Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC. The Bitter end is an atmospheric thriller book, about a group of teenagers, stuck in a cabin during a snow storm during a school trip. This book kept me guessing. I thought I had it figured out half way, just for Alexa Donne to throw in more plot twists. I would recommend this to fans of Lisa Jewel. Alexa has become an auto buy author for me!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Alexa Donne’s latest thriller, The Bitter End, is a masterclass in suspense and psychological tension. Set against the chilling backdrop of a snow-covered Colorado ski chalet, this novel traps eight high school seniors in a deadly game of survival when a winter storm isolates them from the outside world. The twist? One of them might be a killer.

From the first page, Donne hooks the reader with her atmospheric writing. The remote ski cabin, with its creaking floors and howling winds, becomes a character in its own right, amplifying the sense of dread that permeates the story. The isolation and the relentless storm outside mirror the internal turmoil of the characters, each of whom harbors secrets and fears that slowly unravel as the plot progresses.

The strength of The Bitter End lies in its well-crafted characters. Donne excels at creating multi-dimensional teens who are far from the typical stereotypes often found in YA thrillers. Each character is given a distinct voice and backstory, making their interactions and conflicts feel authentic and compelling. As the tension mounts and trust erodes, the dynamics between the characters become increasingly fraught, leading to explosive confrontations and shocking revelations.

The pacing of the novel is impeccable. Donne expertly balances moments of high-stakes action with quieter, introspective scenes that delve into the characters’ psyches. This ebb and flow keep the reader on edge, never quite sure when the next twist will come. And when those twists do arrive, they are both surprising and satisfying, a testament to Donne’s skillful plotting.

The Bitter End explores themes such as trust, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to survive. Donne doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of human nature, and this adds a layer of depth to the narrative that elevates it above a simple whodunit. The moral ambiguities faced by the characters force the reader to question their own assumptions and judgments, making for a thought-provoking read.

The Bitter End is a gripping, atmospheric thriller that will keep readers guessing. Alexa Donne has crafted a story that is thrilling and emotionally resonant, with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.

For fans of YA thrillers and anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of suspense, this book is a must-read.

An excellent example of the 'and then there were none' genre that had me excited for each body to fall. All the characters were messy in the best way, and it left me waiting for each of their secrets to be revealed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 10/15/24!

This book is a classic case of whodunnit. It moves at a good pace throughout, and I found the pace to be consistent. I did enjoy how the author ended this story and the “answer” to the whodunnit puzzle. Giving this one three stars because I found it difficult to relate to, or even like most of the characters. To me, not being able to relate to the characters does break the immersion of the story. That being said, this would be a great book for winter and for any reader looking for a quick and fun whodunnit mystery.

Keeping in mind that this book is geared toward middle school age children I thought it was pretty good. The killer is actually revealed before the end of the book which was different. It reads like one of the teen slasher movies. It is not overly gory but it is definitely creepy.

There was a party several years ago with all the same people. Something happened at the party that seems to be triggering the events in the present. With alternating chapters we learn about the past party and what is happening on a school trip in a secluded cabin, snowed in at the top of a mountain.

The ending was fantastic and really left you guessing and while I'm not a fan of open ended endings this one hit its mark. I would say that this definitely skews for a younger audience and not a YA mystery. It was a bit campy but I liked it.

Alexa Donne called this her "And Then There Were None with a Gossip Girl flair" and I think that definitely describes this book well. Like Donne, I love an isolated murder mystery and a snowy cabin in Colorado with no cell service is a great backdrop for that. While I would not put this on par with And Then There Were None (what book could match one of Christie's greatest masterpieces?) I do think that the And Then There Were None vibe that Donne was going for was there, and while this is one of the better And Then There Were None inspired pieces I've read in a while, some of it still fell a little flat for me.

Donne is great at writing quick paced mysteries that keep you turning the page. With both The Ivies and Pretty Dead Queens I got very wrapped up in the story and read the majority of them in one sitting, The Bitter End was no different. It was easy to keep going from one chapter to the next because Donne knows how to weave together an interesting plot. I really couldn't stand any of the characters in this book --- and that's the point. Most of them were pretty insufferable, some more than others, and I do think that Donne did a great job of creating these very rich, entitled kids who think they're untouchable because of their wealth and that the rules do not apply to them. More than anything I was curious about the who and why of the murders and although my suspicion had some solid evidence to support it, I ended up being wrong which I was slightly surprised about, though the ending did leave me thinking that there's more to what happened that weekend, which I liked. I liked the more open-ended ending.

If you're looking for a quick paced murder mystery that will keep you entertained, I would say to check out this one although it's not my favorite of Donne's books, but it was a fun time.

A bunch of teens are stuck on a trip to the Colorado Mountains and none of them want to be there. When one of them ends up dead and the storm raging around them makes it impossible for anyone to get to them or for them to get off the mountain they do what they can to survive. Until someone else turns up dead, then another. What are they to do when no one is coming to rescue them anytime soon, and one of them is a killer?

So, I loved the setting of this isolated cabin during a blizzard. Piper was my favorite character, with Liam and Wren taking up the rear. The rest of the group comes across as obnoxious, entitled, and just gain A-holes. Now I don't think they deserved to be killed or anything but I can absolutely see why someone would want to.

I loved how the tensions slowly ramped up, with more and more of them dying, and the survivors trying to find clues and figure out what's going on and how they are going to make it home. This has some great twists and turns and a plot that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

“And Then There Were None” is one of my favorite Christie mysteries, so I love reading books where authors put their own spins on that classic whodunnit. In this take, the teens are on their Senior Excursion at a ski chalet in Colorado… one that they mysteriously ended up on even though none of them signed up for it 👀

They have to turn in their phones for a weekend of digital detoxing, which proves difficult with some TikTok stars and influencers among them. I thought it was a really interesting layer to this story about who people show up as online compared to how they act in person and even who they are at their core. Everyone wears different masks, and Donne took us on an incredibly twisty journey to finally reveal who’s behind them.

This story is told through multiple POVs and a dual timeline structure, which generally worked well for me. Although I did find the present storyline more interesting. Piper’s POV was my fave because she was a little amateur detective, and I loved seeing what all she picked up on! 🔎

While this is YA, it read older YA to me - I feel like 17-18+ would be appropriate due to the adult themes and language. As an adult reading it, I was hooked! Give me an isolated, closed-circle thriller any day and I’m in 👏🏻 Definitely recommend giving this one a read, and also check out The Ivies (4⭐️) also by Alexa Donne. I read it last year and loved it just as much!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for the ARC. This was such a thrilling, fast paced read. I really liked all the different POVs. I was constantly trying to piece together the clues and figure out who the murderer was. The characters had complicated relationships with each other, making it seem like there were multiple potential murder suspects. I really like how everything came together in the end, everything tied together really well, and the ending was shocking. I literally zipped through this book, it was so good, and I was so desperate for answers.

I’m a big fan of Donne’s work! Her YA thrillers are so good!
The Bitter End by Alexa Donne is a chilling and intriguing murder mystery.
I just loved this, it was very enthralling and had me glued to my Kindle.
The characters were all so compelling.
There were twists and turns galore that kept me guessing.
This was actually such an interesting and amazingly well-done thriller.
It will definitely keep you reading. An engaging and interesting whodunit.
There were so many times when I was reading that I was on the edge of my seat.
The ending is unpredictable, but even more important than that are the elements to the ending that make it great.

A story full of secrets, lies and betrayal.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

thank you to netgalley for the arc! all my opinions are my own.

what a strange, twisty, mildly gory and scary YA novel. i wasn't really sure where it was going to go next. teenagers will love this book.

i am in my 30s, so a lot of the catty and petty behavior was a little lost on me. however, it makes for a great story and great drama.

Loved it! Twisting and turning right until the very end! I still can't trust any of the characters

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of The Bitter End!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🎿 have ever gone on a ski trip
📱 can’t live without your phone
🗣️ ever said something you couldn’t take back
👀 enjoy multiple POVs

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

The students of LA’s elite Warner Prep can’t wait for their Senior Excursion—five days of Instagrammable adventure in one of the world’s most exclusive locations. This is not your average field trip.

Which is why eight students can’t believe their bad luck when they end up on a digital detox in an isolated Colorado ski chalet. Their epic trip is panning out to be an epic bore . . . until their classmates start dropping in a series of disturbing deaths. The message is clear: this trip is no accident.

And when a blizzard strikes, secrets are revealed, betrayals are exposed, and survival is at stake in a race to the bitter end.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a fun and twisty YA thriller with a lot of twists and dark moments. The setup is so good as we are immediately thrown into the story of a bunch of seniors on their way up a Colorado mountain. I enjoyed the different POVs as it made it harder to figure out who the antagonist ultimately was. I had my guesses and ended up wrong, until the final chapter. That had me second guessing myself! This is one where you really need to pay attention to the little details to try and figure it all out as early as possible. Overall, this was a fun, locked door thriller, perfect for older teens!

Eight teens are trapped on a school trip in the Colorado mountains. All with secrets. When students start dying one-by-one, there's only so many suspects.

This was fun and creepy. I think the plot was handled well and the horror parts were horrific. This is the perfect addition to a teen library.

Thank you so much to Random House for Young Readers and Alexa Donne for my copy of this book. The premise was so amazing! There are 8 students from Warner Prep headed for a remote ski cabin for senior excursion. It is supposed to be the trip of their life, but it ends up being a digital detox in an isolated cabin in Colorado. To make matters worse, their classmates start dropping dead, and it seems like they were all brought on this trip for a reason. A blizzard cuts the group off from the outside world, and now the group is trying to survive the night.

Thoughts: The premise of this book is so fun! It was such a fun read and I loved the isolated setting. It felt like a YA And Then There Were None where the characters were all unlikable and had a reason to be there. It was hard to root for any of them, and I found myself not caring what happened to them in the end. It was a classic locked room mystery mixed with a survival story, and I could see it being a fun movie or TV show. The ending was implausible and a bit overdone, but it fit perfectly for a YA story. 3.5 stars!

1.5 rounded up.

There's nothing unique, distinctive, interesting, engaging, or even funny about The Bitter End. It feels like there's no real tension in the story. People die. That's it. We don't feel connected to any of the characters to care about them. I enjoyed the tension. But it wasn't suspenseful or all that engaging. The prose was fine. However, some of the dialogue felt inappropriate for a young adult novel.

"Okay, boomer."

I know this is young adult, but come on.

While the book was nothing special, it flowed nicely. Some of the descriptions brought it to life, and it was clear what was happening from start to finish. While I guessed the killer, some surprises were well incorporated into the narrative.

I would've preferred to have two points of view so that I could connect with and remember at least one character throughout the book. It's not that we don't know who they are—we do. However, their reactions in the story are weak and don't characterize them well. Each death in the story should've developed the characters more while increasing tension and suspense. Something bolder and riskier would've set this book apart.

The Bitter End has strengths, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the Arc!

Terrific book! I am not a thriller reader by any means! I am a romance, rom-com reader all the way. However, I found this author on YouTube and she got me excited to try this book. Wow, am I glad I took this chance! I did not see half the stuff coming that did. And the end, I have no words. I did have to stop reading this a few hours before bed and read something a bit less thriller-y. I am still thinking about the end and trying to wrap my head around the last few pages. Wow, just wow! I highly recommend this book!

I always love a good, locked room thriller, and this YA one is not to be missed! It is so much fun. I ended up listening to this one via an ALC copy and then finished it via an e-arc, and both versions were great. The audiobook narrators really captured the emotions and layers that were present in the characters voices. They did really great and there is a full cast which is always a lot of fun.

The writing is so captivating and engaging. I felt like I was right there at the lodge with the characters over the course of the weekend, though I did not want to be! The pacing was super-fast which was really nice with how captivating the novel was. I finished it over the course of my flight on my way back home from a business trip, it was so good I had to know who did it. Then the twist at the very last minute! What! That did throw me for a little bit of a loop, and I am unsure exactly if I like how it felt for me, or if I would have rather things have stayed a different way. Regardless, I still loved this one and had so much fun with it.

Highly recommend this one for those looking for a pulse pounding locked room suspense novel.

8 rich teenagers from California go to a Colorado ski cabin on a senior excursion. A winter storm traps them there and they are being killed one by one.
This was great story that had me glued to the pages.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this eARC that will be released October 15, 2024!

Unfortunately, I’m just lukewarm about this one. I don’t feel like the characters had distinct voices. Told from 3 years ago and the present, we see these teenagers more often at their worst.

I enjoyed the cold, Colorado setting amidst a snowstorm with no way to leave. It created the perfect environment for things to go awry. So there are some things to enjoy in this one and I encourage others to try it.