Reviews with content warning for Mass/school shootings - Clown in a Cornfield

This book got off to a slow start, and I almost quit reading it. But when it got going, it really got going and was hard to put down. Much more gore than I usually read, but all of the tension, twists and turns made it with putting up with.

The author tied up all of the ongoing storylines,, so until the very end, I couldn’t figure out how there could be a logical sequel.

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briarsreviews's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare has been a book I've been yearning for since I heard it came out. The title alone is intriguing - clowns are creepy and now they are in a cornfield? That's an absolute nightmare! Throw in this is a YA novel with LGBTQ+ representation all mixed in with an epic thrill ride of a plot that throws horrific clowns at us? I AM IN.

This book was a fast paced book that brought some giggles and lots of 'Oh' faces as the horror went down. Quinn Maybrook and her Father, Dr. Maybrook move to the itsy, bitsy town of Kettle Springs for a fresh start. The town has been rotting away since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down with the teens running wild and enjoying their youth and the adults blaming the teens for the horrible town. After a tragic death of a local teen, things just seem to get worse... until Frendo, the Baypen creepy clown mascot shows up and starts a killing spree.

Ohhhhh boy. If you want an R rated gore fest with creepy clowns, this book is for you. There's a serial killer going around in a small town knocking people off and there's clearly some dark stuff going down too. Oh, and teenagers. You know horror + teenagers is always a bad mix.

I thoroughly enjoy how fast paced this book was and how it really packs a punch. The ending was hinted at along the way, but you'll only get it if you really pay attention. I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't guess the complete ending, but I did get about 75% of it right as I was theorizing what was going on. Definitely a must read for horror fans! What an easy but brutal read.

Five out of five stars.

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kstericker's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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kitty237's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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lunarreader's review against another edition

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4.5

Struggled to get started or really care until the action started even then I lost interest closer to the end. The only reason it gets such a high rating was because of how much it made me feel during the crazy parts.

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