"How to Survive Your Murder" is part of a genre that I like to call YA junk food. That is, you have elements of all the YA novels that you read before, nerdy girl who actually looks gorgeous but thinks she doesn't, cool big sister that nerdy girl is kind of jealous of, and mysterious boy that nerdy girl has a crush on. Mix in some elements of a slasher film from the '80s, and you have a book that if you are a hardened YA veteran like myself, you will be filled with nostalgia with some surprised glee. And if you are brand-new to the scene, then you are in for a roller-coaster.
The writing can be cheesy at times, even as our protagonist deals with the loss of her sister (not a spoiler, as it is literally in the summary), but I like to think of it as the same kind of cheesiness found in the cult horror films the author is clearly paying homage to. If you are just looking for some literary fun just in time for Halloween, then I feel this book is perfect for getting in the mood.
The writing can be cheesy at times, even as our protagonist deals with the loss of her sister (not a spoiler, as it is literally in the summary), but I like to think of it as the same kind of cheesiness found in the cult horror films the author is clearly paying homage to. If you are just looking for some literary fun just in time for Halloween, then I feel this book is perfect for getting in the mood.