This was a third person book that desperately wanted to be a first person book. I couldn't connect with Temple because the point of view made me feel too removed. Instead of being in her head and experiencing the struggle it was just an entire book of Temple saying she's a bad person and being difficult.

I felt like I was thrown into the middle of a story without any information. I wasn't really sure about Temple's background or her families struggle. All the supernatural stuff didn't really make sense because I had no context or backstory to really work with. There was no explanation about where the demon came from or where it went because the Cold never came back in the end. I just felt like I was left hanging on so many things.

The other characters in this book drove me nuts. Like people were getting brutally torn apart and possessed by supernatural creatures and some girl was just painting her nails and being bitchy. That took me out of the story and killed all the the tension.

All in all, this was a lot of story with no answers or real pay off.

Temple’s dad is a serial killer, and though he admitted to killing her mom, Temple can’t bring herself to believe him. Deciding to find answers, she returns to the abandoned family farm that has since been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. Temple doesn’t like anyone, so signing up as a counselor might have been a bad idea, but it was the only way she could think of to gain access. But when some strange things begin occurring at the camp, Temple realizes she may have just bitten off more than she can chew.

The book is written in an interesting way, with voices and sounds interspersed throughout the narrative that highlight everything constantly running through Temple’s mind and odd things that she hears. Temple is an angry protagonist, so angry that I did find it off putting and her inner dialogue became quite repetitive. It made it difficult to connect with her as a protagonist. The secondary characters were all quite difficult to tell apart as well as there was almost no development given to them.

The setting was well written and brought to life through detailed descriptions. It helped to add to the atmosphere of the read. There are also multimedia elements to this book, including an excerpt from an interview and posts to forums, that are scattered between some chapters.

This book got weird, especially in the last portion. There was a lot going on, and it didn’t take the direction I thought it was going to based on the blurb. Instead, it was more supernatural/magical realism that became pretty odd. I had a difficult time being drawn in by the things going on, which made the resolution a little less punchy than I wanted it to be.

If you’re looking for a YA supernatural horror with great representation that explores multigenerational trauma and has an angry protagonist, you’ll likely enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I absolutely love Black horror, and this sparkling debut absolutely delivered. Please don't let my late review discourage you from picking this one up, because the cover alone had me obsessed!

Dead Girls Walking had all the squirmy feels that a horror novel should have. For those that like ghosts, blood and gore, this is a great book to have in your arsenal.
Temple is a queer black teen that has a morbid back story. Her father is dubbed the North Point Killer as he is convicted of killing 20 people and burying them on their generational farm. Temple is told by him that he had killed her mother so she applies as a counselor for a girls camp designed for horror obsessed queer black girls. The camp just happens to be on the north point property that she grew up on. Her only goal is to find her mother’s remains so she can have closure.
Temple is an angry, unforgiving and isolated teen. She has no friends and makes sure that no one gets close to her. She is convinced she is “bad” like her dad. The dad she has a hard time loving and hating at the same time.
The creep factor starts fairly quickly when murders begin to happen. It intensifies with gory murder scenes, ghost reincarnations and possessions.
I liked the pacing of the book except towards the end where i found myself drifting off. It got fairly slow. There definitely was a lot going on. My favorite characters were Yaya and Cali who you would want at your side no matter the situation. They were undeniably the ride or dies that Temple needed during the most difficult time of her life.
I want to thank #netgalley #amuletbooks #samiellis for an ARC of #deadgirlswalking

I loved the badass queer representations (that was the best thing about this book). The horror camp for black and queer kids was such a cool concept, but I wished we got to spend more time there before things went darker.

Unfortunately, The story was all over the place. It got better in the middle but the pacing dragged towards the end, and I felt like the book could have been 50-75 pages shorter.

I did not like the pieces of media that we get at the end of some chapters... they were not well integrated into the book.

The writing style didn't click with me, and the ending was a bit underwhelming ...at least we get some much-needed pieces of information about the main character's family history...

I give this book 2.5 stars.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that i was so close to DNFing this book.. the first 50% is really difficult to get into and for me, really confusing where every single character was introduced at once. I started this as the e-book and finished it as the audiobook because I wasn’t wanting to read it due to the storyline feeling complicated and me having to reread bits over and over to fully comprehend what was going on.

This sold me with the description (a summer camp slasher full of queer women of colour) and the second half was exactly what’s described, but the scene setting went on a little too long in my opinion. With a slasher, I prefer to get straight into the action. When you do get to it though, it was fast paced and kept me hooked.

Temple was quite difficult for me to connect with for the majority of the book, but as her character grew I began to get less and less frustrated with her. A lot of the other campers and camp counsellors did blur into one unfortunately where they were introduced in such quick succession, but Cali and Yaya were a great addition at the end of the story (when they weren’t screaming, whining or throwing up).

All in all this wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read, but it wasn’t the best either… It does read like it would make a great TB show/film though so I will give it that.

Thank you to NetGalley, Abrams Books and RB Media for the proofs in return for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

As someone new to horror, I was nervous going into a camp slasher story sure to have plenty of gore. And boy did it! But following Temple and her growth alongside the girls at camp as they struggled to survive mysterious killings proved to bring plenty of humor, heart, and horror that I definitely shouldn’t have read so late at night.
If you want to be grossed out, horrified, and laughing along the way, Sami Ellis is the author for you!

Temple grew up with a (now infamous) serial killer father, who is currently in prison for his crimes. One of the casualties may have been Temples mother and in order to get her answers, Temple will need to return to the scene of the crime... her childhood home

Over the years, the land has been turned into a Camp for horror obsessed teens, and Temple has to join the group to get near the place, but making friends has never been her strong suit

Temple cannot imagine the horrors she and the other girls will come to face over the course of the trip, and what memories and horrors will being back there unlock

Interesting take on the Slasher genre, took a bit to get into the action but once it did it was fast and a bit relentless

As the author says... hope you read with the lights on....

Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Books for the early copy, out in the UK 25th April

A slasher horror with a decidedly supernatural element. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and this is very different from the stuff I usually read, but this was an entertaining read.
Temple Baker is used to seeing dead bodies. Her father is the infamous North Point Killer, and she knew some of what took place on her family’s land. Now a teen, Temple has been tasked with returning to her home to find her mother’s body. Only her home is now a camp for horror obsessed gay girls, so she has to find her way in with care.
The book throws us straight into the action, and Temple is not the easiest of characters to warm to. Initially I wasn’t overly impressed with the book, but once the campers discover a dead body things get a lot more intriguing.
While there’s plenty of graphic slasher-style violence, this didn’t trouble me as much as I’d expected. However, once Temple starts to work out what’s going on I admit to being quite creeped out.
Not everyone survives, but there was a clear sense of wrongs being righted here. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.

Dead Girls Walking was a creepy, fear-inducing read that I really enjoyed. This story gave me all the Friday the 13th, teen summer camp horror vibes. I think this would be the perfect book to read during the summer. It felt like I was watching a horror movie while reading this book.

Temple was a kick-ass main character who did not take crap from anyone. She knew how to defend herself from not only the mean girls, but also from the undead and her crazy family.

There’s some gore in this book, so be prepared for some disgusting imagery. I really liked the author’s descriptive writing.

This book is aimed at young adults, so there were was a lot of teen drama that I didn’t care for, but I still think adults will enjoy this story. If you love teen slashers or zombie flicks, definitely pick this one up.

3.5 bloody stars

Dead Girls Walking is a recent YA Horror release. One that I had been very anxious to pick up. The publisher's synopsis, as well as the intriguing cover, had my full attention. It looks like this is a debut novel for author, Sami Ellis, and while I can appreciate the author's creativity and ambition, the story did not work for me, unfortunately.

I considered giving it 3-stars, but I have to be honest about my experience. For me, a 3-star book is something I liked, but that didn't blow me away and may have minor issues. I just don't think this one reached that status for me.

I'm not going to say anything about the plot. Please read the synopsis for more info. I barely understood what was happening and had to refer to the synopsis multiple times to try to get my bearings. Because of this, I feel I have nothing further to add in that regard. And here we come to the heart of the issue for me. I found this narrative style confusing as heck. It felt like being dropped off at a movie halfway through, taking multiple bathroom breaks, and still being expected to understand what's going on. Spoiler Alert: I didn't.

It never succeeded in grabbing my attention. Additionally, the cast of characters, besides our MC, Temple, all blended together for me, and by the end, I just wanted it to be over. With this being said, just because this one didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I have seen some great reviews, I just feel like it was a miss for my tastes.

Thank you to the publisher, Amulet Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I am interested it picking up more from this author in the future. I feel like maybe a different concept could help me engage more with their writing style.

I wasn't sure how to feel about this one when I first read it, but after ruminating on it for a couple weeks, I do think it brings some new twists to the subgenres it plays with and was overall enjoyable. Some of the plot points were a bit convoluted or confusing (the protagonist was a student, but also a counselor? and nobody recognized her despite being die-hard true crime fans of this exact event???), but I think the author synthesized elements from slasher and supernatural family secret traditions into a surprisingly coherent story. I was surprised at how well the characters were fleshed out, since many slashers tend to create cardboard characters who really just become murder fodder.

4.5 stars rounded to 5. First of all i can’t believe this is YA. I love a good ya horror because i feel the storyline is more fleshed out than adult. But not only was it good but super gory and bloody. This was the best example of a campy slasher horror book. The gore, the creep factor, and the underline story with the great twist! Temple was a complex character, hardened by the things her dad did and what she was exposed to but i loved her so much! I also loved yaya and cali, such new found friends with their own little stories and personalities. This author will def be a autobuy for me

I can't tell you how happy reading this book made me! Sami Ellis has taken the queer black girl experience and thrown it onto a blood-splattered and ice-edged canvas. With tons of gore, witty quips, and a raw examination of dealing with trauma, Dead Girls Walking kills.

Our protagonist is an unapologetically angry, snappy, bitter, queer teen. Temple starts off hating everything about her situation. She wears her disdain like a neon sign. And her inner monologue is so entertaining!

Elli's characterization of queer black feminine rage is tasty, digestible, and relatable. Temple's journey through understanding her family's secrets helps her see herself and the world differently.

As for the horror...delicious. And by delicious I mean, disgusting. There's gore and guts and body pieces, and, and, and. And I LOVED IT!

I hope to see many more books from Sami Ellis.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves the Friday the 13th franchise, The Fear Street books and movies, and other classically campy horrors.

overall I had a good time with this book. This is a YA (cozy)horror slasher that takes place at a summer camp for queer teen girls that are horror obsessed.

I really enjoyed the action/slasher portions of the book, the representation in this book was incredible with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters, and the cover is beautiful. This also had some mixed media with emails, transcripts etc and if you know me, you know I love mixed media in books!!

It did have a bit of a slow start for me and things didn't progress enough for my personal taste until almost half way. I thought the concept of the book was really interesting, I wish some of the teen bickering scenes that just felt a little to long each time were shortened and there was more explanation into Temples family instead. I also felt like this was a little bit of a coming of age for Temple, from who she is at the start of the book to how she ends things.

Read this if you enjoy: YA horror, mixed media, family secrets, slashers, supernatural, creepy woods, isolation, serial killers, summer camp.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for sharing a digital copy. As always, opinions are my own.

Happy Publication Day to author Sami Ellis and her first book, Dead Girls Walking!
Dead Girls Walking is a YA horror slasher that is equal parts Friday the 13th and The Evil Dead with a queer twist.
The story centers around Temple Baker, whose father is an infamous serial killer on death row, as she searches her former home for her dead mother’s party. As it turns out, the woods that were once her father’s dumping ground have been turned into an overnight summer camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. The seemingly straightforward horror story takes a decidedly paranormal twist which is when the real fun begins.
This felt like a fresh, fun take on several familiar horror tropes and comes highly recommended. It’s also a somewhat complex take on YA horror, so this might not be suitable for all readers, in terms of the dense plot and large cast of characters. I’m floored that this is Ellis’ first book and can’t wait to see what she does next.
A very special thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for the advanced copy!

Firstly, thank you to the publisher for accepting my request on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Not for me. I really struggled to get through this due to the pacing and the way things were explained. Whenever I managed to get into it I'd be pulled back out as I'd just feel lost all over again. I think the story had potential but like others have mentioned I think it would've done better in first person and with better pacing. I really enjoyed the friendships and character development though.

Holy moly! A YA horror book that's actually scary? A YA horror book that's actually scary and is chock-full of BIPOC and queer rep? And said YA horror book takes place at a HORROR CAMP for BIPOC queer teens?!

YA doesn't get much better than this, especially considering it's by a debut author! Get this for your library on the double! Go go go!

Temple grew up under less than ideal circumstances... her father is a serial killer who buried his victims’ bodies on their farm. One body that’s never been found is that of her missing mother. Her desire to find her mother and cryptic words from her father has her setting out on a mission. The problem is that there’s a camp on the farm now for horror loving queer girls. She gets herself hired as a counselor despite her lackluster people skills and her nemesis being there. It should be simple to just sneak away for a bit and locate her mother right?

Wrong... so very wrong... because little does Temple know that the seemingly crazy things her father use to say aren’t so crazy anymore. Something more than just serial murders is going on. The fact that more people have gone missing in the area since her father’s imprisonment is a big indicator of that. But what she couldn’t have anticipated was that something supernatural was going on. Her plans are ruined, the girls are dying and there’s no help coming. There’s a lot Temple never knew about her family’s history and it’s up to her to help the others escape. But Temple is no hero she doesn’t even like these girl...

I’ve read a few YA horror books and this was the best so far. Can’t wait to see more from the author.

This book was wild, and the twists and jump scares just kept coming. Temple is a great antihero-turned-hero, and I liked her arc a lot. The story is gruesome and exciting, with plenty of horror elements and a few funny moments sprinkled in.

But for me, horror is all about the story *inside* the story. If this was just a story about a cursed/haunted summer camp, it would have been a thrill. What made it for me was the underlying story about generational trauma and abusive families, and a young woman coming into her own. I don’t want to give spoilers, but that aspect really worked. I was confused by some of what seemed to be unrelated plot points at the outset, but they all came together in a really cool way!

I also loved that everyone in the story is Black and queer and that’s… just a fact. It’s not a story “about” race per se, and the trauma Temple is dealing with isn’t based on her race specifically, although that’s of course a big part of her identity. But this isn’t a story about Black trauma, or queer trauma. It’s a story about family and isolation and fear of being alone.

The thing that stops this from being five stars for me was that I often had to reread passage to understand what was happening in physical space, and even then I sometimes could not understand what exactly was happening. This story is pretty heavy on action, so it was a bigger issue than it would have been in a less action-packed story. That said, I received this book as an uncorrected ARC copy, so changes may have been made between the version I read and the final manuscript.

I still have zero problems recommending this book wholeheartedly. I love horror, and this one had me gasping and screeching in all the right places. It’s not quite as pulpy as “You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight” but it’s in a similar vein, and also reminded me a bit of “Just Like Home.” So if you liked either of those books, you’ll want to check this one out!

As I stated above, I read this as an ARC from NetGalley. This is a great debut and I’m excited to see what Sami Ellis does next!