One of the best books of the year, hands down. The themes were executed with nuance and grace. The characters seemed real and the relationships between the characters was only enhanced by the witty dialogue. The middle did lag a little bit, but honestly I didn’t even care. By the time I got to the last third of the book, I couldn’t put it down. This is a cancel-all-your-plans-to-stay-home-reading type of book.

When I saw a review saying this was gory, raw and bleak I knew I needed it! It lived up to the hype! I love the non traditional characters and the horror facts along the way. The middle was a tad too slow for me but otherwise perfect!

So much about this book is really fun. I love the use of the Final Girl trope and Jade's knowledge of slasher films. I particularly enjoyed her essays, especially the one on Jaws. The opening scene of this book is so scary and intense, but then I had a hard time wading through the first half. I struggled to focus on the narrative because the voice was so infused with Jade's kind of manic energy that it felt hard to follow. Everything clicked for me about halfway through and I think the narrative voice got more even and compelling around that point and I blitzed through the rest, really wanting to know what was going to happen. There were plenty of twists that kept me guessing and some unique and horrible moments adding to the horror. The novel really plays with slasher tropes as Jade uses them to try to make sense of what is going on and her flawed predictions are a great red herring in and of themself.

Really enjoyed this book. The way the author used horror movies as a mechanism for drama was well done. Also, as a horror fan I enjoyed all the well written knowledge broken down of the slasher genre.

This book is perfect for fans of slasher horror movies. I really enjoyed it being a horror lover myself. The story pulled me in right from the start. I love the way Graham writes slow burn horror.

Let me say first of all I am a Stephen Graham Jones fan, I have read all of his books but this one. I tried to read this books several times and just could not get through it. It is was repetitive, slow, and I just didn’t like or care about the characters. Maybe next time because I will continue to read every book he writes. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book by one of my favorite authors.

This book is a bit slow in the beginning, but once it gets going, it’s a wild ride. The more I think about it, the more I am obsessed with it. It touches on tough subject matter like being indigenous in an environment that doesn’t care, poverty, neglect, and class. But it is definitely an homage to horror and gore. If you enjoy slasher films, you’ll love this. The middle section just felt unnecessarily long and I personally would have preferred a tighter story.

Jade is too broken for what she does in this novel. She lives with her father and occasionally sees her mother. Jade tries to die but isn’t successful. The community ignores her. Jade is a lover of horror films especially the slasher movies. She knows that evil is coming to her town. As Jade encounters real life horror, she tries to change the experiences into her horro movies she loves. Even though Jade is an expert in slasher/horror movies, when she tells the friend and police to help solve the murders, they don’t believe her. Jade eventually ends up feeling isolated and alone.

The author has written a novel that makes me see how Jade’s fixation on revenge. It appears to me that she thinks violence is fantasy —at least in her world. Jade isn’t killing anyone but who is? It’s a novel of intrigue, mystery and that violence is really senseless.

I got an ARC of this book.

I really wanted to like this book. I loved the last one by Jones, but this one was so different.

The main difference is this one was incredibly slow. The opening was great. I was really into it, but then enter Jane. She is insufferable. She is constantly talking about slashers to the point that she has no personality. Her personality is literally “weird kid obsessed with slasher movies”. She doesn’t even like all horror, it is just slashers. The book seems to take place in the 90’s or early 2000’s. She is focused on 70s and 80s slashers, which are also terribly boring. I am a big fan of Texas Chainsaw as a series, but the original was not the greatest movie out there. Then near the end, there are multiple references to Saw, which was 2004. This made me unsure about a lot of details. Finding VHS is not exactly an easy thing to do. There was a reference to finding one at a gas station, which just ruins the timeline.

None of the characters were fleshed out, which fits the slasher genre, but makes for a boring book. No one is really anyone. They are all just roles. There are no surprises. There is nothing to make this book exciting. There is a reason I only made it 15% in a month before giving up and getting the audiobook. The narrator was rough at first for me, but she grew on me. So overall, the audiobook is really the way to go with this book.

If you are not a fan of slashers, then this book will be a slog to get through. Not only is it constant references to movies that are slashers, but it is a slasher horror in itself. If you don’t like slashers, skip this one. Overall, this was not a book I enjoyed and I am annoyed by this. I was so excited for it.

This is a great read for horror lovers, just in time for Halloween! There are a lot of details about classic horror movies, so this novel is best for those who are true fans and will appreciate all the references. Some of it was a little confusing, and it's definitely a slow burn. But overall I really enjoyed it (especially the second half) and found the premise to be unique. Trigger warning: lots of gore. I have been making an effort to read more BIPOC authors, and will definitely read more Stephen Graham Jones books after this.

Jesus Christ, this is an amazing book. It works as an astute analysis of the slasher genre, an amazing character study of a prickly teen heroine, commentary on abuse, trauma, and poverty, a massively satisfying gore-fest (at least toward the end), AND it ends with a truly emotional punch that had me sobbing. How can it do all of this? I'm not sure, but of course Stephen Graham Jones pulled it off. I have to own this book. (Review based on an ARC from Netgalley.)

MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW by Stephen Graham Jones is an homage to the horror genre, horror films, and obsessed fans everywhere. This is a book that sneaks up on you, as the more it simmers, the more you love it. And don’t go into it with the expectation that it’s like his previous novels, as this one stands on its own. Yes, it’s chalked full of horror tropes and film references, but it also does a great job showcasing how horror can help it’s fans cope with real life trauma.

Jade Daniels has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things horror and uses her obsession to cope with her alcoholic father, among other life difficulties. She believes the town of Proofrock is about to experience its own horror movie. Plus, she’s fixated on Letha, who she believes is the town’s well-put-together final girl. I 💯 percent recommend MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW, so what are you waiting for?!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones!

I think this book is a love letter to slasher movies. People who are obsessed with Jason, Freddy, Halloween etc will be completely hooked on this. I think the plot is very interesting. I love how jade sees the world: as a slasher movie. The way she can relate everything back to a slasher movie takes talent.

Here’s where the book lost me: THIS IS A ME THING! I personally have never seen the slasher movies Jade references throughout the whole book. I think a lot of the wit and charm of this book went over my head due to that. It makes me want to watch all the movies and then reread the book. Another thing that was hard for me to get through was the writing style. Again I think this is a me thing (blame my small mind) but the sentences would ramble on and by the time I got to the end, I’d have to go back and reread what it was saying.

Overall, I think the whole concept is super fun but I wish I was more of a slasher fan so I’d get the references! I would recommend to all who are fans of slashers (like jade!!)

This is my first SGJ. I've heard such great things about his horror stories, I just knew I had to read this one.

This follows a girl, with a rough past and home life, who is obsessed with slasher movies. When murders start happening in her town, she is convinced this is the start of a "slasher cycle". The book was broken up between real time and past papers about slasher movies that our protagonist wrote for school. This would help out anyone who wasn't familiar with the popular slasher movies.

However, I will say that if you aren't familiar with the classic slasher movies, you may be really confused at some of the banter and overall themes. I found out protagonist to be very unlikeable (I don't think she is meant to be likeable). However, it took me out of the story.

It was a VERY slow start, and it made me not want to pick up the book. Overall, I decided on a solid 3 star rating. I know that is an audience out there for this, it just wasn't necessarily me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of this eBook in exchange for a review!

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones tells the story of Jade Daniels, an outcast who loves slasher films. Jade lives a challenging life with an abusive father and a mother who is out of the picture. Suddenly, blood is spilled in the small town of Proofrock, and Jade believes that a slasher film is unfolding before her very eyes.

Let me start by saying that I am a huge horror fan. I love horror across many subgenres, including the slasher. My favorite parts of this book were Jade's "Slasher 101" papers that are interspersed between chapters. I was very excited to read this book. However, I just don't think this book was for me. It was dense. It was very much a slow burn. I honestly struggled to get through this book. The last quarter of the book definitely picked up the pace, but I still found myself feeling unsatisfied with the ending. I don't know if the book was just too "literary" for me so to speak, and I ended up missing the depth and meaning? But I just honestly didn't love it.

First, I just want to say I did enjoy this book. I did struggle with the pace as I feel like the first 1/3 of the book was painfully slow. I appreciated all the movie references. That was pretty awesome. This story just fell a little flat for me and I felt like at times it was hard to follow. I definitely think all horror fans should read it because the last half of the book was really good!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the #gifted copy.

A young girl obsessed with slasher films thinks one is coming to life in her small town. A slow build-up that pays off in the end. Stephen Graham Jones is a master of suspense and horror.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books, Gallery / Saga Press for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story has a ton of heart, and I enjoy the way the author uses horror to explore family and community violence. but ultimately its pacing issues let it down. If you can make it to 70%, you're rewarded with an explosive setpiece that speeds to the book's conclusion. up until then, things are very slow and the author gets carried away with the horror trivia. If you're a fan of slashers, the more obscure the better, you will really get a kick out of it!

I absolutely loved this book! Jones is a powerhouse in gory horror. I did think the beginning was a little slow and if you aren't used to his style, it may be hard for you to get into. My suggestion is if you like horror, to get used to his style. I haven't been disappointed yet.

In My Heart Is a Chainsaw, we get to see a new kind of final girl. I loved Jade and her quirks. I hated that many of the things she did and said were a coping mechanism for a horrific past. I loved how Jones made me root for her. I found some of the other characters to be a bit flat. I can't even remember the name of the girl she had picked out to be the final girl right now...she was so dry and unlikable to me. I think it may have been intentional, though. If it wasn't, it ended up working. I definitely recommend this one to any horror fans.

There are lots of CW for this one including sexual abuse, alcoholism, and murder and gore.

My Heart Is A Chainsaw is an eerie and provocative tale about Jennifer “Jade/J.D.” Daniels, who is obsessed with slasher films, their killers, and the concept of the final girl. So much so, she is convinced that her small town is in the beginning stages of a slasher arch.

When Jade meets Letha Mondragon, she is convinced that her new classmate is meant to be the final girl of the coming massacre. With a copy of A Bay of Blood and her history papers on the topic, Jade hopes it will be enough for Letha to learn what is needed to fight and win. Is Letha truly the final girl or are Jade and the rest of the town in for more than they thought?

Jade’s fixation on the slasher genre is well known but no one could have imagined what it was covering up. In an unpredictable twist to the story, a secret that Jade has subconsciously been carrying around with her is exposed and explains the timing of Jade’s obsession. This leads to apologies, murder, and understanding.

The book switches between third-person narrative to a first-person by way of Jade’s extra credit history papers. It is somewhat difficult to get used to but once you realize its place within the story, it suddenly seems to fit somehow making it more interesting and unlike anything I have read before. It is full of twists making it unpredictable. I’m intrigued to see what the author writes next.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Stephen Graham Jones.