Title: There's No Way I'd Die First
Author: Lisa Springer
Genre: YA, horror, mystery thriller
Publication date: September 5th 2023
Published by: Delacorte Press
Source: eARC for review from publisher via Netgalley
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Buy it: Amazon | B&N
Synopsis: Noelle Layne knows horror. Every trope, every warning sign, every survival tactic. She even leads a successful movie club dedicated to the genre. Thus, who better to throw the ultimate, most exclusive Halloween party on all of Long Island?
And with the guest list including the coolest kids in her senior class, her popularity is bound to spike. Hopefully, enough to warrant an expansion into podcasting. Plus, the fact that attractive, singer-songwriter Archer Mitchell is coming is honestly the candy corn on top. Nothing is going to kill her party vibes.
Except... maybe the low-budget It clown she hires to lead a classic round of tag. He’s supposed to be terrifying, though in a comforting, nostalgic way. Instead, the guy is giving major creeps. But maybe Noelle’s just that good at hosting?
Her confidence is immediately rocked when the night’s entertainment axes one of her guests. And he's not done yet. If an evil, murderous clown thinks life is a game, then Noelle is ready to play. She’s been waiting a long time to prove that she’s a Final Girl.
I haven't had good luck with these sorts of books where the main character is a horror fan and is trying to outsmart and evade the killer. And my streak continues with this book 🙃 It wasn't a bad book, but I think this was not for me.
I loved the premise of this book: a horror fan throws a Halloween party, hires a creepy clown, and then said creepy clown turns murderous and starts killing her guests—um, yes, please! But good god I could not with these characters. I didn't like any of them. Had I known they were all influencers, I probably wouldn't have picked up this book. It's just a trope that does not appeal to me, and this book proved exactly why: It's hard to feel empathetic toward a bunch of entitled rich kids who care about no one but themselves. And maybe that was the point of some of these characters, but I didn't even like the main character, Noelle, either! She was a straight-up social climber. The only reason she invited these kids, in particular, was because of their huge following, something she hoped would help launch her new podcast. Ugh.
But I'll give the book this: most of the kills were pretty good and creative. Lol. And I appreciated the horror movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
Overall though, this was not for me. I liked the premise and the kills, but that's pretty much it. I was not a fan of the characters—none of them were relatable—and the reveal at the end with the culprit and their motive... Saw it coming. And it was honestly so laughable. Poor little rich kids from start to finish, and I couldn't care less about any of them. But like I said, this type of trope is not for me. But if you’re a fan, you might like this one!
But I'll give the book this: most of the kills were pretty good and creative. Lol. And I appreciated the horror movie quotes at the beginning of each chapter.
Overall though, this was not for me. I liked the premise and the kills, but that's pretty much it. I was not a fan of the characters—none of them were relatable—and the reveal at the end with the culprit and their motive... Saw it coming. And it was honestly so laughable. Poor little rich kids from start to finish, and I couldn't care less about any of them. But like I said, this type of trope is not for me. But if you’re a fan, you might like this one!
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