As someone who never really got the appeal of slashers and only occasionally watched ones like Scream, I had put off reading this book even though I already knew that Stephen Graham Jones was an auto-buy author for me. There's just a humor and a really character-driven quality to his horror that I've loved since I picked up The Only Good Indians. And honestly, I Was a Teenage Slasher might be one of my favorites from him because of those strengths.

I Was a Teenage Slasher follows Tolly Driver who is essentially cursed to kill for revenge after the events of a wild party that goes horribly wrong. And Tolly is very much an anti-hero character, a kind of loser kid who knows he's not always doing the right thing (like say, killing people) but is somehow still deeply sympathetic. Part of what makes him so compelling is the friendship with his classmate Amber. I honestly loved the relationship between them, how they're constantly giving each other crap but supporting each other to the best of their ability. I Was a Teenage Slasher has all of the coming of age and childhood friendship vibes that I absolutely love and it feels deeply embedded in West Texas. My family is more from the Panhandle area, but the way Tolly talks about the town and the people felt almost nostalgic and like the stories I've heard growing up.

And I've seen complaints from folks about how rambly Tolly is as a narrator and the way that the story shifts timelines as Tolly tells you about this summer where things went so terribly and then shifts back to the present and then back to younger days when he's mentioning one friend or another. But the combination of that rambly perspective and the absolutely pitch perfect narration by the audiobook narrator, Michael Crouch, honestly just made it feel that much more real to me. Despite it being an over the top, sometimes gory slasher. It is very referential and honestly, I loved it for that even more because it gave me a respect for the subgenre and the tropes and rules of them.

Like I said, I didn't expect to love this as much as I did but it is confirmation of auto-buy status and I honestly can't wait for whatever's next from SGJ. I Was a Teenage Slasher made me feel all the emotions and will definitely be one I'm recommending widely to my horror reading friends.

Unfortunately not for me. Parts of it were entirely too repetitive, and I had a hard time getting into the story

The idea of this book is pretty interesting and amazing, but how it was handled left me bored a lot of the time.

It was a character study completely and the plot was on the back burner because of that. I enjoyed that at times, but because there was nothing pushing it along I had a hard time focusing for enjoyment.

**I Was a Teenage Slasher** is a refreshing take on the slasher genre that balances horror with humor and nostalgia. The story follows a group of teens navigating typical high school drama, only to find themselves in the middle of a bloody rampage.

The characters are well-developed, and their relationships add depth to the story. The plot is both thrilling and darkly comedic, keeping readers engaged throughout. While it occasionally leans on familiar tropes, its clever twists and strong character dynamics make it a standout.

Overall, it's an entertaining read that earns a solid 4/5 stars for its unique blend of scares and laughs.

I was kind of disappointed in this. The pacing was on the slower side and i had a hard time connecting to it. It had moments where i was fully into it but other times i didn’t care to pick the book back up.


Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc!

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Stephen Graham Jones is truly a star. Every time a new book comes out I think "NOW THIS IS AN IDEA!" And he never disappoints. I can't pick a favorite book by him, but this one is certainly among his best.

Stephen Graham Jones is an incredible writer. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of his works. This is the only one that I just did not feel a connection to. It was very slow and drawn out. The characters were interesting and engaging but that is all this book really offered me. I look forward to reviewing more of his work in the future but I do think he has had stronger titles in the past.

I really wanted to love I Was a Teenage Slasher, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. Stephen Graham Jones is undeniably talented, and I respect his ability to weave unconventional narratives, but this book felt disjointed and overly chaotic. The concept was intriguing—a meta, slasher-style homage to horror—but the execution lacked cohesion.

The characters were hard to connect with, and the constant shifts in tone made it difficult to stay engaged. At times, the plot felt too self-aware, almost like it was trying too hard to be clever, which pulled me out of the story.

This was just fine. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. I read 95% of it on my Kindle and listened to the last 5% and I actually think I would have liked it a lot more listening to the whole thing. I really liked the narrator.

It's very Stephen Graham Jones-y in the sort of rambling stream of consciousness writing style which I didn't mind. It was very slasher-y but in a much less obnoxious way than My Heart is a Chainsaw (I think, I didn't even finish that one).

There isn't much that really stands out to me as really good or really bad in this one, I just liked it. I enjoyed it.

From my Den of Geek "Best Books of 2024" list:

Stephen Graham Jones is the undisputed champion of all things slasher. The author of over 25 books, much of his horror is an ode to the genre made famous in 80s grindhouse movies and the Scream franchise after that. He’s written books on the subject before –2024 also saw the publication of The Angel of Indian Lake, the Grand Guignol finale of his trilogy following final girl Jade Daniels. I Was a Teenage Slasher doesn’t retread the same ground and Jones gives the genre new life –and new extremely gory deaths –by writing from the perspective of the killer. 17-year-old Tolly Driver, growing up and going nowhere in 1989 West Texas, narrates his memoir about that cursed summer when events beyond his control transform him from a lonely headbanging outsider into a mass murderer. It’s a poignant, page-turning coming-of-age horror story painted in blood n’ guts and 80s hair metal. Tolly’s heartbreaking self-awareness, rich in irony and infused with Jones’ evocative recreation of a very specific place and time, will have readers wanting to puke, sob, and question what they know of justice. – Theresa DeLucci

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I have read a few of his books before, and this book has cemented my interest for sure. The POV is interesting and well written.

Rating: 4/5

Although it stands perfectly well on its own legs, this book is the perfect introduction to Jones’ imagination and form. Inspired by “Found Footage” horror works of bygone years, it is also a treatise on the slasher subgenre, & an exploration of what it means to lose—& find again—agency in one’s own story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Never thought I’d find myself crying for a slasher at the end of a book, but here we are.
Stephen Graham Jones, may your pillow always be cool. You can do no wrong in my book.

This is a truly special book. There is nothing else out there like it. Stephen Graham Jones brings his unique style to yet another nuanced and dimensional character that we can't help but connect with, even though he's technically the bad guy.

This was an interesting take on the classic "slasher" tale by Stephen Graham Jones.

I found it refreshing to see the friendship of Tolley, a good kid turned slasher, and his best friend Amber.

After nearly dying at a party at the hands of his bullies, Tolley is saved by a kid who was presumed dead years ago. He shows up and starts killing Tolley's bullies. During this, a drop of the killer's blood lands on Tolley, infecting him with the slasher motive.

I thought it was also interesting how the characters incorporated different tropes from slasher films into their planning process.

While there were many interesting things about the book, I felt as though some of it felt flat. I liked it but I just didn't love the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for this ARC.

Stephen Graham Jones can do no wrong. He doesn't need to keep convincing me of that, and yet, I'm eternally grateful he continues to try.

I Was a Teenage Slasher is a darkly twisted and thrilling exploration of revenge, guilt, and identity, all wrapped up in the bloody framework of a slasher story. Set in 1989 in the small town of Lamesa, Texas, the novel follows 17-year-old Tolly Driver, a good kid with big potential who’s about to be cursed to kill in a quest for vengeance. What makes this story stand out is that it’s told from Tolly’s perspective, and instead of being a victim or hero, he's the one doing the killing.

Jones pulls off a unique twist on the classic slasher formula. In this book, Tolly isn’t just a mindless killer—he’s a teenager trying to come to terms with a curse that forces him to carry out violent acts. It’s a fascinating journey into the mind of someone who’s trapped by forces beyond his control but also grappling with the choices that come with this power. The horror here isn’t just about the bloodshed (though there’s plenty of that), it’s about Tolly’s internal battle to find meaning in an unfair world. As usual, Jones perfects the mix of coming-of-age angst and slasher horror.

If you’re a fan of slasher films and love when a story flips expectations on their head, I Was a Teenage Slasher is a wild, bloody ride with surprising depth and soul. It’s a sharp and bloody take on growing up in a world that doesn’t seem to care about the underdog—except, in this case, the underdog is a killer.

This was a bit of a slog at first because it was slow as hell but it definitely got good about 80 pages in and it was a ride. It did something I wasn't expecting and basically showed the nature of turning into a serial killer as more of a curse or uncontrollable disease you catch that has no cure other than to complete the horror movies cycle with all of the tropes. I'm talking having a final girl, don't have sex, splitting up, a killer's seeming immunity to injuries and otherworldly stamina. All the things you see in books become a reality to those affected, regardless of if it's something they would never do. That's the nature of this affliction. It affects the newfound killer and the circle of people he must kill. It bends all of their actions and personalities. In short, the concept was COOL AS FUCK!!! It still has its slow moments but its more bearable due to these other elements. I'm glad I got to read this because I had no idea where this memoir style book was gonna go and I like where it went. It was a story well told, just make it past the setup and dryness of the first 80 pages and you're gucci.

Thanks for the arc netgalley! :)

As distinctive an authorial voice as Stephen Graham Jones has, the prose he executes in I Was a Teenage Slasher felt different so the adjustment period for me was even longer than usual getting into the story. Once I was in, however, I was completely compelled by Tolly Driver, our titular teenage slasher protagonist. Told from a first person perspective, the novel is equal parts horrifying and moving: from the inciting incident to the final showdown, Stephen Graham Jones plays with and in the genre he knows and loves so well, honoring it while pushing its boundaries, with the exploration of grief and loneliness in the midst of gore and violence of the slasher horror was so wonderfully balanced.

I really enjoyed the idea of the book. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and I wish there was more to the plot. The chapters were very long and I felt myself just wanting to finish the book just to finish it. Overall an okay read.

I have come to the conclusion that this author is not for me. This is the third book of his that I have not been able to finish. I have nothing bad to say about the writing. I just could not get into the story. I made it about 60 pages in before I lost interest.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e galley