This was absolutely SO FUN. Seeing that it was published by Disney had me confused by the title at first, but i was SO NOT LET DOWN. I loved it. I'm a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars, Someone Here is Lying, etc, and I think this will be a hit. I wish I had a hard copy!!

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick, shallow read which kept me interested, but not emotionally vested.

The MC Annie is a very charicatured angsty, angry, not-like-other-girls
rebellious teenaged daughter of absent/abusive parents. She is killed one night, and the whole story here is her trying to figure out what happened to her, since she can't remember anything.

So, I'll start with the disclosure that the amnesia plot is one if my least favorite, and it is the driving force in this book. Like, the book would be less than 100 pages long if Annie had just remembered what happened.

Speaking of book length, Annie took way too long into the story to figure out she was dead. Like, it didn't make sense that she would start to question things, but then got side tracked so easily. It was very frustrating.

There was also a lack of explanation about how/why the ghostly world worked here. There were these weird rules, the mysterious hell hounds, and then this strange fiery ghost who helped a bit & made some accusations, but we got no further info about why, nor who or what she was.

All that aside, as long as I didn't think too hard, the events kept me entertained and turning the pages. So, it was like a big bag of candy, totally insubstantial sugar that leaves you happy, but ultimately with a little bit of regret for binging.

The title is the best part of this book.

I can see my students really enjoying this, but for me it came off very try-hard and felt kind of incomplete. Annie is a walking stereotype, and she's the most clearly defined character we get. There's almost no background on any of the other ghosts (?), and the rules of their existence are loosey-goosey and never fully explained (Why that place? Who/what was the fire person? Why did she lie about Sam? Who IS Sam?!), so it didn't make for a very satisfying read.

This was a solid YA horror with a great message at the end, but I did wish the main character realized what was going on way earlier than she did, for the sake of the plot. To me, the title, cover, and synopsis make it very obvious that the MC is dead, so having her take time to come to this realization felt odd and frustrating.

I enjoyed this book and normally it would be perfect for the horror readers at my high school, but the title is problematic. I would purchase if I were at a public library, no hesitation, but there are different criteria for a school library and this title wouldn't go over well with parents or teachers. Once I started reading, I was eager to continue. I found the premise of the ghosts being corporeal a bit jarring, that they could interact with the town's inhabitants as if they were still alive, but I was able to put that aside for the most part. The revelation of the killer was a big surprise, but left many questions unanswered. The killer's back story needs more coverage, as does the back story for the other ghosts. I'm hoping for a sequel that will fulfil the tease we were given.

This teen ghost walking dead hybrid is popcorn level addicting and you are cheering on the vengeance. This would make for a great Hulu series and a good intro to horror for teen readers.

This YA novel holds the medal for my favorite ARC I have read so far. I loved everything about this. Annie is a bitch with a bad attitude who tries her best to give zero fucks, and knows she doesn't owe the world anything for being herself. The logistics confused me a bit because, Annie, are you going to tell your brother who is very concerned about you? And I will go to this town and murder Tre myself. But no matter! My love for this book told my brain to get over these things. I would say this would be a great Halloween read, but it comes out at the beginning of August, so THAT is when it should be read immediately.

annie lane is a wet, dirty mess after waking up in a river on resurrection mountain. she also has no clue how she got there. i'm not going to lie to you, the other reviews are correct. annie doesn't put two and two together and realize that she is, in fact, dead for a good 40% of the book despite various pieces of evidence at her disposal.

it's difficult to say that i liked annie, but i don't think that the point was for annie to be likable. when annie revisits home we learn fast that she's got a muddy track record, but she's also got a pretty abusive mom constantly putting her own responsibilities onto annie. annie's kind of a bad girl in the way jennifer was in jennifer's body - pretty much not the most decent person, but you also truly can't blame her for her circumstances.

anyway, we're treated to a house on the hill, inhabited by various characters. the thing is, i'd have loved to spend more time with the residents on the house, but i understand why those characters weren't the primary focus of the story, though i'm grateful for the snippets we saw of the characters as annie begins to investigate her own death.

this is truly just a whodunit with an otherworldly spin, though i have to give some serious props for the author writing ghosts in a way that i personally haven't experienced. yeah, this is about a vengeful spirit, but crowley added her own spin. it was almost a... coming of age story about a ghost? figuring out their own powers. crowley also layered in some other ghost lore that i really enjoyed.

as far as the whodunit aspect of this book, i really started to begin go like annie, though she was kind of a tough personality to begin with. she's not malicious and evil, but impulsive and explosive. it's really hard to explain the climax of this book, but it was absolutely cinematic. reading this book truly felt like watching a movie and i had a great time with it.

Here lies a mystery and a sort of fantasy that is intriguing and surprising. It is best to open your mind to new possibilities as you read. It will make the story come alive in really interesting ways.
I appreciated the author using a gritty family life as well as seeing the bad relationships between several characters. I also loved the true friends and relationships. You really get pulled into the story.
This is probably better for an older teen reader as it is about vengeance.
Enjoy!

Here Lies a Venegeful Bitch was easily the best book I've read this year! If you love books about revenge or books with Halloween vibes then you will love this one!

Annie Lane wakes up dead in a river on Resurrection Peak but she only remembers small snippets of what happened to her and she doesn't quite realize that she's dead. She soon meets a group of others living on the mountain that are just like her. They let Annie stay with them and they help her out while she tries to figure out what happened.

Annie sets out to find out what happened to her starting with her ex, Morgan "Gun" Donovan. As she begins to question people from her past life, she must also figure out how to be a ghost and what sorts of abilities she has in the afterlife.

As I saw how poorly Annie was treated while she was alive, I couldn't help but root for her. I will say this book has some difficult language that was confusing, especially from the character Sam. I'm assuming that it's purposely written that way, and it's supposed to be common language from the time period he was alive. There were also some questions I would have liked to have had answered like who was the burning girl and why did she say the things she did to Annie? But overall, neither of these things were enough to change how much I enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book started off really weird, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. But about 30% in, I was hooked and ended up finishing it in a single sitting. There were several twists, so what seemed like a really straightforward mystery ended up much different. The main character isn't very likable, but that's kind of the point. The slang from the other characters was a little annoying at times, taken to an extreme, but it was a minor issue. I also wish that we could have learned more about the other characters' background stories. I would recommend this book.

I loved the premise of this book. Girl discovers she’s dead and tries to figure out how she died. This was a fast read and kept me interested. I did feel like it was a ya book. Be aware that the characters are not all that likable and some of the language could be a concern for some. Overall a fun read!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This was definitely an original book, but although the concept was interesting, I feel that the story fell short. There was a lot of filler in the book that felt unnecessary- it just stretched out the story instead of adding to it. There wasn't a lot of "vengeance," so the title was a bit misleading. Yes, it was mentioned, but no, it doesn't feel warranted. I also had a hard time caring about any of the characters. I tried but just couldn't connect.

Teens may very well like this book as a casual read, but I don't see it as being a must read for my kids.

What a debut by Codie Crowley! Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch is funny, relatable, and tugs at your heart strings. The story follows the main character, Annie, after she has been murdered. She is on a quest for vengeance (hence the title), and she doesn’t disappoint!

You get to follow Annie as she tries to piece together what happened to her before her death, as well as watch her navigate difficult relationships—her gross boss, her absent mom, her cheating ex-boyfriend, and her best friend.

What I love most about this book is juxtaposition of old slang vs new. The way Sam talks is hilarious to Annie; however, the way Annie talks is perplexing to Sam.

Watching Annie struggle with figuring out who she is relatable to teens. She is almost gaslighted into believing everything is her fault. Instead of agreeing with everyone, Annie pushes back. She is strong, brave, and an inspiring hell-raiser.

I highly recommend this book to teens who feel misunderstood or adults who may have lost touch with growing up can entail.

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A very quick read but enjoyable nonetheless. The bad: There are some pacing problems (especially in the beginning and the end — I feel like we should have been quicker to start and had more time to breathe after the big ending), characterization is quite thin, and the plot falls together in such a way that I truly don't know how you could deduce it without just guessing before it's revealed. The good: It's fun! Even with the flaws I enjoyed every minute of reading it. It's funny, it's gory, it's thrilling, and it managed to unnerve me in a hyper specific way that, luckily, I don't think anyone else will have to worry about. Truthfully, all of the above will be forgiven by the right teen reader. I know exactly which of my kids will go crazy for this and can't wait to give it to them. If you have any reluctant, older teen readers, I'd recommend this for them as well; short chapters + easy language makes it a great fit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

I enjoyed this debut novel! Annie Lane was murdered, and once she figures that out, her ghost is out for revenge. I thought the setup and story was interesting and it kept my attention. Annie was a tough character, but one I rooted for easily. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about this book was some of the language, especially the way that Sam spoke. I know why he was speaking in 195os slang, but it was distracting to the point that when he was on the page, I felt taken out of the story a little bit.

Overall, this is a fun read for any teens/readers who enjoy a little horror, true crime, and the paranormal!

If you enjoy young adult mystery/thrillers with a supernatural element to them, then you should definitely read Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

When Annie Lane wakes up at the bottom of the river (on land infamous for reviving the dead), it’s clear that something tragic has occurred. As she pieces together what happened the night before and what her future may look like, Annie realizes that it’s never too late for revenge.

There is a lot to like about this book! The plot is unique and Annie is a ferocious and compellingly character. The ending was satisfying, With enough mystery mixed in to the revenge plot to keep the reader hooked. There were also a few drawbacks- I found some of the dialogue and afterlife explanations to be a little corny, and a few plot lines (like the burned ghost who plants seeds of doubt about Annie’s new friends) could’ve used a bit more follow-through in the end. Overall, however, I enjoyed the book!

Thank you to Disney Hyperion, NetGalley & Codie Crowley for giving me the opportunity to receive this book as a DRC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Who doesn’t want to read about a ghostly girl seeking revenge?!

This book started off with a fast pace and quickly gave me a Hocus Pocus like vibe - if Hocus Pocus was a murder mystery. Quirky characters and a great YA read that adults could enjoy as well. Annie was compelling and her friends made for some dialogue that is like nothing I’ve ever read. She is easy to root for and the book makes you want to keep reading for hours!

I could see this becoming a Halloween must!