Quincy and her friends were on vacation at Pine Cottage when there’s a massacre. All of her 6 friends are murdered and she’s the only survivor. The media dubbed her one of the Final Girls, joining Lisa and Samantha, who were both survivors of murders. Ten years later, Quincy is still trying to move past it and is doing well, until Lisa is found with her wrists slit. Quincy is left rattled by this apparent suicide. Samantha ends up showing up at Quincy’s house, making Quincy relive her past. As new details surface about Lisa’s death, Quincy tries to unravel Sam’s truth from her lies, and trying to remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

Right from the start, this book had that suspenseful feel to it. It starts off ten years ago, with Quincy bleeding from stab wounds and running away from the cottage where her friends have been murdered. The media calls Quincy a Final Girl, which means it’s the last woman left alive at the end of a horror film. But Quincy doesn’t consider herself one of them, not even when another Final Girl, Lisa, calls her to teach her how to be a Final Girl.

All Quincy wants is to move past it all and in a way, she has. She’s living with her boyfriend, has a her hobby of baking. Everything seems fine, until Lisa is found with her wrists slit. This shatters Quincy’s life. Because of this apparent suicide, Samantha, another Final Girl, appears at Quincy’s house. Instead of Samantha helping Quincy, Sam pushes her to recover her memories, to really think of what happened, which in turn has Quincy questioning everything.

There were so many twists and turns! The plot is incredibly well-written. I thought I was understanding where the author was taking me, only to have to go back to where I started because I obviously knew nothing! My mind was reeling with all the possibilities. What left me completely stunned was seeing Quincy piece together her memories of what went down and when it all came together, I was completely shocked and speechless. Final Girls kept me up until very late at night. I couldn’t go to sleep because this book demanded I read it. And I demanded answers! It was beyond addicting. I loved how the author wove together this intricate story. I still can’t believe this is a debut novel. It’s so very well done! I mean, I couldn’t even trust the narrator. I questioned everybody! Without a doubt, this was a thrilling ride!

Final Girls is an intense, addictive and intricate mystery thriller that will leave readers biting their nails, on the edge of their seat and their minds reeling, trying to guess what happened. It’s a must-read for 2017 and definitely a favorite of mine.

As a reader who enjoys modern day thrillers, I have to say that lately its becoming more difficult to mind myself amused with the plot. However, Final Girls did it in for me! I immediately liked the main character, but I did have those moments where I thought she was making the horrible stereotypical horror movie decisions. The suspense built throughout the novel, climaxing at the point of no return. I was captivated by the way the story was woven through with episodes of not knowing who could be trusted.

'Final Girls' held my interest from page one until the very end. It was well-written and twisty and kept me guessing about what really happened in the cabin in the woods. The ending was a surprise for me (I didn't see that coming). It wasn't entirely what I expected--it is mostly about Quincy and her relationship with Sam and how she has moved on with her life since that night in the cabin. We don't find out the details of what really happened until nearly the end of the book, but that just kept me turning the pages. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

I read this in one sitting - it's a compelling thriller with tons of twists and turns. If it hasn't already been optioned to be turned into a movie, I can easily see it happening soon. It has it's ups and downs - there were points in the book I was a bit bored, but it always sucked me back in. Overall, if you like thrillers, I would recommend it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and Riley Sager for the opportunity to read and review this book. Another fantastic debut novel! I could not put this book down - clear your schedules and settle in for an intense psychological thriller.

Ten years ago, Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with college friends - and was the only one to return home alive. At that point, she became a member of the Final Girls - a term given to the lone survivor of a massacre. There are two other members - Lisa, who survived an attack at her sorority, and Samantha - who lived through an attack at the motel where she worked.

Quincy thought she had moved on - she has a great boyfriend and a job as a baking blogger. But then Lisa is found dead in her bathtub and Sam shows up on Quincy's doorstep wanting to drag her back into the past.

Told in alternating timelines of the present and the events that happened to Quincy that night in Pine College. I literally couldn't put this book down - a must read!

This book had me going back and forth about who I thought the killer was. Without spoiling it I will say the killer was on my list of suspects. I read 80% of the book in one sitting. I didn't read it all because my family forced me to go out for lunch. Then I finished the rest of the book before bed. It's probably the librarian in me but why is this published under a pseudonym? That bothers me. I feel like it's a marketing ploy. Obliviously it worked since I'm talking about it.

I was worried that this would be another entry in the pantheon of "Girl" mysteries (see also: Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, Luckiest Girl Alive, etc. etc.), but it isn't -- or rather, it feels like a natural successor to the Gone Girl hysteria, in that it is genuinely suspenseful, tense, and surprising.
The only thing that keeps it from being a 5-star read is that it lags a tiny bit in the middle. Otherwise, it's everything you want from a literary thriller.

When one of the three 'Final Girls' ends up murdered but set up as a suicide, and the second ends up on the 3rd 'Final Girls' doorstep, it's up to Quincy to purse together what's going on, who she can trust, and who isn't really as the appear to be, before she winds up dead too. I really enjoyed this book! A psychological thriller and a real page turner.

3.5 stars. This book grabbed you from the beginning as the storyline was a very original one. For most of the first 2/3 of the book though, it was slow going. But then things pick up and it is intense at times. There are quiet a bit of red herrings and strange actions by the characters that made it really hard to figure out the big twist. The author did a great job with the characters of Quincy and Sam.

A decade ago, Quincy Carpenter became a final girl, the sole survivor of a horror movie-esque massacre. Struggling to move past the title, Quincy is dragged back into the spotlight when one of her fellow final girls is found dead. Deemed “the first great thriller of 2017” by Stephen King, Riley Sager’s Final Girls is a suspenseful thrill ride that will have you guessing* until the very end.

*guessing wrong

ALL THE BLOOD. And all the drama. This one was a 2-sitting read for me, and the only reason I didn't finish it in one is because I was too freaked out to try to read any more of it in bed! It is classic slasher and the comparisons to Scream were perfect - if this were a film there would be crazy-dramatic music and you'd be yelling at the screen, "Do NOT go back in there! Are you CRAZY!?" all the while reveling in the delicious dramatic horror of it all. I was kept guessing almost up to almost the very end (I did have a few moments of wondering at the possibility of the real killer during the book) and can honestly say this is the first blood-soaked book I have enjoyed since high school (and that was almost 20 years ago). Not my typical read, but one I'm very glad I indulged in!

3.5/5 I read this as an ARC from NetGalley. I enjoyed most of this book. I had a hard time getting through the middle portion, I kept putting it down because it wasn't moving as fast as I would have hoped it would. Overall, I will recommend this to any patron that is looking for a murder mystery/thriller in the YA section of my library and I will be purchasing it for our collection. The idea of the story was interesting and the characters were mostly well developed. The twist at the end was great and I didn't really see it coming, which helped the star rating I gave this book.

Just the other day I came upon something that reminded me of the author, Todd Ritter. I loved his books and I noticed that he had not published anything lately. I knew that he was little known and as such his following was somewhat meh. However, I had met Todd Ritter and found him to be very personable and entertaining. I hoped the best for him. So when I discovered this, I sunk a little bit, hoping he was doing well.

Then, this book came up on my TBR pile. While reading the blurbs, I noticed the phrase "previously published author". Curiosity peaked, I looked them up. Surprise, surprise, it's Todd Ritter! I am so happy he's publishing again and I'm pretty sure his little known status is no more!

I read this book all in one sitting. A story of three girls who were the girls left by serial killers. Either left for dead, thought they were dead or they got away.

A title that no one wants, Quincy is the latest to receive it. She was involved in a massacre that took place in a camp cabin in the middle of the woods years before. She is now leading a "normal" life as a cooking blogger and engaged to her fiance, Jeff. She finds therapeutic satisfaction in the officer that found her and saved her, Coop.

When news that Lisa, another "Final Girl" who survived an attack on her college girls dorm commits suicide, Quincy is visited by the last "Final Girl", Samantha Boyd. Samantha was involved in the attacks by the "Sack Man" while working in a motel.

Samantha has been a curious one for the reporters. Her picture has never been shown, no one knows anything about her whereabouts, she's gone with the wind. Her sudden appearance at Quincy's doorstep adds a new element to this whole story. One where the real intrigue begins. And, where the person searching for the "Final Girls" comes hunting.

A story full of action, suspense and thrills, I found page-turning and mesmerizing. I read it all in one day because I could not put it down.

Kudos to the author for a job well done and your new, well deserved status!

Thanks to Penguin Group/Dutton and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Back in January, I spotlighted in a Top 5 Wednesday post that this book was one of my most highly anticipated reads for this year. There was a lot of hype surrounding it and that didn't seem to dissipate once it was finally released in July. I was super excited to receive an advanced copy and tried to dive into this one as quickly as I could; however, this did not turn into the thrilling, page-turner that I had believed it to be. I don't think that this is the book's fault, but rather a case of my expectations being a lot higher going into it. The story was ultimately an enjoyable read given the subject matter and would be a great place to start for those looking to get into the thriller or horror genres. It's dark, but not dark enough to turn off curious readers.

I'm not a huge horror fan much less horror films, so I was not familiar with the "final girl" archetype. This idea of the last girl standing still having to fight years later after surviving her ordeal was really intriguing to me. Quincy tries to present herself to family and the outside world as the perfect survivor despite having obvious internal conflict with her past. She's now a baking blogger and everything about her life appears "cute" and "sweet." She doesn't make a big deal about the massacre, largely because she can't remember what happened, and no one else around her brings it up. It's only when another final girl, Sam, comes knocking that Quincy begins to really confront what happened to her all those years ago as well as what it means to be the only survivor.

While the story is largely happening in the present, there are small flashbacks throughout that gradually reveal what happened that night to Quincy and her friends. I enjoyed reading these scenes, and interestingly, they aren't written to reflect Quincy's memory returning, but rather, as a true account of what happened. It was very subtle and gripping, which definitely helps to keep the story going because I had such a difficult time staying invested in the present situation. Everything began to drag and feel repetitive with so much unnecessary drama, especially for a character who had steered clear of such turmoil for so long. Surprisingly, in the end, there is more than one big reveal, but everything happens so fast that it wasn't exactly a satisfying or complete conclusion. I enjoyed all the red herrings and never saw the ending coming even if it was incredibly disappointing.

I think the atmosphere of this story lends itself greatly to being read in the fall as we get closer to Halloween. I have no doubt that this will be a book that many will lose themselves in, but in the end, it was just a good read for me. Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely worth the time.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton, and Riley Sager. It was a pleasure reading this book and providing a review!

This book was soooo good!!!! I couldn't put it down! Will definitely be buying copies for the store! Way to go!!!!

Wow-- I couldn't put this down from start to finish! Great story, intriguing characters; just when I though I knew what was happening, I was floored with something ELSE happening! I have three words…. READ THIS BOOK!!!

This will go live on my blog on Wednesday, kellyvision.wordpress.com

Quincy is the only survivor of a mass murder that left all her friends dead. The press dub her a "Final Girl," one of three survivors of somewhat similar mass murders (committed by different people and not connected). When one commits suicide (which, OF COURSE, turns out to be murder), the third finds Quincy. Safety in numbers, right?

As we know from horror movies, everyone is a suspect. And there are a LOT of potential suspects in Quincy's life (including Sam, who may or may not be the friend she claims to be). But there's also Quinn's boyfriend, a reporter, the cop who saved her life and may be a little too close...at this point, she should literally trust no one.

This book is incredibly fun, especially if you're into horror movies. It's also suspenseful, and I loved the "EVERYBODY'S A SUSPECT" feel, which is not unlike Scream.

This is a great vacation read--toss it in your tote and hit the beach! Recommended.

Final Girls attempts to turn the horror trope of the "final girl" - the blood-stained heroine who makes it out alive at the end of a slasher-horror flick - on it's head, with great success.

Our heroine, Quincy, is one of three "final girls" but is trying desperately to move on with her life. Between her baking blog and her fiance, she's making a good start. The police officer who saved her life contacts her to let her know that the first "final girl", Lisa, has been found dead in her home of a suicide. The other final girl, Sam, shows up at her apartment out of the blue, and the news hits that Lisa's death might not have been at her own hands.

For anyone who is a fan of the slasher horror genre, this book is a treat. As I was reading it reminded me so much of Scream that I could almost picture the scenes in my head. This book is not a wink-and-nudge commentary on the genre, though. It takes itself very seriously and, as a result, does a better job translating into a proper suspense-thriller than it might have had it attempted any level of camp. Watching Quincy's perfect facade crumble under the strain of Lisa's death and Sam's arrival was cringe-worthy, and I found myself shouting at her to just go back to baking! The flashbacks Sager used to fill us in on exactly what happened the night of the massacre Quincy survived were well executed and were a nice way to show, rather than tell, the reader about that night. Sager successfully juggles several red herrings that lead up to a twist that, I'm happy to report, I didn't see coming in the least. (Others have said they did correctly predict the ending, so perhaps I should have as well. I was just having so much fun I clearly wasn't paying close attention!)

This book is pure entertainment and a ton of fun. It's entirely suitable, though, for someone who stays away from horror but might want to dip their toes into something that will leave them up late at night with the lights on. :) (Does that classify a horror-lite?)

FINAL GIRLS Written by Riley Sager
July 2017; 342 Pages (Dutton, Penguin)
Genre: mystery, suspense, fiction

(I received an ARC from the Publisher via NETGALLEY)

Rating: 3 STARS

A decade earlier, Quincy Carpenter while on vacation with friends, survived a massacre and was the sole survivor. She joins two other girls with similar fates as the "Final Girls". Final Girls refers to the girl that survives in a horror film. They become big in the media and while they have so much in common they have not met in person.

Quincy who has not been able to remember the details of that night is now getting better. She has her own business, a fiancee and has a trusting friend in the cop who saved her. Just as her life seems to be settling down, Lisa, the first Final Girl is found dead. It is thought to be a suicide but the media is all over the cases again. Then Sam comes to Quincy and reveals things that may turn everything worse.

I could not wait to read this book since it was announced! I was so happy when the publishers approved my request. I wanted to wait till the book was coming out to read it, and I set aside time to read it in one sitting. I don't know if it was my high expectations or what but I was really disappointed with this novel. There wasn't too much suspense so I kept putting the book down and found it hard to pick it back up. I could not like or relate to Qunicy and felt no real tension. The ending was easier to figure out, and once I did reading the rest of the book seemed like a chore. I rated it a three because it was an unique idea, and Sager seems to have promise.

This was a clever, twisty thriller that kept me interested throughout. It was a bit slow to get off the ground, but picked up speed as it got closer to the end. The surprise twists didn't make me gasp, but I did find them surprising, mostly. What I didn't love was the writing- dialogue sometimes didn't ring true, and some traits (like the main character's need to chase her Xanax with grape soda) were mentioned so often as to be annoying.