I basically loved this over-the-top, mile-a-minute horror extravaganza. It has practically everything in it, and while there were a few plot holes that bugged me after I put it down, caught up in the momentum of this propulsive thriller I had no complaints. It's got twists galore, some serious gore, and well-developed characters that keep you engaged and emotionally invested. And then it stuck the landing, which solidified it as one of the best horror books I've read this year.

Trying to find your dead mother's body at the horror themed summer camp that your serial killer father use to go to is a lot for a summer camp counselor. Temple Baker is the daughter of the North Point Killer, an infamous serial killer who marked each of his victims with a brand and he was convicted of murdering 20 people. He told temple that he was possessed by a demon but no one believed him. Yet now people are still dying in the woods while he is behind bars... Temple never believed he killed her mother but he did confess to that crime while on death row and now she wants to find her mother's body and prove it. She decides to become a camp counselor at a queer horror themed camp for girls... all so she can get access to the grounds her father use to use and where he said her other's body is.... yet girls start appearing dead and dying in the same way her father's victims were killed.... Temple is afraid that her dad has a copycat killer yet the more she digs into finding the truth the more she's beginning to realize there are more monsters in those woods than she ever realized. I love queer horror novels and this one sounded really fun, unfortunately it just kind of felt all over the place for me and I just found myself disconnecting from the story. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't work out. Temple's character was hard to connect with and to root for. I really wanted to but I just couldn't. The story arc starts off interesting but by the 45% mark it gets kind of off tracks and then is all over the place. The ending felt meh at best to me. I still do recommend this for fans of horror novels because its interesting and maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I'm usually too much of a coward to read a lot of horror, and this book is a perfect example of why. It is spine-chilling and terrifying, and I tore through it even while I was scared out of my mind. Ellis' masterful story-telling, hauntingly atmospheric setting and sharply-drawn characterization of the MC, Temple, made it a story that I had to read to the end to know what would become of her, even if it meant leaving every light in the house on in order to do so. Absolutely recommend to all YA horror fans!

What a twisty, scary ride of a horror novel! If you like slashers, true crime (or are a bit concerned about how into true crime some people are), queer characters, and family secrets, you’ll definitely enjoy this story from a promising new voice in YA horror.

I was really excited for this based on the comp titles, but it just didn't work for me, It jumped into the action too quickly without enough buildup, the pacing in general was just off, and the big twist was pretty obvious from early on. Because there was no real build up or development, I also didn't feel much connection to any of the characters.