ink-impressions reviewed There's No Way I'd Die First by Lisa Springer
Review of "There's No Way I'd Die First" on 'Goodreads'
1 star
There are no words to describe how much I dislike this book. I read it a few days ago.
Because I am clearly not the target age for YA novels anymore, I try to be lenient with the characters, but I can’t help but roll my eyes at these spoiled rich kids no matter how lenient I am.
Although we are supposed to empathize with and enjoy the narrator’s character, she is so trapped in her own bubble that she is literally running around pondering how to ensure the best possible alibi for herself and the guilt she will feel if she ends up shoving her new love into the killer’s arms.
As for the killer, I could elaborate extensively. Yet, that would involve spoiler-marking the entire review, which I don't relish. Rather, I will just say that I saw his motive coming a mile away and hoped I was …
There are no words to describe how much I dislike this book. I read it a few days ago.
Because I am clearly not the target age for YA novels anymore, I try to be lenient with the characters, but I can’t help but roll my eyes at these spoiled rich kids no matter how lenient I am.
Although we are supposed to empathize with and enjoy the narrator’s character, she is so trapped in her own bubble that she is literally running around pondering how to ensure the best possible alibi for herself and the guilt she will feel if she ends up shoving her new love into the killer’s arms.
As for the killer, I could elaborate extensively. Yet, that would involve spoiler-marking the entire review, which I don't relish. Rather, I will just say that I saw his motive coming a mile away and hoped I was wrong, but I wasn’t.
Also, the author should not have included the romance in this book. The story was fast-paced, which I liked, but unfortunately that left no room for building up the characters or making me care about them, which made the romance subplot feel needless and forced. Adding this much romance to a horror novel requires an initial investment in the relationship’s development, which isn’t done here.
The characters' interaction highlighted the lack of character development. There was no chemistry or connection between them. Overall, the romance was an unnecessary addition that detracted from the story.
Last, I must rant about the endless pop culture references. I appreciate well-placed references in a book, but the author crammed in a lot of them without fitting. Eventually, it becomes less of a way to connect with the reader than it is to show off how many popular horror movies and YA books I can mention in one book.
To sum up, this book isn’t worth your time.