WOW WOW WOW!
This book was incredible! I read it in one sitting - couldn't put it down.

I will be real - I am not squeamish about anything *except* eyeballs. This story tested my resolve in ways I have never experienced before. Despite the gut churning reaction I had to the eyeball parts in this story (and there were many), I was rooting for our protagonist until the very end. When I finally got to the end of the book and released the breath I had been holding, all I could think was, "good for her". There were surprises in this story I never saw coming and so many times caught myself holding my breath, waiting for the worst. I was pleased with, what I feel, is a happy ending. First born daughters will feel this book in a big way, especially those from broken homes. I loved the insight into the cultural expectations for Korean women as well the protagonist's quest for justice amidst patriarchal forces that continue to underestimate her.
The eyes were the best, and worst part. 10/10. No notes.

I thought this sounded like a fresh, new-age take on the horror genre. And it is. A very well done one at that. I also greatly underestimated my apparent squeamishness with eyeballs.

This was bizarre in the best way. A true origin story of a female serial killer and what pushes her to make those decisions, both logical and not. When Ji-won”s appa deserts the family things start to go downhill, her mother is crumpling under the loss and only she and her sister are there to help. Would you eat a fish eye to make your mother smile? When it feels like she’s on the verge of a breakdown that’s just what she does and how she learns she actually has a taste for them. But when her mother brings home another man who fetishises their culture and treats them as objects Ji-won is pushed further and further to her limit and the one thing truly haunting her is her mothers boyfriends beautiful blue eyes.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc
Once I heard a favorite booktoker mention this being her favorite thriller of last year I was intrigued.

Unhinged definitely the word for this one but I enjoyed it.
An interesting take on a mother/wife and 2 daughters falling apart in different ways after their husband/father leaves them. How and what would you do to protect and take care of your family and yourself?

Only critique is it is a bit of a slow burn.

Ooooo this is delicious if I do say so myself!! If you are a fan of Bunny by Mona Awad or Maeve Fly by C. J. Leede this is the book for you.

The body horror/gore is so so good. detailed without being overly gratuitous. There’s much to be said about the MC relationships with either parents/friends/sibling and how those shape her. The flashbacks give just enough insight that by the end you are left with a complete understanding of her decisions as horrid as they may be (maybe that’s just me because I too am mad at men).

oh yeah this is very much a man hating book and not for softy ‘well, actually’ types. be warned!

overall a stellar debut and will be checking this author out again!

Thank you to Kensington/Erewhon books and Netgalley for the eArc for an honest review!

I received this book as an ARC. Thank you!

I was on-edge the entire time I was reading this. Ji-won is a really fun combination of deeply unlikeable and highly compelling. The intimate sensory details of what Ji-won goes through is an absolute highlight of the prose, although I cannot go into too much detail to avoid spoilers. Please be rest assured: this book delivers everything the cover promises and more.

As a Chinese-American myself, I related to much of the pressure Ji-won is under (with the caveat I understand Korea is its own culture, people, and nuance layered into this story in ways I likely miss as a non-Korean). The lack of respect to herself as a person with boundaries and agency is reflected in just about every aspect of her existence, driving her away from every human connection available to her. She has to be a wonderful, educated daughter, a stabilizing older sister, a fun and understanding Asian Friend (tm), among other roles.

I did have questions about the logistics of how Ji-won pushes the plot forward, especially as the tension escalates. There are times when I desperately wished Ji-won's mother had more agency and character development, although because we are entirely in Ji-won's head it may just be that the perspective is too biased to portray her (the mother) in any other way.

The ending was delightful and thoroughly satisfying. Ji-won doesn't disappoint.

Received as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher Kensington Books (thank you, both) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

A deep dive into the hardships of a second generation woman struggling keep herself and her family together as her mind unravels and begins to hunger not only for her own autonomy, but for eyeballs.

Ji-won’s life is crumbling around her - she's self sabotaged her relationship with her childhood friends, she can barely keep her grades up let alone forge new friendship or partnerships, her father abandoned the family for another woman, and now her mother is dating a man with an Asian fetish. Nothing could be worse, until she starts dreaming of eyeballs, hungering for eyeballs.

The gore wasn't overly descriptive, but it worked just enough to keep me squirming whenever it came up. I will most definitely be having nightmares about eyeballs after reading this book.

The first half of the book was a slow build up in which we learned about the characters, their background, how the family ended up in the position they're in now - and then it ramps up with Ji-won spiraling out of control until the end. But it ended rather abruptly and it left me wanting more!

Overall, it was a great read and a wonderful debut. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Grotesque, but in the best way possible. Hated and loved every second of it. Definitely will be recommending to everyone who doesn’t have a weak stomach.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

This was great! Twisty, surreal, and GROSS. It was fast paced, but still built tension as the characters fought, and you really had a good mix of sympathy for the main character, despite her actions. Plus the twists at the end! Really well done.

This was GOOD. Like really, really good. I read this feminist psychological horror as an ARC on NetGalley and will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy on release day.

In the wake of that ridiculous woman’s now-infamous BookTok rant about the stupidity of diversifying one’s reading, I made a personal commitment to intentionally pick up works from diverse authors to expand my own horizons. I’m happy to report that this book, the story of an unhinged Korean-American woman on the edge, was a raging success. It’s dark, intentional, nuanced, anxiety-inducing, and genuinely grotesque. The body horror was perfectly-executed, and I can’t wait until this book graces my shelves!

Thank you Netgalley and kensington books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

OMG!!! What did I just read!!! What the fresh hell was this???

The eyes are the best part by Monika Kim was totally unexpected read. It is kind of body horror with gory details so I would suggest if those who find it difficult to read should stay away from it.

I enjoy these kind of books. I have really enjoyed books by Eric LaRocca so this wasn't really new to me and yet I flinched at few descriptions which I found unappetizingly horrible.

What I loved most about the book is that the language is very simple. First I found myself getting distracted by the simple prose but later I just adored the simpleness of the whole book. It made me enjoy the book even more.

You know lot many times author talks in some poetic , coded way so that you have to try hard to understand what does author wants "you" to "understand" or "not understand". This plain and easy language made it an even better read.

If you are fine with the triggers mentioned above, this book is something I will totally and highly recommend you reading.

A strong debut with some fun (read: disgusting) horror moments and a compelling protagonist. Perfect for fans of 'good for her' villain origin stories.

What I enjoyed:
- The dynamic between Jiwon, Jihyun, and their mother
- The truly gnarly eyeball moments
- The searing critique of white men who objectify Asian women
- The range of misogyny and fetishisation shown, from the overt to the men who've learned to use the language of feminism against women

What I didn't enjoy:
- The pacing of this book felt a little sluggish and disjointed. At the 40% mark I was waiting for something more to happen.
- The characterisation outside of Jihyun felt flat and a lot of the character interactions felt repetititive.
- For a thriller, this story felt too predictable, and for a horror, it didn't feel consistently horrific enough.

Thank you to Erewhon, Kensington, and Netgalley for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect mix of gore, character development, and great writing.

Ji-won was such a unique character. Between gaslighting those closest to her and being an anti-hero, I was constantly on the edge of my seat to find out what she would do next.

Also the descriptions in this book will make you squirm if you can’t handle people talking about touching eyes. Coming from someone who can’t even put a contact in her eye, it definitely made me uneasy at times.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC

Ji-won's life is falling apart, first her Appa (father) has an affair and leaves her Umma (mother), her sister is an emotional mess, her grades in her first year of college are not so great and there's a creepy guy in her class that she cant get away from things just can't get any worse, oh wait they do. When Ji-won's mother meets George, the new man in her life things just go from worse to horrible. George is a big time creep, he objectifies Asian women disrespectfully, he's crass and disgusting and he's going to marry Ji-won's mother, these horrible events are what serves as the catalyst for Ji-won becoming unhinged and a killer obsessed with the juicy, delicious eyeballs of her victims.
This was a story like no other for me, it was tantalizing and riveting and of course a little morbid.

A big thank you to author Monica Kim and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this fantastic read in exchange for my review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I received an ARC of this book.

4.75 stars. This book was amazing! Absolutely unhinged in the best way possible. I loved the main character a lot and the depiction of her family situation was brilliantly written. This book is gross, claustrophobic and loaded with heavy topics.
If you are interested in learning about racism, sexism and fetish-culture this is the book for you. I loved every part of this, which is surprising since I personally think eyes are really gross, I can't even put contacts in.
I also didn't think that the book title would be taken so literally in the story but here we are. I think the ending was extreme but in a good way and I really wish it didn't end there.
I devoured this book in a few days and can't wait for the whole world to get their hands on this masterpiece.

Reading books this good at the beginning of the year inspires just a touch of sadness. Will anything live up to the horror and delight that is this protagonist’s mind?

I think many people will appreciate and identify with many themes in this book - abandonment, changing family dynamics in early adulthood, children taking responsibility for parents, surviving “nice guy” entitlement, fighting racist and sexist opinions near constantly, dealing with unwanted sexualization from those who should act as protectors. This book sounds like it may be a heavy read, but it really isn’t. The author takes the material and makes it almost addictive, forcing you to keep reading page after page to find out what happens to the protagonist and her family.

Although I did get a little squeamish here and there, I kept reading without stopping! Bravo to the author for writing the only book that I can recall making me gag and binge read at the same time.

Thank you Kensington Books, Erewhon Books and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Eyes Are the Part was such a ride. Ji-won's life takes a turn when her father leaves, her mother is desperate and distressed, and her sister is more anxious than ever. The lack of men in their household does not last long when their mother brings home her new boyfriend, who is not as appealing as he seems to be. Ji-won's grades are failing, nights are sleepless, and days are full of vivid dreams with blue eyes that keep watching her. This intriguing thriller catches you, crawls under your skin, and will not leave you until the very end. It is disgusting, raw, and amazing. It deals with topics such as feminism, racism, and fetishizing Asians, so no wonder the main character is an angry girl with all the weight on her shoulders, and we just watch her suffer and then change in her favor. If you are a fan of the female rage trope, you are going to love this book.

Wow. Just wow. The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim met all of my expectations. I’ve read a lot of horror recently and there’s not a lot that can creep me out, but this book managed the task beautifully. The main character Ji-won was both terrifying and relatable, something that is so hard to describe… This book is female rage at its finest and most powerful. I found myself both rooting for Ji-won and cringing in horror at the same time.

Ji-won’s mother Umma meets a man named George who is the most disgusting human you could possibly imagine. He’s obsessed with Asian women, and he’s a complete pervert. Umma just seems to love the attention though, and as things escalate with their relationship, Ji-won also grows obsessed with eating eyeballs. She loves blue eyes the most… and George has the most beautiful blue eyes.

I don’t know if this book could be more perfect. Absolutely a five star read from me, and I’m sad because no other horror novel will probably have such an amazing mix of feminine rage and terror. It’ll be hard to top this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books/Erewhon Books for the ARC! This comes out June 25, 2024. I know I’ll be preordering it and letting all my friends read it because IT’S THAT GOOD.

I really enjoyed this book and it is a must-read for fans of horror and psychological thrillers. This was an absolute gripping and haunting read. From the very first page I was drawn into the story of Ji-Won and her family's struggles after her father's betrayal. The book delves into themes of betrayal, family dynamics, and the dark side of human nature. One of the standout features of this book is the vivid and evocative writing. The imagery is rich and often unsettling, adding to the overall eerie atmosphere of the book.
The character development in this book is also top-notch. Ji-won is a complex and multi-layered protagonist, struggling with her own inner demons while also trying to protect her family. Her actions may be extreme and at times disturbing, but they feel justified given the circumstances she has been put in. The other characters in the book are also well-developed, each with their own flaws and motivations that drive the story forward.
The horror elements in this book are truly terrifying. Ji-won's dreams, which are filled with bloody rooms and eyes, are both horrifying and alluring. The way she manipulates and deceives those around her to satisfy her hunger and rage is both disturbing and captivating. Kim has a talent for weaving together horror and psychological thriller elements, making for a truly unique and chilling reading experience.

I saw another reviewer say, “if you’re in the mood for a contemporary take on what happens when you mix generational trauma, feminine rage, and the patriarchy in a sleep deprived college student…and you don’t mind getting a little messy? Read this!”

That sums up the book pretty nicely.

Ji-Won is seemingly set on a murderous path when her father leaves and her mother suggests eating fish eyes may help him return home because it brings luck. At first Ji-Won and her sister are disgusted by the thought, but to appease her mother, Ji-Won eats one and we see her spiral for the rest of the book. Suddenly, she dreams of eating human eyes.

Who better than her mom’s new white boyfriend to be the ultimate blued eyed prize. Ji-Won and her sister can’t stand him and his Asian fetish. We see Ji-Won have recurring thoughts and dreams to kill him and eat his eyes. She becomes drawn to blue eyes like vampires drawn to blood and leaves a trail of bodies with blank eye sockets as she satisfies her craving.

Meanwhile, she’s in school and making friends. Only one of those friends will be framed for her crimes. The way the book ends… I was on the edge of my seat because I didn’t know if she would get away with her dark deeds. She was clearly both unhinged and clever.

Although completely nuts and gross, somehow I found myself rooting for her. I suppose I wanted her to be able to protect her mom and sisters from George, her mom’s awful boyfriend. Her taste for eyeballs took it too far for my tastes, but that was the fun of the story.

A disturbingly interesting and easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eARC.