The Bitter End is a gripping YA thriller with dark twists and a tense atmosphere. Donne’s writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the story never lets up until the final page.

I rather enjoyed The Ivies and Pretty Dead Queens by this author that I read in the past couple of years, so I was excited to pick this up. If you’re a regular visitor on my blog, you’ll know that I’m starting to steer clear of books with the same old high school teenage drama, but this is one of the few authors I’m making an exception for, because her plots are so delightfully twisty – and this one was no exception!

As expected, I didn’t much enjoy the high school drama, but I absolutely loved the murder mystery. It was a little reminiscent of And Then There Were None, which is one of my all time favorite mysteries. The multiple POVs did a brilliant job at building and maintaining the tension without giving away the culprit until the very end, even through the killer’s POV!

None of the characters were really likeable though I suspect that was intentional, and there wasn’t much of a character arc for any of them either – but I actually prefer plot focused novels for this genre, so that all worked out rather well for me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I’m looking forward to the author’s next work. Highly recommended!

DNF pretty early on, I just could NOT continue anymore. Maybe I’m too old for this genre?


Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review

What would you expect from a group of entitled rich kids stuck on a mountain top without wifi?

I'm sure you're not thinking murder and mayhem, are you? Because, if you were, you're inviting correct!

It's been three years since this group was together in such an intimate way, stuck in a major snowstorm, and history at play.

The way the killers mind works leaves you constantly pondering who is out to get whom and will any of them make it off the mountain?! Twisty and curious at times, smart and playful at others. A solid YA mystery!

Took awhile to pull me in. Came back and tried again. But once I was invested I was invested. Love a teen/scholarly thriller.

The blurb sounded so interesting to me. I prefer YA mysteries to adult ones most of the time. I couldn’t, however, relate to most of the characters and it took me too long to be interested in what was happening next. I am sure many will enjoy it, though, it just wasn’t for me.

Enjoyable read with lots of drama. YA with a group of teens used to getting their way. A senior trip of seemingly selected students with a chaperone. The destination is a remote cabin for soul searching but murder turns out to be the top item. Who is seeking revenge? A great who done it

The Bitter End is a sharp, suspenseful ride through the world of high school cliques, romance, and the creeping horror of a toxic relationship. Holly, the protagonist, quickly gets tangled in a web of obsession when she falls for Aidan, the charming but dangerously manipulative new guy at school. Donne masterfully weaves a tale of growing unease as Holly discovers the terrifying depths of Aidan’s control.

The novel thrives on its slow-burn tension, gradually revealing Aidan’s true nature as Holly’s world crumbles. Donne’s exploration of emotional manipulation and the fine line between love and obsession is chillingly real. While you might want to shake Holly for not running for the hills sooner, her emotional journey feels raw and authentic.

The only downside? Some of the twists can feel a bit predictable, but the tension is high enough to keep you hooked. If you’re into psychological thrillers that make you want to delete your dating apps, The Bitter End will satisfy your craving for dark drama and suspense.

3.5/5 Stars

A winter storm traps 8 high schoolers in a remote ski cabin for their senior excursion. When one of them dies under suspicious circumstances, they quickly realize that they are trapped with a killer who is picking them off one by one.

This was a lot of fun, told in alternating perspectives between the past and present. The chapters in the past allowed the reader to understand how these characters are connected and the secrets they each are hiding from one another. None of the characters are particularly likeable, but they were still interesting to read about. It was fun trying to piece together who the killer could be, as everyone is suspicious at some point in the story.

Another twisty murder mystery from Donne!

I enjoy when mysteries are set in remote locations so everyone is stuck together. No one knows who they can trust and dark secrets start to emerge. The top of a snowy mountain, with no internet or way of getting down was perfect and added a nice extra piece to the tension.

This had various points of view from the high schoolers as they begin to see their friends die. It was fun not knowing who was telling us as the readers the truth and putting together the pieces of what has gone on in the last four years. I also liked the ending, somewhat resolved but with some lingering suspicions out there...

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the copy.

I'm a sucker for a good locked room/trapped by a storm thriller and that's exactly what this one delivered. The story follows eight extremely privileged teens on their way to a digital detox retreat in a secluded cabin high in the mountains. With so many secrets among the eight, no one is happy when their guidance counselor/chaperone takes up everyone's phone. Then the bodies start to drop and panic ensues. The twists in the book were good, I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the flashbacks. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending but overall I enjoyed the story.

4.5 rounded up to 5.0

This is a mystery for teens and adults who want something seasonal and/or mind-bending. Readers hear and learn mostly from female characters and their complicated relationships. I did like having a few chapters from the males in the group, helping to corroborate facts or explain misunderstandings. Readers will feel the pressure as the story becomes Christie’s “And Then There Were None” situation. Who is it? Who is left? Shiver…..The use of two timelines is distinctive and I wanted to gather clues from both equally.



Thanks to the Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the
e-galley. I listened to the audiobook on Libby for this review.

My ratings and reviews are my own.

First of all, the title is perfect. Like Donne’s other books, this one is full of twists and turns to the very end. Eight uber privileged teens are headed for a digital detox weekend at a remote house high in the mountains. They all have secrets, frenemies, and enemies on this trip and things go even more sideways when the first body is found. A locked room mystery/thriller with multiple POVs and flashbacks to a tragic party three years earlier. I thought I had it figured out, but it twisted in another direction. The POVs are little hard to keep track of, but I’m also a firm believer that a locked room mystery only really works with enough suspects to make it fun so the non-distinct POVs was easy to overlook. Overall, another solid YA thriller from Donne.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This was a deliciously chilling YA thriller. I am such a fan of trapped by a storm stories and this one was really good.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was like a teen slasher story, but without gore. It took me a little while to get into it, but about halfway through, I was hooked. Overall a great read!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Slightly unbelievable, it was a page turner that kept you guessing.

This mystery suspense novel follows eight teens from an elite private school who travel to a secluded mountain cabin for a tech-free senior year retreat. Once there, a snowstorm traps them at the cabin and the top of the mountain.

This locked-room mystery has the usual tropes—no phones, a killer on the loose, and flashbacks to messy teenage drama at an influencer party. The frequent point-of-view shifts helped to build suspense, but, for me, the characters were unlikable, and the conclusion was disappointing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alexa Donne, and Random House Publishing for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

My new favorite winter thriller!!!! I was saving this one to read when it was snowy and I fully recommend doing this. Drama, suspense, the vibes. I loved it all!

I love a good locked room mystery and this one did not disappoint. It was the perfect wintery thriller. I enjoyed the different POVs and the writing and pacing were well done. Definitely recommend I by this book and will be reading more by this author.

This was fun and different. I was captivated from page one.
I thought this was well thought-out plot-wise, and the writing was great.
The alternating points of view add energy to the narrative, with Piper’s perspective emerging as especially engaging. hile the plot twists are plentiful and keep you guessing until the end, the final reveal might leave some readers wanting more clarity. Even so, this doesn’t diminish the overall excitement of the journey.