A worthy secret to MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW. Stephen Graham Jones' voice is so unique, and it is harnessed here to tell a harrowing story that equals the first in its evocative storytelling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for e-ARC.

I love this book. This is a great a dark and twisty sequel which see our reluctant final girl step into what looks like another slasher in Proofrock. Jennifer "Jade" Daniels is cleared and released from prison, the same time she is being released, serial killer Dark Mill South is being transported across the state. From the very first chapter you can see where this disaster is going.

Where the first book is a slow burn, this book is a pageturning gorefest that left me begging for me. I easily could have stayed up all night reading this both from terror and because of how well it is written. I can't wait for the next book to come out to see how this trilogy ends.

I have to say this was better than My Heart is a Chainsaw but still fell a little flat for me. I really enjoyed The Only Good Indians but since then I have felt that Stephen Graham Jones has fell somewhat flat for me. I love the the novel is atmospheric and dark. Its perfect for the Halloween season, but the horror or fear aspect just isnt there for me. This one was just neutral for me. I didn’t love it or hate.

Stephen Graham Jones is a brilliant storyteller and master of horror. His tales are unnerving and Don't Fear the Reaper is executed in his signature style. A riveting follow up to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Indigenous representation, complex characters, this eerie novel will keep you on edge

I was so in love with the first book in this trilogy "my heart is a chainsaw" that when I was approved for this ARC of "Don't Fear the Reaper" I saved it for the seasonal read & promoted it on socials. BUT I am sorry to say I am a bit disappointed in this one. It has some returning characters which gives it that true to horror sequel vibes as well as plenty of slasher and horror references just like in #1 but it just felt lacking in something to me. I think that - like in so many sequels is part of the issue- trying to outdo the first. C'mon we know it's nearly not possible as so many fail and this is what happens here imo. The author just throws way to much into trying to get you to think it could be quite a few multiple people doing these killings. Two maybe three possible killers sure, but I got four possibilities maybe five in this book. Plus the myths, stories, legends of the town adds in more. If he took out at least two three of those it would of played out so much better with the story. The ending also felt rushed and thrown together quickly after so much going on in most the book. Maybe #3 will clean this all up better.
This is my honest opinion on the galley I was given to read.

I'll admit, I didn’t fall in love with Jade in book one. I liked her, I felt for her, I rooted for her, but I don’t remember loving her. I only remember loving that last image, that last moment. <br /><br />This book made me love her. The first thing Jade does when she returns to Proofrock, a town full of people who turned their backs on her, is embrace a traumatized young woman. The identity explorations, switcheroos, mother-daughter parallels, and connections between unlikely people had me cheering and guessing and crying and wanting. I was as desperate as Jade for things to work out in her favor, for the people she cared for to survive and care for her back. I wanted to cry when Jade made a sacrifice play at the end, again, but I'm glad she'll be back. The slasher references came thick and fast, and I haven’t watched enough of the genre to follow it very well, but ultimately it didn’t matter. Stephen Graham Jones redefines "compulsively readable" prose for me. This is a banger of a novel. <br /><br />Thanks to Gallery/Saga Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

While I didn’t love this follow up as much as the first book in the trilogy, this was still a perfect Halloween read. Unfortunately, I got a little put off by too many villains in the mix.

The much anticipated sequel to My Heart Is A Chainsaw, Don’t Fear The Reaper is does what many horror sequels (film or book) fail to do: surpass the original.

Jennifer Daniels (formerly Jade) returns to Proofrock four years after the disastrous Fourth of the July celebration. Her arrival coincides with the escape of infamous serial killer Dark Mill South. Will Jennifer attempt to save her town? Will anyone believe her?

Maybe it was because of my preexisting investment in the characters, but I was much more concerned with outcomes in this book. It took turns that I had not expected. I was continuing wondering what or who would happen next. I gave it 4 stars. An thrilling and enjoyable ride.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jade Daniels is back! I am an unabashed fan of Stephen Graham Jones and his interesting writing style. My favorite thing about his books is how clearly his love and respect for the horror genre shines though in all that he does, and “don’t fear the reaper” is no exception. This is a solid horror sequel which picks up a few years after my heart is a chainsaw leaves off. We are reunited with a number of characters from the first book and of course, more slasher knowledge. This one didn’t pack quite the emotional punch of my heart is the chainsaw, but is a solid read. Looking forward to the release of book 3 of the trilogy and the evolution of the legend of Jade.

I very much loved My Heart is a Chainsaw, the first book in this trilogy. Don't Fear the Reaper didnd't inspire the same love, but it's still a great book and a fitting middle book.

We return to Proofrock, Idaho four years after the events in My Heart is a Chainsaw. It's December and there's a snowstorm a brewin'. Jennifer Daniels- don't call her Jade- is returning to town. She'll find a lot has changed, but there's something still the same: the town is in for a night with a very high bodycount.

Once again, Stephen Graham Jones explores how horror movie tropes permeate our lives. But this time he adds a serial killer and a very claustrophobic blizzard. To describe the plot would take away the fun of reading the book. There's a lot that happens and a lot of twists and turns along the way. There are digressions and non-sequiturs and all sorts of shenanigans. And there's a thing with an elk.

This feels like the middle book of a trilogy. Graham Jones is both commenting on the first book and laying ground for the third book. I look forward to the third book coming out to see how he ties it all together.

At the end of the day, I loved My Heart is a Chainsaw and I really very much like Don't Fear the Reaper. This is a good horror series with a lot of fun easter eggs and commentary. Much recommended for horror fans.

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Don't Fear the Reaper, the second book in the Lake Witch Trilogy, by Stephen Graham Jones from Gallery Books via NetGalley.

Not very long ago, I finished My Heart is a Chainsaw, the first book in this trilogy, and I was SO EXCITED when I got an email that I would be getting a copy of Don't Fear the Reaper! I already had about other five books checked out of the library and teed up to read, but I set them all aside for this one. I couldn't wait to find out where this story would go.

Some time has passed since the first book, but the events of that book still haunt many of the characters. How could they not???? You definitely want to read these books in order. While Jennifer/Jade is still a main character, we have a new voice writing papers for history credit. I'm wondering what that will mean for the final installment in the trilogy. Horror movies still play a leading role. There are still supernatural elements even though a legitimately real serial killer is on the loose. Fans of horror movies really need to read this series.

Don’t Fear the Reaper is a fast-paced fever dream of a novel, touching on most of if not all the tropes of the horror genre. It is marked by radical dynamic style shifts, multiple points of view, and jumps in the timeline. In typical Stephen Graham Jones style, it seems to exist in a world slightly different from our own, one in which the inhabitants have not only seen all the same horror films we have, but also accept that they can and will play out in real life. There is a slight sheen of surreality throughout. You shouldn’t expect it to make total sense, governed as it is by the peculiar internal logic of the conventions inherent in slasher cinema, but the mixture of humor, heroism, and horror is compelling nonetheless.

Its predecessor, My Heart is a Chainsaw, took its time (after a fairly gory literary cold open) before it got into the mayhem and bloodshed. This time, the reader is expected to be familiar with the setting and the rules, such as they are. There is not much world building involved. This book smacks you right in the face pretty much from the jump and never lets up.

Teenage butt-kicker Jade Daniels is back and ready to once again face down evil with her cynicism, her sardonic wit, and an improvised weapon or two. Don’t Fear the Reaper is not for the squeamish, but is instead designed for the reader who is interested in a breathless and often stream-of-consciousness rollercoaster ride through the realm of hostile nature, conveniently-absent cops, downed communications, hapless teen victims, mystical spirit animals, creative massacre techniques, weirdly humanized bogeymen, and self-aware final-girl-type heroes.

Having read several of Jones’s prior novels, I was eagerly anticipating this one. It did not disappoint. His style is unique among writers of horror fiction today. If you like to buckle up, grit your teeth, hold on tight, and roll with it, this book is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Thank you for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this book, Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones. However, I was immediately disconnected due to the author’s writing style. It just didn’t engage me.

Don't Fear the Reaper is a continuation of the My Heart is a Chainsaw story. If you enjoyed the first, you would love this one. Final girl Jade is back and is using the name Jennifer. She is determined not to get involved in a messy life again but that doesn't happen! There are the usual horror culture references and a lot of gore. The plot gets confusing at times, so you need to pay attention. Although slasher books aren't my favorite genre the sheer skill of this writer will bring me back to book 3 as well.

Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is a superb and engrossing read with a great plot and engaging characters. A great follow-up to his previous book. Well worth the read!

Wow! Wasn't sure how this would work out, but darn, it does. Jade is my hero. There is a lot going on in this one. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thanks for the reader's copy, NetGalley!

AHHHH. I loved this story. It's creepy, brilliant, clever, and terrifying. I loved the first in this series and although this is not my usual genre, something about Jones' work keeps drawing me back. If you love terrifying, suspenseful, visceral stories - this is an excellent work.

"My Heart Is a Chainsaw" was one of my favorite books of 2021; it's knowing, self-referential tone mixed with its wonderful heroine, Jade Daniels, reminded me of my favorite slasher films of times past. I had high hopes for "Don't Fear the Reaper". As a sequel, it should be bloodier, wilder, and more audacious than its predecessor, with both a new antagonist and a few throwbacks to past dangers. Stephen Graham Jones knew this, and boy, do things go off the rails immediately. While "My Heart Is A Chainsaw" had a slow burn to its violence, "Don't Fear the Reaper" revels in danger and fear right off the bat. At the center of the chaos is the reluctant Final Girl, Jade, who'd rather just be a supporting player getting her life back together after fighting legal troubles for the last few years. Unfortunately, Jade has to use her wits and horror movie knowledge to get her and her friends out of death-by-hook range, and of course, the horror is happening during the worst blizzard that Proofrock's ever seen...

I loved this book! It started with a bang, had lots of great return characters, some new characters, and a truly terrifying antagonist. If you love Stephen Graham Jones's writing style, you'll get a lot out of this one - it's more of what you loved from "My Heart Is A Chainsaw" in the goriest, most action-packed sequel. This book was apparently 500 pages? I had no idea. It blurred past as I had to find out what happened next to our heroes!!

While I liked this book I also felt it was a little confusing at times with so much going on. Once again, Jade is one of those characters that I have a hard time liking but Letha on the other hand is a badass!

Unbeknownst to me Don’t fear the Reaper is actually a sequel to the book My Hear is a Chainsaw, which I have not read. Based on others opinions I felt I could read this request without reading the first one which, looking back, was a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, this book was well written with both setting the scenes but also getting us into the heads of the characters. I do feel though if I had the back groin knowledge I would have enjoyed this book more. It was a good horror read that involved a great combination of gore, murder and back story that still kept me interested.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to review this book.