My favorite final girl is back! Jade Daniels is such a likable and relatable character, I couldn’t help but root for her. I had to get this book in ASAP as I recently got the finale to this series. I LOVED the first book and this one definitely did not disappoint. It is truly one of the most gruesome, descriptive horror novels out there. The movie references are so on point and abundant, and I couldn’t love that aspect more. I have been watching scary movies forever and love to hear some favorite scenes and characters mentioned. I was especially excited about the Native American lore mentioned and allusion to their mistreatment. I am so excited to dive into the next book and see how this story concludes.

I didn't realize that this was part of a horror series. I had not read the first book in the series, and had no idea the content. I'm not a big horror reader so I DNFed fairly quickly.

*Thank you @gallerybooks for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because rating 4 stars or less.*

Don't Fear the Reaper (The Indian Lake Trilogy #2) by Stephen Graham Jones
Publication date: February 7, 2023

Date read: September 6, 2023



Four years after her tumultuous senior year, Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned. But life beyond bars takes a dangerous turn as soon as she returns to Proofrock. Convicted Serial Killer, Dark Mill South, seeking revenge for thirty-eight Dakota men hanged in 1862, escapes from his prison transfer due to a blizzard, just outside of Proofrock, Idaho. Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.

Stephen Graham Jones is a polarizing author, I've found. Most people either love him or hate him. After reading both The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw (as well as the first volume of Earthdivers), I was still feeling torn. I like the way he tells a story, but both of those books felt to me like they were a little too long and a little too confusing. (Chainsaw, especially, took a very long time to get to any real action). And his kills are very gory - that didn't bother me, but I know it will be off-putting for some readers. But despite my liking his books but never being blown away, at the same time, if I see he has a new book coming out, it's an immediate must read.

Which brings me to Don't Fear the Reaper. For anyone who has been feeling like I have - who likes his books but is looking for a little something more - this is the book you have been waiting for.

Reaper starts out strong and fast with the gory action and rarely lets up. Jade (going by Jennifer now) is more mature, more reserved after serving her time and is done with horror movies. In fact, it's now Letha - back in a bigger role here - who is horror-obsessed and has to convince Jade to pick up the torch when the bodies start dropping once again. But don't let the description fool you - Jade is still as badass as she ever was, but a lot more grounded this time around (which honestly makes her more relatable, in my opinion). I liked Jade in Chainsaw, but she could sometimes be a little much; here, I found her an even more fun character. And I loved getting the addition of the returning supporting cast's POVs as well, especially Letha.

My only complaint with this book is that there were sometimes a little too much going on (as opposed to the first book, where I didn't feel like there was quite enough). This had it's positives (so many bodies!), but it's negatives as well. Without spoilers, I felt that the ending got a little confusing, and I'm honestly not 100% sure who killed who in some of the scenarios. This is the only reason why the book couldn't get to 5 stars for me.

Overall, though, this book is a thrill ride. Lots of blood and gore. Lots of classic slasher references (although if you're not well-versed on all of the movies, it's perfectly okay; there were a fair amount of movies mentioned that I have never seen, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything, plot-wise). Fun characters. Crazy serial killers...

I do recommend reading My Heart is a Chainsaw first. I feel like you could technically read this book as a standalone without being completely lost, but there are so many callbacks to Chainsaw, that I really wouldn't recommend trying. This book is better (in my opinion), but the first book is also very good and will give you such a great background on Jade, that I wouldn't skip it. Also, keep an eye out for March 26, 2024, when the final book in the trilogy - The Angel of Indian Lake - is set to drop. I know I plan on grabbing myself a copy.

Rating: (a strong) 4/5 stars

Content warnings: gore, murder, child abandonment, racism, animal death

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

The sequel was interesting but I don't know if the series is right for me. Will definitely recommend to other horror readers who are horror movie buffs and love slashers.

Don't Fear The Reaper proves that sequels can be just as good - if not better than the original. My Heart Is A Chainsaw was one of my favourite horror books of 2021 so this is a highly anticipated follow-up that delightfully delivered. I had a blast meeting Jade again and returning to the lake town of Proofrock. She is a changed person after the events in the first book. I was sad to read about what she went through in the recap at the start of the book, and how her spirit and demeanour have been dimmed by the trial. We always get stories about Final Girls that end when the monster is defeated. But what happens after? What happens when people don't believe in Final Girls? But even when she wants a new life, to her dismay, people are dying again and she must figure out how to survive - and save others.

The frozen winter setting is the perfect backdrop to a gut-chilling bloodbath by a dangerous, mythical boogeyman. Dark Mill South is a force to be reckoned with, and every encounter between him and other characters is violent and suspenseful. The supporting characters - like Jade's best friend Letha, the former town sheriff Hardy, and massacre survivors Cinnamon and Ginger - bring their own perspectives to the horrors. I was anxious to see how it ended but also not ready to say goodbye to Jade. Horror fans, you're in for a treat.

Something about these books just don't jive with me, but I can't pinpoint what it is. I wish I was one of the folks who really loved this series. I will read the final book.

Don't Fear The Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is the perfect middle chapter to Jade Daniels' trilogy by expanding her character and the world around her. The more mature and wiser Jade has come out of the first book as the hero the town needs and the foil to the killer. It is a treat to read through passages that show the growth the character displays and how it contrasts with the Jade from the first book. Once the body count starts the pace quickens immensely and it becomes a brisk read. Highly recommended for fans of SGT and the first book. I can't wait to see how the story ends with the upcoming third book.

I just have to say that SGJ is hands down one of my favorite authors and Jade is one of my favorite final girls. I love all the slasher references and reading these books has given me films to watch that I didn't even really know. I know that this is going to be a trilogy so I don't want to say that this is better than My Heart is a Chainsaw, I think I need the final installment in order to really judge that, but I did enjoy this so much. SGJ gets better every time and while I loved this, I know that I will be sad when the trilogy comes to an end. The only thing I will say is that there were multiple POVs and it took me a minute to track everything and felt a bit disjointed at first, but I think that is the only downside.

I am SO GLAD this turned into a little series of books, because I really loved the first one and was very much excited for this follow up! This doesn't disappoint at all, and it's a PERFECT read in the winter time, whereas the first book was a better fit for summer. Jade is one of my all-time favorite horror book characters, and I loved spending more time with her, especially seeing her new friendship/relationship blossom. This was just so good!!

This novel is maybe better than the first installment in the trilogy—it plays out more like a classic slasher, but with a lot of heart. Only SGJ pull this off.

This sequel to my heart is a chainsaw does not disappoint. A serial killer, more bodies piling up and a blizzard sets an incredibly spooky atmosphere in this one.
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Thank you #gallery and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Jade is back, and a new class of Proofrock High students is about to be terrorized! I didn't love this as much as the first book, but I enjoyed seeing Letha and Jade's sweet friendship and teamwork in taking down a scary serial killer on the loose. I can't wait to see what the author dreams up for the next installment.

‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ by the much awaited and anticipated sequel to ‘My Heart is a Chainsaw’ by Stephen Graham Jones. It follows Jennifer ‘Jade’ Daniels as she returns to her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho four years after the massacre that mistakenly landed her in prison. Like MHIAC, Jade immediately sets the tone in this book by showing up to Proofrock an exhausted, more mature version of her teenage self insisting on being called ‘Jennifer’ and not by her well-known nickname.

‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ succeeded in certain areas where MHIAC failed; the way SGJ writes and incorporates generational trauma and trauma manifestations is masterful. Where MHIAC primarily focused on Jade and her experiences with trauma and the never-ending onslaught of violences done upon her, ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ embraces the encompassing nature of Proofrock’s history passed down through the generations cultivating a culture of distrust and subtle violence.

We get multiple pov chapters from various different residents of Proofrock, local and implant alike, who were present at the legendary massacre of MHIAC. SGJ uses the location of Proofrock, it’s extensive history, and the extreme weather conditions to mirror and reflect the pov characters’ ways of both dealing with past trauma and actively experiencing a new kind of violence trying to survive the threat of escaped serial killer Dark Mill South and other antagonists. We see how teenagers are dealing with the massacre, how older, more seasoned locals are dealing (or not dealing) with it, and how our OG cast list of characters from the first novel are handling it. Moving through these different psyches and ways of dealing paints a chaotic, cerebral portrait of a town drenched in blood and viscera and too much goddamn history.

Where ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ failed, however, was in its minimal pov chapters for Jade. Jade is the character who made MHIAC so special and brilliant, and we don’t see nearly enough of her in ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper.’ SGJ, from the very beginning of MHIAC, created a parallel between Jade Daniels and the famed and much feared Lake Witch, and not including more of Jade’s pov in ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ was a mortal mistake because of this. The sequel works on three, really four, levels of antagonism and the Lake Witch is always undeniably, indelibly, at the heart of this trilogy and to not feature more of Jade when those parallels have been so clearly and concretely drawn takes away the emotional impact and damages Jade’s arc and character. Stacy Graves’ point of view chapter in this book was the strongest, most creative and well done chapter so far in the series and the story needs more of the Lake Witch and Jade just existing as bloodied, violent, rejected, not-quite-final girls.

The ending, however, is where SGJ tied everything together and where the story and Jade’s character arc really shined. The final lines of this book will stay with me forever, and Jade Daniels is my favorite character ever written.

SGJ really said the real villains are always men and I adore him for it.

-spoilers-

Letha’s pov chapters!!! We need more Letha and less everyone else, especially her interactions with Jade and the conversation they had in Terra Nova waiting for Dark Mill South.

I knew Mr. Armitage was a creep from the very beginning because no one ever let Jade meet him until it was completely unavoidable. If you want to know what male characters in this trilogy are creepy and disgusting, just see who keeps Jade away from them or how she treats/thinks of them when they’re around women and girls. The way SGJ writes Jade’s childhood sexual trauma into everything without very directly addressing it and making it Jade’s entire character is genius, the way she interacts with the world and men in particular and is always protecting girls, even girls like Cinn and Ginger, from men is so reflective of the trauma she went through and how much her character has developed and changed post-MHIAC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have started and stopped this book numerous times since its release, and I'm sad to say that I have to DNF it about 20% in. My Heart is a Chainsaw was one of my absolute FAVORITE books last year, but this just did not live up to its predecessor unfortunately. It didn't have the same charm as the first book; I found the multiple POVs to be confusing instead of adding to the story. And I found myself lost and confused about what was going on a lot of the time. I will pick up Stephen Graham Jones' next work, but this one I have to put down.

An electric follow-up to My Heart is a Chainsaw, this novel feels fresh in the way that it builds on and expands these well-loved characters while giving us a gorey, slashery mystery that we can't wait to sink our teeth into. Jade is the frontwoman we all want to root for, and I can't wait to read the final part of this fantastic trilogy.

In the sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw Stephen Graham Jones really ramps up the gore. The grizzly deaths are not left until the end, the book starts with very graphic horror. But we knew what we were in for.

Jade (it's Jennifer now) Daniels returns to a much changed Proofrock after 4 years in jail. With the promise of free college tuition, there are many newcomers in town. Obviously when Jennifer returns to town, terrifying serial killer Dark Mill South escapes his prison escort and immediately begins murdering teenagers.

Even with the high body count, the first part of this book is slow and tense as we are introduced to old and new characters. Unlike Chainsaw, the perspective is not Jade's alone. I think this is a good choice because we have more of an understanding of the impact of these killings on regular townspeople.

And of course, though this is a slasher, there are many tender moments when Jade lets her guard down and accepts help and love.

She's ba-aack! Jade/Jennifer Daniels has returned to Proofrock and things are not like the way she left them. Sure, there are a lot of familiar faces (or what's left of their faces after Movie Night all those years ago) but everything else has changed. Jade included. After those years in jail, she doesn't even know the slasher movie references anymore!

From a slasher standpoint, I actually prefer this to My Heart is a Chainsaw. There's plenty of gore and horror, and unlike its predecessor, it's spread out from cover to cover. But as a piece of literature, Don't Fear the Reaper takes its rightful second place. If you're new to Proofrock, you must read My Heart is a Chainsaw before diving in. Otherwise, nothing will make sense. And even for then, there's that characteristic arms-length vibe that keeps the reader from truly knowing Jade, Proofrock, or any of the nightmares they've been through.

Like Stephen Graham Jones's other works, the writing style is challenging. By that, I mean the prose is stark, dramatic, and defiant. Reading this is a dare. It's art that you're meant to interpret. For that reason, I struggled with the ebook version. I had to wait (and wait and wait!) for my library to get a copy of the audio so I could enjoy the multiple narrators. It was worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ok. This book really needs to be re-written from the ground up. I was so confused on when Toby was chasing the mythical dark robe person or at the vending machine or back at the hotel room. The names passed around in the first few scenes can really trip a reader up in connecting with the characters and the book. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is book two of a trilogy of books centered around a woman named Jade Daniels and the lakeside town of Proofrock, a place as certainly cursed with killers as it is blessed with final girls. Set a few years after the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw, we meet up with Jade as she returns to her hometown just before a terrible snowstorm which will snow in Proofrock and most of the surrounding region- a snowstorm that also coincides with both the escort of dangerous serial killer Dark Mill South and the beginning of another series of murders.

This Jade, now falling back on her given name, Jennifer, has been through much after the events of that last terrible summer, a long series of trials, a release and a great deal of trauma in the wake of everything she thought she understood about slashers and the workings of her hometown. Subdued, even chastened, she's older and not any more certain about how she fits than she was before everything changed. In some ways she's trying to leave Jade behind, start over again as best she can and all too aware how those events changed the town and the people who survived. She's shocked to meet Lethe, her chosen final girl again, to see her married and now a mother. Worse she finds herself none too ready for it when they're both pulled back into the slasher movie rules by which she survived that last summer night and must now use to survive whatever killer hides in the blizzard. Is it Dark Mill South? Has Stacey returned for more revenge? Or is there something new rising from the scars of the old wounds of Proofrock? Jade isn't who she was but does that mean that girl isn't part of where she might end up?

Jade is a final girl, and she is an all too real example of what it is to grow up and into adulthood under the weight of trauma, loss, and neglect. What part of that old you was worthy? What about you was wrong? How do you carry the weight of what happened and how you behaved while the trauma was a fresh wound that carried you more than you carried it? What will you be now that that part is over? What is your strength when all of it feels incredibly painful to process? Can you make it through this again? How will the new Jade cope when it feels like the world has circled around to the old horror but with new victims? It's not easy growing up when nothing stays the same.

I loved this one just as much as the first and found this an even more satisfying g read for all the growth of characters have been through. Definitely a singular series unique to the author and all the better for it.

A triumphant sequel to My Heart Is A Chainsaw! Stephen Graham Jones continues in his total love letter to slasher horror and fans of the genre with DON'T FEAR THE REAPER. This book is so good and it doesn't even feel possible or real to have read something like it. I am totally impressed and engaged in the story here and cannot wait to read the third upcoming book in this trilogy!