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Review: The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie

~ megs14malloy

The Summer Fun MassacreThe Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

The Summer Fun Massacre features a unique take on the Tradition Slasher. In this book, we follow the police officer who arrives on the scene too late to prevent a tragedy.

For Tom, our MC, this kind of tragedy has struck twice in his life. Once in 1983, when the girl he was dating, Mary, ended up the final girl in a brutal Summer Camp slaying, and again in 1992, when another massacre occurs after the camp reopens. Tom is the 1st-officer responding to the scene.

That’s pretty much all the massacre you’re gonna get, the aftermath. We follow Tom in the days following as he deals with his complex emotions on both crimes and tries to solve them before they happen again.

I don’t know, y’all. I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, I feel like I am generously rounding up. I found it slow and boring; not a good match for my tastes, especially considering what I was expecting.

I wanted Summer Camp vibes and the massacre to be on page. Not a Summer Camp, named Summer Fun, that plays only a peripheral role in the story. I received zero ‘camp’ from this, and I’m salty about it.

I’m rounding up to 3-stars, not because I enjoyed the book, but because I believe others could. The writing is fluid, and Tom is well-developed as a character.

Even though I’m disappointed by the trajectory of the narrative overall, I do appreciate what DiLouie was doing here, switching up the perspective of a Traditional Slasher. I think that was a risk, and if he was comfortable going for it, I’m gonna support that.

I think that idea, to explore a different angle, and bring something new to the subgenre is a great idea, just for me, the content was dull as dirt.

At the end of the day, it lacked the fun and excitement I was looking for, and I feel like the title, though in a way, what the book is about, is sort of misleading. Fun was not had in my experience, and I needed more massacre as well.

With all this being said, just because this wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. I can be a picky-B, so take what I say with a grain of salt. If this sounds interesting to you, give it go. You could be finding a new favorite.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Run For It, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Even though this wasn’t a win for me, could I be convinced to read the sequel? Yeah, most likely. Yes.

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Review: One of Us by Dan Chaon

~ megs14malloy

One of UsOne of Us by Dan Chaon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Hot on the heels of reading, and enjoying, Liar’s Dice, a Coming of Age story set in 1970s Brazil, last week, I decided I was having a Coming of Age moment and decided to pick up another. I’ve had One of Us on my radar for a long time because of the author, Dan Chaon, and felt like now was the time to finally give it a go.

This is a Literary Horror-Coming of Age story, set in 1915-U.S., following orphaned twins, Bolt and Eleanor. After their mother dies, the twins are taken in by a con-man, who claims to be their long-lost Uncle Charlie.

The twins have a special connection and an ability to read each other’s minds. To shysters like ole’ Uncle Charlie, the twins abilities, particularly at this time, could easily be exploited and end up being quite valuable. But Uncle Charlie isn’t just a shyster, he’s also a violent man.

After a late-night poker game, where one of his rages ends in murder, Eleanor and Bolt decide it’s time to move on. They need to run away as fast as they can.

They end up on an orphan train and then at an auction, where they’re ultimately scooped up by an apparent savior, Mr. Jengling, founder of the Emporium of Wonders, which is a traveling sideshow, a popular form of entertainment during this time period.

They travel by train across the country, performing in different locations, and we follow the twins as they settle into their new life. We learn a lot about the other members of the show as well, and Chaon did a great job of incorporating their many different stories, bringing humanity to the story in an oddly-beautiful way.

It’s the first time Eleanor and Bolt have really been a part of something like this, but as Bolt falls deeper and deeper into the found family of the Emporium, Eleanor finds herself growing farther away.

With Uncle Charlie on their trail, the twins are suddenly in more danger than ever. Will they be able to evade his capture, and protect their new family in the process?

This was a really interesting story. I’ve definitely never read a Coming of Age story quite like this before. I did find the time period and the idea of this traveling sideshow very compelling, but emotionally, I never really felt like I was able to connect with Eleanor and Bolt’s story.

I’m not sure why that is, necessarily. The writing was great, very fluid and it did have solid pacing. I think that maybe it was just my head space at the moment.

I definitely can appreciate what the author did here, giving a space where the misfits can get their time in the spotlight and I would recommend it for Historical Fiction fans. Particularly, those who may like something a little darker, or surreal in their stories.

Thank you to the publisher, Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m definitely interested in picking up more from Dan Chaon in the future. This was good.

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Review: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

~ megs14malloy

Too Close to HomeToo Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Too Close to Home is set in the affluent lakefront community of Clover Lakes. And like many communities of this type, people seem to care a lot about everyone else’s business, and trust when I say, I do too. I’m here for it.

I love a juicy and twisted neighborhood drama, so I was all aboard in the beginning. We follow multiple-POVs and the drama kicks off at the annual Labor Day party, when a car explodes and someone is killed.

We follow three women directly tied to the individual who is killed, and through them we learn how the community, in general, is responding in the aftermath of the incident. It seems so out of the ordinary for Clover Lakes. This isn’t the kind of place where stuff like that happens.

But other strange things are happening in the community too, bomb threats at the school, and people who are supposed to be dead being spotted in a crowd, to name a couple of examples.

When a Clover Lakes resident goes missing shortly thereafter, the community is motivated and they pull together to search. Secrets are bound to be uncovered and it leaves some residents quaking in their heels.

I’m a huge Seraphina Nova Glass fan and love picking up her latest works. While this wasn’t my favorite from her, it’s still fast-paced, twisty and interesting.

I rated this one in comparison to her other novels that I’ve read. This is the 7th I’ve read from her, and I actually think content-wise, it’s my least favorite. It’s still good, don’t get me wrong, I just enjoyed her other stories more.

This did feel a little different in tone for me, very action-based, versus more psychological. I respect her continuing to bring different ideas to the table though, and this is a good story, just not a perfect fit for my taste.

There’s a lot of drama in this one for all three women, but it ultimately ended up going in a direction I wasn’t crazy about. I wanted neighborhood drama, not all the other stuff we ended up getting.

There was also a character, I won’t say who, that just made a series of ridiculous choices. I’m all for making mistakes and doing stupid stuff in fiction, it’s a great way to progress a story, but in this case, it didn’t make sense at all.

She ended up getting deeper than was ever necessary into the weeds and she just kept doing it over and over and over. It bordered on the ridiculous, that’s for sure. I think her entire perspective could have been done differently and still kept intensity and mystery.

At the end of the day though, this is strictly personal taste and I’m no expert, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Even though this wasn’t my favorite of her works, I still love Seraphina Nova Glass, and will continue to pick up every book she releases.

I would highly recommend the audiobook if you’re planning to pick this one up. It is voiced by three of my favorite narrators, Karissa Vacker, Brittany Pressley and Rebecca Lowman, so you can’t go wrong with that. They definitely succeeded in bringing the story to life.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Park Row and Harlequin Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This was entertaining and I can’t wait to see what SNG is going to come up with next!

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Review: The Cove by Claire Rose

~ megs14malloy

The CoveThe Cove by Claire Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

The Cove is a YA Horror-Thriller that follows 17-year old, Lindsay Weinburg. Lindsay’s parents, though able to provide for her everything she needs, are pretty absent from her life. Because of that, Lindsay acts out quite a bit.

After she gets kicked out from yet another expensive prep school, her parents are fed up. Without consulting Lindsay at all, they ship her off to remote Marbury, Maine, to stay with her estranged Uncle Levi.

When she arrives at her Uncle’s farmhouse though, he’s gone, leaving the farm in the control of his evangelical wife, Irene, who Lindsay has never met.

Another fun fact Lindsay learns upon arrival is that Irene runs a reform camp for troubled teens at the farm, and there’s four other teens currently in residence. They must follow very strict rules, and perform laborious tasks during the day. It’s exhausting, isolating, and definitely not the lifestyle Lindsay is used to.

When Lindsay meets Phin and Cass, twins who live on a nearby island, she’s intrigued by them right away. After she convinces the other teens at the farm to sneak out for a party, everything changes. They wake in their beds the next day, clutching sea shells and with zero recollection of how they got back home.

One of the camp members is missing and Lindsay and the other teens realize something is very wrong. They need to figure out what happened at The Cove, before anyone else falls victim to its mysterious pull.

This was fine for me. I wasn’t really that intrigued by what was happening, unfortunately, so my attention waxed and waned. I found Lindsay’s perspective super grating, so we got off on a wrong foot almost immediately.

The way her narrative voice was written just didn’t work for me that well. Instead of feeling like I was with her as she was relaying the events of everything happening to her, I felt more like I was just getting a laundry list of her judgements of everywhere and everyone around her.

I feel like the author did succeed in setting up a mysterious culty-vibe with the setting. It felt a little disjointed though, in the later half, as everything was coming to a head.

The writing style and pace weren’t as fluid as I tend to enjoy, and some of the more supernatural elements felt under-baked, IMO. I do think for Younger Readers looking to be exposed more to Horror Thrillers, this could work very well. More experienced Readers of the genre, whether YA or not, may feel like they’ve seen this done better elsewhere.

I will say that I did enjoy the audiobook narration by Jesse Vilinsky. Vilinsky’s delivery was believable as Lindsay and it did keep me relatively dialed in. I would recommend that format if you’re going to pick this one up.

At the end of the day, my thoughts on this one just boil down to personal taste. I know there’s a good story in here, the execution just didn’t work for me personally.

Like I always say, however, just because this didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. If the content sounds interesting to you, give it a go. You could end up finding a new favorite.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Though this one didn’t quite knock my socks off, I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up more from this author.

She’s definitely someone I will keep my eye on in the future!

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Review: Liar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull

~ megs14malloy

Liar's DiceLiar’s Dice by Juliet Faithfull
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Liar’s Dice is set in 1970s Brazil and follows a young girl, Dolores, after her twin sister, Mita, gets sent overseas to a hospital in London due to a medical condition.

When the girls were young, it was discovered that Mita had a degenerative health condition that Dolores did not have. By the time the girls were around 8-years old, her condition had progressed so much that their parents didn’t feel they could care for her safely any longer.

Whether that’s true or not, it’s what they believed. They also believed the hospitals in Brazil weren’t acceptable for Mita. Therefore, it was their belief that London, where he was originally from, would be the best choice.

As you can imagine, this is a difficult decision for any family, but for Dolores, it was incomprehensible. Mita belonged with them, with her. When Mita left, Dolores felt like half her heart was gone. She could think of little else.

A lot of this book explores Dolores’s reaction to Mita being gone. She cannot understand her parent’s decision and there’s a lot of tension in the family because of the choices that have been made.

This is a true Coming of Age story. We do get the entire story from Dolores’s perspective, and she’s relaying it to us in the voice of a child/tween.

This doesn’t affect it’s depth, however, as the topics explored are deep and emotional. I did appreciate how realistic Dolores’s narrative voice felt. I feel like Faithfull did an incredible job with that.

Let me be clear, I am not a Historical Fiction girlie. This book is very much outside of my comfort zone. I picked it up only after the publisher emailed me about it and brought it to my attention. I don’t think it ever would have been on my radar if they hadn’t done that.

After reading this synopsis, I was definitely intrigued. I do love Coming of Age Horror, and this is a Coming of Age story, though very far from Horror. It still captured that nostalgic Coming of Age feel that I enjoy losing myself in, and I also loved the Brazilian setting. It was refreshing.

The MC, Dolores, was empathetic to follow. Their family went through so much over the course of the book. I’ll admit certain scenes definitely made me emotional. I’m glad I picked this one up, comfort zone or not.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Random House, for bringing this novel to my attention, and for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is a beautiful debut, and I would absolutely pick up more from this author.

I would definitely recommend this to my Historical Fiction friends, but I would also recommend it to people like me, who may not pick up a lot of the genre, but find the subject matter interesting. It really is a powerful story.

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Review: Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez

~ megs14malloy

MuñecaMuñeca by Cynthia Gómez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Muñeca is a captivating Gothic Horror novella set in 1968-Oakland, California. We follow Nati, a working class witch, as she sets out to rescue a bespelled heiress, the beautiful Violeta Miramontes.

Nati’s Mom used to work for Violeta’s family, so Nati is familiar with the household. After hearing rumors that Violeta has been left paralyzed by a mysterious illness, Nati feels compelled to help.

Nati ends up securing a position as a caregiver for Violeta, and will actually be staying in the house during her employment. It’s quickly clear to her that Violeta’s illness has been caused by dark magic. Nati needs to figure out who cursed Violeta, and why?

As the two young women grow closer, and Nati continually fails to break the curse, her desperation escalates. She feels like she’s running out of time and her methods get progressively reckless. Soon she realizes she must face her own past if she’s to have any hope of helping poor Violeta.

Gómez pulled me in very quickly, which is an important component of any successful novella. I found her writing fluid, engaging and accessible. She wastes no time setting up the main issue of this story, Violeta’s mysterious illness, and getting Nati to where she needs to be.

The plot was captivating. I actually didn’t realize what Muñeca translated to until I got to a certain point in the story where a real a-ha moment occurred. It was probably the most fun moment in the whole book for me. I was excited to see the direction it was heading in.

I also loved Nati. She was a great MC, who was really proactive in trying to cure Violeta. I think my main issue with this one was, I wanted more of everything.

I know it’s a novella, and it needs to be concise, but at the same time, there were so many great aspects that I would’ve loved expanded. Honestly, it probably would have been a 5-star read for me if it had been like 400-pages.

For example, we know Nati’s Mom worked for Violeta’s family and that Nati spent time in the household when she was child. I would have loved two or three detailed flashbacks of interactions between Nati and Violeta that would have helped establish the base of their relationship.

Then when they got as close as they did, as quickly as they did, I feel like there would’ve been more context to make it believable, and less instalove.

This is just one example, but I kept having moments where I’d be thinking, wow, that’s so interesting, I want to know more, but we’d have already progressed to the next thing.

One of the biggest ones involved Nati’s family members. We did get some of Nati’s backstory in relation to magic, and I found those details fascinating. I would have loved to have gone a bit more in depth with that.

At the end of the day though, the point of a novella is a full story in a shorter number of pages. This is certainly a beautiful example of Gómez’s creativity and writing style. You better believe I’ll be picking up more of her work.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a Sapphic Witchy read. Bonus points if you love gothic atmosphere!

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Review: Crone by Keith Rosson

~ megs14malloy

CroneCrone by Keith Rosson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤💚🖤

Keith Rosson captured my heart and my full attention last year with Coffin Moon. There was something so devilishly-good about that book. The setting, the grittiness of the plot, the characters; it was a whole mood. It all worked for me and has remained in my mind ever since.

To say that I was excited to get an early-copy of this novel, Crone, would be putting it so mildly it wouldn’t even register. I was stoked for this and as you can tell from my rating, I wasn’t disappointed for a moment.

This novel matches Coffin Moon in tone, so if you also enjoyed that one, I would highly recommend reading this as well. The big difference would be while Coffin Moon is a bit of a vampiric romp, Crone is for the witches in the crowd.

This continues the classic dark Crime Fiction feel that Coffin Moon brought, and is actually even set in the same area of the United States, just in a later time period.

This story follows Eli Lamp, an ex-detective, turned addict, turned ex-addict, whose daughter disappeared 10-years ago. Eli’s battled his emotions since Hannah’s been gone, but the guilt and grief frequently overwhelm him.

Due to a certain incident Eli got himself involved in while investigating Hannah’s disappearance, he’s also now indebted to a local drug gang, the Crooked Wheel. They utilize his skills as an enforcer. It’s a dark road he’s traveled.

We also follow a young woman named Avery. Avery was actually Hannah’s best friend, and the two were together on the night that Hannah disappeared. Like Eli, Hannah has also really struggled since that night. The guilt and shame she’s felt since Hannah disappeared has definitely defined the trajectory of her life so far.

Avery fled their small town as soon as she graduated high school, unable to stand the whispers and looks any longer. Recently though, she’s been having extremely vivid dreams of Hannah calling her back.

After the boss of the Crooked Wheel’s son is found brutally murdered, he asks Eli to investigate it, so they can bring the killer to justice. If Eli’s successful, he won’t owe them any longer. He’ll be a free man.

His investigation brings him into the orbit of Avery, recently returned to town, a girl he never thought he’d see again. Soon the two are entwined in a search for answers that all link back to the night their dear Hannah disappeared.

Contrary to everything they might believe in, signs point to a mysterious something lurking the woods. A something with a bent back, black eyes and claws. No one wants to say witch, but it’s a thought…

This is such a beautifully-devastating story. My heart aches with the weight of it. It’s gritty and violent, showcasing the worst acts that humans can do unto each other.

There’s also a rawness to it all, with humanity just bleeding off the page. Rosson does such an incredible job of examining dark emotions, such as guilt, grief and self-doubt, even hate. This is vengeance-fueled story, much like Coffin Moon, and I was completely invested.

I loved the direction Rosson ultimately went with this. I will say the way he laid it all out, it’s not a path I would typically enjoy, but I think in this case, just because of the overall emotion of the story, it actually worked. He pulled it off.

If you’ve never read Rosson before, you’ve got time. Pick up Coffin Moon before this one releases in September. If you like that vibe, you should absolutely pick this one up as well.

Also, I definitely recommend this for fans of Witchy stories, particularly if you’re itching for something opposite of all the Cozy Witchy vibes we seem to be getting lately.

This is full stop a Horror novel. It’s violent, gory and full of complicated topics and emotions. It’s absolutely stellar and I cannot wait for a hard copy to take residence on my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This will definitely be making my Best Books of 2026 list!!!

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Review: Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz

~ megs14malloy

Very Dangerous ThingsVery Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very Dangerous Things is set at J. Everett High, a private school that annually stages a murder mystery game for their Criminology students.

Basically, a fake murder occurs, the students form teams, and follow clues to try to solve the murder. When Xavier Torres is found dead in the greenhouse, the students initially believe that the game has begun. Sadly though, Xavier’s death has not been staged.

He’s actually been murdered.

We follow Dulcie Castillo, a crime junkie and Criminology student, who was determined to win this year’s game. Xavier’s sudden death has certainly shocked the student body, but Dulcie remains determined to solve the crime.

Xavier’s ex-girlfriend, and Dulcie’s ex-best friend, Sierra Fox, seems to be everyone’s main suspect, including the police, but Sierra swears she is innocent.

Sierra reaches out to Dulcie for help. She figures if anyone can prove her innocence it would be Dulcie, and though Dulcie has some hurt feelings regarding their relationship, she doesn’t really believe Sierra is capable of murder.

The thing is, the school is an isolated place. No one else has been arrested, or even suspected. If Sierra didn’t do it, that leaves a killer among them. Can Dulcie get to the bottom of it, before anyone else loses their lives?

Very Dangerous Things is a super delightful YA Mystery. I loved the private school setting, and the cast of characters, in addition to the mystery elements, were super-compelling. Lauren Muñoz is underrated, IMO.

This kicks off so quickly. We get to the heart of what we’re going to be investigating within the first 10% of the book, and I really appreciate that. Muñoz didn’t waste time introducing every person and having a big run-up to the murder. It’s just like, here we are, let’s get cracking.

I also loved how in the dark I was for the longest time. I had zero suspects in mind. We were getting so much information on various characters, but they all seemed so believable and earnest. I couldn’t imagine who out of this cast could have possibly wanted to kill poor Xavier.

It was fun the way Muñoz set-up the way Dulcie went about solving the crime as well. The various techniques and her thought process as she was assessing various clues. I felt that aspect was so well done, and in a way sort of paid homage to some of the great classic fictional detectives.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good YA Mystery, particularly if you enjoy a private school setting.

Thank you to the publisher, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait for whatever Muñoz writes next!

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Review: Dollface by Lindy Ryan

~ megs14malloy

DollfaceDollface by Lindy Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

Lindy Ryan’s Dollface is Finlay Donovan for Slasher Girlies.

This story follows a Horror author named Jill, who because of her husband’s work has to move to suburban New Jersey. It’s a big deal, because she’s moving away from her younger sister, who she’s very close with, and also, she’s not going to know a single person.

Regardless, Jill has to make the most of it and that’s exactly what she intends to do. Not long after move in, a friendly neighbor ends up popping by and inviting Jill to join the PTA of the school Jill’s young son will be attending.

With her Michael Myers tee-shirts and Final Girl coffee mug, Jill is not your typical PTA Mommy, but you gotta do what you gotta do when you’re the new girl.

As Jill starts settling in, unpacking and starting a routine, a plastic-masked serial killer starts slashing their way through her new town. It seems it’s time for Jill to put her Final Girl energy to the test. Will she be able to unmask the killer before she ends up being the last girl standing?

This was really cute. I had a lot of fun with it. I always enjoy Ryan’s humor and it was on full display here. It’s not perfect of course, the ending was a little confusing and felt rushed, but it fit what I was looking for when I picked it up, which made me happy.

It’s just one of those books you have to go into ready for this to get OTT-wild. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is something I appreciate. I’m here for a good time. I’m rarely looking to invest big brain energy in my reads.

My entire work day is spent on big brain tasks. In my free time, I like to relax and have fun. Lindy Ryan delivered that for me here.

The audiobook is a great way to take in this story as well. Voiced by the great Stephanie Németh-Parker, the story truly came to life with her narration.

I don’t think one is planned, but as with any Slasher, I would definitely partake in the sequel if there were one forthcoming. I could see some different directions this could go in, and I’d love to read from Jill’s perspective again.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love Lindy Ryan’s dark sense of humor, and I definitely plan on picking up any of her future releases!

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Review: Backstabbers by Eliza Jabore

~ megs14malloy

Backstabbers: A NovelBackstabbers: A Novel by Eliza Jabore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Backstabbers features a Girls Adventure Trip gone bad. Some of us may have been on a few bad Girls’ Trips ourselves, but trust me, not like this.

Or at least I hope not…

We’re following 3 besties: Jade, Zoe and Stef. Jade is our narrator, and it’s quickly clear that each of the women has their own role within their tight knit friend group.

Zoe is the sun the other two revolve around. Not necessarily because she’s a shiny embalm of all that is good, but more because she’s such a powerful force that steam rolls over everybody else, regardless of their thoughts or opinions.

Jade is our pragmatic one and Stef is light and carefree, the epitome of being along for the ride. Somehow though, despite their vastly different personalities, the trio has stuck together through thick and thin for many years.

They love traveling together and their latest trip has brought them to the Pacific Northwest for a 3-day hike on Washington’s Bones Hollow Trail. For the experienced hikers in the crowd, be prepared to be annoyed.

During their hike they’ve been listening to a True Crime podcast. Yes, you read that right. Without headphones whilst walking the splendor of nature on a hiking adventure they’ve been blasting a True Crime podcast on the trail.

The podcast has put them on edge, as it’s discussing a serial killer known to hunt on the Bones Hollow Trail; the very trail they’re currently traversing.

Meanwhile, Zoe has the great idea to do a little bushwhacking to find the location of a waterfall that she insists isn’t far from the trail. While trying to make their way there however, Stef ends up badly twisting her ankle. She can’t put any weight on it, so her friends need to assist her if they have any hope of getting out of there.

Zoe insists returning to the trail, an uphill battle through uncut terrain, would be futile. She asserts they continue moving forward. She says eventually, they’ll reach a road.

Though they don’t come across a road, or the waterfall, they do come across a cabin, and it looks like someone is home. That’s when the real nightmare begins.

Backstabbers is a great debut. It’s fun and intense in the same ways a B-Horror flick is fun and intense. I had moments of real frustration with the characters, but I believe that’s the intent of the author and it did add to my enjoyment.

I love those moments in the midst of a Horror movie, when you’re screaming at the characters, don’t go in there, why are you going upstairs, don’t drink that, and on and on.

This novel had those moments in spades. It felt very cinematic to me. I could picture everything unfolding perfectly in my mind, and seriously, I think this would make a very fun movie.

I had the pleasure of Buddy Reading this one with a friend and we both ended up having fun with it. We were definitely laughing at all the terrible decisions being made. I mean from the very start I’m like, what are these girls doing??

But let’s get real, if they only made good choices, it would be a short and boring book. So, cheers to bad choices!!

It’s also very fast-paced. After they discover the cabin it’s pretty intense from there forward. It’s full of twists, and though so of them were pretty wild, that’s what I’m here for.

I think if you’re looking for the ultimate Girls’ Trip gone bad, this one is a great choice. As Travel Horror goes, this is a ton of fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously either, and I always appreciate that.

Thank you to the publisher, Bantam, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I hope Eliza Jabore stays in this lane, because I could definitely do with some more of this!

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