This was a fun read. Yes, there is a murderer on the loose only killing 6th year students. However, Charley who is horror obsessed has now started to see the dead girls and they follow her everywhere. Is she hallucinating or are they actually there? I enjoyed the mystery and did like the last minute twist. It was also a little funny along the way, especially some of the ghosts.

How to Survive a Horror Movie had an intriguing premise, a horror-loving teen navigating a creepy all-girls boarding school with a killer on the loose and ghosts in tow. I appreciated the nods to classic slasher tropes and the humor around horror rules, which felt like a fun tribute for fans of the genre.

That said, while the story had its entertaining moments, I struggled to stay fully engaged. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped, and the banter between Charley and Olive didn’t always land. It sometimes pulled me out of the tension rather than building it. The mystery was predictable in places, but the paranormal twist added some freshness.

Overall, it’s a decent YA horror with a creative setup and moments of charm, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

How to survive a horror movie is like Scream meets Goosebumps and Heathers, it's a very juvenile led plot with it reading young due to the dialogue. It wasn't a huge hit for me personally but I can appreciate the craft as slashers are becoming very popular even with the younger generation and if I was a young teenager this would definitely be a book I'd absolutely love to read.

The rules for surviving a horror movie as chapter titles is an amazing touch, overall it was an interesting read but not one for me right now.

3.5 Stars- I really enjoyed this book! Although there were a few plot holes that I questioned, overall, this book was funny and enjoyable. Definitely had a fun setting and some quirky characters and I had a fun time guessing who the murderer was. The dialogue was a bit juvenile but it fit the setting and wasn’t a turn-off for me. I look forward to more books by this author!

you know that feeling, when you're watching a horror film and you just can't help but mourn because of the main character's stupidity? well, in a fun turn of events, this book is NOT that.

instead, we have the fmc charley, who is also the type to cuss out the people in horror films. and becoming the protagonist of a horror + who done it mystery was so perfectly done.

i absolutely loved the twists and turns of this book, charley's attempts at uncovering the mystery, and all of the character building.

this was a really fun read!

Brilliant, fast paced, fun. That’s how I would describe this book. Teenage horror genre with hints of classic slashers? Sign me in!

I enjoyed this book way more then I thought I would and it helped set the mood for my other “spooky” arc reads. If you enjoy 2000s horrror movies, final girls, summerween, slasher movies and more this is the book for you. Our main character Charlie has at a new boarding school on a remote island, and then suddenly the bodies of her classmates are found. Charlie realizes there could be a serial killer on campus and she’s now in her own horror movie. She now is on the hunt to find who the killer is before it’s too late . Action packed, sometimes funny , and tons of horror references. Such a good read.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of How to Survive a Horror Movie. Horror and slashers are very popular with my teens right now, so I'm trying to find some new books to fill that need. As someone who was the target audience for the slashers of the late 1990s and early 2000s, I appreciated the rules that accompanied each chapter. I was also surprised by the twists and turns. However, I had trouble connecting with our protagonist. I just never felt fully invested in her, and I can't put my finger on why. Other things that will make some of my readers stop include the setting (some of my readers balk at reading anything set outside the US) and the length (there is a lot of crossover between my reluctant readers and my horror readers).

Do I think some of my students will enjoy this? Yes, but an equal number will walk away from it.

Do I think it'll be a must-purchase for my library? Out of a crowded horror landscape, I'm not sure How to Survive a Horror Movie will float to the top for the audience I serve. It's definitely on my list of possibilities, but with shrinking budgets, I might refer my interested students to the public library for this one.

3 stars

Rating Scale:

1: I disliked this book with every fiber of my being.
2: I didn't like it, but I didn't hate it. It was fine.
3: I liked this, but I probably won't remember it in the future.
4: I liked this a lot, and I will remember it enough to recommend it moving forward.
5: I loved this book so much!

This was a very cute book, think if randy from scream was in middle school! The reason it’s so low for me is because I didn’t realize it was sooo YA. The book is definitely better suited for 13-15 year olds . It leans very heavily into as many horror movie name drops as it can fit .

The story itself was fun, I enjoyed the twists and the ghosts , I just don’t think I was the target audience !

As a horror fan, this book is... interesting. The main characters are horrid, the setting is not well-constructed, the dialogue is so bad, and I could 100% do without there being a long winded explanation or description every two sentences.

The ghosts were made me dnf this book truly, I could suspend disbelief over three students being killed in a 72 hour period, but ghosts are where I draw the line, especially such poorly thought out ones as these.

I just this book is for me. Not my style of novel that I usually consume. I had hoped this would remind me of "The Mary Shelley Club" By Goldy Moldavsky but unfortunately was not the case. But I feel like if you enjoy isolated settings and a more Scream-esque vibe to your horror YA books then this is for you.

After finally admitting to myself I’m too scared to actually sit and watch horror movies I decided to start giving books a go and this one here has made me realise my LOVE for them
Is highly recommend this for anyone who loves a horror movie and is looking for a quick easy read!!

“how to survive a horror movie” our main character Charley learns to survive a boarding school in a “scream” meets “means girls” universe.

Charley and her best friend Olive are roommates at an all girls boarding school on an isolated island. going to class, doing homework and their favourite part of the week ‘slasher saturday’s’ where our scary movie enthusiasts watch their favourite scary movie to pick their theme of the night.
until one saturday there’s a dead body turned up on the island and Charley and Olive begin their search for the killer, horror movie style. But much to Charley’s surprise this may just make her the schools prime suspect. Oh and she’s being followed by ghosts - totally your casual school girl!

i thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept you hooked, the plot twists were semi predictable but it didn’t take away from the story. I honestly really enjoyed the ghosts aspect of the book but would’ve liked maybe a bit more of why they were around, we did get a bit of an explanation about them being there to help but more knowledge or even Charley trying harder to figure out why would’ve been a great plot to the story as well!

I'm not the biggest horror movie fan, but since the scream tv series was one of my favorite and Charley sounds just like Noah Foster, I was really excited to read How to Survive a Horror Movie. I was thoroughly disappointed. This book had everything to be great: highschool, mean girls and mystery. Unfortunately, it was anything but. I didn't enjoy Charley's character and could pretty much guess who the killer was halfway through the story, so I wasn't really surprised by the last few chapters.

3 stars

Charley Ryan and her best friend Olive are students at Harrogate, a boarding school for girls located on a remote island in the UK. They are both horror fanatics, watching their favorite slasher films all the time.

They get a taste of real life horror when girls start ending their lives at the school…or are they being murdered? Why do Charley and Olive find each of the bodies? And why is Charley seeing their ghosts?

So, this one wasn’t too grounded in reality (see, also, the ghost thing,) and forget the quibbling over whether the deaths were from suicide or murder, why isn’t the the school administration a wee bit more upset over the deaths, whatever the reason? This is definitely YA for YA, no adult is going to stand for these sorts of plot problems.

Oh. My. God.
I do not say this lightly, this book feels like it was made for me.

As a huge fan of horror movies and a massive advocate for the teen slasher renaissance, this was right up my street. It channels the nostalgia of cult classics like Scream, with a splash of Mean Girls and Heathers, yet somehow still feels fresh and unpredictable.

This is my first read from Dunmore, and I’m already obsessed. The plot is perfectly paced, with creative kills that are just gruesome enough without crossing into over-the-top territory. It’s clever, sharp, and so much fun.

I will be waiting impatiently for the sequel (because you can’t not do a sequel!). 10/10 I will be recommending this to everyone.

This book was an absolute delight to read! It had everything I look for — engaging writing, memorable characters, and a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The author’s voice is distinct and compelling, making it easy to get lost in the world they created, no matter the genre.

I'm incredibly grateful to the publisher for the early copy. It was such a joy to read this in advance, and I can’t wait for more readers to experience it. Highly recommend!

What a fun surprise this book turned out to be!

I struggle a lot with YA Horror because it’s a genre I greatly want to enjoy, but I rarely find any that is truly enjoyable. Other than books written 30+ years ago, it seems to be a genre that struggles a lot with quality and originality.

Enter this gem of a popcorn horror novel, which is clever, fun, and employs just the right amount of humor and just the right amount of creepiness.

I don’t mind a little gore but generally I prefer horror that is more creepy than grotesque, and this one meets that standard *and* tells a good story to boot.

It’s bloody without being upsetting, and stays away from any torture porn/sexual violence stuff that gives me the ick, especially in a YA novel.

The humor here is terrific and reminded me a little of the always-excellent Goldy Moldavsky. It’s fun without straying into farce, and the plot plays on classic Horror tropes while still finding its own original space to occupy in the genre.

Highly recommend if you don’t mind a little blood and guts but prefer your Horror on the lighter side.

While I really wanted to enjoy this book, I sadly did not. The premise is great: our heroine, Charley Ryan, is a horror movie buff who attends school on a lonely island off the coast of Ireland. Students begin dying mysteriously, and as Charley is haunted by the ghosts of the girls, she is pushed to solve the murders to give herself some peace.

I was ready to enjoy a fun, reference-laden YA murder mystery. And while I was expecting it to be geared for a teen reader, unfortunately, the weak writing weakened the overall narrative to the point that I had to give up on reading because I no longer cared about what was going to happen. I wanted to like Charley, and I really wanted to like the novel as a whole, but I think even as a teenager, I would have been frustrated by the sentence structures.

Great concept hindered by poor writing.

"'How To Survive a Horror Movie' feels like a modern take on the classic horror series, Goosebumps - with a similar blend of spooky thrills and relatable teenage protagonists. Charley's horror expertise and the creative murders make for a fun and terrifying ride. If you're a fan of horror or looking for a fun, quick read, this book is a great choice."

Only changes I would suggest:
I believe this author has major talent, I think her writing skills should be sharpened and she could possibly be a one of the greats, definitely looking forward to more!

How to Survive a Horror Movie* is a fun, clever read that blends humor and horror in all the right ways. I really enjoyed the format — each chapter laid out as a “rule” for surviving a horror movie — it added a playful and meta touch to the story.

While I figured out who the killer was fairly early on, it didn’t take away from the enjoyment. The writing was sharp, the tone light but suspenseful, and the references to horror tropes were spot-on. Overall, a great read for fans of horror with a sense of humor. Definitely entertaining and worth picking up!