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A review by dryan0
#murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil
4.0
Set in the near future, eighteen year old Dee has been convicted of murdering her stepsister, and is sentenced to a new type of prison, known as Alcatraz 2.0, run by a mysterious figure known as The Postman. Located on an island, Alcatraz 2.0 is always under surveillance, and the public can tune in at any time to watch the live feeds of the prisoners. What makes this prison different is the fact that there are killers on the island, who, allowed by the government, torture and kill the convicted felons that end up there. The audience can watch the murders and place bets on who they think the killer will be for each inmate.
Dee swears she's innocent, and refuses to become one of the island's next victims. She forms a group of friends, nicknamed by the public the Death Row Breakfast Club, and together they try their best to stay alive day by day. Dee is determined to find a way off of the island to prove her innocence, but in doing so, has placed herself right in the The Postman's line of sight.
As soon as I read the blurb for #MurderTrending, I knew I had to read it! I am a huge fan of books that incorporate social media into the plot, given how prevalent social media is for most people these days. Reading the book was an interesting experience, because while we know from the beginning that Dee says she's innocent, you can't help but rooting for not just her, but her entire posse of friends, even knowing that they've all been sentenced to the island because they are convicted killers (regardless of whether or not they say they are innocent).
Another element to the book that I loved was the mysterious character, known as The Postman - a former reality TV producer, who no-one knows the identity of, but who runs the island. There are a few chapters that are told from The Postman's point of view, which made him even more intriguing.
If you are a fan of books like The Hunger Games and 1984, movies like The Purge and Untraceable, and shows like Big Brother, I think you'll be a fan of this book. There are elements of survival, voyeurism, social media, dystopia, and corrupt governments and legal systems, and I think some of these things are really relevant to today's society, just on a smaller scale.
All in all, this was a perfect YA thriller for me, and exactly what I needed to read at the moment. Because it's YA, it was quick and easy to get through, but didn't skimp on the gore or reveals. I also loved the ending of the book - it did a great job wrapping up this story so the reader doesn't feel like they got ripped off, while leaving it open just enough to leave room for a sequel (which comes out next year!). I'd like to thank Freeform for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.
Dee swears she's innocent, and refuses to become one of the island's next victims. She forms a group of friends, nicknamed by the public the Death Row Breakfast Club, and together they try their best to stay alive day by day. Dee is determined to find a way off of the island to prove her innocence, but in doing so, has placed herself right in the The Postman's line of sight.
As soon as I read the blurb for #MurderTrending, I knew I had to read it! I am a huge fan of books that incorporate social media into the plot, given how prevalent social media is for most people these days. Reading the book was an interesting experience, because while we know from the beginning that Dee says she's innocent, you can't help but rooting for not just her, but her entire posse of friends, even knowing that they've all been sentenced to the island because they are convicted killers (regardless of whether or not they say they are innocent).
Another element to the book that I loved was the mysterious character, known as The Postman - a former reality TV producer, who no-one knows the identity of, but who runs the island. There are a few chapters that are told from The Postman's point of view, which made him even more intriguing.
If you are a fan of books like The Hunger Games and 1984, movies like The Purge and Untraceable, and shows like Big Brother, I think you'll be a fan of this book. There are elements of survival, voyeurism, social media, dystopia, and corrupt governments and legal systems, and I think some of these things are really relevant to today's society, just on a smaller scale.
All in all, this was a perfect YA thriller for me, and exactly what I needed to read at the moment. Because it's YA, it was quick and easy to get through, but didn't skimp on the gore or reveals. I also loved the ending of the book - it did a great job wrapping up this story so the reader doesn't feel like they got ripped off, while leaving it open just enough to leave room for a sequel (which comes out next year!). I'd like to thank Freeform for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.