Jones plays with many of the late 20th century horror film motifs in I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER, narrated by small town Texas teen Tolly, who is a surprisingly sympathetic antihero as he is tormented at a party, and in turn enacts his revenge with near supernatural skill. Tolly's killing spree is both original and evocative of many of the on-screen methodologies familiar not just to readers, but to Tolly and his BFF as well.

Wowza this was such a wild ride!!!

This definitely grabs your from the first page and keeps you hanging on until the final page!

I loved that it was told from the killers perspective. Tolly writes his own autobiography and you are rooting for him haha! Tolly takes us on a dark and bloody ride.

It’s intense and gripping! I loved it and can’t wait to read more from Jones!

4.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for my copy.

Pretty unbelievable that Stephen Graham Jones was able to write this slasher in-between the books of his slasher masterpiece, the Lake Witch Trilogy, but he's just that good. "I Was a Teenage Slasher" was the perfect book to get me out of a reading slump. Jones' storytelling is so great, his prose is immaculate, and I had fun from beginning to end. This was SGJ's Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter: just a wonderful, fun reading time.

This was my first SGJ novel and they came highly recommended to me so I was thrilled to get an advanced copy from Saga Press. However, after several attempts at trying to get through this read, I am DNFing around 35%. I don’t know if it was just a “me” issue and a current slump I am in, but I just couldn’t connect with Tolly or the plot. Borrow is also a stretch genre for me, so I am sure horror readers, slasher film enthusiasts and SGJ fans will love this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster/Saga press for an advaned reader's copy of the book.

Slasher films don't usually stick with me after I see them. Sure, one or two grizzly murders might leave a slight impression, but they usually just fade away with time. I didn't realize that the story can actually have some depth and layers to it until I read "I Was a Teenage Slasher" by Stephen Graham Jones. The relationship that Jones creates with Tolly and Amber is memorable and ultimately, heartbreaking. I was really moved by their friendship and love between these two characters. I also could really picture and get a sense of what life might be like in Lamesa, Texas and how the life of an outsider can prime itself to evolve into a slasher. I really liked Tolly and I appreciated his self awareness to call out his crimes and not lie his excuses on to the Slasher virus, which could really easily be done. Watching his decent from being a good kid at the wrong place, wrong time to a slasher who killed his classmates is horrifying.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy dark coming of age stories, meta-fiction, and of course horror. I can't wait to see what SGJ does next!

Let’s just say that this book deserves all the hype it has received. SGJ again delivers a great book to his readers and as a true fan of 80’s slasher horror movies, this book takes you back in time and lets just say I lost a lot of sleep staying up to finish this book!

Small town in Texas, the 1980's, and a peanut allergy. Three characteristics of Tolly Driver, the main character who is also the murderer.

It was a fast-paced and fun read from the killer's perspective, and I found myself rooting for Tolly.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for this ARC!

DNF at 62%

I love SGJ's writing style and slashers. When I say I probably watch 3 to 4 slashers a month, I am not exaggerating, so I am shocked that this did not work for me. I don't care about Tolly in any manner, making it hard to care about anything in this book. I will continue to try anything SGJ writes.

Thank you to Saga Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately drawn to this because of the premise of a slasher being told in the perspective of the slasher. It was such a clever and innovative way to bring new life to this genre. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Tolly's reluctant descent into becoming a slasher. Naturally you feel sympathy for the victims but this also made you sympathize with the killer. I also really enjoyed the setting, SGJ really did an amazing job painting the picture of what is was like growing up in 1980s west Texas.

So interesting! This is told from the slashers point of view, and reads like a memoir. It was crazy, but I found myself liking the slasher in this book. A great take on a horrr book!

This has been my favorite novel of Stephen Graham Jones that I have read. I thought the concept of someone becoming a slasher and the town and himself changing to fit the stereotypes was interesting. The execution of the action and core scenes also read well on the page which can sometimes be the problem with books such as this. I enjoyed the main character and felt like he was fully realized which helps connect the reader to the changes that are happening and also makes the impact of the internal monologues hit harder. In the acknowledgements the author notes how this character is the one he has identified the most with while writing and I think it really shows in how he is able to make Tolly feel 3 dimensional and come to life in the pages. The twist was not surprising however I do not know if it needed to be. I appreciated how it was baked into the story from the beginning and you could pick up the clues to see it coming. This is a book for fans of meta horror slashers akin to scream or cabin in the woods.

Stephen Graham Jones and I have had a rocky past. I haven't always liked his books and have DNF'd a few. I decided to try again because this one seemed right up my alley. And I wasn't wrong. I Was a Teenager Slasher still had Jones' signature voice, but this time told through a very interesting character. If you are a true horror fan like myself, you'll love this one.

Stephen Graham-Jones is one of my favorite horror authors of all time and I Was a Teenage Slasher is another great addition to his bibliography. If you like slasher movies and excellent prose, you'll like this book.

I have yet to not enjoy anything by this author. I loved the pacing of this. It grabbed right away and didn't let go. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

I really enjoyed I Was A Teenage Slasher! Growing up in Texas, the setting instantly grabbed me—Lamesa, Texas felt so familiar, and Jones did a great job making it feel like another character in the story. Tolly's transformation into a slasher while wrestling with his past and his identity gave the book a lot of emotional depth that I wasn’t expecting from a horror novel. I found myself rooting for him, even though he’s the last person you’d think you’d root for in a story like this.

The friendships, especially between Tolly and Amber, added a much-needed human element amidst the violence and chaos, and the way Jones explores themes of loss and feeling like an outsider really resonated with me. The horror was brutal but felt balanced with the heart of the story, which made it more than just a slasher. It’s a blend of horror, tragedy, and a deep character study that made me think about the characters long after I finished the book.

This book was incredibly unique and the most fun I have had reading a book this year. Stephen Graham Jones does an amazing job at writing a memoir from the view of a reluctant teenage slasher.

I’m a big fan of the slasher genre, but will be the first to admit that those stories aren’t always stellar examples of a character study. For this reason, I really enjoyed the unique approach I Was A Teenage Slasher took to the genre. It was interesting to read from the perspective of the “villain” and get inside their head to understand why they did it. Tolly was a really compelling narrator and given that the story was very character driven, a strongly defined character like him really made the story shine. And the ending…I never thought I’d describe the end of a horror novel as beautiful, but there were some very moving moments at the end that brought the story full circle.

However, with all the focus on character, I feel like the plot was sacrificed and things moved veryyyyy slow. If you like really contemplative horror that explores everyday humanity, with just a splash of scares, you might enjoy this one. But, if you’re looking for a typical slasher story with lots of action and thrills, this won’t be the book for you.

Lastly, with any horror story there’s always content warnings, but be prepared for this one to be a little gross. I personally was caught off guard with some of the descriptions of around, shall we say bodily fluids and processes? I’m not typically super squeamish but this was a little much even for me, so take that as a warning.

I Was A Teenage Slasher is out now. Thanks to S&S/Saga Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

gory, brutal, and tragic just as well done as his Black Lake series. Stephen Graham Jones's throne doesn't appear to be overtaken anytime soon

The first 30-40% of this book felt really slow, but I did enjoy the last half. Teenagers are terrible humans and I don’t think I’ve ever rooted so hard for a serial killer before. Tolly’s story is truly so heartbreaking. The small town dynamics were so well done. Tolly is such a humane character, despite the truly heinous acts he commits. This was such a heart wrenching and nostalgic read.

I am not new to being a Stephen Graham Jones fan, yet I went into this one hesitantly. Yes, he’s written incredibly heartfelt slasher books before, but somehow I doubted that a book where the main character was the slasher would be able to have as much as an emotional impact. I am happy to report that I was wrong!

While The Only Good Indians still holds the spot for best SGJ novel in my heart, I Was a Teenage Slasher will stick with me for a while. Tolley and Amber’s friendship felt so real and full of love, and I felt Tolley’s pain for the loss of his father resonating throughout the book, even when he wasn’t expressly talking about it. I loved the tidbits of slasher lore and the sass between the two best friends. The gore was also well-executed! (pun intended). If you’re a slasher fan or someone looking for horror with heart, you’ll find both within these pages.

ARC received from Saga Press via Netgalley.