Final Cut follows Hazel Lejeune who accepts a role in a slasher film, filmed in the same small town where her father was charged for the murder of 5 high school students. Since the filming starts, actors begin to be killed off by an unknown murderer, who Hazel is determined to unmask.

I have to say the pacing on this one was well done. Easily bingeable (?). It also reads like a movie, to the point where you kind of forget you’re reading a book. Yes, that does mean that there are clichés in this book but I feel like the author did a really great job at tying everything together at the end in an original way. If you like watching slasher films, then this book would definitely be enjoyable for you. If you don’t normally like reading horror, such as myself, this one still has a high chance for being enjoyable.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
“It always opens with a dead girl. Any slasher fan worth their salt can tell you that: Drew Barrymore in Scream, Michael’s sister in Halloween, that camp counselor and her unlucky boyfriend in Friday the 13th. The girl must be pretty. Even better if she knows it.”

Haze Lejeune knows slasher movies. It’s simple: a killer, a girl, and a knife. So when she’s offered her first film role as the star of a slasher, her main concern is proving herself as both an actor and a final girl. But Haze isn’t just a struggling actress. She’s the daughter of a mass murderer who hid bodies in the very swamp they’ll be shooting in. When her return to town is marked by bloodshed, Haze is forced to contend with the weight of her father’s guilt … especially when she realizes that she’s the unlikely star in a movie about his killing spree.

In the name of respecting the whodunnit of it all, I’ll keep this entire review spoiler-free.

This fun YA romp mixes amateur actors and spooky swamps to great success. As a certified expert on YA slashers, I can say this one did a fantastic job of keeping intense topics age appropriate without diluting their impact. There’s (way) more to this book than kills: outstanding characters, compelling dynamics between them, and a ton of theme explorations that any teen can relate to. This is the perfect summer read for younger horror/thriller readers or seasoned fans who want a book with Camp Crystal Lake vibes.

Only two things kept me from giving 5 stars. First, the alternating chapters from the killer’s POV tapered off severely as the book went on, both in frequency and spook factor. They were a great device to build tension, and I wish they’d been employed more evenly. The ending is also missing a final scene that was much needed to cap a certain character arc and subplot. I didn’t find the single throwaway line a satisfying conclusion to that particular arc. I really hope this was just an oversight and will be rectified in the final version. Without it, the ending felt incomplete!

Overall, an enjoyable read. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for giving me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved it. Such a fun, page turner. At times I couldn’t even put it down. I loved the 80s nostalgia, the talk of horror movies and music. Even the in depth surroundings of Louisiana.

A couple of criticisms are, the female main character switches up too much for me. Example: finds a clue, dials the detective’s number but realizes there’s not a lot of evidence and puts the phone down. Or she believe one person is the murderer but then 2 seconds later no, the police caught the real guy. Example 3: Everyone let’s get in the canoe, wait never mind, it can only fit 2 people. (Something major happens) okay everyone is in the canoe. Like what?

Also not to be a know it all, but I knew who the killer was 43% in. Still loved it tho.

If you grew up obsessed with the scream movies and slasher genre then this is a must.

It’s giving everything you want from the slasher genre. The addictive chase to survive to the end as people are getting unalived and dropping like flies in an extreme and fast paced manner.

YA genre can be hit and miss but I find slasher YA style is always a hit! It’s the rush of adrenaline for me 😻 And what’s even better the plot is set during a film development for a horror movie so it’s all the things I love combined.

You don’t need any more details to know this is worth a read, just dive in!

Publishes in time for spooky season vibes - October 28th

Thank you for the gifted copy!!

If I had a nickel for every YA novel I read this year that featured a slasher movie set turning into a slasher, I'd have two nickels. Final Cut was the second of the two that I read and the one I preferred overall.

The premise of the daughter of a serial killer going back to her hometown to shoot a horror movie is delightful. Haze knows her father is the Pine Springs Slasher. She's known that almost all of her life. What she doesn't know is who her father was and why he did it. Venturing back to the small Louisiana town where the murders took place is supposed to give her clarity, but things only get messier from the moment she arrives on the low-budget slasher set.

Haze wants answers and no one seems to have any to give her. Everyone has opinions but concrete answers are evading her at every turn. This seems accurate when local lore is involved. Especially when it's about teenagers being murdered by their teacher. But along her journey to find the truth, she encounters some versions of her father's story that aren't what she's heard her whole life.

I didn't love this book. While it kept my attention, I found it a little contrived. However, it was a fun and fast-paced read perfect for spooky season. If you like a murder mystery and slasher films, this is a good book for you! If you don't like those things, I don't know why you're reading this review in the first place.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Final Cut is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and atmospheric YA thriller that hones in on identity, legacy, and fear. If you love horror that toys with production behind the camera—or if you're drawn to protagonists grappling with how their family history follows them—you’ll find Haze’s journey both chilling and hard to put down.

Rating: 4.5 / 5
The vivid setting, internal stakes, and body count deliver a thrilling experience—and readers will definitely be ready for the cut to black... or sequel.

As a fan of slashers, the "Final Cut" by Olivia Worley was a treat to dive into! Set in the town of Pine Springs, LA years after the tragedy caused by the infamous Pine Springs Slasher, a film crew is slowly being picked off one by one. Is it a sick homage to the man that sits behind bars or was the real killer never caught? That is the underlying mystery that is presented throughout this book.

Following the perspective of Hazel Lejeune (the daughter of the infamous killer), the reader is given a unique insight. You rarely get to see how such a heinous and disgusting crime affects the life of the loved ones that had to live with the consequences of the killer's actions. While there were moments where she frustrated me with just how naive she was in the situation, I did feel like she was portrayed pretty realistically.

The only thing that was hard to really follow was the intermittent movie scripts and how long was spent shooting. It really seemed like everything was pretty condensed for what was supposedly a feature film. While it is common to film things out of order, this made it seem like most sets only needed 2 to 3 takes before moving on, weather was ideal, and equipment worked perfectly each time. Although this can be the case, it would have made more sense to kind of stretch it out just a little bit. Especially with the situation surrounding the script itself.

All in all, the book was very well-written and I could see how this could potentially be made into a movie in a style a la 'Scream'.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this early.

Book Release: 28 October 2025

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with this arc!

I couldn't put this book down! The main character, Haze, reminded me of some of my favorite final girls (especially Sam Carpenter in the newest Scream installments). The story had great pacing and I had a hard time guessing who the killer would be (although I did manage to figure it out not long before the reveal). I liked how the author portrayed Haze's fraught relationship with her father and the budding romance between Sam and her love interest. Fans of Scream and slasher movies are sure to enjoy this book, and I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy to add to my library on release day!

If you love a good slasher, this book is a lot of fun! The plot follows Haze, an up-and-coming actress excited to take on her first major role. But when the horror film starts mimicking a real life murder spree that hits a little too close to home, it’s up to Haze and her newfound friends to find a killer… Or die trying.

Reading this book feels like watching a scary movie in October- it’s fun, a little gory, and has a satisfying twist at the end. The author even threw in a bit of character development. It’s a bit predictable in a few places, but there are some surprises as well. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Christopher Pike’s books were my favorites as a teenager, starting a lifelong love for scary stories and movies. Olivia Worley has written a suspenseful tale that kept me guessing throughout! Although the beginning was a bit slow, once the book gained momentum, I was hooked. It brought back memories of the books I read when I was younger.

Worley introduces us to Haze Lejeune, an aspiring actress working on a movie set in a small Louisiana town. The same town her mother left when Haze was a toddler, as it is where her father was convicted of a crime that still haunts the locals. The plot unfolds as the cast and crew struggle to survive amidst a series of mysterious deaths.

I wish there had been more development of some supporting characters, but I believe the story and Haze’s journeys of finding the truth about her father and coming to terms with her past were the primary focus.

Readers who enjoy horror and slasher fiction will find this story appealing. I look forward to exploring more of Olivia Worley’s work!

I loved this young adult thriller. It gave a true slasher movie feel to it with a new twist.
Lately young adult thrillers have been hit or miss with me, and this one sucked me right in.
Hazel (Haze) was such a fun character. I also really liked the film set aspect to it. It makes me want to read more film set mystery/thrillers.

This comes out in October and it will be a perfect spooky read for fall!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

When I say we need slasher summer book vibes THIS is what I mean! Oh my god this was such a fun and unique read . The setup with scriptwriting and inclusions in the chapters made it so enticing . I love when books reach to do something unique rather than following that same basic format.

I guessed one killer but the other did surprise me ! It was a really fun guessing game and a great cast to read about . Ah i’m so giddy , cannot wait for my friends to read this one this fall!

Wow! This was so unexpectedly amazing! Final Cut is was a fast-paced thriller with horror elements and 'final girl' vibes and I couldn't put it down! The characters were well developed, and I didn't predict the final twists.

Young adult horror? Yes, please
Slasher? Yes, please
Nostalgic? Yes, please

Gory, Dark, mysterious, , twist and turns and bingeable.

I had a great time reading this book!
Pub Date Oct 28 2025
Thank you NetGalley | St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for picking me to receive an eARC

WOW!!!!
And to think that I went into this thinking I'll be able to predict the twist from the beginning. I was so WRONG.

Genuinely enjoyed this so much I ended up finishing it at 5AM and I think it was worth it. Loved the writing style, loved the story, loved the pacing.
This actually got me out of my reading slump.
5/5

I really enjoyed this book! It’s different than what I normally read so I wasn’t guessing every single plot point which was nice. I enjoyed the suspense aspect of the plot.

Great fast paced horror. Teens are filming a horror movie rural Louisiana. The main character is playing the lead role in the movie. However, secretly the movie she is filming is actually about her father who was convinced of the murders. It's gory and has a few twists, great quick read.

This was a tense, fast-paced read that kept me guessing from start to finish. The setting was atmospheric and added to the sense of isolation and suspense, and the mystery was layered in a way that kept the tension high throughout.

The characters were distinct and had believable motivations, though a few could’ve used a bit more depth. Still, the dynamics between them — especially under pressure — made for some compelling drama. The social media angle was a clever touch, and it felt relevant without being overdone.

There were a few pacing hiccups and moments that felt slightly over-the-top, but overall, it delivered on the thrills. A solid mix of mystery, drama, and modern commentary — definitely worth a read for fans of YA thrillers.

I really enjoyed trying to guess who was behind the murders and the plot twists at the end. Once I got into the thick of it, I couldn’t put the book down and stayed up well past my bedtime reading. Olivia has quickly become an “immediate purchase” author for me!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

This book reminds me of a more grown up version of the fear street books, absolutely loved it!