4.5 stars rounded up

**HUGE thank you to Bloomsbury YA for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

Charity plays The Final Girl at a horror-simulation camp, but it quickly turns into a real game of ominous warnings, chases through the woods, and missing campers.

Rep: Black lesbian main character with a Black sapphic girlfriend; Black, Latinx, and gay side characters.

Content warnings: Offpage sex, discussion of slut-shaming (challenged), negligent policing, absent/abusive parents, missing teens, knife wounds, gun violence, drownings, child murder, stalking, blood, vomit, grief

Kalynn Bayron can truly do it all! Everything she writes just gets better and better. I'm picky about horror and had my doubts that an author new to the genre could write something so gripping. "You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight" had me hooked from the first page, and I found it genuinely hard to put down. The action-packed storyline and spooky tone had me reading as fast as possible.
For a horror novel -- and one that tackles some really heavy topics, at that -- there was a surprising amount of joy included. I loved all the queer joy shared by Charity and Bezi, and all the references to Black American culture. While I'm white and thus can't fully appreciate them, I think it'll mean the world to Black readers to see quips about bonnets hair-washing days. It's the mark of a truly talented author to include these sweet and funny moments in a scary story without it feeling forced or corny. Even better, Bayron has her characters ACT like teenagers, and not in an annoying way. I'm a big fan of finding books where teenagers are realistically portrayed.
It's so important to have authors from marginalized communities tackle genres previously dominated by groups in power. It's way more fun to see yourself represented, and it also prevents harmful stereotypes from being perpetuated. There's no "bury your gays" here. There's no iNdiAn BuRiAL gRoUnD. It's clear that Bayron is not only well versed in the horror genre, but also respects it -- and her readers, no matter their background. I sincerely hope she continues writing horror.

I love the concept but not the execution. I was really enjoying it but then it took a strange turn and introduced paranormal elements. But it still didn’t commit to that.

I found the characters really annoying and predictable.

I did like the writing style and would probably read a different book by this author.

All of Kalynn Bayron’s books have been five stars for me and her newest still blew all of my expectations out of the water. I was at the edge of my seat this entire book and once it was over, I just wanted to go back and read it again to see all of the crumbs that she had left throughout the story.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight follows Charity and her friends as they perform in a reenactment show based on the slasher film Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. Charity plays the role of the final girl and right as they approach the last show of the season, things start getting very real and very deadly.

The writing and pacing in this book was so well executed and I loved seeing the growth in Bayron’s storytelling. She is one of my auto-buy authors and each book just keeps getting better and better. There were just so many twist and unexpected turns and it had just the right amount of tension and suspense without feeling overdone or placed for shock value. It also had one of my favorite endings ever, but I will refrain from any spoilers.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves thrillers, throwback horror movies, and anyone looking for queer books to read for Pride month. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you so much to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Can you survive the night at Camp Mirror Lake?
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Charity Curtis has the job of her dreams: she’s the Final Girl at a fake summer camp meant to act as a terror simulation for those willing to pay to be scared to death. But on the final night of the summer, Charity and her friends notice weird things as they close up the camp for the off season. When people start disappearing Charity and her girlfriend, Bezi, try to figure out what’s going on only to learn about Camp Mirror Lake’s sinister past.
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Ok @kalynnbayron this YA horror book had me SHOOK! The build up, suspense, setting, back story, ambiguous ending—I loved every bit of it! This title went on sale TODAY; everyone needs to buy it immediately!

CW: death, violence, blood/gore, murder, grief

Charity is the final girl… in her horror simulation, of course. At Camp Mirror Lake, guests can pay to be chased by a serial killer, but it’s all an act based on a 1980s horror movie. Charity and her fellow cast members put on this ruse every night with only a few hiccups along the way, cast members trying to get too real with the guests for example. But nothing like an old lady with a shotgun showing up during a game to tell them that sinister things have happened on their land has ever happened before now. And that old lady is just the first weird thing to happen as they prepare to shut down for the season. Is it all just a game, or is there really something scary at the lake?

I have mixed feelings about this book. There are several positive attributes such as a black, LGBTQ+ main character. There isn’t enough representation of either in horror, and this book has both. Another positive is the nostalgia of the camp horror story. There was also a twist ending that I definitely didn’t see coming. The negative, in my opinion, was the ending though. Although it was a surprise, I didn’t like the direction the last 20% or so of the book took. I would’ve preferred either a straight forward slasher or a paranormal angle while this book sort of went for both. Ultimately, this was a fun book that horror/ mystery readers should at least try. I will definitely read more by this author.

If you’re in the mood for a teen slasher, You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron might be for you.

This one gives off Friday the 13th summer camp vibes mixed with a weird creepy cult. Charity plays the final girl in a full contact terror game based on a classic scary movie. It’s all fun and fake murder until Charity’s coworkers start disappearing.

I loved the creepy atmosphere and the isolated setting, which made everything the characters went through that much more frightening. Part of the story kinda lost me and could have used a few more pages to really flesh it out, but the twist and the ending were excellent and evoked everything I love about horror movies. Also, plenty of bodies were dropped, so you won’t be disappointed!

First off, I love Kalynn Bayron and at this point I will devour anything she writes - this Poison Heart is next on my list after this one.
THIS WAS WILD. We don't get many YA horror like this, the last time I had these feelings about a YA contemporary horror title it was Stephanie Perkin's There Is Someone in Your House and this was much better. Bayron did not shy away from pulling punches and serving some gore. She allowed her female characters to be unapologetic about the choices that needed to be made all while playing into classic horror tropes and issues from cult classic movies. But reader beware this got rather graphic and also deals with secret societies/cults with a sprinkle of magical realism/fantasy....I was SHOCKED by the end of this book. If you love something spooky and you're not scared of some violence please give this a go. It'll be out this week - June 20th 2023!!

Horror fans, if you are looking for a YA book that will keep you up at night. This is the book for you.

This plot pays ode to classic 80's slasher films. Teens alone in the middle of the woods at an old summer camp, some go missing but the others aren't really that concerned, an unhinged random lady shows up one night and hidden scrects are uncovered.

Highly recommend for the upcoming spooky season.

This was a clever, quick little slasher. It played with the tropes well and I liked the Pet Sematary moment at the end. I think there could have been a bit more exploration of the cult and how it operated throughout history, but that's mostly the fact that I really loved Alyssa Cole's When No One Is Watching an unreasonable amount talking.

EXACTLY THE THRILLER SUMMER NEEDS! Kalynn blows us away with every book she writes but this new take on horror in a hot summer setting was incredible. it was fast paced, stressful and exactly what I hoped for

Whaaaattt....
Paying homage to our classics thrillers with a twist - of course.
This was a quick, creepy horror story. Definitely gives Stine, FearStreet - those classic horrors I had as a teen. I enjoyed it - if you're a budding or already there horror fan it's a good read.

I was someone in middle school and high school who could not get enough of horror films! Stories fill of scares and terror were such a thrill to experience (especially knowing you were safe throughout the experience). I was also a fan of haunted houses. This book did the genre justice! The very first chapter will get your heart racing and keep it racing as you flip page after page. It had both an engaging plot and interesting characters, (and plenty of surprises, too!)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Charity who plays the “Final Girl” in Camo Mirror Lake’s horror camp. Camper experience recreated scenes from slasher films. When, unexpectedly, her coworkers start dying Charity is on a search to find connections her coworkers death and the serial killer. This was a quick read.It starts with a bang then we learn about Charity’s occupation. Although some of the deaths on paper were explicit it did not make me want to stop reading.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Whew! This one had me on the edge of my seat.
Horror is not usually my genre, but I'm a fan of Kaylnn Bayron, so I wanted to try it out.
She sure knows how to build tension! I kept thinking that I was ready for that "jump scare," but nothing happened like I expected it to.

In Your Not Supposed To Die Tonight, Charity works at an immersive horror experience where "campers" come to be scared. The whole atmosphere is creepy and you never know what's going to end up being real or not.

Lots of twists and turns, and a pretty unique story even though it's based on OG slasher films.

Recommend if you want a little scare.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for an early copy for review.

This was such a fun an unexpected read! I am a fanatic when it comes to anything related to horror and camp. When you put the two together, it’s bound to be extra fun. I love the references to classic horror movies and I loved our main character. She was such a strong lead. I wish this book was longer. My only main qualm was that I wanted more “camp.” Overall, a great read to get me in the summer camp mood.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I love Kalynn Bayron’s books and even though slasher horror is not my first choice of genre, I read this in just a few hours. Was it perfect? No. Was some of it predictable? Yes. Was some of it, including the ending, completely outlandish? Also yes, but I did ultimately enjoy this. There is something about the way Barton writes her main characters that is just lovely. She never misses with that and that’s why I will continue to read whatever she writes.

For the past couple summers, Charity has worked at a horror experience that re-enacts a movie about a slasher at a summer camp. This year she got to be the Final Girl and loved that. However, toward the end of the season, right before they are set to go home, mysterious things start happening. Next thing she knows, Charity is in a real horror movie as there are people trying to kill her and her friends. Can she survive and be the real final girl?

I loved the writing of this book! I was able to read it so quickly because the style was just great. I loved the concept too. I thought it was an interesting twist on the slasher idea with the camp and then it coming to life. What I didn’t like as much was the ending. I felt it didn’t match the vibe of the rest of the book and felt outlandish (there was real supernatural elements/motives instead of just a man in a mask). I kept waiting for it to be like gotcha, this was just a trick on Charity to celebrate the last night. But alas, that was not the cliche. The epilogue did give me a little of that twist I was wanting, but overall the ending didn’t match the magic of the rest of the book for me. Despite that, I still enjoyed the experience of reading this book, and will definitely check out other and future books by this author!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Charity has been working at Camp Mirror Lake for a few summers now as the Final Girl in their horror simulation game they run for a manager who's never around. When half the staff flakes, Charity calls on her friends help make the final fright happen. Only, people begin going missing and there's something wicked about the lake. When evil rises in the night, it is up to Charity and her friend to use all their horror film knowledge to survive the night or die trying.

Horror can be very hit or miss for me, but this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Charity is a final girl that plays into the tropes but remains on her toes as long as she can. I guessed one or two of the plot twists, but not the last two! Overall, the pacing felt like a racing heartbeat and I had to know how it ended.

Truly, a delightful work from Kalynn Bayron, spooky, mysterious, murdery, with plenty of slasher film references and even some magic.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a thrilling fast paced read. I devoured this one in a day - I had to find out the ending. Charity is put through a weekend of horror, mystery, and secrets. I wouldn't have been able to read this in the dark, especially as someone who grew up living in the woods. Throughout You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight the line between fact and fiction is blurred for us and Charity. We don't know who is an actor, when the moment is that it goes off the rails, or if we can trust even what we read.

REVIEW: You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A summer camp that is a horror experience where a slasher flick was filmed with a bunch of teens and no adult supervision seems like the recipe for a perfect summer right? WRONG!!

If you love 80s slashers, you are sure to love this extremely fast paced book! It stars a diverse cast who find themselves in real-life horror situation with danger at every turn. It was a pretty short book so we don’t get to spend a ton of time with our characters, but if you are familiar with the slasher genre, you know that’s standard. I almost wish it was longer so I could savor the tension of it all.

If you’re looking for a campy, gruesome horror that makes you nostalgic, definitely check out You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight when it releases on June 20, 2023! Thank you to @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for the eARC! 🔪