I hate talking bad about books I thought I was going to love but I'm sorry, this book left me with no other option.

When I picked this book up I thought I'd be getting a young and modern feeling slasher story reminiscent of Scream and other "makes you jump" horror novels. Instead what I got was way too wacky for me to feel any sort of anxiety, and characters that were too shallow and spoilt for me to care if they lived or died. Despite all the crazy stuff that's happening there didn't feel like there was any urgency or suspense.

I thought the author did a good job at depicting this creepy clown character through descriptions of his movements and manuerisms but all of that was undermined by the lack of mystery. It's revealed very early on that he's just a guy wearing protective gear which kind of took me out of the story and led to me then asking questions like "how is he orchestrating all of this?" "how did he get that in the house without anyone noticing beforehand". Those sort of questions that I don't think I'd have been asking myself if

Noelle was so focused on being a Final Girl that it kinda felt like she didn't care whether her friends died. Like it was just a forgone conclusion that she'd survive and sure logically I know that the main character survived 99% of the time but at least plant some seeds of doubt in my mind.

Overall this book wasn't for me. I'm really sad.

When I was reading this book I had NO idea that it was Lisa Springer’s debut novel! I didn’t realize that until I was reading the author bio at the end of the book. I think that speaks volumes about the quality of the writing and how great this book is!

The author did a great job of developing a main character that readers can enjoy and grow to care about. The horror movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter and references throughout will appeal to horror fans and make the story extra fun. I loved that this book has a unique story and theme that go deeper than typical horror novels. This is one I’ll definitely be recommending to my horror groups and to readers of YA books.

The final girl trope is always a good read for me, but this was a different spin and I enjoyed it. I love how the main character is not willing to give up even when murder & mayhem is going on all around her. She is determined to be the final girl. It was a quick, easy read that keep me engaged throughout the whole time. The characters were complex and flawed and there lives are not as perfect as they pretend to be.

Picture a chilling combination of Scream and Saw, with a psychopathic killer clown to top it off, and you've got Lisa Springer's tension-packed YA horror debut. Springer excellently sets the stage for a nightmarish party that will have you hooked from start to finish. Noelle is a fierce and resilient heroine, and with her love for horror films, I found myself wishing I could be friends with her. The cast of supporting characters is rounded out by the top influencers at Noelle's school, all of whom have something to hide. Noelle's burgeoning relationship with Archer was a subplot that I really appreciated; the pair's connection felt genuine, and it brought some comfort during the non-stop action and scares (and of course I am also just a sucker for a romantic subplot). Overall, this story was absolutely chilling, and it's a perfect addition to your fall TBR if you are a fan of slasher stories with true and terrifying stakes.

What to say about this book? I think I should break it down several ways since it's possible this book just wasn't for me. HOWEVER, the writing as also not fantastic and there were inconsistencies in the book.

I think I'll make marks of what I liked and didn't like because some of the things that DIDN'T work for me, may be pros for others.

WHAT I LIKED

* The cover

* The premise

* The title

* Talk of horror movies, final girls, Stephen King, and over all classic horror

* The locked room mystery setting

* Lines from different horror movies at the beginning of each chapter


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

* The whiny rich kids who (with the exception of two characters) are all uber rich. Think rich as in the one percenters. They're also all influencers. Oh, and did I mention they're all not just rich, but also entitled and whiny? Blech. I know it's YA so there will always be some teen angst, but these kids are so unrelatable and need to see the real world. The killer clown wasn't wrong in some things he said about them.

* The killer clown seems to have super human strength and speed. At one point it's mentioned he was wearing protective gear on his chest. Okay, that part is covered. That doesn't explain how nothing, ever, slows him down. Or, how nothing else hurts or phases him.

* Even after finishing the book, I'm still confused how the clown knew the entire layout of the house. To prep the house as he did without Noelle and her friends noticing while they were partying and watching a movie before playing hide-and-seek would have taken a crazy amount of time to prep. Yes, we know he was there previously to break some things since Noelle notices these as soon as she gets home from school. But so much other stuff needed prep work. When did he do it? How did none of them notice?

* Where did she hire this clown? I assumed he hacked her computer and saw she hired a clown, but no. It seems she hired this guy. How the heck would he know she would want to hire a clown for a Fright Night and pick him? I suppose it could have been mentioned in a Jump Scares chat since that's where a lot of info was gleaned, but that's my best explanation.

* The twist wasn't really a twist. There was the obvious red herring. Then there were two logical guesses from there, but unless the writing of this book were to drop off a bunch, one of them would make no sense after a certain point since there would have been no time fame for the person to do what they were doing.

* I know it's horror and this is a classic horror trope, but really? Once the first victim died, the remaining eleven people didn't decide to gang up on this clown? That scattered to play hide and seek?! Not even you, our main character who KNOWS she would be a Final Girl and legit has a "go bag" packed in her bedroom in case a scenario like this plays out in real life? You play into the trope of being stupid and not rushing this guy who tells you he will kill you all?! There is also all this downtime where the group of teens are just talking to the clown. They could be hiding, trying to escape, or rushing him, but nope. Just standing in front of him.

* The reason for the killing spree. I saw it coming from the beginning and never saw any other motive along the way, but really? Especially when one killer vocalizes the reasoning? Get out of here.

* The frequent mentioning of needing an alibi so the police don't put the killing spree on you. For real? This is your number one concern when there are still 10 people left living? You have 9 people to give you an alibi! If you're worried about corrupt police, you're all so upper crust elite, I'm sure one of your friends has parents friends with the Chief of Police or Mayor and they'll make sure you're vouched for.

* I mentioned the stupidity of the teens, but also, the clown. There is so much talking and nothing happening. When they're all just standing there why doesn't he take them down? Is that too bland?

* There would be drafts like windows are open, but then the windows are sealed shut. The windows won't break because of a special coating the main character knows is on the windows. Later, the windows can be broken?

* The name of the clown: Gage Derry. The name itself is fine. It's the end of the book when they say knowing the Stephen King reference makes someone a Stephen King one percenter. Are you for real?! Almost anyone who has read more than one Stephen King novel knows about infamous Derry. I'll admit I didn't pick up on Gage right away, but as soon as I heard his name I liked the nod to Stephen King with Derry. It wasn't until later I was wondering where Gage came into play since I assumed it was also a nod to some work of horror. I later did think of Pet Semetary, but I also figured it could have been a nod to a character in a horror film I haven't seen. Even if your mind doesn't go to Pet Semetary, I don't think this would be *shocking* to a Stephen King fan. That little bit just really added to the uppity attitude of these kids and it wasn't for me.

* The setting. The house was so confusing and needed a bit more world building. I never had any clue where any part of the house was. At one point our main character is hiding in a nook under the stairs. She seems to be able to see what the clown is doing so I assume it's a nook and doesn't have a door. But then it says she opens the door. Is the door glass? If so, why didn't the killer clown see you? If it's not, how were you seeing what was going on?

Overall, this book just wasn't for me, but I could see others enjoying it. By no means let me review deter you if you read this and think to yourself, "But this sounds fun! Why didn't you like that?!" That's just not what I like, but I can see the appeal for others.

I think, for me, this would work better as a movie as it would move a lot faster. The entitled teens may still annoy me, but overall, I think I would appreciate it better as a movie.

OMG talk about a heart pounding thriller! this book was amazing and I need to see it in the tv screen immediately. the main character wasn't annoying and I liked that she was always keeping it real with us. I wanted to badly for her to have her big romantic moment with her crush but when a killer clown is on the loose it is not much time for all of that. I couldn't put this book down and I am grateful to have thi sin my life. much more details on my ig to come.

Noelle Layne knows horror. She even leads a successful movie club dedicated to the genre. Thus, who better to throw the ultimate, most exclusive Halloween party? She is inviting twelve popular kids in her senior class. She thinks that will contribute more members for her horror club. She wants it to be a perfect party. Noelle is holding the party at her parents estate. After all the invitees have arrived, they go into the movie room and watch a horror movie. Afterwards, the party moves to the living room to eat and talk. Noelle tells her guests that she has hired an “it clown” to play the game of hide and seek. Of course there will be prizes. When the clown arrives, he seems strange. Regardless, she tells the guests to go and hide. When the clown finds someone, he will honk his horn. The first person he does find, he kills and then honks his horn. This isn’t what Noelle had planned. The clown continues to search. Will the clown keep killing? Will Noelle be able to find the clown and stop him or?

The characters in the novel show the horror and comedy. I could hear the giggles and later the screams. The clown was definitely a mysterious character. The author has written a novel that includes secrets, mystery, romance and spine-tingling horror. It’s the perfect novel to read whenever one wants some horror to read. It’s also perfect to read during the October month!

Book Review

Title: There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer

Genre: Young Adult, Horror

Rating: 4 Stars

One thing I have to say before getting into my review properly is that young adult horror has really been stepping up its game lately. I’ve recently read entries like Five Survive, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Flight 171 which were all amazing reads for me and really took everything I loved about the horror genre and expanded on them. Compared to those There’s No Way I’d Die First is a wild ride and succeeded in doing for me what My Heart is a Chainsaw didn’t. At its heart this book was an homage to 80s and 90s horror which contain some of my all time favourites like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare of Elm Street and Sleepaway Camp and really dived deep into the roles of scream queen and final girl. This book definitely plays on its classic slasher vibes and that made it a fast paced read for me.

While maintaining the heart of the horror genre, There’s No Way I’d Die first also doesn’t skimp on the thriller elements as it focuses on the characters and there lives much like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream, where the horror hides in the background until it jumps out at you. Lisa Springer writes both amazing action sequences and compelling characters, while the main character is a person of colour this has nothing to do with the motivations for the killings which was quite refreshing. Springer really started hard out of the gates bringing the action in very early in the book and didn’t let up until the very end.

Spinger also isn’t afraid to get more graphic in places which I really appreciated as an older reader, since most young adult horror tends to utilize the fade to black method which can be good in some cases but often destroyed the tension that has been built up in previous scenes. The main antagonist really goes all out in their mission and while some of these kills are graphic, some are funny in a Scary Movie kind of way and the killer is very reminiscent of Ghostface, so they’re pretty funny sometimes and truly despicable other times.

While there are a lot of elements that I really enjoyed in the book, there are some that I didn’t like. The biggest issue I had was that the romance felt very unnecessary for me, in some books like There’s Someone Inside Your House, the romance was tied in with the fact that the main character thought her potential love interest might actually be the killer, but here it was distracting. Springer also could have gone harder with the final twist as it felt a bit lacking considering the amount of buildup and tension we had prior.

I wasn’t all that surprised when we found out who the killer was and their motivations and, while it did make sense, I just wanted more of that shock. There were also a lot of moments where I was confused where we were exactly in the mansion and I felt that a better understanding of the setting or a map would’ve been nice. Overall, I love horror and thrillers so much, but this one wasn’t entirely for me. However, I think this is just a matter of personal taste. I think it’s great for spooky season reading, so a lot of people should pick it up especially if you love slashers.

Well it's 5:00 a.m and I just about read this in one go. I don't often read horror books but I think I will now!

So Noelle the main character is an ambitious horror movie influencer, she's well versed and passionate about watching them, sharing them and has pretty much thought of every scenario if she would ever end up in a horror movie scenario.

Her club "Jump Scares" is picking up more and more followers, her plan is to launch a podcast and go to film school.

Halloween gives her the opportunity to throw an extravagant Halloween party- she lives on Long Island on a huge luxurious estate. With her parents( as they are traveling ) support she throws a party and invites other influencers from her prep school. These kids are all wealthy as well and have massive followings.

The party livens up in the scariest ways possible and Noelle is determined to be the FINAL GIRL

4.25 Thank you Netgalley
I reallllllly loved this story, there was one part with rodents that made me very sad- for the record I absolutely won't tolerate animal cruelty or animals dying in any form of media or real life.

With that aside this book kept me up till 5:00 am , it was so fast paced and I could easily picture the scenes as if I was watching it happen( thankfully I wasn't bc bc heart was pounding

I look forward to reading more from Ms.Lisa Springer.

The cover is art as well!!!!!!

As a slasher lover, this checked all the boxes. As a horror movie fan, the quotes that head each chapter filled me with a familiar feeling of giddiness. There's also just enough criticism of Black experiences with horror movies and the genre to make someone think (and a younger person to seek out more information,) and a vicious critique of the ways that privilege is afforded and that sometimes the consequences come and knock on the door.

Noelle is a wealthy high school girl with aspirations - she has a horror movie club and aspires to be a film critic. She brings attention to the contributions of Black people in horror. She wants to transition the club into a podcast so decides to host an exclusive party for the anniversary of the club. This means inviting the people in her fancy prep school that are both members of the club and the ones that have the biggest social media followings. It's all about the numbers, and all about what can be shown on their feeds to get more people to join. There are activities, a movie to watch, and then she also hired a clown to play a spooky game of hide and seek. The group assembled includes some of Noelle's best friends, her crush Archer, and later a visit from a guy dressed as Pennywise who calls himself Gage, and starts to hunt them down.

Literally.

With this being a YA book, I wasn't sure if this was going to be deadly or more on the injury and incapacitation side of things.

It's brutal.

As someone who loves horror, the creativity and seemingly endless ways the bodies stack up was fun to read. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would happen next, how it was happening, or when the next plan would blow up in their faces (sometimes...literally...) and who would make it out of this grueling punishment alive. Everything they do and who they are is constantly used against them. Be warned, there's an element of gore here, but nothing is dwelt on for too long.

Noelle says early on that she would be a Final Girl, and that belief gets put to the test. If you want to know if she earns the title, you'll have to read it for yourself.

"I am Noelle Layne, Final Girl, the rightful Queen of Castle Hill, Escapologist, and the great Survivor of Nassau County." Noelle is a horror junkie, starting her own virtual horror movie club Jump Scares, and working her way to a hopeful podcast. She gives insightful commentary while preparing in real life in case she ever has a final girl moment. In a bid to boost her ratings,she invites the who's who of her high school influencers to a horror party at her house. But things quickly go sideways when the clown she hired for her party turns out to be on a murderous rampage. Noelle quickly has to confront if she really is final girl material or if she is facing her curtain call.

This is one of my top reads this year. The pacing was brisk, which, along with the suspense built by the killings, kept me reading at breakneck speed. Noelle is a great character. She is intelligent, fierce, and determined to survive. I loved all the allusions to popular horror movies and horror tropes. Since it's for a teen audience, the book isn't overly gory, but still packs some great scares. This is Springer's debut novel, and she has made a fan for life!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

*An instagram review will be run on Sept 9th

I love YA slasher novels so this one was the PERFECT read for me! And I found it to be really unique too! I recommend it to those who enjoy horror!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a bit of a horror/slasher kick lately (blame Spooky Season), so I was excited to dive into this book, which seemed like it had the perfect vibe for my mood. And it was... fine. If some streaming service made a movie out of this book, I'd definitely grab some popcorn and throw it on, and there were definitely some genuinely fun parts (and very grisly murders that made me gasp and pull some very questionable faces), but the ending just seemed... lackluster. The explanation for why the murders were committed was... fine. It was all just very fine. But, damn, that cover is just to die for.

This is the teen slasher I have been looking for, giving off Scream vibes crossed with a locked room mystery. Thirteen teens are trapped in a house with a creepy clown who is hunting them down one by one. The murders are gruesome, the viillain seems invincible, and the tropes are aplenty, including the final girl showdown with the bad guy. I loved everything about this book, from the horror movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter to the over the top creativeness of the killer.

But this is not just a horror movie come to life. It also gives social commentary on anti-capitalism and affluenza, which gives the story added depth.

I absolutely love that we are getting more YA slasher books. There's No Way I'd Die First scared me deeply and I absolutely recommend it. This is such a great debut for Lisa Springer. This book is such a good mix of campy horror and everything else you want in a slasher piece of media. Don't hesitate to check this book out! (Also, another book that makes me afraid of clowns.)

Noelle invites her aspiring pop star crush and up and coming influencers from her school for an over-the-top Halloween party. When the creepy clown she hired goes off script and begins brutally taking out the guests, Noelle must fight to survive the night. The book moves quickly and benefits from current pop culture references, direct quotes and tropes from horror classics, and several plot twists and turns.

Noelle is going to take her horror movie reviews and streaming parties into the podcast universe, and to do that she invites 12 of the most elite from her senior class to a party no one will forget. She ups the scare factor by hiring a Pennywise-esque clown to play a scary game of hide and seek...but the clown takes things to far and now Noelle and her friends are fighting for their lives in a real life horror movie.

This was bloody and gory and packed full of everything someone who loves horror movies and books would want. Quote from classic horror movies, an out of control clown bent on revenge, teens who seem to have it all getting murdered...it's quite the wild ride, a departure from a lot of teen thriller/horror novels. People die! And they die in horrifying, bloody ways. There's no "gotcha!" reveals where someone is still alive, nope, when they die...they die and stay dead. And the villain, he is like every horror bad guy out there--damn near indestructible and trying to cause as much murder and mayhem as he can.

This was an enjoyable, gory romp, which talks about the challenges that POC face in movies and life in general--relegated to the first death of the movie, or the sassy sidekick that ultimately sacrifices themselves so their white bff can survive, and then takes those tropes and turns them on their heads. This was a great debut YA horror novel.

There's No Way I'd Die First is a fast-paced young adult thriller. This book is perfect for the fall/Halloween season! I would highly recommend this book to horror movie fans.

I hated all of the characters and that's exactly why Springer did wonderfully with her final girl fall vibed book that hits right at the exact time that these thrillers are making their mark. Wholeheartedly though, I am over the podcasting/YouTubing/influencer elements that make teens seem like they've got the world at their beck and call-- they don't. For that, I was put-off (similar to [book:The Island|60813624])

Otherwise, Noelle's voice if phenomenally done. She's a vivid, domineering, knows-what-she-wants girl who is going to do the things that bring her joy and say the things she wants to say to take up space. Her character was my favorite part and the Halloween setup with the overnight final girl elements sans a literal countdown worked for the thriller itself.

Cover and title, check and check as well. For a debut in this market right now, it'll work out just fine!

There’s No Way I’d Die First is the perfect YA book for slasher and horror movie fans. It was fun and very fast moving. We have our main character, Noelle, who is getting ready for her huge Halloween party. Noelle has a horror movie club and wants to branch out to making a podcast. She’s invited all of the other influencer/popular kids from her very rich school and promises it’s an exclusive party.
Everything was going well until the clown she hired traps all of them in her house and picks them off one by one. Noelle is determined to use her horror movie knowledge to be the final girl and get out alive.

This was really fun and I’m only removing a star because I felt like the clown’s reasoning for murder and one scene I felt was unnecessary (don’t want to add spoilers!) Overall it’s perfect for spooky season and for any horror fans out there! Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC! 4 stars!