22 September 2023

Alicia’s Review

Another great Buddy Read! This one has been on our TBRs for a couple of months and now that I am finally done with exams we could finally read it and I am so glad we picked this.

This book is told from Lynette’s point of view. Lynette is a final girl, the one who has the most paranoia. She only leaves her house to attend her Final Girl Support group since she never leaves her house. She rushes against time to try to save everyone as someone is out to get her and the other members. Lynette had a strong desire to save herself. She was courageous and admirable.

To put it mildly, this book was a crazy journey. Some of it I loved and devoured, while others I didn’t. I found it way too slow in the beginning and the ending felt a bit cut short. However, past the middle of the book and even stayed up until two in the morning to read.

There were a lot of funny parts in this book which is not what I was expecting in a horror. I also found it funny how emotionally invested I was in a plant. Poor Fine, the poor little plant.

So many plot twists in this book left my jaw on the floor as I never saw any of them coming. It was a super quick read and overall I would recommend it to anyone looking for a gory and unpredictable horror.

Zelda’s Review

I have seen so much of this book on social media, so when Alicia suggested this as a buddy read to celebrate the end of her exams I eagerly agreed. While Horror is not my first choice of books, this one made for interesting reading. The author tells a creative story about the Final Girls in Slasher movies, exploring what happens after these girls survive the unthinkable. This is a gripping, entertaining read that you will fly through.

The author adds interview notes, blog posts and police reports between each chapter slowly revealing each character’s back story which adds an intriguing touch to the story. The book starts slowly, but once you get to page fifty things speed up brilliantly. The characters are brilliantly nuts making this a really good read that is not nearly as dark as you may think. I understand why this book won the Best Horror Read on Good Reads.

Lynette has spent her life looking over her shoulder, always expecting the worst. When Adrienne is murdered, Lynette is convinced it is no coincidence. The other Final Girls do not share her paranoia and refuse to believe that someone is coming for all of them. Lynette is determined to save them all – but she does not want anyone else to die. While she fights to prove what she knows to be true, she makes a few bad choices and trusts all the wrong people. After spending a lifetime keeping people at arm’s length, who can blame her for bad judgment?

I found the first part of the book a little long-winded, but fifty pages in, I could not stop reading. I loved the wacky characters. I enjoyed Lynette, who honestly did come across as a complete loony.  This story kept me glued to the pages and I found I could not read fast enough.

Lynette is a fantastic creation. You quickly start sharing this woman’s paranoia and never know for sure what is real and what is just her crazy mind making things up. Yet the more you read, the easier it becomes to believe her views. Yet every time she is proven wrong a little bit of doubt creeps back in. Her relationship with “Fine” had me smiling at every wacky interaction.

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It turned out to be an unexpected, brilliant read that kept me entertained. I am happy to add this book to my loved list and will even attempt another book by this author.

If you are looking for a horror story with a lighter touch, then you will enjoy this book. The author raises the question behind public enjoyment of slasher movies that focus on the murder of women and why that should be so appealing. At the same time, it shows how women have an inner strength that keeps them fighting, no matter what they face.