Review: Famous Last Words

Original Release Date:

September 30th, 2014

Date I Read The Book:

May 2016

My Star Rating:

3.5 stars

Chronology:

Standalone

Official Summary:

Hollywood history, mystery, murder, mayhem, and delicious romance collide in this unputdownable thriller from master storyteller Katie Alender.

Willa is freaking out. It seems like she’s seeing things. Like a dead body in her swimming pool. Frantic messages on her walls. A reflection that is not her own. It’s almost as if someone — or something — is trying to send her a message.

Meanwhile, a killer is stalking Los Angeles — a killer who reenacts famous movie murder scenes. Could Willa’s strange visions have to do with these unsolved murders? Or is she going crazy? And who can she confide in? There’s Marnie, her new friend who may not be totally trustworthy. And there’s Reed, who’s ridiculously handsome and seems to get Willa. There’s also Wyatt, who’s super smart but unhealthily obsessed with the Hollywood Killer.

All Willa knows is, she has to confront the possible-ghost in her house, or she just might lose her mind . . . or her life.

Acclaimed author Katie Alender puts an unforgettable twist on this spine-chilling tale of murder, mystery, mayhem — and the movies.

My Review: (Vague Spoilers)

I want to start by saying I love Katie Alender’s books, her “Bad Girls Don’t Die” trilogy is one of my favorites. This book just wasn’t.

Its not a bad book (i did give it 3.5 stars, I did enjoy it) but I felt that it set itself up to being more dramatic and complex than it really ended up being, so that was slightly disappointing. Though that may just be because I saw the ending coming fairly early on.

The romance was cute and the premise was good. The horror aspects suitably suspenseful without becoming nightmare fodder for younger YA readers (though anyone under 13 probably shouldn’t be reading a book about murders, even fictional ones).

If you like books like Anna Dressed In Blood, you’ll like this. But I really do prefer Bad Girls Don’t Die.

Favorite/Famous Quotes:

“This is the kind of dream you don’t wake up from, Henry.” 
― Katie Alender, Famous Last Words

“Everyone lies, and there are no consequences. It’s like a magical fairyland!” 
― Katie Alender, Famous Last Words

“Ignorance may be bliss, but at the end of the day it’s still ignorance.” 
― Katie Alender, Famous Last Words