This novel takes us to the heart of a small Texas town, weaving together the intriguing lives of its residents. I can't believe I let it sit on my TBR list for so long!

The story begins with a mysterious drowning, which ignites a thrilling and suspense-filled journey. The storytelling is clever, blending multiple perspectives—including that of the deceased victim, which is one of my favorite narratives! Beverly was a fascinating character.

The characters are richly developed, and the depiction of the personal development company and its cult-like followers is both chilling and unsettling, illustrating the lengths people will go to in their quest for self-improvement. With unexpected twists and a thought-provoking conclusion, "Watch It Burn" keeps you on the edge until the last page.

Thanks to MIRA/Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I never do this, I’ve never done this before in my life. I did read this book; and I’ll give the star rating based on my unbiased opinion of the story, but I won’t ever read a book by this author again based on the experience I’ve had with her. I was excited to work with her, but it just seems that she doesn’t value her readers at all, and expects a lot from them without even giving a thank you; much less anything else. She lets her team promote her books, host giveaways for her, and is happy to have them do that. She tells her readers they’ll get a copy of her book then after you’ve already promoted it, she either backtracks or ghosts you. It’s just not professional behavior in my opinion, therefore I won’t read another. The book? It was okay! Not bad, not life changing. Just okay.

"Watch it burn" by Kristen Bird is a gripping and intense read that explores themes of revenge, betrayal, and redemption. The story follows a young woman named Emma who seeks vengeance against those who wronged her and her family. As the plot unfolds, secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested, leading to a thrilling and unpredictable conclusion. Bird's writing is sharp and evocative, drawing readers in from the first page and keeping them on the edge of their seats until the very end. Overall, "Watch it burn" is a fast-paced and compelling read that will leave you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Kristen Bird for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

@kristenbirdwrites
@netgalley
@htpbooks

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three women come together to uncover scandal and lies in a self help movement in this Southern mystery.
Beverly Hoffman’s body is found in the Guadalupe River, in the small town of Edenberg. She drowned in only two inches of water. Something sinister has been beneath the surface of their picturesque hometown.

The book starts off really exciting and I didn’t want to put it down! I loved the multiple povs especially Beverly’s!!!

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I'd say this book was more like a 3.5 than a 3, but I struggled sometimes with the different POV angles and keeping everything straight. I'll admit I had trouble getting into it, but ended up enjoying it by the end. As I said, the different POVs were somewhat confusing, although I can see why Kristen Bird did it this way, especially as the story continued to come together. Between murder and a cult-like group, it felt like there were many "unknowns" that soon became known, and tightly wove the storylines together, which was intriguing. Overall, I recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers where you can't really figure out the twist, but you ultimately get the answers you seek.

This book was soooooo slow for me. The multiple POVs I enjoyed. There weren't any real suspenseful moments or WTF moments. I was more annoyed with the cultish theme it had in it. I only finished the book because I had to see what happened. Definitely a more boring book unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA, and author Kristen Bird for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️for me.
The plot largely didn’t make sense and the characters did not seem well developed. I had hoped for more based on the description but I really had to push to finish this one.

This book definitely surprised me! I wanted to stay up late reading it each night. This was my first book by Kristen Bird and it won’t be my last!

A mystery that involves three women who try to uncover the truth behind a mysterious death.

I really liked the premise here and the first two chapters but then we get Beverly…. Who is a ghost…. I wish this had been more clear in the synopsis - that one of the viewpoints is from a ghost.

Bird is a local author to where I live so I wanted to check out her latest. It did not disappoint. Murder, cult-like corporations, it definitely delivered.

This was a good book. I liked the small town feel. The way the old friends came together to solve mysteries. The secrets, both past and current. The multiple POV kept it very interesting as well. This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last.

Bananatown revenge story about a group of middle aged women that face off against a powerful self help, MLM, culty, religious organization to solve a murder. Cool concept, weird everything else.

The plot managed to be both bursting at the seams and boring at the same time. There was too much going on to focus or be invested in anyone thing. A major red flag for me was when we got the first POV chapter from a ghost. The ghost chapters felt like a crutch - like the author couldn't find any other way to fit in certain details maybe? It made, what started off as a serious story, feel instantly campy.

The last half devolved into a revenge narrative that I didn't see coming, and hated. Can't go into details, but the characters became reckless out of nowhere and started making bizarre choices with no consideration for others.

Up until the last 50 pages, I would have said- not my taste, but if you like off the wall thrillers, this could work for you. Unfortunately, the ending just left a bad taste and makes me not want to recommend this at all.

I have to be honest y’all, I read this four weeks ago and gave it four stars, but I’m coming back now to write my review and I honestly can’t remember anything about this book. Maybe I just read too many books lol. I remember loving the cult-like setting. I remember really enjoying my time and devouring this book fairly quickly. But I can’t recall anything specific about why. I know I was totally invested in the story and what was happening. I cared about the characters at the time, even if they were, apparently, forgettable. I definitely still recommend this to thriller lovers, because I did clearly love my reading experience at the time. I also remember really liking the writing style and wanting to read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a slow burn in the first half of the story. I kept going and glad I did because it took off and wouldn't let go! What a great cast of characters and the multiple POVs were awesome! Kept me guessing until the end.

Oh my goodness, Watch It Burn by @kristenbirdwrites completely surprised me in such a good way! Set in a small Texas town along the Guadalupe River, the story starts with a body being found in the river. There are so many surprising plot twists throughout the story while dealing with themes of small town influence and the movement to go back to a different era that is currently prevalent in small American towns and politics. I absolutely loved this book and now need to go back and read all of Kristen’s books!

Thank you @_mira_books_ for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Watch It Burn" by Kristen Bird is a riveting tale that delves into the complexities of a small Texas town, Edenberg, and the intricate lives of its residents. The novel opens with a mysterious death that sets the stage for a suspenseful journey through the underbelly of a seemingly idyllic community.

Bird masterfully weaves a narrative that explores the themes of power, control, and the dangerous allure of a self-help movement that promises more than it can deliver. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Nichole, an elementary school teacher who discovers the body; Jenny, a journalist and Nichole's best friend; and Robin, the daughter-in-law of the deceased, who is determined to uncover the truth.

The novel's strength lies in its character development and the intricate plot that keeps readers guessing until the very end. Bird's portrayal of the personal-development company, Genetive, Inc., is chillingly realistic, serving as a critique of the extremes to which society will go in the pursuit of self-improvement.

"Watch It Burn" is a testament to Bird's growth as a writer, showcasing her ability to craft a story that is both thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining. With its Southern charm and a powder keg of secrets ready to explode, this book is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense. The twist at the end is unexpected and satisfying, leaving readers to ponder the true cost of blindly following leaders who promise the world but deliver only ashes.

This novel started out with a lot going on for a little town of Texas. It was slow paced and I almost put it down. The tension about midway through kept me going though. Only three stars because it started so slow. I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Mira. This review is in my own words.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I had a REALLY hard time getting through this one and almost gave up a few times, but pressed on, because I really wanted to find out what happened to Beverly. I feel that the multiple points of view combined with jumping back and forth in time became a bit confusing at times. In the end, I did enjoy the storyline, but this was not a quick read for me.

The town of Edenberg is far from Eden in this thriller from Kristen Bird. Three women are central to the telling of this story, and each one has their own point of view that moves the story forward. I'm usually not a big fan of head-hopping, but I thought it really worked for this story.

Edenberg is a small town owned by one wealthy family who is able to control many aspects of the community, and all is not what it seems. I found the story of this family interesting and instrumental to understanding the story. I don't want to say more because I really did like how this story was presented to me via the different points of view, especially one of the most important voices -- the victim!

There's a few surprises, but mostly Watch It Burn is a slowly unfolding tale of deception, corruption and greed that I found to be interesting and very contemporary., which was why I liked this. There were some slow spots, but mostly had a good pace that kept me turning the pages.

This is a local-ish to me author and it's my first book by her, but definitely want more. This takes place in Hill Country, small town Texas. A well known, influential woman is found dead and three other women do not think it's an accident and decide to investigate.

This book starts with a fire and then flashes back to when Beverly Hoffman is found dead by the river. Robin, Nichole and Jenny join forces when they realize this will likely be ruled and accident and they want the truth! Through their investigation they discover many secrets and lies.

Beverly's husband is part business man part small town evangelist who clearly wants to rule the town. The changes he has made will make you uncomfortable, as will the people who blindly follow him. It felt very cultlike.

I was engrossed in the investigation and could not put this one down!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Mira for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.