Wow. I loved My Heart is a Chainsaw and didn't see how it could be topped - but I think I loved Don't Fear the Reaper even more! This book was a fast-paced, gory ride and I enjoyed every second of it.

Set four years after the Lake Witch Massacre, Jennifer (formerly Jade) finds herself back in Proofrock, Idaho following a four year prison stint for the murder of her father. Jennifer has changed her ways and she's not the same girl she once was. Which is too bad since serial killer Dark Mill South has set his eyes on her hometown and Proofrock needs a Final Girl hero. With the sheriff and his best deputy unaccounted, it's looking pretty bleak for the residents of Proofrock as the body count starts to climb.

If you've read My Heart is a Chainsaw then chances are you're a horror junkie or at least a fan of the slasher/horror movie genre. Like it's predecessor, Don't Fear the Reaper had slasher homages throughout and it just made it so much more enjoyable (not so say you won't enjoy this book if you're not a slasher fan - you will just have more fun). I loved seeing all of the surviving characters from My Heart is a Chainsaw and loved Jade & Letha's relationship - I especially loved seeing how Letha has changed since we last saw her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Saga for a review copy. I can't wait for book 3!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones in exchange for an honest review. There is a saying that sequels are never as good as the original, to which I do not subscribe, and this book proves it. I really love the way Jones writes and how he brings his characters to life. There was a lot of this book that once I started reading, I could not put it down. I really enjoyed seeing how Jennifer and Lethal have grown and how they deal in this book compared to the first. Thank you Stephen Graham Jones for delivering a worthy sequel.

This is obviously a must for all the readers of the previous book and as it picks up 4 years after the massacre. Jade  is just out of jail after her conviction is overturned and is back to Proofrock. But at the same time, serial killer Dark Mill South is in Proofrock courtesy escaping while being transferred during a blizzard. Now it is upto the town folks to put up a fight against the threat to their town.

There is a lot more of gore and it is more graphic than the previous book. I enjoyed the suspense more than the horror part. The readers are left with more questions which clearly set up the premise for the next book in the series.

Jennifer Daniels has returned to Proofrock, Idaho, after years of trials. As soon as she sets foot in town, almost, murders start happening again, but all of these somehow harken back to all of Jennifer's favoite slasher movies. Also, just a few miles up the road from Proofrock, an avalanche has freed a notorious serial killer, and Jennifer must figure out why he's killing all of the teens in Proofrock and stop him before he gets them all.

This...was a really good book, except for one thing. It was almost like being dropped straight into the horror version of Ready Player One. There was just...a lot of final girls/horror/slasher movie references, to the point it jerks you out of the story when Jennifer and Letha spend what has to be 15 pages quoting movies and rehashing plots. It was...a lot.

Put all of those references aside (seriously, like 75% of them do nothing for the plot of the story. I almost felt like I was reading the movie version of Grady Hendrix's compendium of horror books), and the story itself is so good. Jennifer once again has to save a town that doesn't care about her, except now maybe it does. Her best friend is married to a sheriff's deputy now, and many of the high schoolers look up to her. I really enjoyed most of this book, couldn't put it down for most of it. Maybe it's because I prefer my horror on the page vs the screen, but I don't remember being this annoyed with the slasher references in My Heart is a Chainsaw.

Definitely worth the read, and according to Goodreads will be a trilogy, so honestly I can't wait to see what Jade gets into next.

☆☆☆☆
If you’ve read SGJ you know that he writes extremely unique and crazy horror books. After I read “The Only Good Indians”, I was a fan!

“Don’t fear the Reaper” picks up four years after the huge massacre that took place in “My Heart is a Chainsaw” (Book #1, The Lake Witch Trilogy). If you haven’t read Book #1, I highly recommend you do. It’s a fantastic book and there are so many details you’ll want to know!

Jade (who now goes by Jennifer) was convicted of her father’s murder. Fortunately, the conviction is overturned and she’s paroled—with conditions—she will not destroy any city, county, state, or federal property for a period of six months. If she breaks the conditions of her parole, she will serve her full term, with no trial. Easy Peasy!

Poor Jade went through hell trying to warn and help people. Like they say…no good deed goes unpunished.

If possible, this book is bloodier and more graphic than the first book. So buckle up and get ready for this gruesome and macabre ride!

I’m ready for Book #3 but I’m not sure how much more carnage the town of Proofrock can survive!

Sincere thanks to the author and Gallery Books for this gifted ARC received through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#DontFearTheReaper #StephenGrahamJones #GalleryBooks #netgalley #SlasherMovies #WhiteElk #DarkMillSouth #giftedARC #serialkiller #honestreview #TheLakeWitchTrilogy #crimeandcocktailsbookcrew #mysteryandthrills #readwithme #bookaddict #thrilleraddict #thrillersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #lovebooks #bookreviewersofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #cantstopreading #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecommendations #justfinishedreading #coloradoreader #bookreels #igbookreels #booksbooksandmorebooks #bookseries

This is the second book in The Lake Witch Trilogy and picks up 4 years after the events of the first book, My Heart is a Chainsaw. Jade Daniels returns to rural Proofrock at the same time as a blizzard and convicted serial killer Dark Mill South. Thirty six hours later, twenty people would be dead.

I loved the first book in the trilogy and was both excited but nervous to be back in Proofrock because I enjoyed the first book so much. However, this second book in the series really hits it out of the park. It is different enough from the first one to not just feel like a copy but similar enough in the themes and structure that it still feels very much connected to the first. It was fun to see the way some of the elements from the first book - such as the academic papers - were tweaked in order to fit seamlessly into this second book. I do wish I had re-read the first one before reading this as we don't get a whole lot of re-introduction into the town and these characters - we more so get plopped into the story and start running from there.

The tone and writing style of this I found a little less literary than the first one and feels like this one would have a more wide commercial appeal. I remember seeing a lot of folks reading My Heart is a Chainsaw when it first came out and some of them were expecting it to be much more of a slasher on-page and ended up a little disappointed. That first book starts off more slowly but really picks up by the end. In Don't Fear the Reaper, however, it read much more like a typical slasher story where we get bodies dropping early and often. There still is Jones's distinctive writing style but the story overall has more action and characters making active choices than the first one did. And if you thought there were a lot of horror movie references in the first one, just you wait. Again, it feels just different enough of a reading experience for this to feel new and exciting, but still similar enough that it feels we're in the same world as the first book.

The horror elements were spectacular and really squicked me out in the absolute best way. Jones goes 100% in on Dark Mill South's murder history and spares no details. For fans of Criminal Minds (like myself) South could 1000% be a character in that show and would probably have a whole season dedicated to catching him. I'd say this book leans 75% into the gore and physical horror while the other 25% is the supernatural side of things. I loved how Jones was able to keep the horror grounded as we get consistent reminders of the massacre from the first book as well as the aftermath and real impact on these characters. While a lot of the horror in this book initially feels very big and flashy, it is also specifically shown to be realistic in a particularly haunting way.

I thought Dark Mill South's trial and backstory were really well developed throughout the story. As a result, those sections felt very much like a true crime episode all the way down to multiple fan theories and lore about Dark Mill South being built up over time. We also get a few scenes from South's perspective which were one of my favorite parts. Jones does a fantastic job of really dialing in the creep factor to these scenes by giving the reader access to the pretty fucked up things South is thinking about. Dark Mill South is Native American and a lot of the lore around Dark Mill South centers on Native Americans being dangerous, bordering on supernaturally powerful. I loved the different theories that are presented in the academic paper portions in regards to where Dark Mill came from and what his motives could be. We do find out the most probable answer at the end and I really think that reveal tied together a lot of common threads that showed up in the theories presented.

Just like in the first, we get a ton of horror movie references, but this time we had more recent ones mixed in. Most of them were horror movies that I think were talked about so widely that most people would be at least vaguely familiar with them. And if not, Jones does a good job explaining the connection the characters are making to the current situation. Also, we get a good range of types of horror, not necessarily only slashers. We also have other characters besides Jade who are making these connections/comments so we get some fantastic horror movie trivia laden conversations that are just ping-ponging references back and forth. It also felt like there was more of a focus on the actors in these movies, not just the characters on screen. I think this mirrors the sort of blurring of the lines between fiction and reality that Jade and the other characters had to grapple with in the aftermath of the massacre from the first book. I love how Jones, in both books, doesn't just use these horror references to show off how knowledgeable he is in the genre, but how these conversations reflect the character development going on throughout the book.

Overall, this was a fantastic second book in the trilogy. Just like the first one, it isn't quite clear where the story will go from here but I'm very much looking forward to the next installment. This gave me everything I loved from the first one with more action and bodies falling consistently throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC

Expected publication date is February 7, 2023

Jade who now wants to be known as Jennifer is out of jail her conviction was overturned and she’s back in Proof Rock, But so is indigenous serial killer dark Mills. He wants to kill a white man for every indigenous person that was murdered back in the 1800s by the government and so far his tally is 20 into him that isn’t enough. To make matters worse there’s a vicious snowstorm. A young deppputy named banner is left to protect the town when the sheriff and his most experienced deputy lees but he will get help from the most unlikely of places in OMG if this wasn’t the best book I have read in a long time. Even one-handed dark Mills is a scary individual this book creep me out on more than one occasion NF Stephen Graham Jones isn’t the best horror writer think there really isn’t one. Oh I absolutely loved this book I love The first look in the series my heart is a chainsaw and his other book the only good Indians but it seems he just gets better and if he is on an upward trajectory then I cannot wait to read the third book in this series. I wish I could’ve given a better summary but my only goal with this review is the tell the reader if you love horror you definitely need to read“Don’t fear the reaper“ by Stephen Graham Jones. It can definitely be read as a standalone but I think it’s much more fun having read both books. I loved it and highly recommend it I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Book Review: Don’t Fear The Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

Don’t Fear the Reaper is the second book in the Lake Witch Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones. It’s a horror novel and a supernatural-thriller.

In this sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw the main character Jade is out of prison and back in her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho. It’s been four years four since the bloodbath in Indian Lake where so many lost their lives. She’s back to using her birth name (Jennifer) and no longer quoting slasher movies non-stop. But a convoy of government vehicles transporting a violent serial killer (Dark Mill South) is wiped out in avalanche leaving the prisoner as the lone survivor and on the loose near Proofrock. Together with retired Sheriff Hardy, her best friend Letha and Deputy (in training) Banning Tompkins they will try to push back against the threat to their small town that already saw so much death.

Like My Heart is a Chainsaw the sequel is a blend of contemporary slasher movie murder and mayhem plus paranormal ghost story. There is a lot of gore, unexpected deaths and grand heroics. It will take a village to conquer this serial killer that’s bigger than life but Jade will need to pick apart the last 36 hours to see if there is more than one killer taking advantage of the storm isolating Proofrock.

I really enjoy Stephen Graham Jones storytelling and characters. The gore and body count are high but there is also a lot more to the plot than just the horror. Overall, this is an suspenseful novel filled with non-stop action and characters you can root for and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys this genre.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

After having read My Heart is a Chainsaw, I was interested in delving into the sequel to see where events have taken us with Jade&co. This story has a combination of enduring and overcoming the events from the previous novel while tackling new obstacles as Dark Mill South, a prolific serial killer, rolls into town.

What I loved about this was how we didn't spend so much time in Jade's head. Reading a lot of internal thought is a bit hard for me so this pacing was more aligned with my personal preference. This story is about so much more than her. It is about this community that is picking up the pieces from the "Independence Day Massacre" as it has been dubbed by outsiders. Everyone's stories are intertwined with some varying degree. Some more significant than others, but in a way that shows a community trying their best to move forward. Especially as it draws in newcomers like a history teacher who is eager for details of that night.

This is more than just a horror story as well, although it is certainly not lacking in the darkness, gore, and brutality. There is community, and complicated relationships with friends and family, important figures of the community with shady pasts, and a new generation of high schoolers. There are still ghostly elements like in the first novel, as well as real life physical threats. There is mystery, there are characters who endure finding their way back home and to themselves, and it all adds up in a way that stays true to Indigenous literature. I truly don't know how else to emphasize how community surprisingly plays a role in this one. Even with Jade still very much an outsider with a reputation, there is a whole new take as to who she is now and what others think of her and how they interact with her because of it.

As for the horror elements, I'd say it is darker and more brutal. There is a heightened level of danger that stems from so much mystery and the very real threat that happens when humans go to the darkest of places. I'm not so easily spooked and this one had me pulling open shower curtains, making sure my door was locked, and keeping my back against a wall while reading. There's highs and lows but it leaves you never knowing what is coming next and how every piece comes together.

As for critiques one would be how the ending unravels. Since I don't want to risk spoiling, I will only say there are several conclusions at the end of current events in Proofrock. One situation I found a bit played out, as we're led to believe several different things and I think the intended reaction would have been more significant if it was cut down and not a mind game in a condensed timeframe.

I also found the amount of perverted/creepy/pedophilic men to be a bit overkill. They were always presented in a way in which was critical and acknowledging of how creepy it was, but I found it to be deeply unsettling. I'm here for criticizing those who are predatory, and I think it can be presented in a book like this, but we never really see any of them face consequences for it. There is mentioning of it, adding to how scummy they are as characters, and becoming a critique, but it would be nice for some repercussions. It isn't always realistic as predatory people often get away with it, but I felt the first book handled it slightly better. There was a lot going on otherwise and since it is presented in a way that is not excusing it, I don't find it super upsetting, only that I would have liked to see it handled a bit differently.

Overall, Don't Fear the Reaper is far more my speed and I was genuinely enjoying most of the book. The storytelling was different and unique, and all of the elements people loved about the first one made its way into this one. It's a nice continuation, and I'm eager to see where the story will eventually go and where these characters will be for the final book in this trilogy.

This was a really fun, horror filled, captivating sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw.

It was a dream to be an ARC reader for this.

I love SGJ's writing style and flow as well as the way he depicts horror and gore. As a reader, you can tell SGJ really knows his horror, especially slasher films/books. This book is a kick-ass ode to slasher horror; and although some reviews I saw said it was a bit slow, I didn't find that to be the case and will continue hungrily consuming anything he puts out. Cannot wait for the conclusion of this trilogy.

TYSM for the opportunity to be an ARC reader. I do weekly book giveaways on my booktok (@HauntedHouseBooks) and will definitely be including this in a weekly giveaway this month to help promote it.

First off: thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, I literally don’t know what good thing I did for a higher power to deserve getting to read this book early, but thank you.

Jade Daniels, the final girl who just can’t seem to accept the fact that she’s a final girl. That line about how it’s not about the final girl, it’s about the final girls, making their way across the ice together? Unzipped me. Bam, there’s my intestines on the floor. You’re welcome.

I loved the way this pulled together threads from the first book, the way it juxtaposed Jade and Letha’s obsession with slashers with Armitage’s, because he’s in it for the cheap thrill and they’re in it as a blueprint for survival, and that point was made so poignantly.

I also absolutely loved the running gag about all of the horror films that Jade missed out on while she was in prison. She would absolutely adore “Ready or Not” — I hope she gets to see it some day.

Dark Mill South made for such a deliciously terrifying red herring and the recurring theme of girls taking their revenge however they could get it, equally delightful. It’s also interesting to see how other people on goodreads feel about the ending, about how the tone shifts, how it doesn’t feel quite as emphatic as the first, and all I can say is, guys? It’s Empire.

Finally, and once more: Jade and Letha. I love them, I love them so so much. I love what they are to each other, how they fight for each other. I’d read ten books about them alone.

My Heart is a Chainsaw wasn’t my favorite, so I was hesitant to get my hopes up about Don’t Fear the Reaper. However, I ended up enjoying it so much more! The multiple POVs were a welcome and refreshing change, the exploration of generational trauma and survivors guilt were well executed, and the tension was sustained and palpable throughout. I had a few questions at the end but they feel like perfect lead ups to the final book in the trilogy.

This is a fantastic follow up to the wonderful first novel in this series (trilogy?), My Heart is a Chainsaw. The action comes thick and fast, and the slasher/horror movie references are dizzying. Great story, even greater characters and I cannot wait for the next instalment.

Wow! I’m so glad I decided to do a reread of the first book of this series to see if I wanted to continue it. So far I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Stephen Graham Jones and I just knew I had to give My Heart is a Chainsaw another try and I’m glad I did. Don’t Fear the Reaper was even better than the first! Every time I had to put this book down to do something else I couldn’t wait to get back. Book one earned 3.75/5 stars and this one is 4.25/5 stars. Here’s to hoping the final book in the trilogy is five stars!

It’s always hard to review a sequel to a book without spoilers, but in this case, Don’t Fear the Reaper is less of a sequel and more of a second novel in the same universe. It works as a standalone, but I do highly recommend reading My Heart is a Chainsaw before reading Reaper. The plot doesn’t follow much into Reaper, but you do learn a lot about the characters in Chainsaw.

I gave Chainsaw a 4.5 star rating, and I’m going with a 4 star rating for Reaper. One of the biggest reasons for this is because I felt we didn’t get to see Jade as she truly was. She was (pardon the pun) quite jaded as she returned to town after her time in prison. However, Stephen Graham Jones is one of my favorite writers, and I loved everything about the story. I just wish we had more Jade.

I’m excited to read the third book and conclude the series. I think it’s possible my issues with the second will solve themselves in the third, as it tends to happen with middle books in a trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books/Saga Press for the advanced review copy! Don’t Fear the Reaper releases on February 7th.

TW for blood, gore, injury, death, murder, grief, trauma, racism, animal cruelty, animal death, and an adult/minor relationship

What a ride! Opens up with a bang (or slash) then one thing after another. Jade is awesome. I loved getting to hang out with her again. Start with My Heart is a Chainsaw. You won't be lost here if you don't, but its too good to miss. I love Stephen Graham Jones' style. He is probably the coolest ever.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books/Saga Press for the advanced digital copy! I've already got my hardcover ordered.

I felt like I was reading something completely different than what this book presented to be. The story feels very disjointed, and confusing. The main character, Jennifer, isn’t written like she was in book 1. While I understand she’s out of jail now, she seems like an entirely new character with no traits that she has in the first book. Also, there are so many random characters that it feels like they were thrown in and randomly related to someone from the tragedy in book one to fill some space. I’m really disappointed because I absolutely loved My Heart is a Chainsaw, but maybe it should have remained a standalone.

I didn't love My Heart is a Chainsaw but I really enjoyed this follow up! I liked the multiple POVs and felt this story moved faster than the first one. Similar to book 1, the ending felt really open and I'm not 100% sure what happened.

**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

Stephen Graham Jones never disappoints. This spooky thriller was a very enjoyable read. The writing is superb and always gives me the perfect amount of creepiness to make you want to keep the lights on.

My Heart Is A Chainsaw was one of my favorite books in 2021 so I could not wait to get my hands on this one.

This is a bit of a slow story, but at the same time there is SO much action throughout it. It's kind of confusing with the way SGJ writes; it's unique in sometimes it feels like a stream of consciousness from a character and at times it's interesting and other times I'm hoping it's over soon.

If you look past that point the gore is great and being a horror movie lover I love the references and don't get bored of them. I love Jade as a character, she has so much to overcome in her life and is just trying to live it, but can't seem to catch a break. She was born to be in a horror movie and is somehow not fazed by everything happening in Proofrock.

There is a lot of gore and violence in this (as would be in a horror movie) and true to a sequel, the body count has been upped since the first and it's a wild ride.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.