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issymaae's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, and Violence
cwgoodyear's review
3.5
Melon Head Mayhem is the first in the Killer VHS series, which aims to be "goosebumps for adults" and I think it's off to a great start! We follow Carson and his cousin Sophia who are back in their hometown for their grandmother's funeral. When Carson stumbles across an old horror movie, they decide to have a watch party together like when they were kids. Little did they know, the melon head creatures are real and will do anything to keep that a secret. The 80s B movie of a novel that follows is fast paced and full of exactly what you'd expect for the vibes. I was a bit surprised with how fast the creatures showed up, I'd expect there to be a bit more buildup. However, it is a short, fast paced novella so it worked out alright. I'm super excited to continue the KILLER VHS series and see where it leads, I've already preordered the next few.
Big thank you to BookSirens and Alex Ebenstein for the advance copy, all opinions are my own.
Big thank you to BookSirens and Alex Ebenstein for the advance copy, all opinions are my own.
chelseatm's review
Perfect fun book. Nothing bad to say. It's a fun retro throwback to nostalgic horror. Sometimes found the fight scenes hard to follow but those are challenging at the best of times.
aj_humphreys's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is such a fun and dark thriller that perfectly captures the movie horror atmosphere of the 80s and 90s. It’s violent, claustrophobic, over-dramatic, and certainly self-aware.
Cousins Carson and Sophia just wanted to relive the nostalgia of youth following the passing of their grandmother. And what better way to do so than with a classic VHS horror movie night? Except, neither of them have heard of the particular flick they uncover hidden in grandma’s closet.
“Revenge of The Melon Heads!”
The tropes of classic 80s horror are definitely present as the film summons the bulbous-headed cryptids to dispatch all who have watched the tape. Filled with the lore of The Great Lakes Region’s infamous cryptids, the story paces quickly and plummets the characters into survival mode.
Thankfully, the well-balanced characters are aficionados of the horror genre, and they understand the assignment. Kill or be killed. Which is much easier said than done when grappling with the throngs of the vicious creatures attempting to eviscerate everything standing in their way.
Melon Head Mayhem is the first installment in the Killer VHS Series: “a series of books where movie monsters come to life and old VHS tapes summon long-buried evils. You’ll probably survive, as long as you remember to be kind and rewind.”
I think I will be back for more KVS and Ebenstein after this one.
Cousins Carson and Sophia just wanted to relive the nostalgia of youth following the passing of their grandmother. And what better way to do so than with a classic VHS horror movie night? Except, neither of them have heard of the particular flick they uncover hidden in grandma’s closet.
“Revenge of The Melon Heads!”
The tropes of classic 80s horror are definitely present as the film summons the bulbous-headed cryptids to dispatch all who have watched the tape. Filled with the lore of The Great Lakes Region’s infamous cryptids, the story paces quickly and plummets the characters into survival mode.
Thankfully, the well-balanced characters are aficionados of the horror genre, and they understand the assignment. Kill or be killed. Which is much easier said than done when grappling with the throngs of the vicious creatures attempting to eviscerate everything standing in their way.
Melon Head Mayhem is the first installment in the Killer VHS Series: “a series of books where movie monsters come to life and old VHS tapes summon long-buried evils. You’ll probably survive, as long as you remember to be kind and rewind.”
I think I will be back for more KVS and Ebenstein after this one.
chellecmorgan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tinybitsofheart's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
mlivings8's review
5.0
Absolutely loved this fun fast paced read! The story comes together quickly and even though it’s a short one you are really cheering for the main characters to survive. Other than reading horror my other favorite thing is to watch horror and this brings both together in a fun nostalgic way. I highly recommend reading this if you are looking for a fun fast paced well written story!
howlinglibraries's review
4.0
This was fun! I love 80s throwback stuff in horror, and this really delivered with the whole "cursed video tape" vibe coupled with these weird, nasty little Melon Head creatures. I was a bit surprised with how fast the Melon Heads showed up in the story, because I feel like creature features don't usually get into the thick of it that fast, but it worked well with how it all played out.
I do wish there had been more backstory — I didn't love how little explanation was given for any of what was happening. This wasn't a new favorite, but it was a fun, messy, action-packed little novella that I had fun with. I'll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
I do wish there had been more backstory — I didn't love how little explanation was given for any of what was happening. This wasn't a new favorite, but it was a fun, messy, action-packed little novella that I had fun with. I'll definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future.
Thank you to the author and BookSirens for the gifted copy! All thoughts are honest and my own.
aliseaymcmahon's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0