Howl for the Wolfman!

 

TITLE: How to Survive a Slasher

AUTHOR: Justine Pucella Winans

PUBLISHER: Bloombury YA

PUBLISHING DATE: March 11, 2025

PAGES: 304   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: There’s a reason CJ Smith’s hometown of Satterville is known as Slasherville: it was the site of not one, but two Friday the 13th-style massacres. CJ’s dad survived the first attack; only CJ survived the second. And thanks to the mysterious writer Moon Satter’s bestselling novels based on the events, the town—and CJ—will always be defined by this horrific past. 

Then a new, unpublished Moon Satter manuscript shows up addressed to CJ. But unlike the others, this story isn’t about the past. Instead, it predicts new murders. On the day the book says the first murder will occur, CJ sets out to stop it. But in saving one classmate, the final girl ends up dead. CJ and their friends have suddenly gone from extras to leads—and they’ll have to use everything they know about the rules of horror to make it out alive.

MY THOUGHTS: This book ended up being the June pick for my on-line horror book club and I'm so glad it was.  It was so much fun and just what I need in a summer slasher read!

CJ has been haunted by the Satterville wolfman in one form or another her whole life.  First, her father was a teen during the first Slasherville incident and the only one who survived.  Secondly, once he married and had children, the wolfman returned and CJ's father was murdered, which CJ and her brother hid in the closet.  The Slasherville Festival is rolling around again and this time around, CJ received a mysterious manuscript on her porch from Moon Satter, an anonymous author who has capitalized on everyone's grief and used the murders for fictional inspiration.   However, before long, the manuscript starts looking more like a work of non-fiction and people are being killed by the wolfman.  CJ ends up making two new friends and teaming up with them to solve the mystery before it's too late.

This book, while a fun slasher at heart, touches on a few serious topics - family connections, true friendship, identity and sexual preference.  CJ has never really had many friends but as the book progresses, she realizes that is partly her fault and not the result of the town judging her and her family.  Which isn't hard because how many families take the children to the park for slasher survival activities?

The book is also very meta and reminded me a lot of the Scream franchise.  I love how it incorporates some of my favorite horror tropes and makes fun of itself at times.  My only real complaint was that the ending was a bit predictable, even if I had a fun time getting there.  If you don't mind YA horror and love summer slashers, this might be one you want to grab!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS