Cover Image: 14 Ways to Die

14 Ways to Die

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Member Reviews

this book wasn't problematic. it was just not very interesting.

for me, personally, it was hard to connect to any of the characters, which is a very big deal for me. I found the story to be very repetitive and not much happened. most importantly, the "big reveal" didn't shock me. at all. I didn't expect it either, but it wasn't anything surprising, or mind-blowing.

I felt like everything with the plot just kept going on loop, and every chapter looked basically the same. the characters were bland and one-dimensional, which bothered me a lot.

I also felt like there were a lot of scenes or plot points that made zero sense, but maybe that's just me.

this definitely wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for everyone.

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Great premise and fast paced, but fell a bit short for me. I liked the short chapters, the integration of social media and queer representation, but I ended up not finishing it. I did like the writing style, so I hope to see more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Trigger warnings: suicide attempt, violence, stalking, murder, etc.

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This book turned out to be fast paced but the story lost me somewhat when it became rather unrealistic. I love a great YA mystery, and I loved what the blurb promised, but in the end I can only manage so much unrealistic plot before I start rolling my eyes and loose interest. I wish the plot would have been more realistic to start with, because the premise was rather unique and entertaining.

The short chapters were something I needed to get used to, but the writing matched the shorter chapters and made for a quick read. I'm intrigued to see what the author comes up with next.

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"14 Ways to Die", by Vincent Ralph, centers around Jess, whose mother was killed by the appropriately named "Magpie Man." Ten years later, the murderer still has not been caught, much to Jess' chagrin. Jess joins part of a live documentary that follows her around as she seeks to uncover the mystery behind her mother's death. Along the way, she discovers that the bad guy may been even closer than she ever expected. I thought this was a clever book with an original idea, which I really appreciated.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

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Jess's mother was murdered by a serial killer several years ago. Now Jess has got the chance to find out more about the killer through a YouTube documentary that she's taking part in.

I enjoyed that the book takes place in the UK and that there's Hungarian and queer representation. With over a hundred chapters, this book still feels fast paced due to its short chapters.There's a huge focus on the Jess's grief. I'd generally recommend it as a gripping and quick mystery YA read, even though the characters might feel a little flat..


Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

content warnings: murder, strangling, suicide attempt, violence, stalking

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I could not get into the book. It felt disjointed and not all that suspenseful. A lot of the thoughts the character had felt repetitive and the actions of the adults around her felt too unrealistic. I did not finish reading the book.

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Thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this title. Unfortunately, I got to about 40% and DNF. I just didn't connect with the characters and found it a bit convoluted.

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In a world where social media has overtaken and everyone knows you and now knows what happened.
Will you ever be safe when everyone knows who you are but you have no idea who they are what they look like?
The twists and anxiety go so well that my heart was beating so fast in my chest. A new fresh mystery with today’s technology was a great read.

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Thank you to netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the original story telling in this book. The characters are likeable, and well rounded. I love when books have short chapters, it keeps the book from becoming too long and repetitive. 14 Ways to Die is a unique story, with a great story line. A reality show meets a mystery show.

Jess's mother was killed by the Magpie Man, when she was 7. Jess applies for an online show, so she is able to raise awareness of this killer, and hopes to catch him. The use of social media is so important and shows the ups and downs of being behind the screen.

14 Ways to Die is a good and fun thriller.

Thank you to sourcebooks fir the copy for an honest review

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This book was a fast paced read with short chapters which I really enjoy. I enjoyed the thrills of the book as I read chapter after chapter, and the way social media was weaved as an integral part of the story.

A great read that I recommend.

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Whilst this was an easy and entertaining read I wasn't hugely struck with the story and found it to be quite unrealistic. That said this is a debut teen\YA book and I feel that the writer is on his way to honing his craft.

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I really enjoyed this one, with the implementation of the social media aspect, it's such a believable YA mystery/thriller. Twists and turns and a relatively quick read.

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Read to 40%, then started skipping around, and read the last 10 chapters.

I loved the idea of this book. The social media aspect of finding a murder was intriguing and I couldn’t wait to jump in…only to find that there was 144 chapters. Turns out they’re short chapters (a page or two), yet somehow it made the book drag.

I liked Jessica well enough. She’s determined and resourceful. I don’t think she was established enough in the sections I read, but she had potential. There are loads of characters here and we didn’t really get to know any of them.

Plot wise, I don’t know. The tension was lacking and that’s what got me skipping around. It seemed like there were a lot of moving pieces here and not all of them were explained or necessary. Everything felt drawn out.

Overall, it seemed like a good idea, but this one just wasn’t for me. Two stars instead of one because maybe there was something in the parts I missed that would have solidified the story for me. I just didn’t have the ambition to keep trying.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

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This was such an interesting read! I genuinely enjoyed it from start to finish and read it in a single sitting. Wonderful writing and a wild journey from start to finish.

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I can think of 10 students right now who would love this book. It’s equal parts thrilling & mind-bending. The drive to pull the pieces together is the stuff of all-nighters. This is along the lines of A Good Girls Guide to Murder inasmuch as it is a YA thriller, but it is very much a unique & current work of YA fiction. I can’t wait to get this one on my shelves!

The one flaw: this edition seems to be “Americanized.” There are key elements unique to British culture (RE class, SATs) that have been rewritten to fit American readers. That’s not necessary. In fact, it diminishes the authenticity. I blame the publishers for this one. Trust your readers.

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14 Ways to Die is a Young Adult novel about 17 year old Jessica, who wins a spot on a live-streamed reality show that follows her around and documents her every movement each Monday. Jessica's goal: to flush out the Magpie Man, the serial killler who murdered her mom 10 years ago.

I enjoyed the characters in this book: the sudden reality star Jessica who really doesn't want to be strong and brave but just wants justice for her mom, Jessica's dad who is broken and just barely getting by, Jamie the unlikely hero and boy down the street, Jessica's current BFFs Hanna and Emily, and Jessica's childhood BFF Bernie. This cast created a great support system for Jessica and her quest for identifying the Magpie Man.

The story dragged a little bit in the middle, but I loved the use of social media throughout this book, with students and teachers at school, strangers everywhere, and hopefully even the Magpie Man tuning in each Monday to see Jessica's life live-streamed as she tries to lure the killer out of hiding.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Vincent Ralph for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I enjoyed this fast-paced mystery thriller. I am a sucker for "Big Brother'-esque reality shows and this was my first experience reading about something similar.

I found the depiction of grief to be interesting how it impacted not only Jess, but also her father. I also really enjoyed seeing how social media framed and was utilized as a tool within the story. While I didn't find the ending to be realistic, it wasn't an outcome that I hated.

I would definitely recommend this book to others!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC for review!

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This book is so good.
Jess’s mother was murdered by a serial killer - the first victim. Jess was able to change her identity and keep her past hidden from everyone. But the murders have started up again. Jess is not willing to let the Magpie Man get away this time.
I love how the author used social media as Jess’s platform to solving the murders. This book is clever and fast paced. The twists and turns keep you guessing till the end!

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14 ways to die was such an underrated book! This YA thriller was exactly what i was hoping it would be. Twists and turns at every corner and it really freaked me out. Will be picking up other books by this author.

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Unfortunately, this one was a DNF for me. The synopsis got my attention but about 30% in I lost interest.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire & the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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