Thank you as always to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte Press for this ARC!

The description of this book said it’s a mix of “Gossip Gorl” and “Happy Death Day”, and that was what sold me. I love a good mystery, especially with a GG inspired element. Plus, the chapter titles are all titles of songs, and that was just too good.

We meet Ruby Toller, a Florida girl who attends a prestigious school on scholarship. Ruby has never been a fan of the popular crowd, and the rich members of the town itself, especially as many of them messed with her family. This was how she became the anonymous face behind an account called Reputation Killer, exposing the secrets of the elite, both students and adults alike.

After a vicious exposé, Ruby is hiding to avoid being outed as RK when she’s confronted by the ghost of a dead girl, who reveals herself to be a near future Ruby. This sets off a domino effect, as Ruby’s identity as Reputation Killer is then exposed, which brings forth a long list of enemies, any of whom would love to see Ruby’s end.

Besides dealing with her mom’s crappy boyfriend, and the possibility of her mom selling the family business, Ruby takes her main clue, her ghost wearing a bloodied, wet prom dress, and works her way through those she’s wronged to find her potential killer before prom night seals her fate.

This book reminded me of “Here Lies A Vengeful Bitch”, and I’m really enjoying this story/plot of “girl sees her own ghost and has to find her killer”. I really enjoyed the way Parker incorporated the ghost and allowed her to change based on things that Ruby did (like destroying her dress, and the ghost showing up in another) as well as the way that the ghost could physically interact with Ruby as well. I enjoyed the cast of characters, and I loved how the relationship with Ruby and Alexander grew organically rather than feeling like they were shoved together. Overall, I cannot recommend this book more. I read it in less than 12 hours, and I could not put it down.

This is going to be the perfect book for someone who wants a slasher vibe but also loves calling out celebrity culture- especially when that call-out gets messy. There are some interesting twists and turns in this one.

Soooooo much is going on un this book that it made it hard to out down. So I didn't. Sometimes when you add so much it can feel like too much. Personally, it worked for me.
You get a serial killer going around. Rich elites getting away with terrible pranks. A girl out the secrets of those rich elites for a little vengeance od her own. Throw in alligators and two gay best friends and a heart throb and I think you got something that works. Oh and don't forget the supernatural aspect of Ruby seeing her own dead ghost.

The only spoiler I'm reveal: Justice for Flapjack. That broke me a bit.

This is story of Ruby Toller, a scholarship student and social outcast from South Oleander, Florida. She’s landed among the wealthy North Oleander elites, known as the "Bling Brigade." Ruby lives with her single mother Nadine, who owns a struggling theme park called "Wonderpark.” For some reason Ruby loves her family’s park and is determined to save the business despite her mother's boyfriend pushing for her to sell it while she can.

Ruby takes comfort among her loyal friends, Anton, an aspiring fashion designer, and Xavier, who aims to become a doctor. Living on the edge of always having financially just enough, Ruby's future seems uncertain. Now here is the biggie. Ruby has a secret weapon: her TikTok account she’s entitled "Reputation Killer." The site is where she exposes the dirty secrets of her classmates, particularly Magnus Bennett, the cocky son of a man who once ruined her mother's life. Her dark mission takes a creepy turn when she sees a vision of herself as a ghost in a tattered prom gown designed by Anton, where she’s attacked in a restroom. (The story went a bit off the rails here for me.) Using Rudy’s own burner phone, mean girls Daphne and Violette reveal her secret identity on TikTok.

The story keeps winding down the days until prom night. But in the meantime, happening simultaneously, a serial killer, given the name in the media as the Mannequin Killer, is on the loose, using a gun to point blank kill victims. The killers method of operation mimics the wound Ruby’s ghost has on her forehead. The ghost continues to appear, making Ruby question if it's a hallucination from stress or a real premonition of danger. Through it all she leans on her friends Anton, Xavier, and Alexander, her crush, as well as a Bling Brigade member, who all help her fight against the school's corruption and privileged schemers.

Should she heed the warnings of her ghost? Time is ticking, and she must outwit the villains with every ounce of stamina she possesses.

Highly recommend for fantasy/horror readers which I am not. Even so, the authors writing kept me mightily flipping pages to find out what prom night would bring.

I ADORED this book. BUT, there is a lot going on with this story.

The plot was so original and this book kind of spooked me. Imagine seeing yourself dead WITH a BLOODY outfit on.. That would send me over the edge.

I love how Ruby gets exposed as a blogger who apparently ruined many people.

This book takes a look at various themes - being outcast, money buys you the best, believe your gut and make it right.

The pace is amazing and I really appreciate that, as I have been reading so many slow books.

The writing is on point and literally gave me the chills in some parts.

Ruby lives at a Florida animal sanctuary with her mother and attends swanky Oleander High School on a scholarship. Her life takes a turn for the macabre when she begins seeing her corpse and realizes it is trying to warn her of her impending death. Now, Ruby is not only scrambling to deal with the rich, snobby bullies at her school, but trying to solve the mystery of the serial killer stalking the community and preventing her own untimely death.

This one was outside my usual "go-to" genres, but it kept me engaged! I felt it was step beyond YA suspense/thrillers, such as the Karen McManus books, and leaned more toward horror. Although dark, there was little that could be controversial (no graphic sex, violence or language), so I like this book for middle school libraries as well since it would fully satisfy the requests for horror.

"You're Dead to Me" is a YA horror/thriller by Amy Christine Parker. Ruby goes to an elite high school and she is tired of all of the crap that the wealthy students get away with, so she has created an anonymous social media account called RelationshipKiller. She collects proof of cheating and other acts and when she has enough, she posts it. After a particularly nasty post exposing one of the elite as a cheater, she sees the ghost of herself in a bloody prom dress. She then gets asked to prom by her two best friends. Ruby doesn't know what is happening. She is exposed as RelationshipKiller and must deal with the fallout as well as issues with her mom, the gator park that they run, and a serial killer in the area. A bit busy, but a quick read that feels like a movie, readers of YA supernatural thrillers will enjoy this. A suggested additional purchase.

This one did not meet my expectations, I truly wanted to love this one. I was expecting something different. There's some things that felt off to me and that just didn't work. The pacing was good, but the story was just not interesting to me. I lost interest and I had to DNF this one.

Ruby doesn't fit in, and she takes it out on her classmates through an anonymous blog. But when her life is threatened, she only has a week to change her outcome.

This was an easy read with a few twists, but it didn't blow me away. A fine read, but not one I'll go back to.

Thank you to the publisher for sending a copy for review

This is absolutely NOT Gossip Girl meets Death Day like many reviews mention. This is VERONICA MARS meets Death Day. Which is 1000x better. And it was great.

You're Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker is a riveting and emotionally charged novel that skillfully weaves together suspense and psychological drama. Parker’s sharp writing and complex characters create a gripping narrative that keeps readers hooked until the final page. The book’s exploration of dark themes and unexpected twists make it a standout read in the genre.

The story centers on Ruby Toller, a scholarship student from South Oleander, Florida, striving to fit in with the wealthy "Bling Brigade" of North Oleander. Raised by her single mother Nadine, who runs the struggling "Wonderpark," Ruby is determined to save the business despite her mother's boyfriend pressuring them to sell.
Ruby finds solace in her loyal friends, Anton, an aspiring fashion designer, and Xavier, who dreams of becoming a doctor. With financial insecurity casting a shadow over her future, Ruby's secret weapon is her TikTok account, @Reputation_Killer, where she exposes her classmates' secrets. Her primary target is Magnus Bennett, whose father wronged her mother. Things take a dark turn when Ruby starts having hallucinations of herself as a ghost in a prom gown, when she is “attacked” in a restroom. After fleeing from her ghost, she realizes she has left her phone in the bathroom. Unfortunately, upon returning to the bathroom for her phone, she’s exposed by mean girls Daphne and Violet, revealing her identity.
With a week until prom, Ruby must face the wrath of her previous victims. Meanwhile, a serial killer known as the Mannequin Killer is on the loose, using gunshots—the same wound Ruby's ghost has on her forehead. The ghost's appearances leave Ruby questioning whether it’s a hallucination or a real premonition. Despite the looming threats, Ruby finds support in Anton, Xavier, and her crush Alexander, a Bling Brigade member, as they combat the school's corruption.
Can Ruby survive the ominous warnings from her ghost? With time running out, she must outwit her enemies to stay alive.
This fast-paced mystery features well-developed characters and a compelling plot. The suspense kept me hooked, and I highly recommend it. The paranormal element added an additional bump to the story, while the focus on the damage that social media can cause resonated throughout the story.. The twists —some predictable, others surprising, kept me reading.. Short chapters with titles that were song titles kept me turning pages, constantly guessing if Ruby was losing her mind or was she in fact, the one of the next victims of the Mannequin Killer. Definitely one I couldn’t put down and read in one sitting.


The story centers on Ruby Toller, a scholarship student from South Oleander, Florida, trying to fit in with the wealthy "Bling Brigade" of North Oleander. Raised by her single mother Nadine, who runs the struggling "Wonderpark," Ruby is determined to save the business despite pressure to sell from her mother's boyfriend.
Ruby finds solace in her loyal friends, Anton, an aspiring fashion designer, and Xavier, who dreams of becoming a doctor. With financial insecurity looming, Ruby's secret weapon is her TikTok account, @Reputation_Killer, where she exposes her classmates' secrets. Her primary target is Magnus Bennett, whose father wronged her mother. Things take a dark turn when Ruby starts having hallucinations of herself as a ghost in a prom gown, attacked in a restroom. After fleeing, she realizes she left her phone behind. Returning for it, she’s exposed by mean girls Daphne and Violet, revealing her identity.
With a week until prom, Ruby must face the wrath of her previous victims. Meanwhile, a serial killer known as the Mannequin Killer is on the loose, using gunshots—the same wound Ruby's ghost has on her forehead. The ghost's appearances leave Ruby questioning whether it’s a hallucination or a real premonition. Despite the threats, Ruby finds support in Anton, Xavier, and her crush Alexander, a Bling Brigade member, as they combat the school's corruption.
Can Ruby survive the ominous warnings from her ghost? With time running out, she must outwit her enemies to stay alive.
This fast-paced mystery features well-developed characters and a compelling plot. The suspense kept me hooked, and I highly recommend it. The paranormal element added depth, while the focus on the damage social media can cause resonated throughout the story. The twists—some predictable, others surprising—kept me reading. Short chapters with song-title headings kept me turning pages, constantly guessing if Ruby was losing her mind or truly a potential victim of the Mannequin Killer. Definitely a book I couldn’t put down and read in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ok this book was well written and interesting. It would have been really cool to have a Killer POV, but this book was good. It took me a while to get into but then I zoomed through it.

I do think this book had at least 1 too many plot twists, and they all came out at the end.

Overall an easy YA Thriller to read with twists and turns along the way.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=3 | 😘=2 | 🤬=3 | ⚔️=3 | 14+

summary: MC (who exposes sick + twisted things rich people do on her anon TikTok account) sees her ghost and it’s wounded and in a prom dress and she’s going to die on prom night so she has to prevent it and also there’s another mystery

thoughts: stuff I have to say/questions etc

- pacing was pretty good

- liked the two best friends

- why are the chapter titles song names? like not a specific genre of song either (I recognized probably 80% of them). the MC isn’t particularly into music or singing?? so????

- I did not care about the romance at all!

- one of the Major Twists was super predictable—like, a third of the way through the book predictable, which is disappointing.

- the last chapter is “One Month Later” and a certain character obtained a very serious bullet wound and they’re just like better? after a month??

- also struggled w suspension of disbelief with this one

anyway. this is pretty aggressively meh. idk.

Wow!
This was an emotional read. I never thought I’d shed a tear over a fictional bear! Which reminds me: trigger warning, animal death.

This was a twisty thriller/horror. The descriptions of the ghost were terrifying, I loved it!

This book had everything. Mystery, Romance, horror, friendship and secrets!

All in all, a good YA read

I love thrillers and mysteries, and when we first meet Ruby's ghost, I was a little skeptical thinking I'd gotten myself into something more horror than thriller. I'm glad I kept reading because the horror side of the story did not overshadow the mystery/thriller side at all.

Unique concept for this twisty book, and just when you think it's figured out, it's not! Love that.

The characters are fun to follow along with, and the author does a great job giving them all distinct personalities, which makes them easier to keep up with given it's a fairly large cast.

Overall, a great little YA mystery/thriller/horror!

I think it’s time to admit that I have a thing for teenage detectives stories. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

Ruby runs a gossip tiktok called Reputation Killer where she posts about her school’s elite. They deserve it. Unfortunately, she’s soon outed and doesn’t know what to do. On top of that, her family’s business is failing, there’s a murderer in town and prom is coming up fast. While she wasn’t going to go, her two best friends give her a proposal that she can’t deny. Too bad she’s been seeing her ghost in her prom dress, dead and gruesome as can be. She starts seeing her everywhere, haunting her every move. With a long list of enemies, can she figure out who wants her dead before it’s too late?

This was fast paced and kept me interested. I really enjoyed the paranormal-esque aspect as well. I will say it felt like there was a lot going on where the author didn’t know which storyline they wanted to follow. However, I did enjoy the reverse find my killer before they kill me thing. I also liked the few twists that were included. Some I saw coming and others were surprising.

I also really loved it he short chapters and chapter names!

So while there were some plot holes and things that didn’t quite add up, along with extra nonsense, I did thoroughly enjoy this YA thriller!

3.5

I was immediately sucked into the book through Ruby's Gossip Girl-esque tiktok investigations about the rich and terrible kids at her school. The crazy stories she found through her research and the lengths she went to for the posts were intriguing and hilarious. Right after she gets exposed, the book quickly transitioned to Ruby seeing her ghost, leading her to try to figure out what happened and prevent it, all while navigating the entire school and community being upset with her.

The plot twists were twisty, the ghost was scary, and the side characters added a lot. I couldn't predict any of the twists that the book took, which made it all the more enjoyable. I was completely convinced of one thing, thinking that I was being clever, then it turned out that I was totally wrong.

The setting vibes were so unique and interesting as it takes place in the swampy (?) lands of Florida. Main character Ruby lives and works on an alligator/animal attraction and the inclusion of the acts/animals were pretty fun.

Overall a fun YA thriller with a unique setting! Thank you to Random House + NetGalley for this ARC!

Book:
YOU'RE DEAD TO ME by Amy Christine Parker
Thank you RHC and Netgalley for the Arc (Out: Dec 10)

Review:
5⭐
I've been looking forward to another YA mystery/thriller from Amy Christine Parker since I read Flight 171. I was looking for thrills and mystery and oh so much drama. Let me tell you, this book did not disappoint.
I was pulled in from the beginning when Ruby's life took a turn. Speaking of turns, all the twists and turns in YOU'RE DEAD TO ME kept me intrigued. I was constantly guessing the whodunnit. There were times when I thought I had it figured out, but I never would have saw that ending coming. It was wild as the revelations unfolded. This book is so full of mystery: from the Mannequin Man to the reason Ruby is seeing her ghost. I just had to know what happened/was going to happen.
YOU'RE DEAD TO ME follows Ruby who is outed as the person behind a gossip/life ruiner social media page. She thinks that the worse that can happen is being expelled, but when she sees her ghost, she must figure out what's going on unless she wants to end up being her ghost. I already can't wait to reread when the book is out. 10/10 would recommend.

What I Liked About It:
*everything: the mystery, Ruby's relationship with her friends, the imagery that was created from the descriptions, the "didn't see it coming" whodunnit

Gossip Girl meets Happy Death Day (minus the Groundhog Day loophole, just premonitions of a corpse in prom gowns) with Maxton Hall vibes (poor girl falls for rich boy) describes this fast-paced, intriguing YA mystery. The well-played twists make it a promising read for fans. I finished it in one sitting while my husband kept feeding me pudding, worried I'd starve myself as I voraciously read nonstop.

The story revolves around Ruby Toller, a scholarship student and social pariah from South Oleander, Florida, trying to fit in with the wealthy North Oleander elites, the "Bling Brigade." Raised by her single mother Nadine, who owns a struggling park called "Wonderpark," Ruby is determined to save the business despite her mother's boyfriend pushing for a sale.

Ruby's only solace comes from her loyal friends, Anton, an aspiring fashion designer, and Xavier, who aims to become a doctor. Lacking financial security, Ruby's future seems uncertain, but she has a secret weapon: her TikTok account, "Reputation Killer," where she exposes the dirty secrets of her classmates, especially targeting Magnus Bennett, the son of a man who ruined her mother's life. Her mission takes a dark turn when she sees a vision of herself as a ghost in a prom gown designed by Anton, attacked in a restroom. After retrieving her burner phone, she’s caught by mean girls Daphne and Violet, who reveal her secret identity on TikTok.

With seven days until prom night, Ruby's identity as the Reputation Killer is exposed, and her previous victims seek vengeance. Meanwhile, a serial killer dubbed the Mannequin Killer is on the loose, using gunshots to kill, just like the wound Ruby’s ghost has on her forehead. The ghost continues to appear, making Ruby question if it's a hallucination from stress or a real premonition of danger. Despite the threats, Ruby finds support in her friends Anton and Xavier, and even Alexander, her crush and a Bling Brigade member, who help her fight against the school's corruption and privileged schemers.

Will Ruby survive, despite the ominous warnings from her ghost? Time is ticking, and she must outwit the villains with all her wits and stamina.

Overall, it's a fast-paced mystery with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. I couldn't put it down as the suspense kept my heart racing! Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this stunning thriller's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.