Violent Nights

Wow…so chose this book based on synopsis & cover art-it did NOT disappoint! Didn’t not see the ending coming AT ALL (and I usually do with horror books). Loved the children’s world that was built, the characters of a small town fleshed out so well…literally had me hanging on in the end with the explosion of reactions! Will definitely keep an eye on this author!

Overall, I thought this was well-written and an engaging book to read. The author did a decent job of developing the characters. A good thriller with the ideal number of twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

TW - Graphic Violence, Profanity

What happens when a group of friends decide to make a secret society? Trouble happens in this thriller.

Even though this book wasn't my cup of tea, I still decided to give it a chance. I never expected the twist and turns throughout the book.

I will be definitely trying out another book by this author.

Fantastic quick thriller that I read in one sitting. Enough twists to give you whiplash. This does contain graphic violence so it may not be for everyone, but if you are a horror fan it’s a must read. Just grab this one! I’ll recommend this in my horror book groups. Well done!

Wow. A truly twisted tale from a 13 year old girls perspective. I loved the dual narration of the events! I have never read a book quite like this before and it will keep you hooked from the first chapter.

Unable to hold my attention through it. Good premise and decent start but didn't do enough to keep me wanting to come back for more. May be for someone out there but definitely not for me.

It was a pretty quick read and not bad story. Just didn't love it overall. I can't really pinpoint what it was that was throwing me off, it just didn't come together for me.

This was quite literally ONE HAIR-RAISING HELL OF A RIDE. I was thrilled from beginning to end: the story flowed seamlessly and the tension was well built. You'd think the children's motivations were juvenile and it was easy to predict but I assure you, nothing can pre-empt you for the Violent Nights in the book. Ryan is truly a skilled writer, I've never read anything like this.

A trio of middle schoolers forms a sinister secret society. Their first order of business? Ritual sacrifice, of course.

This was really fun. Perfect for fans of horror a la Stephen King. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror or thrillers.

For his debut book Howard comes out swinging! Violent Nights is quick, gritty, gory, with plenty of twists and turns in a short amount of time. No agenda or hidden messages, just in your face horror with a dash of humor, well done!

I couldn’t but the book down that’s how good it was. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book.

So much going on and I could not look away!

From page one I got major "The Craft" vibes randomly throughout the story and was drawn in. I did not want to stop reading until I found out what happened. There was blood, gore, murder, and a twist I did not see coming. The writing was great and kept me on my toes and as I tried to figure out a bloody "who done it" scenario.

It was a quick read, but one that was interesting from the first page. There was something going on during every part and chapter, and I was not bored with the story, nor did I feel it was drawn out with too much detail. It was to the point and captures the readers' attention.

Overall I was very pleased, shocked, and yearning for more!!

I got story and was drawn in. I did not want to stop reading until I found out what happened. There was blood, gore, murder, and a twist I did not see coming. The writing was great and kept me on my toes and as I tried to figure out a bloody "who done it" scenario.

It was a quick read, but one that was interesting from the first page. There was something going on during every part and chapter, and I was not bored with the story, nor did I feel it was drawn out with too much detail. It was to the point and captures the readers' attention.

This was a fast-paced thriller/horror book that grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go. If you are looking for a quick read that will keep you guessing with an ending that is truly undescribable, this book is for you!

Three teen girls are obsessed with murder, serial killers, and the occult. All have dreams of some day being involved in killing someone. How will this plan work out for them? Find out for yourself!

Thanks to Ryan M. Howard and NetGalley for the opportunity to review Violent Nights. I’m honestly surprised that the book was not longer, it was well written and had three compelling young girls that decided they wanted to take their love for true crime to the next level. Our main character Charm is our narrator and we have the story told to us primarily through her eyes. Initially this seems reasonable although it doesn’t take long before we realize she is still not being completely honest. I think the interaction between the girls and their captive victim Billy all play a tad farcical but not too badly when taken with the fact that these girls are only 12-13 years old. I don’t think I would recommend it for that age group because it does get a bit intense at times but certainly young adult and older adults will enjoy the feel of a beginner slasher in the making style book.

I thought it was okay, it's a relatively short book and for me that was totally okay, as I would've DNF it if it was longer.
I did like the plot twists and the illustrations, though.

2.5⭐️

Best friends Charm and Maggie-Lynn have always been obsessed with serial killers. It’s something that they have kept secret knowing that it would take the right person to be the third person on their group. That’s why Maggie-Lynn is so excited when she meets Tildra. Tildra has a goal to be a serial killer and she knows just how to do it and not get caught.

Charm ends up baking out of the plan at the last minute and saves her classmate, Billy. Everyone thinks she’s a hero. But as she tells her story to law enforcement, not everything adds up to Tildra being a criminal mastermind.

…Right. This is a middle-grade/YA book that focuses on middle schoolers performing a ritual sacrifice. And it very much reads as if it was written by a hyperactive middle schooler. Charm is supposed to be an unreliable narrator, but for the most part this felt like when a kid tells you a story full of “and then this happened and then this happened.” The incompetent cops, Charm’s father in general, and the backstory of Charm’s grandma were just a few things that were so over the top it felt like a parody.

I’m pretty sure this is supposed to be based off the girls who tried to sacrifice their classmate to Slenderman a few years ago. I think theirs a fine line for true crime fans between being serial killer obsessed and being so anxious about the world they assume everyone is going to kill them. The girls in this came across as an over the top version of the former.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC to me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this arc.

4 stars / 5 stars

Things I loved:
Had me hooked from the start
The ending shocked me
Loved the murder, blood and gore.
Loved that it was a quick read
Love the dark academia vibe

Wow… just, WOW!! I was always told you can’t judge a book by it’s cover but in this case, I’m so glad I took the chance! AMAZING

gaslight gatekeep girlboss, charm did no wrong in my eyes

initially, it was momentarily hard to keep up with the story and i was pretty bored until 30%. being a short story, the events were structured in a detailed yet concise way but didn’t hook me until the girls were actually going through with the murder

the illustrations at the beginning of each part were so pretty and the overall structure of the book was well-thought and laid out.

the ‘plottwist’ was one i guessed from the beginning and wasn’t expanded on, and seemed to be thrown in for the shock factor. however, the style of the writing made it impactful nevertheless. truly a superb debut novel.

You never ever mess with the occult, and this group of teenagers learn that the hard way. The devil will never give you what it promised. And the poor boy that is sacrificed is about to have his life changed forever.

This was a interesting concept for a horror novel, it was great that middle schoolers formed a secret society and I was hooked on this concept. The group was evil enough and had everything that I was expecting from this type of book. The characters were wonderfully written and glad I read about them. Can’t wait to read more from the author.

Well, this was mind-boggling! I couldn’t stop reading, the writing was so good, and the story as well. So many things happening and the twists all the way just made my head turn from left to right. Highly recommended! Thanks for the author Netgalley for allowing me to read this book!

Young girl saves young boy, killing friends in the process.
It's a great hook and honestly a decent read if not a bit lacking.
Everything fell apart dramatically in the last chapter or so and I felt like it could have ended better.
Charm is telling her version of events, confident Billy will stick to his. Only Billy doesn't and all hell breaks loose.
I would have liked this more if they had discovered Charm was a descendant of the Bender family and essentially got away with almost murder and murder via self-defense, leading to an epilogue of her in a new town possibly finding a new victim.
Nowhere did it indicate Charm was behind the whole thing and it was this revelation that sent the book into the stratosphere for me. I enjoyed it up until this point. It sadly missed it's potential.
I received a copy via NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

When i started the book I was like, wtf???? But than i reached the end of the book and i was like, wtf???? It was a good fvcking book for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.
I had a lot of fun with this short and nasty book. You'll meet some of the most frightening middle schoolers ever. I read the book in two settings and found it compulsively readable. This is a pretty impressive first novel. 3.75 stars, rounded up.

This book had a gorgeous cover and an ever enticing hook, but for me that was it. The plot line was this story's only saving grace. If this had been older teens, more fleshed out, and edited appropriately, it could have been an amazing book with a great twist and big finish.
The characters were very much out of place for me. The kids (12-13 yr olds) were way too grown up and the adults were so childish and unprofessional it was all just too unbelievable. The girls language just seemed too sophisticated while the adults consistently devolved into mass chaos.
The darker tones in this book were nice, but seemed out of place with the children it described. This was very clearly a first novel from someone who may have potential in the future. As of right now, there are too many eye rolls, deep breaths, and disappointments to recommend this book.

After saving a middle school classmate from a grisly fate at the hands of her best friend and their new friend, Charmane “Charm” Wilson is called upon by law enforcement to give her formal statement regarding the horrific events that unfolded.

All she has to do is tell the truth. Something that is easier said than done because Charm isn’t quite the hero that those around her believe her to be…

Told in a non-linear fashion, from start to finish, Violent Nights was utterly engrossing. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop until I had completely finished the novel. The story never seemed to drag and each chapter left me eager to read more. It was unsettling, atmospheric and also reminded me of a recent true crime case involving children.

My only criticisms would be how mature the lead children characters sound-closer to adults than middle schoolers-and how the ending went from completely unexpected to almost unbelievable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ryan M. Howard for providing me this compelling eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Huge thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for this title. This was a debut novel from Ryan M. Howard, and I cannot wait to see what else he comes out with!

Violent Nights was a fast-paced thriller story with horror-esque aspects woven in throughout. There are dark academia vibes, betrayal, drama, brutal violence, and atmospheric tension throughout. The way in which the author weaves the past and current events into the story is flawless and easy-to-follow.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery!

I loved this book! The writing had me keep coming back to it when I had to adult. I usually have quite a few books going at once so I don't get 'bored', but that was not an issue with this book at all. If I didn't have a bad RA flare while reading this, I would have gotten it done in a few hours as I excited to see where the story went. This story was well thought out and planned. The ending was perfect.

I thought Charm would get away with it all. I really did. I thought Billy would just submit to Charms story. I am so glad that wasn't the case. It's about time the story was told different then waiting until the 'weaker' character was an adult & telling the story.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book as there are some graphic scenes. Violent Nights is about a group of middle schoolers planning to kill a fellow classmate. What can go wrong right? I was not expecting the twists or the ending of this story! I really appreciated how the author kept me guessing about the ending up until the last page. The novel is told in the present and past tense to give readers more information and try to decipher what is true and what is a lie. Thank you NetGalley and the author, Ryan Matthew Howard, for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of Violent Nights in exchange for my honest review!

I was in the mood for something easy and Violent Nights fit the bill. It's a very quick read...I ended up finishing this in a couple of bours. The tone and pacing definitely fit the Middle Grade/YA genre.

The main character, Charm, is supposed to be an unreliable narrator (at least that's the vibe I get), but it fell a bit flat for me there. I also get Slenderman vibes and feel like the story is a play on that scenario but it didn't flesh out well...at least not for me.

While I didn't love this one, I didn't hate it either. With all that in mind, this would be a good Spooktober Read for anyone looking for a slightly scary and non-gory read.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Ryan Matthew Howard and netgalley for e-arc in exchange for honest review. This book was a chefs kiss. I loved every second of this book.

I liked how fast paced the story went, it was light and predictable but the story telling is good, made it interesting still. There are twists, and the last one is just crazy, but I enjoyed it. A good read for spooky season and the cover is really nice too.

Well Violent Nights took me on a bit of a roller coaster ride. 3 girls obssesed with murder and serial killers decide to make a cut of their own. They choose a young man that 2 of them have known their entire lives. Tilda is the new girl who truly seems to be unhinged. She has masterminded the plan of how Billy will be killed. So together Tilda, Charm and Maggie-Lynn begin a cult of their own making and lure Billy to the old cemetary for him to meet his doom and what the girls call The Monster Gods. Charm decides that she wants to be a hero instead and turns on her friends but that isn't where anything ends. Detectives question both Billy and Charm believing that Charm is the hero of the story until Billy flips the script and that is where the carnage begins.
This was a quick read and it is definetly in the realm of middle school YA..

I want to thank #Netgalley for the chance to read #ViolentNights in return for a fair and honest review.

YA/Middle School
Thriller
Horror
Lots of blood

Check your triggers.

Wow! Fast paced thriller/horror!
Perfect for a quick read during the spooky month.

The twist and turns towards the end had me on the edge of my seat.

This was a great read. Definitely recommend.

Definitely enjoyed this. Loved the cover and the premise of the book. Definitely gave off Slenderman vibes. Loved it and looking forward to the next book!

I actually really enjoyed this book. It was a short intense horror story. We need more like this! Generally speaking keeping us guessing was the best part.

This was a short book which I finished in a couple of hours and I did enjoy it, just what I wanted atm.
I didn't love this too much but I didn't hate it either, this would be a good Spooktober Read for anyone looking for a slightly scary and non-gory read.

First I would like to thank Net Galley and Ryan Howard for this arc.

This was an interesting read. With it being YA I wasnt expecting it to be quite as DARK as it was. This is not just a heroic journey of a girl who stopped a murder. This was going into the mind of someone who desperately needed help. ( Honestly ever character in this book needed help).

Well that escalated quickly.
The end was a shitshow, and I loved it. Jesus fucking christ. It was a very fun read throughout, but the ending had me quacking. I feel like I'm gonna need to process this one for a bit, haha.

Was NOT excepting that! This book was definitely worth the read. The pacing was good, the story itself was amazing, overall it was just the perfect short read for the spooky season.

I read this during October, so it seemed perfect to read it and get ready for Halloween and spooky season.

The book does contain graphic violence and profanity. I thought it would be hard to get into this book since it’s about teenagers, and I’m an adult. But I actually had no issues.

Spooky season has passed, but I still recommend this book. Very easy and quick read.

I love how the author the twist and turns of this book come to life with the misdirection of things throughout the book

Violent Nights is a dark and bloody popcorn horror story. It’s a very fast paced read. Once the action starts it doesn’t let up. The baseline of this story is from a very popular true crime murder. If you are looking for a quick read try this one out.

A crime thriller that I actually enjoyed reading. The author did an amazing job with the turn of event in the story.

Charm is a middle school kid with a sick family history. She also has a friend with the same twisted hobbies that she has and all they really want to do is cause trouble. I would assume the story is set in the times of today, but the author did not provide any indication of where time period the story takes place.

The authors writing style is clever with the twist and turns in the plot. This really makes the reader try to figure out what's going to happen next. With the culprits being children, one would think how bad could this so called murder actually be.

Great story to read for the crime and thriller enthusiasts. I gave this title 4 star rating because I am one to look at the table of contents, and how the chapters were planned out were a bit confusing.

This was a quick and easy read that I would have loved when I was younger. I loved how the story was set up and was completely immersed in it. It was hard for me to put down. The ending was so good as well!

• i received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

this was the author's first book, and it was incredibly good for a debut novel. i really enjoyed it! it was a very quick read for me & i really enjoyed the pace of the story overall & all of the events that occured in the story were very detailed. i also really enjoyed the past & present timelines.

3 stars

When Tarinda was browsing the True Crime books at the local library while ditching summer school she met Maggie lynn another eighth grader who was so happy to meet yet another girl who liked TC.She told TarinDa she couldn’t wait to introduce her to her friend Charmaine as they have been looking for a third to complete the triangle but for what? It is the what of the story that first blew my mind it is toll from two different points of view the vent while it’s happening and then go to survive the event explaining what happened but are they telling the truth and what consequences do the laws bring? This book is phenomenal and I do mean that in every sense of the word any preconceived notion‘s of thriller endings you may have throw them out the window because you have never seen an ending like this one. Not only was I captivated by this awesome story and the authors storytelling but once things started going haywire at the end I was just left amazed. This was a great book and one book I definitely definitely recommend to any YA fan. With the authors great storytelling and the whopper of a story I don’t believe any true fan will be disappointed this is a really good book! A definite five star read! Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Dark, creepy , as well as Erie, the type of story that I would read on a dark stormy night and I can't sleep, which is what I did .

Such a great story for a younger reader. I feel like this would be a book that I would’ve enjoyed a lot when I was in middle school. The story has so many dark twist, and turns with a Moody atmosphere that I really enjoyed.