Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie is dying. At 43, she has been given the same fateful dire diagnosis that her mother was given when Maggie was a teenager. She is dying from a rare incurable blood disease and only has a few months left to live. She is the mayor of her small town, married to Alex, the handsome head of the local hospital, has two kids and is determined to live out her last few days with them all.

The story is told in three parts and took me a long time to get into. The opening chapters of the novel are centered around Maggie's teen years surrounding her mother's death and the aftermath it left. This included the gold digging women who sought to marry her father. This portion of the story dragged for me and I was not connected to the character and considered stopping multiple times. The story shifts into more currant time and deals with Maggie's illness and current state of affairs. The last portion of the book had some good twists and was much more interesting. I can not say that it warrants all of the 5 star reviews but definitely saved me from a very low rating. I could not connect with the character as Maggie turned out to be an unreliable narrator, withholding key information from the audience. There are a lot of characters and much too long with a lot of the story being unnecessary distractions from the last portion of the book. If the book had been like the end portion and not rambling useless side stories this would have been a much better rating. This is a personal opinion, and I think men can write women characters well, I struggle when they are written in an over sexualized manor, especially in the teenage girls years.

The absolute best part of this audiobook was January LaVoy. She is an excellent narrator and I greatly enjoy listening to her. I highly recommend listening to her.

Don’t Tell Me How To Die by @marshallkarpauthor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you had 3 months left to live... would you try to control what happens after you’re gone? 💭

Maggie has one thing to do before she dies, but time is running out. She has everything: a loving husband, two great kids, an exciting and respectable career. And then, at the age of 43, she found out she’d be dead before my next birthday. Her mother also died young from the same blood disease, and she had warned 17-year-old Maggie and her sister that women would flock to their suddenly single father, so they had to look out for him. They tried, and one woman ends up nearly destroying all of their lives. So Maggie’s not letting that happen to her family. She’s got three months, and plans to spend all of it searching for the perfect woman to take her place.

This book has so many 5 star reviews, and I understand why! It’s original, funny, and the twists just kept coming. I listened to the audiobook and had to rewind several times bc I had to make sure I heard right. Characters are well-developed, the writing is very high-quality, and the story is quick and addictive. During the first part of the book, I thought to myself… isn’t this supposed to be a thriller? It felt like a family drama. But JUST WAIT, because where the first half of the book sets the stage, the second half swoops in and flips the script on you, totally changing the narrative. I definitely recommend!!

Thank you to @netgalley + @blackstonepublishing for this advanced audio copy! 🎧💕

#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview #donttellmehowtodie #booknerd #bookstagram

Wow, did not expect that twist! I really enjoyed listening to this thriller and it definitely took some unexpected turns! I liked the back and forth on the timelines and how then end brought everything back together. Very enjoyable.

The narration was well done.

What. Did. I. Just. Read?! (or listen to in this case)

This is brilliant! I was crying, and then I was lifting my hands in surprise at all the turns I never expected! I absolutely LOVE this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for this AMAZING story!

Don't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp is a razor-sharp domestic thriller blends biting humor, emotional depth, and jaw-dropping twists into one unforgettable ride. The story follows Maggie, a successful woman who learns she has only months to live. Determined to protect her family from the chaos she experienced after her own mother's death, Maggie embarks on a mission to find the perfect woman to take her place—and she'll stop at nothing to do it.

Karp's writing is clever and emotionally resonant, with characters that feel fully realized and a plot that constantly keeps you guessing. The pacing is tight, the stakes are high, and the blend of dark comedy with psychological suspense is masterfully done.

But what truly elevates this audiobook is January LaVoy's narration. She brings every character to life with nuance and precision, capturing Maggie's fierce determination, vulnerability, and wit with remarkable skill. Her performance adds layers of emotion and tension, making the story even more immersive. LaVoy doesn't just read the book—she inhabits it, and it's a joy to listen to.

Don't Tell Me How to Die is a must-listen if you're looking for a fresh, emotionally charged thriller with a unique premise and top-tier narration.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marshall Knapp, and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An addictive, original and thrilling domestic suspense, with plenty of family drama, dark humor and unexpected plot twists!

Maggie is diagnosed with a rare blood disease, the same disease that killed her mother when Maggie was a teenager. Maggie is determined to spend her final months finding the perfect woman to replace her, as wife to Alex, and carer to her children Katie and Kevin. She also reflects on her experiences after the death of her mother, and the impact on her sister and father. Sounds like a family drama right, that is what I was expecting. However, there is ample psychological suspense, as the story progresses, with varying secrets being unveiled.

I was fortunate to listen to the audiobook, which is narrated brilliantly by January LaVoy. Her voice worked so well for the storyline, and I will definitely be seeking out other audiobooks narrated by January.

With thank to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the audio review copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most phenomenal books I have read/listened to this year. The cover does not do it justice. We have so much going on in this story and it just blends so well. The ending was not what I expected. I love the way we learn a little about our protagonists history as the story moves along.
And the funeral! OMG it was perfect.
The narration was great too.

I have never read a book by this author and this will not be my last, that's for sure! I absolutely LOVED this book and the twists at the end came out of nowhere! If I'm really being picky, the end seemed a little rushed in trying to wrap it up but other than that, it was absolutely amazing! The narrator of the audiobook definitely did this book justice! 10/10 would recommend.

Ya’ll do not sleep on this book. I went into this thinking it was just another thriller and boy was I wrong. There’s a lot of grief and humor to help make light of an awful situation. Maggie was an amazing FMC and so level headed that it blew me away. Her family is also so loving. It gets me all in my feels and then I got twisted up like a pretzel. The twist was wild and I didn’t see it coming. Seriously check this one out, you won’t regret

🤩 I loved this! 🤩

Omg this was so freaking good. I went into it somewhat blind (which is to say, I read the blurb a while ago & decided I wanted to read it, but when I went back to start reading it, I completely forgot what it was about 🥲). I thought it was a thriller of some kind, but the first part is more so a domestic drama- which I wasn’t sure if I was going to like, but even that was fantastic. When more of the thriller aspect comes to play, I was blown away.

I cried at parts of this; I laughed; I was holding on to the edge of my seat. I just straight up loved this. Talk about a genre-bender! Definitely one of my top reads this year.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Everyone! Just go in blind, and have a fun time!

𝑨 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
The narrator for this simply WAS the main character. She was absolutely perfect, and really made this book into a stunning audio presentation.

This story was an engaging psychological thriller with so many twists and turns that I sometimes got lost in the shuffle of switching from past to present.

Pros vs. Cons

Pros: Sensible and well-told story. Great world building and character development. Real and multi-faceted characters with relatable back stories and human flaws that made you care about their outcome.
-Intriguing plot that kept me engaged and wanting to know what would happen next.
-Enough subterfuge and misdirection to keep me guessing.
-Good narration with tolerable voice.

Cons: After reading the synopsis of the story I was hooked, and just had to know how a dying woman’s quest to find her replacement could possibly turn out. Well, I would say that that particular plot point didn’t really surface until around the 75% mark of the story, and was a bit of a let down in its execution and importance to the overall story.
-Too many side characters to keep track of.
-The main protagonist, Maggie, was deplorable. I could never warm up to her character despite her potentially life-ending plight, and my instincts about her true nature proved to be spot on by the end of the book.
-Beginning and middle of story dragged on a little too long covering so much background history that I became bored at one point and only skimmed several chapters.
-The big reveal at the end seemed somewhat rushed, as not enough time was spent fleshing that particular part out, as had been spent with the first 80% of the book establishing what happened in the past. Which left a lot to be desired with the ending.
-I don’t always expect the ending of a book to be wrapped up all nice and tidy but the ending of this story seemed incomplete and a bit of a cliffhanger, with unanswered questions and the villain getting away scott free.
-Title a bit of a misnomer, especially by the end of the book.

Outlier opinion coming in hot! I know this has been a HUGE hit with many. Sadly this didn't work for me.

I had a really hard time getting into this, in part due to the negative way women are portrayed and unrealistic plot points. I couldn't connect with ANY of the characters. The protagonist, Maggie, was unlikeable. She’s self indulgent, narcissistic and controlling as a teenager and even worse as an adult. Yet she's also inexplicably dependent on men. There's a lot of sex, drugs and alcohol and general all around poor decision making. I couldn’t empathize with her at all and she annoyed me to no end. Oddly enough a secondary character, Johnny, (a stoner drug dealer) was my favorite part of the entire story. He seemed the most realistic and and made me chuckle.

I can see where the author was trying to go with some of the more emotional aspects of a wife and mother dying prematurely and wanting her family to be cared for. However, many of the interactions between characters didn't ring true. A lot of this story also hinges on an aspect I didn't care for, making subsequent events illogical and implausible.

The audiobook production however, was STELLAR and January LaVoy perfectly performs a stunning amount of distinctive voices all of which are richly INFUSED with emotion. She's the reason I finished the book. She’s a true pleasure to listen to and breathes life into the story.

Thank you Blackstone for the free audiobook. All opinions are mine.

Wow! This was so good! Unlike anything I’ve ever read/listened to! I was so invested the whole time and loved the character development. My only complaint was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt and I wanted a bit more. I enjoyed the narration as well and thought they did a good job going back and forth between timelines! I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

This book was definitely one where if grief is a trigger you should think about reading this or not. I enjoyed the narrator when she was speaking for a woman but not when she was talking with a man. It was too slow burn for me. I did not see the twists coming.

A FIVE for me!

I’ve heard you either love Don’t Tell Me How to Die or don’t care for it. Fortunately, I’m in the former group.

From the first chapter, this book gripped my mind and held on for days. I couldn’t stop thinking about it long after I finished. Maggie, Lizzie, their parents, and Maggie’s friend are characters who will stay with me. It’s a story I won’t forget!

I know I should tell you more, but you’ll enjoy it most if you go in blind.

So here’s the bare minimum: Maggie’s mother dies of an aggressive blood cancer at forty-three. When Maggie reaches the same age, she learns she has the same disease and only months to live. Like her mother, she doesn’t want her husband, Alex, to end up with an unsuitable woman. Determined to find a worthy partner for Alex and a loving presence for her children, Kevin and Katie, Maggie sets out to choose someone she approves of to complete her family after she’s gone.

It sounds straightforward, right? Nope, so many formidable twists that made this book a fantastic novel!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Shaped by the shadow of an incurable illness, Maggie begins making plans for the life her family will lead after she’s gone. As she wrestles with the decisions ahead, she reflects on the path that brought her to this moment - uncovering truths that shock, surprise, and ultimately reshape her understanding of the life she’s built.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
Let’s start with the good news: this book is seriously entertaining. It’s super readable, really addictive, and if you can get the audiobook, do it. January LaVoy is flawless - she nails every voice, from teenagers to Jewish therapists. I adore her.

Now the heads-up: this isn’t really a thriller until the final 20%. And I mean not at all. If you’re a ride-or-die thriller reader like I am, that’s worth knowing going in.

The story’s told across multiple timelines and mainly follows Maggie, who’s easy to root for. Even though the subject matter is heavy, it’s not a gut-wrencher - it’s actually hopeful, full of depth, and packed with great characters.

The final stretch is where the thriller elements kick in. I guessed one twist, but there were still plenty of surprises, and the ending totally landed for me.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
Bearing in mind that this is pretty much a non-thriller thriller, it’s so entertaining that I highly recommend it. If possible, listen to the audiobook. It’s not only brilliantly narrated, it totally enhances the vibe and awesomeness of the book!

Thanks to @Netgalley and
@BlackstonePublishing for access to this advanced readers copy

I had to give this one a couple days to sink in. This book was super twisty, and I found the premise to be unique. There were some parts that seemed a bit far fetched, but I overall enjoyed it. I was sucked in from the beginning and ended up finishing the book in one day. Following the journey of a woman diagnosed with only months to live that also lost her mother to the same rare disorder, you get a chance to glimpse her past and present. Be prepared for a roller coaster ride when you dive into this one! January LaVoy is a fantastic narrator and really brought the story to life. I felt so many emotions listening to this book. If you want a super twisty, emotional psychological thriller, check this one out! Thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Maggie has a ticking clock. Her mother died from a rare blood disease, and she has convinced her or her sister, Lizzy, will inherit this disease. She has become accustomed to the blood draws every 6 months. The constant waiting to find out if your life is going to end young. Now at forty-three, she receives the call she's been dreading her entire adulthood. She's going to die; she has the same blood disease as her mother. Now she knows there are things she must set in motion for her husband and children before she dies.

This book is twisty, dark and full of surprises. Plenty of suspense to keep you engaged. After the first chapter I was completely sucked in. I love that this book is full of short chapters, that is absolutely one of my FAVORITE things in a book, aside from the plot and twists!

January Lavoy did a fantastic job portraying these characters, especially Maggie. She is easy to listen to, easy to follow even with speeds turned up to 2.5.

Absolutely cannot recommend this book enough! I really enjoyed the audiobook format and would highly suggest giving this one a listen! I've never read anything by Marshall Karp before, but I'm committed to finding more of his work!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This one sucked me in right away and I read(listened) in 2 sittings.Just kept me so entertained the whole time, I have finally realized that pace is just as or sometimes more than, content. For the first time ever, this book made me want to check out some of this author's James Patterson collaborations. Patterson is no doubt a very talented writer and in the past I've read some of his books, but the cookie cutter sameness of his are usually not for me Marshall Karp has many more on his own that I've already put on hold at my library.If you like fast action crime fiction,police procedurals,or Michael Connelly's work,I highly encourage you to check out this 5 star treat!

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this advanced reader copy

Dark, twisty, and totally addictive.
Maggie has three months to live-and one last mission: find the perfect woman to take her place as wife to her husband and mother to her kids. But this isn't a gentle goodbye. Maggie is smart, unfiltered, and possibly unhinged-and I was hooked from the first page.
This story is packed with jaw-dropping twists, biting humor, and emotional gut-punches. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Karp flipped the entire story on its head. And that ending? I'm still recovering.
Told in a dual timeline with a deeply unreliable narrator and a voice you won't forget, Don't Tell Me How to Die is unlike anything l've read. January LaVoy nails the audiobook performance-funny, raw, and absolutely riveting.
Highly recommend if you love thrillers that mess with your head in the best way.
Do you like the unsettling element of an unreliable narrator? What are you up to this weekend?