Body Count

by Codie Crowley

In this sapphic slasher novel, Sundae Valentine made a deal with a monster in Wildwood, N.J., when she was a child, and barely escaped with her life. Six years later, Sundae’s braving Wildwood again for a killer beach party to celebrate prom with the cheerleaders and the football team. But the monster is back, too, and this time he’ll stop at nothing to make sure she pays her debts.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, LGBT, Thriller, Audiobook, Queer, Lesbian

304 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2026

About the author

Codie Crowley once told a scary story that caused mass hysteria at a slumber party, and she’s been chasing that high ever since. When she isn't writing chilling fiction, she's probably out looking for ghosts in Salem, Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband, their cat, and a collection of creepy dolls.


Her debut novel, Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch, is coming August 2024 from Disney-Hyperion.

Reviews

[Posipi (ily infinity estelle) (hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

✨review✨
This was disappointing, and disgusting
SOO, what do you expect when reading a lesbian slasher romance, that is YA?
You expect it to be:
1️⃣ A yuri
2️⃣ funny and a lil scary
3️⃣ YOU EXPECT IT TO BE YOUNG ADULT

DNF 30% in :D

Now, it seems the author isn't aware about the definition of Young Adult, but grs says that it's a book genre that targets 13-18 year olds. Now, let me be clear. This is definitely unsuitable for children as young as 13 (and let's be honest, there're probably even younger children that read YA), and it REALLY icked me. Now let me dive deep into WHY it was so bad that i regret requesting it (my fault ig, that title says it all lmao) :

❌ This is described as a Lesbian romance, but 7% in, one of the FMCs is fucking a guy and it's EXPLICIT. MIND YOU, they're all high schoolers. 8% in, and she'd also gotten a fingering, a quickie, and another fuck. NOW, why the HELL was she trying to fuck the entire male population (and soon the female population, from what the description says lmao) ? Easy. She wants to be "Slut Queen" of her high school. Ewww. I'm icked. WTH?!

❌ This book tries SOO darn hard to be funny. It really does. But tbh, watching paint dry is a LOT more entertaining than whatever this was. The jokes try to be funny, but they're just weird. There're some really disturbing jokes tbh.

❌ WHO THE HELL CALLED THIS YOUNG ADULT?!? This was bad af. And this was so fucking juvenile, in both writing and the maturity of the characters, BUT there was explicit sexual content. PLEASE, MAKE UR MIND ON WHAT GENRE YOU PICK, DON'T MAKE A REALLY FAILED MIX PLEASE 😭😭

❌ I'm a really judgy person. But the characters in this book were giving me a run for my money when it comes to judgementalness lmao

✅ The scaryness factor. For the brief hours that I was listening to this, i was terrified. It's a shame the author messed up so badly, because otherwise this could've been such a good read.

The Characters
💠 Sundae: Yes, her name is actually Sundae. Sundae, as in, the McDonalds Ice Cream. Let me just tell you, if you thought you had read about the most pick-me character ever, a new worthy opponent has risen for this role, and she is hell-bent on winning. Girlies life ambitions are to be crowned "slut queen" of her high school. AND DAMN, she did not come to play 😭 10% in, and she'd already fucked FOUR. DIFFERENT. GUYS. IN. THE. SPAN. OF. .ONE. DAY!! I'm sorry, but she's a HIGH SCHOOLER!! The oversexualisation was NOT called for

💠 Lia: Damn we know basically nothing of her, but DAMN, did I hate her. My hatred for her runs deeper than Americas debt. Her mantra is 100% "I'm not like the other girls". Her first reaction when she sees Sundae and her friend group is "Eww, tey think themselves so much better than everyone, they're disgusting". MIND YOU, she'd NEVER, NOT ONCE had a conversation with those ppl. But at least her name is pretty :D

The Plot
Sundae wants to be Slut Queen. Lia wants to be annoying. It was kinda confusing tbh. It made no sense.

The Writing
Damn. It was SO. FUCKING. JUVENILE 😭😭 Send tissues, because I am ✨ traumatized ✨

The Verdict
This was bad, PLEASE, do not even consider reading this. This author is competing with Alex Aster when it comes to bad writing and shitty plot, and terrible names. This didn't deliver AT. ALL.
If u want an actually FUNNY book, try "The Escape Game" by Marissa Meyer. If you want a good yuri, try out, wait i have no recs, I've never read a GOOD yuri 😭 If u want explicit content, read a NA or adult book lmao

✨preread✨
guess who got approved?? this bitch! and ive listened a lil so far, and DAMN it's disturbing af. Im scared. i think i'll have nightmares. also, yuri?? yayayay!!

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up (with skepticism) “Feminist horror” is an interesting description for this. Not saying it wrong, because everyone has their own unique perspective on things, and what makes a story feminist coded. But, it’s interesting.

I am not sure this should be marketed the way that it is.
Granted, the main character is 18. So, technically not a minor- but still young enough to fall into the “teens and YA” category (12-18)
But, there is a lot of sex talk, girls referring to themselves as "sluts", wearing "pleasers" (which I assume are those heels commonly worn by women in the adult industry), among a few other things that I won't list.
It is not just about the age of the characters- but also the age of the intended audience.
Because of this, I think “new adult” category would be a better fit.
I don't want to judge the entire book based on what I think is a marketing oversight- but please do take notice of this.

As for the plot, I do think it was interesting.
Here we meet Sundae, a girl that had a run in with a ghost, and received 3 wishes.
But, those 3 wishes did not come without a price. A price that she hasn’t yet paid.
Fast forward years later, the ghost is ready to collect his due, and he will hurt anyone to get it.

This starts to pick up around the 40-50% mark, and becomes filled with a lot of action and some ghostly energy.
At one point a character says that the situation feels super “Wes Craven”, to which I say- kind of?
I am a horror fanatic, so I think thats quite the statement. And we should probably leave Wes Craven out of this.
But I can see the modern twist on the classic teenage slasher theme coming through in several aspects of the story.
This gives it some bonus points in my book, because I do like those vibes.

Another selling point for me has to be the romantic subplot.
There is some sapphic romance going on here, with the main characters Sundae and Lia- who also spend much of the story working together to survive and take down the ghost.
This, I liked!
A fun and romantic twist on the typical “best friends teaming up to catch the killer” thing that we see a lot in stuff like this.

Overall, the plot of this book has a lot of potential.
Though, it was a bit difficult for me to see past the sexualization that I mentioned at the beginning of this review.
I think with some minor tweaks to this story and its marketing, it could be pretty decent.

Thank you to Netgalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide | Disney Hyperion and author Codie Crowley for providing me with the eARC of “Body Count”, in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: May 05, 2025

[Tiffani · Rating 2 out of 5]

actually, ended up DNFing this about 20ish% of the way through. very overly sexualized for TEENAGERS, was immersive reading for a while and the beginning was super scary and I was looking forward to something different, but it fell flat... QUICK. this book has no business being categorized as YA it should be in adult... ultimately when a supposed "teen novel" starts talking about characters genitalia in gross detail, I check out.

[billie ⊹ ݁₊ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited for this!! but it was completely different than what I thought it was going to be. This felt weirdly really young? like how it was written felt so young, while reading it, it was confusing thinking who this book was for.

I never really started to care about the characters or the story, I was just kind of waiting for it to end. Special thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-arc! I wish I had liked this because on paper it sounded so much like something I would like! (It also sort of reminded me of those Fear Street movies on netflix!)

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

BEGGING teachers to read this book before adding it to their library. I would not count this as YA.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Body Count is a YA sapphic slasher about a young woman who is tricked by a monster into gaining 3 wishes only for him to come back years later and start killing again.

At 11 years old, Sundae knows monsters all too well. She's staying in a motel alongside her mother because they ran away from her father. One night while swimming in the pool she notices a sign that states to not open your eyes under the water. She can't help but think what a strange warning. Sundae doesn't heed the warning and comes face to face with an actual monster.

He offers her three candies...three wishes, but she doesn't know that her wishes come with a very steep cost. Sundae never makes her third wish. Years later Sundae is back in town for prom week. She isn't alone, the monster is also back and he's ready to collect.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but it was a little juvenile for me personally. I didn't really connect with the characters as much as might have had it not been a YA novel. I enjoyed the monster elements and the lore the most.


Content wise it is fairly graphic especially when it comes to the sex, alcohol and drug use as well as some of the deaths.

If you enjoy the nostalgic 90s slasher flick vibe, then I could see you enjoying this book/audiobook.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come. 3.5 stars

[Elyse Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review!
Have you ever wondered what would happen if your childhood boogeyman made a return to try and ruin your prom, your love life, AND - well - your life as a whole? If so, this is the book for you! Crowley makes Sundae's story gripping from start to finish. There's never a dull moment, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. The characters were so relatable, and even featured some jerky high school jocks (because, let's be real, what school doesn't have those?). And the title kind of being a double pun? LOVE IT!

[Keysha]

Excited!

[Jaime Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Body Count was such a fun, campy, slasher rollercoaster and gave me major retro-horror vibes. Like Fear Street mixed with a chaotic Scooby-Doo mystery gang, but bloodier. The creepy boardwalk and motel settings made everything feel both nostalgic and eerily unsettling at the same time.

The pacing kept me going in headfirst, the kills were brutal, and the tension built so well throughout the story. I appreciated the mix of popular jocks, punk kids, old secrets, and gory monsters lurking beneath every surface. The sapphic tension between Sundae and Lia was so realistic and awkward but still so sexy so it felt natural seeing it unfurl. It’s messy, dramatic, gruesome, and honestly just a really good time if you love classic teen horror with a new heart and bite.

Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read this ALC!

Favorite Quotes:
"If you want to know how I stopped being afraid, it’s by having everything I could possibly be afraid of happen to me already. So if you want to stop being afraid of something, I guess you just survive it once and know you could do it again if you had to."

"You are full of wishes, little fish. It's what drew me to you. I only come out when I find something as hungry as me."

"The one thing she learned about monsters is they are calmest when they think they're in control."

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is incredibly cringey. over sexualized teenagers? no thank you. absolutely zero formatting? no. wtf.

[Kate | Date With A Thriller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not YA, book peeps…competing for a slut cup? And that’s just one example. New Adult, perhaps. But I would not recommend this to a teen. And this imprint is Disney? 😳

This book was just all over the place. I probably should have just DNF, but per usual I wanted to stick it out to see if it got better. I had a hard time staying engaged with the book and could have cared less about the characters. Super disappointed because I was excited to read this one and the premise sounded good. And it takes a lot for me to rate less than 3 ⭐️s.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney (still shocked at that) for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review. Wish I had better things to say about this one! 🫠

[Aleesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading Crowley's "Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch" a couple years back and enjoying it. So when I came across this book I was looking forward picking this author up again.

It also doesn't hurt that it's set in New Jersey and I'm on a quest to read a book set in each state this year.

A girl has a childhood encounter with a real life urban legend that comes back to haunt her years later because it gave her 3 wishes and she has yet to pay the debt for them.

Fascinating. Tell me more.

I love a little paranormal mystery/horror situation. The supernatural element was a bigger plot point than I initially presumed it'd be, but I embraced it with enthusiasm.

What stopped me short, I think, is that this book is labeled as YA.

It is not YA.

In chapter two, we're confronted with sexual situations. The MC, Sundae's apparently been sleeping with a linebacker on the football team. And would have done so again in a gas station bathroom, had the rest of the cheer squad not burst in on them.

But okay - fine, it's just a spicy little tryst, right, no big deal?

We learn after the girls kick the linebacker out that there's a thing called the "Slut Cup" - a competition between the cheerleaders to have sex with as many people as possible over this prom weekend.

And from there on out - for a solid 40% of the story? It's just casual mention after casual mention of Sundae hooking up with random people everywhere and anywhere she can.

It just makes the whole group sound like a walking petri dish. 🤢🤢

And while at least the MC is 18, we're still talking about kids in high school and I just...I don't wanna read about TEENAGERS bumping uglies.

Add to that the casual underage drinking and drug use? Eh... Definitely not suitable for YA readers.

The characters themselves read young too. Which is fine, it's appropriate. Until you consider we're reading about them screwing each other and taking illegal substances.

And listen, I'm old not stupid. Obviously I know that some teenagers - especially upper teens - are doing this stuff on the regular. But the way it's incorporated as a throw-away in this book just felt...pointless. It's made out like EVERYBODY is just engaging willy-nilly in sex and drug use. As if it's normal and expected. And I just don't think that's realistic. You mean to tell me ALL of the cheer squad is mentally mature enough to be engaging in promiscuity without slut-shaming each other or being jealous that so-and-so slept with such-and-such? Eh.

Ultimately, I don't really think all of that stuff added anything to the book.

And when Sundae meets Lia and the real romantic subplot begins I was left sort of wondering how and why it happened. The two come from entirely different spheres - the punk rocker and the preppy prom queen cheerleader. Give me more than just "oh she's hot". If you're going to play with stereotyping, then PLAY with it! WHY does Sundae like Lia? Why does Lia like Sundae? We're given nothing from either of these people to justify the crushing, the lusting, the emotional turmoil that goes on between them throughout this story.

Anyway moving on.

The plot.

In the beginning, I was here for it. As I mentioned earlier, it had real a urban legend vibe. A ghost in a pool gives an 11 year old girl 3 candies and tells her they're wishes, she eats 2 of them and has her third wish to go.

There's a creepy song that gives out clues to what's really going on, the fact that these wishes don't come free.

It was set up to be something truly spine-tingling.

But the more we got into the plot, the more Crowley just kind of lost me.

Suddenly, the monster has a bunch of different minions - including a lion and a shark - and when the gang begin to unravel the history of where this evil thing came from, instead of it having a specific origin story, it just becomes a case of "evil bad thing does evil bad things because it's evil and bad".

Oh. Okay. Less cool than I originally thought.

Now. Don't get me wrong. The pacing of the final third of this story is break-neck. There's a real panic-inducing sprint to the finish line and the stakes are high and there's no guarantee that everybody's going to survive. I think Crowley writes these action sequences very well. It was the same with Here Lies A Vengeful Bitch.

I'd just like to know how everybody at that hotel is going to explain a kid literally being EATEN by a lion that disappeared. Or that one kid who got turned into candy and then chopped into pieces.

You definitely need to suspend your disbelief a bit here - because the adults in this story are useless, absent, or completely pliant to the utterly bizarre events that take place. There's a distinct lack of effort put into placing the events of the evening in the real world and making it make sense to people who aren't going through it.

Over all this was an engaging little horror story. It's got its issues, and I don't think it being marketed as YA is appropriate, but if you're a fan of teen slasher movies, this will be right up your alley.

[Hone · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Review copy courtesy of RBmedia, Codie Crowley, and NetGalley.)

2.5 ⭐

Listen, YA horror is my JAM. When I hit a good one, I’m all in. I thought I’d found that in Body Count: eerie setup, strong hook, and a main character I was ready to follow straight into the dark. About 15 minutes in, though, it pivots. Horror? Yes. YA? Absolutely not.

Let me be clear: even if I could afford pearls in this economy, I wouldn’t clutch them over the mention of sex in teen fiction. Sanitizing YA into something that doesn’t reflect actual teenage experience is stupid. Teens think about sex, talk about it, experiment. They make messy, risky choices. That belongs in the book when it serves the story.

That’s not the issue.

This does NOT feel like a YA book with YA characters. They’re incredibly college-coded. Sundae’s interiority is hyper-fixated and explicit, written to provoke: thinking about her clit, trying to hook up in a bathroom, sleeping with multiple people over a single weekend. Her characterization becomes almost entirely libido-driven: who she’s fucked, who she wants to fuck, how many people she needs to fuck to win the “Slut Cup.” The whole thing feels like a wild Spring Break, not “prom weekend,” and would have worked much better as a New Adult title.

Also, I was never able to tell if the book took itself seriously. Is it satire? For satire to work, it has to be legible. It doesn’t need to shout “OI! I’M SATIRE!”, but the seam should be visible by at least halfway. Otherwise we’re just throwing interpretations at it.

Is it meant to subvert the BS slasher trope of “pure girl” lives/“slutty girl” dies? That would be smart feminist horror, if the execution supported it. It doesn’t. And I genuinely can’t suss out the author’s intent: condemnation of the manosphere, gender norms, purity culture? It could be any of them.

What I landed on is this: any meaning I’m finding is coming from me and my personal bag of feminist themes, not the text. I don’t think Body Count actually knows what it’s trying to say.

The female rage also feels somewhat performative. Sundae recounts what happened with Holly Jolly at 11, how the cops didn't believe her, and a therapist reframed her memories as trauma. She calls it mansplaining. The thing is, there’s real evidence for institutional erasure of girls’ testimony. Lean into that; don't shrug at it with the closest word you have at hand. Calling it ‘mansplaining’ trivializes the point.

When her cheer squad is wiped out, the story wants the reader to see this as kindling for Sundae’s rage. The problem is the friends were never built as individuals, but an easily forgettable collective. The narrative asks you to feel loss it never earned.

Crowley’s rage shines stronger elsewhere. The “I’m not like other guys” jock (intellectual on the surface, possessive and entitled underneath) lands sharp, especially with his disgusting “Taming of the Slut” plans. He’s a piece of shit, just like the jock who touches Sundae without consent—different flavors, same rot. That anger this provokes lands far harder than surface-level beats like the “no pockets” frustration.

The romance is… odd. Sundae and Lia go full bore schmoopy immediately and stay there. I love Lia. I wish I’d gone to prom with Lia at eighteen. But from Sundae’s POV, it’s just another moment that feels unearned. Why does Sundae like her? What happened to the Jersey Shore conquest checklist? We’re not shown what makes Lia stand out enough to make her girlfriend material when everyone else was just sex.

My biggest disappointment was with the horror. It starts so strong. The first third? I was in it to win it. Visually unsettling, with a fantastic villain concept: a dead, wish-granting doo-wop singer, people’s lives as currency, creepy jukebox, real urban legend energy. Then it starts to lose shape. He accumulates minions, a shark, a tiger, late-stage lore—and trades all the cool specificity we’d built up for “nebulous evil does evil things.” That’s one of my least favorite kinds of scary.

Where Crowley does excel is in action and imagery. The set pieces are vivid, and the final stretch delivers on momentum as they face off against the minions and the Big Bad.

Audio-Specific 🎧: 9 hours, 42 minutes. Krystal Hammond absolutely makes this book. Slightly breathy, age-appropriate, and excellent with the horror aspects. She adds real flavor to the narrative. 1x is definitely too slow with somewhere between 1.25x–1.5x being the sweet spot. 10/10 performance, looking forward to hearing her narration in future books!

📌 TL;DR: Strong concept, messy execution. The feminist framing promises more than it delivers, the horror loses its shape, and this is absolutely NOT a YA—but it IS one of the most discussable 2.5⭐ books I’ve read.

[Shae Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ - Body Count was an enjoyable read and delivered some fun, campy slasher horror. The story follows Sundae, who returns to Wildwood, New Jersey for one last post-prom beach weekend with her friends, years after making a deal with something monstrous there as a child. Unsurprisingly, going back is a terrible idea. The monster she left behind, Holly Jolly, hasn’t forgotten, and he fully intends to collect what he believes he’s owed. Holly Jolly was such a ridiculous villain, a dead doo-wop singer granting wishes through pieces of saltwater taffy, but I kind of loved how weird that was..?

The pacing kept me interested for the most part. It moves fast, the tension builds well, and there are some pretty gruesome moments that really lean into the slasher side of things. I also loved the creepy boardwalk setting and the nostalgic summer horror vibe. I really enjoyed the sapphic romance between Sundae and Lia too, it was one of the strongest parts for me and added a bit of heart to the story.

I listened to the audiobook and found it really easy to follow, even with a single narrator. Krystal Hammond did a great job giving each of the main characters their own distinct feel, and she especially brought Holly Jolly’s voice to life, which made those scenes even more entertaining.

My only real issue was that I think I might just be too old for this one. Even with the characters being 18+ and some more mature scenes included, the writing still felt very young and heavily focused on high school drama, which pulled me out of it a little. The plot was also a bit silly at times, which didn’t always land for me. It was campy, bloody, dramatic, and an entertaining read, even if it wasn’t fully for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this one blind, and I’m glad that I did. I mean the cover alone was enough to draw me in. With the bloody hotel key, I knew this book was going to bring all the genres that I love.

This was one deal I’m sure Sundae wished she hadn’t made! Especially if the one you will be indebted to is a supernatural entity, that waits for the perfect time to collect. Alternating timelines showing us what happened leading up to Sundae making this deal was a great addition to the story as it made it easier to follow. When it’s time to pay up, Sundae is living in a completely different life, unaware of the danger lurking.

I enjoyed this YA horror novel, as well as the audiobook version. The narrators made me feel as though I was seeing the scenes unfold right in front of me. Overall, an enjoyable read for friends of these genres. Thank you NetGalley, Disney Hyperion for an advanced reader copy & RBMedia for an advanced listening copy.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

It was both oddly slow and fast paced. It's entertaining and fun enough to keep me locked in till the end. It honestly felt like one of those early 2000's teen horror comedies. The dialogue both cringe (in a way that WORKS and was actually funny) while being snappy and sarcastic. Kind of a bit like a Diablo Cody screenplay. Not really one of those books you need to think too hard with, just crack it open and enjoy the ride.

My complaint is that some of the themes and topics feels like it should be marketed as adult or new adult rather than young adult but what do I know. I think once this releases I'm going to give it another go because it DOES feel like at least a four star read for me, but it was hard to focus because the quality of the arc was a nightmare for my terrible eyes. I really wanted this one so bad I suffered through a PDF lmao

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and netgalley for the arc.

[Mox Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queer horror with teeth.

Body Count was the sapphic horror story I didn’t even realize I’d been missing. Maybe I was extra emotionally attached to Lia throughout the book because so much of her life felt familiar to me, growing up next to Garwood and now living there, spending years in basement music scenes, traveling to Philly for shows, and deeply understanding the overwhelming paralysis of “lesbian sheep syndrome” where making the first move feels impossible. All of those details made Lia feel incredibly real to me from the start.

Codie Crowley does such a great job balancing messy emotions, attraction, insecurity, and tension alongside the horror elements. The setting felt authentic and lived in rather than just background decoration. That emotional grounding made every uncomfortable and horrific moment hit even harder because I genuinely cared about the characters and their relationships.

This was the kind of horror that feels personal in the best way, queer, emotional, awkward, tense, and sharp enough to leave a mark.

[Melissa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Codie Crowley is a Horror Writing Queen!! This was one of the best books I read this year. I fell in love with her first book Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch and I learned that I loved her writing style. In her new book she brings the best form of campy horror movies to the page. Codie is now my instantly add to cart author. Not only did I get to meet her in Salem, MA but she signed my copy of HLVB. But back to the Body Count loves! This book will keep you hanging on your seat! I couldnt put it down, the need to know what happens next will have you in a choke hold. I fell in love with Sundae and Lia. I want a book two!! This message is for Codie only haha: when I was reading Body Count all I could picture was you as Sundae and your voice in my head as I was reading for her character! I love you and your writing!!

[Krystle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pink glitter-soaked vacation slasher following a young girl whose monster from the past returns to collect a debt he’s owed. This was an easy, entertaining read with a storyline that kept things moving pretty quickly.

The story is easy to follow, fun in places, and has some genuinely funny moments throughout. We move between the past and present, but it’s done clearly enough that you never feel lost in the timelines.

Be warned though, there is a fair bit of graphic sexual content and strong language throughout.

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration ended up suiting the story really well. At first I wasn’t sold on some of the character voices, but as you get to know them the choices make sense. It all added to the campy horror feel and gave the whole story chaotic horror summer read vibes.

Thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for an ARC of the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

I love horror novels for girls! This was so fun!
The setting really sets this story apart from most because there aren’t many thrillers that take place on a vibrant beach. The boardwalk/motel descriptions also add a nice pop of colour to the otherwise dark storyline. The use of saltwater taffy was also a really nice touch. I will say, however, that I wish the story had just a little bit more build up, because it felt like the story peaked a little too early with how fast and chaotic everything was right from the beginning of the book. The chaos was very entertaining though! There was almost never a dull moment!

Ty NetGalley for the early access x

[Alenna Burleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story we follow Sundae. When she was a child her and her mother had to go on the run from her abusive father. Winding up in a motel, Sundae comes face to face with a creature that grants her wishes. When she’s all grown up her and her cheerleader friends make it back to that town, but Sundae still has her debts to pay.

This book was genuinely a blast! Sundae’s character was so teen coded I absolutely loved her and her friends. This whole book felt like teenage jersey shore mixed with horror it was such an amazing time.

There were scenes in here that were so just out there and creative that this made it such an immersive and gripping story!

[Cristina Casas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Disney Publishing, all opinions are my own.

Codie’s latest book is perfect for fans of Jennifer’s Body and the CW’s Nancy Drew.

I think while some people might find Sundae to be a difficult character, I really liked her. I also loved Lia & her friends.

I do think the plot could have used some sureing up. I had a lot of questions about the monster, it felt very thrown together but perhaps there was something I was missing not being from New Jersey.

This was a great intro to absurdist horror like Chuck Tingle’s works, but lacked the strong messaging. It was super fun though!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun audiobook to listen to & hit all the right things that make me love queer horror with a hint of nostalgia!

As someone who spent many a childhood vacations in Wildwood, NJ, I really appreciated the amount of detail that went into the setting of this story. The narrator did a phenomenal job of capturing each character’s uniqueness and reading the story with clever, clear, and creepy inflections that added to the story itself.

I appreciated the multi-layered characters, how some were simple flat back/minor ones while the few mains really had a more in-depth arc. Though this reads as a YA horror book, I really appreciated the flow of the story mixed with great character development, and of course creepy and queer themes ALL throughout!

Thank you to NetGalley & RB Media for the advanced listener copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and my review is left voluntarily.

[chelle_reads_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Codie Crowley has done it again! They say the second book you write is the hardest but she delivered another absolute bombshell. I loved how seamlessly we jumped to different time frames. It was a really beneficial to see what happened to Sundae 7 years ago vs what’s happening now. I loved the true pure friendships in this story too. It’s not often we read about women lifting up women! Now I just wonder, is he gone for good?! He had no where left to hide but in horrors you never really know. Thank you so much Netgalley for this early readers copy!

[Vee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5 Stars!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC of Body Count by Codie Cowley!!

Body Count had an interesting concept, but it wasn’t my favorite. The concept and the characters were interesting, but it just didn’t deliver for me.

This is a young adult horror book that follows Sundae, a high schooler, years after she made a deal with a monster. As prom arrives she finally has to deal with her monster as she starts falling for another girl.

Overall, Body Count isn't a bad read at all, but I think it was a case of one where I wasn't the target audience. I think I would have liked it more as a regular book and an audiobook. I did also really enjoy the narration!

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This definitely felt like a teenage horror story. It gave me all the vibes of a classic teen horror movie and brought to mind Pennywise, Leprechaun, and Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II. I was thoroughly intrigued and entertained throughout. I loved the monster Holly Jolly and the whole legend behind him. It was not really scary for me, but I have yet to find a book that truly scares me. I enjoyed this very much, especially the relationships between the cheerleaders, particularly Sundae and Neeli. I also loved the romance between Sundae and Lia. Edison and Dallas were some of my favorites because their commentary and banter were perfect. Overall, this was a really great read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a messy, campy, fun time. A great, easy summer read (highly recommend taking this on your next trip to a boardwalk if you really want to get into the vibes). I loved the main character’s unapologetic girly vibes and the flipping but also satisfying of the bimbo cheerleader trope a la jennifer’s body. Not perfect and not all that deep, but who cares! It was a silly summery slasher and that’s all it needed to be.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

~thank you to Disney/ Hyperion publisher, and the author & NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review~

Not what I was expecting going into this. But this was a good read. Super vivid, all the details. It felt more like a fantasy type book (or supernatural) than a horror book, although it was a little creepy. & it ended well which is a plus.

[BookishKB]

🩸 Body Count🩸

📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

🖤 What to Expect
• YA queer horror
• Prom weekend
• Slasher energy
• Wish gone wrong
• Monster bargain
• Boardwalk setting
• Final girl
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: May 5, 2026
📝 Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.