Scream meets The Reappearance of Rachel Price, with a dash of I Know What You Did Last Summer, this is the only thing I've ever wanted in a book! As a super horror fan, this was just up my alley. It’s meta, twisty, and full of scream queen energy. A perfect October read for fans of final girls!

4.25!! I ended up liking this book way more than I expected! It was the perfect level of creepy, the characters were actually likable (thank god bc I usually have no luck with characters in this genre) and the plot had me hooked from start to finish. I loved that I couldn’t guess the killer, definitely earned some extra points for that.

Would I survive this slasher? No, but would I recommend it? Yes!Would I survive this slasher? No. Would I recommend this slasher? Yes!

Haze Lejeune is ready for her next big thing after graduating high school: starring as the final girl in a slasher film. If it happens to be in Pine Springs, Lousiana where her father happens to be a convicted serial killer, that's totally fine, right? No one will know. Except when they start filming, a series of suspicious accidents begin to occur, and it becomes clear that the film she's set to star in is based on the very murders her father is in prison for. When an actual murder happens, Haze is determined to stop the killer before it becomes too late.

As someone who loves slashers but is at the same time extremely scared of watching them, this book was exactly my cup of tea. I really enjoyed the suspense of it all — the accidents that began to happen, the notes left for Haze alone, the little connections to Pine Springs that become clear as the story goes on. I love when there is more than one suspect and you never know who to trust (tbh I didn't even trust Haze). The story really gained traction around the 50-60% mark for me and I devoured the second half of the book.

I did feel like there were a lot of suspects to keep track of, which for me personally took away some of the heart-pounding suspense. It really could have been so many people and I would have found it more thrilling if it explored her friendships/relationships more deeply and played into that (I'm not sure if this is making sense).

A great summerween ARC and definitely perfect for an October recommendation!

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a whirlwind of a story! I really enjoyed this slasher film on paper. I’m normally pretty good about guessing the killers and the rest of the story but I was able to really spend a lot of time trying to sleuth out the answers. This is definitely going to be a reread.

This book was amazing!!!! Without spoiling, I loved the characters so much - like all of them too, which is rare for me. Normally, there are 1 or 2 I like and then I barely remember the rest, but everyone was memorable! The plot was so well done and unique, despite technically being done in some capacity before. It was similar to Holly Jackson novels in terms of quality of writing, but faster paced and with more slasher elements. I would loooove to have this book on my shelf someday!! Favourite non-spoiler parts: the alt. scenes and the scripts! Always fun when books are a little interactive!

Final Cut was creepy in the best way—tense, twisty, and terribly addictive. The atmosphere was pitch-perfect for fans of slashers and thrillers. Filming a horror movie in the same town where a real massacre happened? Already a great setup. Add a rising body count, hidden identities, and a main character whose past is tangled in it all, and it’s impossible to stop reading.

Hazel is a “final girl” you can’t quite pin down, and that makes her all the more compelling. I loved the mix of horror, mystery, and messy relationships. It’s a wild ride start to finish—perfect the kids who are always looking for a spooky season binge.

This book was so creepy! I read it and listen to the audiobook at the same time and I got chills. It was the perfect SUMMERWEEN read!
It was so atmospheric and the characters in this book were fantastic. Read this for a good thriller by the beach or wait till fall and experience it during the spooky season! Easy five stars.

More like a 4.5. Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this book. I wasn't sure I was going to like this one as I'm not into slashers and horror but I like the author so I figured I'd try it. I ended up really enjoying the story. It certainly kept me on my toes and never knew who to trust. I enjoyed the parts of the story the wrote out as a script for filming as well. It was quite unique. I wanted a little bit more at the end but overall good. Be warned there's a lot of slashing!

˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .

i loved this one! the killer was actually unpredictable and my guess was so off, dont even ask about it. it was super bingeable and i finished the book in a day. and omg the twist!? jaw dropping. might reread it for the slasher film halloween vibes in october again. that's how much fun it was reading this.

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hazel loves slasher movies and has recently earned a part in a low-budget feature film; her dreams might be coming true. She wants to show her mom she can do this, and turn it into a career.

The teeny tiny issue is that the film is set in middle-of-no-where Pine Springs, Louisiana; the town's only claim to fame being the brutal murders of five teenagers fifteen years ago - committed by Hazel's father.

Soon accidenta begin happening on set, one of which leads to a brutal murder. And then another, and another, and another. Clearly someone on set is not who they claim to be - or they are hiding in plain sight. So, is it a copy cat, or was Hazel's father innocent after all?

For the majority of the book, this was easily into 4 or 5 star territory for me. I absolutely loved Worley's novel, The Debutantes, and this was moving along just as nicely. The pace was frantic as people kept dying and it became clear that it had to be someone connected to the movie or the original murders.

The biggest issue came when we started finding out everyone's identities toward the end and it was just a lot thrown at the reader at once. At first, there were no clear suspects. Then when we found out who so-and-so and so-and-so actually were, we suddenly had suspects and motives, when there were not really any hints dropped along the way.

I was also underwhelmed by the reveal of the mastermind. Again, there was lack of build-up and I think only one or two real hints that this person might be involved. I thought the accomplice was good, I did not suspect that one at all.

The body count was absurdly high and I love it for a slasher, but realisticaly...

Then I remember it is YA and doesn't have to make sense.

It felt a lot like Scream, which I think was the intent. Not just the first one, but also the fifth and sixth ones, specifically because of characters' behaviors.

Overall this was still a fun, absurdly over-the-top B-movie type book and I really loved most of it. My issue is solely with the last part and how we went from kind of suspecting everyone because there were no clear obvious suspects, to HERE ARE THE SUSPECTS NOW IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THEM.

Recommended.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing the copy of Final Cut by Olivia Worley. Warning! Don’t start this book unless you have time to read it from cover to cover, because once you start it, you won’t be able to put it down. Worley has a way of telling a story that grabs me. I loved the characters, even though there were so many, I had a tough time remembering what their roles were. I suspected almost everyone at some time or another, just to be surprised by (most of) the big reveal. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, fun read, this is the perfect book for you! This is a Teen/YA book, but would be a good read for adults too! 5 stars

Haze, the daughter of the infamous Pine Springs Slasher, is invited to audition for the lead role in a slasher film set in Pine Springs. It's a dream come true as she's always been a slasher fan, but as gruesome accidents occur on the set of the film, she starts to wonder if her father was wrongly convicted and the killer is still out there... looking for her.

I'm a big fan of thrillers and murder mysteries, less so slasher movies, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. My most recent exposure to slashers is the visual novel Terror Fest, so I was anticipating that Final Cut would likely be somewhat similar. It was, but it was better in my opinion. A lot of the characters were a bit stereotypical, but that worked for the genre that it was in. I enjoyed watching the mystery unravel of what really happened on that day fifteen years ago that the Pine Springs Slasher claimed his victims, and I didn't expect the conclusion. At first, I was wondering if it would really be a true slasher-inspired book as there were only accidents and not deaths, but there were plenty of deaths in the end. I can say that from my limited knowledge of the slasher genre, it did end up true to the genre.

The romance was cute and compelling as well. I liked the complicated nature of Haze's relationships with the other members of the cast, and of her relationship with her mother. It was interesting to see the "final girl" be a bit of an unreliable narrator, it rounded out her personality. There was some representation of minorities amongst the side characters — a lesbian couple, one of them Vietnamese, and a nonbinary character — which was good. One of Haze's co-stars, Nina, is Latina and there was some good representation there. She was definitely more important than the non-binary side character in general, but that makes sense as she was one of the main five cast members.

I also enjoyed the way the story was told, with alternate chapters from the perspectives of side characters. One of them was a little misleading, but I think that's pretty typical for murder mysteries. The way that certain portions of the book was told in screenplay format was also fun.

The Pine Springs Slasher, notorious Cal Dupre murdered five highschool students and left them for dead in the swamps. He is currently serving life in prison when the murders begin again. Hazel Lejeune wants nothing more than to distance herself from her fathers legacy, she returns to Pine Springs when the role of a lifetime is offered to her. This book is a twisty slasher and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy fast paced slashers this is the book for you. Will there be a final girl? Will this movie pay tribute to the victims of the Pine springs SLasher or will it start again?

As an avid horror reader, I find that "slasher" movie vibes are so hard to translate on the page. Worley did a great job in this tough venture. I was so engaged the entire time and felt the gory scenes were done so well, it was like watching my favorite comfort slashers. The storyline was nicely tied together and kept me waiting for the big reveal. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good teenage slasher!

I really liked this book!! It was so interesting and I was hooked right from the start all the way until the last page. This was such a fun mystery to read, I really liked the whole recreation of a previous murder plot (copycat crime)! You really get a good sense of what a YA slasher movie is but in book form and it was written well too. I didn’t see that ending coming right until it happened and it all clicked.

If you’re a fan of slasher horror movies or YA thriller/mystery I would definitely recommend this book, especially as a Halloween read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!! 🫶

Such a thrilling and chilling slasher horror novel.
I'd highly recommend this for fans of slashers in general as well as fans of Scream especially the third movie.

Final Cut was so twisty and I genuinely couldn't settle on one culprit for the murders. Olivia Worleys ending was absolutely chilling. I would've never guessed in a million years what was really going on behind the scenes.

The lore of the town where they filmed the movie added so much to the book and truly is the foundation of the book . It's one of those towns where nothing would feel the same if it was set elsewhere.

I cannot wait to read whatever else Olivia decides to write.


Content PG-13 to low rated R

Due to strong language
Gore and violence

This book follows Haze, she lands the lead role in a new thriller film. One that just so happens to be shooting in her hometown. The same town where, fifteen years ago, her father was convicted of a string of brutal murders. As filming begins, “accidents” start piling up… and then people start dying. It doesn’t take long to realize the killer is on set. And no one knows who to trust.

Let me just say: this book had me stressed TF out. Every time I thought I had it figured out? WRONG. It kept me guessing, kept me flipping pages, and I finished it in one sitting. I’m not even a thriller girly, but this one had me hooked from start to finish.

And that ending??? I’m begging for more. Please. I need answers.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you!

Final Cut is a slasher horror novel tailor-made for fans of the genre. As I read, I felt like I was diving into a mash-up of some of my favorite slasher films—Scream, Sleepaway Camp, Thanksgiving, and Clown in a Cornfield, just to name a few. The story seamlessly shifts between the present and the past, offering a compelling dual narrative that reveals both the mystery unfolding now and the backstory of a film in production.

What really kept me hooked was the suspense. I found myself constantly asking: Who’s the killer? Who’s safe? Who can actually be trusted? Every twist had me turning the pages faster, and I picked up the book whenever I had a spare moment. The characters are another highlight—each one felt distinct, well-described, and full of personality.

If you love slasher movies, this book is a must-read. It captures the tension, mystery, and fun of the genre in all the right ways. I loved every second of it.

What a fun read! Final Cut is about Hazel Lejeune, a recent high school graduate that gets the lead female role in a slasher film. But this film takes place in Pine Springs, Louisiana, where her father is famously known as the Pine Springs Slasher and was convicted 15 years ago after murdering 5 of his high school students.

The filming starts with suspicious incidents and things take a turn for the worse when a cast member is found dead. There’s a killer on the set and Hazel starts to question whether her father was innocent all along. Cast members are murdered and Hazel has to fight to survive and unmask the real killer before he gets to her.

This book read like a movie! I was visualizing everything as a read. Very reminiscent of 2000s slasher films. The story had the right amount of gore for a YA. I enjoyed the the pacing and the few chapters that had script from the movie. I don’t typically read YA, but this was a fun one.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc!

holy shit holyyyy shitttttt

I love a mystery/horror book that can make me so overwhelmed with reveals

ate this one up I don't have much to say