It took me some time to get into the flow of the writing style, but once I did, I was hooked.
Told from the POV of a slasher, this was gory but also made you sympathize with him and really want the ending to work out for him. For most of the book, I thought the story would be 4 stars.... but the last 'chapter' in the present day knocked it into 5 stars for me.

This book was so different than anything I've read before. I was very interested in the character and everything that happened to him and his friends. It was pretty fast paced and everything you'd want in a Slasher novel

I was not a huge fan of Graham's slasher series. However, this book was AMAZING! I ate it up from page one. Def felt all the nostalgic vives of small town Texas, this is perfect for those looking for something to check off their summerween box on their tbr.

This was my first read by Stephen Graham Jones and I am officially a fan! I Was a Teenage Slasher is set in 1989 in Lamesa, Texas, and takes you on a wild ride through the eyes of Tolly Driver, a seventeen-year-old cursed to kill for revenge.

This novel captures the essence of small-town Texas, with all its quirks and secrets, and felt like a character on its own. This was different from other slasher novels in that we are reading from Tolly’s POV. Written in a confessional-style autobiography, this was unsettling but also surprisingly had me feeling sympathy for him. Tolly struggles with his newfound bloodlust and you can’t help but root for him.

As a horror movie and book fan, this was the perfect summer horror with a twist. If you like unique, gripping, and heart-wrenching stories you should check this out. Any book that brings me to tears gets 5 stars from me!

Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.
This book was unlike anything l've ever read before. It was such an interesting perspective reading from the slashers point of view. You will find yourself feeling sorry for Tolly Driver and especially sorry for his best friend Amber. The way it’s written makes it feel so real.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and think that anyone who loves thrillers and horrors should give it a read.

And you can really feel the heart in this book, and in the acknowledgements STG talks about how much of the book is taken from his own life, and perhaps that's why it resonates so much. The characters felt so real, and the relationship between Tolliver and everyone also felt so genuine. The horror is minimal, imo, but it's still definitely a slasher.

Title: I Was a Teenage Slasher
Publication Date- 07/16/24
Publisher- Saga Press
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Story Review: This was such an enjoyable read, especially the ending. It starts with a laugh and ends with laugh. If you are a fan of Stephen Graham Jones, I believe you will be happy and satisfied with this new release. If you have never read him before, I would recommend starting with My Heart is a Chainsaw. They are both commentaries on the slasher genre, however, I think newcomers to his writing might miss out by not starting with the previous release first.

I Was a Teenage Slasher is a slow burn, character driven, outcast of a story. Anyone, which is most of us, who has ever felt a little different, will see themselves somewhere in this story. Stephen Graham Jones is unlike any other author in getting you to understand, deeply understand the main character. He writes horror stories that are also character studies which I think is unique.

The only thing that really kept me from giving it 5 stars or it being a new favorite was I wish there was more killing. I don’t usually wish for more gore in my horror, however, I think the setup was there for it to really be utilized.

All in all this is a book I will read again, and Stephen Graham Jones is quickly becoming a favorite author. Pick it up. Especially during fall, turn the pages as the leaves fall.

Love this author and I will read whatever he puts out. He is such an influential and needed voice in the horror genre. This book is a great example of why he is a favorite. He loves the genre and it shows. Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy. I purchased a signed copy for my home library.

This was my first book by Stephen Graham Jones and will definitely not be my last.

I Was A Teenage Slasher was an incredible read. It was atmospheric, played like a movie in my head while I was reading it. I loved the emotion and life it gave to my favorite of all horror genres-slashers.

Tolly was a flawed but likeable MC. He fought the slasher life in so many ways but I also liked that Jones showed him leaning into it a little too. Didn’t we all have a bully we wanted some kind of revenge on in high school? Tolly didn’t have control of it but he took his revenge.

I loved the idea that no one could help their story once Tolly was infected. It was going to play out no matter what. The major thing for me was that Tolly was still Tolly at the end. He would never hurt his friend.

I just think this book was such a great read. The writing was incredible but there were times that it did feel a little ramble-y. Like there wasn’t a coherent thought. I thought that this did work for a teenager but I did half reading physical and half audio and the audio was a little hard to follow because of this sometimes.

Overall I am definitely going to recommend this on my platform!

Book: I Was a Teenage Slasher
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Publisher: Simon & Schuster / Saga Press
ISBN: 9781668022245
Publication: 16 July, 2024
Capone’s Rating: 5 of 5⭐

Warning: This review contains Potential Spoilers, but I tell nothing explicitly herein.

When I pick up a book from Stephen Graham Jones, I have high expectations. So far, I’ve devoured his My Heart is a Chainsaw and Don’t Fear the Reaper from the Lake Witch Trilogy, inhaled The Only Good Indians (one of the best books I’ve ever read—leave aside the “horror” qualifier), experienced The Babysitter Lives, and absolutely demolished several short stories. None of these has missed the mark in exposing me to new ideas—new terrors—in a true-to-the-artist form. So SGJ has a high bar to clear for any new releases. He is among the group of newish horror writers who re-introduced me to the genre in my adult years once I learned to stop worrying and love what I love—horror fiction.

Always writing character-strong stories and never mere plot points alone, Jones hits this one out of the park. Set out as an exercise in found fiction, the story of Tolly Driver’s becoming a teenage slasher—much to the protagonist’s chagrin—told by the executioner himself. Can the narrator be trusted? No. Is he a good kid? Yes. Is he a slasher with a body count? Also, yes. This one surprised me in Jones’s ability to make me care about—to worry about—a mass murderer. This isn’t an ode to IRL slashers but is absolutely, 100% love letter to slasher-fiction and -film genre. And it’s done so well! Jones grabs us with an explosive origin story, motivating the character emotionally (he’s got an internal wound, and this drives much of his decision-making through the story) and specifically (for hit-list targeting purposes). We see the character fight his awful fate, and we observe his best friend (he loves her in the most endearing way) Amber try to save him (multiple animals are saved throughout the tale, both by Amber and our slasher hero—note, not antihero but true hero). Stephen Graham Jones pulls off some impressive storytelling gymnastics in developing I Was a Teenage Slasher, and his work deserves your precious life minutes. Five stars.

Move over Jason, Freddy and Ghostface, there is a new member of the slasher club and his name is Tolly Driver. He lives In a small Texan town, attends the local high school and hangs out with his best friend and secret crush, Amber. He is about to find himself as the star of his own slasher movie when he becomes cursed and must kill those that have caused him harm. As the curse takes hold we are granted complete access to his thoughts, fears and the unfiltered brutality of a killer as he tells his story.

This was such an interesting, fresh perspective. Tolly is brutally honest and shares his unfiltered thoughts and feelings. I found myself rooting for Tolly time and again, despite the horrible acts of violence that he commits. This story is brutal, gory and tragic in a way that I was not expecting. It demonstrates the authors love of classic horror movies as well as his love of 80’s hair bands (loved all of the references). I graduated from high school during this era and let me tell you it brought back a lot of great memories! SGJ nailed it!!

Is the story full of gore, far-fetched and loaded with non stop action? Yes!! Of course it is, all of the best slasher movies are. This is a perfect homage to those movies that we love to watch.

5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley #IWasaTeenageSlasher #StephenGrahamJones

This book is a meta look the slasher genre, wrapped in pretty 1980’s coming of age packaging and tied with a bloody bow. This is one of the best books that I have read in 2024. I absolutely loved every second I spent in 1989 Lamesa, Texas. The main character is Tolly Driver, and he is recounting the summer of his junior year. He had just lost his father in a car accident and was known as the town outcast that needs to be pitied by everyone except his best friend Amber Dennison, who has always had his back, and will always be there for him. The two of them head off to a high school party and Tolly hopes this will be the night that changes how people see him, just in time for his senior year. That night does bring about change, just not in the way that he was hoping it would. Caught in mechanizations beyond his control Tolly and Amber, take a wild ride through the West Texas hot summer days that will leave an entire town scarred forever. The characters are grade A characters that take over your mind and leave a lasting impression. The soundtrack of the book kicks the nostalgia vibes up while still feeling like a timeless piece of fiction. It has all of the feelings, and it even made me cry. Overall, it felt like watching a mash-up of The Lost Boys and Heathers with Randy Meeks and Joe Goldberg. I think fans of slashers will love this book, but I also think this is a great book for people who love coming of age stories like Sixteen Candles. This is a horror book, but I feel it’s accessible to all types of readers and shouldn’t induce nightmares for those of you who avoid the genre for that reason.

I don't know why I enjoyed this book. It took forever to get into it because of the weird stream of consciousness way it was written. Oh, and it happened in 1989. In case you missed it. I was a high school senior in 1989 so I expected to connect with the characters more than I did. So, why did I like it? It was original even though it did its best to follow every 80s horror movie trope that existed. It embraced them and named them. Yes, it took a bit to get the rhythm of the writing. Once I did, I was hooked. You feel for the kid. The author did an excellent job with putting us in his mind and making us understand him. And it was good, gory fun.

As with every other SGJ novel, this slasher provides crazy kills and gore but more importantly, it captures then breaks your heart. Tolly Driver takes us on his slasher journey in heartfelt first person POV with humor, tenderness, and frankness. Freddy and Jason are mindless maniacs; Tolly reminds me of one too many former students(and possibly myself,) an awkward underdog with one true friend, Amber Big Plume Dennison, an iconic SGJ final girl. I bawled at the end because this book is a reflection on grief and love. Don't skip the acknowledgements; those made me cry too.

I have always said I’d love a story that follows the point of view of the killer but I’d never know how it could realistically be accomplished. This was a really great was of it being done. I really felt for Tolly and it was nice to get into his head and experience his thoughts. It was a nice little twist from traditional slasher novels. My ultimate issue is that the writing takes me out of it. It doesn’t seem to flow naturally and I never seem to get into a groove while reading. I think that has always been my issue with Stephen Graham Jones novels. The story is fantastic but the writing feels hard to get through. Overall, I always love the stories and characters and always want to come back for more.

This is slow moving but intensive, and it was fascinating to read about a supernatural, compelled slasher from the point of view of the slasher. At times both we the reader and Tolly the character are passengers on this brutal journey.

There's also so much here about bullying, about how horrible people are to each other and don't think about the damage or the consequences. It's kind of hard not to be on the side of the slasher in this story.

SGJ has a way of being both wry and haunting, and even though this has a slow build I felt like I was inexorably moving forward and had no choice but to keep going.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I have come to realize that this author is not for me. I have tried many others by him and I have not liked any of them.

This book was no different. I think his writing style is just not for me. I don’t like how he tells stories by going in circles and jumping around. I always get confused and lost in the story.

This book just didn’t engage me and I don’t think I’ll be trying anymore by this author.

I know many others who love this author and book so it must just be me.

“We all want to hide, don’t we? To not have to be constantly navigating between our true self and people’s expectations twenty-four seven?”

“It’s six minutes of my life, tops, but some memories you don’t measure in minutes or miles, but by how much of yourself is still in that moment.”

“If there’s a slasher, there’s a final girl. If there’s dark, there’s light. That’s just the way it works.”

I Was A Teenage Slasher was a POV we horror lovers have never seen before: the POV through the eyes and the mind of the Slasher himself. It was really cool to see the internal struggle between the Slasher and the “host,” Tolly. Sort of like a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde situation. It was a unique origin story that followed all of the slasher genre rules. It would make a killer - pun intended - movie. I think it’s the slasher film we all need lol.

As always with Stephen Graham Jones, there is a depth to the insanity. There is heart, there are deep feeling and emotional characters that you can’t help but empathize and sympathize with. The fleshing out of these characters’ back stories reminds me so deeply of Stephen King. It’s what I love the most about King: the extensive history of each character. And very few authors can do it as well as him, but Stephen Graham Jones is right on his heels, if not rapidly passing him between blinks (almost as if he has a bolt in his shoe? IYKYK).

With Teenage Slasher, Stephen Graham Jones has solidly settled himself in my top five favorite authors. I loved this one, and I hope you do, too.

Thank you to Saga Press for the early access to this killer horror novel, and thank you to Aardvark for offering this seriously stunning copy in their July subscription box.

I’ve read all of Stephen Graham Jones’ books and this one is just as good, if not better. I didnt feel like there was a lull at all like I have in his other books.

All hail the slasher king. Stephen Graham Jones is to horror books as Wes Craven was to horror movies. Meaning that he absolutely knows the genre and all the tropes of said genre. I love that the book was written in a confessional sort of way, with Tolly, the protagonist, trying to have us understand what happened that summer of 1989. With book is steeped in nostalgia and feelings – but at the same time is hella hilarious. I love that Jones is a huge fan of slashers and that he knows how to deliver unhinged violence, but at the same time truly tug at our hearts.

This book is filled with all the fun of a horror film, but also all the feelings of a coming-of-age novel. I loved Tolly’s friendship with Amber because the friendships of your youth are never quite the same as an adult. Childhood friendships are so intense, and truly ride and die – and I loved how that was presented and explored.

I don’t want to discuss too much about the plot because I think it’s best to jump into this blindly but rest assured, if you loved SGJ’s The Indian Lake trilogy series, you will absolutely love this novel too. This is top-tier horror at its finest and if you’re new to SGJ it’s a good book to start!

*Thank you so much to Saga Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!