I want to start off by acknowledging that I know I’m not exactly the target audience for this book and that did affect my rating because I could. Not. Deal. With the sibling & Yaya drama of it all. I know that was Devon’s journey, I totally get it, but it’s like oh my god please just talk to people, I’m begging you.

Anyway aside from that this book was pretty funny, I liked the little references sprinkled in and once we started to get some action, I thought that was pretty fun. The post credits scene really took this over the top from a 3 star rating into a 4 star. Yes, it really is that simple to please me and get a higher rating. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I feel like there were also some good conversations regarding gentrification, classism, and the safety of Black, queer kids lightly sprinkled in as well.

If you’re a teen or just more into YA than I am and are a lover of self referential horror, this is your book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty good, pretty fun. It didn't quite live up to Their Vicious Games for me, but I had a great time reading this. I hadn't quite realized that it had a supernatural element going in, whoops, but yeah this is a great addition to the YA horror space.

The Blonde Dies First is a fun, suspense-filled YA slasher novel with a twist on classic horror tropes and a friend group you’d be willing to die for. My favorite thing about the book was the characters. Other than Devon, I absolutely loved Gael. Though I appreciated the character growth from all the characters, especially Drew. I love the meta moments and the fun twists on all the slasher movie tropes we love, and I was genuinely shocked by the ending. Wes Craven would be proud! I also loved the Brooklyn setting and world building. The descriptions of their neighborhoods and the different locations were written in a way that I could easily picture and put myself there with the characters. This is the perfect horror book if you’re just dipping your foot in the genre or don’t want anything too terrifying. It’s not scary but provides the right amount of creeps. Overall, I think The Blonde Dies First is a fun summer read but will of course also be perfect for spooky season. I highly recommend checking it out.

The Blonde Dies First is a YA Horror I enjoyed. I really liked Their Vicious Games so I requested this ARC the second I saw it.

A group of friends accidentally summon a demon that wants to kill them. The demon follows horror movie rules, which made for a trope heavy and interesting read. I particularly liked having a sapphic main character and friend group that was largely BIPOC.

I really enjoyed the various character dynamics within the friend group. While there was an intentional focus on their individual archetypes, I enjoyed seeing the way the characters interacted with one another and the histories they all shared. It helped make them all feel real and that they existed beyond their archetype.

Overall, this is a not too scary horror that is perfect for fans of Scream but make it sapphic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an arc of The Blonde Dies First. I was thrilled to get a copy of this from Joelle Wellington as I enjoyed their Vicious Games. This for me was not as good but still good. The Pros-the cast of characters were great! Dev and Drew although twins so dynamic as individuals. I really felt for each of them and made reading their stories really fun. Yaya was just too good! Cons-this wasn't as creepy and scary as I thought it was going to be but overall great read!

1 ⭐️

Unfortunately, after reading 7 chapters, this going to be a DNF for me. 😔😔😔. Joelle Wellington is a VERY skilled writer. Her books, though, just aren’t for me. Two months ago, after reading a handful of positive reviews on “Their Vicious Games”, I tried to read it. Once I got to 40% of the book, I lost interest and it started to feel a bit predictable. After skimming the remaining 60%, it turned out that my thoughts were proven correct. 😬😬😬. Moving on to this book, I have found that it reads more on the younger side of YA (ages 13-14) than the older side of YA that I am use to reading. I also found myself struggling to enjoy both Devon and Drew as well as their friend group and I became a little bit uncomfortable with the decision on the use of a Oujia board.

With a BEAUTIFUL book cover and some really interesting story themes, this book may work for any and every reader who loves the horror genre. Sadly, I am not one of those readers. I TRULY wish Joelle Wellington well on her writing career and all of her future endeavors!!!

Side Note: Any book that I DNF automatically receives a 1 star.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for granting my request for an Advance Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!

I’ve read Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington and loved it. So naturally, I had to read The Blond Die First and it did not disappoint. There’s something about her writing that makes it hard to put the book down. Everything just flows really nice and she knows how to grab your attention. I’m not really a horror girly but wanted to give this a try. It’s definitely beginner-friendly horror so if you want to read something to ease your way into the genre I recommend this! Also, I loved the cast of characters. The banter is great and laughed out loud multiple times. Ms. Wellington is now one of my auto-buy authors! Can’t wait to see what she puts out next.

Thank you Simon and Schuster for the eARC!
I wanted to love this so much following "These Vicious Games" (which I loved), and likely set my expectations too high with this book. I didn't connect with any of the characters nor their interpersonal relationships, and found the plot to be extremely predictable. If you can get past the predictability and the not-fully fleshed out characters, this book is a pretty quick and fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love a final girl thriller read. I loved their vicious games so I could not wait to dive into this read! This read was really great, I was a little skeptical when it came to the Ouija board aspect (I am creeped out by that whole thing..haha). However, this book did a great job of while still keeping the thriller/horror aspect not making me wanna splash holy water around the room. Great read! Can't wait to see what Joelle brings us next.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

This book was a lot of fun and gives you exactly what the synopsis suggests. This was a fun trope-filled, trope- breaking demonic slasher coming-of-age story.

Things I really liked:
All the different character and relationship dynamics.
- The friend group and parents all seemed really supportive of each other.
- I really enjoyed the "Scream" call out and them breaking down the Demonic tropes.
- The big reveal- while not super surprising was a fun one.
- The kill scenes were AWESOME
- The demon was hauntingly creepy and unique

** SPOILERS BELOW***


Some things I didn't like/ had issues with:
- This one is action filled, but I will admit I had some trouble following the action scenes. I'm not sure if it was me or the writing, but I kept finding myself completely lost and having to read and reread action scenes to try and figure out what happened to who and how.
- I was really kind of put off by Drew and Devon's relationship drama it just felt a bit tired I know the whole point of this book was calling out and changing tropes, but like been there done that.
- None...NONE of the main characters actually succumbed to the demon? Again- I get it we are breaking from the usual tropes, but awful convenient that the entire friend group makes it out mostly unscathed. (not that I wanted to see any of them die...)
- The author seemed *really* obsessed with teeth, like I get it Keith has straight teeth.
- I cannot understand why the entire friend group got grounded because one of them "tripped" down the stairs and broke an ankle... that was a bit silly.


I really enjoyed my time reading this book, and honestly, I'd love to see this as a movie I think it would be an absolute blast!

This was the perfect book to kick off summerween! It felt like one of those classic campy cult horror films! I loved the dialogue between the friend group and the relationship between the twins. I could guess somewhat of what was going to happen but it still was enjoyable! I loved all the throwbacks to old horror movies and the spin on the blonde characters always being the first to die!

4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much fun! I have been struggling to finish books lately, but I completely devoured this in a single day. From the first chapter, I was immediately swept up in the story and couldn't put it down, without wanting to pick it right back up.

Joelle Wellington did such an amazing job with the Scream influences. She balances suspense, horror, and campiness in a way that truly mirrors the movies, while still having her own twist on the story. Several choices she made thrilled me to no end and made me gasp out loud.

I really loved the friend group and the multiple relationships within the group. It truly felt so real and lived in, like actual friends who have know each other for most of their lives. Something particular I like was that the group didn't hesitate to show up for each other, but also would call someone out if they feel that they were being mistreated. I think all of the characters were so interesting to learn about and do wish we got more time with some of them.

I just loved my time with this so much. I think Joelle Wellington's concepts and writing are so enjoyable and I'm even more excited to pick up her debut, as well as any of her future work.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I freaking love Joelle. Seriously Joelle can do no wrong in my mind. This book was equal parts horror thriller like with a dash of a love story at times hysterical and still touch base on relationship issues if that makes sense. 10 out of 10 definitely recommend I’m giving it four stars because it felt like there was this whole buildup and then I’m gonna be honest, this one that happens to me that gave away the end so I knew I guess I knew who the villain was gonna be sorry if this is not grammatically correct I am using text to talk.

This was a highly anticipated read for me, and it fell completely flat! It was like an entire 180 from Their Vicious Games, and I was so disappointed.

We are thrown into the world of the twins Devon and Drew very quickly, which I can appreciate, but for some reason I wanted a buildup, especially for something that is marketed as a thriller. One minute we were dealing with the Ouija board, and the next a girl was dying from the demon that appeared so suddenly. This book moved cinematically fr. The twist was not predictable to me, but it did leave me with more questions than before. I also felt like more could've been done with the horror aspect of this, because I didn't feel it. I could see this on film for sure, and that's probably because there are nods to the Scary Movie franchise and Jordan Peele films.

I did love the friend group in this one, though. I wish we had more of them, as well as Drew and Devon. I also enjoyed the queer representation and think this will translate well for the youth that will read it. All in all, this one just wasn't for me, and I would not recommend this book because of that.

Joelle Wellington is officially an auto buy author for me! Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

This book made me feel like my cousins, my childhood friends, and I were all dropped into a Stephen King book. The Blonde Dies First is a teen horror adventure that throws a group of childhood friends into a summer of supernatural chaos. Devon is on a mission to make this the "best summer ever" since her twin sister Drew is graduating early, making this their last true summer together. The crew is a mix of personalities and backgrounds—Black, white, and Latino, with queer representation.

Things take an eerie turn when they use a Ouija board at a party and those plans are ruined. Their only focus now, is to survive the demon the game unleashed the story plays out like a love letter to classic horror film, reminiscent of Scream with its trope-heavy, meta-approach. Readers should keep in mind that this means some "twists" are intentionally predicable but there are still plenty of twists that make this a really fun read.

I love the dynamic of the friend group it reminds me of my summers with my cousins in Chicago and feels very authentic. I loved Their Vicious Games by the same author, Joelle Wellington and found that story premise to be more up my alley but I must say, I found myself more invested in the characters in this story. There's a surprising depth to the main cast that really pulled me in. This is a quick fun read, and I can't wait to see more from Joelle Wellington.

I don't typically gravitate towards horror/thriller novels but I decided to step out of my comfort zone since the premise seemed so intriguing! This begins with Devon and her friends going to a party to celebrate Devon's twin, Drew, graduating early. There, Drew's friend decides to bring out a Ouija board and use an athame to summon a demon. The group soon finds themselves being targeted one by one ala horror movie rules by a menacing and murderous dark presence. The author does such an incredible job cultivating an eerie tone as I frequently found myself on the edge of my seat. Although, the reveal was predictable, this did not take away from the ending as the author included some twists in the character's respective roles.

Additionally, I loved every single character and the relationships between them. Devon and Drew's differences, resentment, and eventual willingness to repair their bond, was so well done. Their scenes together were so authentic and their undying desire to protect one another was despite the tension was apparent. I absolutely loved the inclusion of queer relationships! The sapphic romance was so sweet and wholesome and AHH they own my heart. That being said, I wish we saw more of the other characters in the group since they were all so interesting.

This was definitely a great introduction to the genre for me since it was such a great spooky/summery read. The writing style was so engaging and I'll absolutely be picking up the authors upcoming books.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! Following horror story movies, Joelle Wellington really knew her stuff and did her thing! Some things I figured out, but others were a complete surprise! I love how opposite twin sisters Devon and Drew are. I loved the dynamic of their friend group as well. Another 5 star read from Joelle Wellington!

I really wanted to get into this one but couldn’t with the supernatural element. I absolutely love slashers and hoped this book would have went a different way

I love a good campy young adult horror novel. Especially when it reminds me of scream! It was a really good and quick read. I didn’t want to put it down one of the reasons why I love young adult books.!

First off the cover is stunning and it is what originally drew me in.
Second this book has amazing representation which is love.
The blonde dies first is about a group of friends who start being stalked by a demon that wants to kill them all. Super normal nothing crazy here... It also talks about twins Devon and Drew. Drew graduated early and Devon is trying to make the best summer ever for them and their friends before she is basically abandoned by her twin. and of course a third act plot twist that makes total sense when you look back but when does a demon hunting you down ever make any logical sense?! It is also in large part about friendship and them working together to solve their problem before the end of summer block party.
Loved the characters and the story, recommend if you like fast paced teen/young adult
horror novels.