Clays new novel is a banger of a story with a creepy homage to Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and other pod switching movies.

In this one, a high school girl with a traumatic past starts noticing people changing around her. They look the same, sound the same, and almost act the same but they're not. Through a new street drug and social media posts Spore, as it's called, starts spreading throughout her school. It doesn't stop there though. Adults and even her adoptive parents start to behave strangely, almost like living mannequins.

But the truth of Spore is much more horrific than what she could imagine and she's now on a race for her life as everyone around her starts to change and tries to force her to take the pill and become one with them. Yeah, creepy vibes all the way!

There are some twists and turns with an ending which you won't see coming and it's one hell of a fun, terrifying ride, told in a way that only Clay could tell it. I highly recommend this one.

It's not always easy to say no when everyone else is doing it, but what if they didn't leave you a choice?

This unsettling YA horror from one of the best authors out there shows us what can happen when the masses turn mad, and no one is what they seem.

Kept me up late reading and even later keeping one eye open. I was creeped out and thoroughly entertained the entire story. Another winner from CMC.

This wasn’t for me. I actually am surprised and bummed at that. I love body horror, I love when plants get mixed into that. I love generational trauma in horror. Somehow, when all this combined for me, I didn’t like it. It’s no fault to the book at all! I think it was well done. But it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Shiny Happy People in exchange for my honest review.
Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman is a chilling, mind-bending thriller that blends supernatural horror with a pulse-pounding mystery. Kyra is a compelling protagonist, shaped by the trauma of her mother’s addiction and her own sense of not quite fitting in. When a disturbing new drug spreads through her school, her nightmares begin to bleed into reality, and the people closest to her start to change in terrifying ways.
Chapman builds a tense, eerie atmosphere that grips you from the first page. The story unravels with growing dread, and Kyra’s search for answers—alongside the quietly observant Logan—pulls readers into a dark web of paranoia and transformation. With sharp writing and a creeping sense of doom, this novel explores addiction, identity, and survival in a way that’s both terrifying and emotionally resonant. A great pick for readers who love horror with heart.

When a designer drug elicits a new craze in town, it's not long before Kyra starts seeing her schoolmates, her friends and even her family acting differently. Soon she can barely recognize everyone in her life. But is it the drug, the pharmaceutical company that's revived the town, or her own past trauma from her drug addict biological mother that's the cause? Who can she turn to for help when she's not sure if she can ever trust herself?
At the center of Shiny Happy People is Clay McLeod Chapman's updated take on Invasion of the Body Snatchers. While it's marketed as YA, that's mainly because the the story is told through the lens of high schoolers. The horrors within are gruesome enough to appease adult readers, and if it weren't labeled as being YA I wouldn't necessarily have guessed it as being thus. While the author acknowledges afterward the various book and movie influences, I definitely picked up on the Body Snatchers and The Faculty influences and numerous references and Easter Eggs early on, and feel there was even some Disturbing Behavior and Talk To Me in there. This was as strong writing as any Chapman has put forth recently and sure to be another hit.

So no shock, I loved this, crazy new drug that has super fucked up side effects?

Yes, I ran, not walked to Netgalley.

Kyra is young and in school, drugs are something we have all had to deal with, no big deal, but this one is a little different.

Its not a short term quick escape, it seems to alter you and everyone around her is changing into new, creepy people.
Kyra meets Logan, the only other normal seeming person and they try to figure out what's going on and who is behind this crazy drug that has taken over the entire town.

I was absolutely GLUED to this book, I couldnt figure out what was really the real evil, what was going on, everyone and everything was so shiny and happy on the surface, the true horror lurking below, is something we all know about on some level, but this, this was something sinister.

I don't know how to explain it but I loved this take on perfection. Is it better to be perfect, boring and just all one sided, or is it better to be flawed, and experiance the everything in life and FEEL

This was about drugs of course, but not all drugs are created to be bad, some are helpful, and only bad when abused or misused .

I take mental health meds, and I need them, no doubts there, but the journey to find the right ones, reminded me of these shiny, happy people. The empty, just blank that they seemed to be, I remember that feeling and felt that.

And the flipside, all the people in my life that have given into the addiction, how empty and void they feel, its a horror all its own.

There were so many layers in the story, its not just drugs are bad, its a battle with your past, trauma and deciding, is everything in life really worth fighting for, or is it easier to just by another shiny, happy, void of a person...

There is a balance that's not perfect, but needed.

I’ve only read one other book my Clay McLeod Chapman before I requested Shiny Happy People and honestly, I’m thinking he will become my next auto-buy author! I loved this book! I’m already a fan of YA, but this one really blew me out of the water and I am so excited to read anything else Clay McLeod Chapman puts out! Loved the characters, the plot, the writing, all of it!

One of my favorite authors OF ALL TIME: Clay McLeod Chapman has a prose all of his own... and I wondered how that would play out in young adult form and sheeeeeesh he did not disappoint! Between his comics, his adult horror, and even his middle grade series, I have enjoyed everything that I have read from Clay and this one is no different. Perfect for the season, and perfect for the state of being right now. I should not have doubted. YELLED TO THE HEAVENS to my YA librarians to put this one on your list because your readers are going to love it. Will also buy for my personal shelf at home

Shiny Happy People is Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Disturbing Behavior, a psychological horror that hooks you with one mystery then flips the script halfway through and pulls you deeper into something much darker. For the first half of the book, I truly thought I knew what was going on. I was wrong.

Kyra is a deeply compelling protagonist wrestling with trauma, PTSD, and a relentless question: is she the problem, or is something deeply wrong with everyone around her? Chapman does an incredible job of blurring the line between paranoia and reality, pushing the reader to question everything right alongside her. Her fight to protect and reclaim her hometown feels both tragic and heroic, until the moment she simply can’t anymore.

This book is sharp, unsettling, and emotionally raw. It’s not just a horror story, it’s about grief, control, and the terrifying loss of belief in the people around you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Kyra is a loner amongst a sea of her classmates when a new drug hits the market that's making the rounds through her friend group. As far as Chapman's books are concerned, I think he excels at horror and description, but his character fell flat for me. As his first YA book, Kyra felt one dimensional. Her backstory had the opportunity to really give her depth, but she fell into the trap of repeating her motives and thoughts rather than showing them.

I thought the end was well done and interesting, but I did find myself lagging in certain parts, and just wanting to move forward. All in all, certain parts shone, and certain parts didn't.

I'm already a huge fan of CMC, but I was worried about whether I would like his YA book and let me tell you - like everything else he writes, this book blew my socks off. I already recommended this book to my librarian friend to make sure she buys it for the library. I wish this book existed when I was in was in middle school/high school.

The book follows 16 year old Kyra. Kyra has a good relationship with her adopted family and a solid group of close friends. Kyra is mature and does well in school, she's straight edge and terrified to try drugs or alcohol because she does not want to fall into the same pattern of substance abuse she witnessed her biological mom struggle with. When a group of kids at school start taking the viral "spore challenge," its not long before her friends and family fall victim as well. Determined to figure out what is causing her friends to suddenly change their entire personalities to become robotic, unfeeling, shells of their former selves (literally), Kyra teams up with the new kid in school to try and figure out why everyone in town has changed, and what her father's company, BoTanic, has to do with it.

This is the classic YA "drugs are bad" theme with a brilliant intergalactic horror-story twist. These drugs don't make people brainless junkies - they seemingly create upstanding citizens who want to be the best version of themselves. Pod people, if you will. The question Kyra struggles with is whether life is better as a one-dimensional emotionless existence, or if its about experiencing all of it - the good and bad emotions, love, pain, compassion and humanity. This is a great book to get teenagers thinking about the world as a whole and their value as individuals and being themselves.

Just a fun note on CMC's writing because it is so nuanced and full of fantastic little details. For example, there are multiple references to the sodium lights used in streetlights. Another use for sodium lights is in industrial horticulture. They are used inside greenhouses and for indoor farming to encourage plant growth. Just something to keep in mind while you are reading............

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Randomhouse Children's Books/Delacorte Press for the eARC!! <3

What, you thought Clay was going to go EASY on you? Because this is YA?? Oh no, my friends. No no no. In SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE, @claymcleod’s YA horror coming out in November, Clay holds nothing back. It’s a masterpiece of eerie unease, creeping dread, and suffocating terror.
Kyra is dealing with her Mom abandoning her as a kid, trying to make the most of her small group of her friends, and her new traditions with her new family. Things go off the rails when a new drug starts making the rounds at her high school. It makes people act weird. It makes them act not like themselves, anymore. And it’s spreading really quickly. Kyra feels increasingly alone as she tries to find out what’s up with this drug, and discovers the horror is so much worse than she could imagine.
Clay’s first YA is so, so good. It will mess you up. It will make you rethink how you feel about hope. It’s a book for our times that feels timeless, a classic YA that goes deep into Kyra’s trauma and stress and does a fantastic job of exploring that via some genuinely scary and upsetting scenes. It slithers its way into your brain and soul. Clay has written a classic horror YA, and y’all should pre-order it right now!

Shiny Happy People follows Kyra, a sixteen year old haunted by her memories of living with her mother’s drug addiction. Even years later, adopted and happy with her new family, she has disturbing dreams. She’s vowed not to follow her bio-mom’s path and when a new party drug plagues her small town, her world turns upside down. Everyone around her is acting strangely and she has the sneaking suspicion they’re not themselves anymore. With the help of the new boy, Logan, they work to uncover the truth before its too late.

This is the kind of horror I absolutely devour! This is such a gripping story and has you questioning what’s really going on the entire time. The twists and turns are one point, and I loved how it ended. The whole concept was so fascinating and the explanation behind everything really worked well in my opinion.

The horror element was SO well done and honestly pretty terrifying. Especially with all the gaslighting. I could not imagine being in Kyra’s shoes, but she handled everyone so well. I love smart, strong characters in horrors and thoroughly enjoyed reading from Kyra’s perspective. I also really enjoyed Logan’s character and the little romance between them.

Overall, if you love seamlessly blended genres of horror and speculative or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I’d definitely recommend checking this out!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA for the arc!

This book is a shining (haha) example of why Clay McLeod Chapman is one of my favorite horror authors. Shiny Happy People is a wild ride from start to finish, an excellent body horror thrill ride. Kyra is a great main character and I loved her journey in this.

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Delacourte Press, Clay McLeod Chapman and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you were sitting there thinking that what you REALLY need in your life right now is a spore horror x body horror collab, you can stop hunting. Clay McLeod Chapman showed up to answer your wishes/give you plant-based nightmares, and personally, I love that for him/us. Shiny Happy People is basically Wake Up & Open Your Eyes' snarky younger sibling- the one who who knows that Big Pharma is a cesspool and that peer pressure from society is total BS.

If you're a YA snob, I'm going to need you to pretend you dont know this book is YA and pick it up anyway because the storyline is sharp, smart, and a massively important reminder to all of that some of the best horror is rooted in reality. Sure, the book doesn't come out until November, but all that means is that if you preorder it NOW, you'll end up with a nice surprise gift from yourself in a few months. ((Which you deserve as a little treat anyway.))

Horror aside, this book is a brilliant look on the impacts of addiction, drug crisis, societal pressure, grief, trauma, and the helplessness that comes from those things. Chapman, as always, hits us with a sharp social commentary that will leave you more paranoid with every page... and maybe watching the people around you EXTRA closely.

If you're a "reading is political, reading is a rebellion" baddie, this one is for you. Get it on your TBR and get those preorders in ASAP!

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Book, & Clay McLeod Chapman for this complimentary copy.))

I loved not being able to tell who the good guys were vs the bad guys. I did not predict the ending at all and was on the edge of my seat the who time. I was a little sad with one character (you’ll have to read to figure out who) but its a DEF READ!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE by Clay McLeod Chapman (Nov 11)

Thank you Netgalley, Delacorte, and GetUnderlined for the earc

When a new party dr*g begins overtaking her high school, Kyra's life becomes a nightmare---literally. With a new dr*g comes a new trend, and soon it's everywhere as the mysterious side effects take root and everyone seems to change: new personalities, strangers, etc. The only person Kyra can trust is Logan, a newbie. Together, they team up to find out what/who is behind the dr*g. It's sinister, and as they come closer to the truth, Kyra must face her demons, or she'll lose everyone she has ever loved.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE is a YA novel that blends genres seamlessly. It a mix of thrills and chills and horror with a speculative edge. This book immediately drew me in, holding me captive as I flipped the pages like it was the air I needed to breathe. It's tense and nail-biting as everything unravels and twists emerge at every turn.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE is mind-boggling and horrifying. It left me questioning everything: Who are the good guys? The bad guys? What's actually going on? Most of all, it left me wondering who was to be trusted---because honestly, I had no clue.
What stood out the most about this book was how quickly I was able to read it. The characters were likeable, the story was well-told, and the final reveal shocked me. The epilogue did leave me with some questions, but overall, SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE is a must-read.

This book knocked the wind out of me. It started off so innocent, with the cute happy family, and then slowly descended into madness. The mystery and intrigue were coming in hot, leaving me on the edge of my seat until the very end! Personally, my favourite chapter was "Intervention", where the horror really started dawning on Kyra (and I). I was always rooting for Kyra, especially after reading about her gut-wrenching nightmares, so the epilogue just shattered me. "Shiny Happy People" is one of those books where you're actually left wondering whether or not the heroine will succeed and hoping that she overcomes the enemy. I was really excited to receive this ARC, and and obviously I had a valid reason to be since it was a gob-smacking, poignant read.

Holy shit this may be one of the best books. I’ve read this year. Teens young adults they deserve quality horror two in this does just that a modern take on the body snatchers, but with the reality of power controlling through cult mentality that is shiny happy people love the ending. I think it was necessary and it very much made me reflect on how power contributes to what we expose an intake in our bodies

'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' meets 'The Faculty' with a pinch of 'The Substance'

"Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect... The one and only thing not to forget: You. Are. One. You can't escape from yourself."

My favorite f**king book of the year! ♥

It comes as no surprise that I didn't even hesitate when I was offered an early copy of this book. Clay is a wild man when it comes to horror, so I knew that I was in good hands. Would my mind be safe? No, probably not. I trust this man with delivering an earth-shattering horror tale that'll be loved around the world. So I trust him...

This book was so damn good. It started off good, so I got a little nervous when it got closer to the end. I was anxious that the end wouldn't live up to everything else, but it did. Holy s**t! It really did.

The story keeps your eyes glued to the pages and my brain kept telling me to read faster. Everything about this story kept me entertained. Never a dull moment and I never knew where this was going to take us next. It honestly had me on the edge of my seat and my jaw on the floor.

"Shiny Happy People' is my favorite horror book of the year. Nothing will top this for me. I can't wait for you all to get your hands on this book. Just promise me that you'll stay away from spore.