3.5 ⭐️

This was a lightly gruesome and very enthralling story! I couldn’t have predicted where it would end, and I finished it in a day because I didn’t want to put it down.

I won’t spoil anything, but I found the ending to be very satisfying and I completely enjoyed the story.

I stayed up late last night to finish this book as I simply could not put it down. This Mean Ones is the perfect mix of supernatural, cult, and girlhood. I ate this book up.

Sadie, who has kept her last hidden from her boyfriend Lucas, is invited to spend the weekend with two of their friends in a cabin in the woods. But Sadie’s past and her identity, are catching up to her. She can’t pretend to not be the survivor from summer camp all those years ago anymore.

This book was grotesque. The body horror was beautifully done. Anytime Sadie entered the “other place” the descriptions blew me away. I was fascinated by all the gross and disturbing details of that world.

Girlhood was a great piece of the novel. I think a good chunk of us have experienced girlfriends who are not real friends in our lives. We’ve all experienced self-doubt and a longing to belong, even if it’s a toxic place to belong. We really get to explore girlhood into womanhood and how sometimes we carry that self-doubt and lack of confidence into our lives and how it can lead to us letting others mold into what they want to see.

The cult elements and the demon Ralac were so fascinating to me. The description of the creature reminded me of the monster from the movie The Ritual (I haven’t read the book yet, it’s on my TBR).

This book genuinely had my heart racing and had me fully unnerved at times. So good! I want to thank NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the eArc. The Mean Ones comes out on September 30, 2025!

I'm not the biggest fan of YA books generally—there are exceptions, of course, but I usually find they wash over me. I've been told that Tatiana Schlote-Bonne usually writes in that style, but that this was her first foray into more adult horror, and I'd heard more than enough good things about her previous work that I wanted to dive right into it. It doesn't hurt that it has one of the best covers I've seen this year, either.

The Mean Ones inhabits a space in-between camp slasher, folk horror, and thriller. Often I've read stories where attempting to sit in various subgenres has led to each becoming diluted and not explored to its full potential, which isn't the case here. Alternating chapters between 2023 and flashbacks to 2006, the book focuses on unravelling the mysteries around the main character—Sabrina in the flashbacks, Sadie in the present day, having changed names to hide from her past. As a child she witnessed her two friends brutally murdered; as an adult she has visions—perhaps hallucinations—of 'the Other Place,' an inverted, terrifying world where a seductive voice calls to her. As we learn more about what happened at that summer camp, it becomes clear that Sadie must embrace her Sabrina past to survive. She's a very relatable character that I feel the author has put a lot of herself into—both share a love of weightlifting, for example—and is easy to empathise with, especially in the way she tolerates a shitty relationship to try and feel 'normal.' While it is easy to root for her, you can't help but feel there's a darkness under the surface, especially while learning more about what really happened to her school friends all those years before.

While the material here is certainly adult—there are moments of gore that will turn many stomachs, as well as occasional, fairly explicit, sexual depictions—the writing often feels quite YA. The writing is more efficient than flowery, the chapters are short, and the pace is lightning-fast. This made it a very fast read, and an addictive one at that, with the 'one more chapter' factor ever-present. If you're looking for a fun read that you can easily fly through over a weekend but still provides chills and wince-inducing violence, The Mean Ones just may be the book for you.

A strong 3.5* read, bumped up to a 4* because I really liked the final chapters and thought the story wrapped up wonderfully.

"The Mean Ones" by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne is about a woman named Sadie Ellis, who can hear dead animals and survived cult killings at a summer camp when she was a child.

The novel is broken into two timelines. The first time line occurs when Sadie is an adult. She and her boyfriend are invited to stay at a cabin with two of their friends. Sadie is hesitant, but her boyfriend talks her into going. The trip goes from normal to bizarre and terrifying.

The second time line occurs when Sadie is at the summer camp where her friends are murdered by a cult.

I enjoyed this novel and will definitely be reading more from Tatiana Schlote-Bonne!The novel is grotesque, unnerving, dark, and surreal. I loved the twist ending and the pace of the novel. It is a great slasher for summer!

Thank you, NetGalley, and Creature Publishing for sending me an ARC of this amazing novel! It comes out on 09/30/2025!

This is everything I could have wanted and more out of a horror novel. It descriptions were dark, bloody, and utterly disturbing. I was enthralled from the start and was not expecting the story to go the way it did at all! I applaud this author for not shying away from what I think could be considered an unconventional ending. The plot and characters were so good. This one will definitely be sticking with for me for awhile. I can't wait to see more from this author.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WOW what a unique horror story! I definitely did not expect the direction this ended up taking.

This story alternates between 2006 when the FMC is a child at summer camp with her two “best” friends. Both friends end up murdered, and Sabrina is the only one to survive. Our other timeline follows Sabrina in 2023 when she is 29 and reluctantly goes on a trip to the woods with her boyfriend and another couple.

Schlote-Bonne paints horrific pictures throughout the novel; including the hand antlers that grace the cover. The imagery is well done and you can definitely “see” all of the crazy things Sabrina does.

Visual horror. Female rage. Supernatural elements.

Very unique, I would say go in blind for the best reading experience.

*The Mean Ones* combines dual timelines, folk‑horror vibes, and a camp setting into an interesting but uneven package. Sadie (once Sabrina) is haunted by a childhood tragedy and plagued by voices in her head (PTSD? or supernatural echoes?)
Sadie’s present‑day arc, including her tense relationship with Lucas and an ill‑advised woodland cabin trip, builds suspense effectively, but sometimes feels predictable or under-explored as the novel races toward its climax. The twist ending lands with shock value, yet feels slightly rushed. Overall, *The Mean Ones* shows Schlote‑Bonne’s bold strengths in mood and concept, but could have used more pacing refinement to satisfy fully. A solid effort, though not quite fully realized.

Most days, Sadie pretends to be normal. But, what does it mean to be normal?
I was intrigued by the very first line in this book. We meet Sadie as a kid when the story really began, and again in present day when she’s an adult. The dual timelines weave together effortlessly, while adding to the overall tension and suspense. Grotesque and dark, but you won’t want to look away. Not something I’d recommend reading before bed…
I’d never read a character that gaslit herself as hard as Sadie does. By the end, the good for her sentiment prevailed.
Ghosts, summer camp, and a demon cult - this is the perfect summertime read.

The Mean Ones was an interesting read from the perspective of an unreliable narrator. I enjoyed how the story approaches childhood trauma and PTSD and has Sadie (Sabrina) constantly questioning what is and isn't real. The story is told through dual timelines where the reader gets to see Sadie's (Sabrina) thought process in childhood versus adulthood, and how different people in her life have impacted how she sees herself in the world. The story was definitely giving Cabin In the Woods and Midsommar vibes. Overall, it was a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Creature Publishing for letting me read an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review.

The Mean Ones is such a good book at its core it’s about the childhood traumas that stick with you wrapped in a prickly folk horror exterior that ramps up tension as you find yourself second guessing what’s real and what’s not.

Thank you netgalley and creaturepublishing and the author for the opportunity to read one early!

I have sat on this book for a few days trying to come up with the perfect review and I’m at a loss of words still.

This is easily one of my top five books of not only the year, but the last decade!!
This book is eerie, creepy, and had me in a chokehold. I did not want to put it down!!
It gave me all of the 80s slasher nostalgia. But also touched on childhood trauma and mental health.

Tatiana has easily become an auto-buy for me!!

Thank you to the publisher and Author for the Opertunity to Read "Mean Ones" in exchange for an unbiased review..
A strong, more Adult Venture, by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, the Author does struggle to fully emerge from the YA realm. There are attempts at more adult themes and language but it feels more akin to an edgy teen wearing adult clothes. Think could also have been intentional, to play into the Arrested Development the Main Character. Is experiencing and if that was the intent the Bravo as the mark was hit.

this had me hooked from the very first page. it was gross and eerie and page turning. every time i thought i had guessed where it was going i was wrong. definitely excited to read more by this author!!! a great summerween read.

This one was haunting in multiple ways. I couldn't put it down, even when it was downright uncomfortable to see myself in Sabrina, in the way she always felt like she was on the outside looking in, how she was never RIGHT, not the right size, not the right kind of confidence, not the right MEANNESS. A hella cathartic read! I loved it!

I absolutely loveeeeeed this book! It took me a while to read it because it is very eerie, and I could only read it in the daylight. Nonetheless, I had a really good time. I love when there are time jumps in books, because it really keeps me engaged and keeps me turning the page. Tatiana does a good job of setting the scene and really allows you to visualize. When the FMC thought she was seeing a deer, I could literally see it happening. Altogether, I really enjoyed this book and think it is the perfect fall read!

This was such a good summer read! The camp atmosphere was perfect for a ‘summerween’ vibe (even though I’m kinda sick of the word, it’s the best word to describe the energy!) I’m not usually one for gore and this had some pretty graphic scenes but it wasn’t so much that ruined the book for me.

I didn’t totally love present day Sadie in the sense that I wanted to yell through the book “JUST TELL HIM” but I can also understand the reasoning behind her decisions. Also, her boyfriend was the worst so I wouldn’t really want to tell him anything either.

I really loved the chapters that were set in the past. Reading about that part of the storyline was interesting and I felt like the characters, though awful, were really realistic and friendship dynamic felt relatable if you’ve experienced being in a 3 person friend group as a kid (I sure did).

One of my favourite reads this year so far!

5★

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.

I loved this! I’ve been enjoying the book from the beginning and knew straight away that I’d give it a high rating. However, the ending was the make it or break it moment, and this ending did not disappoint in the slightest.

This is my first book I’ve read by this author, even tho her debut has been on my radar for a while, and won’t be the last. I’ll be picking up her debut soon for sure because I very much enjoyed the way she writes.

The writing was very easy to follow and fast to read, and I enjoyed a lot of the gory and spooky imagery that was described.

The characters were mostly unlikable but that’s the point, isn’t it? However, our main character Sadie/Sabrina? I LOVED her. I loved how strong and weird she was. I enjoyed being in her head and following her throughout the story. And we support a strong queen - I also love weightlifting so I liked her even more for that.

The story was very entertaining. I’d recommend reading this if you enjoy summer camps and cults. There are dual timelines and while the current timeline doesn’t revolve around the summer camp, the past one does. And I really appreciated having Sabrina’s backstory and knowing what happened back then.

The ending? Slay queen - quite literally. The ending really made this a 5 star for me. It was that good.

So if anything I wrote sounds interesting to you, go pick this up! You’ll have a good time with this book.

Read if you like:
☆ Summer camps
☆ Cults
☆ Folklore
☆ Dual timelines

Descriptions that were loveably disturbing and gross, all wrapped into an intriguing plot - a real page turner!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story unfolding in the present (2023) and in the past (2006) was executed really well. Kept me on the edge of my seat - and I was really keen to learn what would happen next on both ends. Parts of the 2006 descriptions of childhood felt very nostalgic (having been about 10 at the time myself and being reminded of this time).

It didn’t play out as I had expected in the beginning. It was engaging. Suspenseful. There was gore.

Massively enjoyed this read.
The Mean Ones.
Recommended!

Thank you Creature Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

This really surprised me - this tiny book packs a punch! I struggled to connect with Sadie/Sabrina in the beginning, but thankfully after I’d read about a third, I felt really settled into the story. I also loved the ending - glad it took the direction it did and surprised me! It also had me laughing out loud in places, particularly the list of the top 5 worst ways to die. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Tatiana Schlote-Bonne - The Mean Ones

It’s been a while since a book genuinely made me squeal with glee, and this book did just that… the ending… It will explode your mind. I loved every second of this book. Not only is it spooky, drenched in 80's horror vibes, but it’s also really original. This book is packed with cult like elements that will make you squirm with the gory kills. I honestly loved the kills in this book. It’s graphic and just so intense.

It's emotional, tragic, and overall packed with a female main character that I personally found highly relatable. Sabrina is just so deserving of everything. Her life has been a shambles, her friends and family, well... they are assholes and this book explores those toxic relationships, some stuff that everyone can relate to, especially if you are also the introverted kind of girl that doesn’t make friends easily.

The mean one is about a girl named Sabrina who goes unwillingly goes to summer camp with her friends. A tragic incident follows, and those friends sadly get killed. Leaving Sabrina with a lifetime of PTSD and running for her life. She changes her name and moves to a different state. When she meets her boyfriend Lucas, things seem to fall into place... but this doesn’t last very long, unfortunately.

I highly recommend this book! Especially if you’re into cult, summer style slashers with elements of mental health struggles and emotional rollercoasters. It's a real ride!

The Mean Ones releases on September 30th and is now available to pre-order!

Thank you to Tatiana, Creature Publishing, and Netgalley for this outstanding read.

#creaturepublishing #netgalley #themeanones #horrorbooks #horrorrecommendations