'The Bitter End' by Alexa Donne

4 mysterious stars

Book Blurb:

"When a winter storm traps eight teens in a remote ski cabin, they find themselves stranded with a killer—who may be one of their own. From the acclaimed author of The Ivies and Pretty Dead Queens comes a YA thriller that will make your blood run cold.
The trip of a lifetime might be the death of them all.

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 Review:

A teenage, modern 'And Then There Was None' by Agatha Christie x Clue

'The Bitter End' is a fun thriller, full of twists and turns. 8 wealthy, internet-addicted teens begrudgingly go on their school-mandated Senior Excursion, which includes a total digital detox. Instead of partying while their chaperone sleeps, they stumble upon the bodies of their classmates one-by-one, and have to figure out how to survive the weekend and incoming blizzard.

8 teens, 8 POVs, 2 different timelines - author Alexa Donne put a lot into this book, and it's well worth it. Most of the narration is split amongst only 3 of the characters, so it doesn't get confusing. The second timeline is of a party they all attended 3 years prior, so that's also easy to follow. I particularly love the representation, there's a character with OCD, another with anxiety, another with a little-known connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).

Highly recommended for fans of thrillers and mysteries! Pre-order a copy here.

#TheBitterEnd #NetGalley – I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts' by Adam Sass

5 stars

Book Blurb:

"A swoony contemporary romance from Adam Sass following a boy who is cursed to doom any romantic relationship—and the summer that changes everything.

Grant Rossi is never getting a happily-ever-after.

Ever since he was a kid and made a wish on his family’s iconic Wishing Rose, his romantic relationships have been cursed to end. Following his most recent (and extremely public) dumping, Grant is languishing in a hot Chicago summer, abandoning his beloved design projects to sink back into depression. But when his family suggests spending the summer helping his aunt and uncle refurbish their beautiful but rundown B&B and vineyard—the home of the Wishing Rose that changed everything for him—Grant decides to accept. Maybe he can finally find a way to recover his creative spark...and break his curse.

But things at the vineyard are not what Grant expects. The place is in almost total disrepair, and—even worse—the person his relatives hired to help is his former childhood crush, Ben—the first boy who broke his heart.

As their chemistry sparks and the summer heats up, the wedge between them can’t be ignored. But while they race to restore the B&B in time for the beloved local rose festival, grumpy but lovable Ben starts to break through Grant’s carefully crafted defenses. Can Grant find a way to overcome his curse and open his heart, even when it’s broken?"


My Review:

Really enjoyed this coming-of-age YA Contemporary read! This is my first by author Adam Sass, and now I'm excited to dive into what else he's written.

'Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts' is fully narrated by Grant and the narration was chef's kiss, spot-on: witty one liners, realistic depression rep, and all the emotional heartfelt moments. Especially when dealing with 7 older siblings and when flirting with his former crush, Ben.

Highly recommended LGBTQIA+ reading!

Releases July 16th, Grab a copy here

#CursedBoysandBrokenHearts #NetGalley – I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.