This is a brilliant debut novel. The narrative gives the reader two completely different perspectives on the trans experience, both of which were written very realistically. The fear of simply existing openly as a trans person, along with the complex relationships that come with it, was wonderfully shown through these pages. This story was both thrilling and compelling. The pacing made it even harder to put down, and the fact that the author studied film really enhanced the imagery. My few critiques would be that I feel some scenes should be cleaned up, as I found myself a bit confused at times on where we were in the space. Additionally, I still have questions that I wish had been answered, but I'm sure the characters in the story share this sentiment. I do hope this novel reaches the right eyes, as I feel the portrayal of Erin and Max conveys such an accurate representation of immense fear and anger that comes with living as a transgender teenager in America today.

I don’t normally go for horror, but when I read the premise of this story, I knew I had to read it. And I am so glad I did. It was both scary and thought-provoking and I genuinely found myself scared while reading it. At the same time, though, I really resonated with the characters and thought it had some truly beautiful prose. I think this is going to become a classic in queer horror.

Definitely more thought provoking than scary, I highly recommend this for the trans narrative but as a horror story it is quite a slow start and a rapid conclusion.

Max and Erin both have dramatically different trans coming out stories, despite coming out at the same time and in the same time. Erin is immediately accepted by her family, while Max is violently forced to de-transition by his. Max has asked Erin to drive across the country with him to California when he decides to make his escape to a new life. It's during this road trip that their car breaks down in a small town with a creepy ghost story in a strange wood. And the longest night ever.

This book features a lot more real life horrors that trans people face than any time spent with the cryptids, and the human villains encountered are much scarier than any fictional beasts. The horror story itself is quite a slow burn, and it takes probably over half the book for any of the real action to start, but the creepy build up and the tension really accumulates throughout, and the atmospheric horror is incredibly well done. The back stories of Erin and Max and their motivations were very deeply developed as well. This is an incredibly well done character driven novel.

The only criticism I have, besides the overall slowness, is that the book spent quite a bit of time focusing on the movie Boys Don't Cry which felt like kind of an outdated reference for a book aimed at teenagers. I also would've liked to see them discovering a bit more about the back story of the beast or the town, which didn't feel unresolved as much as only briefly explored.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved the trans representation, and I felt like I learned a bit about their experiences. This eerie read left me with some questions, but was heart-pounding at times. I would recommend this title to sci-fi thriller lovers!

In a last ditch attempt to escape his homophobic family, high school graduate Max runs away with his ex-girlfriend Erin only to be held hostage in a town that demands a girl sacrifice twice a year. The only hitch: Max is trans, as is his ex-girlfriend. Forced apart with the townsmen holding Erin hostage, Max attempts to fight his way back to her only for the townsmen to have determined that Erin is not eligible as a trans girl. With the sacrificers now trained on Max, both Max and Erin are forced to work together to survive while also facing the issues that originally pulled them apart. Old Wounds is a heart gripping, teeth clenching thrill ride that philosophically questions gender while locked into the maw of folkloric beast. Logan-Ashley Kisner is exactly the next author we need writing trans horror in this day and age, and I can’t wait to see what Kisner has in store for us next.

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner presents a heartfelt exploration of personal trauma and healing. While the novel offers a genuine look into its characters' struggles, its narrative may feel predictable to some readers. Overall, it provides a reflective reading experience with moments of emotional depth.

This pulse-pounding thriller offers a fresh and terrifying take on the classic monster story. By centering the narrative on two transgender teens, the author introduces a unique and compelling dynamic to the tale. Erin and Max's journey is one of self-discovery and resilience, as they navigate not only the physical dangers of their situation but also the internal struggles of their identities.

The isolated setting of a small Kentucky town creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia and dread, heightening the tension as the teens find themselves trapped in a deadly game. The author's promise of a twist on the traditional monster mythos is intriguing, suggesting a creature that is as complex and terrifying as the human villains who seek to appease it.

With its exploration of themes of identity, survival, and the power of the human spirit, this novel promises to be a thrilling and thought-provoking read for fans of horror and coming-of-age stories alike.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

10/10. This book was mysterious, creepy, frustrating and ignited passion. What an incredible story. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

***TRIGGER WARNINGS: loss of a loved one, transphobia, and suicide***

Old Wounds follows Max and Erin who are both transgender. They used to date but Max has not spoken to Erin in two years. Max wants to run away and Erin agrees to go with him. They soon find themselves stranded and separated in creepy woods of rural middle America. Their is a creature only own feeds on girls the locals are searching for their next sacrifice. Erin and Max have to come together to survive while also working on repairing their relationship.

Before I say anything negative about this book I want to focus on the positive. I loved that this book focused on trans characters and the struggles that they go through. I loved that the author included trans resources in the book as well. This book did not shy away from hard things that trans people go through. With that said this book was not what I was excepting. I wanted a horror book and that’s not really what I got. I felt like the horror was just a small part of this book. This book mostly focused on gender, identity and acceptance, which is so important and I’m glad that that is such a strong message in this book. BUT I was in the mood for horror and the horror parts weren’t that great in my opinion. But this book was good and it was focused on such an important topic. I think this is worth the read. Just wish the plot had a bit more horror.

This is a solid, straightforward story. It’s something that we’re all familiar, reading almost like a spooky story told around a campfire.

Where the novel really shines, in my opinion, is the characters and the pacing. The protagonists Erin and Max are so real, so complex in their emotions and relationships, that it doesn’t take long to start supporting them with all your heart. I’m obviously always overjoyed to see trans stories being told.

The pacing was also A+. The action gripped me through ifs entirety and considering how short my attention span has become, I consider it a major feat when a book can make me forget about my phone.

What keeps this from being five stars for me is how straightforward it is… perhaps another subplot or twist would’ve brought this into my *favorites* list. But overall, I would still very much recommend this!

I eagerly await Logan-Ashley Kisner’s upcoming work.

This was a fantastic book. It drew me in immediately with the intricacies of a trans relationship and kept me with the spooky plot. The idea was incredible and the representation was everything I have ever wanted in a book about trans people, from a trans person.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book, while I did enjoy it, harkened me back to teen horror films. You know those type of movies where a rambunctious and overconfident group of teens who love to flaunt their immortality stumble upon a deserted house in the middle of a dark forest with no cell phone service? They know it’s not safe to get out of their car, yet they get out of it anyway and knowingly walk towards the creepy spider infested house containing the monsters hungrily awaiting them?? Well, if you’ve decided to read this book, you’ve come to the right place. Read on.

Erin and Max plan an escape from their transphobic life in Ohio to the green pastures of Berkeley CA. They tell no one of their decision to run away from their intolerable homelife. So to throw any scent off their trail they jump in their jalopy which is a beat up Impala, and as they begin their journey to their promised land of Berkeley, they decide to make the (not so) brilliant move of taking a detour off the safety of the paved and well traveled HWYs to the backroads through Hicksville USA. Huge mistake. Anyone remember the movie Deliverence? The word “yikes” immediately comes to mind. Then they compound said huge mistake #1 by ditching their cell phones in Hicksville USA. HUGER MISTAKE #2. Can you hear those banjos strumming yet? I’ll say no more. Read the book. It gets better my friends.

All kidding aside, I really did enjoy this book. Erin and Max have dreams and come hell or high water, they will try by any means necessary to realize them. With all their foibles they had me rooting for them all the way to the last page. I found myself humming That’s What Friends Are For with a grin on my face and a lump in my throat.

**Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC!**

3.5/5 ⭐️🌟

I was provided with an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review, so here it is!

Surprisingly, this is my first ever Trans-centric novel, so I went into this not knowing exactly what to expect. In saying this, I actually really enjoyed that aspect as a major focus of the novel itself. It helped to explore topics which I have never read before, and it gave me additional insight into the struggle and daily life of a trans person.

Putting that centric topic into a horror novel was very intriguing to me. The horror itself was quite captivating and exhilarating, but perhaps I am not the correct audience for the overall relationship between the two main characters. It felt a little forced at times and a little confusing in a few major conversations/exchanges between the characters (which had nothing to do with the trans aspect of the novel). At times, I just got annoyed by how “teenagery” they were being, such as becoming upset over innocuous events. Again, I might be too old for this type of angst; it bothered me more than intrigued me.

Besides the teenage relationship between the two main characters, the horror itself, and the situation in which they found themselves, kept me on the edge of my seat. It took me a few days to get through the first half of the novel, but I was able to get through the second half of the novel in one day, which speaks to the intensity of the horror.

All in all, I found it to be an enjoyable novel, and I am very excited to have delved into a topic that I’ve never read before.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for the opportunity to review this!

Really good first book! This was trans horror and I really enjoyed it. I was angry a lot while reading, as I’m sure most humans would be. I was joyously egging on the main characters to walk away from this terrible town. More for the people than for the monster, honestly. Well done and will look forward to more. I have a feeling we will see more of Logan Ashley Kisner. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. So glad to see horror as a choice again.

What a seriously exciting and scary book. The author’s note at the beginning states that while the two lead characters happen to be trans, this is not a book written just to have representation and I totally agree. Their experiences as trans youth help make the characters who they are and explain their ability to handle such crazy adversity but they are fully rounded people that you truly come to care for by the end of the book.

The story itself, the monster, this messed up town and its horrible men is so action packed and suspenseful, this is one you will read in just a sitting or two for sure. There are some really fantastic action sequences towards the end that had me cheering and screaming at my Kindle!

One thing you need to know about me is I am a horror movie girlie. However, I have never read a horror book before, but I’m glad this was my first one.

I loved both Erin and Max as MCs. I love three dimensional characters and they were that. If the discussion of gendered sacrificial rituals in regards to a cryptic doesn’t interest you, who even are you?

My only complaint is it was kinda left open ended, but that is a staple of the horror genre so not a big complaint (more just personal preference).

Highly recommend giving this debut novel a read!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever decided to run away from your life to california to escape a home filled with violence about you being trans [amongst other things] and then had to deal with randos hunting you, and a monster that may or may not want to eat you?

Okay admittedly me neither, but thats exactly what goes down with the two protagonists of this novel. It's a sharp, instant classic in YA horror, that will resonate with queer people instantly. It feels real, and terrifying, even before the monster waiting in the woods sets its sights on them.

From conversations about gender essentialism in relation to cryptids, to frank depictions of the trials of being trans, and figuring out who the hell you are when the world would prefer you just...not, OLD WOUNDS is one for every queer horror reader.

I said what I said.

Old Wounds is a wildly innovative story. Kisner can surely tell a story, and as much as a horror baby as I can be—many times feeling beyond scared and nauseous from the very serious themes outside the horror elements—I was inevitably drawn into Max and Erin’s stories. The writing is so vivid I truly felt like I was watching a movie. Loved the high stakes and final person energy coming from the both of them it was awe-mazing. The characters throughout felt very strong and tangible, I immediately felt a kinship with the leads, and was invested in their journey early on. And I liked that they were flawed in their own ways, it was just incredibly human and relatable. The pace was excellent, felt very quick and I definitely wanted more. I will surely be checking out more books from Kisner in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Everything you could ever hope for in a horror novel but so rarely get all at once: tight plot, strong characters, supernatural elements and a perfect ending. I don't even know what to gush about without spoiling any of the surprises or delicious details that make this story an absolute triumph for the trans community. As I already told the author: I fully expect to see this make it to film one day soon; it has Mike Flanagan worthy plot tension and fiery queerness in spades (and all without tokenizing its darlings).