Meat Bees

by Dane Erbach

Jaws with wasps.

By the time Scarlett Sutton arrives at her dad’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains, two locals have already been eaten alive by wasps. Of course, she doesn’t know this yet. All Scarlett knows is her mom finally checked herself into a hospital to take care of her mental health, leaving Scarlett alone with her dad all summer.

After he insists that she get a job, Scarlett accepts a position at nearby Stovetop Outfitters, hoping to spend as much time away from him as possible. She doesn’t expect to trip over a skeletonized corpse beneath the zip-line during one of her shifts—and definitely doesn’t expect to be thrown into a Netflix-style true crime investigation.

The local sheriff’s department is so overwhelmed by these unsolved deaths that when one of the Stovetop Outfitters employees disappears next, Scarlett and her co-workers set out to find him on their own. They discover something much more horrifying: a swarm of yellow jackets stripping the meat off his body. Scarlett never signed up to solve a disgusting mystery, but in order to protect her friends and family, she must defeat the mountain’s darkness and all these godforsaken wasps.

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

290 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Dane Erbach is a writer from Chicago's northwest suburbs, where he lives with his wife and three kids. He teaches English and journalism at a public high school.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I need you to walk with me here and just LISTEN.

Imagine you're browsing tubi (it HAS to be tubi for this scenario, okay?) for the insane selection of horror movies on there when you come across that movie that was produced by the syfy channel back when it was the sci-fi channel. It was all summer heat and killer bugs. Terrible CGI and even worse acting. But the most important part about this movie was that it was FUN. Reminds you that movies used to have killer bugs and animals in them.

This made me nostalgic in the best way for those types of movies. The book's title and description is exactly what you're getting when you dive into this. One of those books where you can "shut your brain" off and just enjoy the ride. I found myself unable to put it down, speed reading through it to get to the end. The writing is great while the story itself is fun and creative.

Thank you to netgalley and Clash books for the arc!

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

“DINNER TIME!” Scarlett screamed. “COME AND GET IT YOU FUCKING BEES!”

This is straight-to-video horror at its finest. You find yourself wandering around Blockbuster, searching for the perfect movie to kick off the weekend. Suddenly, a box catches your eye, and you realize you’ve found the right film. Or perhaps the movie found you? Insect lovers/haters alike are in for a chilling treat!

When I spotted the cover, I knew this book was for me. It evoked 'Candyman' vibes, and I couldn’t resist. Who doesn’t think insects are already creepy? Now imagine them crawling out of someone’s eye—it gives me the creeps just thinking about it! It sets the perfect mood for the spooky fall season.

Wow! This book was incredibly creepy, and I loved every moment of it. From the start you get thrown into this small town where things are supposed to be calming and charming. Instead we get gruesome deaths and hoards of flying bastards that'll pick your bones clean. Nothing says fun in the sun like a pile of human bones!

The story was engaging—really engaging. I found myself rereading chapters and marking paragraphs to revisit later. It was my kind of gruesome and I'm still thinking about what took place between those pages. Love it! ♥

[Zana]

DNF @ 75%

I was looking forward to a creepy adult read but this was extremely YA. The book also felt like it didn't know if it wanted to be a serious read or a campy read. It also felt too long for a silly book about cannibal bees.

Awesome cover though.

Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for this arc.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erbach hits the bullseye with his audience in this killer bee story that feels like it came straight out of 1998. Peppering the book with references to pop-punk bands from 30 years ago, the author sets a clear and accessible tone for the tale about a teenage girl's resentful summer vacation with her dad in Smoky Mountain National Park. Any fan of 1990s animal attack or monster movies knows that a little infusion of humor scattered between the gory death scenes is mandatory and Erbach is no slouch on that account. The narrative is driven by genuine characters and emotional insights balanced by steady humor and an almost satirical approach to the horror elements of the story.

The book's Acknowledgements includes a line in which the author speculates that he may have written the book so quickly because he was so excited about getting the story down (the real life inspiration sounds like a hell of an experience) and it shows in several places throughout the book. The grammar and sentence structure need polishing and there are places where words are just missing. Despite the narrator's thoughtful guidance through genuine emotional conflicts, there are conversations that feel insultingly oversimplified. While the first half of this book was a 5-star dark, whimsical satire, the second half felt like a rushed cleanup to work our way around to the admittedly powerful ending.

Fans of 90s music and classic horror will be buzzing with enthusiasm for this killer story. Check that mystery meat at the back of the fridge, is it moving? Grab a can of hair spray and fly as fast as you can to read Meat Bees!

A hive-minded thank you to NetGalley, CLASH Books and the unfortunate victims who inspired this story for the ARC.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing this as a read.

Meat Bees is a really fun book. Reminds me of those 80's horror novels, and those before (The Swarm?). I wasn't even 25% of my way through the book and five people died already.

I think the issue I have is the 'magical / supernatural ' angle that comes in halfway through the book isn't explored more. I know we're told of why the Bees are attacking, but all of a sudden we're thrust to accept magic and demons and it just seems like it wasn't really well established that supernatural. (Yes, I know bees attacking and eating flesh is out there but so is a mystical entity in the mountains that has triggered them.)

Also that ending is wild too. Didn't see that coming.

All in all, fun book but could use some more polish.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ because wow what a lovely enjoyable ride this book was, as long as you’re into the horror genre and can handle some creepy crawlies. Or more specifically; wasps. It was definitely creepy, gory and unhinged. Even though it’s written from the pov of a sixteen year old girl it never feels like a y/a novel. When I think back to my own teenage years I felt Scarlett was relatable. I thought it was written well and it really got me hooked. Every time I picked up the book to continue reading I felt excited! I really enjoyed the way the plot thickened and how the book ended. I will definitely read more books from this author and can’t wait to see what’s next!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meat Bees is a made for TV scary movie about, you guessed it, wasps. The title is a little misleading, but oh boy the plot was so fun! I really enjoyed Scarlet's character and the chaos that followed her. The music references were excellent. This was a fun ride and I recommend it to anyone who wants an unhinged, Sci-Fi TV movie vibe.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: A-

Meat Bees was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and NG.

If someone doesn't turn this into a schlocky horror movie ala The Birds, they are missing out on a golden opportunity.

"We're not sure how his body ended up in such rough shape. We had to identify him by his dental records."

I requested Meat Bees almost solely because of the title. The other reason why was because of the striking cover; it can join the list of books with eyes on the cover like Slimer, Maeve Fly and The Eyes are the Best Part. Scarlett has lived with her mother, who seems to be going through a lot and is currently undergoing treatment at hospital. Her dad picks her up from their Tennessee home and drives her all the way to Colorado to Stovetop Mountain for the summer. There, he tells Scarlett she needs to get a job to help pay for the bills whilst her dad works in the national park.

In typical teen fashion, Scarlett is rebellious, short-tempered and mean, but she interviews at a gift shop/adventure park and starts working soon after. Unfortunately for Scarlett, she won't be facing a peaceful summer, instead something is wrong with the wasp population in the Smokies and Scarlett wants to figure out what's going on and stop it.

She was so certain that, if she had ever come across one of the missing persons, she would keep her cool - wouldn't scream, wouldn't barf, wouldn't drop onto the ground like some wimp. But here she was, hyperventilating, taking small sips of water at the picnic tables behind the gift shop.

This book was really fun at times: funny, visceral, gory, extremely goofy and then dark and sad. I mean the protagonists are a bunch of teenagers. Scarlett was so well charactertised, I could see myself in her - I know some reviews mentioned how annoying she is, but we were all annoying at 16. But she really "locks in" and hustles for the summer, making friends along the way. Scarlett also hasn't had the easiest childhood and the moments she shares with her father were really touching and almost got me a few times. I teared up in this book, that's how well the characters were developed and the relationships between them mattered.

The author really develops the atmosphere of the novel and the Smokies and taught me, a horror enjoyer from another country, what it's like there, what I could expect to see and what people are like in a small town. I won't lie and say I'm not disappointed that the "meat bees" were actually wasps, but I liked the chapters between Scarlett's a lot, where the mystery of why the wasps are behaving this way is explored, and the gruesome and tragic deaths of all their victims. There are all kinds passing through this town.

One thing I want to highlight is that Scarlett really struggles; a lot of horror leaves the final confrontation to the last 5% of the book and some miracle solves the problem for them, they barely even have to fight - because how could someone overcome some otherworldly horror, right? But in this book, Scarlett really has to fight to overcome the enemy, she has to be resourceful, think and plan, do research, turn to adults, essentially do whatever she can to help this random town she's been sent to, and she pretty much spends the entire time trying to solve her problems practically alone. I felt like this was so valuable to a new horror experience. The "big bad" wasn't beaten easily, Scarlett had to work for it.

Officer Mark McGrath's eyebrows lifted, but he kept taking notes. Scarlett pictured him writing "slut era" on his notepad and underlining it twice.

Whilst there are some tropes in this novel, like the incompetent town cops, the local who knows something more and toxic influencer, the book is strong enough to stand on its own feet without relying on these. It did bring me back to the good fun of classic 80s horror and having just finished The Roo recently, it was good to return to a familiar genre and creature feature. I will say though, that the book does need to be edited a little:
- The word AirBNB is repeated as AirbnbAir BNB. (14%)
- I'm pretty sure Danny, who was just killed, is a boy, but they use she/her in Bitzy's sentence about his death?(56%)
- 'I am the mountain, a voice said, but these works stabbed into her brain like a rusty blade...' (77%)
- Some sentences are half a thought/fragment or just awkward.
- He lived in a log cabin-themed McMansion on the top of Stovetop Mountain, which Old Gap Highway climbed so gradually that most tourists weren't aware they had climbed until the clearing near the top where Stovetop Outfitters had paved over the forest for their new parking lot. - This is so awkward. It's a huge info dump...for what?
- ...careful not to kick her dog, which tramped a step or two behind her. (paragraph break) Her dog, his paws too big, his coat dark gray with flecks of brown like leaves trapped in a frozen river - and had Scarlett ever really seen leaves in a frozen river, really stopped to look? (77%) - We already kinda moved on from her dog... it just feels weird that the idea of what he looks like isn't connected to him running with her, but it's a totally different sentence a paragraph later.

Anyway, I still liked the book. It did drag a lot in the middle, and I felt myself losing interest, but I requested it in October and when it was granted, I could think of nothing else except starting to read it. This book is so much fun, it's silly, funny, has heart and is a great addition to 2026 horror releases. Don't be put off by the teenaged protagonist, the writing is competent.

Read this one when it's out. It's a fun time.

"So any dead bodies today?" he asked with his mouth full of food.

[Emily Garmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

Scarlett Sutton is your typical teenager of divorced parents. She likes hanging out with her friends during the summer, TikTok, and wants to save up enough money for a car, However, her summer plans are foiled when her mother enters into a hospital for her mental health. Scarlett is then picked up by her dad and driven to his home in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee to live with him for the summer. Scarlett, having never been to Tennessee, feels like she is now in the middle of nowhere where nothing happens. When her dad tells her she'll have to find a job to help pay for higher internet and her own car, Scarlett at least feels like her plan to avoid her dad the whole summer will be easier. She finds work at a place called Stovetop Outfitters which sells tourist souvenirs and also does a zip line. Her new role as a zip line instructor feels more fun than she's willing to admit, and her coworker Liv is actually pretty cool. What Scarlett doesn't expect out of her summer is a string of dead bodies, eaten by bees (well, actually wasps) that are turning up along the highway and right outside of their place of employment. Both Scarlett and Liv decide they're no longer safe at their job, and that someone ought to figure out how and why the bees (wasps) are causing the death of so many people.

My thoughts:
If one doesn't think too hard about the lack of character development one can have a fun time with this. It was short, and an easy read that read more like a funny, cheap B-Rated horror film than a book. It will definitely make for an enjoyable summer horror read. That being said, I had some petty gripes about this one. I can't tell you how many times the words "meat pile," and "meat lump," made an appearance. Is there nothing else we can call it? I also could have used less of Scarlett referencing TikTok and how much she loved it at every turn. The reader gets it, she's a present-day teenager, of course she's on TikTok. I also was a little annoyed by how little research it feels that Erbach did on the area. As a Tennessee native, I can tell you there is more richness to those rural areas between Knoxville and Pigeon Forge than just Dolly Parton. I also need an editor to take another look before this published, because it is the University of Tennessee at Knoxville or UT, not University of Knoxville.

Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for my advanced copy to read and review. The opinions related here are my own and are not influenced by the entities above.

[franzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars.

This was actually fun, I requested this because of the cover but the story was actually entertaining and I finished this in one sitting because it was fast-paced and super easy to read. The story did lack a little depth sometimes and not everything was explained in a way that made sense, but I loved the body horror and the vivid descriptions and it was just a wild ride from start to finish. The ending wasn't the best, I had expected a little more suspense and action and it kind of just ended a little randomly but overall definitely a fun book if you're into body horror.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eArc.

[Danni The Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt similar to Guy N Smith and his books on animals going rouge.

This didn't hit the same. This was YA, which is fine I read YA, but this was cringe. The dialogue was so young, and towards the end I felt it was just cringey.

It all felt way too easy to wrap this story up. It was just too easy for two teenage girls to kill the monster. I felt a bit confused about whether they were bees or wasps and I felt it kept contradicting itself. So I ended up still not sure what they were.

This just didn't end well. It was boring and I wanted it to be over.

Thumbs down I'm afraid

Thanks to Netgally for my advanced copy

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 This book reads like a campy B-movie horror flick. Wasps (aka meat bees) swarm unsuspecting solos and eat the flesh down to the bone. A couple of teen girls set about the town to figure out why wasps started murdering people. It’s a mostly fun read - read for the action, not the dialogue. Would be entertaining to read during a summer camping trip.

If you like films like 2-Headed Shark Attack, this would be up your alley!

Thanks to Clash Books and NetGalley for the eARC! Pub date August 4, 2026.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meat Bees completely hooked me from the very first page. I loved every minute of this story — the twists, the tension, the emotional moments, and especially the wild, unexpected events surrounding the bees. The way the plot unravels toward the end, revealing exactly why the bees reacted the way they did, was so well done. I genuinely did not see that ending coming, and once I picked the book up, I could not put it down.

One of my favorite parts of the story was the friendship between Scarlett and Liv. Their connection felt real, messy, and meaningful, and it grounded the book beautifully. I also really appreciated the way Scarlett’s relationship with her dad evolved. Watching him begin to understand her — especially her instinct to take care of everyone and carry so much on her own — added such a heartfelt layer to the story. That final moment of understanding between them really stayed with me.

Overall, Meat Bees was gripping, surprising, and full of heart. A fantastic 4 star read that I’ll be recommending to others!

[amandarose_mil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Clash Books for this ARC of Meat Bees.

I loved it — what a wonderfully creepy horror. The title and cover instantly grabbed my attention, and once I started reading, I was completely obsessed.

I do think Scarlett could perhaps have been aged up a year or two. I understand the need for her to be at that stage of life — worrying about TikTok, socialising, and fitting in — but given what she has to witness and endure, I personally would have preferred her to be just a little older. I went into this expecting a mature adult novel, but the further I read, the more it felt like a YA horror, which did surprise me. That said, it didn’t put me off at all.

I devoured this book and can absolutely imagine myself sitting in a dark cinema one day, inhaling popcorn while watching Meat Bees unfold on the big screen.

[Trisha]

This cover freaks me out, I love it!

[liz gopsill · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Maybe Tennessee wouldn’t be that bad, especially if a band like Paramore could emerge from it.”

I want to start by thanking NetGalley, Dane Erbach and CLASH Books for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Meat Bees will be out August 4th, 2026!

This was such a fun and silly read, a perfect mix of comedy and horror with equal parts ridiculousness and sincerity. Probably my most chaotic read of the year, but what a ride. The concept of evil wasps terrorizing the Smoky Mountains feels like a modern love letter to Hitchcock’s The Birds with nature fighting back but instead of commenting on female sexuality, Erbach explores family dynamics and the types of independence these dynamics allow.

I really enjoyed that this book never took itself seriously, throwing out references to Pokémon and TikTok despite its 80s slasher vibes and Erbach clearly enjoys the main character Scarlett’s sense of humor:

“DINNER TIMEI” Scarlett screamed. "COME AND GET IT YOU FUCKING BEES!”

“Anyone order their steak well-done?” she asked the dim woods, empty but for the obscene shape galloping toward her. She had spent her entire climb thinking of the line, felt badass saying it aloud—until the breeze blew out the lighter’s flame before it could ignite the aerosol.

The gore of the wasps going on killing sprees to build a meat pile, the tension between Scarlett and her parents (brought on by her mother’s mental illness and her father moving out) and Scarlett’s newfound friendship with Liv create such a good balance of unbelievable supernatural circumstance and painfully realistic human nature.

My only criticism is it did feel a bit rushed towards the end. The scenes where people are killed by the wasps don’t contribute to any sort of mystery or lore building so Muffin felt added in a bit late but said scenes do establish the horror element quite well. I also wished Polly had been a bit more present just so the ending felt a bit more focused instead of just thrown in for a lackluster cliffhanger. And all the adults pissed me off. Her dad walking out because of her mom’s mental illness but not trying to take their daughter with him? Their boss never being at work and making his teenage daughter/the manager handle all the police? The sheriff telling teenagers who just watched someone be murdered by wasps to go do his job for him since they cared so much? Only men not at fault were the gay/bi boys on S2 and the one who appeared just to die getting McChicken Nuggets. And where did Alma go? And why did that bear catch strays when the wasps were having no trouble killing people?

If this was a movie on Netflix, trust it would do numbers from its sheer campiness. “She wasn’t sure if he was one of the gay boys or one of the bi boys, but for the moment, it didn’t matter; it was nice having a strong set of arms around her.”

[jay · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.0
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
The very very first thing I would say is this is definitely YOUNG ADULT and not New Adult. The protagonist herself is 16 years old — and acts like it. The writing is gorey and gruesome but I would say on-par with Horror Young Adult books.

This book is going to be very very dated as there's a lot (and I mean a LOT) of pop culture references, although moreso on the early 2000s dad-rock style, it's substantial enough with every single chapter that it's not even a call back to the real world but a product placement of sorts.

Scarlett with the red hair is very annoying but also very 16 years old so there's that. She's dramatic and flips her decisions very very quickly — which is very teenage of her — but it's also too plot-driven that I dont even think it's justifiable sometimes.

One chapter (June 8) literally had "Tiktok" repeated 9 times. Out of the 31 times it was mentioned in the entire book. That's 29% 😭

And it also takes away from the immersion with the insistent use of real life brands, as if the book is one big billboard. What's worse is the product placement does absolutely jackshit when it comes to pushing the story along. It just adds unnecessary blabber that, to a non-American, means nothing.


There is a significant amount of texting in this and I'm not sure if it's because I'm reading the kindle version but there is no distinguishing format for the texts — you just have to put it together. Which is a huge oversight, especially since it could be fixed with a simple italization or punctuation or even the use of a new font.

I love a "there is something ancient and wrong in these woods" but the half-assed Cherokee-adjacent explanation did nothing to really introduce any intrigue at all. Yes the book does not claim anything when it comes to the authenticity or relation to real Cherokee folktales but remove the mention of the tribe and the explanation still stands (albeit on very very shaky legs) so there was very little cause for that specific tribe to be used in the first place. In the reveal of the demon's name, they aren't even of Cherokee origin — the name suggesting Gaelic/Germanic roots.


The action scenes were well written enough, but the dialogue (especially at the end) once again derails the intensity of the scene.

Despite how relatively short it was, it was a slog to get through, as the characters felt too much like caricatures rather than fully fleshed out individuals. At the end, I think the book would have benefitted from a few more rounds of drafting and less of the speed that the author claimed in the acknowledgements.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.

[jade ⋆₊˚ ᰔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to Dane Erbarch and Clash Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. this is definitely a book that will stick with me

3 stars

body horror, creature horror, insect horror, mystery / thriller, with coming of age elements

if you are looking for a horror book that is weird, creepy, and unapologetically unique, meat bees immediately makes its intentions clear. this is body horror, insect horror, and small town dread wrapped into a fast, unsettling read that is not afraid to get strange.


full review below with SPOILERS
___________________________


meat bees starts out with a bang. from the first chapter the dread builds in a way that feels both cinematic and genuinely unsettling. the idea of yellowjackets stripping a body is grotesque in a way that sticks with you, and erbarch’s writing rarely lets you forget just how dangerous the threat is. the atmosphere in these opening sections is tense and immersive, and there were moments where i genuinely felt on edge, like the pages were buzzing right off the page. the body horror elements here are a big part of why that works. they are vivid without feeling gratuitous, and they serve the story well while supporting the horror beats.

scarlett, the main character, is the kind of narrator that frustrates you at first. she is snarky, reluctant, and definitely unlikeable in places, but that is part of what makes her arc interesting. as the story goes on you start to see more of who she is, what she is running from, and why she reacts the way she does. the relationships, especially the way scarlett’s situation with her parents and her summer job unfold, give the story more emotional weight than you would expect from a creature horror. amidst the buzzing and bites there is a grounded coming of age thread that works more often than not.

the middle of the book keeps up the energy with gruesome kills and steady tension. the mystery of what is really causing the deaths pulls you in, especially once scarlett and her friends decide to investigate when the sheriff’s department cannot keep up. there is an almost true crime feel to the investigation that keeps the stakes grounded, and for a while the book balances its horror and mystery really well.

the ending, however, is where the book lost me. it shifts into a fever dream, and not in a way that worked for me. the reveal and final confrontation leaned so heavily into the surreal that it became difficult to take seriously. the idea behind it felt underdeveloped, and the escalation into something so abstract pulled me out of the story rather than heightening the horror. after such a strong setup, the conclusion felt disconnected from the tension and tone that had been built so carefully earlier on.

even with that, there is still a lot to appreciate here. erbarch clearly has a strong grasp on atmosphere and body horror, and the early portions of the book are genuinely effective and unsettling. the imagery is memorable, the pacing is tight, and the premise itself is compelling enough to carry most of the story.

final thoughts, meat bees is an ambitious and unsettling horror novella that succeeds most in its atmosphere, body horror, and character work, even if the ending did not fully land for me. it is a bold, strange read that will likely work better for readers who enjoy chaotic, surreal horror and are willing to follow a story into unexpected territory. while it ultimately fell short of its promise for me, it is still a memorable experience and one that makes me interested in seeing what the author does next.



update 01/08 : changing for 3 stars to 4 stars because despite the crazy ending, I keep thinking about this book. and if it’s sticking with me that long, it stood out in some way

[v. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw the cover and I had to request. It really stands out and looks disgusting in the best way possible, I love it.

I did go into this thinking it would be a new adult book, like adverts. It is definitely meant for a younger audience as it follows around a couple of teenagers and the writing style and pop culture references really confirmed that. The author used terms like "NPC" and "slut era", which feel odd in a new adult book. Add that with references to TikTok, Snapchat, Netflix and every other big name brand and you get pulled out of the story quite quickly.

I personally thought the story was a bit boring and only got interested the last 30%. I was waiting to feel scared or maybe more grossed out, but the horror aspect never did it for me. The story was already not what I expected, so that could also be the cause of my dislike.

What also made it more difficult to read was Scarlett's character. The way she talked and acted makes me think the author wanted to make her relatable to the younger audience, but I actually think it made her unlikeable. There was character growth throughout the book which was nice.

If you like campy horror, I think it's worth giving it a try. Don't let this review scare you. I just don't think this was meant for me.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the ARC!

Meat Bees attack a town near Pigeon Forge, TN (Sharknado style). Fun! AND THIS COVER, WOW.

I was a little thrown off in the first part because we have a very gruesome death and then we’re thrown into our main character’s POV, 16 year old Scarlett who has a very immature personality (she is 16 so… fits). This emulates YA horror well. She does show some growth but I found her extremely whiny (again 16, so it’s expected BUT annoying).

TikTok is mentioned SO MANY times please no. For me once is too much so the 10 times it’s mentioned is a lot. There are also some strange similes that were used that I would make me pause mid sentence and think, what does this even mean? I found some of the phrasing awkward as well.

I wasn’t expecting how surprisingly light hearted some scenes in this story are. Yes, there is intense body horror (I mean, it’s called Meat Bees..), but also a lovely story of friendship and rekindling of relationships. This is campy and summer horror fun.

The horror elements really stood out to me with the entities fought in this plot. Very creative and thought out! 3⭐️

[Nancy Styles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meat Bees wasn’t quite what I expected—but it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable read nonetheless. The idea of killer bees (or, oops 😬, wasps) targeting humans was exactly what drew me to the book in the first place, and I’m happy with how that concept was executed. The tension, the chaos, and the sheer creep factor all landed well.

That said, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the revelation of who was behind it all—or who was controlling the wasps. I had been anticipating something very different, so that particular reveal didn’t fully hit for me.

Even so, the book remained engaging from start to finish. The characters were well-written and easy to invest in, which added a lot to the overall experience. Despite my reservations about the reveal, Meat Bees was still a fun and entertaining read that I’m glad I picked up.

[Annie vj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely enjoyed the writing style. It’s fast, smooth, and kept me turning pages without even noticing. The cover alone had me intrigued before I’d read a single line. The story itself leaned a bit juvenile for my taste, but it was still fun and surprisingly engaging.

Meat Bees hooked me from page one. The twists, the tension, the emotional hits, and the absolutely wild bee moments kept me glued to the book. The reveal at the end about why the bees behaved the way they did was brilliant. I did not see that ending coming and once I started, I basically forgot to stop.

Overall, Meat Bees is gripping, weird in the best way, and full of heart.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Amarah]

Eeeekkk, my first ever ARC!! The cover is gorgeous. I can't wait to read this :D

Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really fun! Honestly a lot of it felt extremely life a fever dream because the premise of it was so over-the-top and insane but I kinda loved that. It's completely reminded me of early 2000s cheaply made horror movies and I honestly think it would make a great low-budget movie now.
I found this so easy to read and follow, which is ideal for the new adult/young adult ages, or for someone who wants to break their way into the horror genre. The gory aspects of the book were well written and will probably stick with me for a long long time.
I also do love a story about a group of unruly teenagers getting together to defeat some monster despite the zero help and attention from adults.
Despite its super fun and fast-paced plot, there is some basic grammar and sentence structure that needs polishing but it wasn't a deal breaker in any sense.
And of course - what an absolutely sickening cover... I won't lie and say I didn't really notice it because I most definitely did. Cannot wait to have my own physical copy as soon as this releases!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing this e-arc!

[Hyun-Jin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this book a 3,5/5. Definitely an interesting book and not the usual kind of book that you’ll read but it was okay. So during the entire story, the time is written and there’s just so much happening in a small time frame it kind of doesn’t make sense. I like the fact that the story was inspired by a true event that happened to the author and his family.

I don’t usually read horror books because its just not my thing, but i was curious as of why the title of the book was "Meat Bees". I now know why. I wouldn’t say this book is a horror book but more of a fantasy/mystery book.
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH books for this eARC.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern coming-of-age story, with lots of character development, gruesome and macabre perspectives, and man-eating wasps!!

I honestly was worried picking this one up— the cover told me body horror, and I was especially concerned when I realized the main character was a 16-year old girl. And I was right about one thing— A teenage girl as the main character WAS pretty frightening! 🤣

The character development was great for how short of a book this was, and I wish there were more! I also loved how, not unlike in Stranger Things, it’s the kids solving the serious problems with the adults taking more of a backseat at times. I also loved feeling old with all of the millennial references and tik tok use— Thanks, Erbach.

Going back to the body horror, yes there were a few scenes that made my stomach turn. I would not consider this too hard for most audiences, but there is still the fact that wasps are eating people. 🤷🏽‍♀️

I really loved reading this book, and look forward to reading more in this genre, and by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for my first ever ARC!

[Valerie Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weird one to review: As soon as I read the description, I knew I must get an ARC in my grubby little paws. The first 20% was really strong, building up the mystery, with enough killings interspersed to build tension. I did struggle with Scarlett's voice (listen I get it she's 16 her life is sooo hard) and some of the phrasing was really weird (does the author actually know what a smirk is?) The pacing is just weird, it felt way too fast all of a sudden, and the reveal was kind of meh. The big showdown was really something. The adults in this book suck, with the exception of the dad. Overall, a fun, pulpy creature-feature read!

[Becky Swales-Blanchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like a Point Horror book and I loved it! This would have been my favourite book when I was 14.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc

[☽｡⋆ Shells (jlreads_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this horror book purely because of the cover and the title and thought, ' mmmmmhhh, this is intriguing '. In fact, I wasn't disappointed by the horrors of ' Meat Bees '. I would say in its all over delivery, I was pretty satisfied.

This book covers quite a lot of topics that, at first glance, you wouldn't really notice until you keep an eye really close to them and sometimes, it makes you feel like you're way ' too close reading ' or going overboard but here's my initial thoughts on everything for now.


1. Family dynamics, self, isolation & mental health.

Scarlett, our main character, embodies the result of family dynamics where parents fail to be parents, thus resulting in a child who can't really process their emotions and feelings well. Prone to lashing out, projection, codepency from said negligent parent. Resentment and angry guilt. This alsoresults in the isolation of self and this desire to fit in, thus wearing masks.

Isolation in the lens on the horror of this story is metaphorically shown to be the hubris of an individual. As they are greatly easy to be preyed. This also made me think that the story did really well in picturing how isolation can be so terrifying and reminds us in the story the importance of being with other people- friends or family and of course how these ' Meat Bees ' weaponise this knowledge and only do their ' meat bees ' attack if you're alone, away from other people– help.



2. The Mountains & The business.

On this part, it's pretty obvious how this represents when nature comes for retribution, especially when the lands are greatly exploited. How nature will be power unmatched and its devastation towards the people once it strikes back.

The story also touches cultural heritage or, let's just say, how the land and the people are being exploited by showing how the business that's been erected to this mountain. Although the voices and heritage are present, it is continuously silenced, as we seen with Blitzy's father insisting on opening the business for tourists further endangering local and tourist people for the sake of sales. This just shows how nature shows no mercy to anyone, may it be local or visitors to these lands.

Although I'm not knowledgeable about the area and I read a reviewer where the place of that specific university or name was inaccurate, I thought I'd mentioned the number 2 as its the medium of the horror and what I thought it presents here and the reality.


3. Plot proper, characters, and ending.

I'm obviously here for the horror, and I'm glad it did quite deliver for me, especially how grotesque, graphic, and disgusting the horror here. The tingling sensation I felt was similar to when I read You Weren't Meant to be Human although Meat Bees are on the tamer, dark, dark humour category, it was still 'yucky' for me.

What I liked the most here was how the 'Meat Bees' are given voices, which was really interesting to me. The same goes for when the 'Meat Bees' does their 'k*ll*ng', which might have been the thing I liked most.

My only concern is the part where the 'confrontation' of the evil comes. I don't know, but it really goofy to me. It felt like those 2D or low resolution zombie games I played once upon a time in elementary school at the computer shop with how it was paced and presented. I saw another reviewer mention this one as well, and I couldn't agree more. I'm not really sure what to feel about it.

The evil entity also here was bizarre, and we weren't given a solid background and build-up of this one aside from the 'Meat Bees'. This also goes the same for that good entity.

I'd be honest that Scarlett's character was something I did dislike at first, although I understand her, she's just something and some of her actions did really ticked me of especially with Liv– who by the way is such an angel. I'm also ticked off by the constant reminder of Scarlett talking about Liv's accent, which was really something that made raised my brow. Not to mention the S- word here was another thing that made me pause.

I was really glad that Liv and the Sheriff was okay, I might have almost thought of giving this a 2⭐️ if Liv didn't survive 😫. She was definitely the highlight of this story.

I'm also really glad of the developments here, especially with Scarlett. I was really proud of her when she's slowly grown to a better person.

And this is where I will say I WAS FLABBERGASTED. Because what the heck was the ending. Obviously, it's also commentary how these insensitive influencers disregard privacy and respect towards almost anything just so they can milk and make money out of it, BUT STILL. I WAS SHOOKT.

This is the end of my initial thoughts of this story, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna edit this later. 3.75⭐️. Thank you for the e-arc CLASH Books via Edelweiss.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at Jaws with wasps, and the killer cover didn't hurt either. A simple premise paired with an outstanding design was enough to reel me straight into Meat Bees by Dane Erbach. It's hard to exactly put a finger on what I love the most about this book; all I know is that it gives us super campy horror movie vibes and I am all for it.

By the time Scarlett Sutton arrives at her dad’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains, two locals have already been eaten alive by wasps. Of course, she doesn’t know this yet. All Scarlett knows is her mom finally checked herself into a hospital to take care of her mental health, leaving Scarlett alone with her dad all summer.

After he insists that she get a job, Scarlett accepts a position at nearby Stovetop Outfitters, hoping to spend as much time away from him as possible. She doesn’t expect to trip over a skeletonized corpse beneath the zip-line during one of her shifts—and definitely doesn’t expect to be thrown into a Netflix-style true crime investigation.

The local sheriff’s department is so overwhelmed by these unsolved deaths that when one of the Stovetop Outfitters employees disappears next, Scarlett and her co-workers set out to find him on their own. They discover something much more horrifying: a swarm of yellow jackets stripping the meat off his body. Scarlett never signed up to solve a disgusting mystery, but in order to protect her friends and family, she must defeat the mountain’s darkness and all these godforsaken wasps.

Using Jaws with wasps as a solicitation sets a pretty high bar, and while the story is not a direct retelling with a winged menace, it absolutely captures the intensity and tension when you watched Jaws for the first time. Erbach mixes true crime, mystery, horror and the supernatural to craft a terrifying tale that was hard to put down.

The biggest take away between something like Jaws and a book like Meat Bees is that, in real life, I can simply avoid the ocean where sharks are lurking. Wasps and hornets, however, are a lot harder to escape...especially when they are often in my own backyard. The constant, close-to-home possibility kept my fear level extremely high throughout, letting this story to sink in a bit more and give me chills while turning each page. Thankfully, I was able to read this book while in the dead of winter, when there isn't a single bee, wasp, or hornet buzzing around, which made the experience just a little easier to stomach.

While the wasps were the truly frightening part of the story, where the plot eventually goes, and how it is all wrapped up, was completely unexpected. The tale takes a journey that took me by surprise in the best possible way. The story may not be perfect, but something about Erbach's writing style and ability to capture my attention lead this book to be an easy read and a truly horrifying experience.

Each swarming kill by these meat bees is described with vivid, visceral detail, enough to make even the most veteran horror reader squirm. Erbach doesn’t shy away or pull any punches; these moments hit hard and linger. They are like bad car accidents where you want to look away but at the same time can't take your eyes off the page.

Beyond the terrifying wasp attacks, the characterizations, relationships, and interactions felt authentic and well-written. For the entire first half of the book, it feels as if the story could be real. A protagonist who is not happy with having to visit her father in the Smoky Mountains was a relatable story that had me hooked.

Meat Bees by Dane Erbach is exactly the campy horror story I was hoping for. It delivers a terrifying story of swarming wasps and a supernatural element that kept me truly terrified from beginning to end. And the nod to Paramore ? That alone would've been enough to keep me reading.

Meat Bees hits bookstores everywhere on August 4, 2026 from CLASH Books.

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Meat Bees from the publisher. Opinions are our own.