I knew from the title alone that this would be a new favorite, but I wasn't prepared for what a snarky, spooky, voicey debut this was! I absolutely loved it.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley is a darkly captivating novel that skillfully blends suspense with biting humor. Crowley’s sharp prose and intricate plot twists create an engaging and unpredictable reading experience. The novel’s unique voice and memorable characters make it a standout in the genre.

The title alone drew to me to this book, but the writing, plot, and characters made me stay! Annie’s life is nothing to brag about, so when she is left for dead on a mountain, she has no reason NOT to seek vengeance. Annie is so freaking awesome! This book is spiteful, funny, a little campy, and so unique!

I 100% requested this book on the title alone. So good.

But the book did not disappoint. I was constantly (and wrongly) theorizing the whole time. I was ready to take down the whole town. Every one.

Annie I am here for it and your journey. She is going to get em' all! And her ghostly crew! In love with them.

But it was ---?! No. It couldn't be. Ugh. I hate them and COULD NOT believe it. Shocked.

Read this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Such a good read. Couldn’t believe this was a debut. Fast paced and highly entertaining a quick fun read I really enjoyed it

Annie was not very likable, but I was intrigued as to what happened to her. I was also a little confused if she was a ghost or not.

This had the potential to be a winner from me, but there were way too many inconsistencies and plot holes. Also the way the characters spoke to each other was very annoying. I don’t have the patience to decode riddles. I thought I was getting School Spirits vibes, but this was nothing like that.

This is a book that is probably more suited to the YA audience but having said that I did quite enjoy it. I kept reminding myself to not judge the reality but to enjoy the ride as if it was a film - like Death becomes her or similar. I really liked sassy Annie and her dialogue was brilliant. The perpetrator’s identity is purposely left vague and again that’s something I enjoy because I like to see if I can work it out before the denouement.

The title draws you in, and then the plot and characters done let you go! Annie Lame was murdered, but now she is back and she wants to know who killed her. There are so many options, because she had so many crappy people in her life. Annie is the badass characters all need in our lives! She is funny, smart, and extremely entertaining! I seriously could not have loved Annie more!

I'm not entirely sure why I had high hopes for this one—maybe it was the title, the premise, the cover, or a combination of all three?

Unfortunately, it ended up being a disappointment. The characters, dialogue, and plot all fell flat for me.

Not my cup of tea!

Annie is a girl you do not want to cross. When she finds herself in some odd circumstances like meeting people who she cannot tell us if they're either dead or alive, blood all over her jacket, and the simple fact that she seems to be throwing up river water profusely. She is forced to face the fact that something seems to have happened to her and it seems to be something she has forgotten. Can Annie figure out in time what really happened in time? Not only did something happen to her, but something also seems to have happened to her best friend Maura, and people seem to think she had something to do with it. Can Annie figure out what happened that fateful night?
This is a fast pace novel that teens will enjoy. Annie is such a strong character. The flashbacks between the past and the present are beautifully done, allowing the reader to figure out Maura and Annie's real relationship and connection. I love everything about this book.
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley was a great debut YA thriller!
I thought Crowley’s writing was intriguing and she definitely kept me interested and hooked.
The characters were engaging and well developed.
A spooky and wild story that gripped me from the very beginning!

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch had a great premise that I was super excited for. However, I had trouble getting into the story from the get go - unsure if it was the formatting of the digital copy or if the line breaks are truly that jarring. I look forward to giving it another go around to see if it works better.

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. At first, I was a bit annoyed with not knowing what Annabel was, but I got my answer soon enough. I never thought I would cheer on violence, but in that corn maze, I was cheering for them.

Fun quick read

3.75 stars

17-year-old Annie Lane was a b*tch. Actually, she still is; death hasn't changed that. Waking up as a ghost in a river doesn't really improve anyone's temperament. The first town Annie finds her way to is full of other ghosts, and they welcome her with semi-open arms and encouragement to solve her own murder. But when Annie makes her way back to her small hometown, she realizes no one misses her, and those who have noticed her absence assume it's her own fault.

The premise of this and the humor in it were top tier, but there was so much about the world's paranormal elements that was left unexplained, and I wanted more. I can always appreciate championing unlikable characters, but since the cover, title, and blurb of this book all tell you Annie is dead, her not realizing that for so much of the book was kind of tedious. I also wish that there had been more explanation and detail once her killer was actually revealed, and more info about what Annie was going to do next. I enjoyed the writing and ideas in this, though, so I'll check out the author's future work. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think the cover and the name are great!!! I found the story to be extremely goofy and cheesy and boring. I didn’t like that she didn’t know she was ghost through a huge chunk of the book, the hell hounds were too sporadic, either they are supposed to be vicious or they aren’t. The cop being the bad guy is very cliche. The only thing that kept me barely going was that I wanted to know where her friend was. And why couldn’t they tell she was dead?

when i tell you i was obsessed with this book as soon as i saw the title i’m not kidding. it’s a revenge story about an ‘unlikeable’ girl who comes back from the dead and is determined to solve the mystery of her demise (and get some revenge along the way). there’s some paranormal elements in this story which i loved, including some friendly ghosts and some not-so-friendly hellhounds determined to drag her to hell. all of which make this book the perfect spooky read that i’m hoping to reread in autumn.

i had so much fun reading this, i couldn’t put it down and was constantly trying to guess what was going to happen next (i was wrong several times because i kept missing the twists). i honestly had no idea where the story was going to go next but i couldn’t stop reading and i’m hoping there’s a sequel or another book set in this world to help with some of the unanswered questions. if not, i’m still excited to read more of this author’s work in the future.

i would definitely recommend this book if you like ya paranormal thrillers and a revenge plot that keeps you guessing.

When you wake up from the dead realizing that you were murdered, the first order of business is to find out who did it to you and get revenge. Annie Lane is a bitch, she isn't a good girl, but when she crawls out of her own grave and realizes that she has no memory of what happened to her or who killed her... she is hellbent on finding out. All Annie knows is that the last person to see her was her terrible cheating ex boyfriend and his bandmates, her having an argument with her best friend, and someone chasing and stabbing her. Annie is back now and she'll do anything to get the answers and make someone pay for what they did to her. This was a touch of Jennifer's Body and School Spirits mixed together, and focuses on the "unlikeable" girls. I found the mystery to be okay and the overall characters were meh for me. I was hoping I would like it a bit more but it just felt a bit underwhelming for me unfortunately. I would recommend it for YA readers who want a unlikeable protagonist and like a revenge mystery.

Release Date: August 6,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Annie Lane returns from the dead after being murdered and is bent on revenge. She returns to her small town and leaves mayhem in her wake. This was a great read and I hope to read more by this author. Thanks NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this ARC that will be released August 6, 2024!

I met Codie Crowley on TikTok and was immediately captivated by her talent for sharing spooky stories from her childhood. When she mentioned she had written a book, I knew I had to read it! And spoiler alert - this was just hands down an absolutely FUN read.

The story centers around Annie Lane, who wakes up in an icy river with no memory of the previous night. Something terrible has happened, but she can't remember what. As her memories gradually return, she teams up with a ragtag group of people. Together, they follow the trail that leads Annie towards a powerful vendetta and a "coming of rage" journey.

One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its richness. Unlike many linear stories that have a point A to point B plot, this book is woven with parallel and perpendicular storylines that create a complex and disorienting whodunit. As an experienced reader of suspense, thrillers, and horror, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns. Codie Crowley masterfully keeps readers guessing until the very end, providing only subtle hints along the way.

The era-accurate rhetoric and slang used in the book are both iconic and immersive. While I sometimes had to infer the meanings of certain words, this added to the authenticity and enjoyment of the narrative. The pacing of the story is exceptional; it never feels rushed, yet it maintains a steady momentum that keeps readers engaged.

What truly sets this book apart is its vivid imagery and the delicious sense of vengeance that permeates the story. Codie Crowley's ability to blend rich storytelling with an undercurrent of retribution makes this book a standout.

Come for the mystery - but stay for the delicious vengeance. This book will not disappoint!

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is the debut YA spooky thriller novel from author Codie Crowley. I first found out about this book because I follow Codie’s tiktok(spiretbored) and from the first time I heard her very strong Jersey accent talking about spooky stuff ,that this was a content creator I wanted to follow. Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is about exactly what the title says. Punk rock bad girl Annie Lane has been murdered and she is freaking pissed, but being dead isn’t going to slow her down. Annie wants to know who the hell did this to her and she wants to give them a little of their own medicine with a ghostly twist. I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in the pine barrens of NJ, which is a place known for weird stuff (Jersey devil), it happens around Halloween so we have all the fall vibes, and a quirky found family of ghosts. Our fmc Annie is a badass, she’s out for revenge, and she’s kind of a huge bitch with some newly dead girl spice to round her out. This is a book for the girls who felt like they had no control, for the girls wished they could have gotten revenge for something messed up that happened to them, for all the girls that have ever been called a bitch! I think this is a great debut novel and while it could definitely be a stand alone, I’d be stoked to read a second novel about Annie and her new ghostly existence. Thank you @netgally and @disneyhyperian for a digital arc of this book.