Totally loved this and need to get a physical copy to annotate it on my re-read. A total must for fans of the slasher movies from the 80s. Everything I’ve read by Kalynn Bayron has been fab and I need to read more by her.

Fans of 80s slasher movies will love this. Charity plays the final girl at a slasher simulation camp at camp mirror lake. Based upon the famous movie of said lake. Of course the pretend game turns real and it has many nods to famous 80s slashers.

I really enjoyed it

“There’s always a twist, but it only works if you don’t see it coming.”

Reader, I did not see it coming. This book left me on the edge of my seat the whole way through, leaving me guessing how things were going to go wrong at this summer camp slasher simulation, who was going to make them go wrong—but even if it did come a little out of left field, I never could have predicted the way things really went down. The last 10% was so utterly wild that I really have to take my hat off to the author. Paired with the unfortunately loveable characters, fast-paced plot, and light tone that keeps it all from getting a little too heavy, Bayron’s first foray into horror was a huge hit for me.

Kalynn Bayron can do no wrong for me and in this new horror filled thriller, this breathtaking adventure will take you on the most awesome emotional rollercoaster.

Charity's job is to play the final girl at Camp Mirror Lake in a horror experience. But what happens when she really becomes the final girl?

-POC characters
-lgbtq+ representation
-plot twists

Another fantastic read by Kalynn Bayron. I was not disappointed!

there were twists and turns, some shocked me and some I guessed.

Such a well wrote story, easy to follow and a quick read. Who doesn't love a slasher film with a final girl protagonist? This book ticked all the boxes and had me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you Kalynn Bayron, Bloomsbury, and Net Galley for this free arc read in exchange for an honest review.

"What's your favourite scary movie?"
I see these words and hear that iconic Ghostface voice. Slasher Movies and Final Girls are my catnip, 80s/90s horror is pure cinematic perfection.
I adore the classic horror trope wherein that one Final Girl is left alive to confront the killer, to survive where others did not and ostensibly to recount their tale.
Only for the ambiguous endings where the killer is or might still be alive, leaving viewers uncertain about the future of the Final Girl... cue sequel-bait and the inevitability of said girl running for her life again as a franchise is born. Hand me my popcorn already!

So when I saw Kalynn Bayron's latest offering was an ode to all things slasher I knew I needed to get my hands on this book.
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight had me hooked, I felt like I was watching a movie, I was on the edge of my seat (or page) trying to unravel the mystery with my own outrageous ideas (usually accusing everyone at some point of being the killer) and preemptively trying to guess the outcome or ending throughout.
It had all the right ingredients and followed those horror movie rules, you just know Bayron grew up on this stuff and is a horror fan, this reads as a lovestory to the genre.
It's a fast paced, read in one sitting page turner of a book. It built tension, was atmospheric, had relatable characters and a plot full of twists and turns. I genuinely can see Netflix picking this up, it would make for awesome TV. I don't want to give anything away so I've kept it pretty vague, but its a brilliant book so just go read it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ve loved every single one of Bayron’s previous books, and this one is no exception!
I felt so tense all the way through it was the perfect balance of fast paced but clear in plot! Bayron is queen of characterisation in a short space of time. I feel you got the idea of what the characters were like from the very start. Furthermore, the scene was set perfectly. I truly felt like I knew my way around the camp and felt like I could smell and feel every aspect just from reading. It takes an amazing author to capture the essence of a scene with only a few words. Magical.

I feel like with this one it’s hard to review without spoilers, I personally went into this one blind trusting that because the author’s previous was good I’d like this. Best decision I made!

It’s rare I don’t guess where a book is going nowadays, sadly this is the symptom of reading so much…. However, I had no clue how this one was going to end and most my theories were proved completely wrong. It truly swept me away into the terrifying world of camp life and feeling hunted! More thrillers please Bayron!

I’m always excited for new Kalynn Bayron releases and when I came across You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight, her horror debut, I absolutely needed to check it out.

The length of this was perfect. At just 240 pages long, it’s to the point and doesn’t carry the horror to the point of cliche. Well, it’s a little cliche as most horror is and what’s more cliche than a summer camp? But it was gripping and didn’t drag the plot out further than it needed.

The cast of characters were actually pretty complex, considering how short You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is. Charity was a really strong lead and I loved how everyone had a role to play in the horrors of the night - this will make more sense once you read it, but there are classic roles that need filling in every horror and this story has them.

One thing I will say is that I was completely immersed in the story and I did find my focus drifting quite often. However, I have been powering through books, back to back, like nobody’s business, so I might be feeling a bit burnt out.

But I don’t know, it did feel like something was missing, this didn’t have the usual magic (not literally) that I find in Kalynn Bayron’s books. This doesn’t mean it was bad, because it definitely wasn’t, but it definitely isn’t my favourite release of hers.

My absolute favourite part though, I’m not going to spoil any major plot points don’t worry, was the ending. It really wasn’t expected. I don’t find myself genuinely shocked by books very often, but this one definitely got me.

A super fun, SUPER gory horror story, perfect for fans of classic slasher movies. Great for Halloween but don't wait 'til then, read it now!

"If you're the final girl, what does that mean for the rest of us?"
"It means we're all dead,"

Kalynn Bayron has done it again, having me stay up late to finish her masterpiece of a book! If you are a lover of slasher movies but made queer, this is a book you need to get your hands on ASAP!

Charity has the summer job of her dreams, working and playing the final girl in terror-simulator experience at Camp Mirror Lake. While scaring guests into thinking they're going to die, Charity and her small crew recreate scenes from the infamous Curse of Camp Mirror Lake.

But what happens when the game becomes a reality?

With some of the crew missing, and a haunting figure being seen in the darkness of the grounds, can Charity and her friends survive one more night or is it time that the crew of Camp Mirror Lake get a taste of their own medicine? Do they really know everything about the place they work?

Honestly, the only thing that threw me off and took me out of the emersion of the book was a certain animal that was mentioned near the end. But other than that the twists were unexpected and the ending was absolutely shocking!

I will forever and always recommend Kalynn Bayron's books to anyone and everyone who will listen. She has not disappointed me yet and I am eager and excited to read more!

KALYNN CAN WRITE ANY GENRE AND I WILL DEVOUR IT. I finished this book in one sitting and i love it so much!! the characters, the plot, the twists, the betrayal, the ending?? it literally made me scream, cry and then scream again! i’m glad the ending was everything i wanted and though it did break me a bit it put the pieces of my heart back together <3 my new life goal is to convince everyone to read this book

This was such a fun slasher book with all of the callbacks to classic eighties horror films. The characters were likable and had distinct personalities, which was great and the plot itself had lots of twists and turns that took it in some very unexpected directions. I thought the camp ground setting was perfect and the pacing was really good - compelling throughout. There was also plenty of gore, which I definitely appreciated. I really enjoyed this one!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Charity works each summer at an immersive horror experience, where guests come to be scared out of their minds for the evening. But this year, things begin to get all too real, and it quickly becomes unclear whether anybody will survive long enough to be a Final Girl...

This is such a good horror, which builds the tension brilliantly. I found myself reading it at night and had to put it down until the morning so that I could sleep! Some of the events, particularly the end, were a bit rushed and that ruined the atmosphere a little. But overall a good read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A great YA horror.

I love horror movies and game and so it makes sense that I should read horror books. I don't think I've read one since the 90s and so that YA novel was a great way to get back into them.

It's a really interesting premise and is set in a setting many people will be familiar with from movies, a summer camp. But this summer camp is actually an immersive horror experience where people sign up to escape the 'killer'. It genuinely sounded like so much fun.

But what happens when it's not all syrup and food colouring and campers start turning up dead for real? It becomes a race against time - before it gets dark - to try and get help and get out.

Overall I really enjoyed this, I would've liked a bit more of the camp killer and stalking but understand for a YA novel it might've been too much.

This has so many great horror tropes, the setting, the killer, the twists, the supernatural aspect, as well as LGBT+chracters and representation.

I'm really looking forward to reading some of Kalynn's other books, and already have a couple on my wish list.

Camp Mirror Lake - the setting for a popular full contact terror game - and Charity Curtis has the dream job of playing the ‘final girl’ each and every night. But suddenly Charity’s co-workers start disappearing and the horror begins for real.
As a huge fan of horror films, and particularly the franchise slasher movies of the 80s, I absolutely had to read this book! It did not disappoint!
Even as a reader, who is certainly much older than the intended young adult audience, I loved this book. It had everything you could wish for in a horror story - it was creepy, tense, atmospheric, and gory - plenty of gore!!
I shall certainly be looking for more by this author.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC!

This was the YA horror version of your favorite movie theater's popcorn. It was paced really well, had fun characters, and of course all the spooky trappings of a classic camp slasher. There are also plenty of Easter eggs for fans of the genre sprinkled throughout, as a little extra treat.

If you enjoy campy YA slashers, this book belongs on your shelf!!

I'm not a big horror girl but I've heard great things about Kalynn Bayron & wanted to give this one a try and I'm so glad I did. The fast paced nature of the storytelling and the twists that I didn't see coming meant once I started reading this I couldn't put it down!
I can't believe how much I loved it. It's really refreshing in a horror/slasher to have a sapphic main character (Charity) who is actually smart and relatable. The highlight for me was Charity and Bezi's relationship, the tender moments that they share added so much to this story.
I look forward to reading more of Kalynn's work soon. Highly recommend

I am not usually a horror fan but this reminded me very much of the 'shlocky' slasher horror movies of my youth (possibly with a dash of Scooby-doo). There was a disturbing sense of unease from the beginning and plenty of jump scares and plot twists and turns. The main protagonists were also relatable and on the whole likeable, and the villains were well drawn. It was great to see such a cool, queer final girl, and I loved the depiction of Charity and Bezi's relationship. I'm sure the more bloodthirsty YA readers in the library will love this book.

I really enjoyed this one. I'm a huge lover of classic slasher films and this was a great homage. It was everything you'd expect from a horror like this, and this was complimented by the great cast of characters.
The story was quick paced, well told, and the ending completley caught me off guard!
I can't believe this is the author's first in the genre. I hope it's not the last!!

I think the short length of the book really affected the overall story, because I didn't feel like it was very developed or suspenseful. There were a lot of characters that didn't seem to have any definition to them, and in turn, their relationships and interactions felt stilted and awkward, especially between the lead character charity, and her girlfriend. I did enjoy the overall idea of the story, and there were moments I really liked, but the pacing bothered me a lot, as I thought the action would begin a lot sooner.