This book is far from perfect. There are pacing issues and I saw the ending coming on page 10. But it’s really fun. If you love horror movies and goofy friend dynamics, this book hits all the right notes. I even liked the development of the relationship between Devon and Drew. As long as you don’t overthink it, this book is entertaining.

This book was so dissaapointing. At first I thought the issue was just me so I waited for the audiobook. Once I recieved the audiobook that still did not work for me either. none of the characters are likable and it madae me not interested in the story at all. I know you cannot compare books as they are not the same but I expected great things from loving this authors previous book but this genuinley was not good.

What a fun read! I wasn’t really paying attention to the synopsis- all I know it’s subverting some thriller tropes- so I was in for a surprise! I really like the friend group and how each of them have their own characteristic that fits (and doesn’t fit) the typical kill order in a thriller movie. The archetypes and who represents what can be predictable at times, but it’s also interesting to see them realizing what they are and own it. Each of them are charming and lively in their own right, but together they fit and move as one and it’s just beautiful to watch them work together. I admit that I found them to be annoying and hard to root for at first and also had minor issue with the romance, but they quickly grew on me.

While it’s fun to see them guess and try to subvert the thriller tropes, this book is a commentary on class, elitism, and gentrification and I love how the author use paranormal occurrence as its medium. I like how it manifests in Drew and her relationship with everyone, but also the monster and how it came to be. I’d say there’s some unexplained logic in the villain’s motivation and the ending was terribly weak, almost comical, but overall it was a fun summer read.

3.5 stars!!!

I really enjoyed how meta this book was! Pretty much all of my complaints about the book were simply because it was meta, but in a way that was like "ugh they are so annoying" and "ugh none of these characters seem like they've known each other their whole life" but then I was always thinking "well... that's kinda the point isn't it?" and I was able to move on and enjoy it. This would've been perfect for me as a teenager who loved 80s horror and slasher films because it reminded me so much of the tropes I loved in those movies. "Do you know what the world would be like if we lost Killer Klowns from Outer Space?" is going to forever live rent free in my head. I love that movie BECAUSE of how corny and rediculous it is, which is exactly how I felt about this book. But despite all of of this, the things that made the book meta really dragged down my enjoyment of the story as a whole. While I can appreciate the "horror movies have these tropes!" then the book having those tropes, it always pulled me out of the story. Overall, this was super fun and the final fight scene was really well done but this book just wasn't perfect for me.

This was so good and so fun! It really captured paranormal creepitude so well! It was so fun and so well paced and I loved the characters.

After reading Their Vicious Games, The Blonde Dies First has been at the top of my most anticipated reads for almost a year. Getting an ARC copy from NetGalley made it even more exciting!

All that to say, I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. Their Vicious Games had a unique, compelling plot and never failed to keep the action moving, which I expected after reading the premise for its follow-up. A group of teenagers in Brooklyn taking on an actual demon that seems to be following horror movie stereotypes? You'd think that would be hard to put down, but I often found myself losing focus and wondering when the action would start. The first half was slow, but it picked up enough to make it a pretty good read towards the end. Even then, I never got the bone-chilling, adrenaline-pumping moments I was hoping for.

I'll still keep Joelle Worthington at the top of my authors list for upcoming books. Her plot lines are super unique in a world of repetitive, overdone tropes, and I hope her next one comes through!

DNF (at like 50% done). I couldn’t and it was only like 244 pages. It was so slow paced. I was bored out of my mind. I liked zero of the characters. It felt like it was written by a high schooler and I’m just not that and haven’t been for over 20 years. The premise sounded like one that would be right up my alley. But no. Maybe this book would be great for a teen? Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

It reads as if you’re reading directly from a very unserious horror storyboard.

Imagine if you took the characters from Grown-ish, put them in Scooby Doo, add the quirkiness of the friend group in the movie, Red, and then have the demon creature as Hades from Hercules.


Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing a copy for an honest review.

Better late than never……

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Joelle Wellington for the eARC.

The Blond Dies First is a YA thriller about a group of friends set out to have the Best Summer Ever but instead ends up running around Brooklyn being chased by a demonic figure. Initially a slow start for me but then it became a page turner. Some humor with a few twists but based on the “rules” of a horror film. A big twist was that they thought they summoned the demon but little did they know the demon was around before the party and Ouija board. Loved the dynamics of the friend group and evolvements of the some of the characters.

The Blonde Dies First is a gripping tale about twin sisters, Devon and Drew. Devon has always felt like she's been left behind by Drew, and when Drew decides to graduate early without telling her, that feeling only deepens. Determined to make their final summer together unforgettable, Devon creates a to-do list to ensure it’s THE BEST SUMMER EVER. However, things take a wild turn when the first item on the list leads to them being tracked by a demon, threatening to take them and their friends out one by one.

Joelle Wellington excels at imagery—I could vividly picture the scenes unfolding in my mind. The plot was solid, with a good balance of humor and tension. The characters had depth and wit, making the story enjoyable. I found myself constantly guessing how it would end, though after a certain point, it became clear where things were headed. I especially appreciated the dynamics between the teens—Wellington perfectly captures the chaos of adolescence, the desire for independence, and the need for love.

Overall, The Blonde Dies First delivers an entertaining and suspenseful read. Using the CAWPILE system, I rated it as follows:

Characters: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Writing: 8
Plot: 7
Intrigue: 9
Logic: 7
Enjoyment: 8

A fun, thrilling read with plenty of twists!

I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise has me.very intrigued, but it was a slow start, and I had trouble getting into it. I wasn't very fond of some of the main characters, which isn't a deal breaker for me, but I just didn't connect with them. I also didn't quite buy the reason for the demon at the end. It didn't seem well thought out. I did really like the nod to classic horror films and their "rules."

Don’t get to read it- it disappeared from my library and couldn’t get it on my kindle! But it looks good and I will purchase

“……..a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.” I mean SOLD on the blurb!

In this YA thriller, horror comedy as a group of teenagers gear up for the best summer ever they find themselves in a life or death battle with a supernatural demon. A demon operating on movie troupes and rules. Yes! There were some laugh out loud moments. A group of teenage friends trying to figure out their character type in this very real-life slasher. There was even a which horror movie character are you quiz. Which is very important information for figuring out which order you’re supposed to die in. These teens solve a problem and create a few more. And who doesn’t love a budding romance in the midst of being hunted by a demon?! A bit gory, a bit silly and a whole lot of ridiculousness but fun. I definitely enjoyed the diversity of the characters in the friend group. There are queer characters and characters of differing racial backgrounds. Plus, throw in a complicated twin sister relationship within the friend group. I liked the personalities of the friends in the friend group and their relationships among themselves. Nicely inserted social commentary throughout the novel: race, classicism, racism, micro-aggressions, gentrification, adult minor interactions. As a fan of Scream and Scream adjacent slashers I enjoyed this book. Quite the interesting third act twist. If you enjoy the same this is the fun satirical teenage slasher for you.

This one was such a fun twist on the horror movie trope!! It’s YA and gave me immediate stranger things vibes (which I loved)! Wellington is able to create this situations that you leave you on the edge. It’s funny horror movies terrify me but books like this have me wanting more

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of The Blonde Dies First, going by just the title I expected a slasher type of book. Yes, it did involve the Horror tropes like the first to die and the Final Girl. Wellington does such an incredible job of describing all the original parts of Brooklyn being overthrown by the evilness of Gentrification, I have never been to Brooklyn, but I can picture all the old housing and buildings overshadowed with the grittiness and sorrow from the people who made it what it is with its history. I loved that Devin and Drew are twins because I am one and she does such a good job with showing how different twins can be but at the end of the day there is no one closer with a connection than with them. Devon wanting to have the greatest summer ever starts off with a bang not over a mortal killer but that of a paranormal kind. I didn't know if I was going to click with it in the beginning because I felt it didn't take off soon enough, but I definitely appreciated a set up with the characters because usually in a slasher type setting you don't get to know the characters, so you don't have that sympathy or willingness to cheer them on against the killer. No, it is not a human set out to get them but instead a demon. Wellington knows her horror rules and set ups so perfectly. The big reveal/motive like in the horror movies for this book is simple yet effective. The Higher-class will always look down their noses at the underclass and they do it to their own people. I loved the cover its a homage to every horror movie VHS cover that existed back in the day. Overall, I had a blast with this book. I absolutely cannot wait to read more from Wellington, and I hope it's every bit horror.

I think I went into this book with really high expectations because I absolutely loved Their Vicious Games. I wanted to love it so bad but I just couldn’t. It was really slow in the beginning and I was hoping it was going to pick up or at least have some type of plot twist that would make it more interesting. There was nothing that really made me want to keep reading besides the fact that I was already halfway through. I think it had a really good plot, but it just dragged way too much for me.


Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC copy!

Love this book! The story follows the horror movie trope of killing off characters, but there are unexpected twists that draw the reader in. Highly recommend this book for anyone who loves horror.

3/5 stars

Though I appreciated the homages to 90s/00s slasher films, the group dynamic, and the underlying theme of gentrification (which I do wish we went more in-depth on), this did not work for me.

Going into this, I was expecting more of a high-stakes, campy slasher horror. Instead, the story veered more into the paranormal horror sub-genre with low stakes for the characters.

I also struggled with the uneven pacing. It started off very slow and didn’t pick up for me until about 30%, However, when it did, the action scenes were great, but were few and far between and didn’t last very long.

Additionally, Devon and Drew’s relationship rift isn’t addressed until the book is almost over, and by that point I had honestly forgotten about it.

I also accurately guessed the ending very early into the book, which was a bummer, so the end fell completely flat for me.

This may be best enjoyed by someone dipping their toes into thriller/horror, but may disappoint more experienced horror readers.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. As someone who grew up watching Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, I had high hopes this book would be of similar vibes and personally, I didn't get that at all. 2 stars. Felt like the author was trying a bit too hard and over playing things.