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A review by bebocarrick
The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power by Terry J. Benton-Walker
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
LOVED the concept, but the stories were a pretty mixed bag for me. I think this would be a great intro for someone into YA horror though! Here are each of the stories and my spoiler-free feelings about them.
1. "All Eyes on Me" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé - 3 stars
While nothing in here was really twisty or scary, the characters were quite likable.
2. Hedge by Kalynn Bayron - 2 stars
Really unsatisfied with everything about this one. Felt pointless.
3. The Golden Dragon by Kendare Blake - 4 stars
The voice acting here was my favorite out of all the stories. Good mean girls-esque vibe but like with ghosty stuff.
4. "Best Served Cold" by H.E. Edgmon - 5 stars
Super cool take on indigenous skinwalker tales. In a tie with "Break Through Our Skin" for my favorite of the bunch.
5. "The Protege" by Lamar Giles - 2 stars
Felt out of place in a horror collection, more thriller vibes for me, and not a really interesting thriller at that.
6. "Docile Girls" by Chloe Gong - 3 stars
A fun slasher story!
7. "Gray Grove" by Alexis Henderson - 4 stars
True crime podcast girlies will love this one, especially when they also like confronting racists.
8. "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Tiffany D. Jackson - 3 stars
I love a good epistolary-style story with an unhinged narrator, but this one didn't strike any new chords for me.
9. "Heaven" by Adiba Jaigirdar - 3 stars
The underwater post-apocalyptic world was a cool concept, but could use some expansion and perhaps a feature in a sci-fi collection rather than a horror one.
10. "Break Through Our Skin" by Naseem Jamnia - 5 stars
EXCELLENT nonbinary/trans rep with a super cool ancient entity. Love love LOVE.
11. "Wasps" By Mark Oshiro - 3 stars
Wanted to like this one more than I did. Enjoyed the generational aspects of the story, but that was about it.
12. "Hell is Other Demons" by Karen Strong - 2 stars
Really hated the ear-jarring sound used in place of the demon's name in this audiobook. This one just didn't hook me.
13. "The Road to Hell" by Terry J. Benton-Walker - 4 stars
Super fun haunted house read from the perspective of the haunted house!!
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
LOVED the concept, but the stories were a pretty mixed bag for me. I think this would be a great intro for someone into YA horror though! Here are each of the stories and my spoiler-free feelings about them.
1. "All Eyes on Me" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé - 3 stars
While nothing in here was really twisty or scary, the characters were quite likable.
2. Hedge by Kalynn Bayron - 2 stars
Really unsatisfied with everything about this one. Felt pointless.
3. The Golden Dragon by Kendare Blake - 4 stars
The voice acting here was my favorite out of all the stories. Good mean girls-esque vibe but like with ghosty stuff.
4. "Best Served Cold" by H.E. Edgmon - 5 stars
Super cool take on indigenous skinwalker tales. In a tie with "Break Through Our Skin" for my favorite of the bunch.
5. "The Protege" by Lamar Giles - 2 stars
Felt out of place in a horror collection, more thriller vibes for me, and not a really interesting thriller at that.
6. "Docile Girls" by Chloe Gong - 3 stars
A fun slasher story!
7. "Gray Grove" by Alexis Henderson - 4 stars
True crime podcast girlies will love this one, especially when they also like confronting racists.
8. "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Tiffany D. Jackson - 3 stars
I love a good epistolary-style story with an unhinged narrator, but this one didn't strike any new chords for me.
9. "Heaven" by Adiba Jaigirdar - 3 stars
The underwater post-apocalyptic world was a cool concept, but could use some expansion and perhaps a feature in a sci-fi collection rather than a horror one.
10. "Break Through Our Skin" by Naseem Jamnia - 5 stars
EXCELLENT nonbinary/trans rep with a super cool ancient entity. Love love LOVE.
11. "Wasps" By Mark Oshiro - 3 stars
Wanted to like this one more than I did. Enjoyed the generational aspects of the story, but that was about it.
12. "Hell is Other Demons" by Karen Strong - 2 stars
Really hated the ear-jarring sound used in place of the demon's name in this audiobook. This one just didn't hook me.
13. "The Road to Hell" by Terry J. Benton-Walker - 4 stars
Super fun haunted house read from the perspective of the haunted house!!
Publication Date: July 16, 2024