BOOK REVIEW: Dead Girls

 

DEAD GIRLS
by Beck Kubrick
Available September 22

Maybe it's because I just marathoned five seasons of Only Murders in the Building, but my mind has been kind of stuck on the ethics of true crime lately. I love a podcast or YouTube video that digs into real-world situations, but I also know that you need to be careful when you're profiting off someone else's suffering. Dead Girls explores that fine line, as well as small-town cults, serial killers, and the power of friendship.

Ash Hargreeves is the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and life is already tough enough when you're in foster care and your mom is the subject of true crime podcasts. But now there's a series of copycat killings in Clossdale, with five local girls going missing and turning up dead in the forest. All eyes are on Ash... but, despite being kind of a weirdo, she's innocent.

To clear Ash's name, she and her two friends decide to investigate, using their horror movie nowse to navigate the real-life terrors awaiting them. The truth of the killings (both the current ones and the ones credited to Ash's mom) goes much deeper than a simple slasher flick, and Ash is going to have to dismantle a terrifying tradition to save herself, her friends, and her reputation.

Beck Kubrick's rough art style might not be for everyone, but I liked it, especially for this particular story. The story, like the art, is a strange blend of gory and cute, with many scenes cutting away unapologetically to adorable pink unicorns. (I'm thinking of one scene in particular.) The dialogue does suffer a bit from reading a bit like a grownup trying to guess how teens talk, but that's sort of endemic in middle-grade and YA fiction and there's only so much you can bring it up while knowing it's still going to happen.

That one quibble aside, Dead Girls was a fun read: easy enough to enjoy in one reading, but strong enough to last across a few if you want to measure it out.

TEA PAIRING: Pumpkin Lane Café
A new blend for fall, this decaf fruit tea is inspired by pumpkin pie. I've been enjoying this in the evenings when I'm done with caffeine for the day. The sweet autumnal blend fits just right with this graphic novel and its blend of cute and scary. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off these and more book-inspired teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!

FEATURED CANDLE: Summer Thriller
This is a long-gone seasonal candle, but I always hope it'll come back so others can appreciate it! It's a warm and evocative blend of amber and coconut that somehow brings to mind both dark horror and bright summers. Check out more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!