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.

Thank you netgalley, Monika Kim and Kensington Books, Erewhon Books for the arc of The Eyes are the Best Part.

This was a great, fun quick, gory read of Ji- Won and her increasing obsession of blue eyes after she tastes her first fish eye at home. The narrative was medium paced at the beginning picking up to a fast pace from half way through the book. The descriptive gore when Ji-won starts realising she's addicted to eyes is well done, because it's added with the dread and the build up of the obsession.

I feel that this book also tackles loss, grief, mental heath and abuse very well. The Korean culture and expectations was interweaved within the narrative beautifully and made for a wonderful tense read. I loved the ending !
Would love to see this released into the audiobook world!

This was such a fun read! The gore was gross at times which I loved, the characters were great and I really enjoyed this book!

This is the story of Ji-Won, a first-generation Korean American. When the story opens Ji-Won's life is kind of falling apart. Her father has left, her mother is not doing so well, she is not having the best of times. I really enjoyed the themes exploring racism and sexism and microaggressions and fetishism and all of that and how it all tied together. There were some really great scenes where Ji-Won sees how other women react to certain things and maybe the subconscious lessons her mother taught her are not always correct. I really enjoyed that especially with the further context of being Korean American.

The story moves at a quick pace, was just fun to read. The gore was great (there is not a lot, but eye stuff grosses me out! I loved it!), the characters I enjoyed (even though her sister always seemed much younger than she is), it was great. The ending was...I thought for a moment the author was going to completely ruin it, but luckily it was okay. Not amazing, mainly because there is no way everything would have worked out like that, but eh. I enjoyed it enough I didn't mind that much. I look forward to more books from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book

This book centers on a Korean-American Family living In Southern California. The main character, Ji-Won is the eldest daughter of two, to Immigrant parents. Ji-Won is a loner and just started college, and as a fellow loner, I felt much of what she was going through. As the story progresses, Ji-Won let’s her intrusive thoughts get the best of her. It is quite entertaining, and yet highly disgusting at the same time. This book had me squirming and gagging, in the best way.

My favorite part of this book was the family dynamic, and getting a little peek into the life of first & second-generation Americans. I also need to give praise for writing the quintessential middle-aged white guy who fetishizes Asian women. And of course, the sticker on his truck was the perfect detail to add, bravo! 4/5 stars!

such a fast paced, interesting read. the gore and descriptions were so vivid and effective. I loved the writing and found Ji-won so fascinating. I wish there were a few less dream sequences and more of a focus on Ji-won's killings but overall, I loved this and will be anxiously awaiting the authors next book!

"If there's a monster in this apartment, it's me."
The eyes are the best part is all about eyes. The obsession of it. Ji-won's mother eats fish eyes because it is said it is good luck. Here, Ji-won tastes it and along with it comes her obsession with eyes. Her mother and father aren't together anymore, so who is this new guy George her mom is dating?

From the first page, I was hooked. It definitely had the My Sister, the Serial Killer vibe, and I was high key rooting for the MC Ji-won. Her obsession with eyes was disgusting and fascinating. And I too hated George with a passion. He was absolutely gross. This book sold me, I am definitely going to read more from [author:Monika Kim|40411798]!

Happy reading!♥️

This booook is sooo good and it was so unexpected in the direction it took! It’s going to be a 2024 fave for sure!