Penny, our 16 years old protagonist, works in a 80s themed mall with her best friend and her current crush. When she's asked to stay after closing and party in the store with her colleagues, she accepts just because she wants to fit in. But they are not alone in the mall, they hear a scream and find a teenager bleeding to death. Who is the killer? What's his motive? And why is he targeting the people who work in the mall?

Chopping Spree is a short and fast-paced (YA) horror novella, it's fun and it has a great retro vibe thanks to its music playlist. The plot is quite interesting and fun, I love when stories take place in a confined space, but in this case I feel like something was missing. There is a killer on the loose and I didn't feel the tension I hoped it would give me, and I believe it's because the characters of this novella are teenagers who really can't stay focused on the situation they're living! There's people dying in the mall and they flirt, drop jokes and discuss about consumerism... Uhm maybe try to save yourselves?

There are two plot twists that unfortunately I saw coming, but anyway I enjoyed reading this novella even though sometimes it doesn't feel realistic at all. Penny is a good character and I liked how she behaved in very stressful situations on the second half of the story - I can't say more as I would spoil the plot, but since Chopping Spree is not so long (around 70 pages), I would just invite you to read it! It's fast and fun just like its title!
3 stars.

* Thank you to Angela Sylvaine, Unnerving and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise sounded fun, but I just couldn't get interested in the characters or the plot or what seemed to be the book's message about consumerism. Instead of being scary or fun, it's just bland.

Despite my claims of being a Crime and Thriller blogger I do enjoy other types of books too. Eagle eyed visitors to the blog will have noticed a few fantasy titles down the years and I am very partial to a good horror story. When you grow up reading Stephen King, James Herbert, Richard Laymon and Shaun Hutson you know there is absolutely zero chance you will allow yourself to miss out on a book called Chopping Spree. And look at that cover – it screams to be read.

Chopping Spree is set in an 80’s themed Mall in Minnesota and the reader follows Penny who (at 16) is still in school but she also has a job in one of the high profile fashion stores. We see her finding her feet in her new job and her nervousness around the highschool heart-throb who also works in the shop. But any teen crush problems are going to fade into insignificance when Penny is confronted in the mall by a man wearing a wolf mask and warning her of danger.

As the mall closes for the evening Penny and her colleagues are locked in after hours with a dangerous would-be killer and that is just the start of Penny’s problems. Why do her colleagues all wear the same strange symbol? Why is there a hidden door inside her shop? And then people start to die.

Chopping Spree is a novella and I made rapid progress through the story. Events are almost entirely concerned with a single evening of Penny’s life (the last evening?) so it suited the novella length and breaking reading during such a tight timeframe felt a bit wrong – I wanted to keep going. In terms of horror it is assuredly a tale of terror and peril but it is light on gore and although I haven’t seen Chopping Spree tagged as being a YA read that’s where I felt it could be presented.

For an 80’s music fan there is a great soundtrack to Chopping Spree. Songs play in the mall and Angela Sylvain blends the songs perfectly with the action on page. There was also a playlist at the end of the book which I plan to add to my digital library. These extra touches for readers are always appreciated.

Fun was had with Chopping Spree. I do enjoy a horror tale which stands up without been too ridiculous and the story worked really well for me. Penny is a likeable lead, the mall is a great setting for a horror tale with events contained with no chance of escape and the actual danger is *redacted* but perfectly in keeping with the background.

Okay, I think some people take their horror wayyyyy too seriously.

This is a fun retro-inspired horror piece that does a really good job of capturing that 1980’s horror schlock. The story is fun, fast moving, and never takes itself too seriously.

There are nods to some of the anti-capitalism furor that was part of the time (Bret Easton Ellis anyone?) that are very entertaining. The social commentary is prevalent and necessary to the plot (you’ll see), but still light and fun.

The piece is nicely slasher without ever getting really gruesome.

Definitely an enjoyable read!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

If you are looking for a quick, campy horror story, then Chopping Spree is definitely what you are looking for. However, as a lover of both cheesy/campy horror movies and literary fiction, I felt quite conflicted reading this story, as it lacks in certain areas, while being over the top in others.

My main qualms in regards to this story center around its pacing and the dialogue used between characters. I am not completely aware whether this is classified as YA horror, but it definitely reads as the lower end of YA with regards to dialogue and character development. In general the characters felt very one dimensional and stereotypical (but not in a fun horror movie way) causing a great disconnect between the characters and the reader. Along with that the story also felt very rushed, which is most likely due to the length of the book, as it is only around 100 pages long. Unfortunately the author has not been able to develop the plot, characters and setting in a way that feels believable or realistic. I feel that the pacing of this book would have benefited greatly from as few as an extra 50 pages, with some extra scenes inserted here and there, to add to the build up to the climax of the plot.

However, despite its faults, this story was still a very enjoyable and quick read- perfect for teens looking to get into horror. The blend of 80's music, the shopping mall setting and the very campy plot blend together to create a sense of nostalgia, even if the reader was not alive to experience the 80's first hand.

Teenaged Penny loves her job at the mall clothing store where she works with her best friend and her current crush. She joins her coworkers for an after hours party at the mall where she discovers a killer on the loose and stumbles across some deadly secrets.

I love the eighties playlist, which is referenced throughout and at the end, that serves as a soundtrack for the book. Being in a pandemic, the idea of casually strolling around a mall with friends sounds decadent. Penny’s search for connection after the death of her mom is touching. The story moves at a good clip (without feeling rushed), and the book was over before I knew it. The story, characters, and the world are all nicely developed, and the ending is satisfying. I just wanted to spend more time there because I was having so much fun. Perhaps, a sequel is in order.

There’s an urban fantasy element that I really liked, which added a different dimension to the story than I had expected, and contributed to the robust world. I enjoyed the fairytale references, Penny’s self absorbed stepmom, the light LGBT references, and the rather weighty themes, which added a lovely spice to the story.

The Rewind or Die books are a blood-splattered oasis in these turbulent times. I am a huge fan of the series, which invokes the spirit of horror movies watched on videotape.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Unnerving for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

Chopping Spree is a fun fast thrill fest perfect for the Unnerving Rewind or Die series. I was expected a murderer running rampant through the mall, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a plot involving a cult, a strong and passionate protagonist, and greed.

Penny is a rich teenager who never had to struggle in life for the necessities, but she's not a stereotypical spoiled brat so often found in books or movies. She's sweet and caring, dedicated to helping others. Her family may be one of the most influential in the town, but Penny is down-to-earth.

We're immediately sucked into the tension when a creepy man in a wolf mask is introduced. A warning is issued to Penny. Leave the mall. But while Penny may not be the stereotypical rich girl, she is the predictable naive girl who doesn't heed the warning. The mall closes, Penny and her coworkers decide to stick around for a little party, and the horror unravels.

This is a fun fast paced book for anyone looking for a delightful fright and a quick escape from reality.

A little disclaimer: I was published under the first round of Rewind or Die in 2020.

This was a fun little novella. A teen who works at the local mall discovers it houses a cult devoted to capitalism. The pace moves along quickly. Penny is a good character, and we discover the secrets of the mall along with her. I love that this was an 80's themed mall, and the music playing in the mall was all from the 80's. I enjoyed reading it.

I received a free arc from net galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 rating

This story follows Penny, who works at 80s themed mall in a really hip clothing store.
Penny notices that her fellow coworkers are all wearing the same symbol. When she asks about it, they just blow her off. Wanting to fit in with them, she accepts an invitation to stay after closing and party in the store.
However, during the party, she hears a scream and finds another teenager has been stabbed. Doing everything they can, the group discovers that the teen wasn’t the only victim and there’s a killer on the loose.
However, the killers motive will lead Penny to learn some horrifying truth about the mall she works at.

These Rewind or Die books are so fun. They’re fast paced, quick, and easy to read.
I’ve made it my mission to read all of them eventually because they’re just fun little books.
The 80s feel is always a hit with me. It feels like reading a slasher movie, which is something that I thoroughly enjoy.
I really liked the setting of this book being inside a mall. I always used to want to accidentally get stuck in a mall after hours, but this book definitely makes me think twice about that.
I also liked the twist, it might have been a tiny predictable, but not fully.
I think the only thing I didn’t love about this book was the length. I know these books are supposed to be short quick reads, but I feel like 70 pages does such a disservice to the story. If it had been a bit longer, I think it could have been expanded upon more and really been a knockout.
I did enjoy it overall and would read more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, quick read! It follows a teenage girl who works at a mall and a dangerous encounter with a man in a wolfs mask. Her and her coworkers try to survive this villain but at the same time, try to stop him.

This story reminded me of something that you would see on the Twilight Zone or Tales from the Crypt--I think that's why I found it to be fairly entertaining. The reveals weren't super predictable but the ending isn't anything surprising or new. I liked the concept of the book and enjoyed the "comedic" parts but I was just hoping for more gore.

Again, this was decent--I'm going to keep an eye out for more of Angelas works.

3/5

Well it was a quick and easy read. That’s really the only positive I have on this one. There was little in the way of a believable plot and the character dialogue as exposition was forced and cheesy.

The literary equivalent of a slasher set in modern day, but in an 80s inspired fashion mall. Really that's all you need to know to know if you want to read it.

My actual opinion though? It's fun, it's quick (I think it's only 70 pages) so it's also fast paced. Like many slashers a lot of the characters are greatly annoying, so I didn't have any strong emotions when bad things happened other than amusement.

It's a fun little book to kill some time with, but don't expect any great scares. Go into it with the mindset one would go into it with a B-movie. If that's your thing, check it out. 3/5 stars

ARC provided via Net Galley and Unnerving in exchange for an honest review.