The book summary, title, and cover are what had drawn me to this book. Unfortunately, I don’t think it lived up to what it could have been. The story started out good at first. We met the main character and got her backstory of why she was attending this camp. We don’t find out what got her “canceled” until the end which I liked but what got her canceled was lame and not the big dramatic thing it was made to be.
A lot of the characters were just odd and not very likable. The revealed killers were just unoriginal. I wanted better with this book and it failed to deliver.

While normally I like a lot of the elements this book had going on, it just didn't come together at all for me. I normally have a real fun time with slasher books but I was so bored with this that I almost DNF'd a few times. The kills start pretty early and we do get some okay action scenes toward the end, but it was underwhelming overall. I did like the folklore aspect of the killer and how that tied back into the camp history but all other aspects - the characters, the reveals, the kills - just didn't hit for me.

Heads Will Roll is a fast-paced thriller with plenty of action, twists, and suspense to keep readers engaged. Josh Winning delivers a story that is entertaining and easy to follow, with high stakes and a plot that moves briskly. Fans of dark humor and over-the-top scenarios may find plenty to enjoy in the story’s energy and tone.

That said, the plot can feel predictable at times, and some characters lack depth, which makes it harder to fully invest in their fates. While the book is fun and engaging, it doesn’t quite reach the level of tension, originality, or emotional impact needed to make it truly memorable.

Overall, Heads Will Roll is a solid, entertaining read for fans of fast-paced thrillers, but it doesn’t fully stand out in the genre.

I love campy slashers and this one hit the mark. Sometimes escaping reality only lands you in a worse reality. This was a fast-paced and anxiety-inducing horror story.

3.75⭐️s rounded up for Goodreads
Heads Will Roll is a campy summer slasher. Winning delivered with the slashing/killing scenes, and heads were indeed rolling. The pacing was great, and it reads like a movie (a plus, for me).
Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC!

Super campy slasher book. Just what I expected it to be. It wasn’t a story that blew me away but it did meet my expectations of a horror novel. Teenagers at summer camp getting picked off, the basic ingredients of your run of the ,I’ll slasher.

I couldn't give feedback on this, because the files that net galley sent me were not openable :(
rating one star because it is required to give a star rating. sorry!

This book although good, wasn’t one I would have normally chosen for myself, but I thought I would try it out. I had to sit it down several times because I just couldn’t get into it. It has a really good plot line but I think this is one of those books that just wasn’t for me. It’s well written but i couldn’t get into the story very much

Thank you so much PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Netgalley for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review! Heads Will Roll is out now! Heads Will Roll was a 4.5/5 stars for me! What a perfect summer slasher! This one was extremely fun. It reminded me a lot of the Fearstreet 1978 movie, just in today's setting. In most books with a lot of characters, I have a hard time keeping every one in order . Winning did a great job with character build up, so I never had that problem. If you are a big fan of camp slashers, you should definitely pick this one up!

Overall I enjoyed reading this horror/slasher novel. After Willow finds herself cancelled after an unfortunate she tweet she runs away to an adult summer camp. The camp specializes in helping adults unplug. But something sinister is happening at the camp and everyone has secrets. The bodies do pile up. There are some twists and turns as identities are uncovered. It was easy to figure out who the killer was. This was a fun quick read.

I love the cover and the synopsis drew me in but the story left me wanting a tad more. It was a fun time though! I really like Willow! I felt like halfway through was moving way too slow for me but it picked up in the last 15%

Heads Will Roll* is a brilliantly inventive novel that left me completely captivated from start to finish. What sets it apart from other horror novels is its truly unique premise—one that combines eerie, unsettling moments with a refreshingly original twist. The story grabs you right away, pulling you into a world where the stakes are high, the characters are complex, and the horrors lurking around every corner are unlike anything I’ve encountered before.

The author masterfully blends psychological suspense with visceral horror, creating a sense of dread that grows with every page. I particularly appreciated the depth of the world-building and the way the plot kept me guessing, always taking unexpected turns. The unsettling atmosphere is perfectly crafted, leaving me on edge without relying on overused tropes.

What makes *Heads Will Roll* so special is its ability to challenge typical horror conventions while still delivering that spine-chilling experience that fans of the genre crave. It's a story that stays with you long after you've finished reading, haunting your thoughts in the best way possible. If you’re looking for something fresh and thought-provoking in the horror genre, this novel is an absolute must-read!

40/100 or 2.0 stars

This was so over the top with the cancel culture is bad I really couldn't get past 10%. Also, the adult having Willow as their imaginary friend in real life was too chessy for me. The writing style was okay, but it wasn't strong enough for me to want to continue reading this. I would have been a spite read and it probably would have been a worst review than the one I am giving. Maybe it is just this storyline that wasn't working, and I can give the author another chance in the future.

Like the good old late 80s, early 90s slasher movies, this was an all out scream fest. With characters that are just the right amount of "woke" and an excellently heavy plot, this one is movie worthy material. Thrills and chills that don't stop coming and twists that feel like a knife in the gut, this read cuts through to the vittals and keeps on carving right into the heartstrings. I'm totally here for it. How isn't this a movie on Netflix yet??

definitely a bit cheesy in the form of the antagonist but generally fairly good story that delves into some very interesting issues a lot. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Josh Winning has become an auto-buy horror author for me.

Heads Will Roll is a campy horror novel set at a horror camp where adults go to escape from their lives. No phones and lifelines for a couple weeks in the woods, doesn't sound so bad right? Well it wasn't until Knock Knock Nancy starts coming to look for her head.

I loved the horror references throughout the novel. You can tell that Winning is a fan of horror himself due to the amount of references both big and small. The Jade Daniels reference had me smiling. I found Heads Will Roll to not take itself too seriously, which added to the fun. Did it scare me? No, but I still had fun throughout my entire reading experience. I enjoyed the inclusion of forms of media, ex. texts or twitter threads, to help give exposition to the story.

I'm really looking forward to whatever Winning has up his sleeve next.

Rating: 3.5

This was a super fun and campy slasher.

Heads Will Roll follows former sitcom actress Willow, who’s shipped off to a camp in the middle of nowhere after she’s cancelled due to some insensitive tweets. Her image and career have tanked, so Camp Castaway is the perfect place for her to become someone else; there are no phones and fake names, so Willow can become anyone she wants. As she settles in, she starts to like it here and make friends with her fellow campers — especially Dani. But everyone here has a secret, and as campers start disappearing and threatening messages start appearing, Willow is forced to confront both a mysterious killer and her own past.

The plot for this one is just plain fun. It’s a little camp and feels like a throwback to those iconic 90s teen horrors like Scream, Chucky, or I Know What You Did Last Summer. The twists are dramatic but kept me on my toes, and I felt like I was just along for the ride. I feel a little more mixed on the final outcome of the case; it’s a little out there but ultimately I think it still works and matches the overall vibes of the book.

The characters are engaging as well. It took a little while for me to warm up to them as there are quite a bit, but I liked the air of mystery that surrounded everyone and how their backstories were gradually revealed. Willow is a really interesting lead to follow because she’s flawed and has a history, so I found myself questioning what we really knew about her.

Ultimately, I think this one was really fun and I liked how many different threads there were! It’s not a hard-hitting horror and doesn’t do anything too unique, but it makes great use of the existing slasher formula and carves out its own style.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Definitely a solid 3.5 and overall good book. But it just took so much of the story for something to truly happen.

It definitely has the Camp Crystal Lake vibes.. Summer camp, isolated and unplugged from today's world.

If you are a horror fan, you'd love this one... I just didn't like how it wasn't as actioned packed as it had the potential to be. The way the characters were developed and the plot, it had all the key parts to be a FULL 5. The process just took a little longer to reach.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This was an excellent change up from the merry, holiday romance vibes lately.

had sitting in the tbr forever but finally finished it. I enjoyed it for the most part. Im not big into what's going on these days with cancel culture but I like how they threw all that In there. willow seems like a Nieve person but she seemed to get more aware as it went on. I love a camp thriller/slasher. id recommend this to someone getting into horror genre.