Burn the Negative does something I LOVE: combines a story with outside elements like newspaper articles, script pages, etc that, for me, just make my immersion into the story so much better!

Laura is sent to LA to write a magazine article covering the remake of the cursed movie she starred in at age 7….and bad things happen.

I loved this story. Fast moving, interesting, with a creepy monster and great setting. I’d recommend for fans of slasher horror movies and books like Night Film by Marisha Pessl (one of my favs). Burn the Negative will be one of my top reads of 2023.

This is an instance where I’d recommended a physical copy of the book. On the kindle version it was hard to read the pages where there was a movie script, blog post, etc. I requested my library purchase a hardcover and they did which I promptly borrowed.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book blind. I had never read anything from this author before. I thought the book was boring. I couldn’t get into the book at all. I had to put it down at 30% I just couldn’t continue

I had such a great time with this book. The interstitial articles really made me feel like this was a real movie that existed.

It had so many twists and turns and was perfect for any fan of 90's horror movies.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I was hooked from the beginning and it’s a book that’s easy to binge which is always nice. The plot reminded me of so many of my favorite movies; scream 3, final destination, darkness falls. Definitely read this if you like those movies, are looking for a thriller with some supernatural if you’ve read books like Sarah Gaileys Just Like Home

I was able to obtain a physical copy of Burn the Negative from my library and wow, what a fun ride. Burn the Negative is perfect for fans of horror movies, Riley Saga, and multi media format books.

Laura is an ex child actress, who was once the star of a slasher movie. This movie is known as one of the most cursed films of all time, and Laura left acting because of it. When she's called back to LA to write a journalistic piece on it, the body count begins to increase, leaving Laura to wonder if the curse was ever broken. As people begin to die in manners that match the death's in the movie, Laura delves into her past to hopefully break the curse.

Listen, is this high brow literary horror? Absolutely not, but is it a wild ride, a lot of fun to read and the perfect fall horror to read? Absolutely. It was just creepy enough I couldn't read it after 7pm but I loved it and had a blast while reading.

I picked this one just at the right moment and practically inhaled the chapters. The story is about a journalist reliving her nightmare when she comes to know that a slasher movie is getting remade. In the original version, the journalist played a character thats been haunting her for so long, now that the remake is in works, it opens painful scars for the journalist. The story is not per-se horror, but more thriller with slasher themes which I enjoyed more. Honestly, I could’ve read another 100 pages of this one! Highly recommend.

Thank you Putnam books via Netgalley for the ebook.

the synopsis sounded so intriguing but i really could never get on board with this one sadly. the narrator was a bit too annoying / felt like the writing kept me at arms’ length from getting into her head.

AAAAhhhh, this book was off the chain! I like to think I am a horror aficionado, so this was right up my alley! It was like watching a behind-the-scenes making-of a horror movie while also watching another movie being made in real time. Feeling the nervousness and regret Laura was feeling when she gets to L.A. to do a story on the reimagining of the movie The Guesthouse, as she was a child actor in the original and it's believed that the movie, the set, and the actors are all cursed. But is the curse real? As soon as the deaths begin happening, Laura starts to believe that there may be something to it. This was creepy and atmospheric and it reminded me of when I was young and watched horror movies of the 80s. And that final twist was pretty freaking jaw-dropping! I loved this book so much! I can't wait to read more from Josh Winning!

This book is what I wanted Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie to be.

I was hooked from the very start. It was like Smile, Night Film, and The Nightmare on Elm Street had a baby! Also, you can tell the story was heavily influenced by the real life tragedies that occurred on/off set of the filming of The Exorcist. Morbid but fascinating nonetheless.

The killer wasn’t cheesy to me at all and I was biting my nails in anticipation for the final reveal! I also really enjoyed the ending. Didn’t give me that FIVE STAR FEELING in the end but I would still highly recommend!

Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for this ARC of Burn The Negative in exchange for an honest review. Burn the Negative by Josh Winning is a fast paced, horror/ suspense that keeps you guessing until the end. It is about Laura who is a journalist covering a remake of a notorious horror film that had a curse attached to it,, and she happens to have played the little girl in the movie all those years ago. As soon as she arrives back to LA creepy things begin to happen and we can't help but wonder, is the curse back?

I had so much fun reading this book. It was campy and had a lot of nods to classic horror films. I'm usually great at spotting the twists early on, but it kept me guessing and changing my theories over and over throughout the book. There are so many metaphors and deeper meanings woven in as well, but I can't get into them because I don't want to spoil anything. This is my first time reading form Josh Winning, and he is now on my radar.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/GP Putnam Son's for gifting me a digital ARC of this book by Josh Winning - 4 stars!

When journalist Laura Warren arrives in LA to visit the set of a new horror series, she witnesses a man jumping from a bridge, landing right behind her car. She's filled with dread because this new series is a remake of a 90s horror movie. One that she starred in as a child and has been on the run from ever since. Because. the film was cursed. In the movie, Laura played the young girl with the ability to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. Then eight of the cast and crew died in just the ways the movie portrayed. Now it's happening all over again.

This is a fun homage to horror/slasher films, complete with quotes and mentions of some of those movies. Plus, chapters were also broken up with other forms of dialogue, which I always like. It was campy fun, but also had some real-life messages about facing our pasts, parental pressure, past trauma. Horror/slasher fans will love this one!

Would recommend for fans of…
📽️ The Siren
📽️ Final Girls
📽️ Scream
📽️ I’m Glad My Mom Died

Burn the Negative is the perfect book for horror movie fans. It’s a fun blend of tropes and references that manages to stand on its own, making it a true popcorn read that’s perfect for when you’re looking to get lost in a captivating story. I also enjoyed how it used the horror movie industry to explore the downfalls and repercussions of child stardom.

That being said, it does suffer from the same problems horror movies often do, namely an off the rails ending that doesn’t quite stick the landing. But if you’re able to go along with it and laugh it’s still a fun time that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Burn the Negative is out now. Thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

BURN THE NEGATIVE will grab you immediately. Josh Winning's cursed media/slasher thriller is a fun love letter/homage to horror movies that keeps the fear (and mystery) increasing. Didn't expect the direction it went- if you want supernatural scares and creepy carnage, this has bucketfuls!

Imagine being a child star and enduring trauma... now, imagine using that trauma to blackout and kill those who never helped you when you were attacked as a child. I don't care for how Pill killed Amy at the end but Amy DID cross a line...hopefully, their mother is her final victim. All in all, it was a pretty good read.



#NetGalley #FirstReads #BurntheNegative #JoshWinning #childhoodtrauma #psychosis #death #fame #horrormovies

This started off strong. It really hooks you in from the beginning. I loved all the call outs to 90s horror and the mixed media aspect.

However, the last third of this book really went off the rails in my opinion. I wasn’t necessarily bothered by the ending itself just the way everything played out.

I might still recommend this one to fellow horror movie fans but it will not be at the top of the list.

The Guesthouse was a 1990s slasher movie that is rumored to be cursed. People from the cast and crew keep dying (or committing murder). What most people don't know about Laura Warren is that she is really Polly Tremaine and she was the star of The Guesthouse. Laura has tried to distance herself from the movie for years, but when a reboot is in the works, she is sent to cover the story. Laura has barely touched down in LA before bad and unexplainable things start happening.
This book was surprisingly creepy. I found myself being a little afraid of the Needleman. However, the ending was not what I expected at all (and not in a good way). I was so into the story until the end.

I really enjoyed this book! There’s a cursed film set, a terrifying monster called the Needle Man (who definitely reminded me of Freddy Krueger!), and horror slasher awesomeness. I definitely recommend this book to horror lovers. Burn the Negative had all the horror movie vibes. Grab some popcorn and go read this one. 🎞️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Scarey, creepy, read with the lights on book. The author has a way of writing that pulls you in and be riding shotgun, in the experience of the story. The gore wasn't too gory and I was able to read and enjoy. I had a love/hate relationship with the characters hating some of their choices and applauding others. It was a book that needed to be savored and enjoyed. Looking forward to the next book by this author.

#BURNTHENEGATIVE #JOSHWINNING. #NETGALLEY

I loved the concept of this book and the creepy parts, but it was a very slow read for me. It kind of dragged on a little too much for me to fully engage in the story. I started to skim some of the sections which is never good.

Thanks NetGalley a publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I'm so happy I ended up picking this book up. I ended up really enjoying it. Mix together horror and Hollywood, yes please! Right away, I just had to pick this up solely from the summary. You can tell Josh Winning is such a huge horror buff. It shows in this book. He makes a bunch of horror movie references in this book, which I thought was fun. I love it even though I haven't seen some of the movies he mentioned. I also loved that this had mixed media involved. I'm such a huge fan of mixed media and I feel for a book dealing with Hollywood it's very suitable. I wish there could have been pictures too. I mean there were some drawings but a Needle Man photo. I think would add to the spooky vibes for this book. I'm so happy I picked this up. I can't wait to see what Josh Winning ends up writing next.

*Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy, these are my honest opinions.*