Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC. I love a good thriller and this book sounded like it would fit the bill! I really enjoyed Cindy R.X. HE's last book, Perfect Little Monsters so I knew this would be worth reading. Think, a group of young people all looking to have a great weekend on a small private island, what could go wrong? This is in the vein of a locked room thriller genre and little by little, people start dying. This is a fast paced thriller and a great book to read on the beach! You'll be amazed at how fast the time flies!

I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but it was so much more crazy than what I thought lol This was wayyyy out there. The entire time I kept saying outloud WTF. This was Cindy’s 2nd book, but by the likes of this book, she felt so much more seasoned than she was lol

OK so the characters were all crazy. I don’t think there was one sane one in the entire lot. But in this situation I don’t blame them. They were all blaming each other and they all had this one secret from back in the day hanging over them. They never felt safe, and I get that, but everything after, yeah no they were crazy. However, I do think she should have done some things a little different. I think she should have told us from the beginning what happened back in the day. Since I didn’t know what it was, I didn’t really feel the impact at all. I think if we had the known it, it would have pushed us deeper into the story. And I didn’t care for the way she kept alluding to things they did, without out-right saying it. I mean if you’re going to go there, GO THERE.

The mystery itself was sad. It had so many freaking layers! And I gotta say, I was impressed with He that she was able to keep things away from us until the very end. She literally didn’t say who it was until it was like 80+%. I thought that was cool af that she was able to do that for some reason. And I have to say, I did get it wrong, so that was also cool. But I also didn’t think it was either of the last ones. So there’s that. I’m not that out of touch lol

This is a thriller, but it has some horror themes in it too. It’s more of a slasher than a jump scare kind of book tho. There is someone going around killing people on this island that they’re locked on with no outside communication to the outside world. I will say tho, this only works because some of these deaths look to be accidents at the beginning. But I think with their history, they should have known that wasn’t true.

This was a lot of fun. Even though I did wish some things were different, for the most part, I think it was a solid thriller. This is definitely one that I’m going to be thinking about for a long while. This one was a thriller, but there was also a bit of other things. I hope y’all pick this up when you get a chance.

This is an eerie and immersive thriller that keeps you on edge from the start. The characters are compelling and full of hidden depths, adding layers to the unfolding suspense. The setting is unsettling as well which adds to the tension.

Dnf at the 30% thank you netgalley and source fire!

I had a hard time connecting with the characters and continuing the story on i did find certain parts really interesting!

But overall the characters got in my last nerve with the teenage angst and bullying. It didnt make me want to continue at this time. I may pick back up at a later date for now 3 stars ⭐️

'This Is Where We Die' is a twisted, high-stakes thriller. Six survivors of a deadly ski trip reunion on a remote, snow-covered private island find themselves cut off and hunted by an unseen killer determined to make sure none escape alive.

He uses multiple perspectives to slowly reveal the truth about what really happened during that ski trip. Social media snippets are used throughout, but there's some dark suspense that keeps you guessing until the end. Reminiscent of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' style narratives.

This one was so fun, i was on the edge of my seat the entire ride and I did not want to put it down. It was so good.

This Is Where We Die is a fun, addictive and twisted tale about six friends who reunite for a lavish graduation party on a secluded island, but the celebration quickly turns sinister. Once a tight-knit group of eight, their bond was shattered after a tragic skiing accident in Canada two years ago that left two of them dead. Now, cut off from the world, tensions flare and secrets surface. As danger closes in, it becomes clear someone is out for revenge and no one is safe. What really happened in Canada?

Wow this one was intense, and unputdownable. An exploration of friendship, the fragility of trust, and the primal instincts that emerge when survival is at stake. I had a love-hate relationship with these characters and I didn't see that ending coming.

I really liked this one! I am a fan of this authors books and this might have been my favorite one by her.

Eight went in. Six came out. And now? No one’s safe.

Let me just say: if you’re a fan of locked-room thrillers with a slasher edge, This Is Where We Die is your next obsession. Think Gossip Girl meets I Know What You Did Last Summer, set on a snow covered private island, with secrets sharp enough to kill.

Sadie and her five surviving friends have been running from what happened during that ski trip two years ago. But the past? It never stays buried. Now, they’ve gathered on an ultra-exclusive island for what should’ve been one last epic weekend. But no boats arrive. No classmates show up. The phones are dead. And then the bodies start dropping.

Cindy R. X. He writes with icy precision and wicked pacing. The dread in this book creeps in like fog, slow, heavy, inescapable. Each chapter peels back the truth behind the ski trip incident, and just when you think you’ve figured it out… the island has one more surprise.

This one does not pull punches. It’s mean. It’s messy. It’s brutally addictive. And it asks the question: what would you do to survive a secret like this?

Trust me.... once you start, you won’t stop. And just like the characters, you’ll start to wonder who you can trust. Spoiler alert? No one.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book by Cindy R.X.He that I have read. I definitely give this book 3.5 stars. The story is told from the multiple view points of a friend group. The story does a decent job keeping up the suspense of who the killer actually is. Is there someone else on the island with them that isn't supposed to be there killing them? Or is it one of the friend group members who has their own reasons for picking them off one by one?

If you are a fan of locked door thrillers this could definitely be your next read! Overall I enjoyed reading this book, I did not see the ending happening the way it did though!

2.5 rounded up. This tried to be too many things. Teen angst, friendship, betrayal, horror. None of it came together into a cohesive whole. The writing seemed amateurish, there were places where the plot was very weak and the gossipy, social media type bits at the end of chapters were repetitive and annoying. I think this author has potential…maybe stick with one story arc and flesh out those characters better. This unfortunately was very superficial.

I loved those the perfect summer thriller. Kept me guessing until the very end! & I really thought they had it all figured out.

Thank you to Cindy, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me to read an early copy of This Is Where We Die! I was hooked from the get-go! Once I read the synopsis, I just had to read it! I really enjoyed getting to see the story from each characters POV. I thought it might be really confusing, but was super easy to keep up with!
If you enjoy thrillers with a really good twist, then I highly recommend checking this book out!

Who wouldn’t have to have their graduation party on a remote island with no adult supervision and all the fun amenities?

A year after surviving a ski trip gone horribly wrong, that also left 2 of their friends dead, a group of friends decide to have one last hurrah before going their separate ways after graduation. A trip to an all inclusive island with chefs and valet, doesn’t sound too bad. But when they get to the island, there’s not a soul there. Maybe the staff will show up tomorrow? They did come a day earlier than the rest of their classmates.

What starts out as a fun trip, turns into a deadly game of who did it and who will survive. Memories of the past come back to the surface to haunt the friends and the fight to survive becomes imperative once again.

This was a fun time! I would say this book is more plot than characters, because the plot is fun and intriguing but the characters are kind of just there. They are all honestly really unlikable and annoying, but I was hooked by the plot so I didn't really care. I do think the past timeline was more interesting, and I kind of wish the story had balanced both timelines a little better.
Overall a spooky, interesting thriller/mystery that does exactly what you want it to do.

Unfortunately, This is Where We Die didn’t really do it for me. 

One of the things that got emphasized pretty frequently during He’s novel is that two people died on the ski trip. But that’s not strictly true. In addition to the two members of the friend group who perished, their tour guide also lost his life. A total of three people died. But I guess the death of the tour guide didn’t really rank for this group. 

That said, I was frankly more interested in the flashbacks during the ski trip than what was going on in the present day on the island. 

No Distinctive Voices

This is Where We Die is told from the shifting perspectives of the six friends on the island. While I appreciate that this was done in order to give a fuller perspective of what was going on - and sometimes this was done well - I often found myself struggling to keep track of whose perspective we were getting. Sometimes, the voices didn’t feel distinctive enough. I had to flip back to remind myself of whose perspective we were getting. I especially had a hard time differentiating between Ant and Will. 

Some chapters also included little snippets of what I assume are supposed to be social media conversations. I don’t think these exchanges really added anything to the story and basically regurgitated what we already know. It’s perhaps telling that I’m not certain whether these were supposed to be social media posts or something else. 

Honestly, I hated all of the characters. Normally, I would say that reading about unlikeable characters can be a fun ride. There are times when I read books where I find myself thinking “I wouldn’t want to know a person like this in real life, but it sure as hell is fun to read about a fictional character like this.” But that’s not what happened with This is Where We Die. I didn’t really think there was anything unique or interesting about any of the characters. And as I said, I sometimes struggled to tell them apart.

The Solution May Be Obvious

Because each chapter clues the reader into whose perspective we’re getting at the beginning of the chapter, it’s probably pretty easy to pick up on who dies next and who the killer ultimately is - especially if you’re a reader like me who pretty chronically flips back to the table of contents to see how many chapters are left. 

Trigger Warnings

I confess that I’m usually pretty bad about mentioning trigger warnings in my reviews, but I think it might be appropriate here. There are tons of trigger warnings for This is Where We Die, including death, murder, substance use / abuse, cannibalism (off page), starvation, food trauma, miscarriage, anxiety, depression, and suicide. 

In Conclusion

I promise I went into This is Where We Die wanting to like it. I thought the premise sounded interesting. I’m sorry to say that I don’t think that I can recommend this novel.

After a tragic incident where a group of teenagers were forced to make decisions that one cannot even begin to imagine, it is time for one last party. What better than a castle on an island away from everyone? It's the perfect way to get one last party in before going off to college. However, right from the start, things seem off. Where is the staff? Why can't they get in touch with anyone? Slowly, things begin to happen, and they must decide whether to band together or turn on each other

This is a MUST READ!!! I loved this authors first book, and I was so excited when I got approved for this one!! This gripped me from the very first page and never let go!

'This is Where We Die' is a solid thriller in the mode of 'And Then There Were None.' Six teenagers, who survived a previous tragedy, rent an island for a graduation party. They expect others to join them the next day. At the island, they find the mansion deserted, and people start to die. Each character has their own POV. A nice addition to the "locked room mystery." 4 stars.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book!! This book was okay, It wasn’t my favorite because I did not get a chance to finish it before it was archived. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t finish it because the story seemed so interesting up to when I read it before it got archived.

And Then There Were None, but with angsts and dramas.
I had a great time reading this thrilling book! I love all the raw feelings like anger and guilt and how things came to play. I also love the twists and turns and how each characters bringing their personality into the fray.