Title: This is Not a Horror Movie
Author: Sara Dobie Bauer
Narrator: Blake Lockheart
Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Mystery-of-Kelly-Christopher-Audiobook/B093KM6BJY
Summary
Emory Jones loves two things: horror movies and Connor Nichols.
For the past four years, Emory, Connor, and their families have vacationed side by side on Longboat Key, Florida. Eighteen-year-old Emory has pined for his neighbor from behind the covers of Stephen King books, but college boy Connor has never noticed him. Probably because Emory looks like Jack Skellington with good hair.
Emory anticipates another predictable summer of sunburn and disappointment. Instead, he ends up with a mystery on his hands when a beloved beach bum goes missing, and Connor volunteers to help with the search. Turns out it’s not just scary movie cops who are worthless, so the boys start an investigation of their own – leading them straight to an abandoned beach resort.
Despite the danger, Emory and Connor grow closer, but as Emory’s gay dreams start coming true, so do the horror movie tropes he so loves. Even though he knows that sex equals death in slasher flicks, Emory can’t keep his hands off the guy of his teenage dreams.
This Is Not a Horror Movie is a 78,000-word new adult gay rom-com…with a monster.
“In This Is Not a Horror Movie, you have two highly engaging characters and a mysterious and funny horror story that simply oozes summertime spirit.” (Best-selling author Lily Morton)
My Review
5/5 Stars
When Emory Jones arrives in Florida for his family’s annual summer vacation, he can’t wait for it to be over. He dreams of the fall when college will begin and what he thinks will be the start of really getting to be himself. What he expects to be a typical vacation quickly turns into a summer adventure from Hell.
Let me just start this review by saying how much I loved this book. From the characters to the plot to the suspense, this story had it all.
Emory, Liz, and Connor were all amazingly fleshed out characters. Emory was my favorite with his love for Stephen King books and his witty comebacks. The relationship that blossomed between him and Connor felt very real, and blended seamlessly into the main plot. Liz was a charming character with a big personality that several times made me laugh.
Another thing I loved about this book was the way the author played with typical horror movie tropes, using them in refreshing new ways.
This has got to be one of my favorite reads of 2021! Definitely will seek out work by this author in the future.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Author Kayla Krantz 