This is absolutely the campy extra cheesy thriller-comedy which is exactly what I was expecting going in. It has a very specific type audience that will enjoy it. And I am glad I ended up enjoying it.

I’m a HUGE sucker for anything that puts a spin on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, so the concept got me hooked! The cast of characters were generally pretty compelling, and I appreciated the commentary on toxic positivity, beauty standards, and internet bullying woven throughout.

The book tries to be kind of a comedic thriller, and while some of the humor was genuinely heartwarming, I felt like it didn’t quite hit the mark for me overall. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE funny parody murder mysteries — but I didn’t feel like this was quite a parody, so there were a couple of moments where it felt like the humor detracted from the tension a little.

That all said, I ate up this book FAST, so I think it would be perfect for a beach read or whenever you need something quick and fun!

I'm always here for a locked-room murder mystery. So, an Agatha Christie-inspired YA thriller about a fake festival, a group of influencers stranded on an island with a killer among them, is just my kind of jam.

Plum Winter is a little insecure and feels a little bit unseen. Next to older sister Peach (an influencer who wears billionaires like candy bracelets), her life just doesn’t compare. So it’s an easy decision when a chance presents itself to attend a hot new music and art festival on a Caribbean island over spring break with best friends Sofia Torres and Marlowe Blake. Not that the fancy invite and first-class ticket were for Plum. But really, it’s not like Peach will miss one measly invite. And the festival promises a crowd of people for the three girls to fade into. But nothing (absolutely nothing) is as advertised once Plum, Sofia, and Marlowe arrive on the surprisingly Wi-Fi-less island of Little Esau. Instead of a crush of celebs, they’re stuck with a handful of D-list influencers. Instead of yachts and luxury yurts, they’ll be crashing in a decrepit villa. Instead of five-star catering, they’ll be feasting on tinned franks and beans to be heated by the guest themselves because…

They are alone on the island. And someone in the group is out to kill — everyone.

Parsons spins an intriguing murder mystery that has the feel of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, yet sadly with few of the layers and complexities. The romantic tension between (bisexual) Plum and best friend Marlowe adds some heat to the plot but not enough to elevate this from a straightforward murder mystery. You’re So Dead is on the lighter side of reads but not without its merit, especially for those who love a whodunnit. Bonus: the social media commentary is great — impossible beauty standards, trolling, animal cruelty, content theft, it all gets addressed.

I didn't vibe with the vapid, silly writing and the way that a persons race/skin color is their first and sometimes only significant descriptor to introduce them. Wasn't for me.

I feel like the murders should not have been static noise??? Just me?? There should've been a balance when it came to the murderer and the MC and her emotions. Just overall could not get into it. Probably just not for me.

Truth be told this was a title request for me. Based off the cover and eye- catching title I expected a nostalgic slasher movie-esque plot. Got to admit that I was not exactly disappointed. Plum lives in the shadow of her successful influencer sister, Peach. When an invitation arrives to one of the biggest shindigs of the year, Plum decides this is her chance to not only do something with her humdrum life, but BE something. With her two best friends, Marlowe and Sofia, by her side they steal the invitation and take off on a trip to die for. In a classic case of whodunnit, a handful of influencers are trapped on an island that quickly starts turning deadly. It’s a race against the clock to find out who the killer is and also enjoy some of the more creative ways the deaths occur.

For me this was more of a plot based read since I didn’t really connect with any of the characters. Each influencer has some form of a dark secret or persona that they hide from their followers and as the killings start, the secrets are unleashed. The writing style is easy to follow, quick paced and slightly on the younger teenage side since our main characters are in high school. Some scenarios were a bit unplausible for me however the red herrings were well done. I ended up getting it wrong almost until the last minute.

The characters are individually unique, and Parsons does a really good job of giving each one a decent amount of depth surrounding their influencer careers. I liked Plum’s more realistic persona being in her sister’s shadow and desperately wanting to no longer blend but be something more. However, I did struggle with her best friend blaming her for being on that island. It takes two to tango in my book and Sofia could’ve said no. That aside, Sofia and Marlowe made excellent best friend side characters. The type of connection I love seeing in YA novels. Supportive, too an extent, calling each other out on their crap and not letting the bad times tear things a part. Parsons’ addition of LGTBQ representation was tied in well too.

Overall, this was a quick read that I can see readers on the younger side of the YA spectrum enjoying. There is a little gore but nothing too outlandish and a few curse words scattered here and there. I’d recommend this to readers wetting their feet in the YA Thriller world. Thank you to Penguin Teen for the gifted digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5
I was instantly intrigued by this book, as someone who loves murder mysteries. But I was sad that it fell quite flat to me. The characters are all the same essentially, and I found it really hard to see them as the 18 year olds they were supposed to be- when they were presented as people much younger than that.
I also wasn’t a fan of the writing- finding it often trying so hard to fit into the teen demographic that it would just sound strange and obscene. Connects would be brought to light that made no sense, and often I just simply couldn’t find a reason to want to continue reading.

Though the concept is cool, I feel as though early YA readers may enjoy this book more so than older readers- as it appears to cater to that audience more.

So if you’re wanting a humorous murder-mystery story, then I would try this out!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC in return of an honest review

Who doesn't like a book about a good murder island. This kind of reminded me of the movie Mind Hunters minus the CIA trainees instead inserting social media "influencers". Overall a good read, quick, and easy to get through. I just kind of wish we had gotten to know a couple of the influencers more. Some of them were decently fleshed out such as Sean however most were kind of just glazed over. They didn't really come off as being horrid influencers though one could make the point that none of them were truly as evil as "Dude" deemed them since the persona shown online is not always a true reflection of who a person really is. Overall though a decent book. Thank you for allowing me to read an advance copy.

"All of that was an illusion, anyway. Fame, the internet, the careful presentation of a seemingly beautiful life."

You're So Dead by Ash Parsons is a really light and fun book. A great summer read. It's described as a hilarious thriller so make sure you go into the book with that expectation. It's not supposed to be serious but it's still thrilling in the way the movies Clue and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer are. When Plum and her friends steal her influencer sister's invite to Pyre Festival, they think they're in for the weekend of a lifetime. But it's nothing like what they expected. With definite jabs at the real Fyre Fest, Pyre Festival turns out to be an even bigger nightmare. I enjoyed this book, it made me reminiscent for my festival days. Just very glad I ended up at EDC and Lollapalooza, and never at Pyre Festival. "It's lit, set the night on fire, melt your face off."

Disclaimer: The quoted text is from an advanced reader copy I received from Penguin Teen and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I liked that it was an interesting take on And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. This was a pretty good murder mystery. I was surprised by who the killer was. I just wish there was more suspense and build within the novel, but I really enjoyed the characters and how their relationships evolved over the course of the book.,

Now when I first got this book I have to admit I definitely judged a book by its cover. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this, especially because it involved influencers. I was worried it would be really cheesy. Although it was cheesy at parts, I really enjoyed it! I could not put the book down, and it actually helped me get out of my reading slump. I read this book in one day. It is important to know that these characters take the worst part of influencers and blow them up. So don’t take these characters too seriously. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Scream. So if you are a fan of the classic horror movies like that, then this book might be perfect for you! It also gave me a Final Destination kind of feel because you’re just wondering when the next death will be. Unfortunately, the big reveal and the ending just did not do it for me. The way things ended just did not seem very realistic. Overall, I had so much fun reading this and would definitely recommend it if you are looking for something fun and addictive!

Agatha Christie meets social media influencers at a Fyre-type festival gone wrong? Sign me up! I should note that Ash Parsons seems to write campy, over the top stories that may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I get such a kick out of them. You're So Dead falls squarely in that category.

Plum Winter is envious of her semi-famous influencer older sister and in denial about having a crush on one of her best girl friends. When an invitation arrives for her sister Peach to the exclusive Pyre festival during spring break, complete with famous influencers, bands, and luxurious accommodations, Plum decides to take her sister's place and bring along her two best friends. (yes, including the one she's crushing on). But things take a turn for the worst once they arrive on the secluded island with only a handful of other people, one of whom may be a killer.

If you liked And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and can get down with a campy, dramatic take on a retelling involved self-involved influencers and trolls, definitely give this a go. Clearly it isn't working for everyone, and part of the issue seems to be tone. So just know this is a YA book featuring young teen protagonists and some of it is kind of silly. That's sort of the point. And if you aren't into that, it's cool. This may not be the book for you. But I had a fun time with it. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
You’re So Dead by Ash Parsons is a YA thriller.
Plum Winters intercepts an invite meant for her older, popular influencer sister Peach and convinces her two best friends to come along for the ride. The event is mean to be a huge festival that was supposed to be full of glitz and glam and maybe Plum’s chance to shine or be a part of something more.
Plum notices things seem strange straight off when the boat that takes them to the island doesn’t seem to match the overall image sold to her both from the invite and the website and when they get to the island itself there isn’t much of anything. Definitely no glitz and no glam and only seven other people of varying influencer levels. When the first of their party dies they start to think they may have fallen into a trap and now Plum and her friends have to work with the others to try and figure out what or who they have all in common that they have been brought to this island of death before they all are taken out.
***
You’re So Dead is fun and witty and full of ridiculous humor, satire aplenty and a definite homage to the failed Fyre festival done by the Pyre Festival in this book. The group had a true crime podcaster amongst their numbers and I could not stop laughing every time he did something. The killers motives were meh but real life killer motives also tend to be meh so no big deal there, I did enjoy the strange cast of characters and definitely Plum and her two bffs Sofia and Marlowe.

I was so excited for this book as it was a comedy version of And Then There Were None, but what I got was a let down. I will never be a fan of outlandish plots especially in thrillers, it totally puts me out of the story and makes it very unbelievable. I know this was supposed to be a comedy, and it still could have been with a believable plot line. Not to mention all of the characters were so very unlikeable it was hard for me to connect with any of them. Even with a crazy plot and silly characters I would have rated this higher if not for the fact that this is supposed to be about a killer and I feel like that was on the back burner 80% of the time! I feel like this was more of a romance with a side of some action. I just feel like this book was lacking a lot and could have been a legit good thriller comedy.

“Plum Winter desperately hoped there would be a heaven for clueless kids who just wanted to have a good time.”

So this book was just a lot of fun. Was it life-changing? No. Was it super original? No. Was it the best book I’ve ever read? No. But was it so much fun that I read it in two days and abandoned the more serious book I had sitting on my nightstand? Hell yeah it was.

Plum Winter feels pretty invisible, especially next to her older sister Peach, who is an Instagram celebrity influencer. So when Plum comes across an invite to the Pyre Festival (“Light it up, set the night on fire, melt your face off”) she convinces her two best friends, Sofia and Marlowe to travel with her to the island of Little Esau to have the time of their lives. But obviously, things don’t quite go as planned.

This book is Scream meets Clueless meets Saw in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a fun horror beach read I highly recommend You’re So Dead, you can thank me later.

This was a very summer campy thriller read. All these influencers get invites to a big social even of the season, the Pyre Festival. Plum decides to intercept her sisters invite and instead use it with her two best friends to have an unforgettable summer. But once they arrive it’s starting to look like something is off. It starts with a small boat taking them to the island and once they arrive no welcome wagon is there to welcome them. Soon the night ends in murder and all eyes are on each other.

There were some really funny parts and I liked the concept, but it fell a bit flat for me. We don’t really have a reason as to why the murderer is killing (my thoughts were because they’re influencers and he has an issue with them). It was a bit con-fuddled and thrown together in some parts. I also felt some of the immaturity coming off the characters.. which hey I get, again they’re influencers and think they can do no wrong.

All in all, I enjoyed parts and it made for a fun summer murder mystery. Thank you to Penguin Teen for the copy for my honest review!

This was a case of "it's not you, it's me." YA teeters the line for me often, and You're So Dead went too far into the young part of YA for me to not get irritated with the characters and become unable to focus on the storyline.

The synopsis for this book had me intrigued and even a bit excited to read it, but honestly, it fell flat for me. The whole story was a bit hokey and had so many unrealistic instances that I just couldn’t connect with the book. There seemed to be a lot missing from this book and the way the characters were presented, if I wasn’t told who was saying what, I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish them. Everyone seemed to be presented in an almost identical way without any character development. The whole storyline just seemed lacking and I found myself having a hard time staying interested in this book.

*Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

We live in an age saturated by entertainment, served up on dozens of silver platters, ready for us to consume until we can take no more. You’re So Dead handles the delicate topic of the dangers, the appeal, the gilded allure of influencer culture with ease. We have an eccentric, diverse cast of characters that have each achieved fame for various reasons: beauty, comedy, video games, true crime podcasts…you name it. Everyone that is, except for our main character Plum and her two friends Sofia and Marlowe. Plum’s older sister Peach Winter* is a big Instagram influencer, so Plum, feeling a little left out, steals her fancy invitation to a luxurious island music festival.

let’s talk about the mystery, shall we?

Someone is murdered. Yup. Mind blown. But really, I enjoyed my time with this mystery! It took me a while to guess who the killer was, and then it was only because I’m a bit of a true crime addict. Agatha Christie’s novels have an extraordinarily distinct format, and You’re So Dead followed it well. It truly does encapsulate the And Then There Were None vibe so well. With that being said, it wasn’t always an…elegant vibe. Yes, I did in fact put those two words together.
One of the aspects I most appreciated about the characters is that while they occasionally made dumb decisions, most of their decisions were pretty clever and made a lot of sense. That was what made this story hit so hard: even when Plum and her friends did what everyone agreed was the most sensible, the killer still found ways to circumvent them. Sometimes, you don’t realize how important to a story good characters are until they stop splitting up and stomping off into dark woods on their own.

With that being said, Plum was kind of a boring character. Her friends were relatively boring as well. But it works, simply because it leaves the reader wondering one of the most important questions when it comes to a good thriller read: what lies beneath the surface? I also really appreciated the commentary on the Internet, Instagram, and how detrimental the world of influencer culture can actually be. It can be so easy to fall into the area of morally grey actions when it comes to the double-edged knife of internet fame. Parsons may have taken it a bit to the extreme with the whole “murder island” idea but that doesn’t stop the whole scenario from having a ring of truth to it. In fact, it made me sit back and dwell on just exactly how I’m using my platform when it comes to other people.

Although You’re So Dead touched on some extremely relevant themes, it wasn’t always serious. I was addicted, like any good mystery, and determined to find out what would happen next. It really does remind me of those mysteries you read at the beach: hard to put down, easy to forget. Which was actually perfect for me, since I didn’t want a heavy-hitting thriller I had to devote a ton of time and energy to reading at the end of finals!

That’s about where I want to leave my review because it’s almost always better to go in blind! Overall, I’d give this one a 3.5/5 stars, which sounds bad but really isn’t when it comes to this genre for me personally. If you want something deep, and psychologically tantalizing, maybe reconsider reading this one. On the other hand, if you’re looking for your next beach read, this is it!

“The darkness pressed against the windows. It was as if they, all lit up and inside, were onstage, visible to something or someone waiting in the darkness beyond the glass.”

I thought this book was campy YA thriller goodness! Social media influencers of a wide variety are invited to an island for “Pyre festival” and start getting killed off one by one by some unknown murderer on the island. If you’ve ever watched the movie “CLUE” then imagine the twisty fun “whodunit” vibe of that, but modern times and hoodwinked influencers as the target. I think “You’re So Dead” did a perfect job with the mystery/murder parts. There is a romantic subplot, and it felt a little random and out of place most of the time. I think it would have worked better if the characters didn’t randomly muse about their feelings while trying to stay alive and find a murderer, that said it also kind of adds to the camp of it all. Like of course this group would be focused on superfluous things. If you don’t live none of this even matters, but alas I still enjoyed this read. It was fun and made me think a bit about how no matter how well intentioned your social media content is, it could be causing harm and maybe we should all be a little more thoughtful about what we post and how we utilize social media.