Summer slasher? Summer slasher. Stephen Graham Jones knows his way around a slasher—he’s the genius behind the Indian Lake Trilogy after all. But he’s taking things in a different direction with his newest release from Saga Press. Arriving July 16, I Was A Teenage Slasher puts you in the killer’s shoes. Tolly Driver didn’t set out to do this. But he does all the same. Buckle up, this one’s a wild ride.

I Was A Teenager Slasher is told from the point of view of an older Tolly Driver. This looking back narrative approach is one Stephen Graham Jones has used before, and he uses it well. It is, in essence, storytelling. Here is Tolly Driver, telling you about his life. Telling you about Lamesa, Texas. Telling you about the summer that changed it all. Because in 1989, Tolly became a slasher. His transformation makes this read like a werewolf story. It’s not something he chose or something he can control. But he has to live with it.

Not only is this book written as Tolly’s autobiography, it is written with a heavy dose of cinema. The silver screen comes to life with all the implications of the cinema tricks. Slashers have rules, and that holds true here, too. Tolly doesn’t know them, but his best friend Amber does. Amber becomes his guide in understanding what is happening to him. There are so many instances where she sets up a test or experiment to figure out the extent of what they’re dealing with. To see if it’s real. Trust me, you’ll never pick up a knife the same way again. It’s been months since I read this and I think about it every time.

While there are funny moments—Tolly in general is hilarious—this book is heartbreaking. How could it not be? We are with Tolly as he effectively becomes a monster. I Was A Teenage Slasher dives underneath the mask to examine the person trapped within. It asks why they kill who they kill; why they kill at all. More than that, it gives them feelings. It makes them tragic. It makes them human. This new perspective recontextualized one of my favorite genres in horror. It is worth noting, though, this does only apply to the supernatural slasher. I’m not giving the many iterations of Ghostface a new look, here. But Jason Voorhees? Stephen Graham Jones continues to pull my heartstrings over that little boy.

There is one interesting note for this book: it would make a good introduction to someone who wants to begin reading his work. Yes, the references to other books, other stories, are there. But the thing about his references is that they aren’t sequential. They’re layers, themes. I think a lot of newer readers will pick up some of his older books after this and think, “Oh, that reminds me of Slasher!” the same way I was able to have those moments while reading this one. I Was A Teenage Slasher is, in effect, approachable. Yes, a book from the point of view of a killer is what I’m calling entry-level reading. Sometimes, that’s how it goes.

If it wasn’t clear by now, I loved this book. I cannot wait for July so I can experience this again on audiobook. More importantly, I can’t wait for more people to have the chance to fall in love with Tolly, with Amber, with Lamesa. Yes, this is an emotional ride for a summer read. But it’s one that is absolutely worth taking.

I Was a Teenage Slasher is a solid read from start to finish. It’s not quite my favorite from him, but it is such an interesting concept executed in a way that’s just so SGJ.

This is absolutely a slasher, and quite gruesome at times. We follow Tolly as he reflects on his life, particularly the summer that turned him into a slasher. We read about the experience from his perspective, recounting the events years later. It plays with the genre in a fun way.

Given that The Angel of Indian Lake is one of my favorites so far this year, it is hard not to compare them, which I know isn’t fair. But there are times the comparison shows the strength of this work, because I did not expect to care as much about Tolly as I did - almost instantly. He doesn’t have a ton in common with Jade, but there is a heart to both that pulls me in. I was almost as emotionally attached to Tolly as I was to Jade, which is impressive considering I spent a fraction of the time with him.

For folks who have been curious about SGJ and want to give one of his books a try, I would certainly recommend this as an entry point.

This is such a unique take on the horror genre that it took me a little while to decide how I felt about it but overall I think I loved it?

A story of the horrors of being a teenager and not quite fitting in told in the fashion of a slasher movie. At times I felt that the beats were a little predictable but that’s also how I feel about watching a fun slasher so it didn’t take away from the overall story or experience. Woven throughout is also a very dear love story that captured the kind of friendship of someone who has grown up with you, and known you in a way that very few people will throughout your lifetime.

Fun, sentimental, and definitely gorey, this was a great summer read.

Stephen Graham Jones is never predictable with his writing and I was a Teenage Slasher is no exception. It’s quirky, unique and lots of fun.

The story is delivered from the perspective of the slasher as Tolly recounts his experiences and confessions set in the small town of Lemesa, Texas. A memoir as such. Tolly has a way of drawing you in as a reader and somehow you end up being part of his team. Expect lots of dark humour as Tolly slashes his way through the story.

A really fun and unique slasher story!

Think you so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for my gifted eARC!

I appreciate SGJ's love for horror but I felt like this one felt redundant to other works he's done and the writing itself felt a bit repetitive. It didn't work for me, but I know it will for others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the digital advance reader's copy.

How does Stephen Graham Jones imbue a slasher story with so much emotion?

Honestly, I hate to give anything away with my mini plot summary, so if you love horror, just go pick this one up and start it without knowing anything about it except the title and that this author consistently turns out fun, thoughtful, and, yes, heartfelt, horror novels.

For those who need a summary: It's 1989 in a small Texas town, and Amber and Tolly are best friends., who happen to be in the wrong party at the wrong time. In the aftermath, Tolly realizes he's not feeling like himself, and it looks like a new slasher may be in town.

For those who read horror, you'll likely see where the story is headed, but Jones gets there with such a combination of laughter, fear, grief, and pathos, that I couldn't stop reading.

The high school friendship between Tolly and Amber is spot on, and I kept hoping for the best for both of them.

Two bloody thumbs up.

*language, graphic violence

I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones #fiftyfifthbookof2024 #arc

CW: death, murder, serial killers, supernatural elements, gore

I was super excited to read this new novel from one of my favorite horror writers, and even after his recent trilogy that changed the horror genre, it didn’t disappoint. The book was pretty meta, with the main character Tolly Driver knowing he was in a slasher story, but this time, he was the slasher. He’s also an unreliable narrator, which was fun to see as his journey into being a killer developed. The end of the story was quite sad and I think I’ll always wonder about Amber, Tolly’s best friend. The writing is so beautiful and as always, I live for SGJ’s acknowledgements.

Thank you to @sagapressbooks and @netgalley for the advance copy. (pub date 7/16/24)

#iwasateenageslasher #horrornovel #stephengrahamjones #tollydriver

Definitely not for me. The supernatural angle caught me by surprise in a really bad way, I was expecting it all to be some drug or near death experience hallucination, and the constant going back and forth and stoping to talk about the side characters just broke the tension all the time. I'm a fan of Grady Hendrix, and surely there's people who will enjoy this, but it was just not for me.

I'm not a big horror reader, but I wanted to read this because Stephen Graham Jones has such a huge reputation. I've seen other reviews that suggested that this one wasn't quite violent enough (or original enough in its violence) but for this reader, the plot worked, and I especially appreciated the character focus. The writing was compelling and the audiobook narration really drew me in. So though this is not a book in my typical wheelhouse, I'll feel good about recommending it to horror lovers.

3.5 rounded up!
Publishes 7.16.2024

This was fun, but not as strong as The Only Good Indians. It has a LOT of inner dialogue, and it was a bit corny at times. Based on TOGI, I was expecting this to match that and be quite more violent and gruesome than it ended up being. The murders were not as creative and dark as I wanted them to be (what does that say about me?).

That said, it is still violent and gruesome at times. The plot seems a bit scared and hard to follow at first, and the middle of the book was a bit sluggish, but it was fun reading from the POV of the killer instead of the victims for a change. Stephen’s writing is, however, still strong and his craft is just as polished here.

My biggest gripe would be that I don’t what killers in any medium having a moral compass. I don’t want them to have any reason or trauma for explaining their actions; I want them to simply be violent for the sake of being violent. I don’t ever care to know their reasons for slaughtering. To me, it takes the scariness away.

this was my first SGJ full length novel and i didn’t realize this book was more character focused, i think the plot was good but it wasn’t strong so i kind of struggled getting through the middle of the book and i guess i just expected the book to take a different route but i do enjoy the writing

Absolutely amazing. I typically don't grab horror books, but the synopsis caught my attention and I'm glad I picked it up.

A bloody blast filled to the brim with slasher delight. Jones joy and love for horror just overflows from his writing and this is no different. It’s so good it makes me jealous. It feels fresh and new but familiar and fun. Loved it!

It's always a good day when you wake up with an ARC from Stephen Graham Jones in your inbox! I'm going to attempt try to explain how much I loved this book and how I think that Jones is easily one of the best modern horror writers out there.

Stephen Graham Jones’ "I Was a Teenage Slasher" is a thrilling exploration of the horror genre through the eyes of a teenager and showcasing the enduring legacy of slasher films. Jones is known for his unique narrative style and deep understanding of horror tropes, Jones delivers a fresh take that both pays homage to and subverts classic horror conventions with this story.

Tolly Driver aka The Young Slasher is just your regular teenage boy with friends, dreams, and everything a bright eyed kid should be...but he also killed a couple of his classmates too. The story follows Tolly on his path of going from a regular kid to the titular slasher in a way that could read like a confession letter of his wrong doings to the reader reading the story - to be understood and understand why everything happened the way it did.

Jones masterfully blends elements of suspense, dark humor, gore, and genuine terror in a way that is truly fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to finish. Jones' prose is so sharp and atmospheric that you constantly feel that sense of dread with every page turn as you get deeper and deeper into the how and why of Tolly's descent into his self admitted killer status - which I will say is the very best part of the entire novel. I LOVED the whole idea that Tolly goes through a sort of slasher transformation once he starts on his murderous path and that the slasher part of him is like an infection that slowly takes over as the recollection goes on almost like the story mutates along with Tolly as he gets more and more infected with the slasher disease. So creative and fun to read! Tolly is another stand out character from SGJ as often I found myself sympathizing and rooting for Tolly and forgetting for just a moment the things he had done. I can think of so many former classmates or friends who resemble someone like Tolly (without the slasher part....I hope) which adds so much to the realism of the character and how he connects with readers.

Jones is so skilled at weaving in references to horror classics, offering a commentary on the slasher genre in particular while also delivering a narrative that is both thought provoking and equally terrifying. As with every SGJ book you can feel how much of himself he puts into the story and uses his extensive knowledge of the horror genre, but also just his overwhelming love of the genre as well.

Though this a story about a young boy who goes down a dark path Jones excels in giving us moments of humanity with Tolly making him much more than just what he calls himself. Tolly's friendship with Amber, who acts as his last connection to his slipping humanity, is a highlight and a testament to how well Jones is able to write sympathetic characters while also staying true to who the character is and additionally showing the gore and horror of the character and not sugar coating the real horror of Tolly.

"I Was a Teenage Slasher" is much more than what the title is telling you the story to be. It is a lovingly crafted tribute to slasher films; it’s a commentary on adolescence, friendship, loss, and the power of fear and isolation. Jones’ ability to blend nostalgia with modern AND old school horror sensibilities makes him such an unforgettable author and all his stories are so unique and exciting to dive into. Fans of both classic slasher flicks and literary horror will find themselves captivated by Jones’ skillful storytelling and unrelenting suspense and gore with this latest release from him. This is an instant buy for me, as always with SGJs work! Excellent book to add to your summer reading list!

Many thanks to Stephen Graham Jones, NetGalley and Saga Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! This was a blast to read & review!

This was a unique twist on the meta-slasher genre, where the characters are in a slasher, but they know they're in a slasher and they know the rules that come with it. This time, it's told from the perspective of the character who becomes the killer, even though he doesn't want to.
*
I liked this perspective, while the genre itself is no longer particularly unique, it was a different way of showing it. And this was a really fun book to read for horror fans, but be prepared for some gore! (Which really shouldn't be a surprise, it IS a slasher horror!)
*
I did end up waffling between 3 and 4 stars, so ended up settling at 3.5, because it's pretty long--the chapters are REALLY long--so there were good chunks that felt like they dragged.
*
I still enjoyed it overall, great for lovers of the slasher genre!

I see Stephen Graham Jones and already know that I want to read whatever he's writing. I Was a Teenage Slasher was such an interesting look at not only a slasher book but told through the lens of Jones' own experiences in the place he grew up. I loved the way this book was written, it makes it seem so personal and I can't say enough good things about it. This is definitely the book to look out for this summer!

True to the Stephen Graham Jones that everyone knows I’m so fond of, I Was a Teenage Slasher delivered in the slasher department with a good bit of blood and guts, just how I like it. This story was way more than just the slasher trope, it told a story of friendship and coming of age, and of the extremes you go to save the people you love. The ending had me so sad. 😩 It’s not often that I feel for the bad guy, but the slasher of this fictional memoir is so likeable and how he came to be a slasher was so unique and of no fault to him, I actually thought of him as a victim in this too, so I found myself feeling sadder for the murderer than of his victims. There, I said it. 😅

Thank you SO much to Saga Press for my advanced copy. I Was a Teenage Slasher will be published 7/16 and I cannot wait to see what everyone thinks about it. I’m going to take it personal so you better not hurt my feelings. 😂

This book was PERFECT! I am forever a fan of Stephen Graham Jones. The way he is able to weave classic slasher tropes into a coming of age story and make you feel bad for the killer and route for him, is just remarkable. This is going to be one of my favorite books ever.

Jones returns again to "alienated teenagers and slashers" and of course I'm here for it - this is a quick ride but a good one.

All the stars, please!

I loved this one so much!!! Tolly and his bff are fabulous and I adored the way the author played with the slasher film genre.

Along with the fun, there’s a certain sadness here and the horrific idea that you can’t always escape your fate.

Gets a little gruesome at times (of course), but it’s also a coming of age meets slasher horror book with heart.

Very happy I read this one!

• ARC via Publisher