In this sequel, readers get to glimpse the aftermath of Alcatraz 2.0. The characters from the first book are featured, but this book mainly focuses on Becca, the daughter of Molly Mauler. There’s a new reality show, a government conspiracy, and a lot of ridiculous names for killers. This book was entertaining, yet the plot is admittedly ludicrous. Mystery and horror readers just looking for some fun escapism might enjoy this one.

Oh man, this book was strange and twisty and all-together amazing! I ended up reading the entire series after reading this one I loved it so much!

#MurderFunding by Gretchen McNeil is an awesome sequel to a #MurderTrending! McNeil always knows how to create characters and an environment that suck you in and make you never wanna stop reading. After the first book I was apprehensive on how a sequel would work , but I loved where she took it. Plus I always enjoy when a book is #LGBT friendly.

Rating: 4.25/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: whoops, I did NOT realize this was a series!; came in in the middle, but strangely don’t feel like I missed a lot; entertaining, sometimes HORRIFYING, fantastic read; this really just….I can see this being real, and that’s terrifying to me

WELL! Aside from the fact that this Penguin TOTALLY missed the whole, “this is the second book in a series!” thing, I really had a blast reading this! Coming into the middle of a series, usually, is a dauntless and often impossible task–usually because of the endless amounts of confusion you have, coming in on the middle of a story you’ve missed the first part of entirely! But THIS book acts more like a companion, or a stand-alone. The main characters, in this case, are different people with different stories. While some of the “side” characters were seen in the first book, the author played them through this story as if they were JUST stepping into this world (or, at least, explained them to her readers in that way.)

There are some hilariously delicious banter moments throughout that had me LAUGHING. OUT. LOUD. The quote I used below, for instance, was one of them–while in the midst of trying to run for their lives, some of these characters still had time to put their snark to their greatest advantage. I also really enjoyed some of the creative “nicknames” these characters were given. For a rowdy rousting novel about murder, I may have laughed TOO much. Blame my dark sense of humor for that, I guess.

That all being said, there’s an interesting exploration of the ways that social media warps and twists our perception of other people/the world/our lives….both in the immediate, and the long-term. I really enjoyed being whisked into this journey of “murder trending” with these characters–and watching them overcome the adversities and trials they ran into. There has been a lot of talk, especially lately, about how social media effects our world. This is an entertaining, and horrifying, glimpse into one such idea.

Overall, this was a fantastically fun, frighteningly eerie read that made a rather terrifying observation on social media, and the effects it has upon us/the world. Despite being the second book in a series, I was able to fall into this world and the story with no difficulty, and only a slight amount of confusion a small handful of times. If you’re seeking a slightly horrifying glimpse into the human mind and social media, this series just might be for you! So go on, hop on the #murdertrending train….I guarantee you’ll love the ride!

This book continues the same page-turning and engrossing writing style that makes it difficult to put down. While the first one felt creative although the big twists were a little predictable, this one kept me guessing until the very end. There is a lot of creativity in the plot of the book, and it's really something entirely unique. Fans of the first will love this sequel, which is different but equally as enthralling.

Final verdict: Unique, engrossing, and thrilling, this sequel is a perfect compliment to the first book. Highly recommend for anyone looking for something different and new. Starting with the first book is helpful to understanding this one, so I would recommend reading them in order.

I enjoyed the first book in the series. Unfortunately, this one didn't live up to the OG. The pacing, the writing, the plot. I wasn't a fan of it and it took me awhile to read it. I enjoyed parts of it, but unfortunately not enough to remember them.

This is the sequel to #murdertrending. I felt like this book wasn’t quite as good as first book unfortunately. It wasn’t quite as evenly paced as the first one was. But it is still a fun story and i needed to know what happened next.

I am trying to decide if this book suffers from the second book slump. I don’t know if it’s a trilogy. It leaves itself open for a trilogy, or for a companion series. I loved #Murdertrending so much. It was such a unique story, that this one was constantly asking where to go from here. We see a little bit of the previous characters. As a reader you fell in love with all the deadly characters in book one, so to just see hits and misses of them here was a bit of a let down.

This book introduces new characters Becca and Steff. Steff thinks that Becca’s mother was Molly Mauler (the paniac that liked to use animals to kill her victims). Steff just needs to prove it to be true to earn the reward. Most of this book is the set up of Becca finding out the suspicions about her mother, or trying to prove Steff wrong.

They do this by joining a new production called Who wants to be a Paniac?. The goal of this program is to be a non-lethal reality show ala Survivor to pick who is tough enough to be a serial killer for the public good. But there is way more to this show than most people see scratching the surface.

The plot points between Steff and Becca are pretty predictable the entire way through. The revealing of the Postman’s son I guessed from pretty early on, and the other side of the story about the business partners was just not well explained. Heck even the two groups coming together was pretty predictable.

There are original parts to be sure. I really wish there was more chat forum interaction like there was in the first book. Here it just seems like a ploy to move the plot forward, instead of something integral to the plot.

Some great things about the book: SAGA approved. There are all sorts of representation throughout the book. It’s just there. No need to be explained. And I love that. Most books have to have a reason for being inclusive, and here it doesn't. It also doesn’t act like a major plot point. The book is also a quick read, that is perfect for the Halloween season with out being about Halloween.

Some down falls: the book has it’s slow points, and seems way more predictable than book one. The good fun part (all the bloody murder) is such a small part of this book, when compared to the last one. There is one section with some great murdery images, but they are all grouped together at the end. So much of this is a girl searching for the truth of who her mother was, and could she live with that truth once found. While that is fine, after book 1 that is not what most readers think they will be getting.

This book is so much more character driven than plot driven that it’s hard to say if there will be a trilogy. There could be. After all, like any good thriller, revenge was vowed. But if the author was to go that way, I think it would separate it too much from its parent material. It’s like the difference between the movies Friday the 13th, and Freddy vs. Jason. It’s too wide a bridge to cross to be taken seriously.

Overall I enjoyed this read, but I didn’t love it like I did the first one. I will still recommend book 1 to loads of people, but book 2 not so much. Only for die hard fans.
#BBRC #SAGAapproved

#murderfunding by Gretchen McNeil is the sequel to #murdertrending and WHOA! This series is so messed up and crazy (in a I CAN’T PUT DOWN THIS BOOK sort of way). Pretty gruesome and suspenseful, but is also just so much fun to read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy of #Murderfunding.
I really enjoyed #Murdertrending and was looking forward to reading the sequel but I wasn’t sure where the story would go.
I like the infusion of new characters and the Alcatraz 2.0 storyline. Becca was a very sympathetic character although she took a lot of impulsive risks and her catchphrase of “can not hang” got old. It was good to see Dee, Nyles and Griselda back in action in their respective roles. The storyline of the president, Russians and treason was a wink at our current times.
Both #Murdertrending and it’s predecessor #Murdertrending are wildly dramatic and improbably stories perfect for people who enjoy Scooby Doo-esque plots with a big reveal at the end with lots of laughs along the way.

I was very excited that I got approved to read this book. Murder Trending was such a great book, and the follow up was almost as good (nothing is ever as good as the original). I started reading this immediately after I was approved and the book was a quick read. I really enjoyed the book even if it wasn't as good as the first, it was interesting to see another side of the overall landscape of this fantasy world.

**Review can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

After the debacle that was Alcatraz 2.0, the country is in a total uproar. The president is on trial for potentially having a part in the popular murder show, the identity of the killers is being researched, fans are going wild- and a new television show is seeking contestants to participate in a fake murder show. Becca just wants to mourn the loss of her mom, but something is just not right. When a conspiracy theorist starts stalking her, things get real- fast.

#MurderTrending blew me out of the water with it's uniqueness and danger and nonstop adrenaline and plot. It was one of the craziest yet amazing books I have read this year and I loved every blood splattered minute (which makes me wonder about myself, but oh well). When I started reading #MurderFunding, I felt a little like I was floundering. I hoped for the same basic thing, the thing that set #MurderTrending out in my head, but that was not what I got. I fully realize that this is probably due to my own misguided expectations, expecting the same thing but part 2, which just would not fly in the real world. Instead, the first half of #MurderFunding was a slow build, new characters being introduced and a new mystery to get on board for and I was a teensy bit bored. Nothing was wrong with the book, I just missed the action and danger that was the entire first book.

That being said, about half way through the book, the action and horror hit! I was basically steamrolled (sorry, couldn't resist- read the book!) by the twists and turns the story took. It was an adrenaline ride that I finished in a day because I could not put it down (keep in mind it took me weeks to get through the first half) . I had no idea what would happen with all the murder and mayhem thrown around like confetti. I rate the second half 5 stars and the first three stars so it averages out to 4 stars for the book overall. The ending felt a little like there might be more coming, and I really hope there is! This series is so unlike anything else, perfect for those who like gore, action, mysteries, (usually deadly) surprises, and the fact that nobody is safe!

I really enjoyed the first book of this series, and was excited about what would come with a sequel. However, I was unable to finish this one. The pacing for #MurderFunding is much slower than #MurderTrending. Perhaps this is because the characters in the sequel are not in constant danger of being killed on live TV, or it could be that the new characters are flatter and less sympathetic than the #DeathRowBreakfastClub. Either way, I found that I was forcing myself to continue reading and had to put it aside. I may come back to it another day, but for now I feel that the series could have been left as a stand-alone.

If anyone can take the current US presidency and add a bucket of murder somehow turning it into a palatable story we can all read, it’s Gretchen McNeil.

#MurderTrending was a murderous ride featuring a familiar world and #MurderFunding takes all of this and kicks it up a notch. Set a bit after the end of #MurderTrending, the #CinderellaSurvivor crew take a backseat as a new crew of Paniacs are recruited for the next generation of murder.

I can’t say much without giving away the story but I can say this:

- The deaths in this book are 10x more horrific and they’ll have you desperate to look away but also clamoring to read every page.
- Yes, we see familiar faces from the first book.
- Yes, the questions left over from book 1 get resolved.
- There are several big twists that you won’t see coming.

All in all, the most fictional part of the story is not the murder and mayhem but that the senate would impeach the president (who is not Trump buttttt…….).

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

For me this book wasn't as good as the first one. I had a hard time connecting with the story an the plot. I wish that i was able to enjoy it because i loved the first one so much.

I was a huge fan of #murdertrending, and thoroughly enjoyed this sequel. I loved the continuation of the reality show idea from the first one, with a new twist (finding the new paniacs instead of following those on Alcatraz 2.0). I had no problem with the level of violence in this book (or the first one) but know a number of people who did, so I would be very careful about who I recommend it to.

Gretchen McNeil does it again! In her latest book, #MurderFunding, she seamlessly picks up where the first book in this series, #MurderTrending, left off. Readers will not be disappointed in her execution (pun intended) of the storyline, which includes: a new set of characters, government disarray following the Russian Government and the former reality TV star, POTUS, and the Death Row Breakfast Club.

Missing the action from Alcatraz 2.0? While the Postman may be dead, his influence is alive and well in #MurderFunding. Get ready for "Who Wants to be a Painiac?" - a new reality TV show that pits fans of the show against professional Painiacs. Who will survive? Don't worry! Everyone will. After all, this isn't real murder. The theatrics are just for internet points... or are they?

The sequel to McNeil's #MurderTrending, #MurderFunding struggles to find its footing. Did the first book really need a sequel? The world it created, in which prisoners spend their death-row sentences at Alcatraz 2.0 and perform in Hunger Games-esque fights to the death on live television for the entertainment of the masses, is interesting, but hardly complex. There may be a commentary somewhere within the pages on our current media-obsessed world, but it's not the main event. The main event is silly and oftentimes eye-roll inducing, though campy and somewhat enjoyable. The first book was fluffy entertainment, and for those readers who are looking for more of the same, they may enjoy the sequel.

Fans of Gretchen McNeil and #MurderTrending will not be disappointed. Since it is a sequel, you should definitely ready #MurderTrending first. #MurderFunding held my attention from the get go. I really enjoyed that there were both new characters as well as familiar characters from #MurderTrending. Definitely give this book a try!