I find that Stephen Graham Jones has such a unique writing style. While reading this book, I really felt like I was sitting in a room with Tolly while he was telling me his story of how he became a slasher. Yes this is a slasher story but so much more. The relationship between Tolly and Amber is absolutely beautiful. I loved how Tolly only learned about slashers and what potentially was happening to him through Amber and her brother. Very original telling of a slasher. My heart broke for Tolly and all that he lost even though he was a slasher. I loved all the reference to the 80s especially to music! Best decade ever! Great book!

Before I begin my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…

- Violence against animals
- Bullying
- Suicide

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, I loved how the intro hooked me because of how creepy it was. It felt so real. I’m talking about true crime levels real. I got major memoir and autobiography vibes from it, which was mind-blowing since it was so freaky being told this story through the eyes and mind of a teenage slasher. The way SGJ wrote the start of this novel was surreal, featuring a high school setting and beginning around a house party our teenage slasher wanted to attend to see a girl he liked.

This was so relatable to me since I remember those epic parties and moments during my high school days many moons ago. Once that event happened, this novel opened up like you wouldn’t believe. Don’t worry; I would never spoil anything for you, but wow, this was such a great horror reading experience.

The story is incredible and, well, horrific. It was terrifying to read Tolly’s story, witness his murder spree, and the reasoning behind why he��s a slasher. I also loved his friendship with Amber and how, with all the female characters, you have this deep curiosity trying to figure out who will end up being the famous “final girl” of this story, as seen countless times in slasher movies. Once that was revealed towards the end, I couldn’t believe it, especially with how it ended, which was brilliant. Bloody brilliant.

Reading this felt like one of those confessions serial killers write before their time comes, and it just added another layer of horror to everything. It felt real, raw, and authentic, and you truly connected with all the characters you encountered. This is a jam-packed slasher novel and would make for a great movie adaptation because it’s so crazy good you’ll still feel the scars when finished.

Besides the story, the horror is on a whole other level here. Everything you’ve come to expect from SGJ is here, but it's of the extreme slasher variety. I loved it, and yes, I started to make funny faces while reading around the 5% mark, so I knew it would only get crazier over time.

Now, I know this is a popular topic for his readers, so I want to explain it. Here’s the thing with SGJ: Many horror readers either love or hate him, mainly because he is very wordy with his writing. He has always been a slow-burn kind of author in all the novels I have read by him so far, and sometimes, it takes away from the book. It is worth it, though. Stick with it. Be patient. Take your time and immerse yourself in his writing because it’s magnificent. Some parts of “I Was a Teenage Slasher” dragged on due to the excessive descriptions, conversations, and events that weren’t all needed, but I wanted to let everyone know his writing style because it's still worth reading. This novel would have been perfect for me if that had been tightened up in that regard, but I still loved reading it.

You will enjoy this novel tremendously if you grew up as I did in the amazing 80s era of slasher horror flicks. It embodies everything you love about serial killers, knives, blood, and final girls while taking you deep into what makes it all so sacred for us horror brats. I loved reading about the intricacies of a slasher/final girl relationship, and wow, what an ending! It was one of the best and bloodiest showdowns I’ve read in a horror novel, and the climax leading up to it was wild. Besides the bloodshed and body counts, it was also a heartfelt read and one of the best horror novels I’ve read in 2024.

I give “I Was a Teenage Slasher” by Stephen Graham Jones a 4/5 for being one hell of a bloody ride. It had great characters, epic slasher moments, crazy hallucinations, emotional moments, and hilarious dark humor. It honestly reads like a love letter to the slasher genre. As a huge horror fan, especially slashers, I will remember this novel for many years. It wasn’t perfect, but it still delivered when it mattered most. Some parts dragged on, especially around some of the dialogue parts, but this is still worth reading if you love horror of the slasher variety. You will not be disappointed.

I so wanted to love this, but I just couldn't connect with the writing. The story is told from the perspective of a "teenage slasher" and how he came to be the person he is today. It is very character driven and I ended up losing interest. This is my second time trying out one of Stephen Graham Jones' books and I just don't think his writing style is for me. I know many readers who adore Jones and loved this story, so i highly recommend giving it a shot.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy watching classic slasher films such as Scream and Halloween when Halloween and spooky season roll around and I thought this would be a fun and entertaining read. It is horror, so just be warned, it is very gory and gets into some very dark subject matter. This book is a unique fictional memoir of a teenage slasher on how he came to be a serial killers after the subsequent events of his childhood upbringing and teen years and chronicles his murderous spree. I very much enjoyed hearing the perspective of the murderer (similar to Notes on an Execution) and while I obviously didn't like this character, it was interesting to be in his head and how you have empathy for even the most depraved humans. An interesting and original story but not for the faint of heart!

I Was a Teenage Slasher is a memoir from teen slasher Tolly Driver. We get to see how he became a slasher and how he handled the transformation. I love books that are fiction but written like they're nonfiction. Also the ending hit me way harder than it had any right to...thanks for making me cry a little.


Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!

I always hear you either click with Stephen Graham Jones’ writing style or you don’t. I've read My Heart is a Chainsaw and now recently finished I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER and I’ve come to the conclusion that SGJ's books need 100% of my full attention. Not 50%. Not even 99%. So for me, that means I can’t juggle two other books in addition to one of his, and my occasional zone-out during an audiobook just doesn’t work. SGJ’s characters tell their stories in a stream of consciousness sort of way so if I’m not paying, it'll go from one thing to suddenly something completely different within one page. So if I'm not paying attention for 10 secs, I get completely lost. Because of this, I read the first 1/3 of I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER three times. I tried physical, started over with audiobook, took a break and then decided I needed a mix of both. And this it not a knock at all on SGJ - this is an original and unique story told from the eyes of a complex character with a very distinctive voice. I enjoyed the friendship between Tolly and Amber , the blend of slasher movie rules with Tolly's POV, and the overall nostalgia of this unique coming of age story. So if you've enjoyed SGJ's previous novels, you are sure to enjoy this one too. I liked it, but not as much as I wanted to.

This was kind of a surprise for me! I had seen the cover bopping around booksta and the title definitely stood out to me but I jumped in without reading the blurb in advance.

I Was A Teenage Slasher follows Tolly, a teenager who recently lost his father and is consistently bullied by his fellow classmates. When tragedy strikes at a house party the aftermath creates a ripple effect changing the lives of Tolly, his best friend Amber, and the entire town. Suddenly Tolly and his community are thrown into a real life slasher movie experience with the guarantee of blood, gore, and all the best slasher tropes.

This book started slow with a ton of exposition then threw a hard curve ball and suddenly I was 60% in looking around like wait I'm almost done and things are just starting to get absolutely bonkers! That being said, I still found the book to be a fun read, but it wasn't the all out horror fest I thought it would be based on the cover and title.

If you like a comedic spin of horror movie tropes with a touch of gore you'll probably have a fun time with this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC.

Story time: I started this book after traveling 4 hours north for a cousin's wedding, and we stayed at my family's cabin shared by my dad and his siblings. I got about a quarter of the way through. The narrator read a little childish for me, but he's a teenager, so to be expected, and I was looking forward to where this was going. Went to sleep that night and started having a nightmare, I think, along the lines of a slasher movie? It involved playing keep-away with a masked killer around an elevator. At one point, expecting it dead, the killer's mask slowly rises from the open elevator, and I scream. And realized that I screamed a little quietly in real life and cursed myself out. My uncle heard it a floor below me.

All that to say, this was great! The story was predictable, but only because the pieces were laid out so well. It's very grounded in its specific genre of horror and playing with our expectations of it. And yes, it did managed to psyche me out a little bit.

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Check out this review of I Was A Teenage Slasher on Fable. https://fable.co/review/91f2616f-470c-4050-9e5d-4901d78ed359/share

I Was a Teenage Slasher: A Slasher Story That Cuts Deep

Stephen Graham Jones, the maestro of modern horror, once again delivers a chilling tale that'll leave you questioning who the real monster is. In "I Was a Teenage Slasher," Jones takes us back to 1989 Lamesa, Texas, where Tolly Driver, a seemingly ordinary teenager, becomes an unlikely slasher villain.

But this isn't your typical slasher flick. Jones flips the script, giving us the killer's perspective in a raw and unflinching autobiography. As Tolly recounts his bloody journey, we're forced to confront the darkness that lurks within seemingly normal people, the simmering rage that can erupt under the right (or wrong) circumstances.

Jones's prose is as sharp as a butcher knife, his storytelling both visceral and heart-wrenching. He masterfully captures the suffocating atmosphere of small-town life, where secrets fester and injustices breed a thirst for vengeance.

"I Was a Teenage Slasher" is a thrilling and thought-provoking read that transcends the slasher genre. It's a coming-of-age story gone horribly wrong, a cautionary tale about the monsters we create and the monsters we become. Brace yourself for a blood-soaked ride that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about horror.

I don’t know what I expected from this book, but I was really let down, unfortunately. I felt bored most of the time that I was reading and ended up deciding not to finish it. :(

While the concept was incredibly intriguing, it fell flat for me. A slasher memoir sounds about as meta as horror can get and the references to movies and tropes were highly enjoyable. I love a book that uses this type of trope and can still make it feel both meta and corny. Anyone who has enjoyed any of Stephen Graham Jones’ other works will absolutely adore this heart-wrenching coming-of-age novel. It’s a great read for anyone who has loved any of the author’s other works, bildungsromans, meta-horror, slashers, and/or plot-heavy storylines. 
Unfortunately, I struggled to get through the prose and found myself constantly fighting to get through the chapters. I plan to listen to it in order to give it the justice it deserves, as Tolly’s story is an exceptional one overall.

Stephen Graham Jones delivers a uniquely twisted take on the slasher genre in I Was a Teenage Slasher, blending dark humor, horror, and a heartfelt coming-of-age story. Set in 1989 in the small town of Lamesa, Texas, the novel follows Tolly Driver, an awkward 17-year-old cursed to become a slasher killer after a traumatic incident. Told in a confessional, stream-of-consciousness style, the story is gripping, with Tolly reflecting on the events that led him down his bloody path.

What makes this book stand out is Jones’ ability to humanize the slasher. Through Tolly’s internal monologue, readers gain insight into his struggles with identity, loneliness, and guilt, making him a surprisingly sympathetic character. The novel is packed with nostalgia, slasher tropes, and meta-commentary on the genre, which fans will appreciate.

Jones balances the gore with emotional depth, particularly through Tolly's friendship with his best friend Amber, which adds heart to the otherwise brutal narrative. Though it can be a bit repetitive at times, the story's originality and the depth of its characters make I Was a Teenage Slasher a compelling read for horror fans and those who enjoy a fresh twist on a classic genre.

Highly recommended for fans of slasher films and novels with a psychological edge.

This book threw the typical horror genre on its damn ear for me. Rooting for the teenage slasher? Never, you say. But wait until you meet Tolly; your alliances will switch faster than the roadrunner avoids the coyote’s tricks. (Look it up) in his brutally truthful and sometimes aggressive autobiography, we learnt why Tolly is who he is and why he does what he does. I didn’t want to put this book for any reason: it felt like an old 80’s Friday late night movie playing on the family tv after my parents had gone to bed where if I miss it, I may never see it again. 5 out of 5 slasher knives for me 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

I really enjoyed this book, but I’ll say up front that it will not be everyone’s cup of tea. This is written as stream of consciousness and it does deal with a dark topic which can be a lot for people. But if you’re a fan of horror movies you’ll love this!

Campy, fun, tropey, yet also chilling, horror. Stephen Graham Jones is almost a genre of his own, and while this felt like a bit of a departure, if you look closely, he is ever present.

I wanted to give something different a try but I really couldn’t get into this book. It was just too different than my normal reads.

As a die-hard SGJ fan, I practically squealed when this landed in my NetGalley! Big shoutout to NetGalley and Saga Press—y’all made my day! 😘

High school cliques, right? Were you the Jock, the Princess, the Goth, the Nerd? Hopefully not the Teenage Slasher, because Tolly Driver’s classmates sure remember him that way! "I Was a Teenage Slasher" by SGJ, dropped in July 2024, lets us peek inside the twisted mind of Tolly as he navigates life in his small hometown of Lamesa, TX. With his Texan roots, a deep dive into slasher tropes, and memories of his own outsider days, Jones makes you root for a guy who probably shouldn’t be rooted for. The burning question is: can Tolly keep his inner slasher on a leash, or will trying to end his killing spree end up killing him?

I got to admit, Tolly totally charmed me. I was cheering him on the whole time, and yeah, the ending made me tear up a bit. SGJ’s signature Stream of Consciousness POV is in full force here, and wow, does he nail it. Not gonna sugarcoat it—this one’s a mental workout. But trust me, it’s worth it in the end. 3 stars!

3.5
Absolutely loved the idea of this book and the fact that it was set in 1989 is bonus points and the all the 80s metal references was extra bonus points! We are reading the story of Tolly, a not too popular teen and his BFF, Amber who thru a series of unfortunate events Tolly becomes the Teenage Slasher. Fave line: "Don't Know What You Got till It's Gone? I should have taken Kix's advice, though, and not closed my eyes. Not even once." Thank you SagaPress and Netgalley for the book to read and review.

Dare I say that this is Graham Jones' best book yet? While I feel like I'm betraying Jade by saying that (iykyk), this novel had such immediacy and honesty to it that made you feel like you were inside Tolly's skin. The ending is such sweet perfection that it left me weeping—I can't say anything else without spoiling it! Even if you're not a fan of the slasher subgenre, this is one novel that deserves a chance.

I commend SGJ for taking a risk and writing a novel that approached the slasher genre from a different angle, but this book didn't work for me. I understand the nature of the writing was purposeful and the ranting and scattered internal monologue of our main character was intentional. But it just didn't make for a reading experience that was enjoyable or interesting enough to keep my focus. I really wanted to hang in there, and I did finish this book, but it took far too long for us to know what the point was and to understand the motivations of our characters.