First, that intro was so fucking funny. I haven't laughed that much in the first few pages of a book in a long time.

This collection had some pretty decent stories and some new favorites for me. This is a really great discussion on a multitude of racism and white privilege. It also comments, quite frequently, on the privilege that comes with wealth. There is a plethora of representation in this book (queer, asian, black, indigenous, latinx, middle eastern) and a lot of the stories included/tied into cultural folklore which was really fun to read and learn about. The stories are a mix of some fun slashers, possession and demons, and a variety of takes on haunting so the variety kept things interesting and enjoyable. The authors of these stories pull no punches and are bold in the commentary that they are providing and making and I think that was my favorite part with a lot of these stories. This was overall a good time and would be perfect to read for the spooky season.

The white guy dies first tells 13 horror stories from 13 authors of color who all survive. My favorite thing about these stories is the amount of ancient folklore and horrors that were involved. Yes they are blended with some modern monsters, but they all end the same…the white guy dies first.

Of all 13 stories my favorites are:

The Golden Dragon in which a group of bored rich white kids try to manipulate and assault a Korean American family. It’s a revenge tale with a ghostly twist and it was done so intelligently and with such appropriate humor!

Best Served Cold is a tale of an indigenous family trying to overcome their generational trauma through healing. In their healing practice they lean into indigenous culture that they’ve had taken away from them or that their parents want no part of. It’s an indigenous creature story that will keep you craving more in the most horrific way.

Everythings Coming Up Roses is the journal entries of a sweet girl and all her happy thoughts about her garden. The format of this one makes it a quick and powerful read. It’s predictable, but the character will keep you there because she’s just so damn likable.

And my final favorite, Wasps!
Wasps tells the story of what a family will do to end the gentrification of their neighborhood and keep the house that’s been in their family for years. It’s a very good for her story with a very likable cast.

I enjoyed mostly all of this collection of stories. They’re gorey, detailed and hold nothing back which a great horror story should do. I recommend this collection of stories to anyone who loves cultural folklore, the movie fresh, revenge tales gone right and female killers.

Thank you to netgalley and Tor Publishing for the arc! The white guy dies first comes out July 16!

The White Guy Dies First fits the mission statement of Tor’s Teen/YA imprint: cultivating lifelong enjoyers of speculative fiction from a young age with quality installments. It’s built with the framing device that these stories are all lost media attached to a real (in-universe) serial case that stopped with the disappearance of Jakobi Warren, a horror director who turned biases of the genre around by making sure the white guy always dies first, and they are being tracked down by a young blog-runner who is a massive horror fan because of Warren and would have felt turned off and excluded from the genre had he not encountered Warren’s work when he was 13. This is such an up-front statement about what this book hopes to be for others. Every story stars a person of color, and many of them are queer, both groups meant to die early in most of the classic slashers, if they’re present at all. The chosen format really works to the goal’s advantage as well. Since it’s a book of short stories, there is a wide range of protagonists, levels of edginess, and subtypes of horror; and it won’t test the attention span of a reader who isn’t sure if they like the genre and are just trying it out. So overall a fantastic idea, but are the stories any good?

All Eyes on Me

Helen Thomas is a Hollywood-hopeful who faces the true horror of possibly being stuck in the suburbs, closeted her whole life and tied to her condescending, microaggressing long-term boyfriend, never seen for who she is. However, when she meets a flashy and alluring girl at the gas station and gets invited to see her perform as a clown, she is given a chance at freedom.

I would consider this a weak start, and that’s coming from someone who is personally loathes clowns and should take to the scare factor of a mysterious circus easily. While insignificance is certainly a worthy fear, no part of this felt particularly scary or like the protagonist was in real danger, and I think some of the themes that are explored in this one are explored better in other short stories in the book, such as Break Through Our Skin. If you do like the ideas in this short story, though, I have to beg you to go watch I Saw The TV Glow. Actually, do that anyways. No matter what. If you like queer horror at all.

Hedge

I guess some monsters still cut off the crusts. In a tale of man vs nature, brothers Brandon and Wesley, along with Wesley’s jerk friends, visit McCannon’s Topiary Garden and Recreational Area. What once was a nature preserve developed into a gruesome and deadly curse, and the boys plan to send it off before it’s torn down for good in an act of closure, as one of the garden’s recent victims was Brandon and Wesley’s own father.

This one has some great build up. The author has some real skills with building suspense. And while the dialogue feels unnatural at times, or the internal monologue a bit too self-aware, they are very clear in the interpersonal dynamics set up, setting up the story in the short amount of pages it was graced. My main complaint is that the payoff – while a good horror, for sure – went by so fast. It feels like it was over immediately.

The Golden Dragon

Sophie is from a Korean-American family that runs a Chinese restaurant. She lets her spoiled white friends stereotype her however they like as long as she gets to go along with them, but when one attacks her on a Japanese shrine, the whole group become haunted by a spirit which seeks justice.

Oh boy, here things start to get good. I like the dynamic with the sisters and the twists. It also features some more mature themes and doesn’t talk down to its intended audience. I especially like how multiple different types of Asian are just conflated together all the time. Or, you know, I like how that was included.

Best Served Cold

EJ finds themself when they reconnect with their culture at a reservation her older brother chose to live on. However, when she’s captured by a true monster, she may just have to become one to live.

This was the first story in the book that made me feel real fear. Connecting native American folklore to cannibalism as a metaphor for colonialism was such a big brained thread.

The Protégé

Though Troy is loved and supported by his family, there’s no denying he’s the black sheep. Unlike his sporty, social older brother, Troy is a fat kid with few friends and an interest in magic. In fact, one of his only friends is the retired Vegas magician who lives next door, Mr. Meridian, who takes Troy as a protégé. One day, Mr. Meridian leaves a box with Troy and is never heard from again, and the ensuing hunt has Troy regretting ever getting into magic. Not illusions – magic.

I liked these characters so much that I wish I could see more of them, and the story felt more like a beginning than an end anyways. There could be a whole fantasy novel about Troy and his new mentor. I think the author’s intent in part was to subvert the trope of the knowledgeable, spiritual mentor character who is always a person of color.

Docile Girls

Adelaide Hu is bullied by her ex friends after Jake Stewart dumps her. She is one of the only Asian kids at her school, and she knows that if she does anything but take it, the school will blame her. Still, she has to face all of them plus bad boy Devon and model minority Elaine when she helps set up the school dance in the gym. Then, the doors lock, and a classic teen slasher begins.

I loved it from beginning to end. The compare and contrast between Elaine and Adelaide only to be the same at their core was poignant, the stakes were there, the Megan Fox-ness of it all! Very, very fun but also – as the note at the beginning of the book promises – meaningful.

Gray Grove

Rumi, the skeptic writer/filmographer/producer and Kaitlin, the believer talent and host the crime and paranormal podcast, Girls and Ghosts. They travel to Gray Grove, an old, half-destroyed slave plantation to commune with the ghost of Kyle, a boy who went missing in the 80s after chasing William, a black classmate he was harassing, into the bog area.

Kaitlin is comfortable, complacent in her worldview. She doesn’t want to get political. She just wants to hunt ghosts and have a popular show that gets sponsorships. She’s also a terrible friend. Among all the other stories involving deplorable ex-friends in this anthology, I felt like Kaitlin and Rumi stood out, because they aren’t already-enemies or never-were-truly-friends; they’re two people who have grown apart or changed for better or worse who are, to some degree, still trying to hold onto each other until that final straw comes up. I remember that sort of pain from when I was 13, and I think a lot of the readers will be going through something like this. Whether it becomes an ironic media circus with following suspicions of murder and a bog demon for them… well obviously I hope not.

Everything’s Coming Up Roses

The journal entries of Leesa Nelson, criminally insane gardener. She’s like the fusion of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy! I should probably touch on the depth or the horror, but honestly I just found her really cute. Look at her, going into her stalking with that plucky attitude.

Heaven

Heaven takes place in an apocalyptic future… or does it? This may be the anthology at its most scifi-fantasy. The worldbuilding is just great. It’s almost like a reverse myth of Atlantis.


Break Through Our Skin

Farz is beyond man and woman. Farz needs a letter of recommendation from a dickhead professor who feels sure he understands Farz’ culture better than they do. Farz shares blood with a God, a god who can guide Farz to their true form, for a price.

I much prefer this one’s version of finding freedom by becoming a monster, but maybe that’s just me having a bias against clowns. No but really, the body-horror-the-is-not-horror-to-the-MC reminds of every time a trans friend has waxed poetic about werewolves and shapeshifting and being visibly changed. I’m sure this one will have its appreciators. Plus, the MC’s voice is a fun one.

Wasps
What a totally Tor way to discuss the gentrification of Brooklyn. I really enjoy the character of Nina and the connection she has with her family and her home. Her mother is a major figure in her life, suffering the same harassment and taking care of the legal battle, and her grandmother’s importance is felt strongly in the shape left in her absence. It feels as though too much responsibility has been placed on Nina, and here she is ready to take it even further, if that is what’s needed. It’s a tragic situation that she fights through and comes out on top. She’s a specific kind of ruthless – not unkind, simply doing what must be done. She’s pretty cool, as is the power her family has guarded for generations.

Hell is Other Demons

Due to the antics of Ivy’s boyfriend, Brett, a demon has possessed her and killed him, along with her ex-girlfriend and pov character, the once-Ivy-League-bound and now-dead Evelyn, who is still in love with Ivy and still determined to save her. She signs a deal with a demon and gets to work as a ghost.

I think this is the only short of the book that features religion as a way to control someone rather than a part of one’s heritage, which is interesting just comparing, especially since Evelyn has turned out to be dead wrong about the atheism thing. Personally speaking, I didn’t like her, but I still have to respect her. Everything she did, she did selflessly for Ivy.

The Road to Hell

This is for sure a unique one to end on. It’s told from the point of view of a haunted house who speaks of teenage Danger Carmichael like a hated ex. The house really did just want to be loved, and it did so much for that family to love it, yet those ingrates have the audacity to try to leave after everything the house did for them. The entitlement of the house feels like it comes in part from a total lack of communication, because how could the family know all the house did for it? This is the total opposite of Wasps. This is not the story of an enchanted home that loves and protects and family that loves and protects it in turn. No, they should have left yesterday like Danger said.

The thing that surprised me most about this one wasn’t the different pov or the house telling the story to Danger in second person, but that Danger openly tells his dads he’s missing out on posting on AO3. Kid, you talk to your parents about AO3???? That shit’s secret. Anyway, back to the house, I feel like this whole thing was a metaphor that went over my head. I should spend a bit more time with it. Definitely has reread value.

TW: death, blood, gore, transphobia, homophobia, cannibalism
Thank you, Net Galley and McMillian Audio for providing an arc for The White Guy Dies First.
When people ask me for examples of YA horror that has no bounds I will give The White Guy Dies First. Terry J. Benton Walker perfectly gathers the spookiest and most daunting stories that revolve around queer identity, race, coming of age, and honestly the terror of being a young person of color in today's society. I want to highlight the authors H, E. Edgmon, and Naseem Jamnia for not only highlighting trans identity in Native American and Persian society in horror but also using folklore to grab the attention. Hell is Other Demons by Karen Strong, The Roads to Hell by Terry J. Benton-Walker, and Docile Girls by Chloe Gong truly need to be enjoyed audibly to get the full experience. While reading the stories I suggest playing a haunted playlist on Spotify to match the atmosphere. The book kept getting crazier the more you read so I recommend reading all of the stories in order.

The White Guys Dies First is one of those rare gems in the big vast world of horror. Every story had rich storytelling and characters you hated to the core or rooted for even more. Many of the stories left me disturbed and shocked, staring at the page not knowing how to process what I had just read. A perfect read for the upcoming Halloween season, definitely one of my favorites of the year.

This is one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and it did not disappoint!! AAAAAHHHHH

This feels very much like a love letter to the horror genre. All stories showed that horror is not only meant to scare—it's meant to disturb you, inspire you, deliver stark truth, make you realize things around you, and so much more.

All short stories here focus on a specific genre, and as a whole, I thought they were cohesive and work well together as an anthology! Some of my faves were Best Served Cold (H.E. Edgmon), Docile Girls (Chloe Gong), Everything's Coming Up Roses (Tiffany D. Jackson), and Gray Grove (Alexis Henderson).

Also I seriously love how I discovered some new authors here? Authors I haven't read from before!

Overall this was excellent for me, and I know horror fans and enthusiasts will enjoy this as well!

Will post a detailed review on the blog!

Exact rating: 4.25 ⭐️

Thank you so much to the publisher (Tor Teen) and NetGalley for this e-arc!

CW: blood, gore, violence, racism, misogyny, generational trauma/ancestral trauma, murder, death, body horror, fatal wounds, bullying, transphobia

Time to flip the (trad Hollywood) script. Not-so-spoiler alert: practically all the white guys are so easy to hate and irritating. Essentially: perfect for this anthology!

Standouts for me are:
The Golden Dragon (nice setup and lore)
Best Served Cold (probably the most horrifying story of all of them. Please never make this into a film for my sanity.)
The Road to Hell (cool perspective, love the lore and atmosphere)

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Teen for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review..

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

As with all of the anthologies I read, I’m going to talk about the book as a whole as well as the individual stories. Let’s start with the whole book. The way this story started was very interesting! I really enjoyed how it was this blog this teenage was writing about horror films. I think the stories in this collection are meant to be the “short stories” that the fictional interns of Jakobi wrote and not the plots of the movies mentioned in the story. Or maybe I have it wrong and these are the plots of the movies found in the fictional Studio 13. Either way it was such a fun concept and really got me in the mood to read the 13 stories collected here. The epilogue attempts to wrangle everything back together to explain what happened to Jakobi but I don’t think an explanation was really necessary and I didn’t really care for it.

1.All Eyes On Me: I didn’t like this one. I didn’t think it was scary or even that good unfortunately.

2.Hedge: One of my worst fears (which is pretty unwarranted) is being turned into something against my will. Maybe it be foliage or a monster or an animal I have this irrational fear of being trapped in a different form and this captures that fear. If you’re not afraid of that kind of thing, then this probably won’t scare you. I didn’t even think I’d like it or find it particularly scary until the end.

3.The Golden Dragon: The twist of the ghost possession at the end was *chefs kisses*. I love when girls get their revenge. Sophie and Summer were great characters and I really appreciated their story.

4.Best Served Cold: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. WTF WTF WTF. Indigenous Creature stories are HORRIFYING. Which I knew BUT WAS NOT PREPARED TO READ IT IN THIS HORRIBLE WAY. THIS WHOLE STORY WAS HORRIFYING. I ALMOST DIDN’T WANT TO KEEP READING IT BUT IT WAS SO GOOD THAT I HAD TOO. LITERALLY WTF. I SHOULDN’T HAVE READ THIS ONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

5.The Protégé: I wouldn’t really call this a horror story. It did have some pretty horrifying deaths but it felt more speculative or fantasy than horror. It just had the gory elements of horror without the actual scare factor of horror if that makes sense. I was also a little sad when I finished this story. I felt really bad for Troy and what happened to him.

6.Docile Girls: This was… interesting. I really wanted Devon to survive because he seemed pretty decent so I was upset when he didn’t. I know horror isn’t meant to be realistic but I know that these girls will ACTUALLY be caught for the things they’ve done. There’s gonna be so much evidence pointing to the fact that they took part in the killings so that really makes the story loose some of it’s luster.

7.Gray Grove: Not really scary but I always love a bog monster/demon.

8.Everything’s Coming Up Roses: I really liked this one actually! The format of journal entries was a nice way to pace the story. I also enjoyed how Lessa’s voice really came through. This is one of the better stories here!

9.Heaven: This wasn’t a horror story. It felt more sci-fi than anything. I wouldn’t even say there were horror elements to it. Despite that, I still enjoyed this. It made me want to read more so I think that’s overall what makes a story really good.

10.Break Through Our Skin: Thus was both equal parts terrifying and sweet. Terrifying because what even happened to them in that museum??? And sweet because their parents accept them and I love that!!!

11.Wasps: I enjoyed this even though I’ve always hated haunted houses. This was fun because I love when girls do scary things to get what they want.

12.Hell Is Other Demons: This was fun and not really that scary!! I enjoyed (again) how girls come back and do scary things!!! This almost sounds like it could be the premise to a book series or a TV show.

13.The Road to Hell: This one was fun because it was from the haunted houses POV of what’s happening. It talks about loving (or trying to love) the people who come to renovate it by keeping all the ghosts away from them. But then becoming enraged when the house tries to “Help” them. It was a fun way to structure a horror story. I could see this being a full length movie of one kind.

4.5⭐️ sci fi horror, body horror, supernatural horror, a sentient house, a killer hedge maze, teenage high school slasher and more. You have it all in this collection of stories.
All by authors I have read or are on my TBR, bipoc authors, queer authors, non binary
“Heaven” gave me a bit of the Wool series by Hugh Howie, or Fallout as well
“Hell is other demons “ really made me laugh with the Valet character
“Break through our skin” gave me some “Hell followed with us” vibes as well as family can love you for who your are
“Wasps” also give that family can love you for who you are as well as making you incredibly mad at entitles people who buy up property and kick out the people who live there
This collection had my jaw dropping at moments and giggling at others. Well worth the read

I liked some of it but unfortunately I found alot of if boring. It was predictable and often vague though the selection does fit well together.

I don't read a lot in the horror genre, but the title cover intrigued me and I couldn't resist, but I was not disappointed! I thought this was a really cool collection of stories that all interested me for different reasons. They all worked really well together under the concept of representative scary stories, but I also loved the amount of LGBTQ+ representation included in addition to the different races and ethnicities! Docile Girls by Chloe Gong, Everything's Coming up Roses by Tiffany D. Jackson, and The Road to Hell by Terry J. Benton-Walker were my favorites, but each one had elements that were very enjoyable.

Small reviews of each story:

**Ghoulfriends Online Blog (intro)- Terry J. Benton Walker: I loved the concept for this, and it really set the tone for the rest of the book!

1. All Eyes on Me- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: The characters were well-developed and I liked the circus setting, but the resolution wasn't my favorite.

2. Hedge- Kalynn Bayron: The opening scene felt a little too on the nose, but I really enjoyed the rest of it, especially the ending since it's not what I was expecting.

3. The Golden Dragon- Kendare Blake: The family dynamic in this one was definitely a highlight and the twist was expected, but it was still fun and interesting to read.

4. Best Served Cold- H.E. Edgmon: I figured out where this one was going well before the main character, but this was still another one of my favorites from the collection. It was much darker and grotesque compared to some of the others, but I loved the different character relationship dynamics, as well as the way the main character's Native American heritage and values came through.

5. The Protege- Lamar Giles: This one was not one of my favorites, but that's probably because I'm not the biggest fan of the magic and the ending just wasn't for me.

6. Docile Girls- Chloe Gong: This one was a condensed version of a locked-room mystery mixed with heavy slasher vibes and I thought it was really fun. Again, I figured out who it was before the main character, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. The very end of this one also really hit me with the message Chloe Gong was portraying, and I was not disappointed.

7. Gray Grove- Alexis Henderson: I liked the podcast aspect, the background of the setting, and the way the ending came full circle, but it also feels like something was missing from this story. I think it would be better a longer story that can expand on things more.

8. Everything's Coming Up Roses- Tiffany D. Jackson: This one is told almost exclusively through the main character's diary entries, a format I love, and the entire story was just really engaging and interesting. I loved that the background slowly made more sense as the character would reveal different pieces of her story, and it was fun to try to figure out.

9. Heaven- Adiba Jaigirdar: The concept of this one was really interesting, and the big twist's mechanic was intriguing to me, but it's another one where I feel there's information missing and it would do better as a longer story.

10. Break Through Our Skins- Naseem Jamnia: I was really interested in the main character's journey and struggles with being non-binary and how that played into the main plot, and the countdown was a really fun mechanic to see and finally get to the end of, but this story just wasn't really for me. It was a little too gory and the ancient artifacts plot line is not one I care for.

11. Wasps- Mark Oshiro: This was one where the twist caught me by surprise, but it was a very interesting dynamic and I was not disappointed. The only thing is I wish we got to explore a little more background on how the family came to be in this house, because it feels like an entire story on top of the one on the pages.

12. Hell Is Other Demons- Karen Strong: I loved the dynamic of the main character being in love with her best friend, who she had a relationship with, but is now with her boyfriend because she is being repressed by her super religious father because it feels realistic to something that would happen in today's society. That being said, I didn't care for the fact that the plot really revolved around a demon summoning because demons aren't really somethig I care for.

13. The Road to Hell- Terry J. Benton-Walker: I honestly loved everything about this story. The fact that it was told in second-person POV with a house talking to a teenager who moved in with his parents immediately caught my attention, and it didn't waver the entire story. It was so fun and exciting, seeing different aspects of the house's life and feelings and I coudn't wait to see what happened at the end.

**Epilogue- Terry J. Benton Walker: A fun callback to the introduction and a great way to wrap up the anthology!

Overall, this was a fun little collection and I would recommend it to both lovers of horror, as well as newcomers. I think it's a great way to read interesting stories while also learning what you may or may not like in horror stories.

Thank you to Netgalley, TorTeen, Terry J. Benton-Walker, and all of the included authors for letting me read this arc <3

I found this book disappointing. I understand these are supposed to be short stories but I think some of them were too short for their own good. They build up the suspense and then BOOM! over leaving me scratching my head and kind of annoyed.

These are all various tales of horror and the supernatural, although the title is a bit misleading. Sometimes the white guy didn't die first...

It was okay but not something I'd read again.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately drawn to the premise and overarching theme of this anthology is one of my favorite horror themes: the real horrors are the racists we find along the way. For the most part, these stories were engaging and interesting, and my two favorite stories were Best Served Cold by HE Edgmon and Break Through Our Skin by Naseem Jamnia. Both of those authors I have loved their work in full-length as well. If you're a horror anthology fan, I definitely recommend picking up this simply for the two stories I mentioned at the very least-- they're worth it! A huge thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for a copy of this eArc in exchange for my thoughts!

Absolutely slapped.

I usually expect to not love every story in an anthology but this one daaaang. It was so good. I loved all the stories. I liked knowing the premise of who was gonna get it first with the title and they all deserved it. The stories ranged from a little creepy to super gorey, the mix of settings and range of horror was really well thought out and the placement of the stories worked.
I didn’t want to stop after each story.
Excellent read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor publishing for an eARC and Macmillan audio for an alc (all the narrators were very good)

Synopsis: Killer clowns, a hungry hedge maze, and rich kids who got bored. Friendly cannibals, impossible slashers, and the dead who don’t stay dead....

A museum curator who despises “diasporic inaccuracies.” A sweet girl and her diary of happy thoughts. An old house that just wants friends forever....

These stories are filled with ancient terrors and modern villains, but go ahead, go into the basement, step onto the old plantation, and open the magician’s mystery box because this time, the white guy dies first.

Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker, including stories from bestselling, award-winning, and up-and-coming contributors: Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.

Review: I absolutely loved this. I thought all thirteen stories were incredibly compelling and I listened to it in one go. I highly recommend this. This is short story horror at its best.

5 stars

This collection of 13 short stories by 13 authors - many of whom are superstars in the wonderful world of YA - is such a blast to enjoy. My top rec? Listen to the audio version when and where accessible for maximum enjoyment.

Hey, you. We all know it's common in a collection like this to have favorites, some that fall in the middle, and others, but I'm happy to report that while I definitely have my favorites (the start of this paragraph includes a BIG HINT about *the* favorite...IYKYK), I really enjoyed the whole group overall.

I'll be recommending this one to my students not only because it's a fun read in general but because the YA short stories are always a hit, and we definitely need more of them - and of collections like this - to enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an early copy of this book!

Overall 3.5/5
There are a few good scary stories but also a few stories that just missed the mark for me unfortunately. So very hit or miss with it.
Here’s my review on each short story:

All Eyes On Me: 2/5 not super scary at all, just had a circus and clown which could be considered scary?
The Hedge: 3.5/5 on the creepy scale for sure. The story was better and I was definitely spooked but I felt like it was unfinished, but that could be the short story piece I’m not used to.
The Golden Dragon: 4/5 loved the creepiness of this one, and the story! It flowed so smoothly, I love the revenge deaths too.
Best Served Cold: 4/5 on the creepy/horror scale this one was good! Ooof did my stomach curl at this one!! Loved it!
The Protege: 3/5 it started out really good and then got weird with the magician thing and sort of confusing. Felt like a scary Disney movie
Docile Girls: 4/5 okay, this one may be my fav as of now. I felt like it was written well, I loved the gore, I enjoyed the whole story too. This one felt very YA but in a good way!
Gray Grove: 4/5 I enjoyed this one overall, the story was good and it was a quicker read. I actually liked the paranormal part of it and it wasn’t super outlandish like some of the other short stories
Everything’s Coming Up Roses: 4/5 super quick read, enjoyed the journal entry style. I liked that the whole time I was trying to figure out what was going on. Definitely a good one!
Heaven: 1/5 this one was to fantasy for me. It reminded me of a mix of like ACOTAR and Shadow & Bone. It was weird. Also I think it’s a reach for the ‘white guy dies first’.
Break Through Our Skin: 1/5 I DNF this one. I was so uninterested in it. The archeology part of it just wasn’t it for me and felt complicated and confusing. I didn’t know what was going on and for a short story I just didn’t want to finish it.
Wasps: 4/5 super quick read. Really enjoyed this one, I love a creepy house story! This one felt spooky and I didn’t know what to expect!
Hell Is Other Demons: 3/5 it started out as a 4, and I was really vibing with it. I liked the horror and the gore from it, it was spooky and I didn’t know what was going to happen but then the end I didn’t like.
The Road to Hell 3/5 I love a good haunted house story! I didn’t know what to expect with this one. I wanted to give it a 4/5 but I felt like the cursing and sexual stuff made it cheesy…

As much as I adore the title (and that’s a lot) it did make these short horror stories a little predictable - you always knew exactly which character was going to die first. It’s also possible I should not have read this in a remote cabin in the woods with no cell service or electricity, but that’s my own fault.

Some of these stories were pretty solid, moderately creepy, and perfectly enjoyable but not stunningly good. However, a few really made a lasting impression. HE Edgmon, whose recently published novel did not blow me away, wrote a can’t-look-away, absolutely horrifying and gorgeously written story entitled “Best Served Cold” which centers on missing indigenous people, the twist being that there is a (white) guy kidnapping them and slowly eating them in his walk-in freezer, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Chloe Gong’s “Docile Girls” is a very fun take on the “we are all trapped in here with a murderer picking us off one by one” structure that expertly dismantles the stereotypes about Asian girls. Another favorite was Tiffany D Jackson’s “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” which is told through the increasingly unhinged diary entries of Leesa Nelson, unearthed ten years after the events they describe. “Heaven” by Adiba Jaigirdar, while not striking me as particularly horrific, was a fun sci-fi take on the genre.

This story collection made a fun read for my recent camping trip, and would also be a great gift for the horror enthusiast in your life! These extremely skilled writers offer stories that explore a wide range of horror tropes and unique perspectives on the genre.

"13 Scary Stories. 13 Authors of Color. 13 Times We Survived...The First Kill.

The White Guy Dies First includes thirteen scary stories by all-star contributors and this time, the white guy dies first.

Killer clowns, a hungry hedge maze, and rich kids who got bored. Friendly cannibals, impossible slashers, and the dead who don't stay dead....

A museum curator who despises "diasporic inaccuracies." A sweet girl and her diary of happy thoughts. An old house that just wants friends forever....

These stories are filled with ancient terrors and modern villains, but go ahead, go into the basement, step onto the old plantation, and open the magician's mystery box because this time, the white guy dies first.

Edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker, including stories from bestselling, award-winning, and up-and-coming contributors: Adiba Jaigirdar, Alexis Henderson, Chloe Gong, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, H. E. Edgmon, Kalynn Bayron, Karen Strong, Kendare Blake, Lamar Giles, Mark Oshiro, Naseem Jamnia, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Terry J. Benton-Walker.

A collection you'll be dying to talk about...if you survive it."

It's about time that the white guy dies first!

i normally wouldn’t give a rating for a short story collection, but given that it’s an upcoming title i’d like to support it with a close-enough rating.

these stories cover a lot of ground: environmental racism, academia and collections, high school slasher, assault and vengeful ghosts is just some of it. some grabbed me more than others but, overall, got me into the horror genre in ways that were purposeful and thought-provoking.

many thanks to tor publishing group and netgalley for the advance reader copy..