Definitely a fresh twist on a unique concept! This is definitely a chillingly fun read over a wintery weekend.

This was ok, I wasn't able to finish it completely but plan to try reading it again. I feel like I want to give this another chance.

The teens that come to our library YA sections have not been disappointed. They love the story and futuristic vibes. Will be ordering more from this author.

❝The instant Dee Guerrera peeled open her eyelids and gazed around the dimly lit warehouse, she knew she was screwed. Fifty million people are about to watch me die. ❞

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

This book totally pulled me in from page one with its unique premise, a charming main character, and the mystery of an unsolved murder. #Murdertrending deserves more attention and is a fun read that I tackled in just two days.

First, let's jump into the premise. this is a future where the USA has turned to a figured called The Postman for a solution to its crime problem. with a blend of reality TV entertainment and twisted murder scenes, #Murdertrending is sure to be a hit with fans of Hunger Games and similar dystopian novels.

In Alcatraz 2.0., prisoners try to survive as long as they can on an island that hides twisted serial killers called executioners. The mysterious Postman controls everything on the island and with his special app, anyone and everyone in the world can tune into the hundreds of cameras on the island to watch every second of each gruesome death.

Dee is the newest inmate on the island and her arrival sets a dangerous game into motion. it also forces her to remember memories best left in the past. with a new group of allies, Dee begins to uncover the secrets of Alcatraz 2.0. She quickly becomes a new internet sensation after her first run-in with one of the executioners, which earns her the nickname #CinderellaSurvivor.

❝ Screw the Postman, screw the criminal-justice system, screw the government for letting it all happen. She wouldn't play their game, and if that meant she died faster, so be it. ❞

Aside from this interesting dystopian element, another aspect that I loved in this book was the writing style. McNeil really works the social media element by including snippets of forum posts from The Postman app. I thought this was a really thoughtful and cool addition that tied into the whole feel of the book very well.

While the prisoners of Alcatraz 2.0. were certainly interesting and well written, I think the over-the-top executioners really appealed to me. They were a little cheesy but I loved it. They were pretty colorful characters and had some interesting murder techniques. I like Prince Slycer who dressed his victims as Disney characters and Gucci Hangman who killed his victims in fashion. There were others, of course, but I'll let you discover them for yourself.

The pacing was fast in this one; every chapter was full of action and kept the plot moving. The constant progress fit well with the fast-paced lifestyle of Alcatraz 2.0. Prisoners didn't get a chance to catch their breath and neither did we. The story had me hooked from the beginning and the plot carried me through.

Finally, the conclusion of the book felt perfect and left things just broken enough to leave me craving more. I'm excited to see what McNeil does for the rest of the series. I'd really love to get the opportunity to see what the Death Row Breakfast Club does next.

#Murdertrending is a fun weekend read that fans of the horror/thriller and dystopian genres will enjoy. Definitely take some time to check this out!

#Murdertrending was released on August 7th, it's a book that's worth checking out!

Whoa! This technically sci-fi book takes place in such the close future that it seems like it could happen tomorrow. And that is terrifying! The premise was extremely fascinating and the mystery was unpredictable. All in all, a nailbiting book that was a fascinating read.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This was definitely creative but I found the whole thing just rather silly. If you like campy horror movies you would probably like this. I don't, so it just wasn't for me.

Librarian: Like many other librarians (and other professional readers) I will admit to the fact that I am getting slightly sick of YA Dystopias. There's just so many of them, and for the most part they're all quite similar. There's a few general types (ie corrupt government, people divided up into some type of social classes, protagonist thrown into prison for a crime they didn't commit, etc). This one is of the "protagonist in prison for a crime they didn't commit" type. In this case, the crime is murder, and the prison is a town where prisoners systematically hunt one another down, all while being live-streamed around the world.
If that sounds like a Black Mirror episode, while it feels like one too. And that's part of why this YA Dystopia is a bit more fun and less formulaic than some others. It's not as heavy on the corrupt government thing as most examples of the genre, which may appeal to readers who feel like they see enough government corruption in the real world. This book also feels more mystery centered, and I think that might make it appeal to a slightly larger audience than it might otherwise.
Reader: As I said, this book feels like an episode of Black Mirror (and not the one with the two women who fell in love in the virtual reality world). As such, the dystopian aspects are more focused on the evils of technology than on the type of government who would find this a good idea in the first place. That's kind of nice. Also the story is fairly fast paced and enjoyable. It's a tad predictable at times, but then, what YA novel isn't? 3.5/5 Stars

*A book that has a little bit of everything, mystery, thrills, romance, horror, humor, and likable characters*
Dee Guerrera, a 17 year old is sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for murdering her sister. Alcatraz 2.0 is no ordinary prison because while there everything is being filmed and the more the audience likes you the longer you stay. This story is the perfect story to read if you want something unique and out of the ordinary. This book did a good job of putting a fun twist on social media not only was it well written it was well thought out. By using social media as an important factor in the story the author is able to reach a wider audience. While the story started out strong it did start to loose me towards the end but I am glad I kept reading because it was an overall enjoyable read. I would recommend this story to others. 4/5 *Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Horror with a bit of humor!
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the opportunity to read and review Murder Trending by Gretchen McNeil!
Government-sanctioned serial killers entertain citizens on The Postman app, which shows them hunting and killing convicts. A seventeen-year-old has been convicted of killing her stepsister. This teen’s name is Dee and she says she’s innocent. After the trial, Dee woke up on Alcatraz Island in a cell that reminded her of when she’d been kidnapped as an eleven-year-old. She has no recollection of the time between her trial and waking up in a cell on Alcatraz Island. The back and forth telling of the kidnapping and Alcatraz Island was difficult to follow for a while, but I kept reading and the story did get better. The characters grew on me and the unique plot and setting drew my interest. With some twists and turns and a bit of humor, #Murdertrending is entertaining, 4 stars!

Set in the near future, eighteen year old Dee has been convicted of murdering her stepsister, and is sentenced to a new type of prison, known as Alcatraz 2.0, run by a mysterious figure known as The Postman. Located on an island, Alcatraz 2.0 is always under surveillance, and the public can tune in at any time to watch the live feeds of the prisoners. What makes this prison different is the fact that there are killers on the island, who, allowed by the government, torture and kill the convicted felons that end up there. The audience can watch the murders and place bets on who they think the killer will be for each inmate.

Dee swears she's innocent, and refuses to become one of the island's next victims. She forms a group of friends, nicknamed by the public the Death Row Breakfast Club, and together they try their best to stay alive day by day. Dee is determined to find a way off of the island to prove her innocence, but in doing so, has placed herself right in the The Postman's line of sight.



As soon as I read the blurb for #MurderTrending, I knew I had to read it! I am a huge fan of books that incorporate social media into the plot, given how prevalent social media is for most people these days. Reading the book was an interesting experience, because while we know from the beginning that Dee says she's innocent, you can't help but rooting for not just her, but her entire posse of friends, even knowing that they've all been sentenced to the island because they are convicted killers (regardless of whether or not they say they are innocent). 

Another element to the book that I loved was the mysterious character, known as The Postman - a former reality TV producer, who no-one knows the identity of, but who runs the island. There are a few chapters that are told from The Postman's point of view, which made him even more intriguing. 

If you are a fan of books like The Hunger Games and 1984, movies like The Purge and Untraceable, and shows like Big Brother, I think you'll be a fan of this book. There are elements of survival, voyeurism, social media, dystopia, and corrupt governments and legal systems, and I think some of these things are really relevant to today's society, just on a smaller scale. 

All in all, this was a perfect YA thriller for me, and exactly what I needed to read at the moment. Because it's YA, it was quick and easy to get through, but didn't skimp on the gore or reveals. I also loved the ending of the book - it did a great job wrapping up this story so the reader doesn't feel like they got ripped off, while leaving it open just enough to leave room for a sequel (which comes out next year!).

This is a book you definitely have to suspend your belief to read and unfortunately I just couldn't do it. I have to be in the right mindset to read these kinds of books and I guess I just wasn't when I tried to pick this up. I can see how it would be pretty fun, but it's not working for me so I DNF'd at 40% and then read a good chunk of the end. If it sounds interesting to you I would still recommend picking it up!

In a world where a former reality mogul is president, we get introduced to Alcatraz two point oh.

A diverse group of so called 'criminals' - dubbed the Death Row Breakfast Club - are the core players in residence on Alcatraz 2.0, an island off the San Fran Bay where live executions bring...ratings.

This is a gory, quick paced read with a group of characters that will leave you cringing, laughing, and rooting for them. While the backstory lacked slightly the events that take place on the government approved execution island help to make up for it. I wasn't completely surprised by the ending, but I will definitely be reading if there is a sequel!

#MurderTrending is set in the very near future where reality television has been taken to a whole new level. The Postman is an anonymous television mogul who developed the idea for Alcatraz 2.0, an island in the San Francisco Bay, and the Postman App. People convicted of the most heinous crimes are sent to the prison island, Alcatraz 2.0 and then hunted down by government sanctioned serial killers. All of which is recorded on video and available for the public through the Postman App. This new “show” has become so popular that almost everyone in the country has a favourite serial killer that they follow and know everything about

The story begins with the main character, Dee Guerrera, as she wakes up on Alcatraz 2.0. She is dressed as a princess and immediately has to fight for her life because the executioner, Prince Slycer, is slated to kill her while America watches. But things don’t go as planned and Dee meets up with a group of fellow inmates that become known as the Death Row Breakfast Club.

The story follows them as they all try to survive on the island they were meant to die on. As they get to know each other better, they start to realise that things might be even more sinister and strange because none of them actually committed the crimes they were convicted of.

We see the story unfold on Alcatraz 2.0, but between chapters we also get glimpses of the forums where fans are discussing what they watch on the app. Some are brutal, disappointed when the deaths don’t go as planned and others are hinting at a conspiracy theory. This makes the story such a unique experience as we get to see the perspective from inside the prison as well as a glimpse of what is happening outside.

Throughout we get Dee’s flashbacks from when she was 11 years old and kidnapped as well. She was held captive for a period of time and has a lot of unresolved feelings from that time. So with all of this going on, you can imagine the number of twists and turns this story takes.

This book was such an interesting concept as it really highlights the excessiveness that we’ve come to expect from reality television as well as the way we interact online. It’s a near future that doesn’t really seem that far off. And some of the scenes even seem a bit over the top while still maintaining an excellent storyline.

Though it’s twisty and super interesting, it is also has some gore. Each time a murder takes place on the island it is described on the page and the characters are forced to watch it repeatedly on the TV screens throughout the island. So if you’re squeamish, know going in there may be scenes you need to skim.

Overall, this was a super interesting look at society and where we’re headed and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel.

Students will love this book. There is enough action and violence to keep them reading. I really enjoyed the beginning and how it shows students the dangers of believing what you see on social media. However, as the book progressed, it became more and more far-fetched.
On a whole, I will recommend this book to high schoolers looking for a simple pleasure-reading book.

Okay, this book was just kind of...weird. I loved the premise--I'm super into any and all reality show books. However, the execution was...less cool. I almost feel like the book would have been more interesting if the main character was actually guilty? Or if the island was a little more Hunger Games-y? Just my opinion. Then things just got super weird with Kimmy, etc. In the end, just okay.

/sigh.... I really wanted to like this book more than I did....I did like it enough to finish it out of curiosity but the YA market is so over saturated with this type book right now and nothing really stood out to me to really LOVE it. There was over the top gore and violence that made this book seem like it was on the edge of YA to adult.The cheesy names in this book bothered me too. i.e.-Molly Mauler...(insert eye roll here). The info dumping in this book was on a whole different level. It was way too informative and read more like statements than a fiction ya.

This book was unexpectedly well written and I did find enjoyment in it all. The book is graphic and descriptive and it's surprising how eloquently the author describes it without going too far into detail. You can get lost in describing things like that so it was nice that she knew when to let your mind do the rest of the work.

However, the plot twist I thought could have been executed a lot better and we could have used more down time with the murderers breakfast club in order for us to get attached to them. There was quite a bit of telling and not enough showing which is why I only gave this 3 stars. It's a solid read and I know my teens will enjoy themselves, but we could have had more character establishing moments. Just my thoughts.

This book has a lot of movie quotes so I'm going to start this review with one:
"-There's just one thing I don't understand.
-ONE thing?"

There's just too much that did not make sense. How does a government dystopia turn into being all about one person? Why/how were all these people being set up? Who thought this would be a good idea? (I'm not sure if I mean the reality show or the book.)
Maybe if it hadn't been satire?

I feel like it tried to hard, like with all the movie quotes and pop culture references there's only so far a running gag will go. Especially if it wasn't all that funny to begin with..

Everything about it just felt random.

When I first discovered #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil, I was intrigued! To be honest, I’m kind of a big chicken when it comes to scary stories, and because of that, I was a little weary about starting this book. But, I was more curious than I was weary, so I decided to check it out anyways, and I’m SO glad I did!!

Let me first say that #MurderTrending has a very interesting storyline. Imagine a twisted reality tv show where you can watch the executions of convicted felons live on a streaming app from a prison island called Alcatraz 2.0. That’s not exactly something I would be into in real life, but it did make for an addictive read! I also liked that while this was obviously fiction, it included SO MUCH that’s relatable to the world today, like the reality star president and government that seemed too similar to our current government. I have to say, it would be awesome if the last chapter of the book would happen in real life. *grin* Just sayin’.

#MurderTrending is full of interesting characters as well, including the main character, Dee, who finds herself right in the middle of Alcatraz 2.0 after being wrongly convicted of a crime that she didn’t commit. Dee has a really interesting backstory, one that is actually quite terrifying, and I can’t even imagine being in her shoes in this story. The things this girls has gone through in the past, and then goes through on the island, are pretty insane. But at least she has the help of some other fascinating characters on the island, while trying not to get killed by some terrifying psychos in the process.

Overall; If you like a good thriller story, #MurderTrending may just be right up your alley! This book was definitely an addictive and quick read. I think it’s a standalone book, but the ending was definitely written in a way were the could totally be a sequel, so I'm curious to know if there’s going to be a second book in the future. If so, I will totally check it out! Fans of Gretchen McNeil, or fans of thrillers in general, do add #MurderTrending to your TBR now!

Happy Reading!

Title: #murdertrending
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Genre: YA/horror
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

In a near-future where society is obsessed with social media, followers, and apps, The Postman app is the newest big thing. Alcatraz 2.0 takes convicted killers and puts them in a suburbia setting on Alcatraz, where serial killers hunt them down and kill them in graphic, theatrical detail for those watching on the app.

Dee’s sister, Monica, was obsessed with the app, so when Dee wakes up in a deserted warehouse, she knows immediately she’s been sent to Alcatraz 2.0 for the murder of her sister. With social media buzzing with bets on the quickness of her demise, Dee decides she’s not going to just roll over and die.

Instead, Dee takes on the notorious serial killers, determined that this princess is going to rescue herself—and prove her innocence. She just has to survive the worst the island has to offer.

#murdertrending was, to me, a scary look at a future that wouldn’t surprise me at all if it came true, considering how our culture is changing. The characters were a bit underdeveloped, and the identity of The Postman didn’t surprise me at all—the foreshadowing was a little heavy-handed—but it was a quick, easy read. If you’re squeamish, you might want to give this a pass, as it’s pretty graphic.

Gretchen McNeil is a trained opera singer, former circus performer and voice over artist, and current author. Her newest novel is #murdertrending.

(Galley provided by Disney/Freeform in exchange for an honest review.)