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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating a double feature is weird, so idk. I'm giving Killer on the Road 3.25 stars, and then The Babysitter Lives is unfortunately getting 1.5 stars from me.
Killer on the Road is a pretty standard slasher, and I loved the opening through to the halfway mark. It's surprisingly supernatural and weird, and I liked the cast of characters a lot.
My main issue is just how absolutely brutal it is to just about every character, and I get that it's a slasher but I think there's ways to do it without repeated suffering towards the main character with no bigger picture or commentary which I know SGJ is capable of.
It is fast-paced and easy to read though, which was nice.
---
The Babysitter Lives really didn't have a chance with me though. I'm not a fan of time loops in books, I'm not a fan of haunted house books generally, and I'm not a fan of books that play out step by step by step every single thing happening in a short amount of time (this book takes place in basically 4 hours). Of course, I didn't know any of this would be the case before I picked it up, and I would have dnf'd by at least the half way point if I wasn't on a mission to ready everything by SGJ.
I literally never really understood what was happening, and I just couldn't really focus on anything. And it was so weird and strange, but not in a way that particularly worked for me. And the violence also didn't particularly land for some reason. I think perhaps the root of the problem was that this was originally made explicitly to be an audiobook and until now was only available as that. This book very clearly reads as something made to be listened to, but unfortunately that's not how I consumed it. I'm not quite sure why it got bound up in this physical edition though.
The general idea is interesting enough though, and I liked the indigenous themes present.
---
I think my biggest issue with both of these books is just that they feel so plot-driven, and there's no real depth of the stories in my opinion. Killer on the Road is mid at best, and then The Babysitter Lives is joining Sterling City as being some of the only SGJ work I actively dislike.
Killer on the Road is a pretty standard slasher, and I loved the opening through to the halfway mark. It's surprisingly supernatural and weird, and I liked the cast of characters a lot.
My main issue is just how absolutely brutal it is to just about every character, and I get that it's a slasher but I think there's ways to do it without repeated suffering towards the main character with no bigger picture or commentary which I know SGJ is capable of.
It is fast-paced and easy to read though, which was nice.
---
The Babysitter Lives really didn't have a chance with me though. I'm not a fan of time loops in books, I'm not a fan of haunted house books generally, and I'm not a fan of books that play out step by step by step every single thing happening in a short amount of time (this book takes place in basically 4 hours). Of course, I didn't know any of this would be the case before I picked it up, and I would have dnf'd by at least the half way point if I wasn't on a mission to ready everything by SGJ.
I literally never really understood what was happening, and I just couldn't really focus on anything. And it was so weird and strange, but not in a way that particularly worked for me. And the violence also didn't particularly land for some reason. I think perhaps the root of the problem was that this was originally made explicitly to be an audiobook and until now was only available as that. This book very clearly reads as something made to be listened to, but unfortunately that's not how I consumed it. I'm not quite sure why it got bound up in this physical edition though.
The general idea is interesting enough though, and I liked the indigenous themes present.
---
I think my biggest issue with both of these books is just that they feel so plot-driven, and there's no real depth of the stories in my opinion. Killer on the Road is mid at best, and then The Babysitter Lives is joining Sterling City as being some of the only SGJ work I actively dislike.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives, Stephen Graham Jones takes on a journey back to the terror of the old urban legends from our childhood- the supernatural/undead killer unrelentingly chasing teens all over the highway and the story of the babysitter. Tried and true tales, Jones takes them, freshens them up and makes them his own, infusing the stories with indigenous culture. Tense and nostalgic with believable, likable characters, this was a fun, and at times very gruesome, way to (re)introduce these tales. The long haul trucker culture research for Killer on the Road was superb, as Jones thoroughly captured and conveyed this niche of society with top notch realism, overlaid with supernatural horror. At times, the pacing for Killer on the Road was a little inconsistent, and it felt like the story could have ended a few times, BUT when you arrive at the end, it was absolutely worth it and satisfying. For the Babysitter Lives- loved the uniqueness of processing something by approaching it like it was SAT prep. Babysitter fell a bit behind Killer on the Road for me, but that is more of a reflection of my preferred style and themes than anything Jones did. If someone is looking to experience urban legends with an indigenous spin and through fresh eyes (that’s a story-related pun), this is a fun read for it.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Saga Press for providing me with the ARC for Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones. This is my true and honest review of the book.
With this being two stories in one, I'm going to split up these reviews and also note, the 4 star rating is an average of the two together!
KILLER ON THE ROAD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
"Who needs amusement parks when there's the Wyoming interstate?"
There was so much about this novella that I loved - it was adrenaline-filled, fast-paced, had so much heart, and did have quite a bit of gore thrown in (🥴 <- my face a good chunk of the time).
I loved the lore included around truck drivers and it really opened me up to a lifestyle that I haven't given much thought to - and I loved the moments SGJ included where our characters reflected on in if their fathers were going to make it home safe for Christmas - this story was packed with moments like that that had me sobbing. He really came swinging with the emotions in this one.
While this story did have some fantastically nightmarish horror elements, it did read a lot like a thriller, which is maybe why I ended up enjoying this story so much compared to some of his other works!
THE BABYSITTER LIVES
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This story was a repackage from a previous release and, while it started off really strong, it devolved in a way that took me out of the story. If I had read this one on its own, it might have held a higher merit for me, but reading this one immediately after KILLER ON THE ROAD, left me yearning for something else.
Still a really strong story, but one that loses the tracks a bit.
Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for my early copy for review - out July 15!
KILLER ON THE ROAD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
"Who needs amusement parks when there's the Wyoming interstate?"
There was so much about this novella that I loved - it was adrenaline-filled, fast-paced, had so much heart, and did have quite a bit of gore thrown in (🥴 <- my face a good chunk of the time).
I loved the lore included around truck drivers and it really opened me up to a lifestyle that I haven't given much thought to - and I loved the moments SGJ included where our characters reflected on in if their fathers were going to make it home safe for Christmas - this story was packed with moments like that that had me sobbing. He really came swinging with the emotions in this one.
While this story did have some fantastically nightmarish horror elements, it did read a lot like a thriller, which is maybe why I ended up enjoying this story so much compared to some of his other works!
THE BABYSITTER LIVES
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This story was a repackage from a previous release and, while it started off really strong, it devolved in a way that took me out of the story. If I had read this one on its own, it might have held a higher merit for me, but reading this one immediately after KILLER ON THE ROAD, left me yearning for something else.
Still a really strong story, but one that loses the tracks a bit.
Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for my early copy for review - out July 15!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm so disappointed
Stephen Graham Jones is on his game. With Buffalo Hunter Hunter and now Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives. He is cranking out books! You would think that multiple books in a year would mean that the quality might suffer. You would be wrong. This is a double feature that you don’t want to miss. The quality you expect that will suck you in and you won’t want o come up for air until they are done.
If this is your first entry to SGJ welcome. It is a good place to start. Two novella length novels to bite into that will leave you wanting to jump into his other works!
Killer on the Road
A fast past novella about a girl, Harper, who sets out hitchhiking and ends up having a crazy time with a series killer. This will leave you reeling. With a killer that can change how they look… You never knew what was going to come up next! I really enjoyed this and was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The Babysitter Lives
While the last book took us on the road this one keeps us in one place. Charlotte is or main character and all she wants is a chill babysitting gig where she can study for the SATs in peace. That is not what she gets. Instead she gets twins where one can see ghosts and they both like to get into things like typical children. But what happens if when you are babysitting if someone was in the house with you…and what happens if this house something sinister happened in the past? As a person who did babysit around Charlotte’s age…and who babysitter boy/girl twins I am so happy this didn’t happen to me.
In my opinion SGJ can’t write a bad book. They are always just so well done. Well thought out well executed and just a mandatory read! I can’t wait for whatever he brings us next.
Thank you to Saga for the complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If this is your first entry to SGJ welcome. It is a good place to start. Two novella length novels to bite into that will leave you wanting to jump into his other works!
Killer on the Road
A fast past novella about a girl, Harper, who sets out hitchhiking and ends up having a crazy time with a series killer. This will leave you reeling. With a killer that can change how they look… You never knew what was going to come up next! I really enjoyed this and was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The Babysitter Lives
While the last book took us on the road this one keeps us in one place. Charlotte is or main character and all she wants is a chill babysitting gig where she can study for the SATs in peace. That is not what she gets. Instead she gets twins where one can see ghosts and they both like to get into things like typical children. But what happens if when you are babysitting if someone was in the house with you…and what happens if this house something sinister happened in the past? As a person who did babysit around Charlotte’s age…and who babysitter boy/girl twins I am so happy this didn’t happen to me.
In my opinion SGJ can’t write a bad book. They are always just so well done. Well thought out well executed and just a mandatory read! I can’t wait for whatever he brings us next.
Thank you to Saga for the complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
N/A
🚚🩸🔪🕷💀🦎
Saga Doubles, two books under one binding!
I'm gonna start off by saying both of these are straight-up bangers, both very different but just as haunting. For sure, these stories are gonna stay with me for a long time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🔪🩸Killer On The Road🩸🔪
Vibes: Fast-paced, high octane, adrenaline rush in book form.
Harper is a typical teen. When arguing with her Mom, she decided that she was done with her overbearing parent and wanted out. She set out by foot hitching rides to her unknown destination, and after having an odd encounter then meeting by accident with her friends they all get involved into some insane stuff on the road that they can't runaway from.
- This gave me anxiety, in the best way, like I couldn't put it down, the way that this was written was bleak and brutal. Rooting for the survival of Harper and company while also trying to find out more about Bucketmouth.
I highly recommend this to fans of Final Destination and serial killer documentaries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🦎🩸🕷The Babysitter Lives🕷🩸🦎
Vibes: Liminal, claustrophobic, paranoia, and haunted.
Charlotte is on a babysitting gig, and it should be pretty easy enough since it's right before bedtime for the twins Desi and Ronald. Not trying to experience what happened at her last sitting job, she's trying to be extra careful with the kids, unknown to her she is about to go in a rabbithole of a nightmare that she cant escape from.
- This was a rabbithole for both Charlotte and myself, claustrophobic and paranoia setting in, she did a better job on keeping herself together than I ever would. The house house would've been set ablaze if it were me. And creepy kids 😱 Thats all I gotta say about that.
I recommend this if you enjoyed Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman, The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, as well as The Haunting of Hill House Netflix Series.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would love to thank Saga Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review, now to continue with my obsession over SGJ books!
Saga Doubles, two books under one binding!
I'm gonna start off by saying both of these are straight-up bangers, both very different but just as haunting. For sure, these stories are gonna stay with me for a long time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🔪🩸Killer On The Road🩸🔪
Vibes: Fast-paced, high octane, adrenaline rush in book form.
Harper is a typical teen. When arguing with her Mom, she decided that she was done with her overbearing parent and wanted out. She set out by foot hitching rides to her unknown destination, and after having an odd encounter then meeting by accident with her friends they all get involved into some insane stuff on the road that they can't runaway from.
- This gave me anxiety, in the best way, like I couldn't put it down, the way that this was written was bleak and brutal. Rooting for the survival of Harper and company while also trying to find out more about Bucketmouth.
I highly recommend this to fans of Final Destination and serial killer documentaries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
🦎🩸🕷The Babysitter Lives🕷🩸🦎
Vibes: Liminal, claustrophobic, paranoia, and haunted.
Charlotte is on a babysitting gig, and it should be pretty easy enough since it's right before bedtime for the twins Desi and Ronald. Not trying to experience what happened at her last sitting job, she's trying to be extra careful with the kids, unknown to her she is about to go in a rabbithole of a nightmare that she cant escape from.
- This was a rabbithole for both Charlotte and myself, claustrophobic and paranoia setting in, she did a better job on keeping herself together than I ever would. The house house would've been set ablaze if it were me. And creepy kids 😱 Thats all I gotta say about that.
I recommend this if you enjoyed Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman, The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, as well as The Haunting of Hill House Netflix Series.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would love to thank Saga Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review, now to continue with my obsession over SGJ books!
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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:
N/A
Killer on the Road:
After Harper’s blowout fight with her mom, she runs away to hitchhike her way across the desolate I-80 through Wyoming. This is the same route her trucker dad took and never returned from many years ago. Ignoring the dangers of the journey, she sticks out her thumb. Creeped out by a T-bird, occupied by two bible thumpers with an ominous warning, she continues nonetheless. Nothing will stop her.
Unexpectedly, her friends Kissy, Jam and ex Dillon join her on the road. It is Fortunate to have each other, but now they must survive the road stalked by a serial killer. The plot moves quickly as the group discovers evil on the highway in the form of Bucketmouth, a boogeyman of the road who is more horrible than they can imagine. He is also very skilled in his ability to commandeer any kind of vehicle. Fast-paced, gory and terrifying, I will never drive the I-80 again without an anxious stir in my gut.
I enjoyed the dynamics of the friends. They are a likeable group, although Meg’s character is a little in the shadows. As this is a short novel, we don’t get too much regarding the background of the friends. It’s reminiscent of watching a slasher film in that way, which works for the fast paced nature of the book. I would have liked to know the characters more though because they were an interesting group.
The group is quickly propelled into the horror mile marker by mile marker. Stephen Graham Jones creates a plot that puts the characters into a situation they will struggle to return back home from. It’s hard to find a good spot on the road to turn around, especially when evil follows driving a Peterbilt.
The Babysitter Lives:
Charlotte thinks this will be just like any other babysitting job. Twins Desi and Ronald are adorable, except for their mischievous love of playing hide and seek, also, Ronald can see ghosts. As Charlotte gets sucked into their games, she begins to explore this suburban dream house finding its passages dimmed by horrors from the past that are bleeding into the present.
Stephen Graham Jones created a protagonist in Charlotte that all ages will root for. She is not perfect, but she has courage and heart and will protect her loved ones and those in her care now more than ever.
Thank you NetGalley & Saga Press for this eARC.
After Harper’s blowout fight with her mom, she runs away to hitchhike her way across the desolate I-80 through Wyoming. This is the same route her trucker dad took and never returned from many years ago. Ignoring the dangers of the journey, she sticks out her thumb. Creeped out by a T-bird, occupied by two bible thumpers with an ominous warning, she continues nonetheless. Nothing will stop her.
Unexpectedly, her friends Kissy, Jam and ex Dillon join her on the road. It is Fortunate to have each other, but now they must survive the road stalked by a serial killer. The plot moves quickly as the group discovers evil on the highway in the form of Bucketmouth, a boogeyman of the road who is more horrible than they can imagine. He is also very skilled in his ability to commandeer any kind of vehicle. Fast-paced, gory and terrifying, I will never drive the I-80 again without an anxious stir in my gut.
I enjoyed the dynamics of the friends. They are a likeable group, although Meg’s character is a little in the shadows. As this is a short novel, we don’t get too much regarding the background of the friends. It’s reminiscent of watching a slasher film in that way, which works for the fast paced nature of the book. I would have liked to know the characters more though because they were an interesting group.
The group is quickly propelled into the horror mile marker by mile marker. Stephen Graham Jones creates a plot that puts the characters into a situation they will struggle to return back home from. It’s hard to find a good spot on the road to turn around, especially when evil follows driving a Peterbilt.
The Babysitter Lives:
Charlotte thinks this will be just like any other babysitting job. Twins Desi and Ronald are adorable, except for their mischievous love of playing hide and seek, also, Ronald can see ghosts. As Charlotte gets sucked into their games, she begins to explore this suburban dream house finding its passages dimmed by horrors from the past that are bleeding into the present.
Stephen Graham Jones created a protagonist in Charlotte that all ages will root for. She is not perfect, but she has courage and heart and will protect her loved ones and those in her care now more than ever.
Thank you NetGalley & Saga Press for this eARC.