DNF. Unfortunately this was too slow burn for me personally and I didn't like any of the characters enough to push through until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Well this camp cancelled rehabilitation horror was right up my street.

Straight from the horror of 80s slasher horror movies with religious belief's used to maximum scare factor.

This book is based around knock knock Nancy an urban tale told around the fire to scare campers , she likes to steal your head and make bad people replay.

Now if you have ever seen Carrie or Friday the 13th this book is almost a mashup of both tales but it has its own twists and turns. It deals with modern day issues such as people having an unhealthy attachment to their devices and the internet.

The story it’s self hooked me from the beginning it’s easy to read and would suit most YA audiences.

There is a few big twists in the book I won’t say who what where but I was shocked a few times .

All in I enjoyed this book took me back to playing horror games and reading point horror books .

I have just finished it, I could not put it down. A well deserved 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was hooked. I’ve never said to myself ‘Just one more chapter’ so much during a book before. I couldn’t get enough and just wanted to know more. 🪓
I wrote over 16 pages of notes and thoughts throughout reading it, and I still want to offload more that’s running through my head. 🪓
Josh had me guessing and questioning everyone and every action. There were a couple of things I did wonder if were going to happen but there were so many surprises throughout with twists and turns. 🪓
I definitely don’t want to be hearing a Knock, Knock, Knock anytime soon.

I can’t wait for someone I know to read it so I can discuss it with someone.

Heads Will Roll is a horror novel set in a remote retreat, in which a digital detox summer camp quickly becomes a slasher. A sitcom star, known as her character Willow, checks into Camp Castaway after being 'cancelled' for posting something stupid online, where she meets fellow campers with reasons to run away from society, and a harsh 'Camp Mom'. After a ghost story about a headless girl, Nancy, who knocks on your door, people start disappearing, and being cancelled becomes the least of anyone's problems.

I enjoy slashers and I find summer camp slashers particularly scary for some reason, so I was excited for this one. It is very aware that it is a slasher, which most slashers since the 90s have been, and the Hollywood aspect gives enough excuses for genre-savviness too. The novel is told mostly from Willow's perspective, with a slow build-up and then plenty of heads rolling as the action gets going. The horror plotline itself is pretty fun, with some twists and turns and the classic concept that everyone there has some kind of past they are escaping from. I think some of the gore/beheading would work better onscreen, as in the book it becomes quite forgettable as more and more characters just seem to suddenly have lost their head.

The element I found less convincing was Willow's backstory. I liked the detail of her burgeoning romance with a fellow camper (it was a bonus to get a surprise queer romance as a subplot in a slasher), but once you found out more about what she tweeted, and what happened next online, it all felt a bit flimsy. I guess the difficulty is having the protagonist do something to be cancelled that actually isn't bad enough to make them seem like an unlikeable character, but because of this, it lacked the complexity of really exploring cancel culture, and seemed to pass it off once it had been revealed. The internet troll element also felt too rushed over, and way too neat in terms of who it was.

Heads Will Roll is a fun slasher that I found genuinely a bit creepy in the middle when I was reading it late at night, as it did make good use of the isolated camp setting. It felt like it would make a good slasher film, but for my tastes, I wanted it to have a bit more substance around the 'cancelled' setup and maybe how that plays into who people think might be a villain, given that it is a genre that often relies on having villains anyway.

A fine entry into the camp scare genre.

This book opens with failed sitcom and social media star, Willow, on her way to summer camp - not for kids, but for adults who want to get away from the stresses and strains of modern living. So no phones, no internet, nothing from the outside. Which is good, because most of them seem to be running from the outside. and Willow is no exception. It seems one single, ill-advised Tweet got her sent to social media oblivion.

And so we get to Camp Castaway, where no one apparently has ever watched Friday the 13th. Or maybe they have but didn't pay attention. In fact, the book plays out like any of the slasher films we've all seen - deliberately, I presume. It's full of two-dimensional characters any one of whom could be the baddie. And just like the films, it's entertaining, even spooky in places, and even has some of those "she's really going to do that...?" moments.

There's a nice amount of reflection on the whole social media / influencer thing, which is fine, as is the way in which Willow responds to her new status.

A nice summer beach read.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟓 ⭐️

This was such a fun ride!! I’m so happy NetGalley approved me on this book, this is my first Josh Winning read and it certainty won’t be the last. Firstly, that cover is stunning!! 🤩

If you know me by now, you know I LOVE a horror camp story! This wasn’t a camp for kids, this was a retreat of sorts for adults who want to go off the grid. They have to sacrifice all their electronics and embrace nature.

Willow is no different, a reality tv star that posted something online so she’s now cancelled!! The camp is her salvation or so she thinks. I love the whole cancel culture theme within the book.

Willow is such a likeable character that you can’t help but warm to her and root for her every step of the way, I loved all the pop culture references and how much Willow loves her horror movies.

This had twists, turns and moments that were down right chilling and spooky… dolls heads?!

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse and Michael Joseph

One of my favourite quotes:

𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝, 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢!

10000000000% recommend!

#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #netgalley #horrorbooks #bookstaghouls #booksandskulls #bookstagramuk #bookreview #bookblog #netgalleyreviewer #bookstaghosts #bookworm #booklover #camphorror #netgalleyuk #bookreviews #booklove #ilovebooks

This is so fun. Kind of a Point Horror for the modern era. A really great intro to horror or a palate cleanser if you're deep into your more serious horror.

This is not my usual genre, but I was hooked by Knock Knock Nancy! What a name for a character of legend. I wanted to find out more. Overall, this title is a bit of a mixed bag, but it moves along happily enough and for those who enjoy gory slasher type horror in the woods, there’s enough to satisfy. The premise isn’t entirely plausible, but I took the view that it’s all a little tongue in cheek and went along for the ride. It kept my attention throughout and as a diverting read, I enjoyed it. I love the colour and artwork on the cover. It’s bewitching and well suited to the content.

Absolutely loved this book it’s gory and gripping right to the last page! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I enjoyed this book! It was reasonably fast paced which kept me engaged and I enjoyed the creepy factor throughout. I did enjoy the folktale of Knock-Knock Nancy and felt it fit well with the theme of the book.

I did find that the ending was a little abrupt but it is hard to finish these stories off. I also partially guessed the twist but not all the way which I was glad about.

I would recommend this and would read more by this author!

3.5

@ThatGirlWillow causes a furore with a tweet three weeks ago and as a result sitcom star Willow loses the lot, not least her job. Her agent sends her to the isolation of Camp Castaway in upstate New York. This place is very different as here, this summer camp for adults gives inmates the opportunity to leave their lives behind and in particular, their mistakes. There’s a complete social media detox because there are no phones. All those there are anonymous, their names are changed as part of the process. Is this a chance for our once upon a time star? She discovers the other campers are ok with one late arrival shocking her as it’s Juniper Brown, her favourite actress. What is the actor who drops off the Hollywood scene ten years ago doing here? Then, several odd and disturbing things happen with one camper going missing. What is going on?

Summer camp horror? Do the contents follow through on the promise of the cover? In part yes as it’s certainly true of the first half where there’s plenty of creep to keep you reading on especially in the ‘shape’ of local legend in Knock-knock Nancy. At this point, there’s an abundance of atmosphere not least caused by the isolation of the camp. The fast paced plot seems to be building well, there’s some fear factor and imagery that gives me the heebie jeebies.

Then, for some reason the pace slows far too often and there’s repetition with regard to Nancy. It becomes gory, there’s plenty of slashing and ‘rolling’ but I don’t feel any tension and I should be freaking out but I’m not. It’s hard to take it seriously as it becomes whoops there goes another one with a lot of frantic dashing about. Understandably. Maybe it’s the author’s intention that I don’t take it seriously?? I don’t know! In addition, the dialogue in the second half is flat and cheesy.

It redeems itself towards the end with a few good twists but the ending seems unresolved.

Overall, there’s plenty of action, it’s fun and if you like slasher movies it does capture that vibe.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This started as a real mystery for a group of people, brought together because of their past lives and problems. It gradually became darker and darker and I began to think that maybe these characters were in real danger. Who was this strange ghostly person seen in the woods? Is it really a ghostly apparition or something far more dangerous?
This really isn’t the genre of book I would normally read and yet I found it compelling. That is, until the last part of the book when we experience such violence and everything falls apart it seems. Not quite so enjoyable but that doesn’t alter the fact that it was very well written and those who enjoy horror will.totally enjoy this book.

Sometimes I think I’d love to go away to a camp retreat for a couple of weeks, get away from it all and just reset my social batteries. The only issue is I worry I’m going to end up the victim of a psychopath who’s rampaging through the woods. Seems to happen a lot in America, I mean, it’s the basis for a lot of slasher movies hey? Well, I might as well settle for reading about a camp in the Wilds, things can’t go wrong this time…*cue ominous music and intense chasing*…that escalated quickly. Heads Will Roll is a classic slasher novel with some great twists and nods to the current cultural climate. I enjoyed it - an easy, flowing read that doesn’t hold back on the horror elements and provides enough background for us to care what happens to the characters. I’m just not sure it’s done anything to cure my irrational thoughts about going to camp though…

When sitcom star Willow is publicly shamed after posting something online she checks in to Camp Castaway an adult summer camp where people go to get away from the dramas of their lives. On the first night away as the campers gather round the fire she hears the story of knock knock Nancy a local urban legend of a witch who was beheaded in these very woods. Legend says her spirit knocks on doors and if you answer she takes your head but Willow doesn't believe in ghost stories. Until the next day when one of the campers has disappeared and she hears the knock knock knock on her cabin door in the middle of the night.

This was so good! This reads just like a slasher movie and had me gripped from the first page. This had so many twists and turns and kept me guessing which direction it was going to go. This dealt with so many hard topics too in a very tasteful way and I thoroughly enjoyed this and could definitely see this being made into a great movie.

I love me a good old fashioned horror and Heads Will Roll is exactly that! Willow is an actress with her own Netflix show who posts a comment on social media that's in rather poor taste. Needless to say it gets picked up by the gossips and goes viral , with the result that hate floods her way and her life implodes. Her show is cancelled, she loses a ton of money because of it, and her boyfriend wants nothing to do with her. So she escapes to Camp Castaway, a tech-free summer camp style retreat deep in the middle of nowhere. For the first day or so, all is well. Then campers start to disappear and someone steals something from her cabin. There's also some unpleasant revelations that come to light that affect Willow directly. Then the bodies start showing up. In typical 'it was a dark and stormy night' fashion, everything goes to hell in a handbasket! Nowhere near as gory as I was expecting, but a good tale well told.
Thanks to Netgalley, Michael Joseph/Penguin Random House Group UK and Josh Winning for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love the cover for this book and couldn't wait to dive into a Summer Camp Slasher but unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one.

Camp Castaway is a retreat where you can go off the grid which is exactly what popular sitcom actress Willow wants after "tweetaggedon" aka after she's cancelled over a tweet which sees her career ruined and death threats.

I didn't like any of the characters and found that a lot of the action didn't really take place until after around the 60% mark.

The premise of cancel culture was a new take which can be appreciated but ultimately it fell flat as the whole reasoning for Willows cancellation wasnt very strong.

It's not Camp Crystal Lake it's Camp Castaway! A camp for adults where one can get away, turn off the outside world, work on oneself, and get in touch with nature. That is the plan at least, but little do the campers know that danger awaits! Woohoo! I love 80's horror movies and this one had all the vibes. Heads Will Roll is shocking, gripping, entertaining, horrific and full of pulse pounding danger!!!!!! This book is oozing with atmosphere, dripping with blood, and hard to put down!!

Willow found herself cancelled after making a tweet. Everyone in Hollywood turned their back on her and her agent sent her off to Camp Castaway to get out of the public eye and off social media. The Camp has a no technology and no smartphone rules. Participants are anonymous and use fake names. It is meant to be a safe place for everyone looking to get away for a while.

All is rustic, soothing, and cozy, at camp. While hoping that she won’t be recognized, Willow is shocked to see her favorite actress is also at the camp! This isn't going to be so bad after all. NOT SO FAST WILLOW!!!! A story about Knock-Knock Nancy is told around the campfire (reminiscent of Friday the 13th, part 2 when campers tell a scary story) and serves to make campers uncomfortable. When a fellow camper goes missing, everyone is concerned and begins to be on edge!

This book is heavy on thrills, chills, tension, and atmosphere. Plus, that cover! I enjoyed the mixing of cancel culture, secretes, relationships, LGBTQ, and horror. This book had characters I questioned, one that I cheered for, and there were a few characters that had me changing my mind about them constantly.

I found this book to be both fun, riveting, atmospheric, a little OTT, and full of dread. All were so well done! Although, this is a horror book and there are some scary scenes, I didn't find it to be too gory or scary (although there were some scary scenes). There were also some scenes that reminded me of scenes from some horror films I have enjoyed. Which I found to be a nice touch!

There are some twists and turns and a few jaw dropping revels that I did not see coming at all!!! I love it when that happens. I loved the mounting dread, tension, sense of danger and pulse pounding scenes. I found myself wanting to yell at the characters to be careful, to not split up, to be aware, to not trust anyone.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. This book is for horror fans and a nod to slasher horror films.

Don't lose your head while reading this bloody good book

I really enjoyed this and read it in one day. I predicted the ending, but I think that's my own love of horror rather than a fault of the writing. A thrilling read

Heads Will Roll is a perfect summer slasher read. Willow is a sitcom star who has just been cancelled and needs an escape. Camp Castaway—a technology-free and adults-only camp located deep in the woods—is just the ticket. While gathered around the campfire on the first night, the campers are told the spooky story of “knock knock Nancy,” and just a few hours later the creepiness kicks off.

A remote camp in the woods is a classic horror setting and Josh Winning paints a very evocative picture. The story itself is compulsively readable. All of the campers have secrets so that mystery element sustains a high level of intrigue right until the very end. The climax is chaotically fun and it definitely lives up to the title. I wish there was slightly more gore, but that's a minor thing!

This book absolutely needs to be turned into a film!

Heads will roll follows Willow who is a former sitcom star after being cancelled. She ends up cancelled after tweeting something inappropriate. Willow decides to check into Camp Castaway which doesn’t allow any technology. the campers end up telling ghost stories and the tale of Knock Knock Nancy comes up which is about a girl who was beheaded. The next night a camper disappears and Willow hears knock knock knock.

This was my second chance with Josh Winning’s work and I didn’t love this to be honest. The whole reason for Willow being cancelled was just ridiculous and so unbelievable. She made one silly comment and her whole career was apparently over. People get cancelled all the time in real life and I can name a number of people who have said some truly horrendous things but they still have careers. Plus the scary element just did nothing for me. This story just wasn’t for me and I don’t think I’ll read from this author again.