Fresh Hell

by Cameron Chaney

School is back in session at Autumncrow High. Will the class of 1994 survive long enough to graduate, or will the cursed town of Autumncrow devour them all?

Bailey Hagen is plagued by nightmares, blood-soaked visions of a boy seemingly from another time. He’s so handsome. So dark. So deadly.

When Bailey returns to school in the fall, she is horrified to learn that the boy from her dreams is real and is attending Autumncrow High. Are Bailey’s dreams a warning, some kind of premonition? Or has the boy truly escaped her nightmares? Only time (and murder) will tell . . .

In the AUTUMNCROW HIGH series, author Cameron Chaney takes you back to a town where every night is Halloween, while paying tribute to the young adult horror boom of the 1990s.

Genres: Horror, Halloween, Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal, Thriller, Teen

301 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published September 15, 2023

About the author

Cameron Chaney was born and raised in a small Ohio town you’ve never heard of. He spent his childhood roam­ing his family’s six-acre property and devouring one spooky book after another. He now enjoys writing spooky stories of his own in his home library and talking about all things spooky on his YouTube show, Library Macabre. Cameron also works as a youth services librarian aboard his local bookmobile. He currently resides in yet another small Ohio town you’ve never heard of. Don’t feed him after mid­night . . .

Reviews

[Shadyside Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible! It reads like a well written YA Horror book from the 90’s. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Fear Street, Point Horror, or Christopher Pike. Looking forward to a sequel! And maybe even a spin-off? Autumncrow University?!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give it 6 stars?! All the vibes. All the nostalgia. Great cover. I want to live in Autumncrow (minus the murder)

[Brooke 𝜗𝜚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

—— 𝟹 ✰ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ. 🏫💀

❝ ℑ 𝔤𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔦𝔱’𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔢 𝔴𝔢 𝔭𝔞𝔶 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔄𝔲𝔱𝔲𝔪𝔫𝔠𝔯𝔬𝔴 𝔙𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔶, “𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔖𝔭𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔦𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔗𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔬𝔫 𝔈𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔥.” 𝔗𝔥𝔞𝔱’𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔱𝔬𝔴𝔫’𝔰 𝔰𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔞𝔫, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 ℑ 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔞𝔤𝔯𝔢𝔢 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 𝔦𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔬𝔫𝔢. ❞

📖: 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡: 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐲
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: 🎃
ꜱᴘᴏᴏᴋɪᴇꜱ: ½👻

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🏫 ʏᴀ ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ ɢᴇɴʀᴇ
💀 ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ
🏫 ɴᴏꜱᴛᴀʟɢɪᴄ 90’ꜱ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
💀 ʜᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴇɴ/ᴀᴜᴛᴜᴍɴᴀʟ ᴠɪʙᴇꜱ

✎﹏ I feel like I’m in the minority for not being too crazy about 𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙣𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝: 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙃𝙚𝙡𝙡. The main reason I picked this book up was because all the 4/5 star ratings. I didn’t love the book, I didn’t hate it, I’m neutral. What I really enjoyed was the Halloween/creepy fall vibes. It was giving nostalgic 90’s Goosebumps/RL Stine which I’m here for. That was my favorite part about the book. However, the plot was all over the place. I feel like the author attempted to do too much in one shot between the witchcraft, the monsters haunting the school, & the random evil spirit back for revenge. Side note, but why did they choose that specific song to keep haunting everyone with? What is the lore behind that? I have questions. 🤔 And for a YA horror I’m actually surprised at how graphic this was! Which is fine cause it doesn’t bother me, but if you’re not a fan of gore, be warned… there is gore. From the ending, it looks like the author will be doing a sequel, I’m not sure how I feel about reading the next installment. I am a tiny bit invested in what becomes of Bailey. We shall see.

❝ 𝔗𝔥𝔞𝔱’𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔩 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔱𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔰. 𝔗𝔬 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔣𝔲𝔰𝔢 𝔲𝔰, 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔲𝔰 𝔲𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔲𝔫𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔡. 𝔐𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔲𝔰 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔩 𝔡𝔦𝔷𝔷𝔶. ℌ𝔢𝔩𝔭𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰. ℑ𝔰𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔡. ℑ𝔱 𝔠𝔞𝔫’𝔱 𝔡𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔦𝔣 𝔴𝔢 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔢𝔞𝔠𝔥 𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯, 𝔰𝔬 𝔦𝔱 𝔱𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔰 𝔲𝔰 𝔞𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱, 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔰 𝔰𝔲𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔢 𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔲𝔭 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢’𝔰 𝔫𝔬 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔲𝔰 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔡𝔢𝔳𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔡. ❞

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing nostalgic infused read that for me felt like a conglomeration of Point Horror, Goosebumps and Fear Street, I don't think I'm being dramatic when I say Cameron is the modern day R L Stine and I'm very excited for the rest of this series! The writing was immersive and I could picture the town vividly, a solid authentic cast and some unexpected twists, I had a lot of fun with this!

[Nakia's Hideaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 out of 5

I loved parts 1 and 2 of this book! The fall vibes. 🍂 The Halloweeness of Autumncrow. 🎃 The 90's nostalgia. 📺
Just heaven.

Once we got to part 3 I got the sinking feeling that Bailey didn't survive and that just made me so sad. I adored Bailey and didn't really want to be stuck with Melody for the rest of the book. My poor Bailey! Also, I don't think I'm really into stories about witchcraft so once we found out that that's what was going on in Autumncrow I lost interest a little bit.

I was really into the new boy Dennis mystery and also what happened to Bailey's dad.

And I enjoyed all of the gore. Cameron Chaney is not afraid to go there.

Just a little too sad for me. 🙈


Full Video Review: https://youtu.be/jJPldkQbM28

[Andrew Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I loved everything about this book. The town, the characters, the plot, the pacing. For what the book was intended to be, it was perfection!

I can still smell the air in Autumncrow. Cursed or not, I want to visit that little town and go to every little shop. Maybe I'll make it out before Autumn Crow has anything to say about it.

I do recommend reading "Autumncrow" before this because you get a lot of cool little Easter eggs from that book in here.

Hopefully book two will be out for next Halloween season.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am all about this 90s, small town, autumnal horror novel! It gave me all the YA horror vibes I could ask for and more. Heartfelt, creepy, nostalgic... all of it! I had fun getting to know these characters and felt like part of their friend group. I did NOT want anything bad to happen to any of them. And I really enjoyed some of the backstory about the town of Autumncrow itself, including information on the founder(s). Definitely looking forward to this series growing in whatever way Cameron Chaney sees fit!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the first day of senior year and Bailey Hagen and her best friend Melody are meeting up to walk to school together. Bailey is not exactly well rested, and the reason is not simply first day jitters, but rather the recurring nightmares that have been plaguing her all summer long, in which a strange teenage boy wearing an Autumncrow High letterman jacket reels her through the town on an invisible rope, her body becoming ever more bashed and bloodied as she is drug and slammed along the town, all the while the mystery boy pleads with Bailey to "let me fix you."
On the way, Bailey and Melody stop at Bailey's work, the local coffee shop, and as they are exiting, Bailey is stopped in her tracks by the boy entering - it's him the boy from her nightmares, the one she sees in her sleep every single night and he's real. Throughout the day at school, the mystery boy is all Bailey can think of; who is he, where did he come from, and what is he doing here?
During lunch the boy, introducing himself as Dennis, joins Bailey and Melody at their table, stating that he recognizes them from earlier at the coffee shop. As they talk, Bailey realizes they have a lot in common, including recurring nightmares and the recent loss of their fathers. Bailey's father went missing months ago, under mysterious circumstances, no trace of him but for copious amounts of blood at the scene. Dennis's father, the school janitor, committed suicide over the summer.
Before lunch is even over, it's obvious recently heartbroken Melody is smitten with Dennis, but Bailey can't help but get a bad feeling. And it isn't only her; everyone who sees Dennis seems to get freaked out and feel there's something not right with him, including Bailey's own mother and Melody's ex-boyfriend.
As the days go by, Bailey becomes ever more worried for her best friend's safety as she sees Dennis changing day by day, getting angrier and taking on an entirely different persona. When Bailey finds an old photo from the 1959 Autumncrow High yearbook, showing her mother clearly in a relationship with Dennis's father, she knows she was right all along - there is something strange going on with Dennis; there is much more lurking beneath the surface - but what? She knows the new guy holds the key to her nightmares, her dad's disappearance and all the other strange things going on in town lately.
Can Bailey figure out what is going on with this new mystery boy in time to save her best friend?
-----------------------
I really loved this book and I'm ecstatic to find out it's supposed to be part of a series because I definitely need more, especially after that ending. This book very much reminded me of a favorite author, Cameron Robique, in particular, his Frankie Graves books.
This book was great, don't miss out!

[Horror Sickness · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? Cameron has done it again!

Since Autumncrow I have been so intrigued about this place, the people who live in it and those who are brutally murdered there as well.

It was such a treat to read this book and I read it in one sitting. I could not stop!

With tons of 90s nostalgia and brutal deaths this has been one of my favorite books I have read this year so far.

Bailey is plagued by nightmares that she can not explain. In her nightmares she sees a guy she has never met before. That is until he walks into her classroom in her senior year. He is a new student. But why is he also in her dreams?

In Autumncrow many people disappear or die in freaky accidents and nobody bats an eye. They are used to it. What is wrong with this place?

As people start to get hurt, Bailey is determined to get to the bottom of things. But can she defeat the evil before it is too late?

The fast pacing and great writing make this book so enjoyable. I loved to learn about the background story of the place and its founders and I want a prequel featuring Abraham and Autumn Crow so bad.

I can not wait to read more about this place. Cameron has managed to create a world of his own as R.L. Stine did with Fear Street.
But in my humble opinion, Cameron’s vision is more modern and mature. He presents an elevated version of Fear Street and brings a fresh vision to horror.

[Pulp_Fiction_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can definitely see Cameron's influences throughout this book and he blends them well through a very engaging writing style. There's also a twist which happens a little over halfway through the book and I've got to say I loved it. The reason I docked a star from my rating is firstly I felt the book was a little too long, especially early on and I think it would have benefited from tightening up the page count. Secondly, we get introduced to a plethora of fascinating locations around Autumncrow, namely Spooky's Cafe, Madame Tinkett's Sweets, Undead Video etc... and we spent very little or no time at all at these places and I feel it would have been really cool to have explored them and the town of Autumncrow further. All in all, Fresh Hell is a good time and I look forward to the next installment.

[Niko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew, what can I say?

I absolutely loved Fresh Hell! Cameron definitely invoked the spirit of Fear Street, Christopher Pike and Point Horror and that makes my heart so happy. I love that it was also just a bit more descriptive the way modern horror should be. I CANNOT wait for the next installment already and I know that I'm going to devour each one. This is definitely going to be one that I reread fairly often I can tell.

[Mike Prewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I finally read a book by Cameron Chaney, and I really enjoyed it. This is a callback to 90s YA, and it's his spin on it. He seems to like slashers and everything that has to do with Halloween. This is a perfect Halloween read and fall read in general.

[Katherine Loyacano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fresh Hell by Cameron Chaney is the first book in the fantastic new YA series, Autumncrow High. Bailey Hagen is a senior at AutumnCrow High located in the cursed town of Autumncrow. She and the class of 1994 have so much to look forward to their senior year. Unfortunately for Bailey and some of her classmates, they may not make it to graduation. The town’s sinister past doesn’t want to stay buried, revealing secrets that bring murder and mayhem to Autumncrow and anyone who gets in the way.

Cameron Chaney did a fine job of laying the foundation for the Autumncrow High series with Fresh Hell. His atmospheric town of Autumncrow is cozy but also a bit unsettling with its dark history and mysterious disappearances. There is so much to love about this story: set in the 90s, well-developed characters, supernatural elements, a horrifying creature that haunts the halls of the high school, and plenty of murder. I was hooked from the very beginning and quickly became attached to the characters, especially Bailey and her family as well as her best friend Melody. Chaney has crafted a well-written novel with plenty of horror, heart, and heartbreak that will delight readers who enjoy horror stories.

[Joey Vich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was a fun and wild ride ! Autumncrow High is packed to the brim with Halloween imagery with a mysterious, charismatic and alluring antagonist. Cameron really sets up such an enjoyable story here ! It helps that the two protagonist girls are likable and you can really feel their friendship— a friendship that could rival Abby and Gretchen in Grady Hendrix’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism. We have a very interesting mystery in this town that unravels itself all the way up to its surprisingly emotional and heavy on the gas climax. Read this book for October !

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given that I am normally not a huge fan of YA, I wasn't sure if I'd dig this....I've never been happier to have been wrong.

Fresh Hell is fantastic and genuinely creepy. Chaney has outdone himself by creating such a rich world to set his stories in.

Gnarly, spooky, and genuinely heartwarming. Highest recommend.

[Sophie Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 90s nostalgic vibes are great
But I feel like the whole story was off slightly. Parts 1 and 2 were great pace wise & overall story following Bailey, but the pace changes in the next parts.

[Courtney Gruenholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been subscribed and following Cameron Chaney on many platforms for awhile because he is a booktuber who specializes in horror literature. All types for readers just starting out to those who have a love for the teen and YA horror that boomed in the 1990s and end up reading the books that are twisted and gory.

Waiting patiently until my funds would allow, I was finally able to get a hold of Fresh Hell, the first book in what is to be a continuing series Autumncrow High. A small, fictional town that first appeared in his short story collection of Autumncrow (which I will be reading soon...) where it is a town that has Halloween and horror going hand in hand like chocolate and peanut butter.

We are all familiar with towns with dark secrets: King's Derry and Stine's Shadyside.

Autumncrow is no different and Cameron provides vivid details of every shop you can recognize if you come from small towns but also very less idyllic descriptions of the blood and gore and all of the creatures and things from our worst nightmares.

Bailey Hagen is having those nightmares of being accosted by a dark presence where her body becomes bloody and battered and broken as she falls from the skies to the ground of her hometown.

It soon takes form of a handsome boy with dark hair and icy eyes dressed in the letterman jacket of Autumncrow High School in its burnt orange and black colors. He controls Bailey like a puppet and menaces her with words of doom as she can hear cries of help from disembodied voices wanting to pull her down into the depths of Hell.

She has had them all summer before her final year in high school and it weaves in with the disappearance of her father. Felix Hagen's van was abandoned with a bloody windshield and enough damage that the police don't believe anyone could have survived...including her own brother who is the town deputy.

Bailey and her mother both work to support their family because Bailey has a younger sister, Rae, to support. Working long hours and having no time to rest with these awful dreams, Bailey starts looking like a zombie but she can always count on her best friend, Melody Krieger.

Melody helps Bailey with her hair and make-up as well as brilliant teen snarkiness that can at least put a smile on Bailey's face. Best friends since they were little, the two girls are always there for each other even in the face of boyfriends and third wheels.

Melody is still wearing the letterman jacket of her ex-boyfriend Tommy Burke after their break-up where he dumped her and Bailey knows that she wants to get back together with Tommy because Melody was so in love that she and Bailey kind of drifted a bit.

Tommy has moved on...so can Melody even if she is more concerned with finding Bailey a boyfriend instead. That morning at the local coffee shop where Bailey works and the girls stop there for a caffeine pick me up for the first day back, a young man politely holds the door open as they leave.

It is the boy from Bailey's nightmares!

Struck into shock most of the day, Bailey and Melody head to lunch only to find the same boy joining them at their lunch table! He has the same handsome looks and dark hair but his eyes are a much more neutral brown and he is humble and not so threatening. He introduces himself as Dennis with no last name at first.

It is very clear that Melody is smitten by his good looks and charm but Bailey can't help but be creeped out by his looks to the human monster in her dreams. Dennis then explains that he and his mother came to town to take care of matters after the death of his estranged father, the recently deceased janitor Mr. Greendale.

By all accounts, not a nice guy but Melody and Bailey give Dennis the benefit of the doubt as Bailey has the disappearance of her dad and Melody lost her beloved grandmother so they understand.

Despite being a little aloof but completely normal, Bailey is wary of Dennis despite Melody falling head over heels to show him about town. It also appears that Tommy, who has been watching them, isn't thrilled to have the new boy flirting with his ex even while another girl is nibbling on his ear in public.

Bailey skips out on going with Melody and Dennis for sight-seeing with an excuse and the next morning, finds her best friend and the new boy kissing at Melody's locker. It isn't the first shock of the day when Bailey's brother Dalton shows up to arrest Tommy Burke for apparently breaking into the school last night.

Tommy and Dennis get into a fight where Dennis runs off and Bailey watches her brother drag Tommy off school property, a look in Tommy's eyes silently begging her for help. This is different from the Tommy that decided to man-handle Melody yesterday on her way home from school with Bailey before her later night date with Dennis.

Yesterday it was a big dumb jock jumping off his motorcycle like a neanderthal fueled by jealousy but today...scared out of his wits. Later that night, Bailey leaves work early at a kind co-worker's behest to witness Melody and Dennis driving toward the high school.

Following them, Bailey soon learns from Melody that Dennis has been acting strange all day after his fight with Tommy and now has dragged her back to the school. He soon comes back with a strange smile on his face and an old Autumncrow High letterman jacket wrapped about him...and stained on the sleeves is dried blood.

Dropping Bailey off at her house, the teens see Mrs. Hagen rush out of the house. She isn't happy that her oldest daughter was supposed to be picking her younger daughter up at her friend's house if she said she was coming home from work. That comes to a halt when Bailey's mom notices Dennis and then looks as if someone has just walked over her grave...

What follows next are pages filled with ghastly images and back story of what seems a normal town yet is in the grips of terror that is bubbling up from the roots of the past to threaten its future.

It soon becomes a sort of coming of age tale that focuses on the love between friends and family in the face of an ancient terror...showing the things we must sacrifice.

Fresh Hell leaves us in an ending that is clearly gearing up for something more than just the normal teen fare of crazy psychopaths hacking up teenagers even if that is present...and appreciated.

You wouldn't expect anything less from someone as well spoken as Cameron Chaney or as well read in horror if you have seen his videos of all the books in his personal library macabre!!

[UK Goosebumps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing! Was a bit daunting seeing how long this book was as I’m used to shorter 150 page books but i couldn’t put this down. Lots of things happen and are said at the beginning that remain a mystery for a while or seem like there own separate thing but everything slowly ties in together. I was shocked at both 150 pages by the way the book took such a dramatic turn. Perfect amount of gory stuff, mystery and horror! I will give this a 4.5 out of 5. The only reason the .5 gets deducted is because I the characters to explore autumn crow a bit more and maybe even see other things like the watchdog! That’s probably what “autumncrow” the short story book is about. Great read

[A.M. Wiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cameron Chaney’s Autumncrow High: Fresh Hell is a delightfully eerie mix of nostalgia and horror that captures the spirit of Halloween year-round. Set in the cursed town of Autumncrow, where every night feels like October 31st, this story blends mystery, suspense, and a dash of cozy fright in a way that feels both chilling and comforting.

The heart of the book lies in its homage to the YA horror greats of the ’80s and ’90s—think Christopher Pike, R.L. Stine, and early Stephen King—while still carving out a voice of its own. The mystery surrounding Bailey Hagen and her haunting visions is compelling, and the appearance of the boy from her dreams adds an extra layer of tension that keeps the pages turning. Chaney does a wonderful job of making Autumncrow itself feel like a character—alive, menacing, and impossible to look away from.

While the story occasionally leans heavily into its nostalgic influences, it remains a thoroughly entertaining and atmospheric read. For fans of retro-inspired horror, Fresh Hell offers exactly what the title promises: a return to the thrills of old-school teen horror with a fresh, modern twist.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 — A spooky, nostalgic treat that proves why Autumncrow deserves a permanent place on the horror map.

[Lani · Rating 4 out of 5]

**TW: Grief, Gore, Gaslighting**

*Walking down the eerie, familiar streets of Autumncrow once again… the town is like visiting an old friend but, it's also like being in a hazy dream, a waking nightmare…*

Can you imagine reliving the same horrible dream night upon night? Bailey Hagen doesn't have to imagine. Everytime she lays her head down for a sleep she's greeted with the same wild imagery and the evil boy who's orchestrating the whole thing… but, he's not just a figment of her imagination after all. He's about to become all too real.

In the next instalment in this eerie town, we discover the High School is just as spooky. This can be read as a standalone book but to get a greater idea about the spooky atmosphere and horrific goings on of the town I also recommend reading the other book Autumncrow.

[Krista Lackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I was pleasantly surprised when I started this that I couldn't put it down. I didn't even add to my currently reading I read it so fast. If you like spooky, scary, mysteries, I highly recommend this book. I am ready for the next book in the series and to learn more about Autumncrow. I have questions! Write, Cameron!

[K.B. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t resist getting this book, its cover screams love for 90’s horror. Then after reading the description, I had to try it.

If you grew up loving R.L. Stine or Christopher Pike, then this is right up your alley. It is the perfect read for Halloween. Autumncrow being the “spookiest” holiday themed town, the descriptions are perfect for this time of year to get you in the mood. The 90’s nostalgia may have drawn me in but Chaney’s writing kept me there. What starts out a fun homage quickly turns into a completely unique story. There’s some crazy twists I truly did not see coming! I got Nightmare On Elm Street & The Midnight Club vibes, in the best ways possible. I don’t want to spoil any surprises or plot details but truly this is a fantastic book.

It’s book one of a new series & I will definitely read more! I just wish it was already out.

[Kelsee · Rating 5 out of 5]

*rounded up from 4.5 stars to 5 stars*

This book was so surprisingly great! From being a follower of Cameron's channel, I definitely felt like this was going to have the "Goosebumps" vibes, and so I had my expectations more set for something a little more immature or younger. That assumption is blown away by the first chapter and you realize this is way more "Fear Street" and "Point Horror." Cameron did not hold back with the blood and body horror! Witches, demons, possession, slashers, this story has it all! The story of the town of Autumncrow (which I found out recently from the author is based on a city 10 mins from my own hometown in Ohio!) is 90s Halloween nostalgia in city form. ABSOLUTELY MADE ME EXCITED FOR SPOOKY SEASON and if you're looking for that serotonin boost while also wanting a pretty interesting story structure, I recommend this book.

Chaney did a great job changing the usual slasher structure so it wasn't predictable, and even our final girl was different from those during the time this novel is set. I will say the end did start to get a little ahead of itself, but that's why we'll have another installment...HOPEFULLY SOON! I need to know how this story ends!

[Sabrina Frang · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

Let me start off by saying that this is a case of "It's me, not the book." Full disclosure, I have never been a real fan of A Nightmare on Elm Street or any books or movies that heavily involve dreams and nightmares. From a creative standpoint, I understand why authors and screenwriters love the concept: anything can happen in your dream world. As a reader, I can find media with a heavy dream aspect to it a bit confusing, trying to decipher what is real and what is not.

That said, what I really enjoyed about this book is the setting (A town that celebrates Fall and all things spooky year-round), the friendship between Bailey and Melody (we don't get enough books centered on friendship), and I loved that the stakes are high in this book. No one is safe, and Cameron Chaney is going to put his characters through a lot of pain and trauma. There is no plot armor in Autumncrow.

My only complaint about the book is that sometimes the prose was a bit sophisticated given that this book is told in first person from the perspective of teenagers. I love beautiful prose, but it just seems more natural coming from a third-person, storyteller perspective. I will also say that this book just felt a little bit long at times.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Fear Street, Point Horror, and Christopher Pike. I would also say if you are looking for a book that feels like A Nightmare on Elm Street, definitely give Fresh Hell a try.

There are heavy themes of grief in this book, so if you are not ready for that yet, you may want to put this one on the backburner until you are ready, BUT definitely read it. I can't wait to see what happens next at Autumncrow High.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this and absolutely need the next book immediately. Unfortunately...I know I've got a wait ahead of me...but it's ok if the next one is as good as this. It will be worth the wait.

This book was everything I hoped it would be. I was a huge fan of Fear Street and Christopher Pike back in the day...was reading those books back in the 90s. This captures that same spirit...but...better. It's definitely more elevated in terms of writing. Absolutely something that could be enjoyed by teens and adults alike...nothing is dumbed down here. These characters are in high school and feel like real high school students, but it's a realness that I think everyone can relate to in terms of friendships, not being fully formed adults, etc. You don't have to currently BE a teen to relate to these characters...which I think makes it really special.

There were lots of stand out scenes in this book for me, but they were mostly the quiet moments. Just these little scenes with our characters that I could picture so clearly in my mind and know I will remember because of how they made me feel.

For people that are here for the horror...it's definitely there. Some really great scenes, definitely some gore, but nothing gross or over the top. The horror was very satisfying for me and more impactful than what I often feel with extreme horror because of how it fits into the story, what we know about the characters, etc.

The ending...it got me. There were tears shed...it was bittersweet and very touching.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey is exhausted, every night she’s plagued by nightmare visions, and a boy, dark and deadly, come to destroy her. Her friend Melody is sympathetic, but recovering from breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, and now enamoured by a new boy who has started at school, Kallum, who looks terrifyingly familiar to Bailey.
Will anyone survive what’s coming?

If you haven’t read the short story collection Autumncrow, please do as it gives a lot of background about this town where it’s perpetually Halloween and strange things happen. Things live in the woods, people disappear, people die horribly and then people forget them. Such a strange place and yet people don’t leave.

However, this can be read as a standalone and it is pure nostalgia, very much in the vein of Goosebumps, Fear Street, Point Horror, but with a much darker edge. As Melody gets more involved with Kallum, Bailey desperately tries to find proof that he’s not who he says he is and then the horror starts. Cameron really is the RL Stine of this generation. This is just exceptional and I read it in one go, I could not put it down, the 90’s vibes are spot on.

This is gory and gruesome. It also deals with grief and loss , generational trauma and the past coming back to haunt. There are ghosts, shadow creatures, the occult, dark magic, disappearances, mystery, murder and mayhem. I cannot wait to see what Autumncrow reveals next!

[SpookyxSpice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing like Autumncrow (in that there's no anthology type stories), although it did feel like Fresh Hell could have been similar.

I felt taken out of the story by the too many horror references, they don't work for me and always just take me out of the story. I don't think any book needs the constant reminder that an author is a fan of something or that the story is set in a certain decade/year. And I felt like the story could have ended on multiple occasions and still left the mystery open ended for other instalments whereas this one feels like it goes on for a tad too long trying to wrap up everything and have everything explained before ending.

I will say though Bailey and Melody's friendship was written really well and made me sad by the end. I was also very impressed with the gore because I certainly wasn't expecting it to be as brutal and full on as it was.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars 💫

This is really good, the setting is amazing and nicely atmospheric. The characters were done well too. I enjoyed this and I think it did a great job at what it was going for! I'm not sure what didn't quite click with me but I'd say that's more on me and less on the book. Very good if you want a nice throwback sort of Halloween-y/Autumn read with some brutality and a small town secret, I'd recommend it and will definitely be reading future entries in this series! 🧡🍂

[Sierra Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall vibes in this book is SO PERFECT! I want to live in Autumncrow, but without the murder part! I would defiantly recommend people read this book during the Fall\Halloween time. This book is SO PERFECT for it. I can't wait to continue on in this series!! It was great getting to know all the characters. I grew attached to them and didn't want anything bad to happen to them. This is a fun read.

[Kathy K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun slasher novel, reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street, but with a twist. It is also the second in a series of novels centered around the fictional, creepy town of Autumncrow. Although I prefer the first book, this one did not disappoint. I will be continuing with the series. Loads of fun!