Cale Dietrich’s The Pledge instantly gave me Scream two vibes with a college setting and a masked killer. I was ready to love this book and everything it had to offer.

The story follows Sam as he has already survived a crazed killer and is now off to college to redeem some form of his life and live normally. Unfortunately, that would be a boring book. This story was definitely not boring. A lot was going on and a lot of PTSD feelings from Sam on what he deserved and what happened to him. I was able to feel some empathy for him as he was trying to get back to some semblance of normal. I really liked Oren’s character and the antagonists in multiple characters. Of course there is the bad guy/killer, but there were other smaller antagonists in this story that kept that suspense up. I also did not guess what was happening and was unable to guess the ending, which is always a plus.

Unfortunately, the delivery of the plot and these characters was what really caused me to struggle. The writing wasn’t bad at all, but there were a lot of plot holes or missteps. Things like the house being full of party-goers to minutes later the house is completely empty and not a sole in sight. This is a frat house we are talking about, so highly unlikely there was no one inside it at any given time. I also felt like the police procedures were off and not researched well on what proper protocol would be, which is very important when working with detectives and an investigation. These plot holes had me confused at times and caused me to struggle on even wanting to finish the book. I think the story itself is a good one, but the delivery needs work.

With that said, I would definitely check out more books by Cale Dietrich, mainly because the idea behind this story was a good one and I can see the writing improving the more it’s done. Practice makes perfect after all. I encourage anyone to pick it up, and check it out because you may love it even though I didn’t. Get yourself a copy!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

YA horror toes a fine line and while I tend to love YA horror way more than I love adult horror (all of the poetry of gore and body horror without all the weird nonsensical stuff that's supposed to theoretically be scary?), this one didn't quite land. It lacked the imagery and gore I was really looking for - or even tension.

What it had instead (as far as what was done well) was queer rep in spades (phenomenal for a book about college Greek Life) and mental health rep that wasn't just used as a plot device.

[ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review]

This had all the elements of something I’d love, but I’m disappointed it didn’t fully deliver for me.

The Pledge follows Sam, a freshman at college who’s known for one thing: surviving a world-famous murder spree of a masked slasher. He decides to join a frat to try and make friends, move on from his past. The problem is his past isn’t done with him, a terrifying thing Sam learns when one of his new frat brothers is found murdered.

I feel like this book would have really benefited from fifty more pages. It needed a little room to let the characters breathe and grow. I needed a little more characterization for the romance to feel fully formed. I had an inkling early on about who the killer was and would have loved more misdirections or theorizing about who it could be. I love the part in horror when I trust no one and anything. That’s what I was missing from this book.

3 stars

'The Pledge' by Cale Dietrich was the second ARC I was approved for, and it had me at the description as a queer/gay 'Scream' style slasher horror.

If you need to know anything about me, I am a horror movie fanatic and the Scream franchise is probably my all time favorite slasher...like ever.
This book clearly took all the elements that made 90s slashers the iconic era they were and brought in a new and gay storyline.

The story follows Sam our MC who survived a slaughter and murder spree at his family's lake house in high school. Fast forward two years later and he's now learning to live his life and not let his past define him - by moving away and going to college. Sam has to learn to overcome his past and what he had to do to survive the masked killer and the infamy of his story.

His life has changed drastically since the murders and he's determined to make his new life something worth living. So he joins a fraternity when he was invited to Rush from his hot RA, Oren. While going through Rush and becoming a Pledge to his fraternity, the POV switches to some of his brothers.

Sam is ready to live his best life, make friends, date cute boys, and break out of his reclusive shell but he's still afraid something might happen to ruin it all.

With the ever changing POV we see that the masked killer has returned and has one clear message for Sam. Do as he says or people will die. I cannot say anything else because the thrill and twists were so much fun to read.
I'm pretty generous with my ratings, it takes quite a lot for me to not like a book but this was SO much fun. I'm hoping that Cale Dietrich plans to give us a sequel because I need to know where this universe takes us. A solid 5 star read.

A nice, easy, quick read. I was immediately intrigued when I saw it marketed as Scream meets Clown in a Cornfield. It’s definitely a slasher and, because of that, there’s a lot of killing and not a ton of plot and character building. Overall I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend to a young horror reader.

The Pledge was an engaging, exciting, sufficiently scary horror novel from start to finish!

Sam is the survivor of a notorious serial killer. He has lived a reclusive life since the attacks, but he is finally ready to embrace the wide world as a college freshman. He decides that joining a fraternity will help him to make friends quickly and to leave his past behind him. And it is working - he's got brothers who accept him, even when they find out about his past, and he maybe even has a crush on one of them. And then, one of his frat brothers is found murdered and it becomes clear very quickly that Sam's past has come back to haunt him.

I enjoyed this book very much and know that it will be popular with my students!

Read in one sitting! This book was addictive and thrilling. I feel like the only thing lacking was that it was for teens, so it didn't go as dark as it could have. As someone who usually accurately guesses these things, I was shocked when I didn't. Really didn't see that coming. The why, I totally guessed, but the who threw me. Overall, really good and will definitely recommend to others.

To be honest, this was a bit of a mess. The prologue really grabbed my attention and I was excited to see how the whole story would play out. Then there was far too long between any major action and far too many characters introduced. Many of these were introduced just to be killed off which is fine because this is a slasher book, but I found myself confusing many of them because they were all pretty one dimensional.

Also, the final twist was pretty lackluster and didn't really offer much explanation about how it all came to be.

The very end almost leaves room for a sequel but I can't say I'll be checking that out.

Personally I love slasher movies, but I'm just not sure they transfer to books very well. I will not be recommending this one.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for an advance copy of this title! A quick read & the description kind of describes it all. Not my favorite this year....but worth a read if the combo of a horror/mystery mixed with same sex romance appeals to you. Certainly will try more of Cale's works!


Publisher Description
Scream meets Clown in a Cornfield in this young adult horror novel by bestselling author Cale Dietrich featuring a masked killer who targets frat boys.

Freshman Sam believes that joining a fraternity is the best way to form a friend group as he begins his college journey – and his best chance of moving on from his past. He is the survivor of a horrific, and world-famous, murder spree, where a masked killer hunted down Sam and his friends.

Sam had to do the unthinkable to survive that night, and it completely derailed his life. He sees college, and his new identity as a frat boy, as his best shot at living a life not defined by the killings. He starts to flirt with one of the brothers, who Sam finds is surprisingly accepting of Sam’s past, and begins to think a fresh start truly is possible.

And then... one of his new frat brothers is found dead. A new masked murderer, one clearly inspired by the original, emerges, and starts stalking, and slaying, the frat boys of Munroe University. Now Sam will have to race against the clock to figure out who the new killer is - and why they are killing - before Sam loses his second chance – or the lives of any more of his friends.

Elements of horror, mystery, and a gay romance make this a story readers won't want to miss.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal review. Even though I rated this book 3 stars, it may be perfect for someone else, just not for me. I tried to get through it, but did not finish, got about halfway through. Thrilled that this is a LGBTQIA+ represented book but the main character of Sam was just too difficult for me to relate to or empathize with. However, if you like a book that has some romance and a high body count, this is for you!

I haven’t read a book in a single sitting in YEARS! Way to master the perfect blend of horror and romance, Cale!!! Adored it.

Last year I read my first book by Cale Dietrich and I loved the darker emotional side he co-authored in If This Gets Out. I couldn't resist a queer, frat slasher that was noted as a mix of Scream and Clown in a Cornfield.

Sam lived through a murder spree nightmare and is hoping college will be the step to help him move forward from a paranoid existence. As soon as things get even a little comfortable his frat mates start dying off in gruesome ways.

Dietrich did an excellent job creating the slasher scenes. I especially liked that they were from the perspectives of the victims. The writing style was a little choppy at times and there are moments when the romance aspect actually took away from the narrative. I was really surprised at that. More times than not the budding relationship fit but the thoughts Sam had while the stabby time was occurring felt out of place.

I still enjoyed this one and felt it stuck to the classic script of a slasher movie like Scream. The ending line was like a Breakfast Club fist pump in the air too. Overall a fun read with gory elements that pleased my horror movie heart.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. True rating 3.5/5.

This author is becoming a hit or miss for me. Where was the thrill in this story? I loved the premise, which is why I requested it, but darn was I let down. I really wish it kept momentum all throughout the story. I loved the college-setting though. That was a trope I always care for.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Sam is attempting to start over. He has just started his freshman year of college, and he is even joining a frat. That is if he can get past the brutal murders he witnessed when he was 16. One thing that stops him from being able to move on is that his new brothers are being brutally murdered. Sam finds that it is up to him to find out who the murderer is.
The book is a quick read. It fits firmly in the slasher genre. If you are looking for a quick and easy read, this is a good book for that.

I like the premise of this a lot, but I found the execution is only okay. The characters that die aren't really developed. Also, I found the ending unsatisfying. It was a quick read though.

This was overall an entertaining thriller. There were enough twists and turns to keep me interested while reading, and the characters were a twist on the usual final girl trope. I would recommend this book to teen readers who enjoy thrillers and are looking for something a little different.

This book has some serious issues. One of the biggest ones in my opinion was the pacing. People started dying so quickly that I found it hard to care about them which was a serious issue when part of the book hinges on Sam's connection with his "brothers." We barely got a glimpse of the frat boys before we lose one and the whole time I was trying to figure out which one he was. I can suspend belief that Sam would care about these boys he's barely met, but then every single kill fell flat. I wasn't scared. I wasn't tense. I was just resigned to the fact that another college student was about to die with barely even a struggle. I am fully willing to admit that I went into this book with inflated expectations. The use of "Clown in a Cornfield" meets "Scream" really gave me hope that I was about to see the B movie slasher novel of my dreams. Unfortunately, while I like Dietrich's writing (I loved "If This Gets Out") this book just didn't work for me.