A mystery that involves three women who try to uncover the truth behind a mysterious death.

I really liked the premise here and the first two chapters but then we get Beverly…. Who is a ghost…. I wish this had been more clear in the synopsis - that one of the viewpoints is from a ghost.

Bird is a local author to where I live so I wanted to check out her latest. It did not disappoint. Murder, cult-like corporations, it definitely delivered.

This was a good book. I liked the small town feel. The way the old friends came together to solve mysteries. The secrets, both past and current. The multiple POV kept it very interesting as well. This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last.

Bananatown revenge story about a group of middle aged women that face off against a powerful self help, MLM, culty, religious organization to solve a murder. Cool concept, weird everything else.

The plot managed to be both bursting at the seams and boring at the same time. There was too much going on to focus or be invested in anyone thing. A major red flag for me was when we got the first POV chapter from a ghost. The ghost chapters felt like a crutch - like the author couldn't find any other way to fit in certain details maybe? It made, what started off as a serious story, feel instantly campy.

The last half devolved into a revenge narrative that I didn't see coming, and hated. Can't go into details, but the characters became reckless out of nowhere and started making bizarre choices with no consideration for others.

Up until the last 50 pages, I would have said- not my taste, but if you like off the wall thrillers, this could work for you. Unfortunately, the ending just left a bad taste and makes me not want to recommend this at all.

I have to be honest y’all, I read this four weeks ago and gave it four stars, but I’m coming back now to write my review and I honestly can’t remember anything about this book. Maybe I just read too many books lol. I remember loving the cult-like setting. I remember really enjoying my time and devouring this book fairly quickly. But I can’t recall anything specific about why. I know I was totally invested in the story and what was happening. I cared about the characters at the time, even if they were, apparently, forgettable. I definitely still recommend this to thriller lovers, because I did clearly love my reading experience at the time. I also remember really liking the writing style and wanting to read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a slow burn in the first half of the story. I kept going and glad I did because it took off and wouldn't let go! What a great cast of characters and the multiple POVs were awesome! Kept me guessing until the end.

Oh my goodness, Watch It Burn by @kristenbirdwrites completely surprised me in such a good way! Set in a small Texas town along the Guadalupe River, the story starts with a body being found in the river. There are so many surprising plot twists throughout the story while dealing with themes of small town influence and the movement to go back to a different era that is currently prevalent in small American towns and politics. I absolutely loved this book and now need to go back and read all of Kristen’s books!

Thank you @_mira_books_ for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Watch It Burn" by Kristen Bird is a riveting tale that delves into the complexities of a small Texas town, Edenberg, and the intricate lives of its residents. The novel opens with a mysterious death that sets the stage for a suspenseful journey through the underbelly of a seemingly idyllic community.

Bird masterfully weaves a narrative that explores the themes of power, control, and the dangerous allure of a self-help movement that promises more than it can deliver. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Nichole, an elementary school teacher who discovers the body; Jenny, a journalist and Nichole's best friend; and Robin, the daughter-in-law of the deceased, who is determined to uncover the truth.

The novel's strength lies in its character development and the intricate plot that keeps readers guessing until the very end. Bird's portrayal of the personal-development company, Genetive, Inc., is chillingly realistic, serving as a critique of the extremes to which society will go in the pursuit of self-improvement.

"Watch It Burn" is a testament to Bird's growth as a writer, showcasing her ability to craft a story that is both thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining. With its Southern charm and a powder keg of secrets ready to explode, this book is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense. The twist at the end is unexpected and satisfying, leaving readers to ponder the true cost of blindly following leaders who promise the world but deliver only ashes.

This novel started out with a lot going on for a little town of Texas. It was slow paced and I almost put it down. The tension about midway through kept me going though. Only three stars because it started so slow. I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Mira. This review is in my own words.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I had a REALLY hard time getting through this one and almost gave up a few times, but pressed on, because I really wanted to find out what happened to Beverly. I feel that the multiple points of view combined with jumping back and forth in time became a bit confusing at times. In the end, I did enjoy the storyline, but this was not a quick read for me.

The town of Edenberg is far from Eden in this thriller from Kristen Bird. Three women are central to the telling of this story, and each one has their own point of view that moves the story forward. I'm usually not a big fan of head-hopping, but I thought it really worked for this story.

Edenberg is a small town owned by one wealthy family who is able to control many aspects of the community, and all is not what it seems. I found the story of this family interesting and instrumental to understanding the story. I don't want to say more because I really did like how this story was presented to me via the different points of view, especially one of the most important voices -- the victim!

There's a few surprises, but mostly Watch It Burn is a slowly unfolding tale of deception, corruption and greed that I found to be interesting and very contemporary., which was why I liked this. There were some slow spots, but mostly had a good pace that kept me turning the pages.

This is a local-ish to me author and it's my first book by her, but definitely want more. This takes place in Hill Country, small town Texas. A well known, influential woman is found dead and three other women do not think it's an accident and decide to investigate.

This book starts with a fire and then flashes back to when Beverly Hoffman is found dead by the river. Robin, Nichole and Jenny join forces when they realize this will likely be ruled and accident and they want the truth! Through their investigation they discover many secrets and lies.

Beverly's husband is part business man part small town evangelist who clearly wants to rule the town. The changes he has made will make you uncomfortable, as will the people who blindly follow him. It felt very cultlike.

I was engrossed in the investigation and could not put this one down!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Mira for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Watch it Burn by Kristen Bird is a slow burn, no pun intended, thriller. When Nichole finds Beverly Hoffman face down in the river on her early morning run, nothing could prepare her for the things she would discover. The novelist did a great job of describing the characters to the point that I felt I knew them. I found George’s character as well as the way Genetive, his company, were described to be very ominous which led to the intensity of the story. Though I had a hard time following the secondary plot of Beverly’s observations a bit confusing at first, it lent, overall, a more eerie and disturbing dimension to the storyline. Overall, I would recommend this novel to lovers of suspense novels.

Small Town Southern Mystery Reminiscent of Malibu Rising. As I begin to think about this book and my experience with it, Malibu Rising keeps coming to mind - which, given that *that* book was a bestseller, tends to be a favorable comparison for this book - or so Ms. Bird likely hopes. Up front, this book does have several different POVs, which is clearly something some readers don't enjoy. So if you're one of those, know this book probably isn't for you. That noted, Ms. Bird actually uses those POVs quite effectively, with the grandma character very much feeling like an old school small town Southern grandma, particularly of the "knows everybody and their business" variety. On some other aspects, at times the tale gets perhaps a bit *too* blatant in its commentary, seemingly coming millimeters from using the actual names (NXVIM, Allison Mack, etc) it is referring to. At other points, it is perhaps a touch too *obtuse*, at times using a few dozen words when a single word or short phrase would have worked just as well.

But ultimately this was a fun book that managed to keep the pacing and mystery solid enough to be entertaining without being so serious and deep as to be dragging. The surprises were done well and the villains were sufficiently creepy, and the humor was just enough to keep everything refreshing. Very much recommended

There are many elements I liked about this book which is why I read it to the very end. The title, the three female friends who come together to solve a mystery, the background of the three women, the voice of the deceased as unreliable narrator. a cult like small Texas town .A lot of potential. But the ending tried too hard and came up short. Predictable, yes but satisfying, no. Added characters and an ethnic angle that could have been explored or completely deleted made the ending more confusing. The characters were well done, they just didn't all fit into this story.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Bless my Texas heart because this one has ALL THE THINGS.
• not one BUT TWO mysterious deaths 😱
• cult vibes aplenty 👀
• wellness retreat gone wrong ‼️
• best friends teaming up 👯‍♀️
• shamelessly nosy journalist digging around 📝
• small Texas town culture 🤠
• a narrator from the grave 🪦 (this might be my new fave thriller trope)

Kristen Bird has been one of my recent favorite discoveries. I love the way that she creates her characters and plot!

“Watch it Burn” tells the story of the head of the family trying to “take over the world” essentially.

This is a great choice if you love to read books that keep you guessing. The plot unfolds as you see the perspectives of several characters including one that recently passed.

You’ll love getting to know each character and the small town!

This is brilliant. I was hooked immediately. I really want to listen to this one as an audiobook. I absolutely love the characters. They were all so well developed. I love the friendship angle.
All around an interesting novel.

Kept seeing this book all over my bookstagram feed so of course had to read!

“Watch it burn” is set in a conservative town of Texas, and focuses on the circumstances surrounding a mysterious death. There are references to small town politics and culty vibes, and focuses on a group of strong minded women who band together to go against the evil twisted man who has their town in a death grip.

I enjoyed the multiple POV, included that of the deceased and getting to see things from their perspective.

There is lots of suspense and twists, although some of the dilemmas are applicable to modern day life and are real issues the reader can relate to, with the added benefit of the fictional aspects.

Thank you to Kristen Bird, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the EARC

Publish date: available now

I love a good small town mystery and books centered around cults, so I was so excited to dive into this story. This is a slow-burn mystery where you get to see the story unfold through multiple POVs, and the circumstances surrounding a mysterious death. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the POV of the deceased. This is not something you get to see often, and it added to the intrigue and background of the story. This one kept me guessing until the very end. I wanted to keep reading to find out how everything tied together at the end. This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

Read of you enjoy:
✔️Small town mystery
✔️Multiple POVs
✔️Books about cults
✔️Conservative Texas setting

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley, and Kristen Bird for the ARC.