end she admits that is part of who she is, so how is she really any different thank her sisters who were killers.

In all, some will totally love this and I think if it had been a straight up romance or romantic suspense OR. Psychological thriller, I might have been more sold on it (as personal preference) but it just missed the mark for me as a reader.

My rating: 2.5*

Thanks to the publisher for this gifted copy.

I honestly had no idea what to expect from this book. The premise was interesting and I'm slowly getting more into thrillers and I loved the idea of murderous sisters.

This book wasn't all that I expected it to be though. It was a lot slower start than I thought it would and didn't really scream thriller, it was more of a contemporary romance with a murder sub-plot. It was however a little terrifying to see the details that Sissy attributed in order to be there ideal girlfriend for Edison. The manipulation and lengths that these girls went through with their marks before killing them was really mind fucking, and straight up psychopathic. As the story went on though it was compelling to see the inner workings of each sister and how they actually felt about their lives and how their minds truly worked. And as Sissy got closer to her neighbor and Edison, and the sisters lives was in danger, the story took some truly horrific and dark turns. Although a lot of the book was pretty predictable, it was a really fun and exciting read. You could tell it was the authors first published novel, the pacing wasn't always ideal and like I said, at times it was predictable. But there were parts that honestly shocked me, and there was one big twist involving the sisters that I didn't see coming at all. I would however classify this book as more of a contemporary thriller though rather than a mystery/psychological thriller that it was marketed as.

Sissy, Iris, and Moody (not their real names) are triplets who were abandoned as newborns. Their discovery made them famous but it didn't keep them out of the foster system. At first, they were kept together but as they got older they often were in separate foster homes, particularly when Iris and Moody became "troubled" kids and were difficult to manage. They learned early on they had no one but each other and they would do anything for each other. That bond is tested when Iris's first boyfriend hurts her.

I thought this would be a slightly humorous story where a woman plots to kill her cheating husband. But that wasn't what I got. I like dark novels, but these characters are more psychopathic serial killers that I cared for. I had trouble connecting with the characters and for most of the novel, I just kept thinking what the heck. If I hadn't been reading it for a review I probably wouldn't have finished it - which is a big deal as I hate not finishing a novel. And this book proved why I hate not finishing a book - the ending was brilliant and pretty much made reading the book worth it.

I did find the subtle discussion on nature versus nurture. These three are completely identical and work hard not to have any visual difference - it is part of the reason they can kill and get away from it. Yet their personalities are different.

In How I'll Kill You it is Sissy's turn to kill. This is her first kill as the previous one just didn't feel right. This is the first glimpse that there are differences between the girls.

In flashbacks, we see the girls' childhood and get a glimpse into how they developed into the adults they are but it isn't until the end that everything is fully explained.

I struggled with the first half or more of this novel. I just couldn't get on board with the plot. Plus at times Sissy's thoughts on Edison border on erotic which I don't care to read. I understand that this was part of developing the girls' character - they get off on murdering men who they make fall in love with them. It's also another subtle way of differentiating Sissy from Iris and Moody. There was also the sex scene during a church service that as a Christian I found appalling.

The story is a slow-burn without a lot of action which didn't help my apathy towards the book. But I couldn't put the book down for the final fifth of the book. The action picked up and everything rapidly came to a head - I had to know how it all turned out.

My review will be published on Monday at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/06/4-romantic-stories-for-your-summer.html

I was enjoying this book at first, but quickly fell flat. The narrator was so monotone and I just could not get over the names of the sisters. I felt like there was so much repetition just in the first 30%. It lacked any spark to keep me enthralled and I ultimately had to put it down.