"Chopping Spree" takes us back to the '80s-inspired world of Eden Hills, Minnesota, where the Fashion Mall is the epicenter of teenage dreams and a dark secret. Angela Sylvaine's contribution to the Rewind-or-Die series offers a nostalgic trip with a twist, blending the allure of mall culture with a sinister undertone.

The protagonist, Penny, a high school junior, embarks on a journey to fit in with her mysterious teen coworkers at the trendy Fashion Mall. As she peels back the layers of their camaraderie, she stumbles upon a peculiar symbol and agrees to partake in an after-hours party, setting the stage for a night of terror. The discovery of a mortally wounded boy catapults Penny and her friends into a life-and-death struggle against a killer on the loose within the confines of the mall.

While Sylvaine captures the essence of '80s horror and brings the mall setting to life with vivid descriptions, the execution of the plot leaves room for improvement. The suspense builds steadily, but the climax feels somewhat predictable, and some plot points may leave readers expecting a deeper exploration.

The characters, though fitting into typical horror archetypes, lack a certain depth that could enhance the emotional engagement. Penny's journey from suspicion to survival is well-paced, but additional character development could have added more nuance to the story.

The concept of the Rewind-or-Die series, tapping into the nostalgia of '70s, '80s, and '90s horror, is commendable. "Chopping Spree" successfully conjures the atmosphere of those times, reminiscent of fantastic movie rental store covers and the thrill of discovering horror gems.

In essence, "Chopping Spree" is a decent addition to the Rewind-or-Die series, offering a blend of retro charm and horror. It's an entertaining read for fans of '80s-inspired horror, but those seeking a more intricate plot and character depth may find themselves wanting more.

Review to follow shortly. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an electronic advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good. So so soooo good. I was just getting back into horror when I requested this and dang it was a great book to pull me back in. Punny/comedic horror is honestly something everyone should try. Please write more!

This is a fun read if you’re into 80s nostalgia. It fits the mold of the Rewind or Die series well, and reminds me of a B-horror film.

<strong>Nostalgic fun</strong>

Chopping Spree by Angela Sylvain was a throwback to the point horror, fear street and nightmare club books. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read more of the Rewind or Die series.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A short novel that absolutely just did not draw me in. The story is rushed and it just seems like a teenager wrote it. Didn't like any of the characters and the story was just meh.

I wanted to love this. The 80's theme, the slasher element, the mall....but it didn't make the impact I was hoping for. All the components were there but I didn't feel that they were pushed far enough. The vibe of it was great and I felt like I was hanging out at the mall with friends, which was fun, but the story didn't come good on it's promise.

I would rate this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

I honestly didn't expect this to be good... but I hoped it was going to be the good kind of bad. Unfortunately, it was mostly just the band kind of bad. There was hardly any slasher aspects to the story which I was really hoping for.

this was another great entry in the rewind or die series, I had enjoyed the storyline going on in this book and enjoyed the characters in it. It had what I wanted from a horror novel.

CHOPPING SPREE by Angela Sylvaine is a fast-paced, culty slasher novella wrapped up in the nostalgia of an 80s inspired fashion mall. The plot picks up fast as we meet our characters and people are already dying. A killer with a creepy mask, friends wearing strange symbols, and a sprinkling of 80s song titles throughout this novella really bring it all home for me. The dialogue kept me engaged and I just kept feeling like I was hanging at the mall with my friends in my teens the whole time. I felt torn for our main character and what she is going through, wondering how I might react in a similar situation and environment. Is her entire world crumbling around her?

3.5 stars

If you love modern stories that give a whole lotta love to 80s slashers, you're going to want to check out Chopping Spree. It's a short, fun ride, and the length of it works well — we get right to the quick of it, without any necessary development being sacrificed in the story itself. Despite the fact that there's a bit of predictability to the over-arching theme, I think it's a story you should go into knowing as little as possible, so I won't be the one to spoil you. I definitely look forward to reading more from Angela Sylvaine and I'm glad I picked this up!

NOTE: I usually only shelve books as adult or YA, but I wanted to mention that I think this book would appeal very widely to lovers of both age ranges!

This was certainly a short but sweet novel that just fixed me right up for my horror story craving. While it had a great feel for the old 80's slasher novels and movies, it also had a bit of a modern twist to it. The central storyline takes place in a local mall, where bodies start collecting during closing time. Who has it out for the mall and why? Come to find out the kids that all work at the mall hold a very important secret, which will play an important part to the twist in the end. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a quick read, reminiscent of the young adult novels of the 90's!

I wanted to love this so much, but the end just kind of killed it for me. The beginning was so fun and reminded me of a cheesy 80s slasher movie, of course, and then towards the end with the twist just completely changed the story. I wanted a straight forward slasher horror novel, but it just felt like it was trying to hard to send a 'message' at the end about capitalism. I did enjoy Angela Sylvaine's writing though, and I'd want to read more of her stuff in the future.

The cover says it all. It is a homage to the 80’s slasher movies. But not really, because it has the pretension of having a some kind of a “message” about capitalism and neoliberalism and consumerism. Well, it doesn’t. It’s trite and predictable from pretty the first page. Don’t waste your time unless your are hardcore fans of cheesy writing and bad slashers.

Another really fun entry in this series from Unnerving. This one's a slasher set in a mall (think "Scream" by way of "Chopping Mall" minus the robots), and it's a no-frills, bloody thrill ride.

True to the series ethos, "Chopping Spree" serves up retro 80s horror flick vibes, It's a great addition to a year of slashers in horror fiction ("My Heart is a Chainsaw" and 'The Final Girl Support Group" taking the longer-form approach), and it's a ton of fun in its own right.

A fantastic nostalgic plunge into the horror genre. Angela Sylvaine keeps the writing tight and concise and leads us happily to a gory slasher fun fest. Highly recommended for fans of the Rewind or Die series.
https://www.libraryjournal.com/?global_search=chopping+spree

Thank you to Netgalley and Unnerving for providing me with an e-ARC of Chopping Spree in exchange for an honest review.

Y’all, I can’t be the only one vibing with horror taking place in a mall reminiscent of the 80s/90s (complete with the wishing fountain!). You know — Stranger Things, American Horror Story: 1984 & now Chopping Spree by Angela Sylvaine. In Chopping Spree, we’re brought into the mall that Penny & the gang work at when a man wearing a wolf mask arrives with the intention of blowing up the mall & taking down some “capitalist piggies.” With just THAT, we have a solid plot, but Angela Sylvaine adds some plot twists and a dash of creepiness to make this short novella a non-stop ride. ⁠⁠

Chopping Spree is a bit hard to really review because the things that I love about it are things that would 100% be considered spoilers. However, I will say that Chopping Spree contains a particular thing that always wins my heart when it comes to the horror genre.

My really only complaint on Chopping Spree is that it is pretty predictable & feels like something I’m pretty sure I’ve seen/read before. However, it’s still fun to see someone else’s take on an idea.⁠⁠

A classic slasher with a twist that will take you back to the 80s

In the small town of Eden Hills lives Penny, a teenager that just got a job at a clothing story in a mall based on the 8os. From the music to the clothes, we are taken back in time to those good old times.

At work Penny realizes that all her coworkers have a symbol in either a necklace, a bracelet etc It is a P and an L and she has no clue what this stands for.

The young workers turn inventory working nights into parties. That night Penny decided to stay for the party and all was going fine until she heard some screams.

Without phone coverage and locked in the mall at night, they discover someone is killing people one by one.

A slasher that goes straight into the action following teenagers trapped in an 80s mall and a serial killer on the loose. However the story also hides more important messages about power, capitalism, money, the rich and the poor.

ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY FOR HONEST REVIEW.

I went in hoping for a Scream-esque slasher with Stranger Things vibes and unfortunately got neither. Instead, this was a very rushed and only partially enjoyable capitalism critique. While I appreciate the concept, ultimately the execution lacked.

My largest criticism is that of how rushed everything felt. While it was a novella, I do think that the pacing could’ve been handled far better. I would’ve preferred a lot more character and world-building as both felt very two dimensional. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and therefore didn’t really care what happened to them.

I would however like to make a note of a very sketchy characterisation. A shadowy, money-driven figure is described as having a hooked nose which definitely rubbed me the wrong way. With antisemitism in fiction being rightfully discussed at the moment, I hope that the author can amend this for the finished novel.

The most enjoyable thing was the playlist attached to the story, which probably isn’t the best feeling to have upon leaving a novel. This fell very flat for me and I wouldn’t recommend it upon release.

4 stars. This was ridiculous, but it was fun. It delivered a slasher in a mall complex with a weird cult thrown in for good measure. Review to come.

As a high school teacher, writing out full reviews has fell behind. Here are my initial thoughts.