I have now read three (including this one) books by Olivia Worley and have to say, I find her writing style engaging and easy and darkly fun. The pacing and plotting have a YA feel (not surprising, given that she writes a lot of YA) but with more adult-relevant themes and characters. This gives them a faster pace that I enjoy and I fall right into them without effort. There seem to be a lot of slasher movie-themed stories lately, and while I'm not a huge fan of the genre in movies, I do find the incorporation of the thematic elements in fiction to be oddly entertaining and really provide a punchy angle to more traditional mystery/thriller stories. This was a quick read that I quite enjoyed.

Final Cut is a tense, atmospheric thriller that blends the drama of a slasher movie with the suspense of a murder mystery.
I don't usually read horror but the premise was so intriguing - the FMC is cast in a horror film being shot in the same town where her dad was convicted of a series of murders, and when someone on set turns up dead, she’s forced to confront her past and uncover the truth.
I loved the setting - creepy swamps, small-town Louisiana, and an amateur film set - it creates the perfect eerie backdrop! Following Haze as she tries to piece everything together was such a ride. Olivia Worley does an amazing job creating suspense and paranoia; I was suspicious of literally everyone!
Overall this was a gripping, fast-paced read that will be perfect for October or any time you're in the mood for something spooky!
～Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this! Olivia Worley is really great at writing mysteries with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing. She is great at breadcrumbing so you can see the through line when the big reveal at the end. A really good, exciting read and for horror or film fans, it’s even better.

This was a fun and interesting slasher film book, it feels your like your in a real life movie. I loved all the twist and turns that are in this book,

Knowledge on this read came to me via email, and the opening line of “The set of a low-budget slasher film turns into a real-life horror movie in this twisty, wicked blend of Scream meets The Reappearance of Rachel Price.” really caught my attention, willing me to read Final Cut by Olivia Worley.

For starters, the initial draw of the email's opening line was so good, and it highlights the twisty and wicked nature of the story you’re about to read. However, I did not like "The Reappearance of Rachel Price" and was scared about what elements from that read were going to present themselves.

I think the main thing that gave me "The Reappearance of Rachel Price" was the fact that Hazel’s dad was seemingly making himself known. This element was really good because by 28% of the way in, I was trying to figure out if this was a copycat killer situation, Hazel’s dad, or someone coming after Hazel for what her father did.

Overall, I didn’t love nor hate this read, it was just one of those reads I read when I was bored or had no other book with me.

Big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love a good slasher and this one is probably one of the bests I’ve read! Haze has just gotten the lead role in a movie, the best part is it’s a slasher her all time favorite type of movie. But she has a secret. This movie takes place in Pine Springs where 15 years ago the Pine Springs Slasher killed 5 people. The thing is, he just happens to be Haze’s father. As the movie begins she can’t help but notice the similarities between the movie and what happened in the past. Then there’s the odd accidents that keep happening on set, plus the fact that some people believe her father is innocent. If so why did he confess? With a cast and crew of people who have things to hide no one can be trusted. And when someone turns up dead that may just be all Haze needs to determine if her father really is the Pine Springs Slasher or not. But will looking just put her in more danger? Who can she trust? And is her father really a killer? Told mostly from Haze’s pov but with a few alt chapters from the killers pov! They add to the intrigue and keep you guessing! Twists and turns right up until the end! Tense, thrilling, and will have you devouring the book! Olivia Worley’s Final Cut is gripping and unputdownable!

2 stars

I’m a sucker for horror books about films so I was really looking forward to this and was excited to get the ARC.

Hazel Lejeune has just graduated from high school and, just as it happens for all graduating seniors SHE is contacted and asked to audition for the lead role in a slasher film called “Swamp Creatures.” THEY called HER. And she’s been in a grand total of….nothing. But no alarm bells? Um, OK, but, you’re going to die, so try and look surprised, I guess.

Anyway, to the surprise of no one she gets the “final girl” role and heads to Pine Springs, Louisiana, which just HAPPENS to be her former hometown AND where her father, Cal, killed a bunch of high school students fifteen years before. But they want her for her ART. No one on the film know about Cal or her connection to Pine Springs. And since Haze (this is what she calls herself, which, to me, brings to mind “drug-induced” but that might just be my misguided youth.) is such a keen student of human nature and life in general I guess I can buy that she believes that.

D-I Haze quickly becomes friends with the rest of the primary cast, Cameron, Nina and Lucas, and, naturally, she and Cameron, the male lead, fall in insta-love which…ugh. Then the bodies start piling up. Despite this, first time director Autumn (yay for the female director!) just goes trucking along with shooting the movie, you know, as you would do….just please stay alive til we’ve wrapped on you, Kthanksbye.

This was, from my standpoint, pretty dumb. Keep in mind though that I’m an adult who likes YA, so maybe actually YAs will like this better? I don’t know. I wanted to like it, but it thwarted me at every turn. Just prepare to suspend all disbelief, all ye who enter here.

This was fantastic, I really enjoyed it! It was really fresh and unique despite some of the horror tropes.

Final Cut follows Hazel after she lands the lead role in a slasher film. She’s excited to start in the industry and prove to her mom this can be a career. Even though the film is set in Pine Springs, the same place her father was convicted of murdering several of his students fifteen years ago. When suspicious, almost fatal accidents turn into a vicious murder, Hazel suspects someone is trying to recreate the past. She must uncover the killer before they go after her next.

This was my second Olivia Worley book and I’m so hooked on her stories! She writes fantastic murder mysteries that have genuinely shocking twists. I didn’t guess who it was nor did I guess the reasoning but it made so much sense. I thoroughly enjoyed the end and loved the twist. The vibes were so on point and the setting was so haunting and eerie. Small towns are the perfect place for murder mysteries.

I really liked Hazel and how aware she was of classic slasher tropes and tried to avoid some. She’s a really great mc and I loved the progression of her story. The complex relationship with her dad was handled really well and I really liked where things ended for her. Her friendships with her costars were really sweet, especially the romance with Cameron.

If you love slashers, especially Scream, I’d highly recommend checking this one out!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the arc

Final Cut is like a slasher flick you’d sneak-watch at a sleepover in middle school, but maybe not the one you’d pick for movie night now. It’s solid, (like something you’d watch on Netflix as you’re ignoring your everlasting queue) not spectacular, but it’s got its moments.

The setup is pure teen horror catnip: a group of kids making a low-budget horror movie in the middle of nowhere, only to realize there’s a real killer on set. It’s like Scream decided to cosplay as a Goosebumps episode, complete with creepy vibes and a body count that escalates faster than my anxiety during a work deadline. The main character, Haze, is a scrappy wannabe actress trying to keep her horror debut (and her newfound friends) from falling apart, which I respect. I mean, I can barely keep my laundry from piling up, so props to her for trying to wrangle friends and a murderer.

The good? I’ll give Worley credit: the big reveal of the killer caught me off guard. I was smugly thinking I had it all figured out, sipping my tea like some armchair detective. Well played, Olivia. The twist gave me that delicious “oh, dang!” moment that makes you forgive a book’s sins for a hot second. It’s got this fun, campy energy that screams “tween sleepover hit.” If I were 12, I’d be clutching my flashlight, whispering about this book under the covers, convinced I could solve the mystery faster than Haze. It’s got that R.L. Stine feel—spooky, but not too spooky, perfect for kids who love a thrill without nightmares.

But here’s where the three-star rating kicks in: some of the plot devices were so obvious they might as well have been neon signs. The red herrings? More like red whales, flopping around in plain sight. I could see the “shocking” betrayals coming from a mile away, like when my cat pretends he’s not about to knock over my water. The pacing’s a bit wobbly too—starts off snappy but drags in the middle like a horror movie sequel that didn’t need to exist.

I’m an adult, and I suspect my age is part of the problem. This book feels tailor-made for the 12-16 crowd, with its earnest teen drama and just-scary-enough stakes. Reading it as an adult, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at some of the clichés—like, yes, we getit, the creepy swamp is creepy. But if I were a tween, I’d eat this up like Halloween candy. It’s got that nostalgic Goosebumps vibe, where the scares are real but you know you’re safe under the blanket fort. It’s also refreshingly tween-friendly— good old-fashioned whodunit suspense.

Sometimes it tries too hard to be clever, and the dialogue can feel like it’s auditioning for a CW show—but it’s a fun ride. It’s like a B-movie you secretly love despite the cheesy effects.

In short, Final Cut is a decent popcorn read. If you’re a teen or a nostalgia junkie, you might bump it up to four stars. For me, it’s a solid three—enjoyable, but I’m too old to be fully bewitched by its charms. Still, I’d recommend it for a spooky weekend read, especially if you’ve got a tween in your life who needs a stop along the way between Goosebumps and Stephen King.

This was such an exciting thriller. It felt like a love letter to slasher films, filled with twists and turns that left you questioning everything and everyone until the end. This book was incredibly atmospheric, and I could easily picture it as a movie.

Hazel was an enthralling FMC with a complex backstory, and I loved how she worked through her internal struggle throughout this book. The side characters were interesting, but I wish more time had been spent developing some of their backgrounds and what made them stand out.

At the halfway point of this book, a significant change in pacing made it feel like I was flying through the rest of the story. I loved the build-up to each kill scene and how each character reacted in these high-stress situations. However, I found the ending to be a bit rushed and predictable. While I couldn't pinpoint it, I felt something was missing, and the details could've been more involved.

Ultimately, this book has an incredibly intriguing premise that hooks you. While some aspects of the story could have been a little more developed, it is entertaining, engaging, tense, and nostalgic. Fans of classic slashers and thrillers will love this.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-arc.

Despite my excitement, I wasn't impressed with this book. This was a short book, but the story line was slow, so it took me a while to read it.
I had to go back and read some sentences multiple times to figure out what I was reading, which is strange for YA book.
Multiple characters are introduced once and then never mentioned again.
It's mostly from the perspective of Haze, the main character, but some characters have random paragraphs through their perspective too.
I won't even mention my thoughts on "the killer" because why….

I was honestly going to give this one three stars because hoo boy do we have to suspend a lot of disbelief. But then I remembered that part of the fun of a good slasher movie is the utter ridiculousness and slight cheesiness of it all.

Great homage to the movies I grew up watching.

This was a grabbing, quick read. The book had two main threads — filming an on-location slasher movie based on a real crime and having the daughter of the real killer secretly starring in it. I was worried if those two would be effectively and equally woven together, but I think the author did it really well. There was a great sense of building fear and mystery and the twists genuinely surprised me. It was very meta and campy, with lots of nods to Scream, which I liked.

I think that the premise of this book is fun and I liked the characters, but it’s not anything revolutionary. I dis REALLY like the multimedia elements with the film clips and the scripts! I do think some aspects of the book were a little inconsistent and there were some plot holes but was definitely a fun read. Nothing too out there.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc!

Final Cut follows the daughter of a murderer going back to the town where the murders were committed so she can film a serial killer movie.

I found this to be a really interesting book. And it was FULL of twists. I was constantly trying to guess the murderer, and I actually ended up guessing it around 10 percent in. I ended up being doubtful around the 70 percent mark before it came true, but it was always in the back of my brain.

The way the author handled relationships also felt realistic. Everyone has flaws. Although some people were a bit idealized, it still fit well. My main complaint was that it was hard to keep track of everyone in the book. It introduces so many names around the same time that it's hard to feel connection to any one person. In the book, there are also some POV shifts to other characters. While it felt a bit random, I still enjoyed knowing more than some of the characters at certain points. It allowed a certain level of dramatic irony.

The ending to the book felt like it could have been a little longer. I still had questions, that while hinted at, didn't provide much substance for me. Everything was resolved a little too quickly, and while this is a very fast-paced book, the action felt like it went from a hundred to zero. There was also a romance in this book. I typically don't like romance in my horror or mystery books because I feel like in some cases, it can end up ruining it. However, this book handled it well. I found myself liking it, and god forbid, wanting a bit more of it.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and I'm glad to have read it. It kept me on my toes, and I actively looked forward to being able to sit down and read.

read if you like:
😱 the Scream movies
🔪 slasher films
🎥 stories about making movies

summary:
This is the movie Scream in book form — and I absolutely loved it. The story follows Hazel Lejeune, a recent college graduate who lands a role in a low-budget slasher film. The twist? The movie is being shot in her old hometown of Pine Springs, Louisiana — the very place where her father was convicted of a string of brutal murders fifteen years ago. As filming begins, things quickly go off the rails. Equipment malfunctions, strange occurrences pile up, and then someone is found dead for real. As fear spreads through the cast and crew, it becomes clear that someone is sabotaging the production and won’t stop until everyone is dead

Hazel, determined to find out the truth about her father and protect the film, finds herself diving headfirst into a mystery that’s eerily similar to the one playing out on screen. As the death toll rises, she’s forced to confront her past and the truth about what really happened all those years ago.

This book mirrors Scream in every sense — from the self-aware nods to horror tropes to the eerie small-town setting, dramatic twists, and killer third act. The tension is constant, the stakes are high, and it’s the kind of book you’ll tear through in one or two sittings. I do wish there had been more room to fully flesh out the supporting characters, but given the fast pace and ensemble cast, it’s a minor tradeoff for the thrill ride you get.

If you’re a fan of the Scream franchise — especially the original — you’ll love how this story plays out. And just like the movie, you won’t see the ending coming.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy! Be sure to check this one out when it releases on October 28 — it’s the perfect fall horror read.

From the first pages, I was immediately interested in this book. I don’t read many YA books but this book sounded so interesting and when it said “scream vibes” I knew I wanted to read it. The whole time I was reading this, it was giving scream and thriller/suspense vibes. I really enjoyed the writing and how I was able to visualize what was going on because it was written in a very clear and easy to follow way. I am someone who as I read loves to be able to imagine in my head what it looks like or what’s going (or is this something everyone does? lol) but not many books can do that and this one did. I felt like I was in those scenes. I really enjoyed the take on actual horror going on within a horror movie.

I’d also like to say that I am not someone who can easily guess who the killer is and I am glad to not have that skill because it really adds to my surprise when they share who the killer is lol. There were a few moments I thought I knew what was going to happen but then another twist would occur.

I recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers and suspense and are a horror movie fanatic. This book does not go into a lot of detail about gory scenes which I appreciate as it is intended for YA. You still get the suspense without all of the additional details that might make this too intense.

This was fine. I read a lot of YA thrillers, and this one didn't really stand out to me. I didn't think it was bad. It just wasn't really super life-changing. But I did like it.

𝟜.𝟝⭐

This is what I'm looking for in a thriller, specifically a slasher! I read Worley's "people we follow" earlier this year and pegged the whole plot quite early on but with Final Cut I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Binged the entire thing and highly highly recommend to those who love thrillers and slasher movies. If you aren't a fan, this might not be your cup of tea since it is a bit intense at times and more gory than some may like!

And the chemistry between our mc, Haze + the love interest, Cameron is a bonus sideplot!

"What's the nutrient breakdown on a toothpick?

A slow grin spreads on Cameron's face. "You know, Haze Lejune, I've got a feeling this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship."


👏🏼 A killer romance (pun intended)

.thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.