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You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight
At Camp Mirror Lake, terror is the name of the game . . . but can you survive the night?
This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.
Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.
But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity's role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they'll need figure out what this killer is after. Is there is more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected?
This heart-pounding slasher by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Fear Street.
Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better for business.
But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity's role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they'll need figure out what this killer is after. Is there is more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected?
230 pages, Hardcover
First published June 20, 2023
705 people are currently reading
49416 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,658 reviews
June 16, 2023
Very quick read, but disappointed with the turn it took.
This is a short, fast YA thriller/horror tale. The premise is fantastic: Camp Mirror Lake is the site of a full contact horror game, where Charity plays the "final girl" in each evening's event, which is complete with blood, gore, and many scares. Charity and the rest of the cast enjoy creating fear and terror in the participants. Then some of Charity's co-workers go missing, and strange things occur that make them think that they might all be in actual danger.
It would have been great if that was really what the book was about. And for much of it, the author does create a mood of fear and foreboding. But then the story takes a turn for the weird, going a paranormal route but not fully committing to going there. For me, it just got weird and the ending was a huge disappointment.
This might have caused me to give this one or two stars, but there are some good things. The writing is really strong and kept me interested and invested. There's great and realistic queer and POC rep throughout the book, and a lot of humor surrounding it.
If you like horror and don't mind if it veers into the paranormal realm, then you will probably enjoy this book and should give it a try.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This is a short, fast YA thriller/horror tale. The premise is fantastic: Camp Mirror Lake is the site of a full contact horror game, where Charity plays the "final girl" in each evening's event, which is complete with blood, gore, and many scares. Charity and the rest of the cast enjoy creating fear and terror in the participants. Then some of Charity's co-workers go missing, and strange things occur that make them think that they might all be in actual danger.
It would have been great if that was really what the book was about. And for much of it, the author does create a mood of fear and foreboding. But then the story takes a turn for the weird, going a paranormal route but not fully committing to going there. For me, it just got weird and the ending was a huge disappointment.
This might have caused me to give this one or two stars, but there are some good things. The writing is really strong and kept me interested and invested. There's great and realistic queer and POC rep throughout the book, and a lot of humor surrounding it.
If you like horror and don't mind if it veers into the paranormal realm, then you will probably enjoy this book and should give it a try.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 18, 2023
Well... I don't think I'll ever be able to look at owls the same again.
Kalynn Bayron really can write anything and I'll devour the story. No matter the genre, I'll be there to read her work because she really is an incredible writer. You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 for obvious reasons. Bayron is one of my favourite authors and the premise sounded incredible. Horror is not a genre I typically read but I was ready to dive into this because I trust the author to deliver something brilliant.
Expect the unexpected. Bayron subverts the readers expectations and flips slasher tropes on their head. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, a new twist would be introduced and leave me completely frazzled (Gemma Collins voice). You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight carves a place for itself within the horror genre by simply being something new and bold. This book takes the characters that are always on the sidelines of horror and slasher films and puts them front and centre. As our Final Girl, Charity takes control of the narrative and fights for survival. It was wonderful seeing a queer woman as the protagonist of a horror novel. I'm all for making the genre more queer!
The atmosphere was incredible. I loved learning about the history of Camp Mirror Lake and its shady past. I really wasn't expecting this to have dark academia influences, but the second half of the novel really took me there when Charity and her friends stumbled upon something pretty sinister. This novel was the epitome of shining your flashlight on something horrifying in the middle of the woods. Oh, and there's no cell reception. So... you're asking to die!
I've always admired Bayron's ability to normalise queerness. Kalynn's queer characters are not defined by their sexuality, but always feel empowered and comfortable within their identities. Charity and Bezi's relationship was casual, wonderful, and thrilling. Two queer women fighting for their lives amidst stolen moments of gentle intimacy? Turn that shit UP!
Kalynn had me giggling and snorting like an idiot. The humour was fun and joyous. It's not a slasher if you're not laughing a little. Charity had some hilarious lines. I really enjoyed that Charity was self aware and knew what would get her killed and completely avoided doing exactly that. The tone just felt so fresh and queer.
If you love horror, you're going to adore this. If horror isn't something you typically read, I think You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a great introduction to the genre, especially if you've been avoiding horror for reasons pertaining to a certain group of people called heterosexuals.
Thank you so much to the author and Bloomsbury YA for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I post about queer books on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
Kalynn Bayron really can write anything and I'll devour the story. No matter the genre, I'll be there to read her work because she really is an incredible writer. You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 for obvious reasons. Bayron is one of my favourite authors and the premise sounded incredible. Horror is not a genre I typically read but I was ready to dive into this because I trust the author to deliver something brilliant.
Expect the unexpected. Bayron subverts the readers expectations and flips slasher tropes on their head. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, a new twist would be introduced and leave me completely frazzled (Gemma Collins voice). You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight carves a place for itself within the horror genre by simply being something new and bold. This book takes the characters that are always on the sidelines of horror and slasher films and puts them front and centre. As our Final Girl, Charity takes control of the narrative and fights for survival. It was wonderful seeing a queer woman as the protagonist of a horror novel. I'm all for making the genre more queer!
The atmosphere was incredible. I loved learning about the history of Camp Mirror Lake and its shady past. I really wasn't expecting this to have dark academia influences, but the second half of the novel really took me there when Charity and her friends stumbled upon something pretty sinister. This novel was the epitome of shining your flashlight on something horrifying in the middle of the woods. Oh, and there's no cell reception. So... you're asking to die!
I've always admired Bayron's ability to normalise queerness. Kalynn's queer characters are not defined by their sexuality, but always feel empowered and comfortable within their identities. Charity and Bezi's relationship was casual, wonderful, and thrilling. Two queer women fighting for their lives amidst stolen moments of gentle intimacy? Turn that shit UP!
Kalynn had me giggling and snorting like an idiot. The humour was fun and joyous. It's not a slasher if you're not laughing a little. Charity had some hilarious lines. I really enjoyed that Charity was self aware and knew what would get her killed and completely avoided doing exactly that. The tone just felt so fresh and queer.
If you love horror, you're going to adore this. If horror isn't something you typically read, I think You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a great introduction to the genre, especially if you've been avoiding horror for reasons pertaining to a certain group of people called heterosexuals.
Thank you so much to the author and Bloomsbury YA for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I post about queer books on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
![Profile Image for s.penkevich [mental health hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1735525095i%2F6431467._UX200_CR0%2C11%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 3, 2024
If you go to a summer camp and there isn’t a dark history of hauntings or a slasher on the loose, what's even the point?! Okay, sure, I guess surviving the experience without a traumatic time is better, especially when a bit of twisted fun devolves into a hellish nightmare as it does in Kalynn Bayron’s YA horror novel You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight. Meet Cassidy, The Final Girl. Well at least she plays one every night throughout the summer at Camp Mirror Lake’s slasher survivor experience where guests play to take part in a survival horror game in honor of a classic movie filmed at the camp where the staff prides themselves on realism and fear is guaranteed. Except there might be more to the camp than the teenage staff realizes, and Cassidy might have to put her Final Girl skills to the test and truly survive when real blood starts to be shed. And suddenly the idea of being the “final” survivor is more frightening when her own girlfriend is also a potential victim. A fun and frightening romp that pays homage to horror tropes while using them in exciting ways, You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight keeps the tension building, the twists coming one after the next, and will have you frantically flipping pages as if to keep ahead from a killer hot on your trail.
‘I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.’
I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a breeze of a read that teases you forward with mystery after mystery and keeps building tension that ensures you can’t look away. Like the games the staff create, everything seems a bit manufactured but easily ignored when caught up in the thrill. Sure, some of it is a bit of a stretch in order to make the plot work, but Bayron does a good job at checking the perimeter of her plot and ensuring to address those concerns within the narrative. It works and adds to the fun, plus its a horror thriller and as long as the main inner-logic plays out in an enjoyable way that's what matters most. Honestly though, if you are doing a tribute to horror film tropes, you are allowed plot holes because plot holes are more or less a horror film trope.
It does take a bit to get really going, but it keeps you on your toes and she does an excellent job and brewing up tension. By a quarter of the way in I was already screaming “get the hell out of there--go, go, go!” because lets be real, I see someone tossing bodies in a lake, I’m saying fuck this job and I’m fucking off down the road. Say hi to the killer for me! Okay, but the missing staff bit combined with the fact that abruptly up and leaving isn’t really a thing you can just do did seem like a way overlooked red flag someone should have checked on, but whatever its fun and I enjoyed the all-too-relatable humor of shit talking the people who left you short handed. Also the humor that addresses group dynamics such as, say, your tough guy boyfriend leaves you to be caught by the killer so he can escape. Girl, leave him.
I enjoyed the nods to different slasher films that all felt natural to the story instead of a *wink wink, look at what I know about* namedrop, particularly the character Paige rattling off horror film logic and the rules to surviving a la that one kid in the original Scream where being a virgin is ironically the only good thing he has going for him. Oh and I enjoyed that this doesn’t shirk from the blood and gore and also doesn’t go over the top with it. Heads up if you are squeamish, there’s some good quality massacring here.
It all comes together pretty well with a shadowy past and equally shadowy villains to uncover that falls into the supernatural side of things. There is a convoluted climax scene that sticks the landing well enough and I must admit I got my fun and frights from this one. I also enjoyed the characters—plenty of Black and queer representation in this one—who managed to be fun and varied without being annoying or overly tropey (okay, Cassidy is a total Final Girl cliche but it leans into that because its sort of the whole point of the book). You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is an exciting ride that will work well for a wide audience from teens to adults and while it might show its own inner mechanics a bit, it does so in a way that works itself into the plot as if painted in camouflage. So are you brave enough to survive the night at Camp Mirror Lake?
3.5/5
‘I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.’
I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a breeze of a read that teases you forward with mystery after mystery and keeps building tension that ensures you can’t look away. Like the games the staff create, everything seems a bit manufactured but easily ignored when caught up in the thrill. Sure, some of it is a bit of a stretch in order to make the plot work, but Bayron does a good job at checking the perimeter of her plot and ensuring to address those concerns within the narrative. It works and adds to the fun, plus its a horror thriller and as long as the main inner-logic plays out in an enjoyable way that's what matters most. Honestly though, if you are doing a tribute to horror film tropes, you are allowed plot holes because plot holes are more or less a horror film trope.
It does take a bit to get really going, but it keeps you on your toes and she does an excellent job and brewing up tension. By a quarter of the way in I was already screaming “get the hell out of there--go, go, go!” because lets be real, I see someone tossing bodies in a lake, I’m saying fuck this job and I’m fucking off down the road. Say hi to the killer for me! Okay, but the missing staff bit combined with the fact that abruptly up and leaving isn’t really a thing you can just do did seem like a way overlooked red flag someone should have checked on, but whatever its fun and I enjoyed the all-too-relatable humor of shit talking the people who left you short handed. Also the humor that addresses group dynamics such as, say, your tough guy boyfriend leaves you to be caught by the killer so he can escape. Girl, leave him.
I enjoyed the nods to different slasher films that all felt natural to the story instead of a *wink wink, look at what I know about* namedrop, particularly the character Paige rattling off horror film logic and the rules to surviving a la that one kid in the original Scream where being a virgin is ironically the only good thing he has going for him. Oh and I enjoyed that this doesn’t shirk from the blood and gore and also doesn’t go over the top with it. Heads up if you are squeamish, there’s some good quality massacring here.
It all comes together pretty well with a shadowy past and equally shadowy villains to uncover that falls into the supernatural side of things. There is a convoluted climax scene that sticks the landing well enough and I must admit I got my fun and frights from this one. I also enjoyed the characters—plenty of Black and queer representation in this one—who managed to be fun and varied without being annoying or overly tropey (okay, Cassidy is a total Final Girl cliche but it leans into that because its sort of the whole point of the book). You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is an exciting ride that will work well for a wide audience from teens to adults and while it might show its own inner mechanics a bit, it does so in a way that works itself into the plot as if painted in camouflage. So are you brave enough to survive the night at Camp Mirror Lake?
3.5/5
June 24, 2023
the author always does this thing where she puts pop culture references and phases in her books and it just annoys me so much. i’m aware that teens are cringe but it always takes me out the story. i thought this book was fun and it reminded me a lot of fear street 1978 which was my favorite one of the trilogy. i guess i just kinda expected more from the story.
April 21, 2025
**3.5-stars**
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a solid effort in the YA Horror space for well-loved author, Kalynn Bayron.
Admittedly, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me, with some aspects that I really enjoyed and others, not so much, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I have been saving this one for Spooky Season since its release. The cover is giving me all the 1980s-Slasher vibes that I could possibly want. I couldn't wait to dive in.
I picked it up as my 1st-read for the Spooky Smart Bitch Readathon, hosted by the devilishly-delightful, Jordaline Reads, that I am participating in this week. It fit with the first prompt and that was all the nudging that I needed.
In this story we follow a group of teens, lead by Charity Curtis, who work at a full-contact terror experience called, Camp Mirror Lake.
The location is fittingly the actual filming location of a cult classic Slasher film called, Curse of Mirror Lake and the staged experience plays out well-known scenes from that movie. Charity's role in the experience is that of Final Girl and she takes pride in her work.
On the last weekend of the season though, things begin to go horribly awry. Charity and friends are no longer fighting their way through a simulation, they're fighting their way through a real-life Slasher.
Will Charity still be able to end up the Final Girl?!
With her girlfriend, Bezi, and many other friends' lives on the line, she's hoping not. She needs them ALL to survive.
I feel like this is an interesting take on the Teen Scream Slasher. I liked how modern it felt by having the setting be a live-action terror experience. I really enjoyed the initial set-up and that the Horror elements kicked in rather quickly.
Bayron wasted no time getting us to the action segment of the narrative.
I liked a lot of the elements, the setting, friends, the tension that builds and the history of the camp. However, with this being said, IMO it moved a little too quickly.
Because of the speed, it didn't leave much time for development, both of plot, or character. It's a short book, and because of this, it ended up feeling very surface level. I could have done with more substance all around.
I also feel like the story was one note. It could have been a better experience for me had it been even more campy. That may sounds strange, but I would have enjoyed some humor, or even just more witty banter.
This is 100% a taste issue though and regardless of my personal preferences, I can still recognize the effort and skill that Bayron brought to this story.
I actually hope she remains in this YA Horror lane. I can feel she is a true fan of the genre and I would love to see what else she could create in this space.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced Teen Scream to help kick off the Spooky Season.
It has some great social commentary and a diverse cast of characters. Additionally, I listened to the audiobook and it's fabulously narrated.
It definitely set the tone that I'm looking to keep for the next few months!! Well done!
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a solid effort in the YA Horror space for well-loved author, Kalynn Bayron.
Admittedly, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me, with some aspects that I really enjoyed and others, not so much, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I have been saving this one for Spooky Season since its release. The cover is giving me all the 1980s-Slasher vibes that I could possibly want. I couldn't wait to dive in.
I picked it up as my 1st-read for the Spooky Smart Bitch Readathon, hosted by the devilishly-delightful, Jordaline Reads, that I am participating in this week. It fit with the first prompt and that was all the nudging that I needed.
In this story we follow a group of teens, lead by Charity Curtis, who work at a full-contact terror experience called, Camp Mirror Lake.
The location is fittingly the actual filming location of a cult classic Slasher film called, Curse of Mirror Lake and the staged experience plays out well-known scenes from that movie. Charity's role in the experience is that of Final Girl and she takes pride in her work.
On the last weekend of the season though, things begin to go horribly awry. Charity and friends are no longer fighting their way through a simulation, they're fighting their way through a real-life Slasher.
Will Charity still be able to end up the Final Girl?!
With her girlfriend, Bezi, and many other friends' lives on the line, she's hoping not. She needs them ALL to survive.
I feel like this is an interesting take on the Teen Scream Slasher. I liked how modern it felt by having the setting be a live-action terror experience. I really enjoyed the initial set-up and that the Horror elements kicked in rather quickly.
Bayron wasted no time getting us to the action segment of the narrative.
I liked a lot of the elements, the setting, friends, the tension that builds and the history of the camp. However, with this being said, IMO it moved a little too quickly.
Because of the speed, it didn't leave much time for development, both of plot, or character. It's a short book, and because of this, it ended up feeling very surface level. I could have done with more substance all around.
I also feel like the story was one note. It could have been a better experience for me had it been even more campy. That may sounds strange, but I would have enjoyed some humor, or even just more witty banter.
This is 100% a taste issue though and regardless of my personal preferences, I can still recognize the effort and skill that Bayron brought to this story.
I actually hope she remains in this YA Horror lane. I can feel she is a true fan of the genre and I would love to see what else she could create in this space.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced Teen Scream to help kick off the Spooky Season.
It has some great social commentary and a diverse cast of characters. Additionally, I listened to the audiobook and it's fabulously narrated.
It definitely set the tone that I'm looking to keep for the next few months!! Well done!
July 18, 2023
I think I’m in the minority opinion here of having absolutely loved this. I’m a horror movie fanatic and final girl trope lover, so I was bound to love this.
The first few chapters involving the camp’s movie re-enactments were the most entertaining and I understand how many readers thought it fell off after that. However for me I thought the direction it went in was weird but also intriguing.
The dialogue between the teenagers felt more realistic than most young adult novels I read which is always a plus.
Summer camps are one of my favorite horror locations and I’m always looking to read more thrillers that take place in that setting.
All in all I had so much fun and I’m itching to read more books like this.
The first few chapters involving the camp’s movie re-enactments were the most entertaining and I understand how many readers thought it fell off after that. However for me I thought the direction it went in was weird but also intriguing.
The dialogue between the teenagers felt more realistic than most young adult novels I read which is always a plus.
Summer camps are one of my favorite horror locations and I’m always looking to read more thrillers that take place in that setting.
All in all I had so much fun and I’m itching to read more books like this.
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 22, 2023
I'm so saaaaad. You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight didn't work for me as a Horror novel. I had very high expectations and the story ended up going in a very different direction than what I expected.
The premise was really cool and I did enjoy how Bayron set that up in the first few chapters of the book. I didn't expect that much action right away and it worked really well to establish the tone of this story and also to introduce our main character, Charity.
The pace was a little slow, though? This book was less than 300 pages and it felt like the story didn't get going until the halfway point. There was a lot of build up and I didn't think there was enough pay off when the plot started ramping up. Even more so because of the twist added in the second half.
And this was where my expectations didn't match the plot. I thought the story took a very very weird turn that, personally, didn't quite fit the setting and what had been established in the first half of the novel. I was very confused as to why that would be the main point behind everything? Even more so with the mix of slasher/paranormal elements. It brought me no feeling of tension or... well, horror. Just a bunch of ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??????
It was weird and didn't work for me.
The premise was really cool and I did enjoy how Bayron set that up in the first few chapters of the book. I didn't expect that much action right away and it worked really well to establish the tone of this story and also to introduce our main character, Charity.
The pace was a little slow, though? This book was less than 300 pages and it felt like the story didn't get going until the halfway point. There was a lot of build up and I didn't think there was enough pay off when the plot started ramping up. Even more so because of the twist added in the second half.
And this was where my expectations didn't match the plot. I thought the story took a very very weird turn that, personally, didn't quite fit the setting and what had been established in the first half of the novel. I was very confused as to why that would be the main point behind everything? Even more so with the mix of slasher/paranormal elements. It brought me no feeling of tension or... well, horror. Just a bunch of ???? ??? ???????? ??? ??????
It was weird and didn't work for me.
August 24, 2023
I'm sorry this is so silly "I will make this land run red with the blood of a thousand camp counselors". The dialogue in this is painful and the writing is very cringey. I'd love to hear from the targeted audience of this and see if they could appreciate it. Maybe I'm just too old and need something a little more serious?
I feel like this takes a while to get going for how short it is and And honestly kinda hard to follow. It took me a while to figure out why the kids were being murdered and hunted.
Theres also nothing that really hooked my interest, despite the premise being very exciting I found the story quite Boring! There's a lot of kids and names to follow which I didn't care about and teenage drama that always makes me struggle reading YA when it is a big part of the book.
The ultimate twist of this book is pretty ridiculous. It's so over the top I could not take the story seriously and therefore nothing about it was scary.
I would NOT recommend the audiobook either. The narration style is also very off-putting and gave me second hand embarrassment.
Ultimately that was the only positive I can say is that The last page twist was pretty good and actually creepy 👍 I did like that imagery a lot! But the book as a whole was not for me.
.
.
.
Synopsis: We are following Charity Curtis who has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in a full-contact terror game based on a classic slasher film. But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity and her friends have to try to make it out alive.
I feel like this takes a while to get going for how short it is and And honestly kinda hard to follow. It took me a while to figure out why the kids were being murdered and hunted.
Theres also nothing that really hooked my interest, despite the premise being very exciting I found the story quite Boring! There's a lot of kids and names to follow which I didn't care about and teenage drama that always makes me struggle reading YA when it is a big part of the book.
The ultimate twist of this book is pretty ridiculous. It's so over the top I could not take the story seriously and therefore nothing about it was scary.
I would NOT recommend the audiobook either. The narration style is also very off-putting and gave me second hand embarrassment.
Ultimately that was the only positive I can say is that The last page twist was pretty good and actually creepy 👍 I did like that imagery a lot! But the book as a whole was not for me.
.
.
.
Synopsis: We are following Charity Curtis who has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in a full-contact terror game based on a classic slasher film. But the last weekend of the season, Charity's co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity and her friends have to try to make it out alive.
April 15, 2024
･:*:･ﾟ⁀➷ 3/5 ★
This was a fun read! 🫶🫶 A very short & entertaining ya slasher 😚🖤
“I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.”
Tropes:
🦉Slasher
🦉Camp setting
🦉Sapphic romance
I’ve read most of this author’s other books and enjoyed them, so i was really excited to get to this one- and it was pretty good! I don’t read a lot of slashers/horror books so it was fun to get out of my comfort zone a bit✨️
⁀➷ What i enjoyed:
I think one of my fav parts of the book was the whole atmosphere. It was very creepy and eerie and seeing how tiny things out of place at the beginning escalated so drastically was so fun to follow along with. This is definitely the kind of book meant to be read under the covers with a flashlight in the middle of the night 🫶🫶
I also really enjoyed the storyline. I never knew what was going to happen next and all the constant twists and turns were so entertaining. Since this book is so short (it’s under 300 pages!), it was such a bingeable read 🤍
⁀➷ What I didn’t enjoy:
However, there were a couple things about this that i didn’t love. I think the most disappointing thing for me was the ending. The book was going so well and then the ending kinda ruined it all for me- it felt so wildly unrealistic and left me feeling very unsatisfied. The story was so good, but it all fell flat with that disappointing ending ☹️
I also think that this book would have benefitted from being a little bit longer- while its short length made it super easy to read, it also meant that i couldn’t really connect to any of the characters. The book lacked depth a bit bc of that and i think if we could’ve had 100 more pages to flesh it out, it would’ve been a lot better.
⁀➷ In conclusion:
An entertaining read! 😚🖤 I would recommend if you’re looking for:
✔️ Ya slasher
✔️ Interesting story
✔️ Short & sweet
I definitely need to try more slashers in the future 🫶🫶
《 2024 Challenge: Book 50 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
A super fun & short slasher 😚🖤 however, the ending was so disappointing and ruined it a bit for me ☹️
Rtc 🧸
This was a fun read! 🫶🫶 A very short & entertaining ya slasher 😚🖤
“I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.”
Tropes:
🦉Slasher
🦉Camp setting
🦉Sapphic romance
I’ve read most of this author’s other books and enjoyed them, so i was really excited to get to this one- and it was pretty good! I don’t read a lot of slashers/horror books so it was fun to get out of my comfort zone a bit✨️
⁀➷ What i enjoyed:
I think one of my fav parts of the book was the whole atmosphere. It was very creepy and eerie and seeing how tiny things out of place at the beginning escalated so drastically was so fun to follow along with. This is definitely the kind of book meant to be read under the covers with a flashlight in the middle of the night 🫶🫶
I also really enjoyed the storyline. I never knew what was going to happen next and all the constant twists and turns were so entertaining. Since this book is so short (it’s under 300 pages!), it was such a bingeable read 🤍
⁀➷ What I didn’t enjoy:
However, there were a couple things about this that i didn’t love. I think the most disappointing thing for me was the ending. The book was going so well and then the ending kinda ruined it all for me- it felt so wildly unrealistic and left me feeling very unsatisfied. The story was so good, but it all fell flat with that disappointing ending ☹️
I also think that this book would have benefitted from being a little bit longer- while its short length made it super easy to read, it also meant that i couldn’t really connect to any of the characters. The book lacked depth a bit bc of that and i think if we could’ve had 100 more pages to flesh it out, it would’ve been a lot better.
⁀➷ In conclusion:
An entertaining read! 😚🖤 I would recommend if you’re looking for:
✔️ Ya slasher
✔️ Interesting story
✔️ Short & sweet
I definitely need to try more slashers in the future 🫶🫶
《 2024 Challenge: Book 50 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
A super fun & short slasher 😚🖤 however, the ending was so disappointing and ruined it a bit for me ☹️
Rtc 🧸
August 29, 2023
You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight was the perfect book to pull me out of a reading slump! The set up in the first half was better executed than the latter half, but overall it was fast paced and fun. Even though the second half is exactly the type of horror genre and twist that I love!
Maybe I had my expectations just a little bit too high for this book because the slasher horror vibes were what I was expecting here. Parts are like Friday The 13th meets Fear Street!
The relationship between Charity and Bezi is actually so cute 🥹 I love them together!
Camp Mirror Lake is home to an exclusive terror resort game based on the slasher movie of the same name. Charity has just bagged a summer job where she gets to play the role of the “final girl”. Her and her friends are having a blast coming up with new and inventive ways to scare the visitors. The season is coming to an end and when the final weekend arrives, things take a grizzly turn. One of her friends ends up being battered, bruised and left for dead.. they’re barely able to make it back out of the woods before they perish.
Will Charity’s role as final girl become all too real? Who, or what, is lurking in the camp? Are the legends of murder there true? 🔪
I am curious to check out more of Kalynn Bayron’s work. I have owned Cinderella Is Dead for the longest time now!
3.6 Stars
Maybe I had my expectations just a little bit too high for this book because the slasher horror vibes were what I was expecting here. Parts are like Friday The 13th meets Fear Street!
The relationship between Charity and Bezi is actually so cute 🥹 I love them together!
Camp Mirror Lake is home to an exclusive terror resort game based on the slasher movie of the same name. Charity has just bagged a summer job where she gets to play the role of the “final girl”. Her and her friends are having a blast coming up with new and inventive ways to scare the visitors. The season is coming to an end and when the final weekend arrives, things take a grizzly turn. One of her friends ends up being battered, bruised and left for dead.. they’re barely able to make it back out of the woods before they perish.
Will Charity’s role as final girl become all too real? Who, or what, is lurking in the camp? Are the legends of murder there true? 🔪
I am curious to check out more of Kalynn Bayron’s work. I have owned Cinderella Is Dead for the longest time now!
3.6 Stars
August 27, 2025
I’m on BookTube now! =)
”I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.”
Trigger warnings:
Where do I even start with this review? Seriously, all I want to do is to rave and scream about the masterpiece that is “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight”! Because damn, this was one hell of a fun ride! If you’re into the horror movies of the 90ies you can’t go wrong with this story, because it gave me all the “Scream” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” vibes. The atmosphere was done so well and you legit feel like you’re among the group of friends that tries to survive the night. But I think I’m getting ahead of myself here so let’s start with the basics and take it from there. ;-)
”The Camp Mirror Lake experience requires all guests to sign a thirty-three-page waiver. Nobody ever reads the whole thing, but it explicitly states that staff members are allowed to push, shove, and restrain the guests. We’re cleared to terrify each and every person who signs on the dotted line.”
First, I’ve to say that this SO wouldn’t be my cup of tea! I mean, you all know I’m a scaredy fox and to spend an entire night at a creepy place like Camp Mirror Lake, being pushed around by the staff?! No, hard pass! I honestly don’t understand how there are people who pay for this kind of “entertainment” but wild horses couldn’t drag me there. Alone the fact this is supposed to scare you shitless. *lol* Nah, definitely not the way I want to spend a night, but if you’re into that kinda thing, well, you do you! I’ll be safe in my own home and read a book about people who do stuff like that and end up in a lot of trouble instead. ;-P
”We also have an assortment of latex body parts we grabbed from a thrift shop in town. We didn’t ask why there was a bucket of fake body parts at the Salvation Army; we just bought them and worked them into the game. Nothing quite like tripping over a severed leg as Kyle bears down on you with a butcher knife.”
So, yeah. Apparently, Charity and her staff draw enough customers to provide their services all summer long, so it seems to be quite a lucrative business. Well, that is, until the end of summer approaches and some of Charity’s co-workers disappear right before their last game. Did they quit? Why did they leave all of a sudden without taking their things with them and what’s with all those mysterious movements at night? Our FMC has no idea what’s up but business is business and they have to play one more show before the season is over and they can close the camp. The problem is they are short-staffed and Charity has no other choice than to call her bestie Paige and her girlfriend Bezi. They are supposed to help them out, but then even more weird things happen and Charity starts to regret she asked them for help.
"The camera that monitors the boathouse hatch kept going in and out," I say. "It came back on real quick, and I thought I saw something - someone - on the monitor."
"Ummmm," Kyle says nervously. "We were both in here the whole time you were gone. I swear."
I can only speak for myself here, but I loved the creepy atmosphere, the mysterious splashing noises from the lake, the impenetrable woods surrounding the camp. It gave me goose bumps and made me wonder who the culprit was. I’m not gonna lie, a huge part of the book is dedicated to the eerie atmosphere and the build-up before the shit actually hits the fan. If you’re into that sort of thing you’ll be a happy camper like me, if not, you might not enjoy the book as much. Also fair warning and this is not a spoiler because you won’t be able to anticipate anything from me saying this: There is some sort of supernatural element at work, which helps to further the plot. I know there are people who either want things to be supernatural or just want a human killer. This story is some sort of a merge of both worlds and not everyone will be into that. For me it worked perfectly fine because I like things like that, but I know it won’t be for everyone. Just to let you know!
"As soon as people start having sex, it's like a bat signal to the killer. He hears cheeks clappin', then here he comes with a knife to slice everybody up."
"Paige," I say, my eyes wide. "Nobody is doing that!" Paige is one of those people where it's in her head and out her mouth.
Haha! Okay, I gotta give it to Paige, she was amazing! Paige and her “rules of horror” totally made my day and her character reminded me a lot of Randy Meeks in “Scream”. In that regard the book totally followed the logic of the 90ies horror movies and I was so here for it! We didn’t get too much of all the other side-characters but I really liked Tasha and Bezi too. Javier was okay, I guess, even though I’m totally with Paige there. Tasha and he totally provoked danger by being the flirty couple that couldn’t keep their hands from each other. *lol* But will they survive the night? Who knows? I won’t tell! ;-P
I breathe a little easier knowing everyone seems to be all right.
“See?” Paige asks. “Everybody’s good, and we didn’t even have to go out in the dark and be the first group of people to get horribly murdered.”
What I didn’t expect was the close and sweet relationship between Bezi and Charity. I mean this book only has about 230 pages so you’d think it would be hard to write a connection between the characters and to put everything into those pages. Kalynn Bayron did an exceptionally good job at doing exactly that, though! The book might be short but it packs quite a punch and from the first moment, you’re right there in the story and trying to figure things out alongside Charity and her friends. It takes a good storyteller to convey the characters bonds and feelings in such a short time span and in my humble opinion, Bayron succeeded while keeping the overall plotline running as well.
I grasp her hand. “If you wanna go back, I understand.”
Bezi shakes her head. “I’m not leaving you. Me and you till the end of the world, right?” I kiss her gently on the cheek, taking just the smallest pause to feel the tenderness of this moment. I have a terrible feeling about what lies ahead, but Bezi and I are in this together, to whatever end.
As for the ending? Well, I’m fine with it, which is no small feat. I usually don’t like endings like that and everyone who read some of my reviews about thrillers or other queer horror books knows that about me. This time around, I could live with it, though. It fit the story and the mood of the book even though I’ve to admit that it totally surprised me. I wasn’t prepared for the book to end like this, but I count that as a good thing! I like to be shocked and to be caught off guard by the author’s writing choices. You did well, Kalynn Bayron! ;-)
"KYLE: Come on now. I'd never do that to you. This job getting to you, Charity?
ME: Shut up lol You think I'm scared?
KYLE: Me, you, and Tasha are the only Black folks here. Horror movies say we should be dead by now.
ME: I'm the final girl, boo. I will survive no matter what. It's my job."
Conclusion:
To read “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” felt like being in one of those old slasher movies of the 90ies and trying to survive. There was never a dull moment and the suspense was real! I ran through the woods alongside Charity and Bezi and hoped that they and their friends would survive the night! The creepy atmosphere, the dense woods surrounding the camp, the foggy lake, the little weird happenings and the foreboding: Perfection! 5 stars! I found a new favourite! =)
____________________________
This was amazing! =) Such a throwback to the slasher movies of the 90ies!
I loved the creepy atmosphere and suspense! It was so good! <3
Considering it only had 230 pages, this book was pretty much perfection!
Full RTC soon, I loved it!
_____________________________
I’m on a horror book roll these days and of course I couldn’t leave “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” at my library! At least not once I found it there. ;-)
So I decided I’d read another book that could turn out to be a #Rainboween recommendation!
Let’s find out if Charity’s and Bezi’s summer camp horror action is suitable for my readathon!
It’s a very short story so I’m pretty certain this will be a bookish snack! ;-)
Find me on:
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”I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play.”
Trigger warnings:
Where do I even start with this review? Seriously, all I want to do is to rave and scream about the masterpiece that is “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight”! Because damn, this was one hell of a fun ride! If you’re into the horror movies of the 90ies you can’t go wrong with this story, because it gave me all the “Scream” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” vibes. The atmosphere was done so well and you legit feel like you’re among the group of friends that tries to survive the night. But I think I’m getting ahead of myself here so let’s start with the basics and take it from there. ;-)
”The Camp Mirror Lake experience requires all guests to sign a thirty-three-page waiver. Nobody ever reads the whole thing, but it explicitly states that staff members are allowed to push, shove, and restrain the guests. We’re cleared to terrify each and every person who signs on the dotted line.”
First, I’ve to say that this SO wouldn’t be my cup of tea! I mean, you all know I’m a scaredy fox and to spend an entire night at a creepy place like Camp Mirror Lake, being pushed around by the staff?! No, hard pass! I honestly don’t understand how there are people who pay for this kind of “entertainment” but wild horses couldn’t drag me there. Alone the fact this is supposed to scare you shitless. *lol* Nah, definitely not the way I want to spend a night, but if you’re into that kinda thing, well, you do you! I’ll be safe in my own home and read a book about people who do stuff like that and end up in a lot of trouble instead. ;-P
”We also have an assortment of latex body parts we grabbed from a thrift shop in town. We didn’t ask why there was a bucket of fake body parts at the Salvation Army; we just bought them and worked them into the game. Nothing quite like tripping over a severed leg as Kyle bears down on you with a butcher knife.”
So, yeah. Apparently, Charity and her staff draw enough customers to provide their services all summer long, so it seems to be quite a lucrative business. Well, that is, until the end of summer approaches and some of Charity’s co-workers disappear right before their last game. Did they quit? Why did they leave all of a sudden without taking their things with them and what’s with all those mysterious movements at night? Our FMC has no idea what’s up but business is business and they have to play one more show before the season is over and they can close the camp. The problem is they are short-staffed and Charity has no other choice than to call her bestie Paige and her girlfriend Bezi. They are supposed to help them out, but then even more weird things happen and Charity starts to regret she asked them for help.
"The camera that monitors the boathouse hatch kept going in and out," I say. "It came back on real quick, and I thought I saw something - someone - on the monitor."
"Ummmm," Kyle says nervously. "We were both in here the whole time you were gone. I swear."
I can only speak for myself here, but I loved the creepy atmosphere, the mysterious splashing noises from the lake, the impenetrable woods surrounding the camp. It gave me goose bumps and made me wonder who the culprit was. I’m not gonna lie, a huge part of the book is dedicated to the eerie atmosphere and the build-up before the shit actually hits the fan. If you’re into that sort of thing you’ll be a happy camper like me, if not, you might not enjoy the book as much. Also fair warning and this is not a spoiler because you won’t be able to anticipate anything from me saying this: There is some sort of supernatural element at work, which helps to further the plot. I know there are people who either want things to be supernatural or just want a human killer. This story is some sort of a merge of both worlds and not everyone will be into that. For me it worked perfectly fine because I like things like that, but I know it won’t be for everyone. Just to let you know!
"As soon as people start having sex, it's like a bat signal to the killer. He hears cheeks clappin', then here he comes with a knife to slice everybody up."
"Paige," I say, my eyes wide. "Nobody is doing that!" Paige is one of those people where it's in her head and out her mouth.
Haha! Okay, I gotta give it to Paige, she was amazing! Paige and her “rules of horror” totally made my day and her character reminded me a lot of Randy Meeks in “Scream”. In that regard the book totally followed the logic of the 90ies horror movies and I was so here for it! We didn’t get too much of all the other side-characters but I really liked Tasha and Bezi too. Javier was okay, I guess, even though I’m totally with Paige there. Tasha and he totally provoked danger by being the flirty couple that couldn’t keep their hands from each other. *lol* But will they survive the night? Who knows? I won’t tell! ;-P
I breathe a little easier knowing everyone seems to be all right.
“See?” Paige asks. “Everybody’s good, and we didn’t even have to go out in the dark and be the first group of people to get horribly murdered.”
What I didn’t expect was the close and sweet relationship between Bezi and Charity. I mean this book only has about 230 pages so you’d think it would be hard to write a connection between the characters and to put everything into those pages. Kalynn Bayron did an exceptionally good job at doing exactly that, though! The book might be short but it packs quite a punch and from the first moment, you’re right there in the story and trying to figure things out alongside Charity and her friends. It takes a good storyteller to convey the characters bonds and feelings in such a short time span and in my humble opinion, Bayron succeeded while keeping the overall plotline running as well.
I grasp her hand. “If you wanna go back, I understand.”
Bezi shakes her head. “I’m not leaving you. Me and you till the end of the world, right?” I kiss her gently on the cheek, taking just the smallest pause to feel the tenderness of this moment. I have a terrible feeling about what lies ahead, but Bezi and I are in this together, to whatever end.
As for the ending? Well, I’m fine with it, which is no small feat. I usually don’t like endings like that and everyone who read some of my reviews about thrillers or other queer horror books knows that about me. This time around, I could live with it, though. It fit the story and the mood of the book even though I’ve to admit that it totally surprised me. I wasn’t prepared for the book to end like this, but I count that as a good thing! I like to be shocked and to be caught off guard by the author’s writing choices. You did well, Kalynn Bayron! ;-)
"KYLE: Come on now. I'd never do that to you. This job getting to you, Charity?
ME: Shut up lol You think I'm scared?
KYLE: Me, you, and Tasha are the only Black folks here. Horror movies say we should be dead by now.
ME: I'm the final girl, boo. I will survive no matter what. It's my job."
Conclusion:
To read “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” felt like being in one of those old slasher movies of the 90ies and trying to survive. There was never a dull moment and the suspense was real! I ran through the woods alongside Charity and Bezi and hoped that they and their friends would survive the night! The creepy atmosphere, the dense woods surrounding the camp, the foggy lake, the little weird happenings and the foreboding: Perfection! 5 stars! I found a new favourite! =)
____________________________
This was amazing! =) Such a throwback to the slasher movies of the 90ies!
I loved the creepy atmosphere and suspense! It was so good! <3
Considering it only had 230 pages, this book was pretty much perfection!
Full RTC soon, I loved it!
_____________________________
I’m on a horror book roll these days and of course I couldn’t leave “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” at my library! At least not once I found it there. ;-)
So I decided I’d read another book that could turn out to be a #Rainboween recommendation!
Let’s find out if Charity’s and Bezi’s summer camp horror action is suitable for my readathon!
It’s a very short story so I’m pretty certain this will be a bookish snack! ;-)
Find me on:
My Blog
October 9, 2023
I wish that I enjoyed this one as much as everyone else, but there were a few elements that didn't work for me. I think that I enjoyed the storytelling, the creepy atmosphere and the characters until the end. It was a twist that threw me for a loop that wasn't completely developed. I think if Bayron would have explored it with a little more detail then I would have been inclinded to rate it higher. Overall, it was an interesting read and definitely a ode to the "slasher world/community" at large. I'm interested in seeing if Bayron will produce more horror books in the future.
August 22, 2023
4.0 Stars
Video: https://youtu.be/fZRV-5G4pTI
This was such an enjoyable take on the classic slasher narrative. More fun than scary, I had such a good time with this one. I really enjoyed reading how they planned the stimulation, from cooking "blood" to planning out the "attacks". The simulation was almost more fun than the underlying horror. Those aspects were still good, but the premise was ridiculously fun.
Video: https://youtu.be/fZRV-5G4pTI
This was such an enjoyable take on the classic slasher narrative. More fun than scary, I had such a good time with this one. I really enjoyed reading how they planned the stimulation, from cooking "blood" to planning out the "attacks". The simulation was almost more fun than the underlying horror. Those aspects were still good, but the premise was ridiculously fun.
July 12, 2023
3.5 stars. summerween vlog days 3 + 4 - https://youtu.be/MGlGGJMEgAA
July 21, 2023
2.5 stars
I think I might just not be a reader that gets Bayron's writing. I've read 5 books by this author and I only really enjoyed 1 of them: This Poison Heart. The rest of them I had similar issues with: bare bones character profiles, monologuing villains that didn't feel large enough, exposition that feels last minute and stories that never fully hold my attention. Overall, I think Bayron has really wonderful ideas, the execution just loses me 4/5 times.
In this story, Charity doesn't feel fleshed out enough as a character. We get some details of her home life sprinkled in but other than knowing that she likes the responsibility of running the camp, there's not much to her personality wise to grab onto. All of the other characters felt even less defined. We know Bezi likes animals and that's really it. Similar to Cinderella Is Dead, when the reveal of the big bad comes (which I saw coming), they weren't in the story enough to make them truly scary. Also, the red herring bad guys were so out of left field conceptually that it almost felt like I was reading a different book.
The writing, particularly Charity's narration when she was alone, felt so... task oriented? It's a lot of play by play of what she does to keep the park running and how the trap doors and effects work. It felt incredibly objective and too much like exposition to make me feel like I really knew her.
In the end, the execution of this wasn't for me. I just didn't think this story was paced in a way that added suspense or felt particularly thrilling. The characters weren't given enough depth for me to get attached to any of them. The reveal of the culprit left a lot to be desired. I'm sure a younger audience might have no issues with that. As it stands, I think this would make a great Netflix show. It's diverse, the concept is interesting, and it'd be cool to expand on black led horror media.
However, this book confirmed I'm just not the right audience for Bayron's writing styles.
I think I might just not be a reader that gets Bayron's writing. I've read 5 books by this author and I only really enjoyed 1 of them: This Poison Heart. The rest of them I had similar issues with: bare bones character profiles, monologuing villains that didn't feel large enough, exposition that feels last minute and stories that never fully hold my attention. Overall, I think Bayron has really wonderful ideas, the execution just loses me 4/5 times.
In this story, Charity doesn't feel fleshed out enough as a character. We get some details of her home life sprinkled in but other than knowing that she likes the responsibility of running the camp, there's not much to her personality wise to grab onto. All of the other characters felt even less defined. We know Bezi likes animals and that's really it. Similar to Cinderella Is Dead, when the reveal of the big bad comes (which I saw coming), they weren't in the story enough to make them truly scary. Also, the red herring bad guys were so out of left field conceptually that it almost felt like I was reading a different book.
The writing, particularly Charity's narration when she was alone, felt so... task oriented? It's a lot of play by play of what she does to keep the park running and how the trap doors and effects work. It felt incredibly objective and too much like exposition to make me feel like I really knew her.
In the end, the execution of this wasn't for me. I just didn't think this story was paced in a way that added suspense or felt particularly thrilling. The characters weren't given enough depth for me to get attached to any of them. The reveal of the culprit left a lot to be desired. I'm sure a younger audience might have no issues with that. As it stands, I think this would make a great Netflix show. It's diverse, the concept is interesting, and it'd be cool to expand on black led horror media.
However, this book confirmed I'm just not the right audience for Bayron's writing styles.
June 25, 2023
"I’ve been playing the part of a girl who escapes a serial killer every night for months. It’s not a game this time. The consequences are real, but we still have to play."
TW: animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a loved one, gore, gun violence, , injury/injury detail, murder, ritualistic abuse, torture, violence.
I was enjoying the first half of this book, but the second half was another story entirely. Once the actual plot started, the book progressively went downhill and I absolutely hate the turn it took/the culmination of the story. It was also such a short book that it read more like a long short-story, which made everything feel super rushed and half-formed.
I love Kalynn Bayron's other books so I'm bummed this didn't work for me, but I do think that it could still be a fun, easy read for people that already love this genre and don't mind the story being rushed.
Also, justice for the owls. They did nothing to deserve this lol.
TW: animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a loved one, gore, gun violence, , injury/injury detail, murder, ritualistic abuse, torture, violence.
I was enjoying the first half of this book, but the second half was another story entirely. Once the actual plot started, the book progressively went downhill and I absolutely hate the turn it took/the culmination of the story. It was also such a short book that it read more like a long short-story, which made everything feel super rushed and half-formed.
I love Kalynn Bayron's other books so I'm bummed this didn't work for me, but I do think that it could still be a fun, easy read for people that already love this genre and don't mind the story being rushed.
Also, justice for the owls. They did nothing to deserve this lol.
March 10, 2024
This YA slasher had a promising start but slowly devolved into melodramatic cartoonish villainy and had a supremely questionable ending (seriously... THAT'S how it ends??)
I'm not the target audience for this, and it was certainly a quick and entertaining read, but don't go into this one with the expectation of serious or truly terrifying horror.
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, death, blood & gore, animal death, body horror, neglect/emotional abuse
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I'm not the target audience for this, and it was certainly a quick and entertaining read, but don't go into this one with the expectation of serious or truly terrifying horror.
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, death, blood & gore, animal death, body horror, neglect/emotional abuse
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
January 27, 2025
Camp Mirror Lake es una experiencia de simulación de terror de contacto completo. Ejecutamos todo en la ubicación utilizada durante la filmación del clásico de culto de 1983 e Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. En lo que respecta a las películas slasher, está entre Friday the 13th y Scream.
Final Girl & survive the night.
Final Girl & survive the night.
March 20, 2024
I’m DNFING this book because the dead owl freaks me out and so do the Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho vibes. I really loved what I had read before getting to this point which is why I am giving this book 3 stars.
June 22, 2023
It's been a while since I read the entirety of a book in a day, but this story was so good I really couldn't put it down. While it is a shorter read at around 230 pages, it was perfectly paced, giving time to set up the story and the characters, and even leave us clues that make sense later.
I would describe this as a slow burn horror, rather than a basic slasher. I loved that there was enough breathing space to get to know the characters, while maintaining a creepy atmosphere at the camp ground, and when we lost them I was genuinely devastated.
The ending gave us twists after twists, I was floored where the story went, I'm so used to the basic, easy to guess culprit but this story doesn't do that, it's much more elaborate. I was on such a high after the final pages I immediately screeched at the author over Twitter, I'm so hoping we get more horror from them.
I would describe this as a slow burn horror, rather than a basic slasher. I loved that there was enough breathing space to get to know the characters, while maintaining a creepy atmosphere at the camp ground, and when we lost them I was genuinely devastated.
The ending gave us twists after twists, I was floored where the story went, I'm so used to the basic, easy to guess culprit but this story doesn't do that, it's much more elaborate. I was on such a high after the final pages I immediately screeched at the author over Twitter, I'm so hoping we get more horror from them.
September 28, 2024
A teen slasher novel where a group of camp counselors are terrorized by a killer. A new take on an old horror trope, these camp counselors run a summer camp where they pretend a killer is out to get them and the guests play along. That is until some of the staff bail and with a crazy neighbor they have to close up the camp early. But that's when weird things begin to happen...
This book had a really slow start but was still a lot of fun to listen along to. I really liked all of the characters and even though I knew this as a horror/slasher novel I was sad when some of them began to die. The ending was... interesting. I almost took another star off my rating but then it redeemed itself in a way. Kalynn Bayron is a great writer and I would be more than happy to read more books by her.
This book had a really slow start but was still a lot of fun to listen along to. I really liked all of the characters and even though I knew this as a horror/slasher novel I was sad when some of them began to die. The ending was... interesting. I almost took another star off my rating but then it redeemed itself in a way. Kalynn Bayron is a great writer and I would be more than happy to read more books by her.
April 23, 2023
4.5* As someone who struggles to read horror because they’re never creepy or scary enough, I can happily say this book had me sufficiently stressed. From the first page until the last, the creepy, tense and deeply atmospheric vibes did not let up. It was fast paced, incredibly addictive and went places I couldn’t have expected. It’s rare that I read a book in a day but once I started this, there was no chance I was going to put it down. A brilliantly heart-pounding horror that is just more proof of how talented of an author Kalynn Bayron is.
September 28, 2023
Scream meets Fear Street.
September 25, 2023
Ok....... I really enjoyed this super quick thriller. Yes, it only took me a day to read. This is because it's only like 200 pages. I love short books, but I felt like this one crammed just the right amount of information into the 200 pages.
Yes, the twist was a little strange and the ending was really weird, but that's why I loved the book. It makes you think "What just happened?"
Yes, the twist was a little strange and the ending was really weird, but that's why I loved the book. It makes you think "What just happened?"
February 17, 2023
2.5 :/ loving Black girls in slashers and all kinds of genre fiction, same with sapphic characters, SAME ESPECIALLY with Black sapphic characters, but tbh, this was just not realized at all and was very all over the place in terms of resolution
Charity works at what is essentially an irl Camp Crystal Lake horror experience. It's a camp guests can come stay at and live in a reproduction of a slasher movie. It's all fine and good until her coworkers start going "missing" and creepy figures are beginning to be seen around the camp...
One issue that I have is that at 240 pages this book could have easily had another 100 pages tacked on. The ending was really quick but was also really convoluted, and I didn't really.. like.. care enough about any of it? Like I didn't have a lot of time to get attached to anyone but Charity and her girlfriend.
It WAS really quick to read, not only because of the small number of pages, but because it was suspenseful. It became disappointing when I realized where the suspense was leading us!
I did get surprised by the very ending, and it was a pretty satisfying final conclusion, but it wasn't really enough to pull it back. There was a good amount of gore, typical for a slasher, and I think that Kalynn definitely knew how to write the juicy parts even if the ending was a little shaky lol
Personally if you're not the target audience (teens, obviously) I don't know that I'd say this one is worth the read. I love what it provides for representation but I just don't feel that the story itself holds up to what it could have been.
Charity works at what is essentially an irl Camp Crystal Lake horror experience. It's a camp guests can come stay at and live in a reproduction of a slasher movie. It's all fine and good until her coworkers start going "missing" and creepy figures are beginning to be seen around the camp...
One issue that I have is that at 240 pages this book could have easily had another 100 pages tacked on. The ending was really quick but was also really convoluted, and I didn't really.. like.. care enough about any of it? Like I didn't have a lot of time to get attached to anyone but Charity and her girlfriend.
It WAS really quick to read, not only because of the small number of pages, but because it was suspenseful. It became disappointing when I realized where the suspense was leading us!
I did get surprised by the very ending, and it was a pretty satisfying final conclusion, but it wasn't really enough to pull it back. There was a good amount of gore, typical for a slasher, and I think that Kalynn definitely knew how to write the juicy parts even if the ending was a little shaky lol
Personally if you're not the target audience (teens, obviously) I don't know that I'd say this one is worth the read. I love what it provides for representation but I just don't feel that the story itself holds up to what it could have been.
June 11, 2023
A fun YA summer horror novel that pays homage to the slasher genre and has a good number of surprising twists! (including a great ending) You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight follows Charity, a queer Black girl who spends summers working at an immersive horror "camp". She plays the final girl and takes paying guests through a night of horror and scares reliving a film about a serial killer at a summer camp. But just as things are wrapping up for the summer, things begin to take an unexpected turn and there's about to be a lot more than fake blood to worry about...
This was entertaining and spooky, but never too scary. If you're familiar with slashers you shouldn't be surprised that a lot of bodies drop along the way, but it's not a book that feels heavy as a result. If you're a horror fan or have teens in your life who are getting into slashers, this is a great pick. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was entertaining and spooky, but never too scary. If you're familiar with slashers you shouldn't be surprised that a lot of bodies drop along the way, but it's not a book that feels heavy as a result. If you're a horror fan or have teens in your life who are getting into slashers, this is a great pick. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
April 2, 2025
The whole time, I wondered if this was a feeble attempt at rewriting the origin story for DC Comics’ Court of the Owls.
One word for this book: lame. Only reason I finished the book was that it was short.
One word for this book: lame. Only reason I finished the book was that it was short.
September 21, 2023
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 because of the great concept!
I love a good 'final girl' slasher book and this one delivered on murder most gruesome. I enjoyed the supernatural elements as they were a bit creepy. Some good tension and big cast of characters, some of whom I hoped would meet a bloody end, and others I want to live. Whilst there was a predictable "villain" I still got a bit of a shock at one part. Fun times in this YA horror/thriller people!
I love a good 'final girl' slasher book and this one delivered on murder most gruesome. I enjoyed the supernatural elements as they were a bit creepy. Some good tension and big cast of characters, some of whom I hoped would meet a bloody end, and others I want to live. Whilst there was a predictable "villain" I still got a bit of a shock at one part. Fun times in this YA horror/thriller people!
October 8, 2024
well over two years since i last read an entire book in one sitting I FEEL SO ALIVE
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