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Meat Bees
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26Jaws 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.
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.
284 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 4, 2026
31 people are currently reading
1020 people want to read
About the author
Dane Erbach
3 books16 followersDane 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
October 8, 2025
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!
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!
October 22, 2025
“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! ♥
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! ♥
October 7, 2025
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.
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.
December 20, 2025
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!
December 9, 2025
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.
December 14, 2025
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 (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.
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 (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.
December 21, 2025
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.
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.
December 6, 2025
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.
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.
November 16, 2025
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
December 9, 2025
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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
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.
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.
Want to read
October 16, 2025This cover freaks me out, I love it!
Want to read
December 18, 2025Eeeekkk, 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.
Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
October 22, 2025
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!
December 10, 2025
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.
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.
December 18, 2025
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.
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.
November 14, 2025
A fun and easy read with some pretty cool ideas and generally mid- to fast-paced plotting.
Once I got past the host of Americanisms and (mildly excessive) references to TikTok (at times, it did feel a little bit like a promo ad), this was an enjoyable read that toys with some classic horror tropes, creating a nicely disturbing villain with a good amount of gruesome detail (without going over the top).
The cover design is great and I think this is definitely a book that can - and probably will - be marketed very well. I could definitely see it as a tv/film adaptation: its general lack of world-building and description, while distancing it from the literary, do make it a really good visual journey that I could picture very well from scene to scene. I liked the setting, I liked the concept of Muffin and the fact there is actually some decent explanation as to WHY all the monstrous murders have been happening.
However, I do have a couple of things that irked me slightly. There were quite a few typos and tensing problems (which I imagine will likely be ironed out in the final edits), but the main thing that rubbed me up the wrong way was the constant confusion over what is a wasp and what is a bee. The whole point of the book is that there are killer wasps that are eating people - that’s the main gist anyone needs to know about it. And, fairly early on, the main character Scarlett starts researching wasps and bees and identifies that they are, in fact, different. To the point that her friend Liv proceeds to correct anyone who calls them ‘bees’ on a fairly consistent basis. So tell me WHY Scarlett, who KNOWS they are wasps, continually calls them bees? And why they decide, apropos of seemingly nothing, to go and visit a woman with a bee farm?? If there was even some small sentence or line in there that said something along the lines of ‘perhaps someone who knew about bees would be able to help them learn about the wasps as well’, that would make complete sense. But there wasn’t, and I found myself pretty frustrated over the continued overlap between two creatures which most people understand to be related, but different species. Especially since a lot of this confusion quite literally came from the characters who had “researched” the two and knew the difference. Perhaps wasps and bees just aren’t that common in the US??? That’s the only explanation I could think of that would even vaguely explain why the two names were so constantly conflated. Or maybe I don’t know as much about bees and wasps as I think I do (admittedly, I don’t know much) and there’s a reason they keep being confused. But, if that’s the case, it would be helpful to explain it - even briefly - in a little more depth in-text.
Other than my pedantry over insect names, this was a good read and I liked the ways the chapters clearly set scenes from hour to hour and person to person - again, much like a film or TV show would, cutting between scenes. It’s not the sort of book that I think really stays with you past the last page, but it’s a good one to take with you if you want something quick and easy, or something you can keep dipping back into without having to retrace your steps through a complicated narrative. Also, the ending slaps.
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the advance copy!
Once I got past the host of Americanisms and (mildly excessive) references to TikTok (at times, it did feel a little bit like a promo ad), this was an enjoyable read that toys with some classic horror tropes, creating a nicely disturbing villain with a good amount of gruesome detail (without going over the top).
The cover design is great and I think this is definitely a book that can - and probably will - be marketed very well. I could definitely see it as a tv/film adaptation: its general lack of world-building and description, while distancing it from the literary, do make it a really good visual journey that I could picture very well from scene to scene. I liked the setting, I liked the concept of Muffin and the fact there is actually some decent explanation as to WHY all the monstrous murders have been happening.
However, I do have a couple of things that irked me slightly. There were quite a few typos and tensing problems (which I imagine will likely be ironed out in the final edits), but the main thing that rubbed me up the wrong way was the constant confusion over what is a wasp and what is a bee. The whole point of the book is that there are killer wasps that are eating people - that’s the main gist anyone needs to know about it. And, fairly early on, the main character Scarlett starts researching wasps and bees and identifies that they are, in fact, different. To the point that her friend Liv proceeds to correct anyone who calls them ‘bees’ on a fairly consistent basis. So tell me WHY Scarlett, who KNOWS they are wasps, continually calls them bees? And why they decide, apropos of seemingly nothing, to go and visit a woman with a bee farm?? If there was even some small sentence or line in there that said something along the lines of ‘perhaps someone who knew about bees would be able to help them learn about the wasps as well’, that would make complete sense. But there wasn’t, and I found myself pretty frustrated over the continued overlap between two creatures which most people understand to be related, but different species. Especially since a lot of this confusion quite literally came from the characters who had “researched” the two and knew the difference. Perhaps wasps and bees just aren’t that common in the US??? That’s the only explanation I could think of that would even vaguely explain why the two names were so constantly conflated. Or maybe I don’t know as much about bees and wasps as I think I do (admittedly, I don’t know much) and there’s a reason they keep being confused. But, if that’s the case, it would be helpful to explain it - even briefly - in a little more depth in-text.
Other than my pedantry over insect names, this was a good read and I liked the ways the chapters clearly set scenes from hour to hour and person to person - again, much like a film or TV show would, cutting between scenes. It’s not the sort of book that I think really stays with you past the last page, but it’s a good one to take with you if you want something quick and easy, or something you can keep dipping back into without having to retrace your steps through a complicated narrative. Also, the ending slaps.
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book as an ARC.
Meat Bees is an intensely fun horror book that skews more towards a chaotic YA fable about growing up than New Adult novel. It reminds me of Stranger Things... instead of the Demogorgon, there are murder wasps that seemingly kill and eat everything they see. There's possibly something else even scarier beyond that-family drama! Oh, and a mysterious supernatural entity haunting the nearby mountains. Just like a popcorn-flinging scary B-movie, though, there are parts of Meat Bees where you have to shut your brain off a little to fully enjoy it.
16 year old girl, Scarlett, obsessed with her mom's generation of music and her annoyance with her Dad, is sent to live with him over the summer in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near Stovetop Mountain. But it doesn't begin with Scarlett. The book begins with the POV of the bees killing someone near her Dad's home. Every few chapters or so, between Scarlett's chapters, we get a chapter from the bees, which I thought was neat. You realize pretty quickly that this isn't just a book about meat-gathering insects: something is going on at home with Scarlett's mother that gets her sent to live with her dad, which slowly gets revealed and resolved.
Scarlett, who whines for several full chapters, finally gets a job at Stovetop Outfitters as a zipline attendant, where she meets new friends-most importantly, Liv, an exchange student from Finland. The author makes it seem as if Scarlett has never had a close friend before, like the ones from home were just people she hung out with, and that seems suspect to me having been a 16 year old girl myself. Scarlett's not a shrinking violet: she's outgoing to a fault. A lot of that is bravado, though, and she has to prove to herself that she really cares about something before she can save the day, and that "something" is Liv.
Throughout the course of the book, Scarlett and her new friends slowly unravel the mystery of the murders near Stovetop Mountain. The true supernatural explanation is where the book fully goes into B-horror mode. I wasn't entirely convinced, simply because there was no explanation of why this was happening specifically to Scarlett. She's not special in any way, so there's no reason for her to have so much plot armor when so many others die. The murders happen seemingly randomly, even after we have the true explanation for them.
The places where the book fell short, for me, were not terribly distracting, but happened with enough consistency for me to notice. First of all as I mentioned, the final explanation didn't really exist and left me hanging with questions that felt like the author being lazy. Another thing were the "hey fellow kids" moments that are so obvious when you know this was written by a Millennial English teacher trying to sound like an edgy teen girl. The last point isn't necessarily the author's fault, but the editor. There were some weird-sounding sentences, misplaced quotation marks, and POV shifts that shouldn't happen with a well edited book. I hope someone at CLASH goes back over it before it gets published. If you can shrug those things off, though, then you'll have fun reading this.
Meat Bees is an intensely fun horror book that skews more towards a chaotic YA fable about growing up than New Adult novel. It reminds me of Stranger Things... instead of the Demogorgon, there are murder wasps that seemingly kill and eat everything they see. There's possibly something else even scarier beyond that-family drama! Oh, and a mysterious supernatural entity haunting the nearby mountains. Just like a popcorn-flinging scary B-movie, though, there are parts of Meat Bees where you have to shut your brain off a little to fully enjoy it.
16 year old girl, Scarlett, obsessed with her mom's generation of music and her annoyance with her Dad, is sent to live with him over the summer in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near Stovetop Mountain. But it doesn't begin with Scarlett. The book begins with the POV of the bees killing someone near her Dad's home. Every few chapters or so, between Scarlett's chapters, we get a chapter from the bees, which I thought was neat. You realize pretty quickly that this isn't just a book about meat-gathering insects: something is going on at home with Scarlett's mother that gets her sent to live with her dad, which slowly gets revealed and resolved.
Scarlett, who whines for several full chapters, finally gets a job at Stovetop Outfitters as a zipline attendant, where she meets new friends-most importantly, Liv, an exchange student from Finland. The author makes it seem as if Scarlett has never had a close friend before, like the ones from home were just people she hung out with, and that seems suspect to me having been a 16 year old girl myself. Scarlett's not a shrinking violet: she's outgoing to a fault. A lot of that is bravado, though, and she has to prove to herself that she really cares about something before she can save the day, and that "something" is Liv.
Throughout the course of the book, Scarlett and her new friends slowly unravel the mystery of the murders near Stovetop Mountain. The true supernatural explanation is where the book fully goes into B-horror mode. I wasn't entirely convinced, simply because there was no explanation of why this was happening specifically to Scarlett. She's not special in any way, so there's no reason for her to have so much plot armor when so many others die. The murders happen seemingly randomly, even after we have the true explanation for them.
The places where the book fell short, for me, were not terribly distracting, but happened with enough consistency for me to notice. First of all as I mentioned, the final explanation didn't really exist and left me hanging with questions that felt like the author being lazy. Another thing were the "hey fellow kids" moments that are so obvious when you know this was written by a Millennial English teacher trying to sound like an edgy teen girl. The last point isn't necessarily the author's fault, but the editor. There were some weird-sounding sentences, misplaced quotation marks, and POV shifts that shouldn't happen with a well edited book. I hope someone at CLASH goes back over it before it gets published. If you can shrug those things off, though, then you'll have fun reading this.
December 10, 2025
Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
After Scarlett Sutton is dragged to the Smoky Mountains to stay with her dad, she’s convinced she’s in for the most boring summer imaginable, surrounded by people she has zero interest in. To fill her time, get her separated parents off her back, and gain a little independence, she picks up a job at a nearby outfitters store and activity center. But just as she starts settling into her new routine, people in the area begin to go missing, and disturbing remnants of both humans and wildlife start turning up. Somehow, Scarlett keeps landing right in the middle of it all—tripping over a body, finding herself knowing several of the victims, and noticing that yellow jackets show up at every single crime scene, rapidly spreading to the whole area. So, she rallies a team, gets fired up, and decides she’s ending whatever is happening here before it takes anyone else she has come to care about.
The premise of Meat Bees is genuinely interesting, but there were a few small tweaks that would’ve made it stronger for me. I would’ve loved for the third-person POV to branch out more consistently through other characters—there were a few short excerpts every couple of chapters, but it felt like a missed opportunity for added complexity. I also wish we had gotten deeper into the “dark forces” thoughts or motivations. And after all the buildup, the final “boss battle” felt a bit underwhelming. It was wrapped up too easily after so much effort and mystery, and the solution being… a tire iron? Come on.
Ultimately, it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. I went in wanting a scarier horror element, but I do think it’ll hit the spot for anyone who loves cheesy campy horror as I can easily see this as a 80s inspired horror film. I’m still glad I read it because it’s unlike anything I’ve picked up before. Dan Erbach takes you on a fun, weird little adventure inspired by his own family’s experience in the Smoky Mountains, and the title absolutely nails what you’re about to get into. It’s another tall tale of kids trying to warn adults something is off, getting ignored, and having to figure it out themselves—and that part, I really enjoyed.
After Scarlett Sutton is dragged to the Smoky Mountains to stay with her dad, she’s convinced she’s in for the most boring summer imaginable, surrounded by people she has zero interest in. To fill her time, get her separated parents off her back, and gain a little independence, she picks up a job at a nearby outfitters store and activity center. But just as she starts settling into her new routine, people in the area begin to go missing, and disturbing remnants of both humans and wildlife start turning up. Somehow, Scarlett keeps landing right in the middle of it all—tripping over a body, finding herself knowing several of the victims, and noticing that yellow jackets show up at every single crime scene, rapidly spreading to the whole area. So, she rallies a team, gets fired up, and decides she’s ending whatever is happening here before it takes anyone else she has come to care about.
The premise of Meat Bees is genuinely interesting, but there were a few small tweaks that would’ve made it stronger for me. I would’ve loved for the third-person POV to branch out more consistently through other characters—there were a few short excerpts every couple of chapters, but it felt like a missed opportunity for added complexity. I also wish we had gotten deeper into the “dark forces” thoughts or motivations. And after all the buildup, the final “boss battle” felt a bit underwhelming. It was wrapped up too easily after so much effort and mystery, and the solution being… a tire iron? Come on.
Ultimately, it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. I went in wanting a scarier horror element, but I do think it’ll hit the spot for anyone who loves cheesy campy horror as I can easily see this as a 80s inspired horror film. I’m still glad I read it because it’s unlike anything I’ve picked up before. Dan Erbach takes you on a fun, weird little adventure inspired by his own family’s experience in the Smoky Mountains, and the title absolutely nails what you’re about to get into. It’s another tall tale of kids trying to warn adults something is off, getting ignored, and having to figure it out themselves—and that part, I really enjoyed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Meat Bees threw me for a loop. Described as Jaws with wasps, and paired with an awe striking, super intriguing cover that feels like a movie you would find buried in the horror section of Tubi, I thought I was in for a campy romp through the Smoky Mountains and killer bees. This book is much more than that, but also, a little campy.
Scarlett Sutton spends the summer at her dad’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains after her mom checks into a hospital, only to stumble into a deadly mystery. When a job at a local outfitter leads her to a skeleton beneath a zip line and a missing coworker, Scarlett and her friends uncover a horrifying truth: a swarm of vicious yellow jackets is killing the locals. With the sheriff overwhelmed and danger closing in, Scarlett must face the mountain’s darkness and stop the wasps before more lives are lost.
Dane Erbach is remarkable with imagery. I highlighted at least ten to fifteen different options to showcase this, but landed on sharing this one: “Scarlett spotted the meat lump, spreading like softened butter on the ground.” Gross, but you cannot unpicture it. Incredible stuff.
This story is much deeper than Jaws with wasps. Yes, there are wasps, and yes, they are killing people, but what I really liked about this book is that there is so much more to it. The use of tension is very well executed and far removed from anything you might watch on Tubi.
I did not really connect with the main character at the start of the book, but I love a character arc, and Scarlett’s arc is brilliant. Meat bees were not the hardest challenge she had to overcome and conquer. Her family was. By the end of the story, I was actively cheering her on.
If you like mystery with a true crime feel, killer bees, and a hint of supernatural horror, this book is for you. I loved every minute of it.
Thank you to Dane Erbach and NetGalley for sending me this copy in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to thank the random person who DNF’d their ARC, which led to me getting mine.
Scarlett Sutton spends the summer at her dad’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains after her mom checks into a hospital, only to stumble into a deadly mystery. When a job at a local outfitter leads her to a skeleton beneath a zip line and a missing coworker, Scarlett and her friends uncover a horrifying truth: a swarm of vicious yellow jackets is killing the locals. With the sheriff overwhelmed and danger closing in, Scarlett must face the mountain’s darkness and stop the wasps before more lives are lost.
Dane Erbach is remarkable with imagery. I highlighted at least ten to fifteen different options to showcase this, but landed on sharing this one: “Scarlett spotted the meat lump, spreading like softened butter on the ground.” Gross, but you cannot unpicture it. Incredible stuff.
This story is much deeper than Jaws with wasps. Yes, there are wasps, and yes, they are killing people, but what I really liked about this book is that there is so much more to it. The use of tension is very well executed and far removed from anything you might watch on Tubi.
I did not really connect with the main character at the start of the book, but I love a character arc, and Scarlett’s arc is brilliant. Meat bees were not the hardest challenge she had to overcome and conquer. Her family was. By the end of the story, I was actively cheering her on.
If you like mystery with a true crime feel, killer bees, and a hint of supernatural horror, this book is for you. I loved every minute of it.
Thank you to Dane Erbach and NetGalley for sending me this copy in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to thank the random person who DNF’d their ARC, which led to me getting mine.
December 7, 2025
Many people say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I don’t think that’s good advice at all; What’s the point of a book cover if not to distill the essence of the story into a single picture. Therefore when I saw the cover art for Meat Bees I knew I just had to read it, even if that meant trying my first horror novel. Unfortunately for me it seemed it was quite popular on NetGalley so I feared my request would be rejected, and after more than a week of waiting to my surprise I was approved for an ARC so away I went.
If I had to distill it into a vibe I’d say ‘fun 00s horror flick’. The characterisation and mood of the entire book were a real treat throughout and kept me coming back for more.
What really makes it stand out however was the heart contained in it. Often in stories like this the action and horror can cause the interpersonal relationship take a backseat but that didn’t apply at all here, I loved the relationship between Scarlett and her dad as it built over the course of the story, going against the more typical absentee father in these kinds of stories. Obviously the friendship between Liv and Scarlett was also a high point, accurately reflecting what I believe teenage girls are like, though I fear I’ve never been one.
That is not to say the action wasn’t also incredible, it had everything I could have wanted and more, beautifully balancing the stress and comedy to keep me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the change of perspective for each death allowing you to piece together more than the main characters would be aware of without the need for heavy exposition.
All together a brilliant read and definitely recommend to horror fans when it comes out
If I had to distill it into a vibe I’d say ‘fun 00s horror flick’. The characterisation and mood of the entire book were a real treat throughout and kept me coming back for more.
What really makes it stand out however was the heart contained in it. Often in stories like this the action and horror can cause the interpersonal relationship take a backseat but that didn’t apply at all here, I loved the relationship between Scarlett and her dad as it built over the course of the story, going against the more typical absentee father in these kinds of stories. Obviously the friendship between Liv and Scarlett was also a high point, accurately reflecting what I believe teenage girls are like, though I fear I’ve never been one.
That is not to say the action wasn’t also incredible, it had everything I could have wanted and more, beautifully balancing the stress and comedy to keep me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the change of perspective for each death allowing you to piece together more than the main characters would be aware of without the need for heavy exposition.
All together a brilliant read and definitely recommend to horror fans when it comes out
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Meat Bees by Dane Erbach is an adrenaline-pumping mix of Jaws with wasps—imagine a terrifying swarm of insects attacking in the wilds of the Smoky Mountains. The story kicks off with a bang, as Scarlett Sutton arrives at her dad’s cabin, only to find that the area has already claimed two lives to the wasps, setting a chilling tone for the rest of the book.
One of the book’s biggest strengths is its intense, suspenseful atmosphere. The scenes with the wasps are genuinely creepy and visceral, and the mystery surrounding the local deaths is engaging enough to keep you flipping pages. Scarlett’s determination to uncover the truth adds a compelling drive to the story, and the setting is vividly described, immersing you in the mountain landscape and its dark secrets.
However, Scarlett’s attitude can sometimes be a bit overbearing. She’s stubborn to a fault, often rushing headlong into danger with little regard for her own safety or the opinions of others. While her tenacity is admirable, her dismissiveness of advice and her tendency to push everyone away made her somewhat frustrating at times. Her confidence occasionally veers into arrogance, making it hard to fully root for her in every scene.
Despite this, her fierce protectiveness and willingness to step outside her comfort zone do add layers to her character. The plot’s twists and the creepy, insect-filled horror keep the tension high, though some moments feel a little predictable.
All in all, Meat Bees is a fun, fast-paced horror story with a strong sense of place and plenty of creepy insect horror. If you enjoy thrillers with a gutsy heroine and a mountain of suspense, this book is worth a read—even if Scarlett’s attitude occasionally tested my patience.
Rating: 3.5 stars
One of the book’s biggest strengths is its intense, suspenseful atmosphere. The scenes with the wasps are genuinely creepy and visceral, and the mystery surrounding the local deaths is engaging enough to keep you flipping pages. Scarlett’s determination to uncover the truth adds a compelling drive to the story, and the setting is vividly described, immersing you in the mountain landscape and its dark secrets.
However, Scarlett’s attitude can sometimes be a bit overbearing. She’s stubborn to a fault, often rushing headlong into danger with little regard for her own safety or the opinions of others. While her tenacity is admirable, her dismissiveness of advice and her tendency to push everyone away made her somewhat frustrating at times. Her confidence occasionally veers into arrogance, making it hard to fully root for her in every scene.
Despite this, her fierce protectiveness and willingness to step outside her comfort zone do add layers to her character. The plot’s twists and the creepy, insect-filled horror keep the tension high, though some moments feel a little predictable.
All in all, Meat Bees is a fun, fast-paced horror story with a strong sense of place and plenty of creepy insect horror. If you enjoy thrillers with a gutsy heroine and a mountain of suspense, this book is worth a read—even if Scarlett’s attitude occasionally tested my patience.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
i'll be honest and say that it was the cover that drew me in, it's absolutely gorgeous. i liked the overall camp-y horror trash vibe that was going on, i could definitely imagine watching this on a friday night, and i also liked that it was set in a small town. i thought the execution of the wasps was great and their chapters were done wonderfully. i personally thought none of the human characters got enough characterisation, some of them barely had a vibe to them, and i wish we got to see them in different settings other than the workplace. scarlett was okay, although at times she was glaringly written by a man. i did like her friendship with liv. i know i was supposed to think the dad was a good person, but this isn't the 2000s anymore and leaving your daughter to take care of her mentally ill mother isn't an indicator of being a good dad at all, sorry. the references (outside of the bands, i could understand that with parents being young in the 2000s) were a bit outdated to me. what average teenager is thinking of drake of all people (especially what with all that's going on around him) to compare someone to, and on top of that wanting to listen to him? you could argue it was the situation she was in, but i think anyone else could have been chosen, as this is, well, a book, not reality. then there were the mentions of boycotted establishment, one chapter in particular had a whole segment dedicated to one, to the point that it almost sounded like an instagram #ad post. also, maybe it was for the sake of satire, but describing the skin of characters of color using food is just not it in this day and age.
i'll be honest and say that it was the cover that drew me in, it's absolutely gorgeous. i liked the overall camp-y horror trash vibe that was going on, i could definitely imagine watching this on a friday night, and i also liked that it was set in a small town. i thought the execution of the wasps was great and their chapters were done wonderfully. i personally thought none of the human characters got enough characterisation, some of them barely had a vibe to them, and i wish we got to see them in different settings other than the workplace. scarlett was okay, although at times she was glaringly written by a man. i did like her friendship with liv. i know i was supposed to think the dad was a good person, but this isn't the 2000s anymore and leaving your daughter to take care of her mentally ill mother isn't an indicator of being a good dad at all, sorry. the references (outside of the bands, i could understand that with parents being young in the 2000s) were a bit outdated to me. what average teenager is thinking of drake of all people (especially what with all that's going on around him) to compare someone to, and on top of that wanting to listen to him? you could argue it was the situation she was in, but i think anyone else could have been chosen, as this is, well, a book, not reality. then there were the mentions of boycotted establishment, one chapter in particular had a whole segment dedicated to one, to the point that it almost sounded like an instagram #ad post. also, maybe it was for the sake of satire, but describing the skin of characters of color using food is just not it in this day and age.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 out of 5 (rounded to 4)
What a fun read in the creepiest way possible. This Appalachian horror leans hard into body horror, unsettling imagery, and some truly wild plot twists. The structure of the book immediately pulled me in, especially the use of dates and timestamps, which helped ground the story and build tension as things escalated.
The modern elements worked really well in capturing the experience of a teenager moving from the city to Tennessee and slowly getting pulled into local mishaps and growing terror. That contrast between outsider perspective and rural setting added an extra layer of unease. The bugs and body horror elements were especially effective. They deliver all the creepy crawly discomfort that makes you want to look away, yet somehow keeps you reading until the very last page.
I also really enjoyed the twist in this book. It felt like a nod to several classic horror stories with similar themes while still managing to do something fresh and unexpected. The balance between homage and originality worked well for me.
On a lighter note, I genuinely had no idea that wasps are sometimes referred to as meat bees, which made the title even more unsettling in retrospect. Also, do not skip the author’s note. It was fascinating to read about the inspiration behind the story and added an extra layer of appreciation for the book as a whole.
**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
What a fun read in the creepiest way possible. This Appalachian horror leans hard into body horror, unsettling imagery, and some truly wild plot twists. The structure of the book immediately pulled me in, especially the use of dates and timestamps, which helped ground the story and build tension as things escalated.
The modern elements worked really well in capturing the experience of a teenager moving from the city to Tennessee and slowly getting pulled into local mishaps and growing terror. That contrast between outsider perspective and rural setting added an extra layer of unease. The bugs and body horror elements were especially effective. They deliver all the creepy crawly discomfort that makes you want to look away, yet somehow keeps you reading until the very last page.
I also really enjoyed the twist in this book. It felt like a nod to several classic horror stories with similar themes while still managing to do something fresh and unexpected. The balance between homage and originality worked well for me.
On a lighter note, I genuinely had no idea that wasps are sometimes referred to as meat bees, which made the title even more unsettling in retrospect. Also, do not skip the author’s note. It was fascinating to read about the inspiration behind the story and added an extra layer of appreciation for the book as a whole.
**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
December 10, 2025
What a horror of a novel. And I say that in a good way. If this was a film, it would be one of those campy, B-rated movies and you would not want to turn your eyes away from it.
Scarlett is your typical angry, A-hole of a teenager. She moves to her dad’s cabin in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee as her mom addresses her mental health issues. If Scarlett wants better internet, she’ll have to get a job to help pay for it. So that’s what she does. She gets a job working the zip-lines at Stovetop Outfitters and makes a handful of friends along the way.
And then she trips over the first body. Well, a skeletonized corpse. At first, the community thinks it’s a killer on the loose and the Meat Bees are merely stripping the bodies if it’s meat. Unfortunately, it gets worse as the bodies begin to pile up. And it’s up to Scarlett to solve this mystery.
As unlikeable that Scarlett can be, eventually, you do warm up to her as she matures. She has heart, as does her father. The secondary plot is that of family relations and the difficulty one has navigating that dynamic. The growth of her character was not surprising and it was welcomed.
Many of the scenes were graphically gory. If you were a vegan or vegetarian, you might want to pass on this one. If those scenes don’t bother you, enjoy!
Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Meat Bees by Dane Erbach. This horror is to be published on August 4, 2026.
Scarlett is your typical angry, A-hole of a teenager. She moves to her dad’s cabin in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee as her mom addresses her mental health issues. If Scarlett wants better internet, she’ll have to get a job to help pay for it. So that’s what she does. She gets a job working the zip-lines at Stovetop Outfitters and makes a handful of friends along the way.
And then she trips over the first body. Well, a skeletonized corpse. At first, the community thinks it’s a killer on the loose and the Meat Bees are merely stripping the bodies if it’s meat. Unfortunately, it gets worse as the bodies begin to pile up. And it’s up to Scarlett to solve this mystery.
As unlikeable that Scarlett can be, eventually, you do warm up to her as she matures. She has heart, as does her father. The secondary plot is that of family relations and the difficulty one has navigating that dynamic. The growth of her character was not surprising and it was welcomed.
Many of the scenes were graphically gory. If you were a vegan or vegetarian, you might want to pass on this one. If those scenes don’t bother you, enjoy!
Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Meat Bees by Dane Erbach. This horror is to be published on August 4, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC via NetGalley to write an honest review. Thanks to Clash Books 🙌
Meat Bees: what a ride. We follow a teenage girl, Scarlett, who is forced to spend the summer with her dad in a small town, where she has to get a JOB in order to pay for her own car!!! Despite her recalcitrant teenage attitude, she manages to befriend the other kids at the Stovetop Outfitters zipline. Unfortunately, these friendships don't last long because an aggressive colony of murder wasps prowls the area and victims appear in droves, including among Scarlett's friends. Together with Liv and her car, Bruno, Scarlett emerges as a true crime detective and goes on the hunt.
I'd never read a book about the so-called Meat Bees before, and I found it a unique horror story which will definitely be approved by the scream queen/gory horror movie fan. However, the narrative style was a bit too chaotic at times, and it felt rushed, which made me read it with a rush too. Perhaps because the author is targeting the TikTok audience with a short attention span? Also, I really disliked reading about someone scrolling on TikTok, but I can see how that can reel a younger audience in. What I did find particularly strong was how the toxic relationship with Scarlett's mother became increasingly apparent and how her relationship with her father developed further. All in all: an interesting book, but it could have benefited from a bit more writing and editing time.
Meat Bees: what a ride. We follow a teenage girl, Scarlett, who is forced to spend the summer with her dad in a small town, where she has to get a JOB in order to pay for her own car!!! Despite her recalcitrant teenage attitude, she manages to befriend the other kids at the Stovetop Outfitters zipline. Unfortunately, these friendships don't last long because an aggressive colony of murder wasps prowls the area and victims appear in droves, including among Scarlett's friends. Together with Liv and her car, Bruno, Scarlett emerges as a true crime detective and goes on the hunt.
I'd never read a book about the so-called Meat Bees before, and I found it a unique horror story which will definitely be approved by the scream queen/gory horror movie fan. However, the narrative style was a bit too chaotic at times, and it felt rushed, which made me read it with a rush too. Perhaps because the author is targeting the TikTok audience with a short attention span? Also, I really disliked reading about someone scrolling on TikTok, but I can see how that can reel a younger audience in. What I did find particularly strong was how the toxic relationship with Scarlett's mother became increasingly apparent and how her relationship with her father developed further. All in all: an interesting book, but it could have benefited from a bit more writing and editing time.
December 21, 2025
Pure, campy, YA-adjacent horror.
ˋ° *⁀➷ Rating: 2/5 ✰
I'll be honest, this just wasn't for me. It definitely has an audience - anyone who likes those trashy horror movies like Sharknado or whatever (I don't even know what examples to give, it's so far away from my preferences) will most likely enjoy this a lot more than I did. I don't mind stuff being a bit weird sometimes, but it still has to be more genuine horror, and unfortunately this was just too silly for me.
I will say though, even if I was into campy horror, the main character feels very much like "a man trying to write a teenage girl" and it constantly irked me and yanked me out of the story. He just did not understand female relationships and motivations, and at times it was almost offensive how shallow he portrayed the main character to be, which was completely unrealistic even considering her age.
Speaking about their ages, the girls saying they're in their "slut era" even though they "don't even know what that means" felt so absurd. Same with the parts where Scarlett's interacting with the boys all "oh gosh what are these strange feelings I'm having" like PLEASE be so serious with me right now. She is SIXTEEN not TEN, god. Even a nun being raised in a convent knows what that feeling means, like let's not act like teenage girls are completely clueless. If anything, girls tend to have to grow up way faster than we should.
Closing thoughts:
The description should probably lean more heavy on the camp, and honestly the "Adult" tag really doesn't fit for this one since it reads so juvenile. At least Scarlett's social media addiction was realistic, I guess.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way.
ˋ° *⁀➷ Rating: 2/5 ✰
I'll be honest, this just wasn't for me. It definitely has an audience - anyone who likes those trashy horror movies like Sharknado or whatever (I don't even know what examples to give, it's so far away from my preferences) will most likely enjoy this a lot more than I did. I don't mind stuff being a bit weird sometimes, but it still has to be more genuine horror, and unfortunately this was just too silly for me.
I will say though, even if I was into campy horror, the main character feels very much like "a man trying to write a teenage girl" and it constantly irked me and yanked me out of the story. He just did not understand female relationships and motivations, and at times it was almost offensive how shallow he portrayed the main character to be, which was completely unrealistic even considering her age.
Speaking about their ages, the girls saying they're in their "slut era" even though they "don't even know what that means" felt so absurd. Same with the parts where Scarlett's interacting with the boys all "oh gosh what are these strange feelings I'm having" like PLEASE be so serious with me right now. She is SIXTEEN not TEN, god. Even a nun being raised in a convent knows what that feeling means, like let's not act like teenage girls are completely clueless. If anything, girls tend to have to grow up way faster than we should.
Closing thoughts:
The description should probably lean more heavy on the camp, and honestly the "Adult" tag really doesn't fit for this one since it reads so juvenile. At least Scarlett's social media addiction was realistic, I guess.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way.
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