I feel very mixed about this book. Had some great moments and some other moments that had me confused. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.

This book started off a little slow as there were a lot of characters to meet and set up the relationships going into the party. But knowing the characters is SO important here - the little character list at the beginning was very helpful to go back to reference. But once the party was getting started the excitement picked up and I was having such a good time. Then the clown arrives and things get even more wild. The party soon learns that the clown is not there for a fun time, but for a violent time and soon they are on the run and just trying to survive the night. With an endless supply of horror movie references, the characters all try to be the “final girl” to make it out alive.
I thought that the horror elements - the violence, the blood/gore, and the suspense - was the best part of this book. I was really enjoying the creepy horror movie vibes all the way through.
The characters were mildly irritating - they were high schoolers so there is some understanding there. But I found some of their interactions to be unnecessary- if the killer is coming for you, stopping in the doorway to talk about how crazy the night is turning out doesn’t seem like the best choice. Or the way Noelle is constantly concerned about what the police would do when they got there, worried about her alibi and that she would be blamed… I thought this was a little irritating given her friends were being brutally murdered in front of her.
For the entire second half of the book, they were running in circles through the house just being caught in trap after trap that the clown had somehow managed to rig up without them knowing.

This book would have benefited greatly from having a map of the house. I found myself constantly confused as to where they were or where they were going. Too many rooms and hallways to really follow since the house was specially designed by rich people.
And if they got outside to the pier with the boat… why did they go back inside just to find themselves locked in again? Either they shouldn’t have been able to get outside to the boat OR I needed a map to understand how all of this would be connected to the house somehow.
And how is the clown surviving through all of the many many attacks? In true Michael Myers fashion, this human villain somehow cannot be killed despite burning and stabbing and bludgeoning.

With some inconsistencies and unbelievable character decisions, this had its fair share of issues. But it was an overall enjoyable read for the horror-filled murderous clown vibes.

When seventeen-year-old Noelle throws a party to celebrate the first-year anniversary of her horror movie podcast, she hires a creepy clown for a game of hide and seek, but when the clown arrives, it seems he has an agenda of his own. With multiple pop culture references and nods to horror movie franchises, this was a fun, quick read that's perfect for spooky season!

Noelle Layne is a horror movie buff. She leads her school's horror movie club and is aiming to boost her social media and launch a new podcast this Halloween. She has planned a super-exclusive Halloween party with her horror movie club friends and some top influencers that is sure to drum up some followers. Noelle has the perfect setting, perfect costume, awesome decorations, playlist, movies (of course) and to top it off, she has hired a creepy clown to play a fear induced game of tag. However, the creepy clown soon turns on the group and begins killing the teens. Noelle and her friends are now faced with a real life horror movie, but Noelle has prepared her whole life for this scenario. She knows she won't die first, but will she make it out alive?

There's No Way I'd Die First is a fast paced young adult horror with many different elements from your favorite horror flicks. I loved the homages to classic horror films including killer clowns, a call from inside the house and blood soaked prom dresses as well as the quotes at the beginning of each chapter to set the tone. The setting of Castle Rock, the secluded, Long Island home of Noelle's affluent parents on a stormy night provided the perfect backdrop for Noelle's party. I do wish I could have envisioned the house and layout better, other than a large house on a hill, since all of the action took place there. The characters were all intriguing, but difficult to feel empathetic towards at the same time. All of the teens are from wealthy families who have gained privilege from that wealth and have benefitted from that wealth in ways that others may deem unfair. The clown, Gage, provides the mystery as Noelle and her friends try to figure out his identity and how he knows their secrets. As Gage hunts down the party guests, the writing offers plenty of gore, strategy and scares. I really wanted to see all of Noelle's horror movie knowledge come through for her, but Gage seemed to anticipate her actions as well as operate exceptionally well while injured. Overall, an action packed, young adult horror with a contemporary twist.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

What a fun YA horror! I wasn't sure about this one at first but I'm glad I decided to push through because once it picks up it becomes a LOT of fun. I also highly enjoyed Noelle, the protagonist. She's smart, tough, and sassy and she knows all about horror and final girls, and what it takes to be a final girl. Her last speech to the slasher near the end was A+ as well.

"I've been a final girl all along." - Noelle, ch. 29

As many slasher stories are, There's No Way I'd Die First is also a social commentary, mainly on privilege and the many forms that it takes and how it can harm those without. Having a Gen Z cast of characters is basically perfect for that, as privilege and the effect it has on various minorities is a big topic for that generation right now, with how much more open and accepting they are of each other's differences and how they even embrace and celebrate those differences (though, obviously, humanity still has a long way to go, and that's also touched on in the novel). Some may find the social commentary aspect annoying or overbearing but it is the foundation of the story and I enjoyed it and believe that Lisa Springer did a great job with how she weaves it into a wild 'kill or be killed' thriller.

I also really enjoyed the horror film quotes at the start of each chapter, and I'm embarrassed to say it took me several chapters before I realized two things about these quotes: 1) these are the films the horror club has watched so far, and 2) they're a hint as to what each chapter is about. I really, really liked that and think it was a fun addition to the story.

I'm really hoping this gets made into a film because it could be a LOT of fun. What a great read for Spooktober!

“It’s Halloween, I guess everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” -Halloween, 1978
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Meet Noelle Layne, creator of Jump Scare, a social media channel that focuses on all things horror movies, particularly Black horror. When Noelle decides to throw the Halloween party to end all parties to kick off her podcast, she invites all the social media influencers are her affluent high school so they will post about it. She also hires a clown to add to the horror experience, but it turns out the clown has an agenda of his own: to kill them all. But Noelle has been training to be a Final Girl for a long time.
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This YA horror book started off so strong for me, but midway through went downhill. It got repetitive and unnecessarily gross/gory. The twist wasn’t really a twist, if you had been paying attention. I would recommend Kalynn Bayron’s You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight if you’re looking for a YA slasher novel.

CW: murder, violence, stalking, racism, death, blood/gore, classism

This was a tough one to get through. I was so excited about Halloween and scary-movie aspects to the story but I found myself bored throughout. It makes me so disappointed because I feel like slasher/horror books in YA are so important but for whatever reason, the characters don’t have a depth to them and are so boring and uninteresting.

I think this was a decent attempt at a slasher book and for the authors first horror it was okay. I just think it had way to many things about it that were irritating, like why are all the influencers from rich families? Would have been nice to have some that worked hard to get to were they were as buying equipment to start any type of social media platform and make it really good can be expensive so they would have had to work pretty hard to get their subs. Makes it harder for me to care about them especially when they get all whiny.

I was over the MC and her soapbox about reparations too since she was having a party in a MANSION her mother owned.

The fact that they were talking to the clown several times through out the book was just strange too, why not try and rush at it if your all together or try and get away, not have a conversation with the killer. It was also easy to figure out who the killer was.

It was a decent slasher for the Gen Z generation but I think maybe I am just to old to care.

was so excited when i got accepted for an arc of this because i've seen so many people talking about it. perfect for spooky season, this novel had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and i loved the slasher vibe of it.

This YA Thriller was a page turner for me. Strong FMC energy and giving very much final girl throughout the book. I look forward to read more from this author.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! I simply wasn't prepared for how action packed and gory the storyline would be. And the kill scenes are waaaaay up there on my horror list.

The beginning starts of normally and we're introduced to an entire cast of rich private school kids along with the main character, Noelle. Being the school's very own horror expert and soon-to-be podcaster, she sets up what is sure to be a Halloween party to remember. Unfortunately, the clown she hired is determined to make her night just as memorable---just not in the way that Noelle hoped.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gore, traps, psychotic clowns, and Final Girls.

This was fun! But not all the way.

A group of teens are invited to a mansion for a Halloween extravaganza, including games, movie watching, drinking, and for the host, Noelle, hopefully finally hooking up with her crush. But when the killer Clown shows up, and the game of tag turns bloody, everyone's out for themselves - it's survival time. And Noelle is feeling the Final Girl vibes.

It was definitely a bloody murderous book. There's so much nostalgia with classic horror movies, I could not stop reading. There's a lot of running around, and killing, but that is where the book lost me. The action scenes were sometimes illogical. The movements just didn't flow for me. It was graphic, but the whole picture was just so unclear and a cluster - the action lost me. The characters, per such slasher/horror books where a bunch of rich influencers are invited were really shallow and unimpressive.

And let's talk about the final twist - are we serious? I did "kind of" liked how it went around and connected everything, but why is this clown then unbeatable? Why so many kids couldn't get him working together? Is this supposed to be some kind of nod to the system that is broken?

I don't know. There's just so much I wanted to love, and liked about this book, and so much that just didn't work for me. I'll definitely check out this author again in the future and see if we can get a more polished horror book. Will definitely recommend it to those that just want a slasher horror, like the ones we used to watch on TV - filled with gore, but nothing much else.

This had my nerve-wracking, head hurting, heart beating and nails gnawed to the rim. This book has everything and anything you would want from a mystery / thriller. It is actually one of the best I have read in a while! There's no way I'd die first is an entertaining read with cliffhangers thrown at you every two seconds and you just simply, CANNOT, stop reading.
You won't be disappointed if you read this!

Scream meets Gossip Girl. This book is a good way to jump into the Halloween season. After reading the summary I was very excited to be able to read this book. I will say this book had great potential but the execution fell flat at some parts to me, which could be because I’m older than the target audience. As a horror movie fan, I loved all the horror movie references and quotes. I enjoyed the main character Noelle and thought she made an awesome final girl, but the other characters fell a little flat for me, and had a Bodies, Bodie, Bodies vibe to it. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

I really enjoyed this book and thought it fell perfectly in line with what I love about a good YA slasher. It definitely gives off the Scream movie vibes that I absolutely love in movies and books! I am a huge fan of any book that uses the horror genre as a trope, and I loved the horror movie club and having a character who knows all of the horror movie tropes. You had a crazy clown in there and it makes for the perfect spooky season read. The only thing that I took off from is that this book is pretty predictable, but it's honestly hard not to be when you have a reading that has read and watched as many slashers as I have.

I love a good multi-murder killer in a book, especially on that takes place over one night. 'There's No Way I'd Die First" certainly brings a gusty, well-liked Final Girl in the form of Noelle for the stories protagonist. Once the murderous clown started his killing spree, I was hooked. The book is pretty timely for a lot of young adults, in my opinion too. Who doesn't get irritated over the way institutional racism plays at preventing talented students from internships? Or when those privilege enough in money and skin tone are able to get away with horrid acts of harm? There were moments I was taken out of the story during the murderer's rant about capitalism and the like, but that is more likely a me thing than something wrong with the book. The pace of the murders was excellent, and the stress and fear of being chased and discovered over and over had a pretty good impact on the enjoyment of reading. There were also a lot of horror references, which isn't bad (as I love horror) and I liked that they weren't shoehorned into the story. Noelle is a horror buff, which a podcast specifically for sharing the love of horror and scares. The book did feel longer than its 309 pages, so it took me some time to really get through the book. But I'm glad I was able to read it!

Alright so... It's the rich kids again. I just really can't care about the majority of rich people problems and that probably makes me sound heartless but that's not me saying that gives a murderous clown reason to go after them. It just makes it harder to care when their problems, overall, feel pretty superficial and self inflicted.
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I love that even though this takes place in a fairly small setting, in this house, everything still felt very exciting. I think the close proximity helped this story move along at a good pace and added a level of tension to the atmosphere that I really enjoyed. I also appreciate all the references to horror movies and the general premise itself is pretty different and interesting.
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The characters were ok for the most part. Some of them felt very bland and were hard to differentiate so I was left not really feeling anything for them which is unfortunate. There were some pretty gruesome scenes though that, unless you're completely heartless, will, at the very least, make you wince.
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The ending felt stereotypical and easy to figure out. I was really hoping for a big wow moment but was kinda let down. As whole I enjoyed this book and think it is a great debut! I am sure some people will absolutely love it so I don't discourage you from reading this one if it sounds like something you would be into.
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*Side note: I have beef with the porcupine in this book. First of all I assume the author meant hedgehog not porcupine but that's just speculation. Second, whether they meant porcupine or hedgehog, neither one can throw its quills. Just felt I needed to share that.* 😂

This is a slasher movie turned book that I could not put down. Twelve social media-famous rich kids from an elite high school have a horror movie watch party together that goes horribly wrong. The hostess is hoping to use this party to gain followers and launch a podcast, so she goes over-the-top, including hiring a clown to play a scary game of hide and seek. Only the clown is actually a murderer.

Many of the murders are sick and inventive and the stress and determination of the surviving characters comes across well. I did not love that there was also a romance, but perhaps that was included to break some of the tension and keep the book lighter for teen audiences.

I really wanted to love this, I was so excited for a book to get me in a spooky fall mood, but sadly this wasn’t it. The writing was terrible, and even for a slasher book the level of improbability (like, there’s a school with literally a dozen huge teen influencers in every possible field? And they’re crypto experts or platinum album singers or their show is going to Broadway?! SMH) BUT even worse, it was surprisingly dull. And there were a bunch of too stupid to be believed plot twists. If it was a physical book I would’ve thrown it against the wall numerous times. Hard pass,

This was such a wild ride and I hung on for dear life and enjoyed every minute. I could definitely see that Springer is a fan of the horror genre. I could see a lot of influences from the different movies in the book – which I really liked to see.

The plot was good, obviously very fast paced as this is a slasher book – I think the slasher genre is always faster than other horror subgenres. You can have slower horror, especially if it’s more cerebral. But generally I prefer a fast-paced horror film. Slashers work well then!

Not to brag or anything (she says while preparing to brag) but I predicted something correctly! Obviously, I can’t tell you (unless you’ve read this too then we can talk about it) and also this isn’t to say “oh the author isn’t good if the reader can predict something correctly” – my predictions are like 50/50 and it’s all good fun. But also that’s something I love about the horror genre – there’s always a lot of places for you to predict. Especially in slashers because there is always the mystery of who the killer is and why they’re after the main characters. And I love that! I love solving the mysteries, learning any secrets about the characters and trying to figure it out (the mystery/killer).

Springer wrote the death scenes so well! Gruesome, even for a YA, and I loved it! How do I say I love death scenes… without saying I love reading people die? 😂 Anyway! As I keep saying I can see that Springer loves the horror genre and it’s extremely visible in the death scenes.

She created characters that weren’t just the standard main characters in horror. They were well-fleshed out and I started to care for them even though, unfortunately, some/most of them were going to die. Good characters in a horror book is important because you want them to survive, you want them to solve the mystery.

Noelle was a great main character to follow because she’s such a big horror fan and I think I liked her almost immediately. She’s a strong character who takes charge – not because she has to but because she needs to, because she knows the best way to get out of this alive. She leaned on her horror movie knowledge to help her – I would do the same, after screaming, I think.

It was a fast read (might’ve said that already) and I really liked that. That was definitely due to Springer’s writing – the easy way of it and how that transferred to easy reading. And I enjoyed it all so much! I can’t see what else Springer has up her sleeve!

Really enjoyed this book. Very entertaining. A great slasher addition that feels similar to watching a slasher movie. It was really action packed. I would have liked the killing to start earlier. Thanks for the ARC copy.