Good Girls Die First

I don't know who created the cover of this book, but whoever it was, I feel like they never actually read it. The entirety of the book takes place in a creepy old abandoned carnival on a rocky seashore. Very spooky. It has nothing to do with a girl in a brightly lit meadow.I almost scrolled right past it, thinking it was nothing I would like. But luckily, I read the blurb.It's an amazing book!Confess your worst secret and die, or keep it to yourself, and become a puppet for a freakishly scary demon. Talk about a catch-22.A group of ten ex-friends, whose friendships broke because of their guilty secrets, are lured to this broken down pier. Will they turn on each other, or try to repair their relationships and help each other escape?What makes the book so scary is that the pier collapses in the beginning, leaving them stranded on an island where ghosts walk and time moves much too fast.It kept my attention to the end with it's nail-biting tension.I guess you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

I can't lie, I definitely wasn't expecting this to be a five star read. UKYA thriller types are my favourite, but I don't usually love horror and all things paranormal. When I tell you this was one of the best books I read in 2022, I'm not exaggerating.Take an abandoned pier and carnival island, destroyed by a fire forty years ago, and combine with ten teens more realistic and fleshed-out than I've read in a long time. Each has a dark secret, a secret they'd do anything to conceal... even if it means learning to kill.I don't read much horror, but from my perspective, I genuinely thought the plot was so so unique and void of plot-holes, twisty and turny, the kind of storyline which would make a great movie (albeit a graphic one). The descriptions were all vivid and emotive, the characters so beautifully written...I'm definitely going to try more Kathryn Foxfield after reading this <3

I do love me a spot of YA horror! And this book grabbed my attention thanks to a fellow blogger’s post on Instagram (#instagrammademebuyit). As soon as I saw this book and read the blurb, I knew I had to purchase a copy. I HAD to own this book!When Ava receives an anonymous invitation alluding to know her darkest secret and inviting her to a derelict carnival, she reluctantly heads out to discover who sent the invite and what they want. After all, Ava will do anything to protect her secret. On arrival, she is surprised to find nine other teens, all familiar faces, have received a similar invite. As the night presses in, it becomes clear that something else is at play here. The teens are in terrible danger, particularly from each other. Can Ava protect her secret or will it be the death of her…?Good Girls Die First is a gripping, heart pounding read which I really enjoyed. I will say at this point that I am not the target audience for this book, being a YA novel, but it can be enjoyed by adults and older teens alike. I certainly appreciated the author’s writing and the way the suspense built as the situation the teens find themselves in spirals out of control. I found the first half of the book to be a slow burn of a read, where we get to meet and know the characters in more depth (there are 10 of them so it’s worth noting their names and back stories as they’re introduced – or perhaps that only applies to my fellow older readers 😂). Once the action kicks in, it doesn’t really slow down until the final word on the final page.I absolutely loved the concept of Good Girls Die First. Books where characters are picked off one by one according to a dark, dastardly secret no one else knows, gets my vote. I enjoyed trying to work out what the secret would be and how the characters would meet their end (that sounds a bit weird but I hope you know what I mean!). Very few of the characters are likable (exactly as it should be, I feel) but you get a good feel for what makes them tick in most cases. The setting was perfectly creepy and I could picture the decaying carnival perfectly.Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Good Girls Die First was a fun read, something a little different to everything else I’ve read recently, and I enjoyed it. I am keen to read more by this author. So much so, I have added their second book to my wish list and shall look forward to reading that in the future. An enjoyable supernatural thriller packed full of devastating secrets, a delicious sense of impending doom and bucket loads of tension. Recommended.

This book was more than I thought it would be. Definitely should be a movie. The ending could have been a little better but over all I loved it!

Hey! I am Enzo, horror fan, read when I can and this is my review of “Good Girls Die First” by Kathryn Foxfield.[No Spoilers]Imagine for a moment that you have a dark secret and it riddles you with guilt. What if someone knew your deepest darkest trepidation, extorted it and took pleasure exhuming your guilt!? Now Imagine how that would look portrayed on a papered invitation?That is what Ava and her nine teenage acquaintances receive, luring them all to meet at the derelict carnival on Portgrave Pier at the same time! How you ask? Well im no magician, but each received an invitation personable to them containing the same message, “Eight o’clock, Portgrave Pier. Can you keep a secret?”All ten so called “friends” know each other. Some are a distant memory. Some are more welcomed than others. Some are out for themselves. Some are rich. Some are poor. But regardless of their personal disparities, each have been brought together, but by whom?From the very first page, you get that instant feeling of dread, an Alcatrazesque setting. For instance, a mile-long pier, tar-dark waters, an abandoned carnival and stories of ghosts, already the scene is set, and it clearly isn’t going to end well!  I must admit, throughout this book and like I do with most films of this genre, I put on my Columbo jacket, play Detective Enzo and try to identify who the killer is before I finish it! Then the Author, Kathryn Foxfield turns around, smiles at me and Whispers, “Look in the mirror”, before fading away!...Kathryn?? This book made my jaw drop!!! It was so dark I needed a torch, there were so many twists i nearly fell and the extra elements the teens go through are, well..out of this world!!!!!This is a well-executed dark thriller which captures each of the characters personalities excellently. You will end up routing for people, shouting at people, gasping at what they do and perhaps shed a tear or two. The level of detail in this book is also out of this world. For instance, the carnival is so vivid, you can smell the popcorn and candy hanging off of the stalls whilst hearing the echos of the rides fade like a distant memory.If you like a dark thriller full of twists which will keep you guessing until the very end then this is the book for you! I could happily read this again right now.Enzo.