You can pre order the book HERE from Amazon, it is out on the 13th of August.
Slasher Summer by E.L. ChenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days
Pages - 304
Publisher - Michael Joseph books
Source - ARC (out August 13th)
Blurb from Goodreads
In this campy love letter to the slasher films of the 1980s, seven friends reunite for a weekend of fun—only to be hunted down by a cold-blooded killer. But the real horror is not being able to escape who you were in high school...
The sleepy town of Cedar Lake Falls is best known as the shooting location of the campy ’80s horror flick Slasher. In high school, preppy Patrick, jock Jason, cheerleader Tiffany, stoner Freddy, goth Jennifer, and nerdy Michael had played the cast of Slasher during midnight showings, with virginal Carrie as the Final Girl, of course.
Years later, the friends reunite at the remote cabin where Slasher was filmed. They've changed since high school—Patrick came out, Mikey bulked up, and, well, Freddy's still stoned—and they're looking forward to a weekend to catch up. But when night falls, and the eponymous masked killer is spotted, the reunion takes a deadly turn. The friends discover their tires deflated and the phone line disconnected, and soon they’re being stalked by a mysterious assailant. Is someone trying to make their Slasher experience as authentic as possible?
One thing is for sure. Before the night is over, they each will have to take on the role they thought they'd left behind.
My Review
I absolutely love horror movies, I grew up on them at an age when I really shouldn't have been watching. Same goes for books, I was eight when I read my first Stephen King so yeah it is a life long enjoyment of the genre. This book gives nods to many of the movies/stories I grew up with, enjoyed as an adult and many of the tropes throughout the genre. It pokes fun at itself too which I think adds to the enjoyment, like look at the cast, the preppy guy, the jock, a cheerleader, the innocent, a stoner, a goth/lgb and the nerd like tick tick tick.
These guys used to have a club "The Jumpscare society" - horror movies and hanging out, something happened with Carrie (the good girl) and she left in disgrace. Now the group are having a reunion in the cabin where a horror movie was filmed, four years later. There is still some unresolved feelings and they are staying over in the cabin what could go wrong lol.
I love the cheesy poking fun not taking itself too seriously, the tropes, nods to the some of the classics that have gone before this one. We have lgb representation, the hot vacuous cheerleader, we have the relationship issues, sexuality questioning, wanting the one you never get oh and muuuuuuurder. A masked killer from the movie is picking them off one by one, creepy, the oh for Gods sake WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT you always question when characters do X action/plan in the genre.
The chapters are pretty short which is always a bonus but especially since the characters get their own pov's and each chapter is titled with their name so it is easy to follow. I think this would transfer really good to the big screen, to be honest I could get behind any horror being made to a movie. The tension, the masked killer going after their prey, the forest and water scene(s) I mean kudos because you can't help but think of those horror movies with these types of scenes, 4/5 for me this time. This is my first time reading this author, I would absolutely read them again and will check out their other books!

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