Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard [book review]

Book: Dead End Girls

By: Wendy Heard

Published: May 10, 2022

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Pages: 336

Genre: YA Thriller

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About Dead end Girls

In one week, Maude will be dead. That’s what she wants everyone to think. She has spent years planning it out and figuring out who can help her get there. Her parents are horrible and deserve this. Not only that she’s attracted to a new life. When Frankie, her step-cousin she doesn’t really know, figures out what she has planned it messes everything up. But Frankie doesn’t want to tell on her. Instead, she wants to join. With the change of plans, they are plummeted into the unknown. They risk everything for a new life but they plummet into the unknown. They risk everything for a new life out there are just some things they can’t really run from.

What I thought

So, I picked up Dead End Girls because I love YA Thrillers. They always catch my attention and I love reading about the drama of what goes down. Dead End Girls is no different. For one I love the cover. That’s what initially caught my attention. For one I love the cover. That’s what initially caught my attention. On top of that, I love reading books that involve runaways or pretty much creating a new life or alternative life.

Dead End Girls caught my attention because I wanted to read this thriller where this young girl plans her fake death and starts a completely new life. It always catches my attention why someone wants to start a new life. What exactly pushes someone to this point? I know there are so many reasons for this and a lot of things can push someone over the edge. I’m just nosey and like reading about it.

I don’t know how I really feel about Dead End Girls. The premise is really good to me. I love the idea. But to me, there is a lot of stupidity and weirdness in the story. For a girl who planned this out for years, she does make a lot of dumb mistakes. I would not let someone come in on my plan. If it took me YEARS to plan this then I would not do anything spur of the moment. That is a disaster waiting to happen and that is exactly what happens in Dead End Girls. On top of that when she includes Frankie in her plan literally everything goes wrong. And I mean EVERYTHING!

The characters are well done on top of that. At least kind of. The only thing I didn’t like was Maude’s crush on Frankie. To me when you become “family” then you need to put all sexual feelings aside. I know some people are okay with this because they aren’t blood-related, but to me, it’s still really weird.

Dead End Girls is a three-star for me. The story really does good at keeping your interest but I feel like the plot is just all over the place. It’s probably something I would not care to reread again.

If you’re looking for more thrillers then make sure to check out my YA thrillers list.