Member Reviews

This is a great book during the height of YA Horror- specifically horror written by Black authors. This book had enough motive, darkness, and creepiness to be one of the best that has previously came out.

The main character, Temple, has a personaly mission and does not let the drama of working at the camp get in the way. And when the creepy stuff starts to happen, the descriptions were detailed and the stakes felt high.

I like the idea of the setting being a horror camp and wish we'd gotten more of that, as I feel that could've added another layer to the supernatural, serial killer vibe.

I wouldn't be mad if the author wanted to create a universe out of that camp, though.

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This was an enjoyable and engaging book that kept me entertained from beginning to end. The characters were likable and had enough development to keep me invested in their journey. The plot was straightforward but executed well, with enough twists to keep it interesting. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely a worthwhile read.

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Read 4/3/24

Creepy af Friday the 13th vibes but with an LGBTQ+ twist and following a complex female Black main character. This was such a wild ride. You think your family is bad? HAHAHA. Nah. I'll keep mine. This would make such an amazing movie, but I'd be afraid it would get messed up.

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A great horror novel for teens of all ages. Suspense and tension was built into the story well and the characters had a great dynamic.

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Highly suspenseful, Dead Girls Walking submerges you in a search for answers by our MC, uncovering dark twisted truths from her past, while fighting for survival in every turn. I loved how fast paced it was. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this story, I enjoyed it a lot.

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I loved the premise, the setting, and the queer representation of this book. There were some things I struggled with, though. The other campers were a bit same-y and underdeveloped, and I struggled a bit with the pacing. Overall, a like.

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Hmm, this book wàs interesting and the premise was so promising but I did not enjoy the execution. While I don't think this book was for me but I will and have recommended this book to my friends.

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DNF at chapter 13.

I don’t think this book is for me, I really like the premise of this book however it’s taken me a while to get to chapter 13 and I have little interest to finish it. I have the audio so I may try to go back to it.

It’s possible that I’m just not in the mood for this type of book, I’m a very big mood reader and I have been in a slump for a while.

Will still pick up books from this author though, I just think this one wasn’t for me.

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This is a super good thriller! I really liked the storytelling and the characters stood out pretty well too. I don't think it's maybe as memorable as some other YA thrillers that I've read. I'm not sure it was as suspenseful as many I've read which is where I hit a bit of a wall with this. There were moments of strong thrills and mystery, but I wish it just gave me more. But it was still a cool read that I would definitely recommend to friends especially those who want a little more substance to the standard mystery

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Book Review: Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis

I was excited to read Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis, expecting a captivating exploration of true crime blended with social commentary. However, I found myself struggling to stay interested, and ultimately, I couldn’t finish it. The book’s pacing was unexpectedly slow, and despite the weighty subject matter, the writing felt flat and uninspired.

Ellis touches on critical issues, including addiction, violence, and the experiences of marginalized women, but the storytelling lacked depth and engagement. The cases and personal reflections that I thought would provide insight or emotional impact felt repetitive and, at times, meandering. Rather than drawing me into the narratives, the book left me feeling detached, as though it missed the emotional core that makes stories like these resonate.

In the end, Dead Girls Walking didn’t hold my attention, and I found it hard to connect with Ellis’s approach. While it might be better suited for readers who have a stronger interest in social critique without a strong narrative drive, for me, it was more tedious than compelling. It simply wasn’t the gripping read I had anticipated.

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THis is the first book of Ellis's I have read. I believe her only other book is part of a horror short stories compilation. I wanted to love this book, simply based on the cover alone, but it missed the mark with me a little. Given that the blurb stated it was perfect for fans of Friday the 13th, I was sort of expecting a teen slasher story, but it really wasn't too much like that. In fact, it was sort of "Weird" in a creepy sort of way. I'm not sure if that was the angle Ellis was going for, but its how I felt.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

.

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Dead Girls Walking is a YA horror about a girl returning to her childhood home, which was also the hunting grounds of her serial killer father, and is now a horror camp for Black, queer teen girls. Temple, the MC, signs up to be a counsellor for the camp, all so that she can go back home and try and find her mother’s body – because her dad just admitted he killed her.

There were things in Dead Girls Walking that I sincerely did not understand. Why was Temple a counsellor when she was the same age as the rest of the campers? What was with the insertion of some fictional book with a cult following? Why were there random blog posts and other “media” type things scattered throughout the book? How was Temple so close to her childhood home that she could attend camp there, but no one knew who she was?

I think the book I expected Dead Girls Walking to be was just too different to what it actually turned out like. From the blurb I was expecting classic Friday the 13th type slasher horror, with the slow build up and tension. Unfortunately there was none of this. It was much more of a paranormal horror than a traditional slasher, it went from 0 to 100 in terms of the horror, and there was no tension to be seen.

I do think I would have benefitted from rereading the synopsis before starting because it really gives a lot of context that isn’t included in the book. As it was, I didn’t, and therefore had no idea what on earth was even happening.

The overall vibes (because that’s all I could get through my confusion) were great, and I did love the parts where the girls came together and realised how much stronger they were for it. This aspect would have been even more elevated if the secondary characters had more development.

Overall, I can’t say I enjoyed Dead Girls Walking but there were elements that were good so I say if you’re in the mood for a paranormal horror, you read the synopsis to understand the premise, and you’re okay with some things that will go over your head then it might be worth it.

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2.5 stars

This book was fine? I mean the story had so much potential but between the confusing narrative style, generic characters, and just.. dull moments, it was a struggle for me to get even to the 20% mark (where I ultimately DNFd)

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Temple Baker has stared evil in the face many times in her life, especially with her father being the infamous North Point Serial Killer. She's tried desperately to remove herself from her past, moving when things get too close for comfort, or her past inches it's way to being outed by those around her, but what she doesn't expect, is for her father to admit to her mother's murder, and to send her on a macabre goose chase to track down where he buried her body.

Temple may have believed her father killed the others he's been found guilty of, but never her mother, so she feels compelled to dive deeper into this mystery by returning to their old home, which has since been converted into an LGBTQ+ horror camp, and Temple must pose as a camp counsellor to uncover more of her father's past and investigate deeper into her mother's disappearance.

This was eerie and disquieting from the outset, and compelled me throughout. Temple has long since learnt to keep to herself, no good ever comes from trusting others, or getting close to them, especially with her having to mask her identity from others in fear of being recognised as the daughter of the most notorious serial killer of North Point. She's stead-fast and fierce, she refuses to be cornered or bullied, and gives just as good as she takes, she's just so resourceful and resilient. As a camp counsellor, Temple struggles to draw her boundaries and keep the other girls in her camp at arm's length, she didn't come here to make friends, but she soon finds herself charmed by some of them.

However, when one of the girls is found dead in the woods, Temple begins to question everything, and worries that a copycat of her father may be loose in the woods, and all is definitely not as it seems, with a sinister, demonic force wreaking havoc across the camp.

'Dead Girls Walking' is a lyrically written story with chilling prose that sucks you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. My only issue was that it did often feel like a lot of the girls in the camp blended together during the middle of the story, but near the end, their individual personalities shone through, and I felt more of a connection to each individual character.

This story GUTTED me , the plot twists had me on edge and the atmosphere was so sinister and disturbing that it had me feeling deeply unsettled. If you're looking for your next spooky read as autumn approaches, that has a dark, unsettling and deeply complex lore underneath it all, then look no further than this queer YA slasher.

~4.5 stars

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Dead Girls Walking had all the ingredients for a book I should’ve loved—serial killer family drama, a horror-themed summer camp, and a dark, mysterious setting. As a fan of slasher movies and camp stories, I was genuinely looking forward to this one. The concept of Temple Baker returning to her father’s old hunting grounds, now a camp for queer horror enthusiasts, sounded like a killer setup. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t land for me.

The plot felt overloaded with too many elements fighting for attention—serial killer legacy, hidden identities, potential copycat murders, and possibly even supernatural elements. With so much going on, the story lost its focus, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The characters were also a letdown; they were so frustrating that it was hard to care about them.

Overall, despite my high hopes, Dead Girls Walking just didn’t work for me. It took me much longer to finish than usual, and I never felt fully immersed in the story. A great concept, but unfortunately, it fell flat in the execution.

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"Dead Girls Walking" by Sami Ellis is a chilling and atmospheric thriller that deftly combines elements of suspense and the supernatural. Its darkly intriguing plot and hauntingly vivid writing make it a compelling and memorable read.

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This was a wild and fun YA slasher! The setting and the story were super fun, but I did have some problems with Temple a she slightly irked me, but I still enjoyed her quest. The pace started off slow, but it did pick up quickly.

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I was so excited for this book and really wanted to love it because it sounded amazing and I love slasher movies/stories and all things related to summer camp. This book seemed right up my alley! But unfortunately this just didn’t end up being a good read for me. I really struggled to get into the story and it took me way longer to get through this book than it normally takes me.

The thing I loved most about this story was the representation of queer POC women! I mean - a summer camp geared toward queer teen girls who love horror - what’s not to love about that?!?! Such an amazing premise with an awesome diverse cast of characters. I just wish the story had delivered more. There was so much happening I found myself getting more confused and ending up with more questions at the end than I did to start.

About halfway through I did start to get a little more invested, but I never got hooked. The story was also VERY different from what I expected after reading the blurb. Minor spoiler: This ended up being more of a paranormal horror story than a classic slasher story like I went in assuming it would be.

Not a bad story overall. It had some great elements and the twists and turns in the story were unique and interesting (even if a bit confusing at times). This story just didn’t work for me. I’m still interested in reading what Sami Ellis comes out with next though!

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Oof. I wanted to love this so bad. It's a horror summer camp with a serial killer storyline and it was okay but it wasn't great.

In my opinion this book tried to be like You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kaylynn Bayron and it just didn't meet my expectations.

I feel like the haunting and supernatural elements are really what didn't work for me. I love the concept of family serial killing and even a horror summer camp but I think there was too many things going on. I also didn't like any of the characters they're all annoying as fuck. And while I think there's a place to have all of your characters be morally gray and annoying it doesn't make for a super enjoyable read.

Another thing that constantly was just nagging at the back of my brain was the fact that the camp counselors were the same age as the campers and I don't think that that's a thing that happens. Maybe it is but it felt super weird and not well thought out at all.

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Dead Girls Walking was a book I was very excited to read and ended up being a very obscure read for me. It didn’t at all go in the direction I thought it would. It wasn’t predictable or cliche in its direction and a lot of the time I wasn’t 100% sure what was going on. It explored some very powerful emotions and humanity behind contradictions, as well as delving into perceptions not being what we think they are. It was also a total mystery most of the book. I was very hopeful that the characters would be okay in the end. And in some scenes I was very much holding my breath, on the edge of my seat. Some other scenes were very gory and pretty messed up. If a twisted, gory, emotional roller coaster mystery sounds like your thing, this might be the book for you.

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