I haven’t been thoroughly creeped and grossed out in a long time. This one did it. As someone who loves to have a visceral reaction to books, I was so pleased to plow though this book until midnight, followed by not being able to sleep.

A quick, astonishingly addictive read—I can’t wait to see more stories from Monika Kim!

👀 if you’re a horror fan, pick this up in June.

Release date: 6/25/24

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this phenomenal ARC read!

I’m so glad that the brain tumor was not blamed for Ji-wun’s behavior. She just so happened to have a tumor, but she also enjoyed killing men and eating their eyes. And, to be honest, the whole time, at each murder, I was like this bitch is being clumsy, she will get caught, but then there was Geoffrey, being a frickin creep. Meh, oh well. 😜

Some parts predictable, some parts heartbreaking, some parts not quite fleshed out enough, but an overall good and quick read.

Ji-won is a young Korean American who is going through a hard transitional shift.
She has lost all of her friends, her parents split up, her mom’s new boyfriend has an Asian fetish, she has started college and already failing, and to top it all off, she is starting to crave eyeballs.
We follow Ji-won as she slowly becomes more unhinged while planning out the perfect revenge.

Cons: -the story moved too slowly for me, especially in the middle.
-tedious details. One example is being told what the family is eating, almost daily.

Pros: -loved the eye detail and information. -description with how exactly an eyeball feels and tastes like.
-a unique story. I can easily saw I’ve never read anything like this.
-satisfying, revenge ending.

This was so good!! Graphic, but good. The writing style was engaging, characters were relatable. I will definitely read more from Monika Kim.

Compulsively readable. I couldn't put this down and finished it over two days. Our protagonist Ji-won is an 18 year old second generation Korean immigrant, who has tried to be a good daughter and a good student. When her father suddenly leaves, her life, and mental stability, start to spiral. After trying to appease her mother by eating a fish eye (the best part!) Ji-won develops a fixation she can't shake.

I can't call it a slow burn due to its short length, but definitely stick with this one if it doesn't catch you in the first 40 pages, as it takes some time to really ramp up.

I will never see the human eye the same way again. This story follows Ji-won, a college freshman whose family falls apart when her father leaves abruptly. As she tries to hold herself and her family together, Ji-won's mother brings her new boyfriend George into their lives. This begins Ji-won's downward spiral and obsession with consuming human eyes. I could not put this book down, there were so many parts of this story that I could not figure out if what I was reading was a dream, or something that was actually happening. The descriptions of eyes will forever leave me scarred.
The author really wanted to highlight the fetishization of Asian women and did a great job at making the reader feel hurt and uncomfortable with the way Ji-won and others in the story were treated. The eye and body horror were incredible, and there were times I genuinely felt queasy reading this.
The feminism and racism felt a little heavy handed at times, I do wish there was more subtly there.
I will definitely be reading more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Rarely do I have so much fun with a book this gorey and gross. Ji-won as a protagonist was the perfect mix of sheltered and protective to make her so unhinged that I fell a little bit in love. Monika Kim’s descriptions of the acts that take place are visceral and bloody and I can’t wait to read more from her.

My biggest criticism is that Alexis felt a bit like a nothing character and I wish she had more to do in the story. Otherwise I loved this book and if you enjoy bloody gross horror I think you will too. Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for my ARC!

I was so excited for this ever since I saw the cover and I was definitely not disappointed. I appreciate how extremely explicit in the description of the gory parts it was as well as how well the tension and the sense of dread was unraveling.

“If there’s a monster in this apartment, it’s me.”

Readers will never eat cherry tomatoes again. Or hard-boiled eggs.
Following our narrator, Ji-won, through her graphic eyeball feasting, the reader is constantly questioning what is real and true versus what is just another nightmare. Monika Kim gives the color blue its own personality in a story about family, race, culture, gore, and insatiable desires. An absent father, a man-obedient mother, and their two daughters who try their best to keep their mother’s emotions in balance. Ji-won’s devotion to her family propels her through an obsessive downward spiral; to save her family and to satisfy her hunger for blue eyes. Kim does such an excellent job establishing this family’s dynamic from beginning to the end that you will feel stuck in their apartment with them.

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The Eyes Are The Best Part is a contemporary horror about the making of a serial killer that can’t stop thinking about eating salty, tangy, juicy blue eyes.

Ji-won, a Korean-American girl that has just started her first year of uni, has just had her life turned upside down: her father left the family, leaving a grieving wife and two heartbroken daughters to fend for themselves; her friends don’t talk to her anymore, and her grades are slipping.

In order to bring luck to their family, their mother shares with them an old Korean belief, that of gaining luck by eating the eye of a fish. The first page of the book opens on this scene, and as Ji-won and her sister gag and moan at the sole idea, their mother pops an eye in her mouth.

Ji-won’s mother starts dating again, soon after the separation, and she introduces her sexist boyfriend with an Asian fetish to her daughters: this is when Ji-won starts dreaming about his eyes, and she feels a sudden pang of hunger.

The novel is an enjoyable read, and it’s very easy to breeze through; it’s extremely explicit in the description of the gory parts (just imagining the consistency of eating eyes makes me feel a bit queasy, and the author goes in depth in those descriptions) which i appreciated a lot — the point of horror is to dismay and create a sense of disgust, after all. This heavy handedness, though, is present even in all the other scenes that I would have preferred had been a little bit more subtle; I fear the author didn’t really trust the reader to pick up on the sexism and racism of the villanous characters, and decided to display them with blaring signs. But I guess the intent was to make the reader feel exactly as the protagonist, because I found the micro-aggressions Jiwon and her familt have to withstand very grating — no wonder she wants to kill people, I kind of get her.

The ending left me a bit unfazed, but still the book is a solid read and I’d recommend it to someone that likes revenge stories, body horror and some truly disgusting (in a very positive way) vore.

Access to the ARC acquired thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was brilliant, I couldn’t put it down. Please read! Thank you for providing me with my new favourite book.

Was truly excited to read this book because of the intriguing description, the gorgeous cover and the bold title!

While reading I felt so much empathy with the mc. All while being deeply disgusted and confused by everything that was going on. Throughout some chapters i was doubting if we were moving in reality or nightmare.
The portrayal of the lack of safety in your own home because of an intruder in the family gave me strong claustrophobic vibes.

The sisters Ji-hyun and Ji-won had such a strong bond, which slowly crumbled once the oldest sisters had to reverse roles with their mother after their father left them for another woman. Now Ji-won has to be the emotional support of both her mother, her sister and herself. Of course her own sanity moves to the end of the line in this process and she starts to get weird hallucinations and nightmares of eyes. It all worsens when her mothers new bf appears. A -excuse my language- white asian-fetishising a-hole who treats the girls like objects and is overall very unlikeable.
In this misery Ji-won also has to go through the stress of studying for university, where she meets new friends. I was getting strong gay vibes from one of them and I wish the relationship wouldve been deepened more. Like i wanted this to be a romance so bad. Give Ji-won some happiness please 🙏🏻

English isn't my first language so i was very appreciative of the simple words being used. That way her writing style was super easy to read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this exciting arc.

This book was a wild ride that I thoroughly enjoyed. My only criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed.

Ji-won's descent into darkness--fueled by twisted cravings and a simmering rage against a world that's crumbled around her-- is as edge-of-the-seat thrilling as it is disturbing, i questioned my own morals while squirming deliciously in my seat as I devoured this unsettling exploration of family, identity, and monstrous hunger.

_The Eyes Are the Best Part_ by Monika Kim is a dark, psychological horror read that will keep the reader turning the page. Ji-won is a college student living at home when her father walks out, leaving Ji-won, her mother, and younger sister alone in their small apartment. Her devastated mother seeks to bring luck to their family by eating fish eyes, and soon begins dating problematic and seemingly wealthy George. Ji-won and her sister are not happy, and Ji-won’s problems escalate as her grades and social life suffer. As her life spirals, Ji-won becomes obsessed with human eyes. This book will leave the reader thoroughly disturbed through engrossing and descriptive writing.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her Appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying… yet enticing.
In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.
For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.
Brilliant book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for giving me an advance copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a fun and fresh horror! I had a great time.

A young Korean girl develops an obsession with eyeballs. She wants to eat them, and she is ravenous.

This explores so many themes. Family dynamics, grief, racism, sexism - all wrapped in a bizarre coming-of-age story with Korean culture (mainly food) weaved in.

The pacing is perfection, the body horror is visceral, and the ending is so so satisfying.

It's rare that a debut novel becomes an auto-buy author for me, but Monika Kim has done it. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

thriller/horror book endings are usually lackluster for me, but i was happy with this one's end result. i think it's the best possible outcome for the story. i was satisfied. i also usually don't connect with characters in horror/thriller books, but ji-won, the main character, and even some side characters were fleshed out enough that i could understand and appreciate them. ji-won is one of my all-time favorite characters for sure! she was so badass. i thought her opinions were very reasonable, even if she was doing some questionable things

When Ji-Won's life is in turmoil. Her Appa up and left after an affair, her grades are flailing, her friends have moved on to a better school and to top it off, she is starting to have bad dreams. Dreams of bright blue and delicious looking eyeballs. See, Ji-Won's sweet Umma has a new boyfriend with big blue eyes and he isn't very nice. He is rude and seems to have too much of a thing for young, beautiful Asian women - to the point of fetishization. With everything going on and all the stress in her life, Ji-Won becomes hungrier and hungrier for eyes. Particularly the blue kind.

The Eyes Are The Best Part is the uniquely disturbing new thriller for 2024 - because let's face it, eyes make people squeamish. Taking on a slow approach, you're faced with Ji-Won's decent into a kind of madness while learning so much about her and her family. This read is definitely not for those with weak stomachs and seasoned extreme horror fans should still love the lighter approach to body horror wrapped up in a thrilling bow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Monika Kim for an advanced copy. The Eyes Are The Best Part releases June 25th, 2024.

"The Eyes Are the Best Part" by Monika Kim is a rollercoaster thriller that throws Ji-won's life into a whirlwind of chaos after her appa's extramarital affair sends shockwaves through her family. And let me tell you, this book is like a breath of fresh air in the thriller genre.

What sets it apart for me is how Monika Kim crafts her characters. Ji-won's struggles and her journey through a maelstrom of emotions are just as captivating as the unfolding plot. The family dynamics, especially Ji-Won's relationship with her sister, are beautifully portrayed. Navigating the challenges of college life and personal upheaval, Ji-Won is a relatable protagonist dealing with changes that many of us can empathize with, making the story even more compelling.

Now, let's talk about the eye horror – it's incredible! Kim strikes the perfect balance, not overdoing it, but expertly sprinkling in just enough to leave you craving more. The vivid descriptions of the bloody rooms filled with succulent blue eyes, reminiscent of George's, Umma's obnoxious new boyfriend, create a chilling atmosphere that lingers long after you've put the book down.

What really grabbed me was the uniqueness of the thriller/horror elements. Kim brings a fresh perspective to the genre with Ji-Won's hunger and rage driving her actions. The unraveling mystery around campus victims and the intricate web of deception and manipulation Ji-Won weaves add layers of intrigue to the narrative.

And oh, the ending! It's a satisfying conclusion that ties up the threads while leaving you with that lingering sense of unease. Dream sequences, often considered overdone, are masterfully handled here. As I settled into the book, I found myself on edge, questioning the fine line between Ji-Won's psyche and reality. The immersive nature of these scenes, coupled with the protagonist's descent, resonated with me – someone who grapples with recurring dreams and nightmares.

In conclusion, if you're a fan of thrillers and horror and crave something fresh and different, "The Eyes Are the Best Part" should be at the top of your reading list for 2024. Monika Kim's storytelling prowess and the captivating character dynamics make this a standout addition to the genre. So, brace yourself for a gripping ride, and prepare to be haunted by the eyes that linger long after you've finished the last page.