I included this book in my top ten reads of 2024. This is what I said on Bluesky and will say on other social media platforms: The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is a horror thriller that is transfixing and visceral.

3.5 ⭐️
What starts as a fish dinner ends with Ji-Won having a hunger for eyes, specifically blue eyes after her mother gives her the honor of eating the fish eye. She does her best to resist the temptation up until she meets her mom’s new boyfriend George, a heavy built white man who fetishizes Asian women and to Ji-Won’s delight has the bluest eyes that she wants the pleasure of eating. This proves to be very hard as her mother seems to be so awestruck she never leaves his side. She has to sate her hunger with others first and make a plan for the day she can finally get her hands or rather mouth on George’s delectable orbs.

Thank you #NetGalley for this fun, interesting and absolutely disgusting read! I have an eye phobia so I knew this book was going to be a tough one to get through but the author’s descriptions made it so intriguing as well as downright vomit worthy that I couldn’t stop reading it! Okay, I had to take a few breaks in between.

This was so good, and I knew it would be which is why I bought the book as soon as it was released lol. I'm glad my expectations were met! I'm talking about this in an upcoming vlog but also included it in a new release video prior to publication https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwb2NKcH_og&list=PLsmk-XIXxznLJuAliO0ygxcQDjHfrYygW&index=12
Brava and I can't wait to read more from this author!

This horror novel is definitely not for the squeamish (or for someone who gets easily grossed out). There were many times I grimaced with the gore, but this book is a fantastic blend of paranormal, horror, and family drama. There were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and I absolutely loved the ending. The only downfall was that it felt repetitive in some portions, even though the book is pretty short. I think this was just an issue of pacing more than anything, but this is a very impressive debut for a writer. I'll for sure be checking out her future work!

I loved the story, the weirdness of it, and that it almost felt like a fever dream. The female rage was depicted perfectly. It was a quiet, slow building feeling throughout the book, but deadly. There was just enough body horror to be disturbing, and a little disgusting too, but not overdone. I liked the characters (not all of them) and their development, particularly our FMC. The writing was engaging, and the short chapters made everything flowed easily.

And this ending! I was a little speechless. I hadn’t see that coming at all. But you know what? Good for her.

This was my first time reading Monika Kim, and I received The Eyes Are the Best Part as an ARC from NetGalley. The novel presents a unique and unsettling narrative that blends psychological horror with social commentary. The plot is intriguing, with a slow build-up that gradually reveals the depths of Ji-won's madness. The Eyes Are the Best Part is a feminist psychological horror novel that follows Ji-won, a Korean-American college freshman whose life spirals into chaos after her father's extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, devastated, begins dating George, an obnoxious man who fetishizes Asian women. As Ji-won's grades plummet and her dreams become increasingly disturbing, she develops a horrifying obsession with eyes, particularly those of George. Her descent into madness leads her to commit a series of gruesome murders, driven by a need to satiate her rage and hunger. The character development, particularly of Ji-won, is well-executed. Her transformation from a struggling student to a vengeful killer is both disturbing and compelling. However, some of the secondary characters, like George, felt a bit one-dimensional, which detracted from the overall impact of the story. The twists and turns throughout the novel keep the reader engaged, but some plot developments felt a bit forced and could have been more seamlessly integrated. The ending, while shocking, left a few questions unanswered, which might be frustrating for some readers. Overall, The Eyes Are the Best Part is a decent read with a unique premise and strong central character. Despite its flaws, it shows promise for Monika Kim as a writer in the horror genre. I'm curious to see how her storytelling evolves in future works. #netgalley #theyesarethebestpart

THIS WAS AMAZING!

While it wasn't the longest horror book, I think this was the perfect length for what it was trying to do. Monika Kim hit the nail on the head with this one.

The character motivations were clear, the descriptions were gory and disgusting, and that ending... ooof.

This was so weird and I loved it. Ji-won is so unhinged which is something incredibly enjoyable in a female character. The short chapters made this such a quick, fun read that I couldn't put down.

It's gripping, enticing, gross and a book I'm still thinking about and have been recommending to everyone!

*"When you take everything from him, you can say what these men say about us: He was asking for it. He was begging for it. He must have wanted it, since he didn’t fight back."*

Ji-won and Ji-hyun live with their parents in a tiny apartment. When their father leaves the family, their mother falls into a deep depression. Quickly—perhaps too quickly—she recovers and brings a new man into their lives: an American named George. George is everything their father wasn’t: loud, selfish, and utterly convinced of his own entitlements. Ji-won immediately hates him—his personality, the way he takes over their cramped space, and the way he treats the sisters and their mother.

Meanwhile, a parallel storyline unfolds, fueled increasingly by Ji-won’s hatred for George (and men in general): after being pressured by her mother to eat a fish eye—a delicacy and symbol of good luck—Ji-won suddenly develops an appetite for eyes. Her craving is strongest for blue eyes—blue, like George’s…

**THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART** is a wonderfully gripping story that takes us to Korea, where we delve into the backstories of Ji-won’s (our narrator’s) parents. The narrative touches heavily on poverty and the dream of one day moving to America to earn a better living. At the same time, we learn about Ji-won and Ji-hyun’s lives as Korean-American young women navigating their daily realities. These two highly engaging plotlines are topped off with a dash of blood and gore, which, in my opinion, fits perfectly into the story.

Even though the story shows some major plot holes toward the end, I genuinely recommend this book. The writing style is accessible, and the chapters are so short that you’ll keep wanting to read *just one more*. 😁 A fast-paced novel that dips its toes into the horror genre.

The best way to get icked by a book, I don't say it lightly, it was amazing. The relations in this book were realistic and I cannot get enough by the amazing graphic depictions of let's call it gore/bodily horror. I couldn't put it down!

I am really disappointed to say that I did not love THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART. I am typically a huge fan of Asian horror authors but this one just didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for my arc!

I don't read a lot of horror, but I am very glad I read this. A great debut and exactly what I expected and also even more. Truly a gaslight gatekeep girlboss of a book.

This was a solid mix of thriller and horror that kept my interest continuously through the multiple internal and external conflicts that occurred. He deserved everything that came to him. When you read it, you'll understand. Personally, one of the best debut novels I've ever had the opportunity to read. I could not put this one down and even when I forced myself to, I could not stop thinking about it. Monika Kim is a force and I'm waiting on whatever comes next from this brilliant author.

a really great horror novel! so creepy and well worth the read. i am very excited to read her next works and where her stories go

I absolutely love a horror novel like The Eyes Are the Best Part that inventively tackles the casual racism and misogyny so many people face every day. It’s rare to find stories that not only confront these pervasive issues but do so with the nuance and creativity this book brings to the table. These experiences are too often erased or overlooked in media, so when a novel like this emerges, it feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s a testament to the author’s courage and the publisher’s commitment to amplifying these essential voices. While we still have a long way to go in achieving true diversity and inclusion in media, it’s exciting to live in a time when stories like this are gaining more visibility, offering an honest reflection of the world and pushing the boundaries of the genre.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I read the eyes are the best part and it was weird and I liked it. This is considered a horror book but I would more so classify this as literary fiction with slight horror aspects. The eyes are the best part follows a young Korean American woman Ji-won who’s father up a left her family for another woman. This creates conflict in the family but her mom meets a new man George who Ji-won and her sister hate. Ji-won starts to have this obsession with eating eyeballs after her mother offered her a fish eyeball. This is the story of the making of a serial killer and much more. I highly enjoyed the authors writing it really kept me wanting to keep reading and she wrote some extremely unlikable men though like I wanted to just scream at them. It was slightly gross at times though as you can imagine so if you don’t want to read anything about cannibalism I don’t think this is for you.

The Eyes are the Best Part
by Monika Kim
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. Get ready for a wild ride - into the mind of Ji-won, a Korean American college student/ serial killer. Ji-won, her younger sister and mom’s life get turned upside down when her father abandons them. When her mom starts dating and brings home her new boyfriend who has an Asian fetish, Jin-won struggles with schoolwork, her friendships, family and her horrific desires to kill. This is a horror story but much more. We get a glimpse of life as a Korean American family, struggles of a college student, encounters of racism, sexism, and misogyny and the rage that develops. Even with Ji-won’s killer thoughts and urges, you can’t help but want to root for her and her fight against misogyny. Some parts are descriptively gory and not for the faint of heart. Great job for this debut author! Thank you @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the advanced e-ARC of this brilliant book! Also currently on KindleUnlimited.
#theeyesarethebestpart #monikakim @monikakimauthor #thrillerbooks #horror #books #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #netgalley

I enjoyed this read - Monika has a way of roping you into the story pretty early on. There was also great social commentary told through eyes of a young Korean-American woman, which was very well done. Looking forward to reading more from Monika Kim!

I really enjoyed this book! It was intense and gory, and it kept my attention in the best way. I love being grossed out, and this book gave that to me, as well as an intriguing story line.