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Dead Girls Walking
A shocking, spine-chilling YA horror slasher about a girl searching for her dead mother’s body at the summer camp that was once her serial killer father’s home—perfect for fans of Friday the 13th and White Smoke
Temple Baker knows that evil runs in her blood. Her father is the North Point Killer, an infamous serial killer known for how he marked each of his victims with a brand. He was convicted for murdering 20 people and was the talk of countless true crime blogs for years. Some say he was possessed by a demon. Some say that they never found all his victims. Some say that even though he’s now behind bars, people are still dying in the woods. Despite everything though, Temple never believed that her dad killed her mom. But when he confesses to that crime while on death row, she has no choice but to return to his old hunting grounds to try see if she can find a body and prove it.
Turns out, the farm that was once her father’s hunting grounds and her home has been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. So Temple poses as a camp counselor to go digging in the woods. While she’s not used to hanging out with girls her own age and feels ambivalent at best about these true crime enthusiasts, she tries her best to fit in and keep her true identity hidden.
But when a girl turns up dead in the woods, she fears that one of her father’s “fans” might be mimicking his crimes. As Temple tries to uncover the truth and keep the campers safe, she comes to realize that there may be something stranger and more sinister at work—and that her father may not have been the only monster in these woods.
Temple Baker knows that evil runs in her blood. Her father is the North Point Killer, an infamous serial killer known for how he marked each of his victims with a brand. He was convicted for murdering 20 people and was the talk of countless true crime blogs for years. Some say he was possessed by a demon. Some say that they never found all his victims. Some say that even though he’s now behind bars, people are still dying in the woods. Despite everything though, Temple never believed that her dad killed her mom. But when he confesses to that crime while on death row, she has no choice but to return to his old hunting grounds to try see if she can find a body and prove it.
Turns out, the farm that was once her father’s hunting grounds and her home has been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. So Temple poses as a camp counselor to go digging in the woods. While she’s not used to hanging out with girls her own age and feels ambivalent at best about these true crime enthusiasts, she tries her best to fit in and keep her true identity hidden.
But when a girl turns up dead in the woods, she fears that one of her father’s “fans” might be mimicking his crimes. As Temple tries to uncover the truth and keep the campers safe, she comes to realize that there may be something stranger and more sinister at work—and that her father may not have been the only monster in these woods.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2024
About the author
Sami Ellis
3 books71 followersSami Ellis is a queer horror writer inspired by the horrific nature of Black fears and the culture’s relation to the supernatural. When she's not the single auntie with a good job, she spends her time not writing. You can follow her @themoosef on Twitter, or check out her words in her debut novel Dead Girls Walking (2024).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
September 12, 2024
$9.99 audiobook sale @ Libro.fm
Black History Month
Horror isn't my usual genre, not because it's notoriously white, but because I often can't deal with gore, especially in a visual medium. Sometimes I'm fine reading it. Sometimes not.
I would say I preferred the first 2/3 of this book much more than the last. Things get weird. Temple Baker, daughter of the North Point Killer, goes to a LGBTQ+ friendly horror camp for other wayward youths like her. Some of them have bullied her before. Not because she's a serial killer's daughter. That part is a secret, at least for a while.
Why all the murders? Who lurks in the woods? Why does Temple's dad have so many "fans"? Come and find out. I'll be eager to read more of this author's work, and more from this publisher.
📖 Thank you to YALLWEST and Amulet Books
Black History Month
Horror isn't my usual genre, not because it's notoriously white, but because I often can't deal with gore, especially in a visual medium. Sometimes I'm fine reading it. Sometimes not.
I would say I preferred the first 2/3 of this book much more than the last. Things get weird. Temple Baker, daughter of the North Point Killer, goes to a LGBTQ+ friendly horror camp for other wayward youths like her. Some of them have bullied her before. Not because she's a serial killer's daughter. That part is a secret, at least for a while.
Why all the murders? Who lurks in the woods? Why does Temple's dad have so many "fans"? Come and find out. I'll be eager to read more of this author's work, and more from this publisher.
📖 Thank you to YALLWEST and Amulet Books
September 20, 2024
Dead Girls Walking is a recent YA Horror release. One that I had been very anxious to pick up. The publisher's synopsis, as well as the intriguing cover, had my full attention.
It looks like this is a debut novel for author, Sami Ellis, and while I can appreciate the author's creativity and ambition, the story did not work for me, unfortunately.
I considered giving it 3-stars, but I have to be honest about my experience. For me, a 3-star book is something I liked, but that didn't blow me away and may have minor issues. I just don't think this one reached that status for me.
I'm not going to say anything about the plot. Please read the synopsis for more info. I barely understood what was happening and had to refer to the synopsis multiple times to try to get my bearings. Because of this, I feel I have nothing further to add in that regard.
And here we come to the heart of the issue for me. I found this narrative style confusing as heck. It felt like being dropped off at a movie halfway through, taking multiple bathroom breaks, and still being expected to understand what's going on. Spoiler Alert: I didn't.
It never succeeded in grabbing my attention. Additionally, the cast of characters, besides our MC, Temple, all blended together for me, and by the end, I just wanted it to be over.
With this being said, just because this one didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I have seen some great reviews, I just feel like it was a miss for my tastes.
Thank you to the publisher, Amulet Books and RB Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I am interested it picking up more from this author in the future. I feel like maybe a different concept could help me engage more with their writing style.
It looks like this is a debut novel for author, Sami Ellis, and while I can appreciate the author's creativity and ambition, the story did not work for me, unfortunately.
I considered giving it 3-stars, but I have to be honest about my experience. For me, a 3-star book is something I liked, but that didn't blow me away and may have minor issues. I just don't think this one reached that status for me.
I'm not going to say anything about the plot. Please read the synopsis for more info. I barely understood what was happening and had to refer to the synopsis multiple times to try to get my bearings. Because of this, I feel I have nothing further to add in that regard.
And here we come to the heart of the issue for me. I found this narrative style confusing as heck. It felt like being dropped off at a movie halfway through, taking multiple bathroom breaks, and still being expected to understand what's going on. Spoiler Alert: I didn't.
It never succeeded in grabbing my attention. Additionally, the cast of characters, besides our MC, Temple, all blended together for me, and by the end, I just wanted it to be over.
With this being said, just because this one didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I have seen some great reviews, I just feel like it was a miss for my tastes.
Thank you to the publisher, Amulet Books and RB Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I am interested it picking up more from this author in the future. I feel like maybe a different concept could help me engage more with their writing style.
April 5, 2024
3.25 Stars
Love the premise and setting!
Temple's father is a notorious serial killer, known as the North Point killer, who is currently serving time in prison. However, despite his incarceration, people are still being killed at his former residence, which has now been converted into a camp for horror enthusiasts, particularly queer girls.
Temple has always doubted her father's guilt in her mother's murder, and he has now sent her to the camp to search for her mother's body. She is now a camp counselor, giving her an opportunity to investigate her mother's disappearance on the grounds where the murders took place.
However, as soon as she arrives at the camp, the situation takes a dark turn. One of the girls is found dead, raising the question who is responsible for the killings? As Temple digs deeper into the camp's secrets, she realizes that her own life may be in danger. Will she be able to uncover the truth, or will she too become a victim of the mysterious killer?
As someone who enjoys Friday the 13th, I was excited to read a book set in a creepy summer camp for horror fans. While I love the premise, I felt that the execution could have been stronger. Although the story had potential, I found myself struggling to fully immerse myself in it due to some issues with character development and plot progression. In particular, I found Temple, the MC, to be unlikable and the other girls in the story to be underdeveloped and blended together. Additionally, the plot felt somewhat disjointed, which made it difficult to follow at times. Despite these issues, I like the big reveal. If you're a fan of YA slasher/horror/paranormal stories, this may be for you.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Sami Ellis, and RB Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Love the premise and setting!
Temple's father is a notorious serial killer, known as the North Point killer, who is currently serving time in prison. However, despite his incarceration, people are still being killed at his former residence, which has now been converted into a camp for horror enthusiasts, particularly queer girls.
Temple has always doubted her father's guilt in her mother's murder, and he has now sent her to the camp to search for her mother's body. She is now a camp counselor, giving her an opportunity to investigate her mother's disappearance on the grounds where the murders took place.
However, as soon as she arrives at the camp, the situation takes a dark turn. One of the girls is found dead, raising the question who is responsible for the killings? As Temple digs deeper into the camp's secrets, she realizes that her own life may be in danger. Will she be able to uncover the truth, or will she too become a victim of the mysterious killer?
As someone who enjoys Friday the 13th, I was excited to read a book set in a creepy summer camp for horror fans. While I love the premise, I felt that the execution could have been stronger. Although the story had potential, I found myself struggling to fully immerse myself in it due to some issues with character development and plot progression. In particular, I found Temple, the MC, to be unlikable and the other girls in the story to be underdeveloped and blended together. Additionally, the plot felt somewhat disjointed, which made it difficult to follow at times. Despite these issues, I like the big reveal. If you're a fan of YA slasher/horror/paranormal stories, this may be for you.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Sami Ellis, and RB Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
April 14, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is one of those stories that felt familiar and unique all at once. A YA slasher, set at a horror-themed summer camp for queer teenage girls, located deep in the woods, once the home of a renowned serial killer, this story was giving classic Friday the 13th and Evil Dead vibes from the start.
Our heroine Temple Baker is the definition of morally grey, chip-on-her-shoulder, surly teenager. She’s the daughter of said serial killer, who decides to insinuate herself into the camp as a counsellor with ulterior motives. She’s an outsider to her core, having seen and experienced some majorly disturbing things in her young life, and being ostracized over the actions of her deranged family. At the point the story starts, we meet a very angry and fed up Temple, who now seeks answers she believes she’ll only find on this land her father once used as his killing grounds.
Slow to start, this story took a while to grab me and have me invested. I was immediately put off by the characters and the whole tone of their personalities, finding Temple quite jarring in temperament (but understandably so, given all the murder afoot) and finding little to like about the assortment of camp goers and fellow counselors she was surrounded by.
But as the action began to unfold (around the 30% mark), and the truth began to unveil itself to Temple as one gruesome and harrowing moment played out after another, resulting in A LOT of death and mayhem, I found myself unable to turn away, intrigued by the outlandish and spooky turns the story kept taking—which I honestly wasn’t expecting but I was hella entertained by.
I still got to the end and didn’t much care for the surviving characters (or the ones who were killed off in a gnarly fashion along the way), but I was (for the most part) entertained by the goings-on and appreciated the ingenuity of the story being told.
This stories biggest strength, though, lies in the exceptional representation and diversity of its cast, who were made up entirely of bold, intelligent, young queer black women. It was a refreshing ensemble, to be sure, and even though I didn’t find many of them very likeable by my own standards, I still appreciated the “realness” of these teenagers, flaws and all.
*********************************
Audio Edition:
I listened to the audiobook, read by Tamika Katon-Donegal, and quite enjoyed her overall narration. She delivered a very dynamic and visceral vocal performance, bringing to life (even in death) all of these young women, with distinct, easy to discern voices.
However, due to something in the way the story was written, I’m not all that sure I followed a few of the “flashbacks” or dream sequences that happened throughout the story, particularly in the first half. I felt like I was missing something, more than a few times, which made me wish I had access to a visual copy of the story so I could discern changes in narrative and time. This was in no way a flaw on the narrators behalf, but rather, a prime example of how some styles of storytelling limit themselves from easy adaptation into audio consumption.
Still, I think, for what she was working with, narrator Katon-Donegal did a smashing job and really helped bring this twisted story and its characters to life.
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those stories that felt familiar and unique all at once. A YA slasher, set at a horror-themed summer camp for queer teenage girls, located deep in the woods, once the home of a renowned serial killer, this story was giving classic Friday the 13th and Evil Dead vibes from the start.
Our heroine Temple Baker is the definition of morally grey, chip-on-her-shoulder, surly teenager. She’s the daughter of said serial killer, who decides to insinuate herself into the camp as a counsellor with ulterior motives. She’s an outsider to her core, having seen and experienced some majorly disturbing things in her young life, and being ostracized over the actions of her deranged family. At the point the story starts, we meet a very angry and fed up Temple, who now seeks answers she believes she’ll only find on this land her father once used as his killing grounds.
Slow to start, this story took a while to grab me and have me invested. I was immediately put off by the characters and the whole tone of their personalities, finding Temple quite jarring in temperament (but understandably so, given all the murder afoot) and finding little to like about the assortment of camp goers and fellow counselors she was surrounded by.
But as the action began to unfold (around the 30% mark), and the truth began to unveil itself to Temple as one gruesome and harrowing moment played out after another, resulting in A LOT of death and mayhem, I found myself unable to turn away, intrigued by the outlandish and spooky turns the story kept taking—which I honestly wasn’t expecting but I was hella entertained by.
I still got to the end and didn’t much care for the surviving characters (or the ones who were killed off in a gnarly fashion along the way), but I was (for the most part) entertained by the goings-on and appreciated the ingenuity of the story being told.
This stories biggest strength, though, lies in the exceptional representation and diversity of its cast, who were made up entirely of bold, intelligent, young queer black women. It was a refreshing ensemble, to be sure, and even though I didn’t find many of them very likeable by my own standards, I still appreciated the “realness” of these teenagers, flaws and all.
*********************************
Audio Edition:
I listened to the audiobook, read by Tamika Katon-Donegal, and quite enjoyed her overall narration. She delivered a very dynamic and visceral vocal performance, bringing to life (even in death) all of these young women, with distinct, easy to discern voices.
However, due to something in the way the story was written, I’m not all that sure I followed a few of the “flashbacks” or dream sequences that happened throughout the story, particularly in the first half. I felt like I was missing something, more than a few times, which made me wish I had access to a visual copy of the story so I could discern changes in narrative and time. This was in no way a flaw on the narrators behalf, but rather, a prime example of how some styles of storytelling limit themselves from easy adaptation into audio consumption.
Still, I think, for what she was working with, narrator Katon-Donegal did a smashing job and really helped bring this twisted story and its characters to life.
***A special thanks to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2024
When I saw this was a slasher taking place in a summer camp setting full of queer women of color I knew I had to read it. Somehow it was every horror trope while also blasting through them. I did find the main character Temple a little hard to connect with, but she grew on me as the story went. The first third was a little slow to get through, despite the amazing first line. The second two thirds were pure horror chaos and I loved every second of them. Temple has returned to the woods where she grew up. After a visit to her father, who is in prison as a convicted serial killer, she is determined to find the body of her mother. She doesn’t want to believe her father killed her, but she needs to know what happened to her. Luckily for Temple there is a free, short, summer camp for queer, Black girls who love horror and she was accepted as a counselor giving her the perfect cover. But the old adage about never being able to go home again wasn’t lying. Temple will find more than she ever knew about her family and their history at this camp. I liked this story and I’ll admit I was a little mad when I saw the author had finished it in 2018 and I took this long to get it published. I hope this success of publications leads to more horror from Sami Ellis.
March 29, 2024
This YA Horror book had me feeling all the creepy crawlies, making sure the lights were on, and checking over my shoulder. The banter in this book gave me several good chuckles.
Temple Baker is signed up to be a camp counselor at a horror fan's summer camp geared towards young women of color. The twist is that the camp is on the haunted property in the woods of Virginia that Temple's family has lived on for generations. Temple's father was arrested and confessed to killing 10 people on this property. However, Temple is convinced that her father was possessed by a demon and didn't truly commit the murders.
Temple's father has given her clues that require her to investigate the crime scenes. The only way for her to access the property without drawing attention is to attend the summer camp and sneak off when she can.
Themes and elements in this book are as follows:
🍁YA Horror
🍁The Diverse Baseline
🍁Women of color
🍁Queer
🍁Gay
🍁Demon possession
🍁Haunted houses
🍁Haunted properties
🍁Walkers
Be aware of the following triggers:
🍁Graphic d3mon possession
🍁Gore
🍁Graphic m*rder scenes
🍁Walkers
🍁Ghosts
Temple Baker is signed up to be a camp counselor at a horror fan's summer camp geared towards young women of color. The twist is that the camp is on the haunted property in the woods of Virginia that Temple's family has lived on for generations. Temple's father was arrested and confessed to killing 10 people on this property. However, Temple is convinced that her father was possessed by a demon and didn't truly commit the murders.
Temple's father has given her clues that require her to investigate the crime scenes. The only way for her to access the property without drawing attention is to attend the summer camp and sneak off when she can.
Themes and elements in this book are as follows:
🍁YA Horror
🍁The Diverse Baseline
🍁Women of color
🍁Queer
🍁Gay
🍁Demon possession
🍁Haunted houses
🍁Haunted properties
🍁Walkers
Be aware of the following triggers:
🍁Graphic d3mon possession
🍁Gore
🍁Graphic m*rder scenes
🍁Walkers
🍁Ghosts
March 29, 2024
Narrated by Tamika Katon-Donegal
Presented by RB Media
Man, I tuned out for SO MUCH of this audiobook. It wasn't what I expected and I just couldn't get into it.
The blurb suggests something like a slasher flick, with a group of black lesbian kids camping out at a horror camp. One of the camp counsellors, Temple, is the daughter of a convicted serial killer, and she's only got the gig so that she can dig up (literally) the truth about the death of her mum. Then a body turns up, and Temple 'fears that one of her father's "fans" might be mimicking his crimes.'
I was expecting a serial killer roaming the woods, picking off kids. I was expecting tense moments, dramatic kills, and the fear of someone lurking in the woods. I wanted eerie atmosphere and jump scares.
What I got was a multigenerational haunting with a lot of ridiculous supernatural stuff and Temple talking often about what a terrible person she is.
Honestly, it was just so dull to me. It seemed to go on forever - when I thought things were coming to a head and we were getting into the explanations and final battles, I was barely 50% through. And then it was just the same crap for the rest of the book. There was nothing that hooked me in and had me invested at all - by the end, I was just desperate for it to be over.
I was also really confused about who was a camper and who was a counsellor because they all seemed to be the same age? I thought counsellors were supposed to be older so they could look after campers? Not that I've ever been to one of these camps in my life ... but I read, ya know?
So essentially, because it wasn't what I was expecting and there was a lot of the same stuff happening repeatedly, I tuned out often and still never felt the need to go back and re-listen. I even literally fell asleep at one stage (which I guess is also kind of a compliment to the narrator because her voice was quite soothing).
Admittedly, I listened to most of it while sick and out of it with a cold, so that might have added to how easily I was distracted, but I did find it really hard to concentrate and stay with this one.
Horror lovers might enjoy it, but don't expect a slasher flick - this is something a bit different.
With thanks to Netgalley for an audio ARC
Presented by RB Media
Man, I tuned out for SO MUCH of this audiobook. It wasn't what I expected and I just couldn't get into it.
The blurb suggests something like a slasher flick, with a group of black lesbian kids camping out at a horror camp. One of the camp counsellors, Temple, is the daughter of a convicted serial killer, and she's only got the gig so that she can dig up (literally) the truth about the death of her mum. Then a body turns up, and Temple 'fears that one of her father's "fans" might be mimicking his crimes.'
I was expecting a serial killer roaming the woods, picking off kids. I was expecting tense moments, dramatic kills, and the fear of someone lurking in the woods. I wanted eerie atmosphere and jump scares.
What I got was a multigenerational haunting with a lot of ridiculous supernatural stuff and Temple talking often about what a terrible person she is.
Honestly, it was just so dull to me. It seemed to go on forever - when I thought things were coming to a head and we were getting into the explanations and final battles, I was barely 50% through. And then it was just the same crap for the rest of the book. There was nothing that hooked me in and had me invested at all - by the end, I was just desperate for it to be over.
I was also really confused about who was a camper and who was a counsellor because they all seemed to be the same age? I thought counsellors were supposed to be older so they could look after campers? Not that I've ever been to one of these camps in my life ... but I read, ya know?
So essentially, because it wasn't what I was expecting and there was a lot of the same stuff happening repeatedly, I tuned out often and still never felt the need to go back and re-listen. I even literally fell asleep at one stage (which I guess is also kind of a compliment to the narrator because her voice was quite soothing).
Admittedly, I listened to most of it while sick and out of it with a cold, so that might have added to how easily I was distracted, but I did find it really hard to concentrate and stay with this one.
Horror lovers might enjoy it, but don't expect a slasher flick - this is something a bit different.
With thanks to Netgalley for an audio ARC
March 28, 2024
"Dead Girls Walking" by Sami Ellis is like a pulse-pounding thrill ride through a haunted house - once you step in, there's no turning back! From the get-go, I was sucked into Temple Baker's twisted world, where evil runs in her blood and secrets lurk behind every corner.
The story starts a bit slow, but once it gains momentum, it's an unstoppable force of terror. Temple's quest to uncover the truth about her father's crimes while navigating a queer horror camp filled with true crime enthusiasts is a ride I won't soon forget. The characters are richly developed, their backstories adding layers of depth that make them relatable and real.
Ellis's storytelling prowess shines through in every spine-chilling moment, keeping me guessing and gasping in equal measure. The twists and turns had me reeling, and I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom lurking in every shadow.
For horror fanatics and lovers of the macabre, "Dead Girls Walking" is a must-read with its unique premise and fantastic representation. Just be prepared for some gruesome moments that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.
The story starts a bit slow, but once it gains momentum, it's an unstoppable force of terror. Temple's quest to uncover the truth about her father's crimes while navigating a queer horror camp filled with true crime enthusiasts is a ride I won't soon forget. The characters are richly developed, their backstories adding layers of depth that make them relatable and real.
Ellis's storytelling prowess shines through in every spine-chilling moment, keeping me guessing and gasping in equal measure. The twists and turns had me reeling, and I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom lurking in every shadow.
For horror fanatics and lovers of the macabre, "Dead Girls Walking" is a must-read with its unique premise and fantastic representation. Just be prepared for some gruesome moments that will leave you sleeping with the lights on.
September 25, 2024
i LOVE a good summer camp horror
January 22, 2024
Ellis has crafted a brilliant tale that begins with the mounting tension of slow burn terror, reminiscent of the A24-style horror I’ve come to love and appreciate, but then, at the most unsuspecting moment, launches you headfirst into a Black Queer Evil Dead vibe that’s a pure adrenaline rush until the very satisfying (and bloody) end.” — Terry J. Benton-Walker, bestselling author of Blood Debts and The White Guy Dies First
August 31, 2024
Unfortunately two stars is probably generous here. I should have DNF’d this. However I persevered; but didn’t really gain anything except more confusion in the end. I know this is a debut novel by a young writer. I understand what was being attempted; however, it was so poorly executed I’m shocked this was the ‘best’ final product. Sometimes when you are sent away by many, many publishers it’s because your book needs too much work. More work than an editor can reasonably provide. I believe that to be the case in Dead Girls Walking.
To keep this from being me ranting let me summarize some of the key issues I had:
- no rules are ever really set-up for the world and it’s resurrection style magic. There’s an attempt early-on but every time I turned around a rule is proven wrong
- it is possible to have too many twists and turns. In order to make a book feel cohesive, readable (ie: plot can be followed), and seem ‘realistic’ inside the confines of magic set-up it needs to have some stickiness that keeps it all together. Dead Girls Walking is a flat hot mess of jumping around, attempts to be clever that all fall down because nothing seems to fit together properly
- our leading girl is annoying. Her obsession with identifying herself as a monster for no real reason (besides her father is a serial killer) really bugged me. Especially as you learn some of the spoilers in the story… she clearly knows right from wrong even early on in the story. I think a survivors guilt complex would have been a smarter way to go
- the attempt to connect this all to a fictional novel written by a person close to the family is bizarre. We never get any real info about the novel (some excerpts with little context), and our heroine hasn’t read the book (which is also weird…); as she is our only POV we get snippets of the novel in the text but no real analysis of it. In some ways the inclusion of the novel tries to set boundaries for the magic (and maybe solutions?) but it felt gimmicky and incomplete
- finally, the first third of the book feels like it’s about a completely different type of ghost/horror story than the rest. The ghost set-up went from tiny to huge with little transition. I really want to read what the story should have been within the confines of the set-up of the first part of the novel. Instead it grew so quickly and by the halfway point Dead Girls Walking had become outrageous and out of control. There’s no real pacing, attention to timeline details, or magical rules to help define the world. Unfortunately for me that means it just didn’t ‘stick’ together well.
Overall, Dead Girls Walking has a bunch of poorly written fairly gory scenes, illogical plot jumps, a very annoying lead character, upside down twists that don’t fit, and no real cohesion. I’d love to read the story of lesbian girls at a ‘horror themed’ camp (who are obsessed with a real crime nearby) learning about the crime and themselves at the same time. That is the book I want to read. Unfortunately, while this is billed as such, it’s far from what I had expected or hoped for based on the blurb.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
To keep this from being me ranting let me summarize some of the key issues I had:
- no rules are ever really set-up for the world and it’s resurrection style magic. There’s an attempt early-on but every time I turned around a rule is proven wrong
- it is possible to have too many twists and turns. In order to make a book feel cohesive, readable (ie: plot can be followed), and seem ‘realistic’ inside the confines of magic set-up it needs to have some stickiness that keeps it all together. Dead Girls Walking is a flat hot mess of jumping around, attempts to be clever that all fall down because nothing seems to fit together properly
- our leading girl is annoying. Her obsession with identifying herself as a monster for no real reason (besides her father is a serial killer) really bugged me. Especially as you learn some of the spoilers in the story… she clearly knows right from wrong even early on in the story. I think a survivors guilt complex would have been a smarter way to go
- the attempt to connect this all to a fictional novel written by a person close to the family is bizarre. We never get any real info about the novel (some excerpts with little context), and our heroine hasn’t read the book (which is also weird…); as she is our only POV we get snippets of the novel in the text but no real analysis of it. In some ways the inclusion of the novel tries to set boundaries for the magic (and maybe solutions?) but it felt gimmicky and incomplete
- finally, the first third of the book feels like it’s about a completely different type of ghost/horror story than the rest. The ghost set-up went from tiny to huge with little transition. I really want to read what the story should have been within the confines of the set-up of the first part of the novel. Instead it grew so quickly and by the halfway point Dead Girls Walking had become outrageous and out of control. There’s no real pacing, attention to timeline details, or magical rules to help define the world. Unfortunately for me that means it just didn’t ‘stick’ together well.
Overall, Dead Girls Walking has a bunch of poorly written fairly gory scenes, illogical plot jumps, a very annoying lead character, upside down twists that don’t fit, and no real cohesion. I’d love to read the story of lesbian girls at a ‘horror themed’ camp (who are obsessed with a real crime nearby) learning about the crime and themselves at the same time. That is the book I want to read. Unfortunately, while this is billed as such, it’s far from what I had expected or hoped for based on the blurb.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Read
July 5, 2024I was really excited to read this one from Sami Ellis. It failed to hit the mark unfortunately. Young adult isn’t always my cup of tea but if done correctly, it can be just as frightening as adult horror. This wasn’t one of those experiences. It was scary at all, and read more like a murder mystery than horror. Oh and summer camp horror is a trope that has been done to death and it didn’t really bring anything new and fresh to the table.
FMC, Temple’s dad is a psychopath. He is in jail for killing many, many girls. Think Ted Bundy on crack. She is desperate to find out what happened to her mother. One minute she was there, hiding in the bathtub with Temple, protecting her from her father and the next she was gone. Can she find her or did her father kill her like he claims? In order to go back to the start, she volunteers as a camp counsellor to access her old property. It’s a tricky business. She doesn’t want to be there and is unwilling to forge any friendships. Each teenager is obsessed with horror and a certain book and Temple finds herself cringing at their immaturity.
My main issue with the book wasn’t that it was YA, more that it read much younger than YA. It was a real hard slog to get through and felt very immature in places. Perhaps it was more middle grade. Again, I feel this book was marketed poorly – It wasn’t really horror and it didn’t feel like YA.
FMC, Temple’s dad is a psychopath. He is in jail for killing many, many girls. Think Ted Bundy on crack. She is desperate to find out what happened to her mother. One minute she was there, hiding in the bathtub with Temple, protecting her from her father and the next she was gone. Can she find her or did her father kill her like he claims? In order to go back to the start, she volunteers as a camp counsellor to access her old property. It’s a tricky business. She doesn’t want to be there and is unwilling to forge any friendships. Each teenager is obsessed with horror and a certain book and Temple finds herself cringing at their immaturity.
My main issue with the book wasn’t that it was YA, more that it read much younger than YA. It was a real hard slog to get through and felt very immature in places. Perhaps it was more middle grade. Again, I feel this book was marketed poorly – It wasn’t really horror and it didn’t feel like YA.
April 11, 2024
DNF @ 24%
I simply did not enjoy this audiobook. The premise seemed like something right up my alley, however the story never fully picked up for me to be invested.
There's a few points where the internal dialogue is from a man and I never enjoy when the narrator just "lowers their voice" for the man's part. It's annoying and often just takes me out of the scene.
But the main reason I couldn't finish this book is that I simply did not like the flow of the book. It felt like the story bounced around to different scenes and random thoughts from the MC with no transition to what's happening or why. I found myself constantly asking "what is going on??"
This is a BIG flop for me and I haaaate when I have to give a Black author a negative review ... ugh this left me doubting if I'd even enjoy the physical book at all and I highly doubt I'll give it a chance...
Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for an advanced copy.
I simply did not enjoy this audiobook. The premise seemed like something right up my alley, however the story never fully picked up for me to be invested.
There's a few points where the internal dialogue is from a man and I never enjoy when the narrator just "lowers their voice" for the man's part. It's annoying and often just takes me out of the scene.
But the main reason I couldn't finish this book is that I simply did not like the flow of the book. It felt like the story bounced around to different scenes and random thoughts from the MC with no transition to what's happening or why. I found myself constantly asking "what is going on??"
This is a BIG flop for me and I haaaate when I have to give a Black author a negative review ... ugh this left me doubting if I'd even enjoy the physical book at all and I highly doubt I'll give it a chance...
Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for an advanced copy.
April 8, 2024
I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a good book to read if you want to diversify your reading. The author is a black woman, and the main character is also black. In fact, pretty much all of the characters are female, black, and queer.
The book starts with Temple as a camp counselor for a weekend retreat for female black, queer, horror fans, where she is attempting to find her mother’s body. Her father is a convicted serial killer, and he told her where she could find what happened to her mother, which is at his old hunting grounds, right where the camp is. The only problem is that her father is a bit of an unreliable narrator. And people are still dying, even though he’s incarcerated.
I think the book starts off a little slow, but when it picked up, it’s did hold my attention, especially the later in the book I read. Dead Girls Walking did not go in the direction I thought it would, but even though it wasn’t what I thought it was going got be, I did enjoy and was entertained by it. I would think I knew what was going on, but it kept surprising me.
This is a good book to read if you want to diversify your reading. The author is a black woman, and the main character is also black. In fact, pretty much all of the characters are female, black, and queer.
The book starts with Temple as a camp counselor for a weekend retreat for female black, queer, horror fans, where she is attempting to find her mother’s body. Her father is a convicted serial killer, and he told her where she could find what happened to her mother, which is at his old hunting grounds, right where the camp is. The only problem is that her father is a bit of an unreliable narrator. And people are still dying, even though he’s incarcerated.
I think the book starts off a little slow, but when it picked up, it’s did hold my attention, especially the later in the book I read. Dead Girls Walking did not go in the direction I thought it would, but even though it wasn’t what I thought it was going got be, I did enjoy and was entertained by it. I would think I knew what was going on, but it kept surprising me.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
June 10, 2024DNF @ 64%
I wanted more serial killer dad, less dumb kids in a summer camp 😔😔
I wanted more serial killer dad, less dumb kids in a summer camp 😔😔
December 27, 2023
This was so much fun.
Like I genuinely can’t stress enough how much fun this was to read.
You know when you read a book and you just know that it’s going to be loved by so many when others finally get to have their hands on it? That’s how I felt reading this book and I feel so lucky I was able to read an ARC.
A horror slasher set at a queer horror camp with fantastic representation? An absolute yes from me.
This had me on edge and I think I lost count how many times I genuinely gasped because something completely took me by surprise.
This is my way of being ominously vague with my review but at the same time emphasise how fantastic this debut is. I just know that this author is going to be one to watch.
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Like I genuinely can’t stress enough how much fun this was to read.
You know when you read a book and you just know that it’s going to be loved by so many when others finally get to have their hands on it? That’s how I felt reading this book and I feel so lucky I was able to read an ARC.
A horror slasher set at a queer horror camp with fantastic representation? An absolute yes from me.
This had me on edge and I think I lost count how many times I genuinely gasped because something completely took me by surprise.
This is my way of being ominously vague with my review but at the same time emphasise how fantastic this debut is. I just know that this author is going to be one to watch.
Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 8, 2024
TW: Language, racism, homophobia, slurs, violence, blood, gory scenes, toxic family relationships
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Temple Baker knows that evil runs in her blood. Her father is the North Point Killer, an infamous serial killer known for how he marked each of his victims with a brand. He was convicted for murdering 20 people and was the talk of countless true crime blogs for years. Some say he was possessed by a demon. Some say that they never found all his victims. Some say that even though he’s now behind bars, people are still dying in the woods. Despite everything though, Temple never believed that her dad killed her mom. But when he confesses to that crime while on death row, she has no choice but to return to his old hunting grounds to try see if she can find a body and prove it.
Turns out, the farm that was once her father’s hunting grounds and her home has been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. So Temple poses as a camp counselor to go digging in the woods. While she’s not used to hanging out with girls her own age and feels ambivalent at best about these true crime enthusiasts, she tries her best to fit in and keep her true identity hidden.
But when a girl turns up dead in the woods, she fears that one of her father’s “fans” might be mimicking his crimes. As Temple tries to uncover the truth and keep the campers safe, she comes to realize that there may be something stranger and more sinister at work—and that her father may not have been the only monster in these woods.
Release Date: March 26th, 2024
Genre: YA Horror
Pages: 368
Rating:
What I Liked:
1. Pov of black queer characters
2. Daughter of a killer
3. Scooby-Doo aspect to solve a case
4. Cabin atmosphere
What I Didn't Like:
1. Shallow characters that didn't matter
2. No back stories about characters
3. Temple's constant one track thoughts dragging the story down
4. Some parts rambled and felt so long
5. Hate characters that bicker over and over
Overall Thoughts:
Okay Temple going to this queer black camp to find out what happened to her mother. Interesting. Why is her father so evil to her to not just tell her the truth?
Did I miss the part where she doesn't have the same last name as her father - the famous killer?
Ummm it's so weird how they don't call for help but they laugh about the situation. Plus wanting to post to tiktok and not calling for help. Was weird that no one wants to call the police. Maybe it's because I am white but I'd be freaking out that I am next and would take my chances. I guess I don't really know the dread to feel.
Are we supposed to like Temple? She keeps siding with her father and painting him as this innocent person despite she suspects her father killed her mother, and has seen him kill other women. It's so difficult to like her.
I'm so over all these characters just yelling at one another. Also they find a body and in the same breathe they are laughing and joking.
So Temple's grandmother is apart of murdering people too.
Dnf 90% in. I just can't find myself caring enough to finish it.
Final Thoughts:
I feel so torn over this book. On one hand I enjoyed the story of a girl trying to find out if her mother was really killed by her father, while also trying to fit in with some girls that she has stuff in common. Sadly though I felt conflicted because it is a book that is YA, but kept trying to throw in language that tried to make it seem older. It made me think of 10 year olds that swear when the parents are away. I just didn't know how I was supposed to take this book.
I felt so thrown into the story that I left confused if I even cared about Temple's mother or that her father was a killer. We never really get to learn who her mother was or why we as readers should feel anything beyond just another character in the book that someone else cared about. Maybe that's on me as I do need to know something about the characters if they are going to be victims. If I told you about someone dying that I knew you'd be less sympathetic than if you knew the person who died. When you put a personality and a face to a person who has died they're more likely to actually care what happened, unfortunately I never felt that way in this book. We do learn that her mother was trying to bring Temple to death with her.
I tried to care about the characters that were in the book and were explained, but I feel like their personalities were so overshadowed, and they were just side characters to Temple's paranoia personality. Every time we had a moment to feel for one of the characters we were pushed into Temple's daydreams and terrors of was that her mother or could that be her mother dead there. It all became so much for me. I needed more than just Temple hyper fixating on the same thought over and over.
I really tried to get into this book but I started it and put it down for a week before making an effort to even finish it. I just wasn't interested.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley, Amulet Books (ebook) and Recorded Books (audiobook) for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Temple Baker knows that evil runs in her blood. Her father is the North Point Killer, an infamous serial killer known for how he marked each of his victims with a brand. He was convicted for murdering 20 people and was the talk of countless true crime blogs for years. Some say he was possessed by a demon. Some say that they never found all his victims. Some say that even though he’s now behind bars, people are still dying in the woods. Despite everything though, Temple never believed that her dad killed her mom. But when he confesses to that crime while on death row, she has no choice but to return to his old hunting grounds to try see if she can find a body and prove it.
Turns out, the farm that was once her father’s hunting grounds and her home has been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. So Temple poses as a camp counselor to go digging in the woods. While she’s not used to hanging out with girls her own age and feels ambivalent at best about these true crime enthusiasts, she tries her best to fit in and keep her true identity hidden.
But when a girl turns up dead in the woods, she fears that one of her father’s “fans” might be mimicking his crimes. As Temple tries to uncover the truth and keep the campers safe, she comes to realize that there may be something stranger and more sinister at work—and that her father may not have been the only monster in these woods.
Release Date: March 26th, 2024
Genre: YA Horror
Pages: 368
Rating:
What I Liked:
1. Pov of black queer characters
2. Daughter of a killer
3. Scooby-Doo aspect to solve a case
4. Cabin atmosphere
What I Didn't Like:
1. Shallow characters that didn't matter
2. No back stories about characters
3. Temple's constant one track thoughts dragging the story down
4. Some parts rambled and felt so long
5. Hate characters that bicker over and over
Overall Thoughts:
Okay Temple going to this queer black camp to find out what happened to her mother. Interesting. Why is her father so evil to her to not just tell her the truth?
Did I miss the part where she doesn't have the same last name as her father - the famous killer?
Ummm it's so weird how they don't call for help but they laugh about the situation. Plus wanting to post to tiktok and not calling for help. Was weird that no one wants to call the police. Maybe it's because I am white but I'd be freaking out that I am next and would take my chances. I guess I don't really know the dread to feel.
Are we supposed to like Temple? She keeps siding with her father and painting him as this innocent person despite she suspects her father killed her mother, and has seen him kill other women. It's so difficult to like her.
I'm so over all these characters just yelling at one another. Also they find a body and in the same breathe they are laughing and joking.
So Temple's grandmother is apart of murdering people too.
Dnf 90% in. I just can't find myself caring enough to finish it.
Final Thoughts:
I feel so torn over this book. On one hand I enjoyed the story of a girl trying to find out if her mother was really killed by her father, while also trying to fit in with some girls that she has stuff in common. Sadly though I felt conflicted because it is a book that is YA, but kept trying to throw in language that tried to make it seem older. It made me think of 10 year olds that swear when the parents are away. I just didn't know how I was supposed to take this book.
I felt so thrown into the story that I left confused if I even cared about Temple's mother or that her father was a killer. We never really get to learn who her mother was or why we as readers should feel anything beyond just another character in the book that someone else cared about. Maybe that's on me as I do need to know something about the characters if they are going to be victims. If I told you about someone dying that I knew you'd be less sympathetic than if you knew the person who died. When you put a personality and a face to a person who has died they're more likely to actually care what happened, unfortunately I never felt that way in this book. We do learn that her mother was trying to bring Temple to death with her.
I tried to care about the characters that were in the book and were explained, but I feel like their personalities were so overshadowed, and they were just side characters to Temple's paranoia personality. Every time we had a moment to feel for one of the characters we were pushed into Temple's daydreams and terrors of was that her mother or could that be her mother dead there. It all became so much for me. I needed more than just Temple hyper fixating on the same thought over and over.
I really tried to get into this book but I started it and put it down for a week before making an effort to even finish it. I just wasn't interested.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley, Amulet Books (ebook) and Recorded Books (audiobook) for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Want to read
August 17, 2023angry gay girls in the woods?? dead girls starting to walk??? i'm SAT
May 11, 2022
this is the only book worth reading in the history of literature imo
Want to read
May 12, 202211.05.2022 queer camp horror about a serial killer's daughter determined to absolve him of her mother's murder, AH.
December 4, 2023
thank you amulet books for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review!
this book sounded right up my street, but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. around 30% in i started to really disconnect from the story and found it hard to care about what was happening. temple is a really dislikable character... i wanted to be rooting for her throughout and i couldn't. she was super hard to connect with overall. the book definitely has the potential to be great, but the plot holes are something that i can't ignore. this definitely would have read better in first person as opposed to third, as the constant repetition of temple's name every line became unbearable.
i still do recommend this book to fans of slasher horror books and films - hopefully you'll have a great time with this one!
this book sounded right up my street, but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. around 30% in i started to really disconnect from the story and found it hard to care about what was happening. temple is a really dislikable character... i wanted to be rooting for her throughout and i couldn't. she was super hard to connect with overall. the book definitely has the potential to be great, but the plot holes are something that i can't ignore. this definitely would have read better in first person as opposed to third, as the constant repetition of temple's name every line became unbearable.
i still do recommend this book to fans of slasher horror books and films - hopefully you'll have a great time with this one!
March 25, 2024
This audiobook was made available to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a young adult horror novel set at a camp with thriller and supernatural elements sprinkled throughout. Similar to 'You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight' by Kalynn Bayron and American Horror Story Season 9 '1984'. This just has that nostalgic 80's horror movie feel. As I'm a Gen Xer, this is like revisiting my childhood horror stories.
This is an action packed novel and pulled me right in from the first page so to speak. Temple is a Camp Counselor at Pride Rocks, a themed LGBTQA+ horror overnight girls camp. Added to the horror is that the 'camp' is located on the family farm that Temple grew up on. Temple's father is the famous North Point Killer, a serial murderer who is behind bars as the story opens.
Temple has returned to where she grew up to look for her mother's body. Her father has confessed to murdering her mother but her mom's body was never found. Temple has to know what happened and goes undercover at the camp as a counselor to be able to access her old family farm.
Once Temple is ensconced in the camp as a counselor, a dead body turns up. It's too freshly killed to be left by Temple's Dad. Temple has been haunted by her father's weird serial killer groupies and immediately thinks this is a copycat.
This has supernatural elements and the horror is hair-raising. The action is pulse pounding. I could not stop listening until this story was over. This is layered and very fun.
This novel is expertly narrated by Tamika Katon-Donegal. Her voice is perfect for an older teen novel of this type. I like that Tamika applied tone changes to represent other characters in the novel. I'll be sure to seek out additional books narrated by her.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook novel. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
This is a young adult horror novel set at a camp with thriller and supernatural elements sprinkled throughout. Similar to 'You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight' by Kalynn Bayron and American Horror Story Season 9 '1984'. This just has that nostalgic 80's horror movie feel. As I'm a Gen Xer, this is like revisiting my childhood horror stories.
This is an action packed novel and pulled me right in from the first page so to speak. Temple is a Camp Counselor at Pride Rocks, a themed LGBTQA+ horror overnight girls camp. Added to the horror is that the 'camp' is located on the family farm that Temple grew up on. Temple's father is the famous North Point Killer, a serial murderer who is behind bars as the story opens.
Temple has returned to where she grew up to look for her mother's body. Her father has confessed to murdering her mother but her mom's body was never found. Temple has to know what happened and goes undercover at the camp as a counselor to be able to access her old family farm.
Once Temple is ensconced in the camp as a counselor, a dead body turns up. It's too freshly killed to be left by Temple's Dad. Temple has been haunted by her father's weird serial killer groupies and immediately thinks this is a copycat.
This has supernatural elements and the horror is hair-raising. The action is pulse pounding. I could not stop listening until this story was over. This is layered and very fun.
This novel is expertly narrated by Tamika Katon-Donegal. Her voice is perfect for an older teen novel of this type. I like that Tamika applied tone changes to represent other characters in the novel. I'll be sure to seek out additional books narrated by her.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook novel. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
April 4, 2024
There's a lot going on in this book. You kick off the book already in the heart of the story and need to piece together whats happening as you read which made the story a bit hard to follow. I did enjoy the plot, but after the 50-60% mark it started getting rather repetitive. I do think I would have liked it more if it was just a little shorter. It definitely a slasher with more layers to it. The writing was good, the book was very eerie, funny in the right spots, and very gore filled.
overall its a good debut and I'm happy to have read it!
thank you Netgalley for the audio arc in exchange for an honest review!
overall its a good debut and I'm happy to have read it!
thank you Netgalley for the audio arc in exchange for an honest review!
March 25, 2024
A YA Horror slasher taking place at a summer camp for queer, horror obsessed girls. Sounds amazing right?
I’ll be honest, this book just wasn’t it for me. I couldn’t help but compare it to Kalynn Bayron’s “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight”, which was absolutely amazing, making this one seem so sad in comparison. (Definitely give that one a go if Dead Girls Walking was not everything you wanted it to be)
I honestly couldn’t care less if any of the characters made it out alive, and the main character Temple annoyed the absolute shit out of me.
That being said though, I absolutely loved the representation within this novel, and I would not want to discourage anyone from picking this up. If you are a fan of Friday the 13th movies (or horror movies in general), and don’t mind an unlikeable narrator I absolutely recommend you giving this a go!
Big thanks to Netgalley, RB Media, and the author Sami Ellis for allowing me to listen to an audio arc of this novel.
I’ll be honest, this book just wasn’t it for me. I couldn’t help but compare it to Kalynn Bayron’s “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight”, which was absolutely amazing, making this one seem so sad in comparison. (Definitely give that one a go if Dead Girls Walking was not everything you wanted it to be)
I honestly couldn’t care less if any of the characters made it out alive, and the main character Temple annoyed the absolute shit out of me.
That being said though, I absolutely loved the representation within this novel, and I would not want to discourage anyone from picking this up. If you are a fan of Friday the 13th movies (or horror movies in general), and don’t mind an unlikeable narrator I absolutely recommend you giving this a go!
Big thanks to Netgalley, RB Media, and the author Sami Ellis for allowing me to listen to an audio arc of this novel.
Read
April 15, 2024Review to come
April 19, 2024
3.5 rounded up bc I love the ending🩸
I have so much to say about this but I need to process 🫠 updates coming!
I have so much to say about this but I need to process 🫠 updates coming!
March 26, 2024
2.5 stars
This felt like being dropped in the middle of a story and having to play catch up. I was a bit confused the whole time, especially with the flashbacks and bits of a book that was referenced. I thought it was kind of disjointed and along with the twists, I just struggled a bit.
The characters weren't super likeable and I really only remembered Temple out of all the girls. I will say that the twists were things I never saw coming and I appreciated how creative the author got. I hope others enjoy this more and if it sounds like it's up your alley, go for it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the copy.
This felt like being dropped in the middle of a story and having to play catch up. I was a bit confused the whole time, especially with the flashbacks and bits of a book that was referenced. I thought it was kind of disjointed and along with the twists, I just struggled a bit.
The characters weren't super likeable and I really only remembered Temple out of all the girls. I will say that the twists were things I never saw coming and I appreciated how creative the author got. I hope others enjoy this more and if it sounds like it's up your alley, go for it!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Recorded Books and NetGalley for the copy.
February 17, 2024
Genre: YA Paranormal Horror
I typically don’t read a lot of horror so I can’t really compare it to any other horror books. This was a fresh change of pace for me!
Synopsis:
Temple’s dad is a serial killer and she is trying to find her mother’s body which she thinks is buried on her old family land that is now a horror summer camp.
For a debut, this was really good! The horror was not too YA and kept me reading. At first I wasn’t sure where the paranormal part was going, but it was twisty and all came together in the end. There was queer representation as it was a horror camp for queer girls, that was well done in terms of keeping the focus on the horror and letting the characters evolve as the story moved along.
The whole demon procreation idea, maybe?… Iykyk was the only real far fetched thing for me.
Overall, really good YA horror. For someone who rarely reads horror I couldn’t put it down!
Thank you Amulet Books/ Abrams for the ARC ! 🖤💀🔪
I typically don’t read a lot of horror so I can’t really compare it to any other horror books. This was a fresh change of pace for me!
Synopsis:
Temple’s dad is a serial killer and she is trying to find her mother’s body which she thinks is buried on her old family land that is now a horror summer camp.
For a debut, this was really good! The horror was not too YA and kept me reading. At first I wasn’t sure where the paranormal part was going, but it was twisty and all came together in the end. There was queer representation as it was a horror camp for queer girls, that was well done in terms of keeping the focus on the horror and letting the characters evolve as the story moved along.
The whole demon procreation idea, maybe?… Iykyk was the only real far fetched thing for me.
Overall, really good YA horror. For someone who rarely reads horror I couldn’t put it down!
Thank you Amulet Books/ Abrams for the ARC ! 🖤💀🔪
July 31, 2024
Oof. I wanted to love this so bad. It's a horror summer camp with a serial killer storyline and it was okay but it wasn't great.
In my opinion this book tried to be like You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kaylynn Bayron and it just didn't meet my expectations.
I feel like the haunting and supernatural elements are really what didn't work for me. I love the concept of family serial killing and even a horror summer camp but I think there was too many things going on. I also didn't like any of the characters they're all annoying as fuck. And while I think there's a place to have all of your characters be morally gray and annoying it doesn't make for a super enjoyable read.
Another thing that constantly was just nagging at the back of my brain was the fact that the camp counselors were the same age as the campers and I don't think that that's a thing that happens. Maybe it is but it felt super weird and not well thought out at all.
In my opinion this book tried to be like You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kaylynn Bayron and it just didn't meet my expectations.
I feel like the haunting and supernatural elements are really what didn't work for me. I love the concept of family serial killing and even a horror summer camp but I think there was too many things going on. I also didn't like any of the characters they're all annoying as fuck. And while I think there's a place to have all of your characters be morally gray and annoying it doesn't make for a super enjoyable read.
Another thing that constantly was just nagging at the back of my brain was the fact that the camp counselors were the same age as the campers and I don't think that that's a thing that happens. Maybe it is but it felt super weird and not well thought out at all.
October 28, 2023
I basically loved this over-the-top, mile-a-minute horror extravaganza. It has practically everything in it, and while there were a few plot holes that bugged me after I put it down, caught up in the momentum of this propulsive thriller I had no complaints. It's got twists galore, some serious gore, and well-developed characters that keep you engaged and emotionally invested. And then it stuck the landing, which solidified it as one of the best horror books I've read this year.
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