Shiny Happy People

by Clay McLeod Chapman

A gripping, genre-bending novel about a mysterious new drug plaguing a small town and one girl who must uncover the terrifying truth behind the haunting side effects—or she will be next.

At sixteen Kyra is still haunted by the horrors she saw as little girl living with her mother’s drug addiction. Years later, Kyra doesn’t always feel like she belongs—and disturbing dreams come to her at night.

When a new party drug makes its way to her high school, Kyra’s life becomes an actual nightmare. A challenge spreads among the students thanks to a few videos circulating—and Kyra is unable to escape the inexplicably strange side effects.

Everyone around her seems to be mysteriously changing, including the people she loves the most. Her brother has a new personality overnight. Her best friend suddenly feels like a stranger. The only other person who seems to be noticing the eeriness around them is Logan, the new boy at school. Like Kyra, he has steered clear of the party scene.

But as strange occurrences begin to turn sinister, Kyra can’t shake the feeling that something unnatural is at play . . . as if something deadly spreading is in their veins. With Logan’s help, she decides to find out exactly what is behind the mysterious drug—before they’re next. As they begin to get closer to the truth, the line between Kyra’s past and her present blurs . . . and she will need to face the terrors inside herself to save everyone.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Audiobook, Science Fiction, YA Horror, Fiction

361 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2025

About the author

Books. Children's books. Comic books. Film.

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the premise of this novel! It’s a young adult thriller, filled with mystery. It is definitely more for a middle school audience. However, I did feel like some of the horror themes were definitely strong. This book is about a sixteen year old girl named Kyra, who is undoubtedly haunted by her Mom’s past trauma. Her Mom suffered a really bad drug addiction and Kyra is now living with a family who adopted her. A new drug starts circulating around Kyra’s school. This drug begins to unravel Kyra’s unhealed trauma. I feel like this novel was both thought provoking and genre blending. I was surprised at some of the shock factors this book came with! This book did not have any character depth at all, which made it really difficult to understand the characters in the story. However, there are twists and turns in this book that you do not see coming! Overall, I rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars!

Content warnings include gore, body horror, drug use, grief, psychological trauma, claustrophobia, emotional violence and terror. This book gave me the movie “Jennifer’s Body” vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Clay McLeod Chapman and Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for this eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on November 11, 2025!

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an eARC.

This was a well written YA horror -- a perfect combo of psychological horror/gaslighting and body horror but actually keeping to a YA level. Some of the initial parts definitely gave me the chills. I wasn't as invested in the last 25% but that ending was very smooth -- it was both expected and unexpected (It's difficult to explain how without spoilers). The writing was quite smooth and comfortable to read -- it didn't take me out of the story at any point. The characters were standard but this isn't a character based book so I didn't mind. This is definitely one of the best horror books I've read this year -- I felt the eerie undertone constantly while reading. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a drug based horror set primarily in a highschool (also anyone into horror books in general).

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published November 11, 2025.

3 stars

This nice YA horror owes a lot to “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” even down to a couple of scenes where you can put Donald Sutherland in the place of a teenager. On the whole, I prefer Donald, but then I’m outside the normal age group for YA (how many adults out there regularly read YA? I feel like there might be a fair number of people.)

Kyra is a high school sophomore (I think) in Hopewell, Virginia, outside Richmond. Hopewell is essentially a company town owing to the big pharma/biotech firm where loads of people work, including Kyra’s adoptive father. Kyra meets new kid Logan and together they investigate then try to escape the malady, Spore, taking over the small town.

This is fine, nicely tense. Adults would have run immediately, but you understand why teenagers would be more hesitant. I liked this OK.

[Casey Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a YA horror/sci-fi and it serves all the creepiness and crazy images I was hoping for! Someone please turn this into a movie, because the way that I pictured things in my head would be an awesome YA horror film. If this were real, it would be actually terrifying. Kyra is a sophomore in high school. After being abandoned by her drug-addicted teen mom when she was little, she was adopted by the Cartwright family--Frank, Nancy, and her brother Gabe, who is a senior. She still has lingering nightmares from her childhood with her birth mom though. When a new drug called Spore hits the scene, her brother, best friends, and general high school population start behaving differently. The new boy, Logan, is the only one who seems to stay himself. Kyra and Logan start investigating and uncover chilling connections and truths. Where is Spore coming from? The story on the surface is wildly entertaining and full of body horror and truly unsettling scenes. I just kept thinking how scary this would be in real life. And where this story goes is flat-out AWESOME and full of twists! But mixed into it all are emotions and themes that could really resonate with a YA audience (which is the intended audience). Addiction in someone you love, childhood trauma, the feeling of belonging, and the pressure to conform to those around you. Clay combines psychological and body horror, with sci-fi elements and mystery to give us a story that is horrific, engaging and emotionally relevant. I would suggest this to the older side of YA simply because of content. I, for one, absolutely loved it, and like I said, please make it into a movie!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the e-ARC. Book releases 11/11/2025.

[Maven Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman is a gripping, genre‑bending young adult horror‑thriller about sixteen‑year‑old Kyra Cartwright, who’s still haunted by her childhood trauma and determined to stay away from the party scene, when a strange new drug called Spore sweeps through her high school and the people she loves start acting eerie, cheerful, and utterly unrecognizable, forcing her to uncover the terrifying truth behind the drug before it’s too late and her world vanishes into something sinister and unearthly.

What pulled me in most was how deeply this story blends body horror with emotional reality: Kyra’s fear isn’t just about a mysterious drug spreading through her town, it’s about loss of self, the dread of watching people you care about drift into hollow versions of themselves, and the way trauma from her past quietly bleeds into the present. The novel doesn’t hold back in its eerie imagery and suspense‑filled twists, making every moment feel like you’re stepping closer to something unseen and unnatural. The setting of a small town dominated by the influence of the eerie party drug creates a claustrophobic tension that clung to me long after I put the book down, as Kyra and new boy Logan race to untangle truth from terrifying illusion.

Rating: 4 out of 5. I’m giving Shiny Happy People this score because it kept me on edge with its blend of psychological terror, social realism, and creeping dread, giving me that uneasy feeling of horror that feels both uncanny and deeply human. If you love horror that lingers in the mind, ties into real‑world anxieties, and turns the familiar into the frightening, this novel delivers a powerful, immersive experience that feels like the pulse‑quickening heart of YA horror reimagined.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Don't you want to be the best version of yourself that you can be? To shine?"

'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' meets 'The Faculty' with a pinch of 'The Substance'

"Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? Younger, more beautiful, more perfect... The one and only thing not to forget: You. Are. One. You can't escape from yourself."

My favorite f**king book of the year! ♥

It comes as no surprise that I didn't even hesitate when I was offered an early copy of this book. Clay is a wild man when it comes to horror, so I knew that I was in good hands. Would my mind be safe? No, probably not. I trust this man with delivering an earth-shattering horror tale that'll be loved around the world. So I trust him...

This book was so damn good. It started off good, so I got a little nervous when it got closer to the end. I was anxious that the end wouldn't live up to everything else, but it did. Holy s**t! It really did.

The story keeps your eyes glued to the pages and my brain kept telling me to read faster. Everything about this story kept me entertained. Never a dull moment and I never knew where this was going to take us next. It honestly had me on the edge of my seat and my jaw on the floor.

"Shiny Happy People' is my favorite horror book of the year. Nothing will top this for me. I can't wait for you all to get your hands on this book. Just promise me that you'll stay away from spore.

[Wren Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as YA horror/sci-fi thrillers go, this was pretty excellent!

Kyra, is a highschool sophomore, and you could say she’s an ideal teen. She does well academically, is in plenty of extracurriculars, and she has some solid goals for herself.

She’s got a solid friend group, and while she was adopted, her family appears to be the picture of perfection.

One thing about Kyra that she tries desperately not to show her friends or family though, is her deep seated anxiety that stems from her unfortunate upbringing prior to being adopted.

When she was just 4 years old, her mother abandoned her with nothing but a towel to use as a blanket in their freezing cold empty apartment.

Now as a teen, Kyra is making her own way, fighter her anxiety ivy on the daily, keeping busy and steering clear of the local highschool party scene. She’s leery of it moreso now that she’s the same age her mother was when things went south for her. Good thing too, because a new mystery party drug called ‘spore’ is taking the internet and the party scene by storm.

Kyra is smart, but the pressure from her peers to ‘shine’ like them gets to be really freaky and intense. When her closest friends start to act lifeless with deadpan stares just like the rest of the student body and faculty… she starts to question what is really going on, and it leads her down an existentially horrifying path to the answers she seeks.

This was a really solid exploration of anxiety and how it feels to be gaslit into believing that you absolutely need to be following the sheeple.

I don’t know about y’all, but a lot of the recent YA books I’ve picked up have certainly has YA main characters, but also still have some pretty intense body horror or visuals that are incredibly frightening.

This felt cosmic, existential, gory, and anxiety driven all at once. Super fun ride.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised that Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman went so hardcore. The social commentary of a new miracle drug to take away your pain, be happy, be free of worries, and make you feel more connected. I think I have a prescription for this mood altering medication. The horror of Spore being a seed that empties your human self and replicates as a pod person. The repetition of constantly being on the run soured my reading experience a bit. Overall, It’s a great addition to YA horror. ARC was provided by Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press via NetGalley. I received an advanced reading copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dr CG · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Clay’s writing style and how quickly I became invested in these characters. This YA creation was a breath of fresh air in the horror genre!

The whole vibe reminded me so much of watching “The Faculty” with Josh Hartnett back in the day. It had that same kind of eerie, alien-adjacent tension without anything as obvious as little green men running around. Instead, everything stemmed from this strange local drug and how it infected a group of teens first, creating this slow, unnerving unraveling of the town.

I kept thinking the entire time, “This would make a great movie.” The pacing was solid, the tension built in all the right places, and the main character’s journey felt totally binge-worthy. If this were on Netflix, I’d have watched the whole thing in a night.

Was it a little predictable at times? Sure. But it was still a fast-paced, enjoyable ride with enough creepy charm to keep me turning pages. If you like character-driven horror with a sci-fi edge, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

Thank you, #NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced, full of action and original. The execution of first person point of view was a let down, and I would have liked a better ending. A part was thrown in at the end that wasn't consistent with the rest of the story, and it was disappointing - kind of felt like the author didn't know how to end the story. 2.5 stars.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman is a young adult horror inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This book is freaky. It has some big scares for a young adult novel. The themes are peer pressure and that drugs are bad. I feel like this novel is a reaction to the opioid crisis, because the drugs make you void of emotion and not really care what is going on. The drugs get rid of the pain and make you addicted. The basic plot is in a small town, a drug called Spore is taking over, Kyra is a say no to drugs girl, due to trauma with her mother when she was young. All of Kyra's friends do the drug and want her to do it as well. But the drug has bad side effects that make the people taking the drug turn into something else. I feel this book mashes up The Faculty and Disturbing Behavior, two horror movies from the 90s. There is some great body horror that works very well with Chapman's description that really gets under your skin. The opening scene is horrific and very effective. The bad part is that it was done so well when it happened a couple more times, it is not as effective, and I felt repetitive. The pace of the novel is steady until the 50% mark, where it ramps up. The novel does have some slow-down moments in the back half, but I felt relieved to get them. The ending was amazing; it did remind me of the horrific Invasion of the Body Snatchers ending, but Shiny Happy People does its own thing. Shiny Happy People is an ARC I got thanks to Clay McLeod Chapman, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley. Shiny Happy People will be published on November 11, 2025

Why did I read Shiny Happy People? Clay McLeod Chapman seems to be everywhere right now. He is a very prolific writer. I read a short story of his called Booger Sugar from Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night. The story is about a booger witch that was both hilarious and horrifying. After reading that story, I followed him, and he had this book available to read on Netgalley, and I jumped at the chance. I have already added his new short story collection Acquired Taste to my Christmas list.

Plot Summary: Kyra wakes up to a bad dream she can't remember. She goes down to meet her adopted parents on a special day, her unbirthday. Krya's mom was a drug addict who abandoned her when she was 4. Kyra did not have a birth certificate, so her family let her pick her birthday. She is shocked to find her brother Gabe up and ready, knowing he partied last night. Gabe is not one to wake up on time, and his attitude has changed. Kyra goes to school and notices the word "Spore" painted on lockers. Then she watches videos that are getting shared of kids looking like they are ODing to be fine and want more tanks to a new drug called spore. Kyra watches her brother buy this new drug, then, when she confronts him, he tries to get her to try it, knowing her background. Kyra loses friends and family to this new drug that is making people shine. The only person she can trust is Logan, a new boy who just arrived in town, or can she?

What I Liked: The language and the descriptions make this story stick out. The story is not new, but the way Chapman explores it makes it special. I love all the language bout planets and vines that are worked in. The story has a lot of quotable descriptions that are just beautiful, even when they are describing horrors. The writing is very cinematic and easy to picture. The opening scene was done so well, and it hooked me early. The writing had a rhythm like a techno beat. The ending was amazing. I had to read it twice just to make sure I knew what was going on. Man, did I love it. I did appreciate how many nods to The Invasion of the Body Snatchers there were. Using Brooke Adams' name as an alias.

What I Disliked: The awesome opening overdose scene was done so well, but when it was repeated 4 or 5 times, it was too much and not as good as that first time. There were too many dreams; some were more effective than others. I did like that we eventually found out the spore can alter dreams. There were just too many, and one was almost in a row.

Recommendation: Shiny Happy People is a very well-written Young Adult novel. Clay McLeod Chapman has a way with words. Some horrific images teeter on the brink of being more adult, but there is no bloody gore. I think there is enough horror to entice both adults and young adults. If you are a fan of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or The Faculty, then you will love Chapman's take. At the end of the novel, he lists all the "invasion" movies that inspired Shiny Happy People. I recommend my followers check out Shiny Happy People.

Rating: Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman. I rated it a solid 4 out of 5. The repetition was a little too much for me, but it was a very well-written book. I will be reviewing more Clay McLeod Chapman in the future.

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shiny Happy People follows Kyra, a sixteen year old haunted by her memories of living with her mother’s drug addiction. Even years later, adopted and happy with her new family, she has disturbing dreams. She’s vowed not to follow her bio-mom’s path and when a new party drug plagues her small town, her world turns upside down. Everyone around her is acting strangely and she has the sneaking suspicion they’re not themselves anymore. With the help of the new boy, Logan, they work to uncover the truth before its too late.

This is the kind of horror I absolutely devour! This is such a gripping story and has you questioning what’s really going on the entire time. The twists and turns are one point, and I loved how it ended. The whole concept was so fascinating and the explanation behind everything really worked well in my opinion.

The horror element was SO well done and honestly pretty terrifying. Especially with all the gaslighting. I could not imagine being in Kyra’s shoes, but she handled everyone so well. I love smart, strong characters in horrors and thoroughly enjoyed reading from Kyra’s perspective. I also really enjoyed Logan’s character and the little romance between them.

Overall, if you love seamlessly blended genres of horror and speculative or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, I’d definitely recommend checking this out!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA for the arc!

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the biggest names in modern horror brings his readers along on a paranoid detour through sci-fi YA thriller coming-of-age little-bit-of-everything. Shiny Happy People does a fantastic job of capturing the loneliness high school can impart when trends and changing friends leave you feeling empty and different, with an Invasion of the Body Snatchers bent, of course, because come on, bring the pulp. Just you try and stop turning the pages.

[myreadingescapism · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah I definitely wouldn't have started listening to this had I known it was YA. It was okay, but I'm not the right audience for YA.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you remember the movie "invasion of the body snatchers"? Yeah. This book was like that. Very strange.

[N.J. Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clay McLeod Chapman's first foray into a YA novel was a success! Kyra is a perfectionist who must always be in control as a product of her upbringing with her mother who abandoned her as a child due to drugs. She notices that kids at school are acting different but also... similar and the culprit seems to be a hot new drug in town called Spore. Joining forces with the new kid in town, Logan, she uncovers a wide-reaching mystery and wonders if she's not too late to help her friends and family.

Very readable, fun, YA horror thriller.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids today have no idea how lucky they are, I know I sound ancient. With books like Another by Paul Tremblay , Monster Movie by Chuck Wendig, Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare , and Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman , to name a few there are more options for the younger horror crowd. Back when I was growing up, at least from what I can remember, there was a large gap between horror books such as Goosebumps and Stephen King novels. If you were a young horror fan or wanted to at least take a chance on horror, your options were pretty limited. This new age of amazing authors giving younger readers top-tier horror stories we never had is simply incredible.

At sixteen, Kyra is still haunted by the horrors she saw growing up with her drug-addicted mother. She doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere—and disturbing dreams come to her at night.

When a new party drug makes its way to her high school, Kyra’s life becomes an actual nightmare. A video challenge spreads among the students—and though she doesn’t participate, Kyra can’t escape the inexplicable side effects.

Everyone around her seems to be mysteriously changing, including the people she loves the most. Her brother has a new personality overnight. Her best friend suddenly feels like a stranger. The only other person who seems to notice the eeriness is Logan, the new boy at school. Like Kyra, he has steered clear of the party scene.

When the strangeness begins to feel sinister—or unnatural—Kyra is determined to find out exactly what is behind the mysterious drug. As she and Logan get closer to the truth, the line between Kyra’s past and present blurs . . . and she will need to face the terrors inside herself, or lose everyone she loves.

In Shiny Happy People, Clay McLeod Chapman pushes the boundaries of young adult horror with a genre-blending story that had me genuinely terrified, even at 40. The author weaves horror and speculative fiction together in a way that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go. The book is a nod to classic horror such as The Body Snatchers  while giving the younger readers a sold entry point into some truly horrifying stories. It's smart, well-written, and seriously unsettling...in a good way.

The core concept of Shiny Happy People isn't exactly groundbreaking, but honestly what really is these days. It's how Chapman builds on that familiar foundation and makes it entirely his own that really sets the story apart. He tells an unsettling tale while also weaving in poignant elements that hit all generations such as peer pressure, addiction, grief, and trauma, while keeping it perfectly tuned into a young adult audience.

On top of his outstanding story, Chapman delivers a strong cast of characters. From our main character Kyra to the new boy in school Logan, and even those who've now become strangers including Kyra's best friend. Each character feels fully formed with their own story and motivations.

Shiny Happy People is intended for the young adult audience, those between the ages of 12 and 18, but it's not just for teens. If you usually turn your nose up a YA novels, it's time to check that bias and give this fantastic story a shot. Clay McLeod Chapman has written a genuinely terrifying book that could easily hook a new generation of horror fans for life. Shiny Happy People is hands down one of the best books I have read this year.

Shiny Happy People hits bookstores everywhere on November 11, 2025 from Delacorte Press. The audiobook is available for preorder via Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Shiny Happy People from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Courtney (pawsitivelybookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

CLAAAAAAAAY

(Review to come)

It’s been over a week and I still haven’t properly gathered my thoughts on this one but I’ll try my best!

Despite this being a YA book, it still has Clay’s usual style. It’s still super weird 😂 and full of surprises. I personally feel like the only thing YA about it is that it’s set with high school students and I think people of all ages would enjoy it.

Shiny Happy People was a ride. I really enjoyed the Big Pharma aspect and really couldn’t guess where the story would go. It starts out strong with a pretty intense prologue and doesn’t stop.

The ending really threw me and I loved it!

[unstable.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Clay's first YA horror and what a debut it is! Clay has a way of getting under your skin, and Shiny Happy People is no exception. From the very start, the story pulls you in with it's deceptively ordinary premise, only to twist it into something far more sinister and deeply unsettling. What I love about Clay's work is that the horror never feels forced. It grows (hehe) naturally out of the character's lives, making it hit harder. This book is dripping with dread and unease as Kyra, our main character, battles with trauma from her early childhood and comes to the sick realization that the people around her aren't what she thinks they are. Clay's writing is sharp and immersive with the right amount of humanity. The emotional investment makes this story linger long after you read the last page. He demonstrates how much darkness can lurk behind even the brightest smiles. Thank you to Delacorte Press for sending me a print ARC and to NetGalley for the eARC. Don't make the mistake of assuming YA doesn't have the chops because this novel proves, it absolutely does. Go pick this up when it publishes November 11, 2025 wherever you buy your books!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I find out that one of my favorite horror authors wrote a middle grade/YA book, I snap it up from NetGalley.

This is the second beloved horror author to recently venture into middle grade books (after Paul Tremblay) and I whole-heartedly support this effort. Even if I’m not the intended audience, you better believe I want to see how these authors can scare a younger audience, not to mention subtly emotionally-destroy them.

Kyra’s friends are changing. Is it the new drug making its way around the school? And what link does it have to the Big Pharma company that basically runs the town?

Again, I’m not the intended audience, and certainly to me it was derivative of other books and movies. But if you’re unfamiliar with those you might like it even more.

It’s about fitting in and being human and having emotions and anxiety. The end is cool, and fits right in line with what I expected from this author. It wasn’t all that scary/horrific for me, but maybe for the target audience it would be.

[Ann (Ann.otatedBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapman’s YA debut is a true page turner with lots of twists that will also appeal to his adult fans, albeit a little differently.

Our main character notices a sudden link between a new popular drug and drastic personality changes of everyone around her. At first it seems no one believes her, and very quickly, it seems like maybe everyone was in on it, or at risk for sudden change by taking the drug. This is somewhat reminiscent of Chapman’s novel Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, but this takes a different turn for sure!

The action is non stop- I read this book in one sitting. The imagery is spooky and vivid and I would recommend going in pretty blind to this one.


Thanks so much to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this!

[Javin Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

SHINY, HAPPY PEOPLE is an interesting story mash-up. Think menacing mushroom meets sinister alien invasion. Ecohorror meets creepy sci-fi.

Either way you look at it, it’s a lot of fun.

Kyra’s voice is unique. It’s not like a lot of other YA stories I’ve read because she’s punchy in her delivery and often adds some zing to her internal monologue with slang, shortened words. I got a very strong sense of who Kyra was. The prose is very direct, and there’s not a lot of fluff.

The school setting was very believable. The subtle swap from normal to abnormal was clever, and ties into how Kyra weaves in and out of consciousness, and maybe even in and out of sanity. Dreams twist into reality and then back into dreams. Kyra worries she’s actually going insane, and everyone around her is just fine. That sense of being untethered was very unsettling, in the best way.

Once the action starts, it hits hard. I don’t know if it’s because I was reading late too, but I experienced Kyra’s exhaustion near the end of the book. She’s tired, okay? She’s been running and trying to figure out why her friends and family are suddenly so… hollow and weird, and it seems like there’s absolutely no safe place to land, and…

I did not expect that ending. Not even a little bit. Talk about a twisteroo!

The one downside to this story was the repetition. Often, Kyra and Logan are attempting to escape, and they’re caught in these dialogue exchanges with people where the story just kind of… stalls. I’m thinking it was intentional, a clue to really double down on what’s actually going on in Hopewell and who Kyra and Logan can trust, but it kind of dragged the pace for me.

Overall, SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE is an interesting take on invasion and ecohorror. As always, Mr. Chapman delivers believable characters and twists that I can never predict. I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy of SHINY, HAPPY PEOPLE with thanks to Random House Children's Books and NetGalley. My opinion is honest and given freely.

[Torrie Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were sitting there thinking that what you REALLY need in your life right now is a spore horror x body horror collab, you can stop hunting. Clay McLeod Chapman showed up to answer your wishes/give you plant-based nightmares, and personally, I love that for him/us. Shiny Happy People is basically Wake Up & Open Your Eyes' snarky younger sibling- the one who who knows that Big Pharma is a cesspool and that peer pressure from society is total BS.

If you're a YA snob, I'm going to need you to pretend you dont know this book is YA and pick it up anyway because the storyline is sharp, smart, and a massively important reminder to all of that some of the best horror is rooted in reality. Sure, the book doesn't come out until November, but all that means is that if you preorder it NOW, you'll end up with a nice surprise gift from yourself in a few months. ((Which you deserve as a little treat anyway.))

Horror aside, this book is a brilliant look on the impacts of addiction, drug crisis, societal pressure, grief, trauma, and the helplessness that comes from those things. Chapman, as always, hits us with a sharp social commentary that will leave you more paranoid with every page... and maybe watching the people around you EXTRA closely.

If you're a "reading is political, reading is a rebellion" baddie, this one is for you. Get it on your TBR and get those preorders in ASAP!

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Book, & Clay McLeod Chapman for this complimentary copy.))

[Hannah | Reading Under Covers · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I just want you to shine."

At sixteen years old, Kyra is still haunted by the night her bio mom, riddled by addiction, abandoned her at just four years old. A high school sophomore now, Kyra has found ways to cope with her anxieties, but when a new drug starts weaving its way through her school and the cheerleaders get the "spore" challenge trending, Kyra is confronted with everything and everyone around her rapidly changing and must face her past trauma head-on.

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE by Clay McLeod Chapman was dark, twisted, and heartbreaking and really shed a light on, not only the generalized fear for teens and drugs, but also the impact social media, inclusion, and peer pressure can really place on a young mind.

This book reminded me of GHOST EATERS in a lot of ways, but sadder (my eyes were leaking, man) and Clay did not hold back with the imagery - my boyfriend read a paragraph over my shoulder and said, "nope, I'm good" lol.

As with his other works, SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE places fear and anxiety at the forefront and really allows the reader the time to sit in it.

As someone who already reads quite a bit of YA, I really enjoyed this book and will be curious to hear what younger audiences think of it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the early copy for review - out November 11!

[Karli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
I thought the first chapter was so promising for this book, I was so intrigued by Jenna and wtf was going on with her boyfriend Gabe. But then the next chapter you learn that the MC is actually Gabe's little sister Kyra. Im not going to lie, I was a bit bummed. There is nothing wrong with Kyra but with her being such a straight edge, goodie two shoes, she isn't the type of character I'd pick to read about.

For a YA, I thought this book had a lot of good themes that will speak strongly to its targeted audience. I've experienced having a friend who started experimenting with drugs and suddenly becomes unrecognizable to me. I felt like this book did a good job tackling those challenges as well peer pressure and how to overcome anxiety in general. Most of the horror in this book was the build up if the feelings of dread and hopelessness. There was a good mix of humour sprinkled out but definitely a lot of "what a bummer" scenes. I also found all the sloughed off skins to be goosebumps worthy.

This book was definitely inspried by "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and was a lot more sci-fi than I had expected going into it, especially at the end. I really had no idea how this book was going to end at all and I appreciate

I think my biggest complaint of this book is that the inner thoughts of Kyra with all her anxiety ivy did get a bit repetitive at times.

This book comes out this Tuesday! Thank yiu to Netgalley & Random House Children's Books for the arc.

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPORE IS THE ONLY WAY!!

Shiny Happy People is a gut-punch of YA horror that’s as shocking as it is socially important. Clay McLeod Chapman takes the glossy veneer of high school life and cracks it wide open, revealing a nightmare fueled by addiction, peer pressure, and the ghosts of generational trauma. Kyra, our Type-A protagonist, is having a bit of a terrible time lately. Her brother is acting weird, her best friend is off, and a mysterious party drug is circulating. It’s body horror, and every page is infused with an intense dread. This book is a fear-inducing, shroom trip. I could not put it down!

What makes this book unforgettable isn’t just the scares, it’s the commentary. Chapman threads in themes of substance abuse and the opioid crisis with razor-sharp precision, reminding us that monsters aren’t always supernatural. And the mushroom imagery? Chef’s kiss. Terrifying vine imagery and nightmares are woven into this narrative like spores seeking the right soil to bloom. This is horror that matters, horror that lingers, and horror that makes you question what’s growing beneath the surface.

[LibraryMelancholia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine a pill that you could take, and all your worries, all the bad parts, all the trauma melt away. You shed your old self and become the shinier, happier version of yourself, the real you. That's what everyone who's taking it says at least. Don't be a stranger. Don't you want to be whole? Don't you want to be free?

What starts as a drug all the kids are taking quickly becomes something far worse when everyone starts changing, and not for the better. No one is acting like themselves - they're all hollow.

Both part pandemic and apocalyptic and part coming of age, this one hits hard.

I loved how creepily unsettling, horrific and real this story felt. Anxiety ivy is a new favorite term. Once again, Thee Clay McLeod Chapman delivers another 5 star read. Snaps for your first YA sir 🫰🏻🫰🏻🫰🏻

Also, that cover?! Gorgeous 😍

If you loved Clay's Ghost Eaters and CJ's American Rapture, you need this book in your life.

[Emily Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read this author before. I think if I had I might have been a little better prepared for what I was getting into. The blurb on the back is about drugs and yet I felt the overarching theme was body horror. It's possible that I'm wrong about that, because I find body horror to be so disturbing that it may have an outsize influence on my perception of the book. The very first scene of the book is a teenager going off to a bedroom with a boy who then overdoses on top of her in a very gruesome way. Which seemed like two things that are a lot for a YA book right out of the gate. However, while I wouldn't have cared for that as a teenager, some will. It's just about knowing what you're getting into. One highly positive thing I can say is that this cover is maybe the prettiest cover I have seen this year. I received an ARC from the publisher.

[Gabby ✿ ₊˚⟢ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing this arc!! As an avid fan of Clay Mcleod Chapman, I was so excited to dive into another one of his works. Of course I was FAR from disappointed! Invasion of the body snatchers meets The Faculty, meets The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals was such an amazing premise, and was executed BEAUTIFULLY. Obviously as a Y/A novel, it was not as grotesque as Chapmans other adult novels, but even still, the story was so original on its own that it didn’t need the blood and guts! The content of the book spoke true to Chapman’s already engaging and psychologically thrilling style, which made it all the more enjoyable. The story itself was so engaging I couldn’t put it down! Definitely Y/A horror done right!! 5 STARS

[Josie Reiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great addition to YA horror!

The pace of this one was blazing, as we see Kyra’s community descend into the horrors of Spore. This was definitely unsettling, with a mix of body horror and botanical/spore horror on top of the body snatching that is the main focus. What a nightmare!

I particularly enjoyed the commentary on mental health and our desire to fit in versus maintaining our individuality. Some good thinking points, especially for the YA audience!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC!