Stephen Graham Jones isn’t just a groundbreaking horror author. He’s a student of the genre, second only perhaps to the heroine of his in-progress Lake Witch Trilogy: Jennifer “Jade” Daniels. The bloody climax of the the first book in the series, MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW, left Jade’s fate in doubt. The second part, DON’T FEAR THE REAPER, picks up her story several eventful years later. This time around, Jade shares the narrative spotlight with a townsful of townsfolk, battling the elements and a new danger: a hulking killer who may or may not be carving his way through the local teen population. Graham takes everything that worked in CHAINSAW and makes every right decision in REAPER that horror movie sequels famously don’t. Clever twists, blood-red herrings, ambiguity, and gallons of gore are all on the menu, served up by new and returning characters still reeling from the events of CHAINSAW. I’m excited for everyone who will have the chance to read this book for the first time. I’m excited that I’ll get to read it for a second time!

Don't Fear the Reaper returns to Proofrock with Jade, a tumultuous blizzard, and plenty more mayhem to go around.

Much like the first book in this trilogy, SGJ takes some time to really get things in motion. The first half of the book is fairly thick, throwing lots of characters at you and hoping you remembered everything that happened in MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW (really recommend rereading before this one if you don't have a solid grasp on everything that went down).

However, once the stage is set and everything starts to move forward, the book runs into the thick of it and things don't stop moving for the rest of the novel. This is the sequel to a slasher. and it raises the stakes, brings beloved original characters back into frame, and delivers more bloodshed with plenty of new questions that need answered.

If Slashers are your go-to horror genre, or you love the vibe of cinematic novels this ins an excellent addition to any TBR.

I LOVED this book! My Heart is a Chainsaw (the first in the series) was so good that I couldn’t wait for a sequel and dang, the sequel was even better. Don’t Fear The Reaper was like reading a slasher film. It had twists and turns and tons of gore. Jade Daniels is such a complex and lovable protagonist to root for. I also really love the underlying themes of strength and resilience through both books! Overall this is a must read for all horror lovers!

Amazing sequel and Stephen Graham Jones always delivers spine chilling thrillers! ...................................

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Don't Fear the Reaper.

Full disclosure: I love the author's titles more than his books.

I wasn't that big of a fan of My Heart is a Chainsaw, but I wanted to give the sequel a try.

Sadly, the sequel was no Aliens - there were too many issues, including how unnecessarily long the book was, followed by:

1. Several POV characters because the author enjoys the literary device of putting the reader in the shoes of the victim before his or her head is lopped off.

I don't mind exposition, but this type of pacing drags after a couple of characters. It only works on the big screen.

Also, I don't like listening to the internal thoughts of horny, spacey teenagers since I don't care about them.

2. Jade is back, but this time, she's Jennifer. And she's pulling a Switzerland. She doesn't want to get involved.

As a reader, it's hard to care about Jade (aka Jennifer) when she doesn't care about the story (even though you know it's going to happen anyway). This is a popular literary device, but it's ho-hum to see a character acting in this familiar trope.

3. The new cast of characters aren't interesting or compelling, but then I didn't feel the characters from the first book were that intriguing either.

4. Lots of stuff going on, which read as filler (and explains why the book is too long)

5. I didn't like the author's writing style or tone. I didn't like it in the first book, either, but I wanted to give him a second chance.

I don't think this author is for me, but I appreciate the opportunity to read Don't Fear the Reaper before publication.

There is a reason why Stephen Graham Jones is one of the best horror writers today- Don't Fear the Reaper was a great sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw and it did not disappoint. I loved the thrilling, fast-paced nature of this book compared to the 1st one. Great twists throughout!

The midsection of any slasher franchise worth its salt is always the meatiest playground. From throwing out potential convoluted twists in character motivation to outlandish villain identities and connections, the midpoint may at first appear insurmountable, but the payoff and lead into the grand slasher finale is always worth the journey when done well.

Don't Fear the Reaper is the hearty center of Stephen Graham Jones' Indian Lake trilogy and follow up to My Heart is A Chainsaw. Reaper picks up some time after Chainsaw sees Jade shipped away to face time for the events of that fateful blood-soaked night on the docks. The town of Proofrock is still struggling to cope with the destruction and scars - both physical and emotional - left behind from that cruel July. They can hardly believe their ill fortune when teenage bodies begin falling once more. A new spectre haunts, and there's more than one threat stalking Proofrock's inhabitants.

Reaper once again shows Jones flexing his love for the genre at full strength. We grow closer to the characters we knew and loved in Chainsaw, and meet a whole slew of fresh blood with their own theories, motives, and grudges for the fate of the town and its people. Jade's return and, consequently, her internal struggle with who she wants to be, who she thinks she is or should be, and her full truth reasserts her as one of the best Final Girls in fiction.

The Jade of Reaper is much more openly vulnerable, alternately reckoning with her losses and imagined position within the scope of Proofrock's desperation and lifting up those she believes are strong enough to save it. We, of course, know that Jade's open, defiant heart is what makes her perfect Final Girl material no matter what she thinks, even more than her trademark encyclopedic knowledge of the slasher genre. Unmooring her in the knowledge department in particular (time and media output pause for no one) works uniquely well in Reaper to peel back the longstanding defensive layer and reveal Jade's deeper truth both to us as readers and - more importantly - to herself.

The greatest joy of reading Stephen Graham Jones is his evident love for the work and the genre and his fearless ability to marry the violence and lightly magical atmosphere of a slasher with the mundane cruelty of the real world, preferring to prove the way things we can't explain enrich the world around us, even at the cost of blood. More importantly, he understands the heart of horror even at its most convoluted and wild is about connection in times of struggle and despair, and the value of letting the strength of that connection carry us through.

I said it with Chainsaw and it deserves repeating with Reaper: Jade is the kind of Final Girl I didn't even know I was longing for, and watching her grow through the Indian Lake trilogy feels like a rare gift. I can't wait to see where she leads us next.

An intriguing and unique mix of the classic slasher horror genre and ephemeral mysticism, Don't Fear the Reaper is full of twists, surprises, and kick ass characters. Readers who rooted for Jade in My Heart is a Chainsaw will be thrilled that she's back in the second book in the Lake Witch Trilogy. I for one cannot wait to see what Jones puts Jade through next!

Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is the sequel to one of my favorite horror books of all time, My Heart is a Chainsaw so to say I had high expectations would be putting it lightly. I actually saved this book to be my first read of 2023 because I love trying to start the year on a good foot. If this is any indication of how my reading year will be, I am in for a terrific year because this was fantastic.

This book picks up a few years after the events of the first one so I don’t want to get into the plot of the story but it is a lot faster paced than the first one because we are dealing with established characters so we really hit the ground running. If you were a fan of the first one, I don’t see why you wouldn’t love this one too. Coincidentally, if you didn’t like the first one, you won’t like this one. It has very similar vibes.

This is truly a series for horror lovers. I love all the horror movie references and how different tropes that are common in those movies are utilized. I love the writing style because parts of it feel very stream of consciousness and we are in the head of our main character as they as seeing everything happen. I just love everything Stephen Graham Jones writes. It’s so nice to know that when you pick up one of his books, you are in for a unique time. He isn’t afraid to take risks and write some crazy stories and I am here for it.

Whereas MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW was the ultimate slow burn, crawling on hands and knees towards a wild and devastating conclusion, DON'T FEAR THE REAPER chucks bodies at you right out of the gate and doesn't let up until the final page. This bloody and brilliant sequel lands us back in a Proofrock that's had its eyes wrenched open by death, tragedy, and notoriety, and this community of characters are made all the stronger for it. Jade is still a complete badass, a resilient survivor, a reluctant Final Girl... and now, she has friends backing her up, helping her to fight the darkness threatening to swallow her town but also giving her something to fight for. Her growth and development as a main character over the course of these two books has been one of this series' highlights, without a doubt, and I can't wait to see where a third instalment will put her.

This sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw starts with the perfect storm of Jennifer (Jade) Daniels arriving back in Proofrock, a serial killer escaping his transport convoy and a blizzard that shuts down power and phone lines to the whole area. Bodies start piling up and it's a roller coaster ride to the end. Who will be next and who will be the "final girl" this time around? If you love slasher films, this one pays homage to the more recent updated ones.

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Stephen Graham Jones for the advanced copy of Don't Fear the Reaper in exchange for my honest review.

I unfortunately chose to DNF this book about 20% in. I had a hard time with the writing style and just wasn't very invested in the story.

Out of fairness I will not be rating this book on any consumer sites or social media as I didn't finish it.

I just need to give up. I am never going to be in love with Stephen Graham Jones works like my horror friends are. I have tried people. This book was just a mess. Parts of it shone, and I get why my friends like his books when you get to the shiny parts. But the whole plot just gets beyond confusing at one point. And I am so sick of the character of Jade (or as she is known now, Jennifer) being all I am not a Final Girl, only Final Girls can truly defeat slashers and I want to shake her for a whole minute. If she had not done what she had 4 years ago maybe she could still believe that, but I just got sick of it. Also for those who complained last time there wasn't enough killing/gore, well you get it in spades in this one. First few pages starts off with a gruesome kill and it just keeps going up the more you read. In the end, this book just had too much going on and people doing way too many stupid things for me to not just read and shake my head about.

"Don't Fear the Reaper" is the sequel to "My Heart is a Chainsaw." Taking place four years later, we follow Jennifer (formerly Jade) Daniels as she returns to Proofrock. Jade was in jail for four years, but is eventually is released (her conviction is overturned). She is a different person now, she's 21, and has grown her hair out, and she just wants to forget everything that happened. But returning to Proofrock right before Christmas leaves Jennifer and the rest of the town in the path of convicted serial killer Dark Mill South. And for 36 hours, Dark Mill South is going to do what he can to take down Proofrock.

I don't want to talk too much since I would spoil, but just so you know there's a lot going on with this one. If SGJ had stuck to just the above the book I think would have worked. But he didn't. There's something else that gets tossed into the mix and then you start wondering who is doing what to who and why. I still don't get it and I re-read the last 20 pages at least 3 times at this point. There's also some supernatural things afoot again (which I don't mind) but think that could have been saved for another book since we know there's one more of these things out there. Honestly if the book was Jennifer and Letha running around trying to stop a serial killer, I would have rated this higher. They are the only parts of the book that worked for me (when they are together and going back and forth at each other). Everything else falls flat.

I will say though that the character of Jennifer/Jade was good. I wish we had managed to stay with her for the majority of the book. Instead we once again get someone writing a paper to a history teacher (don't ask that was another plot point that could have been tossed out). We follow Letha (didn't mind) but also we get in the heads of the teens right before they get killed. We also have Banner, Hardy, etc. all from the prior book and some new characters too. I really wish we had gotten a character list of everyone before the book kicks off. I just stopped paying attention to names after a while.

The flow was pretty awful. The book just stops and starts. And people do dumb things I liked Jade and Letha, but them going off to track a serial killer with no weapons made zero sense. Jade thinking that only the new Final Girl could take out Dark Mills South was beyond dumb too. I think at one point Jade is yelling because Dark Mills South uses a gun and she's all, slashers don't use guns! Hey, he's a serial killer, I don't think he cares about movie slasher rules. 

The ending was just I don't even know.

I requested a copy of this book because I have had the first one waiting on me to read it for quite a while. I figured if I scored a copy of this book, that would force me to finally read the first one. Then, I read the first one. (Spoiler, it was dreadful.) And since I didn't enjoy the first, I was apprehensive to start this one...

Annndddd, this one wasn't as dreadful as the first, but it was close. It took me almost as long to read as the first, which was a dreadfully long time for me. I really don't like to be such a Debbie downer, but I just can't with this series. I am not sure if I am reading the same books as others are. Was I punked? Did I get a totally different story that everyone else? I just don't see the appeal of these long-winded books that really have no real point to them.

When the third (and maybe last) book of this trilogy comes around, I will definitely be skipping it. To each their own, but these books weren't horror books. They felt like the author wanted to prove to readers just how much slasher trivia he possesses by throwing it into a book that one would need to create a chart or plot board just to attempt to understand where he is trying to take readers.

Was a sequel necessary for this (My Heart Is a Chainsaw)? Probably not. But I really like the characters and it's just sort of fun. In a slasher/horror sort of way. I love this type of story. They're like those old Friday the Thirteenth movies from the 1980s. They're sort of ridiculous but highly entertaining and massively fun. I definitely recommend it. And I do feel inspired to read some of the author's other books.

I also love that this is publishing in February, the week before Valentine's Day. If you're looking for a present for your love (and he/she/they have a great sense of humor) this gets my vote for sure.

“Because she’s Jade fucking Daniels. And a thousand men like you can’t even reach up to touch her combat boots.”

Where do I even start. Ever since hearing this would be a trilogy, I couldn’t wait to be reunited with Jade. Meeting her in Chainsaw was like finally meeting a friend I’d waited forever for. And joining her again in Reaper was, as she would say, pretty metal.

It’s hard to write a spoiler-free review of this book that will do it the justice it deserves so let’s start with this- if you loved Chainsaw, you’ll love this. It’s just as fun, heart wrenching, and twisty as the first one. Not only are we back in Jade’s company but we also get more insight into Proofrock and The Lake Witch Slayings. Jade already gave us a pretty good lay of the land in the first one and this just dug us deeper into the town and it’s residents.

“How does it feel, to own Halloween?”

Reaper has a bit more of an eerie feel to it as it takes place in December during a particularly bad snowstorm. Coupled with the method of the murders and horror fans will find themselves utterly at home at Jade and Co. try to save their town yet again from another slasher.

My only expectation going into this book was to love it with my whole heart and scream through every page. That of course happened. Now, I can’t help but thinking about what’s next. Still 0 expectations but lots of curiosity as to where the finale will take us. I also can’t even begin to grasp that there’s only one book left. I’m not sure what I’ll do when this series comes to an end, but I do know I’ll be waiting for the next body to drop and Jade Daniels to take center screen 🖤

Until then, I’ll be grabbing it on audio once it’s released to relive this slasher spectacular.

Stephen Graham Jones nails it out of the park with the second installment of the Lake Witch trilogy. We're talking Empire Strikes Back level amazing. Jade is out of prison after four years and heads back to Proofrock, which is still under the shadow of the Independence Day Massacre. The town has some new citizens, brought in by the promise of free college tuition, and a new sheriff - who is trapped out of town along with his deputy by a blizzard. That blizzard allows Dark Mill South, a multistate serial killer to escape his transport. Of course, he heads directly into Proofrock, and of course Jade and her friends take him on, but at what cost?

You're going to love this. Jaw droppingly good! (what, too soon?)

My thanks to Gallery Books, S.G.J, and Netgalley.
I quit this story around 45%. Truth is that I freaking hated it. The story. The too long of everything. I wasn't a fan of the first book. But, I did like the last 30% of it. This? I just can't.
Well, I could...but I don't want to.
Mr. Jones just isn't an author for me.
I strongly encourage people to read and judge for themselves. Many love this author, but for me I've finally decided to call it quits.

Stephen Graham Jones! You’re not afraid to go off the rails. I see you, and I appreciate you.

This novel has some really stand out moments and I value the creative elements SGJ puts into his storylines. This is the second book in a Trilogy, and once again follows Jade/Jennifer Daniels as she tries to stay a step ahead of a mystery killer by using her insight into horror movies.

I LOVED:
•The Native American elements that Graham perfectly incorporates into his storylines
•This story takes place around Christmas 🎄
•The nods to Wes Craven 🔪 and other classic horror moments
•Graham holds no level of gruesomeness back - you’ve been warned. He goes all in on this slasher.

The only drawback for me was that I found myself confused at times and portions were disjointed and unfocused. When that happened, I felt lost until it would get back on track.

However, I always appreciate the dark that Jones doesn’t shy away from and his clear love for this genre. There is a ton of pop culture references and I find that fun. Also, after that ending, I’m excited for the third book in the trilogy.

If you’ve read My Heart is a Chainsaw (book 1) and if you like horror, then for sure give this sequel a read when it’s published.

3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for this review

As with all SGJ books, it’s challenging to read sometimes but never truly disappointing. I’m interested to see the final chapter.