I'm clearly in the minority here, but this was not a good book.

If all it took to write a good horror novel was to drop as many horror film references as possible in every conceivable sentence, then why aren't we all writing books? I was not impressed by the horror encyclopedia of Jade (which we know is really just the horror encyclopedia of the author), I was annoyed.

The plot of the novel actually plays second fiddle to the incessant horror name-dropping and gets murkier and murkier as the book progresses. Unresolved plot threads are expected in low-budget horror films, but when you're writing a 400 page book you truly have no excuse.

None of the characters are likeable. The plot is a mess. The walls of inner monologue are brutal reading. You'd be better off reading 1001 Horror Films You Need To See Before You Die.

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I really struggled with this book. The very beginning was exciting but after the lake incident, it went downhill and stayed that way. I am a big horror fan which encompasses movies and books. Although I would have to admit, slasher films are probably my least favorite. Even so, I thought I could enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I didn't find not one likeable character, Jade was over the top on the slasher info, and it wasn't scary at all. I am so disappointed in myself that I didn't put it down after halfway through. Instead, I finished it and cannot get that time back.

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Jade Daniels is a slasher movie fanatic. In "My Heart is a Chainsaw '' she clearly sees life in her hometown of Proofrock morphing into a slasher movie situation.  Jade is both thrilled and horrified at all the signs, all the prerequisites shared by her bloody films playing out in front of her. Of course, no one believes this troubled girl even as the body count begins to rise. She is seen as an unstable teenager, a product of poor upbringing, a girl who recently attempted suicide. Jade even begins to doubt herself-- who's to say this horror is going to follow her guidelines? This is not a script, this is real life... probably.

Stephen Graham Jones fills this novel with wonderfully gory twists. And be forewarned, there is a lot of gore. It starts off with an innocent Norwegian tourist couple getting naked and canoeing at night in spooky old Indian Lake...what could go wrong? Jade fills us in on the sordid history of the area, the legends and brutal murders, all the local lore. She writes essays to her English teacher spelling out what we are to expect in these doomed circumstances. Jade determines who the killer is and identifies the "final girl", the heroine needing preparation in order to triumph over the slasher at the finale.

Unfortunately all this takes time. There are definite lulls between the opening action and final showdowns. Keep the faith when things seem like they have bogged down, the payoff is well worth it. Like the very best thrill rides the final punch packs a wallop-- one we do not see coming.

4 stars for the magnificent Jade Daniels character!

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My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones is a heart-thumping, pulse-racing thrill ride that leaves you wanting more. Every time I thought I had this figured out and knew what was happening, it would flip and have me confused and guessing again. It is like watching one of the great slasher flicks from the eighties or nineties; it even has our main character obsessed with everything horror. She is an expert on slasher movies and realizes that strange occurrences are the town's worst nightmare and her biggest fantasy comes to real life. When people start dying, she thinks she has it all figured out and exactly knows what will happen, so she starts to plan and set the big event stage. Unfortunately for Jade, in reality, the killer doesn't follow the rules.
There are so many layers to this story that I do not even know where to start diving in. Jade is a broken and messed up kid who has not had a good life. In all honesty, the entire town has had it rough. Suddenly, wealthy people move in, showing them what they have all been missing all their lives, and many people in the town resent them for this. The anger and conflict that so many characters have keep you guessing who the killer could be. You will start to question everything from beginning to end. The action doesn't miss and beat, not letting you take a breath to calm down.
Well done, Jones! I call say with complete honesty I look forward to reading more from you in the future, and I believe you have a bright future in the dark and spooky department.

Thank you Netgalley and Stephen for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

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