Wow, this book was a wild ride! I was very intrigued by the title and cover, but I had no idea what this book would really be like. I went in totally blind, and was surprised by the romantic elements in this story. I actually really liked the main character, even though she had a ton of character flaws. I thought this author did a great job at writing these complicated characters. I don’t want to spoil anything, because this book was definitely a shocking one! I’m very happy I was able to read it before it’s official release!

Ren DeStefano’s How I’ll Kill You is part love story and part horror. Throughout the tale, the reader knows who the “bad guy” is, but somehow Ren got me to empathize with one of our three murderers and I kept turning pages hoping that things would turn out differently for her. 
Sissy is one of identical triplets that were abandoned soon after birth. They grew up in foster home and group homes, and unfortunately were often separated from each other and learned some hard lessons early on. After they aged out of the system, they were able to reunite and be a family. However, it’s not long before iris, the presumed oldest, falls in love and has an affair with a married man. When he refuses to leave his wife for her, she murders him in a fit of anger. Afterwards, she is devastated, but calls Sissy (who is an avid crime documentary watcher) to help cleanup so that the sisters can escape together without being caught. The sisters make a pact to kill each kill their first love, and travel around the country to find their mark. 
Eventually, the sisters decide that Sissy needs to kill her first instead of only doing the clean up, as this will better bind her into their little family. However, Sissy falls in love and has doubts about killing him. 
How I’ll Kill You is both a love story and a horror story, as you learn about the horrific acts the girls have committed, as well as the details of the cleanup and moving on. They are incredibly methodical and meticulous. 
I really empathized with Sissy throughout the novel, and felt that she was “different” from her murderous sisters, especially since she had her to kill and was only helping them clean up. Only - ha!  That is still a big deal. But she was not the mastermind and more like a wheel in the system. The man that Sissy falls in love with who is to be her first mark is also very engaging, and has been through hard times himself. 
Disaster and murder follow the triplets wherever they go. 
How I’ll Kill You is perfect for fans of Taylor Adams (No Exit) or Jennifer Hillier (Jar of Hearts, Things We Do in the Dark) in that it combines the element of intrigue with a bit of gruesomeness, but also has characters that the reader can identify with. This novel kept me on edge! 
Thanks to Berkley Books and Ren DeStefano for the advanced copy. You’ll find How I’ll Kill You on shelves TODAY!!

It takes a lot for me to get sucked into a mystery or thriller lately, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for this one. I was hooked from page one, intrigued by the constant surprises that kept trickling in as I read further into the story.

I got a mix of Alex Finlay’s “What Have We Done” and Vera Kurian’s “Never Saw Me Coming” due to the psychopathy and twin/multiple serial killer elements.

I love how DeStefano wove together the story with this one, and while I had predictions for how it would end, I was only partially correct, since DeStefano threw me for a loop with the new scenario she included that I couldn’t have seen coming.

I never know how to feel when an author makes me feel sympathetic toward a serial killer, but, well, it happens. Sissy struggles to be on par with her sisters, but she’s still plenty involved even if she hasn’t necessarily unalived someone herself just yet. At least not until she sets her sights on Edison. But what happens when she starts to feel more for Edison? Will she be able to do what she vowed to do for her sisters? Where will her loyalty truly fall?

Personally, this didn’t feel like a thriller to me, but more of a romantic suspense/mystery. Even still, I enjoyed it immensely and recommend you all go grab a copy IMMEDIATELY.

How I’ll Kill You is not the thriller I expected.

First, it’s not a thriller at all. Pacing is slow, with lots of repetitive introspection. This is drama/suspense.

The story is about manipulation, nature vs nurture, and romance… sort of. Even though the characters are all in their twenties, it feels like twisted YA obsession.

I saw where the story was leading from the beginning. For the most part, the twists and turns didn’t surprise me.

The writing is good, and I was interested enough to keep reading, but nothing wowed me.

Twenty-five-year-old identical triplets Sissy, Moody, and Iris have had a hard life. But boy, oh boy, that's no excuse for their murderous behavior. They were abandoned at birth and separated in foster care. Once they were reunited, they decided that they would travel across the country making men fall in love with them, enjoy some passion and then kill them. And now it was Sissy's turn to do the deed. They arrive at a small town in Arizona and Sissy sets her sights on Edison, a 29-year-old widower. Vulnerable and sweet, he quickly becomes smitten with Jade (Sissy's fake name), but the feeling is mutual. Now comes the dilemma - is she going to kill him per the plan and stay loyal to her sisters or will she choose love?

After writing YA novels, this is author Ren DeStefano's adult debut. What a crazy thriller of a book! If you're a fan of Joe Goldberg and the You book or television series or Dexter, you'll surely appreciate the devilishness of these psychopathic sisters with a very unique way of breaking up with boyfriends and lovers. You'll want to check out this compelling story about Sissy, a serial-killer-in-training who is falling in love for the first time. And if you know the band Talking Heads, you'll have the song "Psycho Killer" stuck in your head like I did. "Psycho killer, qu’est-ce que c’est?"

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefano is a straightforward thriller with an unconventional premise. The story revolves around Sissy, who is one of three identical triplets who travel the country killing men who fall in love with them. Her older sisters are serial killers. Sissy is about to follow their footsteps, but when it's her turn, she ends up falling in love with her target. Will Sissy follow her family or follow her heart? The stakes are deadly!

Here is a gripping excerpt from the opening chapter:

"From where she’s parked, my sister watches me. Every mirror in the car is adjusted just so. I chose a seat by the only window with broken blinds.
“Red jacket at the bar,” she says.
I know who she means. Red Jacket has been sitting there since I ordered my first refill. He touches the straw in his half-empty glass of ice water and scrolls through his phone. It’s been a good ten minutes and he hasn’t ordered anything. I shake my head. No good. He’s waiting for someone. Probably a date. He doesn’t have a wedding band. Wives are messy but girlfriends are even messier. Worse yet—siblings. The best mark is someone who is utterly and completely alone."

Overall, How I'll Kill You is a mash-up of romance and thriller. One highlight of this book is the premise, which sounded really fun. I feel like this book had a lot of potential. I took off 1 star because I found the book to be too dark. It lacked comedy or light-hearted moments, which is what I expected from reading the synopsis. In actuality, the plot is rather straightforward. What you see is what you get. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of thrillers in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!

3.5 rounded up - What this lacked in believability, it made up for in the kind of fun you’re not supposed to have. A set of triplets who are killers?! I’m in! I read this in two days between the audio and digital because it is really engaging and I couldn’t wait to see where it was going to go. It has a bit of creep factor that keeps creeps like me interested 🤣 I saw a You/Joe Goldberg comp and couldn’t agree more. But I will say I also had some mixed feelings. There’s a lot of toxicity and feeling sorry for the the FMC, which wasn’t fun in my opinion. And there’s quite a bit going on that does well to distract you from the other things going on, but got a bit messy at times.

All in all, I enjoyed and would recommend if it sounds interesting but I would say to generally temper expectations.

Step aside Joe, we have a new serial killer(s) in town that are more twisted than YOU! Yes, this book gave me all the YOU vibes with a triple twist. Buckle up and get ready for a wild ride of stalking, murder, and sisterly bonds with a side of romance. If killing doesn’t spell true love then I don’t know what does! I absolutely devoured this book and loved the dark, crazy, insaneness of it all! The inner dialogue of the main character was mind blowing and just plain nuts and oh so much fun! Highly recommend to all my thriller friends out there!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut thriller by Ren DeStefano - 5 stars!

A set of identical triplets, abandoned at birth and moved around to various foster homes, some good and some terrible, and usually separated, become serial killers. But they have standards and rules - they all must agree on a kill, they make the person love them, and then kill them. Sissy, considered the baby, has always been the cleaner. But now it's her turn for her first kill. She meets Edison, a young widower, and the attraction is instant. She plans the killing and burial site. But then she falls in love.

This is a dark, disturbing thriller that is also so fun, and that is a combination that takes some serious writing chops. This debut author pulls it off in spades. I felt so bad for these young women, abandoned by their parents, desperate to stay together. When Sissy is placed in a warm, loving foster home, she feels guilty because her sisters aren't there. I don't want to give anything away, because there are plenty of twists and turns. I couldn't put this one down - it's suspenseful, dark, and yet you'll find yourself in that gray zone of pulling for the bad guy. Plus it's all so clever and detailed. Fabulous debut - can't wait to read more from this author!

How I'll Kill You | Ren DeStefano

Happy #pubday to my latest 5 star read! With this blurb tell me how you wouldn't be immediately hooked - "Your next stay-up-all-night thriller, about identical triplets who have a nasty habit of killing their boyfriends, and what happens when the youngest commits their worst crime yet: falling in love with her mark."

I loved this SO much. It was fun, fast, and completely addicting.

These sisters were those characters that you shouldn't really root for, but 100% are because you just can't help it. I loved the backstory for them, and how it added to the depth of why some choices were made in the present. I also feel like the pacing for this was perfect. Nothing lagged. Everything progressed at a speed that made you not be able to stop wondering what would happen next.

Although I did see some of the twists coming, there were still plenty that surprised me. It also didn't take away from the story for me if I was able to guess something.

If you're someone who loves -
✨ fast paced thrillers
✨ domestic/psychological thrillers
✨ serial killer vibes

...then you will love this one!

Thank you to @berkley + @prhaudio for my #gifted copies of this book! I have already ordered a physical copy because I know I will want this on my shelf.

5 ⭐️

I was intrigued by the plot…three identical sisters, two of which have murdered their boyfriends in the past. Now it’s Sissy’s turn, but what happens when you fall in love with the man you’re suppose to kill?

This is considered a thriller but so much more is going on…romance, abandon sisters growing up in the foster care system, and family relationships. It was such a unique story. It wasn’t fast paced but I was so interested in both the love story and the “serial killer” story line. The author did such an amazing job weaving the story together to make it interesting and bingeable. The ending was surprising and satisfying. I recommend!

First impression - wow, psycho galore! It seriously was nothing what I expected. And everything I wanted. So So disturbing and good.

The story follows triplets. They were abandoned as babies, but they have fought through their life to stick together. And they have. Through everything. The bad, the good, the murders. One kills, all clean up, Sounds like a dream team.

These girls were dealt a hard hand in life, but have come a long way. They travel across country, taking turns in picking their marks, killing them and then moving on. It has worked, till the "baby" of the three had to take a turn, and get her first kill in. But the plan isn't just to kill. It is to make the man fall in love with her, and then kill him at his weakest. All good, till the plan goes awry, and the girl falls in love with her mark.

It has so much more in this story. There's a lot of growth, a lot of twists (unexpected ones, as well as some very obvious), but all in all this was a very propulsive read. It moves fast, never bores.

Highly recommend if you're into serial killers, twins, psychopaths. This book as a debut will wow you.

Fabulously tense story, fascinating family bonds and relationships. This one is dark and twisted, featuring murderous triplets with an upsetting backstory and a unique bond. I really enjoyed this one and it's definitely one that stands out in the pack.

When I was in my early twenties I fell in love with The Chemical Garden series. It was a genre mashup of dystopian/fantasy/ science fiction and I devoured each book. I jumped at the chance to read Ren DeStefano’s newest book How I’ll Kill You. I mean, a story about diabolical, serial killer, identical triplets? Sign me up!

I primarily listened to the audiobook. The narration was excellent. There is so much happening in this story. Much of it is heavy, so much of it is twisted, and shockingly, readers get to enjoy a budding romance as well. The narrator makes all of these transitions with ease while keeping up with the fast pace of the novel.

I put this book down feeling conflicted which I feel was by design. DeStefano does an excellent of getting into the headspace of Sissy which is a very convoluted place to be. The backstory of each of the triplets is devastating and shows how neglect and a broken system groomed these girls into the monsters they have become.

I highly recommend choosing How I’ll Kill You as a book club read, you will want to discuss this one with as many friends as possible when you are done! For fans who love a morally grey main character- check out How I’ll Kill You which publishes tomorrow!

Sissy, who has been cleaning up the mess left when her sisters Moody and Iris murder men, is the most unusual and oddly engaging criminal I've read in a while. The women, now in their early 20s, are triplets who were abandoned at birth, split up, and raised in foster and group homes. A go-fund-me sort of thing raised a lot of money which was put in trust for them and it is this money that is financing them these days. Only Sissy had something resembling a normal childhood and she's the only one who hasn't killed- but now it's her turn. She falls hard for Edison and chooses him as her first (in more ways that one). She also falls for their neighbor Dara (in a platonic way- her first ever friend). So many twists in this one, which teeters on the edge of truly horrifying. DeStefano also manages to convey a sense of suspense throughout - I had the feeling something was about to go wrong for Sissy in a very bad way. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great storytelling and a strong voice for Sissy make this a page turner.

Serial killer triplets setting their sights on the next victim? Only to have one of them fall in love with the man that was to be murdered? Oh my, this one was a bit of a ride and had a lot of unpredictability in it - definitely a unique storyline.

Three newborn identical triplets are found abandoned in a roadside rest stop. The girls are split up by the government and grow up in multiple foster and group homes with only occasional visits with each other. Moody, Iris and Sissy reunite at eighteen. When one’s relationship goes horribly awry, the triplets vow to kill all their future lovers to keep their small family together. Taking turns at killing men stupid enough to love them, they change identities and locations every few months—until it’s Sissy’s turn. Sissy falls hard for Edison. She isn’t sure she has the strength to murder him. But she has made a commitment to her sisters. The question she must ask herself about Edison is How I'll Kill You—not if.

How I'll Kill You is a unique genre mashup of a syrupy romance and a serial killer thriller. While I cringed at some of the more maudlin moments, I couldn’t stop reading the serial killers’ story. There were several surprising twists to keep my interest high. How can Sissy manage to fulfill both her sisters’ expectations and her own desires? 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Featuring ~ 1st person POV, present tense, triplets, foster care, serial killers, dark, debut

Sissy, Moody & Iris ~ the serial killer triplets. Moody and Iris each have killed 3 unsuspecting chaps and Sissy, the one who usually cleans up the messes, is ready for her turn. I like that she just handles the clean up like it's any other day with great precision. Did the victims deserve what was coming to them or are they just women scorned that are psychopaths?

Perfectly titled because we're told in depth detail how Sissy plans out her first kill. The extra details did make it seem a little longer than necessary. Sweet, broken, church going, Edison is the target, but can she go through with it when she really gets to know him?

Overall, it's quite impressive as a debut. The plot was cleverly planned out. The sisters were well and uniquely developed and each bring their own skill set to the table. I liked how the ending played out.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

What the heck did I just read??? I finished the book a few days ago and had to just sit with it for awhile before I could write my review. The book is a a fascinating mystery/thriller/romance that I couldn't stop reading it.

Sissy is one of a set of identical triplets. They were abandoned when they were newborns and lived their youth in separate foster homes until they aged out. Fiercely protective of each other, once they were free of the system they were determined to never be separated again. No matter what. When Iris is hurt by her boyfriend and kills him in a fit of rage, Sissy steps in to clean up the scene and the triplets' plan to love men and leave them....dead, is born.

The triplets are now in Arizona and it's finally time for Sissy to step up and find a man to target. Her task: make him love her and live an entire relationship in a short span of time. Then end it - and him - and move on. Sissy spots her target, young widower Edison, and sets her plan in place. She plays it perfectly and the plan is going smoothly until Sissy realizes she's actually falling for Edison, and he's falling for her. Scurrying to hide this unexpected predicament from her sisters, while also dealing with her new neighbor's domestic violence situation, Sissy is stretched thin. When her sisters become restless and see what Sissy continues to deny, they decide to excelerate their plan.

This book left me feeling unsettled, sad and hopeful. It's weird to equate "hopeful" with a book about serial killer triplets, but there it is. I'm strange. I sympathized with Sissy and her predicament, and the slow, thoughtful development of her relationship with Edison reminded me of my first serious relationship - without the murder, of course. We learn about Sissy's life in foster care and her relationship with her sisters through flash backs. This sheds some light on their motives, but felt a little lacking to me. I know some people had trouble with the pacing of the book, but I really enjoyed the slow development of Sissy and Edison's relationship. I kept rooting for Sissy to just give in to the moment and accept Edison's love and comfort.

If you're looking for a twisty mystery with a dash of romance, this book is for you. I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.

3.5. The threads get tenuous and the plot points feel sloppy in parts, but this is a fun thriller with an innovative premise--three triplets who do murder? I'm already intrigued!

Ren DeStefano humanizes her murderer-protagonist more than other thrillers I've read recently, which I appreciated. I enjoyed the insight into Sissy's relationship with her sisters and her turmoil over her potential first kill, having selected a mark she grows to love. I wasn't expecting the development of Sissy's relationship with Edison's stepdaughter, which is another oddly tender aspect of this book. While the ending genuinely surprised me, I wish it weren't so rushed; I wanted to explore its lead-up more.

Again, this could use some tightening/clean-up, but I enjoyed it--and I think other popcorn thriller fans will too.