Shiny Happy People is a haunting and intense YA thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Kyra's world is already fractured by her childhood trauma, and as she navigates high school, the introduction of a mysterious new party drug turns her life into a nightmare. The story skillfully blends psychological suspense with supernatural elements, creating a chilling atmosphere that keeps you guessing. I loved how the author explores themes of identity, trust, and the scars of the past—Kyra's internal struggles are as gripping as the external danger she faces. The characters are complex and relatable, especially Logan, whose quiet determination offers a glimmer of hope amid chaos. The tension builds steadily, leading to a shocking crescendo that left me eager for more. While I wished for a tad more resolution in some areas, overall, Shiny Happy People is a compelling, creepy read that's perfect for fans of dark thrillers and supernatural horror. It’s a disturbingly fun ride into the unknown!

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Clay McLeod Chapman’s “Shiny Happy People” is a genre-bending, paranoia-fueled YA horror thriller that starts as a commentary on Big Pharma and teen drug use but quickly mutates into something far more chilling: a sci-fi nightmare of alien plant invasion, mind control, and a creeping loss of humanity. What begins with a mysterious new drug infiltrating a small town high school spirals into a breathless, high-stakes story of survival, dread, and identity.

The book centers around Kyra, a sixteen-year-old still grappling with childhood trauma from her mother’s drug addiction. She’s anxious, disillusioned, and increasingly alienated—even before her peers begin to change. When a strange party drug starts circulating at school, promising to strip away negative emotions and “make you happy,” Kyra is one of the few who refuses to take it. But everyone else, including her brother and best friend, soon begins to feel... off. Happy. Too happy. Inhumanly happy.

Chapman captures Kyra’s voice with realism, even if her frequent slang abbreviations like “sched” for “schedule” can occasionally grate. Still, it’s this voice—blunt, anxious, and razor-sharp—that roots you in her growing fear and confusion. Kyra’s experience with anxiety is handled with authenticity and empathy, and her internal battles mirror the external ones she’s forced to confront.

What follows is a slow-burn descent into full-blown body horror and alien invasion. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers for a newer generation. The drug’s side effects become terrifyingly clear: it doesn’t just suppress emotions—it overwrites people completely, replacing them with smiling, docile replicas grown from sentient, alien plants. There are moments of visceral horror, especially one jaw-dropping scene at a high school pep rally that will stick with you long after the final page.

Though there’s definitely a message here about the dangers of pharmaceutical overreach and society’s obsession with emotional control, “Shiny Happy People “never feels like a lecture. Chapman keeps the tension tight and the twists relentless. The last fifty pages are pure nightmare fuel, propelling the plot toward a heart-stopping, WTF-worthy ending that feels both inevitable and completely surprising.

Chapman’s first YA novel is a triumph of tone and terror. It’s deeply unsettling, occasionally weird, and full of the emotional intensity that comes from watching your entire world change—and wondering if you’re the only one who sees it. “Shiny Happy People” is as much about the monsters inside us as the ones replacing us, and it’s perfect for fans of dark speculative fiction with sharp social commentary.

Overall, this is a relentless and haunting mix of sci-fi horror and emotional realism. With body-snatching plants, sinister drugs, and a relatable heroine battling inner demons, “Shiny Happy People” is a must-read for horror fans who like their stories smart, scary, and disturbingly close to home.

I have read everything that Clay McLeod Chapman has written to date and this book falls right in step with his other incredible works. He takes on an entirely new subject matter in writing the main character as a high schooler, but I think he hits the nail on the head. He perfectly surmises the struggle of anxiety in a high schooler and the feeling of being lost and losing friends before he becomes classic Clay with plot twist after plot twist and an ending that left me with a “WTF?!” Thought echoing through my head.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Chapman has easily become one of my favorite authors and an auto-read for me, right up there with Riley Sager with his ability to make you question the reality of the world he created.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for garnering me access to this wonderful book.

Clay McLeod Chapman's first YA novel is an absolute blast. Taking a classic sci-fi idea and putting very much his own horrific spin on it, Chapman has made a book that readers 12 and up are going to love. Kyra is a very complex main character, and Chapman puts her in situation after situation where you have no idea how she's going to get out of them but her bravery and fight make you root for her the entire way. It's a dark story, filled with deep questions that teenagers all struggle with, but with the added horrors of... well I don't want to spoil it but it creates a palpable sense of paranoia throughout. There are some scenes, especially one involving a pep rally, that will forever alter the way I look at a few school situations.

The last fifty pages or so of this book left me breathless and literally on the edge of my seat. Just when you think it can't get any more stressful, Chapman ratchets it up another notch and ends the book on a moment that will leave you absolutely screaming.