Not Your Final Girl

by Mikayla Randolph

A feminist slasher novel fueled by female rage and haunted by gruesome murders, in this contemporary reimagining of Tess of the D’Urbervilles there can only be one Final Girl.

Darcy and her high school friends haven’t gathered together in seven years. After a tragic murder on prom night, the group graduated and never looked back. But when the lakeside cabin they spent their summers at is put up for sale, they reunite for one last hurrah.

Darcy hopes it will be an inspiring weekend that will help them all move on from their shared trauma. But Ashley, her biggest tormentor and the group’s manipulative self-appointed leader, is sure to stir up trouble. After a first day filled with jealousy, heartbreak, and unexpected guests, tensions are bursting, and the feud between Darcy and Ashley resurfaces.

The reunion takes a sinister turn when a masked killer slaughters one of their own. Cut off from the outside world with the death toll rising fast, the terrified friends turn on each other and uncover long buried secrets. Someone is seeking justice for their past betrayals and with friends like these no one is safe in this dark-femme slasher for fans of Maeve Fly by CJ Leede and The Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Adult, Fiction, Horror Thriller, Feminism

316 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published May 5, 2026.

2 stars

This had an odd, detached tone, as if muffled somewhat and it was confusing. Five years ago, on prom night, something very, very bad happened. The cabin is owned by the dad of one of the eight people there. It’s told from varying POV, including a man named John, who is kidnapped and held at his own home while events are going down at the cabin? I don’t know, I didn’t get it. We’re meant to understand a lot of backstory that is never really explained.

And what is the real life first rule in a scenario like this? These people even say it, you just all sit with your backs against the wall in one room, holding hands, and wait til morning. Do they do it? Of course not. Plus these people play a lot of pranks. I never played any pranks. Maybe that’s why I’m still alive.

[Stay Fetters]

"Get lost, creep."

DNF @ 36%

My first DNF of 2026 and it won't be my last.

My hopes for this were high, like Mitch Hedberg high. It started off slow and confusing and it ended on that same note for me. Nothing changed. Except I seemed to get lost, I went back to reread some paragraphs, and I got even more lost. Is that a thing? With this book, anything is possible... And not in a fun way.

The story was slow, think older person at a green light slow. The characters were all self-centered and pining after one another. In this year, why are we still in that ancient headspace of people not being able to be friends? Why do they all have to want one another? It's infuriating. Which comes to my next conclusion, nothing about this was original. Oh, don't act so shocked. You knew it was coming.

"NYFG' was definitely not for me. Too slow and not enough dicing and slicing. I'm over these over-dramatic characters who have useless thoughts about themselves and others. *yawn* Next!

[Janna (Bibliophile Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slasher take on Tess of the D’Urbervilles? I was instantly intrigued. A group of once-close friends reunites at a remote cabin one last time before it’s sold. But this isn’t just a nostalgic getaway. The cabin holds memories of their high school bond and the tragedy that shattered it. Now, old wounds resurface, secrets unravel, and someone’s hiding more than just hurt feelings.

I like how every character has something to gain, hide, and lose. The slasher elements are sharp and cinematic, with feminist undertones that add depth. And the "whodunit" mystery escalates with every chapter.

What I enjoyed:
❥ Fast-paced and bingeable
❥ Atmospheric cabin setting (tense, eerie, and so perfect)
❥ Smart retelling with a fresh voice and mind boggling plot twist

What didn’t work:
❥ Too many POVs made it hard to connect early on but eventually settled in
❥ Teen mom shaming and sexual abuse were too heavy
❥ Some characters made choices that had me disappointed

Ratings Breakdown:
❥ Setting: 5⭐️
❥ Character Building: 4⭐️
❥ Writing Style: 4⭐️
❥ Message: 4⭐️
❥ Overall: 4⭐️

If you’re a slasher fan who loves layered characters, messy friendships, and feminist grit, this one’s worth your time. It’s gripping, emotional, and never dull.

Thanks to NetGalley, Clash Books, and Mikayla Randolph for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

~JaNnA~

[Trisha]

this sounds great! I'm in! I love Final Girl Stories!!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Leyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

“As the slaughtering begins, as the long, dark night stretches on, and her friends are butchered one by one, the Final Girl endures.”

listen, im not ashamed to admit the fact that loving slashers has become a weird personality trait to me. if someone puts on a mask and starts chasing people through the woods, the neighborhood or honestly anywhere i am SAT and i am THERE with my popcorn in my hand all ready. so when i saw there was an actual BOOK version? promising me a slasher and final girl storyline? i may have blacked out for a couple seconds and it is the fastest ive clicked a request button. when i got accepted i wanted to do a lil twirl of excitement

reading this book really made me feel like i was curling up on the couch with a blanket, giant bowl of popcorn and the lights off, ready to watch some poor souls make terrible decisions and having the worst day of their lives. and this book truly delivers that messy, bloody and chaotic energy you get from a well made slasher. it had me stressed, it had me second guessing every person in the room and ill admit it, it also had me grinning like a psycho cause i had an absolute blast !!

so please, if you enjoy horror, slashers and the Final Girl trope; please put this book on your TBR and make sure to read it on release. it is so utterly worth it and another book that i will gladly purchase on release day because it is not a want to have this on my shelf, but an absolute must and need!

thank you SO much to NetGalley, CLASH books and Mikayla Randolph for allowing me an ARC of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review <3

[ReadwithNae24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

FEMINIST SLASHER VIBES WITH BITE… BUT NOT QUITE THE KNOCKOUT ENDING I WANTED 🩸

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! Not Your Final Girl is a sharp, bloody, feminist reimagining of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and at times it genuinely read like a full-on slasher film. Dark, messy, chaotic girlhood? Check. Female rage simmering just under the surface? Double check.

What the book does really well is showing how “small” behaviours, microaggressions, dismissals, casual cruelty can escalate into something far uglier. The slow snowball from everyday misogyny to predatory behaviour was handled brilliantly, and honestly uncomfortably accurately.

What I loved:
🩸 The plot - twisty, tense, and unpredictable
🩸 The slasher-movie pacing and atmosphere
🩸 The commentary on how women’s pain gets dismissed until it explodes
🩸 The sense of dread baked into every chapter

What didn’t work as well for me:
📖 The POV shifts every chapter - I understand why the author chose this style, but it kept pulling me out of the story. I felt like I couldn’t settle into any character long enough to fully connect with them.
🔪 The final reveal of the “big bad”… it just didn’t satisfy me. After all the build-up, I expected something more shocking or impactful.

Still this book was bold, bloody, and compelling as hell. A feminist slasher with something real to say.

A wild, rage-fuelled ride through girlhood, trauma, and the monsters we create when we look the other way.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here me out...
Tess of the D'urbervilles... but make it a modern Horror Slasher.

Sounds like it shouldn't work, right? WRONG.

Not Your Final Girl is essentially a modern take on Tess of The D'urbervilles, but it takes place after the main event (assault, child, murder etc.)
You don't have to have read the original book to read this one (unless you want you, obviously)

The story has a decent chunk of build up, and sets everything up really well. It has several tropes that you would find in a slasher film (and the characters even acknowledge this)
I was so sure I'd worked out who the murderer was.... I was wrong. The ending threw me through a loop and I couldn't put the book down!

As a slasher fan, I loved Not Your Final Girl!!

Thank you to NetGalley & The publisher for a reading copy!!

[Christine HorrorReaderWeekend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern, mature and yet fun and bloody look at the slasher novel. Great character development, great backstory, rising tension and breakneck pacing made this a gory frolic of a read.

Randolph takes the tried and true formula of a slasher novel and gives and depth and weight, with multi-dimensional characters who are haunted by shame, guilt and denial about what they all did to a friend in high school five years earlier. Randolph kept me guessing at the guilty party and her writing, the quick chapters with multiple POV, and violence kept me reading late into the night.

Thank you NetGalley and Clash Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5… i liked a lot about this but I wanted more! It’s marketed as feminist but that didn’t feel authentic during reading. I liked the paranoia, multiple POVs, setting and the killers costume. The dialogue felt very choppy and unnatural and I wanted more detail about the “incident” from prom night. Still not sure how I feel about the ending but it was definitely unique.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Dylan Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Not Your Final Girl. I just eat up slashers/horror set in a cabin, just love that atmosphere and this one did not disappoint! Overall very tense with some great kills, good drama and a third act that hits like a truck! definitely worth your time if your a fan of slashers.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this but it unfortunately fell flat for me at multiple points 😭

The bare bones of the story had a lot of promise and the twist at the end was a decent one; the beginning of the book had a completely different tone and I thought that the twist was clever as a result.

The multiple perspectives might have been necessary to the story, but from a reader’s point of view it just bogged everything down. They were relatively short chapters, so constantly switching back & forth between multiple people got tiring very quickly.

The story failed to get off the ground and I did come away from it feeling disappointed.

[Coleen]

I know this isn't published yet but DNF for me at 36%. I personally found the storyline predictable for a slasher and I wasn't engaged enough to continue.
I do want to thank NetGalley and Clash Books for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book for my own true and unbiased opinion

[Mars Azel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featuring an incredibly distinct narrative voice, Mikayla Randolph delivers a gripping story centered on a cabin-in-the-woods reunion. The plot is fast-paced and unapologetic, breathing new life into slasher tropes. If you love the sharp wit of Scream combined with the dark edge of Ms. 45 and Black Christmas, this is your next favorite read. #HighBodyCount

[Nicole Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Not Your Final Girl” by Mikayla Randolph is a bold, blood-soaked debut that combines classic slasher thrills with sharp feminist commentary and the seething undercurrent of female rage. Dark, cinematic, and deeply emotional, it’s both a love letter to and a subversion of the “Final Girl” trope as the story shows what happens when the victim fights back, and when survival itself becomes an act of revenge.

Seven years after a horrific prom-night tragedy, a group of estranged high school friends reunites for one last weekend at their old lakeside cabin before it’s sold. What should be a nostalgic farewell quickly unravels into something far darker. Old wounds reopen, secrets surface, and guilt simmers beneath the surface, especially for Darcy, who’s been trying to make peace with her past, and Ashley, the manipulative ringleader whose cruelty once shattered their bond. But when a masked killer appears and starts picking them off one by one, the reunion turns into a fight for survival and redemption.

Randolph’s writing is taut, fast-paced, and cinematic, with short, punchy chapters that keep tension simmering. The first half builds slow-burning suspense, focused on character dynamics and buried guilt, before erupting into a chaotic, adrenaline-filled third act that hits like a freight train. The kills themselves are straightforward rather than gory spectacle, but the weapon’s uniqueness and the claustrophobic cabin setting create an atmosphere of dread that’s hard to shake.

While there are a lot of names to keep straight and not every character is likable (Ashley, in particular, is infuriating), that’s part of what makes the story so effective. Each person played a role in the bullying and trauma that led to tragedy, and “Not Your Final Girl” refuses to let them off the hook. Even the innocent outsider, Su, is caught in the crossfire of their collective guilt. The story’s revenge-driven core pulses with anger and grief, ultimately serving as a satire of slasher conventions and a critique of how women’s pain is often dismissed or exploited in horror.

Randolph doesn’t shy away from heavy themes with bullying, sexual assault (off-page), and survivor’s guilt, but she handles them with intention, grounding the bloodshed in real emotional stakes. Beneath the gore and the paranoia lies a story about trauma, accountability, and the cost of silence. The final chapters deliver a powerful confrontation that ties the revenge arc together, though the ending is a bit divisive as I found it to be hauntingly unresolved though others may enjoy the particular twist at the end.

Overall, “Not Your Final Girl” is a fierce, feminist slasher that reinvents the genre with intelligence and bite. Fans of feminist slashers will devour it for its unflinching look at guilt, vengeance, and survival.

[Craig Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5* read for me, close to a 4*.

The meta-slasher is getting to be a crowded field these days. It wasn't long after the sub-genre burst into prominence that people began parodying, dissecting and flipping the tropes on their head, which is no surprise – after all, so many of the early examples were very much singing from the same hymn sheet and executing their scares in the same way. Nowadays, though, as the 7th Scream film is due to release, and the likes of Stephen Graham Jones have written books playing with the concept of both the final girl and the killer, readers have a different concern. How do you come up with a new twist on the meta side of the genre when it's oftentimes become as homogenous and predictable as the slasher films themselves were? In the case of Mikayla Randolph, you write a "contemporary reimagining of Tess of the D’Urbervilles", looking at the potential aftermath of those events. As to whether it's successful? I'd have to say, mostly.

Any fan of the genre is going to recognise the setup immediately. Old friends gather together at a remote lake house to reconnect, with some new partners and surprise guests, expecting to use the isolation to catch up. However, they discover there's no internet or phone signal and that they're cut off in ways they didn't expect. Old secrets bubble up and threaten to be exposed; the former friends start to realise they don't trust each other, and before much of the weekend has elapsed, the bodies begin piling up. So far, so expected.

Where a story like this lives and dies is on its twist, the reveal of the killer, and the gory climax. Not Your Final Girl really shines here. While I have to say I found some of the middle section a little slow and at times a bit of a slog, when the third act starts and we begin a bloody, brutal descent to the finish line, the book becomes so much fun. I always feel better about a slasher when the payoff lands, and that's the case here. There were multiple killer options that all made sense to me, and while I wasn't incredibly surprised at who it was by the time it was revealed, it felt more than satisfying enough.

The book alternates between short POV chapters, with quite a large cast of characters. These differing viewpoints are used well and help prolong the mystery, but it does mean readers could struggle to form connections to the majority of the friends. Not necessarily a big deal when most of them will end up as worm food, but while I found many of the voices unique and it worked as a way of drip-feeding information to the reader, it does mean a kill may have less emotional impact. While Not Your Final Girl doesn't manage to entirely avoid falling into typical slasher pitfalls, it does feel like a confident and assured debut novel and is one that slasher superfans will surely enjoy – and it comes with the added bonus of a killer with a unique mask and weapon combo, a pleasant surprise.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚Not Your Final Girl
✍🏻Mikayla Randolph
Blurb:
A feminist slasher novel fueled by female rage and haunted by gruesome murders, in this contemporary reimagining of Tess of the D’Urbervilles there can only be one Final Girl.

Darcy and her high school friends haven’t gathered together in seven years. After a tragic murder on prom night, the group graduated and never looked back. But when the lakeside cabin they spent their summers at is put up for sale, they reunite for one last hurrah.

Darcy hopes it will be an inspiring weekend that will help them all move on from their shared trauma. But Ashley, her biggest tormentor and the group’s manipulative self-appointed leader, is sure to stir up trouble. After a first day filled with jealousy, heartbreak, and unexpected guests, tensions are bursting, and the feud between Darcy and Ashley resurfaces.

The reunion takes a sinister turn when a masked killer slaughters one of their own. Cut off from the outside world with the death toll rising fast, the terrified friends turn on each other and uncover long buried secrets. Someone is seeking justice for their past betrayals and with friends like these no one is safe in this dark-femme slasher for fans of Maeve Fly by CJ Leede and The Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones.
My Thoughts:
Not Your Final Girl is marketed as a feminist slasher retelling of Tess of the d’Urbervilles, but in practice it read more like a fairly standard slasher novel. The story follows a group of friends who reunite for one final weekend at a cabin where they spent their summers before it’s sold. The group has been estranged since a traumatic event on prom night, and this trip is meant to give them a chance to reconnect and confront their shared past.Randolph takes the tried and true formula of a slasher novel and gives and depth and weight, with multi-dimensional characters who are haunted by shame, guilt and denial about what they all did to a friend in high school five years earlier. Randolph kept me guessing at the guilty party and her writing, the quick chapters with multiple POV, and violence kept me reading late into the night.
Thanks NetGalley, CLASH Books and Author Mikayla Randolph for the advanced copy of "Not Your Final Girl" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#CLASHBooks
#MikaylaRandolph
#NotYourFinalGirl
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Gore, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria

[Bookishmom4ever · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school is hell. And anyone who says otherwise probably peaks in high school and was one of the school bullies. Most of us move on and forget, sure we have some sweet fond memories occasionally we get in touch with old friends but it quickly fades into the past. Darcy and her friends are not so lucky. A reunion weekend changes the lives of 6 old high school friends forever.
Lettie just wants one last perfect weekend with her friends before her father sells the cabin where they spent so many wonderful weekends. Lettie is the people pleasure the, follower, that friend who says what she needs to, to be seen as cool. Kai was the perfect joke, the joker the ring leader of pranks and others. Nate, the sidekick to the jock, also a jock herself. Spencer the token nerd friend, secretly in love with one of the girls. Ashley the IT girl, the defacto leader of the group, what she says goes, and she will do anything to stay in power. Darcy the token fat girl friend, the one Ashley makes fun off but they group just wouldn't be the same without her. There used to be a sixth friend but something terrible happened senior year and they haven't been the same since and now for the first time they are coming together. Along with the core 5 comes Su-Ah, Ashley's girlfriend and Eliza the baby sister of the former sixth member of the group.
Thins begin to turn as soon as they all arrive. Each falling into their old patterns and behaviors. Su-Ah begins to realize Ashley isn't who she thought, who is this mean girl? Eliza just wants a chance to set the past to rights, to get down to the bottom once and for all of what happened to her sister. To clear her own mind of guilt and rat out the person who started it all. Sadly, no one will get what they want. Because slowly they are dying one by one. Someone is out for revenge but who? And most importantly who will be the final girl? Who will get to walk away and tell the tale of what really happened when your past comes back to haunt you?

[Polina ♆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had big hopes for this book. And even though I still find it prominent and with interesting parts most of the time, it was confusing. I'm not sure if the many POV were the reason or the way the whole story has expanded, but I needed to start it a couple of times till I really got into it.

I loved the start - from the get-go, you get into the idea that there is a killer and many people are about to lose their lives. However, later on, it started slowing down. I'm not sure how many chapters were needed until the real action started, but it felt prolonged. This could be on me, though, since I enjoy fast-paced books, and this one, in its first part, wasn't like this. The first part was mostly for catching up with what happened years ago and why those people currently have some complicated connections. And to be honest, this was also a bit confusing since till the end I couldn't figure out who the sister of somebody was, who betrayed others, and so on.

When the action started, it was actually quite enjoyable. However, the part with mentions all slasher tropes felt not quite realistic to be (and this coming from someone who enjoys slasher movies) - suddenly, all of them have some input on them, and I could not figure out when they got so into such movies. If it was mentioned, I apologize, but somehow I missed it. Also, I could not really feel the characters; they did not feel deep enough for me, and therefore, I wasn't really invested in who was dying. I mean, I did try to get some favorites, but it didn't work. Their whole drama was not relatable to me, and half the time, I didn't understand the bickering over things they did when they were teenagers.

All in all, the story has potential, and if you are not picky and a slasher enthusiast like me, you may easily like it. It had some interesting remarks, and it is worth giving it a chance.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide my honest review regarding this book.

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darcy and her high school friends are reuniting seven years after a tragic murder on their prom night. Post graduation, the friends simply parted ways and haven’t had any contact. That is until now. The cabin on the lake where the girls spent many joyous summers together is now up for sale. For nostalgia reasons and time away from the horrible memory of prom night, the group decides to gather once again.

Darcy hopes a weekend filled with past good memories will be the start of them all moving past their shared trauma. Friends yes, but Ashley, was Darcy’s tormentor and the group’s manipulative self-appointed leader. Will time and maturity have changed this behavior? Well habits and personality traits are hard to break. Their very first day together is filled with jealousy, heartbreak, and unexpected guests, and tensions are hot. The conflict between Darcy and Ashley, sadly, is still alive and not well.

Enter a masked killer. Is it one of their own? The girks, isolated from the outside world, present a perfect storm of thrills and mystery. Someone is seeking justice for their past betrayals. No one is safe in this “dark-femme slasher.”

Yes, it’s a pretty common plot for slasher content:
a group of friends who have known each other for a long time
they are tied together by something awful that happened in the past
years later, they gather at a remote cabin

Not Your Final Girl is really good because I couldn’t figure out who the killer was going to be, so the killer's identity and motive left me in stunned surprise. Beware of a rather violent ending, that does justice to the story leading up to the climax.

These cold winter days of being shut in here in the NC mountains added to my enjoyment, (enjoyment, for lack of a better word) of this messy slasher horror novel. Tons of drama, feminine rage and murder. I highly recommend this for your must-read list. If your to read stack is too high, it will work well for your beach read as well.

[Ellie Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It took me a minute to get into this book. But once I was able to really sink into it, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I love horror movies- the bloodier, the better- and this felt like a slasher horror where a group of friends are targeted.

I get why someone may take issue with the characters- a lot of them are really unlikeable. But I enjoy reading about unlikeable people because it feels more realistic versus reading about a group of people who are all amazing and have never done anything wrong. Plus, it makes for interesting dynamics, especially when you see how the characters' relationships with each other change for better or worse. Having multiple POVs was also a smart choice in helping provide insight into how each character thought and felt about the others. If the POVs had been in first-person, it would have been even better, but that's a minor thing.

The plot had a pretty typical slasher set-up- a group of friends who have known each other for a long time, tied together by something awful that happened in the past, get together at a remote cottage- may sound boring, but I liked it. But it wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be. I didn't know who the killer would be (I had my guesses, sure), so the killer's reveal and their motive left me stunned; but it also worked, given how things played out. The reveal, coupled with the violent ending, was excellent. Sure, some may say that certain things were a bit too convenient, but I don't care. For a campy horror novel, I really enjoyed it.

If you're in the mood for a messy slasher horror novel full of drama, feminine rage and murder, this is a must-read!

[Madeline Church · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars! Once I saw that Not Your Final Girl was a reimagining of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, my excitement was through the roof! That was definitely my favorite aspect about this novel. I recently read that classic, so it was fresh in my mind. Even if you don't remember exactly what happens in the classic, I think the author did the reimaging in a way that would make you remember.

This is a feminist slasher novel which is a fun way to switch up a final girl premise! I really liked how the author did this in a subtle manner. I definitely felt the feminist aspects, but it wasn't too in your face and overwhelming.

A large number of characters took over this book. I don't love having a bunch of characters because I find it hard to keep track of while reading. However, this was probably inevitable in a thriller of this sense. I think this was overwhelming because we got to focus on many different characters as the chapters changed. Although, it was frustrating at times because some of these chapters would be very short. Just when you are getting to hear more about a character, the chapter changes. This made it harder to keep up with all of the characters and things about them to remember.

My attention was not being caught by this novel. This was a bummer because I am a sucker for final girls books. They always feel like watching a horror movie, Not Your Final Girl was no exception. I think that a lot of people would like this book even though I didn't love it!

Thank you Clash Books & Mikayla Randolph for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Bubs Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Clash Books and the author for the advanced copy of this book.

Not Your Final Girl follows a group of friends from high school getting back together in a cabin for the weekend. Over the course of the weekend it becomes clear there is a killer in the area and they seem to be focused on the cabin.

I had high hopes for this book as I'm a big fan of slashers but unfortunately it didn't hit the spot for me. i felt that while the multiple POVs was helpful to the story later it made the beginning of the book feel clunky as I was trying to get to know a rather large group of people.
The story also felt quite meta - there is multiple references to cult classic slasher movies such as Scream (and Scream 2), Friday the 13th had at least two that I can think of, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street. The characters discuss the tropes including not splitting up. The same conversation ends with, you guessed it, splitting up.
I felt that I didn't particularly like any of the characters which, fair they have all done some unlikeable things in the past, but it meant that I was never really attached to anyone so couldn't be too worried when they were in dangerous situations.
By about 30/40% I had guessed who the killer was so by the end of the book I was just waiting to see who made it until dawn. The killers weapon also felt really impractical to me, especially when the author had to explain as part of the story what it was.

The idea had a lot of promise I thought, and who can beat a good slasher in a cabin in the woods? Unfortunately this one wasn't for me.
2.5/5 Stars

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

An EXCEPTIONAL Slahser!

Not Your Final Girl by Mikayla Urban drops you straight into a full‑tilt whirlwind of perspectives. There is a dizzying amount of characters and backstories to learn all at once, but each character is a new flavor to analyze and examine. It’s a blast. At first, the shifting voices feel like an intentional chaotic dance, each one tugging you in a different direction and building that creeping sense that something terrible is scaling the walls. But slowly, and all too deliciously, those story threads start tightening. Characters break, emotions boil over, a masked killer strikes again and again. Secrets break loudly. And you can just feel that you’re being pulled toward something sharp and shadowy waiting in the dark.

What’s wild is how, as the cast begins meeting their fates, the book slips into this almost Agatha Christie mode, but makes it horror. The noise falls away, the circle draws smaller, and suddenly the story is laser‑focused, tense, and absolutely humming. The kill scenes are as disturbing as some of the best and darkest horror I've ever read, but the layer of mystery builds in a tantalizing moment of suspense to rival even a Freida McFadden thriller. The climax hits that sweet spot between terrifying and oh‑my‑god‑keep‑going exciting. It is like riding a coaster you absolutely weren’t tall enough for but somehow got on anyway. Urban nails that rare combo of slasher‑energy chaos and tight, mystery‑driven precision, and the result is a ride you’ll be thinking about long after you close the book. You cannot miss this book, because you'll be talking about it for days to come!

[TheNovelNomad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was messy, bloody, dramatic, and very aware of itself—and honestly? I had a good time.

Not Your Final Girl delivers exactly what it promises: a cabin-in-the-woods slasher soaked in female rage, old grudges, and the kind of friendships that should’ve stayed dead after high school. The setup is familiar—former friends, shared trauma, one last reunion—but the execution keeps things interesting by leaning hard into tension, secrets, and moral grey areas.

Darcy is a compelling lead: flawed, angry, and very human. The dynamic between her and Ashley adds a sharp edge to the story, turning emotional warfare into just as much of a threat as the masked killer stalking the woods. I especially enjoyed how the book plays with classic slasher tropes—yes, the characters know the rules—and still manages to surprise when it counts.

The pacing starts off slower, spending time unpacking past betrayals and unresolved trauma, but once the body count begins to rise, the story really locks in. The final stretch is tense, chaotic, and morally uncomfortable in a way that fits the book’s themes. This isn’t about rooting for a “perfect survivor”—it’s about questioning who deserves justice and what survival actually costs.

Is it revolutionary? No.
Is it entertaining, dark, and satisfyingly angry? Absolutely.

If you enjoy slashers that mix nostalgia, social commentary, and a high level of emotional messiness—with a side of blood—this is well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of friends have one last weekend at a cabin they used to visit before something happened which changed their friendships forever. Seems like a basic premise of a great horror movie and this novel read as such. I adored the nostalgic feeling, and the references littered throughout, of a classic horror film set in the woods.

The pacing ramped up the tension, as we follow multiple character perspectives, each with their own memories and feelings of the incidents which tore the group apart. A lot of great representation across the characters which lead to the variety of reactions as each navigated through the events, with their own insecurities and interpersonal relationships. Some stand outs: Su-Ah, the girlfriend who happened to just be invited to spend a weekend with what she assumed were her girlfriend's closest friends only to find out how toxic their friendship could be. Eliza, another surprise attendee for the weekend, one who has known these friends a long time, but has a completely outside perspective on the incidents they were involved in.

This story made me nostalgic for classic Fear Street novels, and the intelligent horror commentary was reminiscent of Lisa Springer's "There's No Way I'd Die First." I'm a fan of Mikayla Randolph now and will be putting her works on auto-read!

Thanks to Clash Books and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC before its pub date: May 5, 2026!

[Raven F · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received from: NetGalley— Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: A group of friends with a dark secret come together for a weekend at a remote cabin. When they start dying, one by one, they start pointing fingers and making accusations. But don't worry--this isn't your typical final girl story.

Overall Thoughts: This one had me in the first half, not gonna lie. I was worried it was going one way, and then it didn't, so if you're worried, keep going! It does this again in the last quarter of the book, where it feels almost hopeless, but trust me... keep going! It follows almost none of your typical slasher trope rules, despite citing them, which is my favorite part.

Writing: The writing is very different depending on the character perspective, which is an impressive feat. Each girl feels wildly unique, despite the story being told in third person. Eliza, Darcy, Su-Ah, and Ashley are our protagonists, and each has a very distinct internal monologue. Even without the labels, it would've been easy to tell which was which due to good writing.

Characters: I loved this cast of characters. Everyone was well thought out and special, each with a story no matter how major or minor of a character they were. It felt as though I knew them personally, and I was affected by the things that happened to them, both good or bad.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars…I feel like I've seen this show before…this is an ARC so thanks for the good read CLASH and NetGalley…

Okay, so not a bad read by any stretch however I felt like I've read/seen this before. I'm thinking Clue meets Until Dawn meets Bodies Bodies Bodies. A whodunnit but make it a bunch of young adults recounting their high-school years and the trauma they experienced.

My biggest issue was the pacing and characters. There are multiple POVs but they all felt flat sharing the same voice. I almost would have prefered being in Su-Ah's perspective the entire time since she is the outsider looking in, trying to unravel the mystery like we, the readers are. By the end with all the back and forth I felt like I only could distinguish one character from the rest. I did enjoy the ending even if I kinda figured it out about 2/3s of the way through.

If you enjoy any of the aforementioned movies/game, your chill with not knowing what happened in high school forever and why everyone hates each other, you like a remote wooded setting, and if you are rooting for the one that recognizes how richness leads to stupidity, this might be a good book for you.

I would have loved the class warfare route too like in Bodies Bodies Bodies. That's my jam.

[Nikki Kossaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Your Final Girl by Mikayla Randolph takes that familiar slasher setup and rips it open, letting something sharper and meaner crawl out. This is not about survival in the way we’ve been taught to expect. This is about rage, control, and revenge.

The voice is what got me first. It’s raw, biting, and unapologetic. There’s a rhythm to it that almost feels like a dare. You think you know where it’s going because we’ve all seen the movies, right? The rules, the tropes, the final girl standing there bloodied but alive. This book looks at all of that and says no. Not today.

There’s a heaviness under the horror that stuck with me. It digs into power, into being watched, into being reduced to a role you never agreed to play. And instead of giving you comfort, it lets that discomfort sit. It makes you live in it.

This isn’t a clean story. It’s messy on purpose. The kind of messy that leaves blood under your nails and questions in your head. I appreciated that it didn’t try to soften itself or tie everything up in a neat little bow. It commits.

If you’re looking for a traditional slasher where you can predict who makes it out, this is not that book. If you want something that flips the script and doesn’t apologize for it, you’re in the right place.

[Courtney S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Female rage, messy friendships, a secluded cabin, and a masked killer? I was hooked from the start. This story follows a group of former friends forced back together years after a traumatic prom-night tragedy, and let me just say… the tension was already unbearable before the murders even began. Darcy and Ashley’s history was so toxic, and you could feel everything boiling over the entire time.

Once the killing starts, it’s full panic mode. Everyone has secrets. Everyone is suspicious. Nobody feels safe. The pacing was perfect and kept my stress levels high the whole time.

But that ending? Hands down one of the best Final Girl scenes I’ve ever read. The last fight between the final two characters was written so clearly and so painfully that I could picture every single moment. It was brutal, emotional, and completely earned.

And the twist? I truly did not see it coming. I was shocked but I was also totally okay with who the unsuspecting Final Girl turned out to be. It felt right.

Bloody, tense, rage-filled, and addictive. If you love slashers with teeth, add this to your summer TBR!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

First- thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book!!
I did understand the vibe. This was a horror slasher - my first tbh.
Of course the setting was a bouj remote cabin in the woods!
This followed several POV’s in the story - there were A LOT. The main character Darcy was very relatable at first!! Girl she was going through it, tossed aside by her friends, going through grief, and being the overweight friend. I related!!
The side characters all fell a little flat for me except Ashley of course who was the Regina George type.
I think the characters could have gone a lot deeper it all felt a little surface level!
The pacing for me was a little off because it took me up until 70% or so to really be excited to keep going and find out what was happening. Then it got going!
I did feel the emotions because at one point last night I spooked myself lmao.

I did not predict who the murderer was BUT when it happened I was like yeah that makes sense. I was not super surprised.

3 stars