I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker is a third person multi-POV YA Queer horror. Former friends Fern and Jaq haven’t spoken in five years, since the death of their friend Mallory. Only, they don’t even remember they used to be friends or what happened the night Mallory died. When they finally start getting their memories back, they remember more than their friendship; they can finally voice that they are Queer.

A major theme of the story is ‘coming out’ and how so many people are not safe enough to do so. With a Pacific Northwest setting in a high school, spaces you’d think would be more progressive, Mal, Fern, and Jaq are in a Queerphobic community that has forced them into the closet for years. Mallory’s death isn’t really commented on by the community anymore but they do make note of when a student is kicked out by his parents for coming out as Queer. Katelyn, their classmate, came out as a lesbian in middle school and is the most openly ‘out’ character in the book and the very reason that Jaq, Mal, and Fern started becoming friends as the closested Queer kids in class.

Another running theme is the ‘gay awakening.’ When Fern and Jaq start getting their memories back, they call it ‘waking up’ and it does feel like they came out of a long dream that was dragging them down. Fern starts to accept their feelings for Katelyn and starts to figure out their gender identity (genderfluid) while we get flashbacks of Jaq and Mal’s first love and Jaq starts falling for a new girl in town named Devyn. Jaq is held back by her religious parents and her long-term boyfriend while Fern is unsure how to discuss things with their well-meaning but stuck-in-the-binary thinking mother.

Fern comes from a theater-loving family and gets the role of Sandy in the senior musical but Katelyn gets the role of Danny during the gender-blind casting. Originally, Fern was jealous because Katelyn would get all of the attention until they came to terms with wanting the role of Danny because it gave them a way to explore their gender. As someone who is also non-binary, I really related to Fern using the arts to explore their gender and I know other people who have done the same. It’s very common and will allow a lot of teens to see themselves in Fern.

Content warning for depictions of Queerphobia, brief depictions of self-harm, and religious trauma.

I would recommend this to readers looking for YA Queer horror where the horror has a lighter touch and fans of horror exploring the trauma of coming out

"Come Out, Come Out" by Natalie C. Parker is an engaging and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity and friendship. The story revolves around Mallory, who mysteriously disappears, setting off a gripping search led by her friends Jaq and Fern. As they delve into Mallory's disappearance, they uncover hidden truths about themselves and the shared secret that binds them. Parker skillfully combines a touch of speculative fiction with contemporary issues, creating a richly detailed world that enhances the narrative. The characters are well-developed, with Jaq and Fern’s personal journeys adding depth to the story. The novel’s emotional resonance is heightened by the characters’ complex relationships and their struggle to reconcile their identities with the secrets they hold. "Come Out, Come Out" stands out for its compelling storytelling and insightful exploration of friendship and self-discovery.

So So good. I don't know if I was looking for a horror book about queer girls who are haunted by an evil spirit who forces them to live a straight life but here we are. Some parts had me crying, some had me smiling and altogether left an incredibly moving read about living one's most authentic self.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. If youre a horror fan but also like books with real meaning, then this one is for you. This book sends out a really important message regarding acceptance, not only of yourself but of others, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community. Not only was it horror in the scary Paranormal sense, but also in the real life sense of not being accepted by your family and community. It also sends out strong messages of friendship, family, and love. There are many important things to take away from this novel. I'm not going to get deep into them as I think this is an important one to read for yourself. I'm rating this 4 stars as while I did overall enjoy this book, the beginning was a bit slow for me and I struggled a little but to get into it. Once the story picks up though, I flew through the rest. I'm really glad I gave this one a go.

"Come Out, Come Out" by Natalie C. Parker is a compelling and evocative tale that masterfully blends elements of suspense and self-discovery. The narrative follows its protagonist as they navigate the complexities of identity, acceptance, and the courage to reveal one's true self in a world that often resists change. Parker's prose is both lyrical and gripping, drawing readers into an emotional journey that is as much about personal growth as it is about unraveling a mystery. The characters are richly developed, their struggles and triumphs resonating with authenticity and heart. This book is a poignant exploration of the themes of love, fear, and the relentless pursuit of one's truth, making it a standout read in contemporary fiction.

I wanted to love this and at times, did. It had great themes represented throughout and beautiful metaphorical layers. However, the actual “horror” aspect didn’t hit for me.,

This book surprised me in a good way! Well written and great representation. I always say I don't like thrillers until I read one and say this was amazing. I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. I liked the alternating points of view. Overall, it was an exciting read and I'm interested in reading more from Natalie!

firstly, i want to thank netgalley and the publishing company for granting me a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review. always so, so grateful everytime i get accepted for one.

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i want to start by mentioning that overall, i love the way the author wrote the struggles the queer community faces when it comes to homophobia. homophobia has many different forms and faces. there's subtle homophobia, internal homophobia and then sometimes people are uneducated about what they're saying and don't realise that the words slipping from their lips are indeed homophobic.

there's so many little intricate details in this book that i'm grateful for how the lgbtqia+ community is shown within the margins of this book.

let's get to what the reasoning is behind my rating.

while i loved the concept of this book i feel like it was executed in an interesting way. it started out super slow and was very character driven, which often times i do love in a book. especially if we're setting a scene or for instance in a fantasy book and we're describing intricate world building.

however, i this moved at a very slow pace and didn't start to truly pick up and get to the 'horror' aspect until the last few pages which felt rushed.

come out, come out is a fantastic title and if you read this book you will find out why.

come out, come out is about three teenagers that venture into a dark forest one night for fun (not my idea of fun. if i can't see, it ain't for meeee!) and when they come out agan, only two of them ventured back into the light. however, the two that went into the forest and came back out have no recollection of the events that transpired when they were in the forest--which is super intriguing.

the two character's that escape from the forest live in a relatively homophobic town where everyone knows everyone, no secret is truly a secret and this is where the play on words with come out, come out comes in. however, i will let you figure that out for yourself.

do i still reccommend this book? absolutely. it's a coming of age that discusses many topics that are discussed within the queer community. i must mention that although this is labelled as a 'horror' book and i saw someone compare it to the writings of andrew joseph white--it is not what i would label as horror and no where near the level of andrew's writing. this 'horror' i would suggest to someone that isn't big on reading scary sorts of stories and it's perhaps their first one.

again, i would like to thank netgalley and the publishing company for extending me a copy og this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the E-ARC!

I loved this read. The cover and description got me first and then it really delivered on it’s promises. This one had horror vibes and a foreboding sense of haunting supernatural entities but also complex and in depth exploration of characters journeys with self-acceptance, coming of age, and coming out. The representation was diverse and well done, I loved the characters and I loved how varied the levels of acceptance the side characters showed at the end. The book was well written and kept me hooked all the way through. The double meanings and metaphorical journey worked so well to show how queerness is treated when religion is used as a weapon. I will definitely be picking this one up when it comes out.

Perfect for fans of Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle.

Not all stories are happy and not all stories are sad - this is one that is just “real”. There is pain, acceptance, exploration, desire, dreams, loss, fear, ever after, and the unknown - all of which makes this a great story.

Full of great moments and characters it takes you back to High School and not knowing what to do when your life is mapped out for you…and when it is not a life you want.

love the title 😉

This story is deep it dive in the difficulty of a queer identity in a not so well society in a small town. There’s a lot of trauma and courage playing into this.
also like how the characters get into they own true friendships and identities as they get older.

The horror elements was interesting. Evil spirits granting them wishes. It could be more better.




Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for the early arc. 🫶🏻

"Come Out, Come Out" by Natalie C. Parker is a chilling and heartfelt dive into the complexities of queer identity set against a backdrop of supernatural horror that will leave you breathless. This book masterfully weaves a tale of fear and self-discovery, spotlighting the trauma and courage of queer teens in a world that often demands they hide who they are. The story of Fern and Jaq's struggle with their identities and the haunting specter of their past is both spine-tingling and profoundly moving. Parker's ability to blend real-life horrors with ghostly terror is unparalleled, creating a narrative that is as much about confronting inner demons as it is about battling otherworldly ones. If you're a fan of Kayla Cottingham or Ryan La Sala, you'll find "Come Out, Come Out" impossible to put down—this is modern YA horror at its best, with an important message about the power of friendship and the courage to live your truth. 🌈👻📚

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for an ARC of Come out, Come out. written by Natalie C. Parker.

This is the first book I have read by this author but certainly won't be my last. It was super different and interesting when it came to the plot, not by just a description but as you continue to get into the story.

Mall, Fern, and Jaq meet in middle school, each dealing with something that they can't reveal to their parents or their small town, they come to find a house in the woods that is more than willing to grant the three girls a wish.

I really don't want to give away anything, Parker incorporates Horror, Fantasy, Love, and Being true to yourself so well in this novel, given the book is LGBT themed you would think the title would be a play on words, it is so much more than that.

This book was both horrific and sad. When a girl goes missing when they are children comes back when they are seniors, it makes her friends realize who they really are, and who they really love. I really enjoyed reading this novel about coming out, not being able to, and everything in between, set in the middle of a horrifying tale. I definitely recommend this novel!

My favorite part about Come Out, Come Out is the title itself. I love the play on words perfect for a horror story and a story rooted in LGBTQIA+ themes. With that being said I had a hard time giving this 3 stars.
When it comes to the horror aspect itself, it was underwhelming. There wasn't enough and it fell short for me. However, Come Out, Come Out incorporates important topics in the Queer community and I highly recommend this book for those looking for a diverse read. It's a great story of queer/trans teens finding friendship, coming out, and realizing who they are. These topics are what brought my rating back up.
Come Out, Come Out releases August 27, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced readers copy. This review was voluntary and are my own honest thoughts and opinions .

🌈coming of age
🌈found family
🌈queer acceptance
🌈ghostly entity
🌈out August 27th

This book may be my favorite coming out and coming of age story I've read in the last few years. We have Fern, Jaq, and Mal 3 young teenagers that enter the creepy forest in there town, and only two come out. 5 years later neither Jaq or Fern remember what happened that night, but a party in those same woods triggers something in both of their memories that they cant ignore.

this book touches on heavy topics like: religious bigotry, homophobia, forced cis-heteronormative standards and how horrific the result of those biases and bigotries can be. The growth Jaq and Fern experience through the entirety of the book was so well paced and warmed my heart to read and experience.

I gave it a 4/5 because the ending really could have been another 10-20 pages to really close the story out. Seeing more interaction between all the main characters after the story climaxed would have been perfect. A lot of people are mentioning that it didn't have enough horror elements but I don't agree; just because it wasn't as gory and violent as an adult reader may be accustomed to it had different kinds of horrors the main characters had to push through that most people will never have to experience.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=3.75 | 😘=2 | 🤬=3 | ⚔️=5 | 15+

summary: basically it’s about three queer people in a homophobic small town and a mysterious forest and a house but that’s a bad summary and I don’t know if the book itself even lives up to its premise?? (though it’s still good)

thoughts: so.

things I liked:

- this had really, really excellent pacing; everything was fast and moving forward in a way that made sense for both YA and horror.

- loved the characters! distinct in personality and experiences of queerness.

things I didn’t get:

- the entire supernatural element was kind of confusing to me? like it didn’t feel super foreshadowed, even with flashbacks to the past, and I feel that there were ways that could have happened. so like, a lot of the horror elements didn’t work.

overall this is pretty good, though! yay!!!!

This cover immediately caught my attention. It was a bit of a slow start for me but it didn’t stay that way. I loved the combination of supernatural terror as well as real world terrors. The author does a great job of telling this story.

The horror didn’t really come through in this. There are plenty of events and elements that could inspire horror, but for the most part, they weren’t written in a manner that particularly built dread/suspense/fear/disgust in the visceral way of the horror genre.
I was expecting the amnesia to last longer or be a bigger source of tension. There was potential for dramatic irony to put the reader on edge as well as the nauseating horror of seeing how the characters have been rewritten and twisted to suit somebody else’s fantasies of what they should be. By bringing most of their memories back very early, it put all that out of sight in the past.
The book instead pulls some horror both from the supernatural threat and the sudden knowledge the main characters gain that they are queer in an environment where it is not a safe thing to be. The latter is very real, I feel the fear in that situation, but it still reads in many ways more like a contemporary coming-of-age story than horror.
*Spoilers* I also thought the reveal that their safe space had once been the embodiment of the bigotry they needed sanctuary from didn’t have quite the emotional weight it could have. *Spoilers*

That said, I still enjoyed a lot of the book for what it was. It was interesting to see how the main characters reconnect with their identities, how they don’t exactly fall back into them the same way as older teens as they first did. They are in that odd space where they know they’re queer but that’s it, not what that means for them, how to be comfortable with it, or how to decide what parts of their identities to show the world. This discovery phase was written well; I felt for them.

I really liked this book, but I wanted even more of the horror element. It was a book that was hard to put down, so I read it quite quickly in two sittings. But, I felt that tensions and emotions could have been heightened to take it to the next level. Parts of it were eerie, but other parts fell flat.
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Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title. These are my honest thoughts.