Frendo is back! If you loved the original clown in the cornfield book you are in for a treat with the sequel. Lots of interesting kills, action, and a strong storyline with characters you can’t help but root for.

I picked this book up without reading the first. I knew it was more of a YA horror and wasn't really ready to dive in. But I love Adam Cesare's writing and I had to do it. Glad I did. Not all of the characters were relatable, but they stayed true to form. There were little twists and some pretty tense moments with graphic outcomes. This is not Exponential or Video Night. There is violence, but it is more subdued. I am recommending it to my 14 yo, she will love it.

I really enjoyed the first book. This sequel did not quite live up to the original. It felt like too many points of view though I did love the addition of Jerri, she was my favorite character. I appreciate what Cesare was trying to do with the conspiracy theorists, it absolutely reflected the ridiculousness of people like Sandy Hook deniers and QAnon but it felt pretty heavy-handed.

It was enjoyable however it suffers greatly from 2nd book in a series pox. I wanted to love it but it took a long time to get to the action

Another amazing cover art for the Frendo the Clown series! As we all know, sequels have the power to make a story stronger or weaker, and this one definitely achieves the former! You can expect the same fast-paced action-packed flow of the first book here, which works for a survivalist storyline. I love that we are seeing queer characters in horror now, and not only do we get Rust and Cole, but also new characters Hunter and Jerri. And not only are we seeing these characters, but amidst small town America, which can be tricky to write about anyway, so Adam Cesare did a great job here! The more I thought about the Frendo the Clown universe, the more these books remind me of Rob Zombie and the campiness horror he is associated with. The plot may be ridiculous, but it totally fits, and we do get a little comic relief from Quinn and Glenn Maybrook along the way. We also see a tie-in with Qanon and conspiracy theorists, which is a great way to bring a social issue to the forefront, especially if there are young adult readers out there. I truly hope we do see more out of this series, as I believe this sequel will be successful this Halloween season (clowns are so in!). Can't wait for more Adam Cesare! Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

I loved Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare, so I was excited when I found out there was a sequel. Quinn, Cole, and Rust return in this action packed sequel. Only this time, they are caught in a social political controversy between people who believe the events of the first book were true and people who think it was all a hoax. This book has even more wackos than the first novel. I don’t want to spoil either book, so I’ll just say that it is a fun read.

I adored the first book, so naturally, I was very so excited to read this one! Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives does not disappoint, pays homage to classic slasher movies, and really shows us what is wrong with the world, something I love when a horror movie or book is able to do and able to do well.

What a wonderful follow-up! This sequel brings all the characters I loved from the first book into a new horrifying situation.

Without giving anything away, this book made me angry. However, I think that was the intended point. The harsh reality is that I could see something like this happening in real life. There was such dread in some of the situations and this read like a movie. I hope this gets picked up for a movie or television show while, at the same time, don’t want this book to be ruined by Hollywood.

I think Adam Cesare is a horror author I will continue to follow.

An absolutely worthy successor to an already great first part. Fun all the way through, and conjures up all those feelings of seeing Scream 2 (the first being like Scream) and having so much fun all over again. Loved it!

Thank you to HarperTeen for providing me with an e-ARC of Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives in exchange for an honest review!

If you're looking for a proper slasher sequel, this is it. I saw Alex compare this to Scream 2 & 100% agreed; I was getting those vibes the entire way through. I've known Adam Cesare to be very well-knowledged with horror films & his books definitely prove this.

Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives invites us back into the lives of our survivors from the first book: Quinn, Cole & Rust. This one deals with the aftermath of the massacre, while also tackling mob mentality. There is a lot of social commentary in this one.

For me, the best part was the action & kill scenes. Clown in a Cornfield 2 is pretty gnarley & I loved it. This book had me from the very beginning and held on until the very end. Action was solid & kills were brutal.

Oh!@?~!@! & that ENDING? YESSSSS. Crossing my fingers that we'll be returning to Kettle Springs soon!

I really enjoyed this sequel - and surprisingly liked it better than the first one! If you’re looking for a fun teen slasher, you need to pick these books up. The second book is not a standalone so you for sure need to read the first one. 🤡

In the beginning I got some fun teen slasher movie vibes as it alternates between Quinn in college and her friends/father back in the small town of a Kettle Springs. The movie Scream came to mind a lot and I love those movies! 🔪

I did get a little confused for a few minutes between the original killers’ motives and the new conspiracy theorists group but it was sorted out pretty fast. Toward the end, I kept thinking about the Jan 6 Capitol Rioters and how crazy they were for not only doing what they were doing but that they actually thought they’d get away with it. Same for the perpetrators in this book - how delusional do you have to be to THINK and BELIEVE you’ll get away with the things they did/are doing. 😳

All in all, a fun and fast YA horror read! TW for some gore and violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars!

Slight spoilers ahead. I will not reveal anything big - most of the review vaguely alludes to plot, structure, and characters.

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If you’re a horror fan at all, I am begging you to check out the first Clown in a Cornfield as well as this, the sequel. We’ve been given a blessing in the form of a true slasher in the first novel - a small town, an abandoned feature, a person in a creepy clown mask. While slasher films may be ubiquitous, it is truly rare to find slasher literature - and doubly rare to find slasher media for young adults. Horror is such a valuable vehicle for examining our anxieties and is a safe outlet to explore ourselves. I’m ecstatic to find young horror always, but especially young horror that pushes boundaries. This sequel especially pushes the boundaries of horror in regards to the blending of typical horror tropes alongside real-world horror, making it wholly unique. In fact, the portrayal of the real-life horror aspect of this book is the most terrifying part. It’s timely. It’s topical. It could actually happen. It has happened, in shades. I would like to tip my hat to Adam Cesare here, for blending the over-the-top slasher genre with the real-life aspects that should be over the top but unfortunately are all too real.

Overall, I’m giving this book four and a half stars out of five for its tenacity in tackling the reality of delusional online subcultures, its varied portrayals of grief and trauma, and for not shying away from gore. I would have liked to see a bit more of the Three dealing with these people and their notoriety in the time before things got violent. We got to see a tiny bit of this at the very beginning of the book, but I think it would have grounded the narrative a bit if we had gotten to see some of the message boards, or more of the videos.

Again, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Likely because I was already familiar with the story and characters, I felt much more invested in the Clown in a Cornfield sequel. This one starts off slower, but the stakes are higher and what was once insular, has gone viral.

Our favorite Kettle Springs massacre survivors are back but hardened with new characters to care about, and be suspicious of, thrown into the mix as well.

Cesare's love of the horror genre is on full display with many parallels to the Scream and Halloween movies present.

While classified as YA, neither of these books read in that often tiresome young adult way. The characters acted their age but in a nuanced, mature manner. Also the analogies used in Frendo 2, to Trump supporters, online conspiracies and Jan 6th, felt much more fluid than those in the first book.

I give Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars

Thank you HarperCollins/HarperTeen & NetGalley for the e-ARC of Clown in a Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives which is out TODAY 8/23/22!

First of all, I can’t believe I got to read this early! The first one was such a good surprise for me, and is one of my go-to recs. This sequel wasn’t perfect, but I had a good time and love these characters so much.

First of all, I loved all of Rust and Quinn’s bad*as moments in this. I think seeing how strong they were in this and how they empowered themselves after book one was incredible. I also liked the introduction of Jerri, who was intriguing and easy to root for. My only real issue was Cole. I mean, there’s a difference between being a himbo and just being an idiot. And he toed the line.

I liked the setup for this. It felt really true to the world today, while also being campy and a little over the top. It made me a little anxious, but also empowered me in a way. And I think that’s what makes CIAC so good for young readers. It’s a slasher with a purpose. Still, I needed a little more classic horror here and less real-world conspiracy horror. Also, I felt the ending was rushed, but ultimately deeply satisfying. There was one moment that I fully cackled at. Shoutout Adam Cerase for really knowing how to wrap up a horror.

Ultimately, I can not wait to recommend this series even more than I already have. It’s a great starting point for horror, and teens will eat it up. YA horror writers, take notes.

Horror Bookworm Reviews
Clown In A Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives by Adam Cesare
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

It is the one year anniversary of a bloody crime scene known as The Kettle Springs Massacre. As the flow of time commences, the bloodshed that occurred from the predatory sociopath known as Frendo The Clown has now become center stage for a Haunted Hayride and Scream Park. As the spooky attraction begins its seasonal presentation, three survivors return to the offensive representation of their horrific site. However as killer groupies and true-crime junkies descend upon the entertaining killing ground, Frendo The Clown once again dons its terrifying mask and causes havoc. Heads are sure to roll yet again.

Adam Cesare has resurrected his painted face creation from his successful novel, Clown In A Cornfield. Behold the sequel entitled Frendo Lives, the next shocking saga of that red nosed, wide smiled, porkpie hat wearing masked slasher. Cultivating creative carnage within the fields of cornstalks all the while establishing characters of primary good and absolute evil is a concoction that Cesare excels at.

Delivering a satisfying haunted house experience full of rich harvest horror seems to come easy to this author. He has a distinct talent of guiding the reader on a perilous pathway of scares all the while structuring an intense plot. From the beautiful cover design to the intricate storyline, this novel in my opinion is the complete package. For god’s sake there’s a blurb from Clive Barker on the front cover.

I strongly recommend both Clown In A Cornfield and the sequel Frendo Lives. Purchase both and redeem your Cesare ticket to enter one heck of a horror show. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation. Embrace the Eerie that Adam has to offer.

Clown in a Cornfield was such a surprise for me - a young adult horror novel with a lot to say, and it was just plain fun to read. I enjoyed it immensely. And surprise surprise, a sequel was announced! Similar to a lot of horror movie franchises, I just wasn't sure how a sequel would work for this one. But it just works - set seven years after the first book, Frendo Lives carries on in the tradition of Scream and other slasher classics by following our characters after their lives have been completely upended by the infamy of the events in the first book. Suddenly, people start dying again and a familiar clown is to blame. I loved this one. It's hard to explain without spoiling the first book, but I highly recommend this series to young adult and adult readers alike. I've used the word "fun" several times, which doesn't seem appropriate for a horror novel, but read it and find out. It lives up to the hype.

I enjoyed this sequel, but definitely preferred the original. I liked Jewel as a new main character and some of the scenes in the first half were shocking (in a good way). Loved the haunted corn maze where the original massacre took place - I've always thought having a murderer in a haunted house where no one knows it's real would be a cool book/movie concept. But, the story dragged and got a little boring/repetitive towards the end. Still think they would both make great movies!!

I absolutely adore 'Clown in a Cornfield,' and this sequel pretty much lived up to its precursor! I love the writing and plotting of these, but even more (arguably), I love the way Cesare weaves in an angry ideological message about the state of the world these days, and then writes in a cathartic undoing of the powers that be.

A strong sequel, Frendo Lives continues the Midwestern teen slasher vibe as Quinn, Cole, and Rust try to move on from the events of the first novel, but the world won't let them. A satire on Qanon and Alex Jones followers, the threat is amped up here as the influence of Frendo goes beyond Kettle Springs, and increases the danger to the three. The characters are believable in how they are trying to move on from the massacre, including a new character who lost her sister that night. Like most horror plots, a suspension of disbelief is needed to completely have fun with this violence filled read. Also, a horror novel that ends with a "Good for her" is a definite win.

Great and exciting follow up to his first book! Really enjoyed this one and look forward to more by this author.