No Shelf Control

by Joelle Wellington

The Blonde Dies First is coming next Tuesday!! Be sure to preorder it now wherever you buy your books! 

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for giving me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own. 

Rating

Four stars

Review

The Blonde Dies First is a wonderful thriller/horror book that plays around with the stereotypes associated with a kill-order in many horror movies. Not only does this book have many horror elements, it explores complex familial themes through the lens of two twins. This adds a beautiful layer of depth to the novel that creates such a well rounded, interesting book. The book manages to be thrilling and just a little scary, while also allowing room for the characters to grow. I also really enjoyed how the author, Joelle Wellington, explored the complexity of different relationships, especially those between siblings. I also found the exploration of stereotypes to be very well written, and also open and honest. The main plot of the novel revolves greatly around stereotypes, oftentimes racial stereotypes, and the subject is approached in such a manner that allows the reader to really reflect upon the impact that these stereotypes may have on people. The slasher setting allows for these topics to be talked about in a mostly lighthearted manner, which I found to be unique and quite enjoyable. While I was entertained throughout the majority of this book, I struggled at times with the pacing of the novel. Oftentimes it felt as if the novel was either moving too fast, or nothing was happening. This made it hard for me to finish the book, and it struggled to keep my attention throughout the whole sorry. If you’re looking for a book that will ease you into the horror world of YA literature, this might just be the perfect novel for you.