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This B Just Won't Die!
This humorous, heart-pounding, feminist slasher takes on misogynist social pressures with one former scream queen as she is pursued by a serial killer impersonating the antagonist of her films. Former scream queen Barbra Jacobs desperately wants to break out of the box Hollywood has neatly packaged her in. Cast as the star of the Mirror horror franchise films twenty years ago, the breakout role that shaped her career has also destroyed her dreams of being taken seriously as an actress. Now forty, and still seeking the approval of everyone around her, she makes ends meet by signing old photos of herself and doing meet and greets at horror conventions. So when a producer calls asking her host The Monsters We Made, a hot new horror docuseries, she sees it as a step in the right direction. But when fans begin dying around her—and in ways that mimic the kills in her films—Barb is thrust back into a role she can’t seem to walk away The Final Girl. Will she ever break out of the display-box-life she’s been imprisoned in, or will Mirror Man end it all in Barbie’s Scream House?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I`m not normally big on slashers, unless they’re of the splatter kind with kill scenes that are so over the top you have to laugh but the cover of this one had me curious and when I read that the main character was a menopausal woman I was just too curious not to request it. I’m certainly glad I did because this book was a lot of fun.
I blew through this book in one evening and I would have happily read another 100 pages of it. Pell’s writing style is smooth and easy to read. Reading this book really made me want to read more of her work.
I loved Barbra. The way she was still trying to figure out her own identity as a middle-aged woman and still feeling tapped in what she used to be so long ago, that felt very of our generation and oddly relatable. It wasn’t just Barb though, all the characters were pretty solid in their own way.
The sense of humor was fantastic, the timing of it was absolutely chef’s kiss. It prevented the topics explored from feeling hamfisted and forced. After all isn’t it how we cope with them in our daily lives?
The pacing in general was really solid in a steady build up where the characters were steadily solidified in bits and pieces sort of way up until the end where it sort of just frayed apart, that’s really my only problem with this book, I wasn’t super keen on how the ending was handled even though it was a pretty decent ending.
I blew through this book in one evening and I would have happily read another 100 pages of it. Pell’s writing style is smooth and easy to read. Reading this book really made me want to read more of her work.
I loved Barbra. The way she was still trying to figure out her own identity as a middle-aged woman and still feeling tapped in what she used to be so long ago, that felt very of our generation and oddly relatable. It wasn’t just Barb though, all the characters were pretty solid in their own way.
The sense of humor was fantastic, the timing of it was absolutely chef’s kiss. It prevented the topics explored from feeling hamfisted and forced. After all isn’t it how we cope with them in our daily lives?
The pacing in general was really solid in a steady build up where the characters were steadily solidified in bits and pieces sort of way up until the end where it sort of just frayed apart, that’s really my only problem with this book, I wasn’t super keen on how the ending was handled even though it was a pretty decent ending.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review in the August 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/08...
Three Words That Describe This Book: Final Girl Trope, Pink (Feminist) Horror, Conversational Tone
This is a great example of the meta type of final girl story where a final girl scream queen becomes a real life final girl. It has all the parts fans of this trope want, inside info about final girl movies, nods to the "rules" within the genre, mystery as to who the killer is, etc... Readers love that they know what beats of the story are coming and Barb here, she knows too and still even s she tries to avoid the known traps, still gets caught up in them.
This one doubled down on Barb (Barbie) who played Debbie in 6 movies as part of the Mirror Man film franchise. She is now aging and living off the fame of being Debbie, the well known and loved final girl. She wishes she had more of an acting career and is definitely not dealing well with her own aging, but the chance to do a docuseries about her franchise for it's 20th Anniversary and the chance to be taken more seriously draws her in to the world of the franchise again.
Many people die here FYI. And the resolution as to who is behind it all was satisfying and original. The details are put in here very well to make the entire story worth the read and the payoff.
Pink Horror-- This is the term being given to this new but very overdue type of horror that is written by women who are angry, women who write horror that is violent and nuanced and terrifying but also satisfying for anyone to read. These are not cozy stories. they are deadly, terrifying, and immersive in the fear they create but they also plumb serious issues of being a woman in a world that thinks you are weak or lesser, a society that judges you by how pretty you are, how little space you take up, how you can't be too much or men won't enjoy looking at you and isn't that the whole point if you existing. These authors all scream NO while telling stories with real terrifying teeth. It is a change from the past, and I for one am here for it.
We women had to read the dude versions of these stories forever. If we could read those, men can read these. And they will because they are good.
This obviously is filled with satire as well. It is both a love letter too and a skewering of the final girls movie, the conscious creation of the scream queen, and the desire by the male gaze to keep her in that role forever. This is hammered home in the con scenes.
It is also written in a conversational tone which will draw readers in to Barbie's pov very easily. Coupled with short chapters, readers will breeze through this novel.
This is a great read for all final girl trope readers but especially those who like Final Gril Suport Group by Grady Hendrix and people who like the feminist, scary, thought provoking horror of Rachel Harrison. Anything she writes.
Other authors who do this very well are C.J. Leede and Gwendolyn Kiste.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Final Girl Trope, Pink (Feminist) Horror, Conversational Tone
This is a great example of the meta type of final girl story where a final girl scream queen becomes a real life final girl. It has all the parts fans of this trope want, inside info about final girl movies, nods to the "rules" within the genre, mystery as to who the killer is, etc... Readers love that they know what beats of the story are coming and Barb here, she knows too and still even s she tries to avoid the known traps, still gets caught up in them.
This one doubled down on Barb (Barbie) who played Debbie in 6 movies as part of the Mirror Man film franchise. She is now aging and living off the fame of being Debbie, the well known and loved final girl. She wishes she had more of an acting career and is definitely not dealing well with her own aging, but the chance to do a docuseries about her franchise for it's 20th Anniversary and the chance to be taken more seriously draws her in to the world of the franchise again.
Many people die here FYI. And the resolution as to who is behind it all was satisfying and original. The details are put in here very well to make the entire story worth the read and the payoff.
Pink Horror-- This is the term being given to this new but very overdue type of horror that is written by women who are angry, women who write horror that is violent and nuanced and terrifying but also satisfying for anyone to read. These are not cozy stories. they are deadly, terrifying, and immersive in the fear they create but they also plumb serious issues of being a woman in a world that thinks you are weak or lesser, a society that judges you by how pretty you are, how little space you take up, how you can't be too much or men won't enjoy looking at you and isn't that the whole point if you existing. These authors all scream NO while telling stories with real terrifying teeth. It is a change from the past, and I for one am here for it.
We women had to read the dude versions of these stories forever. If we could read those, men can read these. And they will because they are good.
This obviously is filled with satire as well. It is both a love letter too and a skewering of the final girls movie, the conscious creation of the scream queen, and the desire by the male gaze to keep her in that role forever. This is hammered home in the con scenes.
It is also written in a conversational tone which will draw readers in to Barbie's pov very easily. Coupled with short chapters, readers will breeze through this novel.
This is a great read for all final girl trope readers but especially those who like Final Gril Suport Group by Grady Hendrix and people who like the feminist, scary, thought provoking horror of Rachel Harrison. Anything she writes.
Other authors who do this very well are C.J. Leede and Gwendolyn Kiste.
March 24, 2026
3.75 Stars
While obviously the feminism felt very surface level and in your face, it worked for the story being told here. Satirical horror romp that was tons of fun. I had a blast while reading this.
It was funny and a little bloody. Honestly, I love women who love horror and i love women who write horror. And yes slashers are for the girls, BUT something about a pink horror slasher just sits right in my heart. Barbie Just Won't Die! fed me very well. It was exactly what I expected and just what I needed.
I think the only issue I had was that maybe it was a bit too long because it started to become repetitive, and it felt a tiny bit slow and that some areas dragged.
Thank you to Gallery Books and netgalley for the arc.
While obviously the feminism felt very surface level and in your face, it worked for the story being told here. Satirical horror romp that was tons of fun. I had a blast while reading this.
It was funny and a little bloody. Honestly, I love women who love horror and i love women who write horror. And yes slashers are for the girls, BUT something about a pink horror slasher just sits right in my heart. Barbie Just Won't Die! fed me very well. It was exactly what I expected and just what I needed.
I think the only issue I had was that maybe it was a bit too long because it started to become repetitive, and it felt a tiny bit slow and that some areas dragged.
Thank you to Gallery Books and netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advanced copy from Netgalley.
Barb Jacobs is a final girl. Or at least she played one opposite uber-villain Mirror Man for 6 films. And now she spends her time signing pictures of her nubile self whilst men tell her how attractive she used to be. But when people start dying in real life around her, Barb is forced to play her role again, with much higher stakes this time.
Barb Jacobs Just Won't Die is a fun, campy, meta slasher novel, with funny one liners and creepy, tense scenes. I really enjoyed this one, read it in a single sitting and could have read more. The big reveal isn't a huge gasp-worthy moment but that doesn't matter because the reading experience is entertaining enough to overcome that.
Highly recommended for fans of Grady Hendrix and E.L. Chen.
Thanks again to Atlantic Books and Netgalley for this ARC.
Barb Jacobs is a final girl. Or at least she played one opposite uber-villain Mirror Man for 6 films. And now she spends her time signing pictures of her nubile self whilst men tell her how attractive she used to be. But when people start dying in real life around her, Barb is forced to play her role again, with much higher stakes this time.
Barb Jacobs Just Won't Die is a fun, campy, meta slasher novel, with funny one liners and creepy, tense scenes. I really enjoyed this one, read it in a single sitting and could have read more. The big reveal isn't a huge gasp-worthy moment but that doesn't matter because the reading experience is entertaining enough to overcome that.
Highly recommended for fans of Grady Hendrix and E.L. Chen.
Thanks again to Atlantic Books and Netgalley for this ARC.
July 23, 2026
Thank you Tanya and Gallery for my free ARC of This B Just Won't Die! by Tanya Pell — out Oct 13!
» READ IF YOU «
🔪 love a perimenopausal final girl who's painfully self-aware
🩸 want your slasher doing sharp commentary on feminism
💅 can’t resist potatoes, noise-cancelling airpods, or anything pink
» SYNOPSIS «
Barbra Jacobs was everybody’s favorite scream queen, beloved final girl of the Mirror Man franchise. But that was twenty years ago, and she was never able to break free from that one role. Now perimenopausal and scraping by on convention appearances and photo signings, she thinks hosting a new horror series might finally give her career a much-needed boost. But when fans start dying in kills that mirror her own in the films, Barb will be dragged back into the role she's spent decades trying to escape: Final Girl.
» REVIEW «
I am genuinely obsessed with Barb. Pell gives us a final girl who knows exactly what genre she's stuck in—not only has she SEEN the movies, she’s BEEN the girl who makes it out alive. But in real life, surviving a deranged killer turns out to be so much messier and harder than any script ever let on. Watching Barb bloom from someone chasing everyone else's approval into someone who's done being anyone's disposable scream queen is eeeeasily one of my favorite character journeys in horror this year. You will adore her, or your money back. Probably. Maybe. I can't promise that, okay?
What truly gets me excited about this book, though, is how much Pell manages to say underneath all the glitter and the gore—about aging, about dreams, about the world discarding women the second they stop being useful to the male gaze—without ever once losing her signature levity. This book is funny. It's campy in exactly the right ways. And yet, despite the humor and the slashing, it still finds room for real feminist teeth and honest self-actualization, which is such a hard balance to strike. Plus, the plot itself is wonderfully paced and full of delightful (and some decidedly less-so) characters. This is Pell at her absolute best.
One of my top for the year, without a doubt!
» RATING «
🩸 I'm Reborn 🩸
» READ-A-LIKES «
• Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison
• Revenge (2017 film)
• Molka by Monika Kim
• Dollface by Lindy Ryan
» READ IF YOU «
🔪 love a perimenopausal final girl who's painfully self-aware
🩸 want your slasher doing sharp commentary on feminism
💅 can’t resist potatoes, noise-cancelling airpods, or anything pink
» SYNOPSIS «
Barbra Jacobs was everybody’s favorite scream queen, beloved final girl of the Mirror Man franchise. But that was twenty years ago, and she was never able to break free from that one role. Now perimenopausal and scraping by on convention appearances and photo signings, she thinks hosting a new horror series might finally give her career a much-needed boost. But when fans start dying in kills that mirror her own in the films, Barb will be dragged back into the role she's spent decades trying to escape: Final Girl.
» REVIEW «
I am genuinely obsessed with Barb. Pell gives us a final girl who knows exactly what genre she's stuck in—not only has she SEEN the movies, she’s BEEN the girl who makes it out alive. But in real life, surviving a deranged killer turns out to be so much messier and harder than any script ever let on. Watching Barb bloom from someone chasing everyone else's approval into someone who's done being anyone's disposable scream queen is eeeeasily one of my favorite character journeys in horror this year. You will adore her, or your money back. Probably. Maybe. I can't promise that, okay?
What truly gets me excited about this book, though, is how much Pell manages to say underneath all the glitter and the gore—about aging, about dreams, about the world discarding women the second they stop being useful to the male gaze—without ever once losing her signature levity. This book is funny. It's campy in exactly the right ways. And yet, despite the humor and the slashing, it still finds room for real feminist teeth and honest self-actualization, which is such a hard balance to strike. Plus, the plot itself is wonderfully paced and full of delightful (and some decidedly less-so) characters. This is Pell at her absolute best.
One of my top for the year, without a doubt!
» RATING «
🩸 I'm Reborn 🩸
» READ-A-LIKES «
• Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison
• Revenge (2017 film)
• Molka by Monika Kim
• Dollface by Lindy Ryan
October 8, 2026
This was an entertaining and funny read. The dark humor really got me. I feel like this theme and plot has been done so many times before but the satire and dark humor truly made it feel like it was one of its own.
Barb is 40 and feels like a washed up final girl actress. Searching for more in her career and never achieving it Barb finds herself attending fan expos where she signs cast photos of herself from her hit slasher movies from years ago. When people around Barb start getting picked off one by one in a familiar way to the characters in her movies Barb has to use her final girl acting skills in real life.
Entertaining and whitty to say the least but when it comes to slasher / horror read pretty by the book and like any other. Read for the humor for sure.
Thank you Simon Audio for my gifted audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Barb is 40 and feels like a washed up final girl actress. Searching for more in her career and never achieving it Barb finds herself attending fan expos where she signs cast photos of herself from her hit slasher movies from years ago. When people around Barb start getting picked off one by one in a familiar way to the characters in her movies Barb has to use her final girl acting skills in real life.
Entertaining and whitty to say the least but when it comes to slasher / horror read pretty by the book and like any other. Read for the humor for sure.
Thank you Simon Audio for my gifted audiobook. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2026
I have read so many feminist horrors and what I have learned is that the real horror is just being a woman.
This B Just Won’t Die follows Barb, an aging final girl from a very popular horror franchise. Barb has been in Hollywood for 20 years and has always just been Debbie her character. But that takes on a whole new meaning when she finds herself at the centre of a murder spree and the killer is mirror man- the killer from her franchise.
There is so much to unpack here- Barb’s story was so engaging. Not only are we at the centre of a good ole’ fashioned slasher narrative, we are also navigating the mess that is being a woman in Hollywood. Barb having come from a troubled family, has more baggage than most and has not accepted age gracefully. Throughout the story, we see her battle with her identity and watch her try and fail to differentiate between her and the iconic Debbie. Having spent so much of her life just being what society expects from her, she finds herself at a loss with who she even is in the first place.
Tanya Pell gives us a lot with this novel. But what really resonated was Barb’s monologue about being grateful. Because it’s true, as women, no matter how hard we work, we are expected to be grateful for what we have or what we have achieved. As if it’s so out of the realm of possibility we just have to be thankful that it happened.
Honestly horror is the perfectly vessel for these kinds of critiques and commentaries. This B Just Won’t Die was well thought out and executed. I enjoyed every moment of it. This is the perfect fall season read and I highly recommend it!
This B Just Won’t Die follows Barb, an aging final girl from a very popular horror franchise. Barb has been in Hollywood for 20 years and has always just been Debbie her character. But that takes on a whole new meaning when she finds herself at the centre of a murder spree and the killer is mirror man- the killer from her franchise.
There is so much to unpack here- Barb’s story was so engaging. Not only are we at the centre of a good ole’ fashioned slasher narrative, we are also navigating the mess that is being a woman in Hollywood. Barb having come from a troubled family, has more baggage than most and has not accepted age gracefully. Throughout the story, we see her battle with her identity and watch her try and fail to differentiate between her and the iconic Debbie. Having spent so much of her life just being what society expects from her, she finds herself at a loss with who she even is in the first place.
Tanya Pell gives us a lot with this novel. But what really resonated was Barb’s monologue about being grateful. Because it’s true, as women, no matter how hard we work, we are expected to be grateful for what we have or what we have achieved. As if it’s so out of the realm of possibility we just have to be thankful that it happened.
Honestly horror is the perfectly vessel for these kinds of critiques and commentaries. This B Just Won’t Die was well thought out and executed. I enjoyed every moment of it. This is the perfect fall season read and I highly recommend it!
October 4, 2026
hank you so much to Gallery Books for this ARC & Simon Audio for this ALC! 🖤🔪
Out 10/13/26!
Okay, first of all — THIS COVER. It had my attention immediately. 😂 I love it so much. It’s fun, it’s giving spooky season perfection, and it is just SUCH a vibe.
Then I flipped it over, read the synopsis, saw Halloween meets Barbie and thought, SAY LESS. I am sold. 😂
I started this one physically and eventually moved over to the audio because… mom life. And I really, really, REALLY wanted to love it. The concept sounded so perfectly up my alley, but unfortunately, it ended up just being okay for me.
That absolutely does NOT mean I don’t think you should pick it up, though! There is so much about this book that is genuinely fun. I loved following Barbra as she navigates life as a former scream queen who has never quite been able to escape the horror franchise that made her famous. Twenty years later, she’s still signing photos at horror conventions and trying to prove she can be more than the Final Girl everyone knows her as— and then people around her start dying in ways that look suspiciously similar to the kills from her movies. 👀
I mean… COME ON. Such a fun setup.
But something was just missing for me. I never really connected with any of the characters enough to feel super invested in what happened to them, and the story felt a little too drawn out. I know I’ve said this about quite a few books lately, but I really think this could have been 50–100 pages shorter. It felt like I was waiting a longggg time for things to really get moving, and by the time they did, I wasn't as invested as I wanted to be.
I did really enjoy the horror-movie nostalgia, the scream queen/Final Girl anglenand the commentary surrounding women in Hollywood and the boxes they're expected to fit into. There are some really fun ideas here, and I can absolutely see this one working better for another reader— especially if you love slashers that lean a little campy and satirical.
For me, though, I just wanted MORE from it. More tension, more attachment to the characters, and maybe just a little less time getting to the good stuff.
Still, Halloween meets Barbie + a former scream queen + a killer recreating murders from her old movies?! Yeahhhh, I still think my horror-loving friends are going to want this one on their spooky season TBR. 😂🔪🩷
Out 10/13/26!
Okay, first of all — THIS COVER. It had my attention immediately. 😂 I love it so much. It’s fun, it’s giving spooky season perfection, and it is just SUCH a vibe.
Then I flipped it over, read the synopsis, saw Halloween meets Barbie and thought, SAY LESS. I am sold. 😂
I started this one physically and eventually moved over to the audio because… mom life. And I really, really, REALLY wanted to love it. The concept sounded so perfectly up my alley, but unfortunately, it ended up just being okay for me.
That absolutely does NOT mean I don’t think you should pick it up, though! There is so much about this book that is genuinely fun. I loved following Barbra as she navigates life as a former scream queen who has never quite been able to escape the horror franchise that made her famous. Twenty years later, she’s still signing photos at horror conventions and trying to prove she can be more than the Final Girl everyone knows her as— and then people around her start dying in ways that look suspiciously similar to the kills from her movies. 👀
I mean… COME ON. Such a fun setup.
But something was just missing for me. I never really connected with any of the characters enough to feel super invested in what happened to them, and the story felt a little too drawn out. I know I’ve said this about quite a few books lately, but I really think this could have been 50–100 pages shorter. It felt like I was waiting a longggg time for things to really get moving, and by the time they did, I wasn't as invested as I wanted to be.
I did really enjoy the horror-movie nostalgia, the scream queen/Final Girl anglenand the commentary surrounding women in Hollywood and the boxes they're expected to fit into. There are some really fun ideas here, and I can absolutely see this one working better for another reader— especially if you love slashers that lean a little campy and satirical.
For me, though, I just wanted MORE from it. More tension, more attachment to the characters, and maybe just a little less time getting to the good stuff.
Still, Halloween meets Barbie + a former scream queen + a killer recreating murders from her old movies?! Yeahhhh, I still think my horror-loving friends are going to want this one on their spooky season TBR. 😂🔪🩷
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This B Just Won't Die! 💄
✨review✨ thank you so much @simon.audio @gallerybooks for the free audiobook!
*and the friend who gifted me their ARC*
This B Just Won't Die!
by Tanya Pell
Narrated by Natalie Naudus
out 10/13/26!
This humorous, heart-pounding, feminist slasher follows an aging scream queen as she is pursued by a serial killer mimicking the murders from her horror films.
✨ My thoughts:
This was one of those books I absolutely could not wait to read, so when I saw it was an option from Simon Audio, I knew I had to snag it. And mannnn, this was SO dang fun!First, the audiobook narrator was amazing. She pulled me and kept me hanging onto every word. I ended up basically binging the audiobook. And I would absolutely listen to more books narrated by her. The story gave me EVERYTHING I wanted from that cover. Halloween meets Barbie? Hell yes. The whole thing was a fun, bloody romp, but what I loved most was that underneath all the slasher chaos, Barbara was incredibly human.I LOVED Barbara. I saw pieces of myself in her… someone who has spent so much time worrying about what everyone else thinks and trying to figure out who she really is. Because beneath the blood, she’s just a woman trying to figure out where she belongs and who she wants to be. Aren’t we all doing that? I sure as hell am. And I HAVE to mention the little Jade Daniels nod. Even if it was just a piece of clothing, I caught it—and as someone who absolutely LOVES Stephen Graham Jones, I was delighted. I’m so happy I loved this one as much as I thought I would. I already know I’m going to be recommending this one to my horror loving friends all spooky season long. If you’re looking for a fun slasher with a whole lot of personality, a killer audiobook, and a final girl you can’t help but root for… ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR TBR.
What to expect👇🏽
🔪 Slasher
🎬 Horror movie
💄 Final girl energy
🎧 Fantastic audiobook
🖤 Self-discovery + identity
Happy reading 📖🔪🩸💄
✨review✨ thank you so much @simon.audio @gallerybooks for the free audiobook!
*and the friend who gifted me their ARC*
This B Just Won't Die!
by Tanya Pell
Narrated by Natalie Naudus
out 10/13/26!
This humorous, heart-pounding, feminist slasher follows an aging scream queen as she is pursued by a serial killer mimicking the murders from her horror films.
✨ My thoughts:
This was one of those books I absolutely could not wait to read, so when I saw it was an option from Simon Audio, I knew I had to snag it. And mannnn, this was SO dang fun!First, the audiobook narrator was amazing. She pulled me and kept me hanging onto every word. I ended up basically binging the audiobook. And I would absolutely listen to more books narrated by her. The story gave me EVERYTHING I wanted from that cover. Halloween meets Barbie? Hell yes. The whole thing was a fun, bloody romp, but what I loved most was that underneath all the slasher chaos, Barbara was incredibly human.I LOVED Barbara. I saw pieces of myself in her… someone who has spent so much time worrying about what everyone else thinks and trying to figure out who she really is. Because beneath the blood, she’s just a woman trying to figure out where she belongs and who she wants to be. Aren’t we all doing that? I sure as hell am. And I HAVE to mention the little Jade Daniels nod. Even if it was just a piece of clothing, I caught it—and as someone who absolutely LOVES Stephen Graham Jones, I was delighted. I’m so happy I loved this one as much as I thought I would. I already know I’m going to be recommending this one to my horror loving friends all spooky season long. If you’re looking for a fun slasher with a whole lot of personality, a killer audiobook, and a final girl you can’t help but root for… ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR TBR.
What to expect👇🏽
🔪 Slasher
🎬 Horror movie
💄 Final girl energy
🎧 Fantastic audiobook
🖤 Self-discovery + identity
Happy reading 📖🔪🩸💄
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The first 50% was, in my opinion, so long. It was just this internal monologue over and over again. I get the point and the message it was saying but I feel it was a bit to much of the same thing that was repeated.
The second half was good, a bit of mystery/thriller. Some things were a little far fetched and made it a little hard to take seriously.
Overall I know a lot of fan of this genre will love this book but for me it was just okay.
Thank you Simons & Schuster for this ARC
The second half was good, a bit of mystery/thriller. Some things were a little far fetched and made it a little hard to take seriously.
Overall I know a lot of fan of this genre will love this book but for me it was just okay.
Thank you Simons & Schuster for this ARC
Want to Read
March 28, 2026want want want! this one sounds soo good! Pub Date: 10/2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First off, I knew I had to read this book based on the title and cover alone. I am not typically into slasher type books but I was willing to give this one a shot and it was a bloody good time. I found the main character, Barbara, to be really relatable especially as an "aging" woman these days. I could relate to her woes of getting older and not being good enough, pretty enough, just enough really and I think that's why I liked her so much. As far as the whodunnit aspect, I was a bit less enamored and it was a bit underwhelming. I still really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it to others looking for a fun, slasher, horror novel that is a tad campy. Great to read especially around slasher season aka Halloween.
Side note, I agree, potatoes are self care :)
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 10/13/26
Side note, I agree, potatoes are self care :)
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 10/13/26
September 23, 2026
Apparently “pink horror” is a thing, and if This B Just Won’t Die is any indication, I need more of it immediately. Tanya Pell delivers a wildly entertaining mashup of horror, thriller, comedy, and classic slasher movie vibes that somehow works perfectly. I don’t read a ton of horror, but this is exactly the kind I enjoy: campy, satirical, suspenseful, gruesome without taking itself too seriously, and powered by a whole lot of female rage.
And Barb? My kind of woman. She’s forty, perimenopausal, sarcastic, resentful, annoyed, and completely sick of everyone’s shit, especially the final girl role she’s been trapped in for twenty years. I loved the way Pell plays with horror tropes while also exploring aging, Hollywood, the expectations placed on women, and what happens when a woman finally gets tired of making herself palatable for everyone else. There’s plenty of humor here, but underneath it is some very real anger and emotion that gave the story more depth than I expected.
Don’t mistake all that fun for a lack of actual horror, though. There are gruesome kills, plenty of suspense, lots of action, and a killer recreating murders from Barb’s old slasher franchise. The whole thing has such a great throwback horror movie feel while still feeling fresh and modern. If you liked Dollface or How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates, this has a very similar blend of feminine aesthetics, dark humor, violence, and women who have simply HAD ENOUGH.
Natalie Naudus was fantastic on audio. She perfectly captured Barb’s rage, resentment, sarcasm, and constant annoyance while still giving the more vulnerable and emotional moments the weight they needed. Her performance made Barb feel even more vivid and was such a good match for the book’s heightened, campy energy. This was ridiculously fun, ideal for fall, and further proof that apparently my preferred flavor of horror is women being funny, furious, and possibly covered in blood.
Perfect for readers who love:
* Campy slasher movie vibes
* Feminist horror with plenty of female rage
* Dark humor and sharp sarcasm
* Funny, fed-up middle-aged heroines
* Thriller, horror, and comedy mashups
* Gruesome kills and fast-paced action
* Satirical takes on classic horror tropes
* Fantastic audiobook narration
And Barb? My kind of woman. She’s forty, perimenopausal, sarcastic, resentful, annoyed, and completely sick of everyone’s shit, especially the final girl role she’s been trapped in for twenty years. I loved the way Pell plays with horror tropes while also exploring aging, Hollywood, the expectations placed on women, and what happens when a woman finally gets tired of making herself palatable for everyone else. There’s plenty of humor here, but underneath it is some very real anger and emotion that gave the story more depth than I expected.
Don’t mistake all that fun for a lack of actual horror, though. There are gruesome kills, plenty of suspense, lots of action, and a killer recreating murders from Barb’s old slasher franchise. The whole thing has such a great throwback horror movie feel while still feeling fresh and modern. If you liked Dollface or How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates, this has a very similar blend of feminine aesthetics, dark humor, violence, and women who have simply HAD ENOUGH.
Natalie Naudus was fantastic on audio. She perfectly captured Barb’s rage, resentment, sarcasm, and constant annoyance while still giving the more vulnerable and emotional moments the weight they needed. Her performance made Barb feel even more vivid and was such a good match for the book’s heightened, campy energy. This was ridiculously fun, ideal for fall, and further proof that apparently my preferred flavor of horror is women being funny, furious, and possibly covered in blood.
Perfect for readers who love:
* Campy slasher movie vibes
* Feminist horror with plenty of female rage
* Dark humor and sharp sarcasm
* Funny, fed-up middle-aged heroines
* Thriller, horror, and comedy mashups
* Gruesome kills and fast-paced action
* Satirical takes on classic horror tropes
* Fantastic audiobook narration
May 13, 2026
I had high hopes for this one from the beginning and I’m so pleased this one delivered and then some! Campy, twisty, funny and a shockingly relatable main character (aside from the scream queen part). I devoured this one pretty quickly as it was hard to put down.
Barb is now 40, dealing with perimenopause, not knowing what she really wants and is a hopeless people pleaser. She found stardom in her youth as the final girl in a fan favorite horror franchise. She’s now drifting, not knowing what to do now that she isn’t in her 20s and can’t escape her final girl type cast in Hollywood.
She’s just trying to figure out who she is and what she wants while paying the bills doing cons and bit jobs that keep her reluctantly tied to horror and that long ago franchise. She’s great at faking it to make it until a serial killer starts masquerading as the villain from her horror movie franchise.
The best part is that Barb is painfully aware of what’s happening and what a final girl should do, but life isn’t the movies and it’s much easier when her choices are scripted and her life doesn’t depend on it.
I absolutely loved Barb and her development throughout the story, there’s a quiet feminine rage, acceptance of yourself and always being smarter than the slasher. This book does a fabulous job of being campy without being cheesy. There’s some nostalgia and horror lovers will love the throwbacks to other franchises that are given nods in this book. It’s twisty, it’s fast paced and the humor is well done. You’ll be rooting for Barb too!
Barb is now 40, dealing with perimenopause, not knowing what she really wants and is a hopeless people pleaser. She found stardom in her youth as the final girl in a fan favorite horror franchise. She’s now drifting, not knowing what to do now that she isn’t in her 20s and can’t escape her final girl type cast in Hollywood.
She’s just trying to figure out who she is and what she wants while paying the bills doing cons and bit jobs that keep her reluctantly tied to horror and that long ago franchise. She’s great at faking it to make it until a serial killer starts masquerading as the villain from her horror movie franchise.
The best part is that Barb is painfully aware of what’s happening and what a final girl should do, but life isn’t the movies and it’s much easier when her choices are scripted and her life doesn’t depend on it.
I absolutely loved Barb and her development throughout the story, there’s a quiet feminine rage, acceptance of yourself and always being smarter than the slasher. This book does a fabulous job of being campy without being cheesy. There’s some nostalgia and horror lovers will love the throwbacks to other franchises that are given nods in this book. It’s twisty, it’s fast paced and the humor is well done. You’ll be rooting for Barb too!
October 14, 2026
ARC via NetGalley.
This B Just Won’t Die! follows Barb, a now-40-year-old final girl from the Mirror Man horror franchise, whose life is thrown into chaos after a brutal murder at a horror convention leaves her on edge and worried she may have been the target.
With renewed interest in the franchise putting her back in the spotlight, she finds herself staring into the mirror, not sure who is poised to strike and who is a friend. But while her killer may be masked, she is becoming tired of the plastic, fake mask she’s been wearing as the perfect victim for horror lovers.
I absolutely loved this funny, chaotic horror thriller that has fantastic slasher energy, a magnetic villain in Mirror Man, meta-level introspection on horror and its treatment of women, and one of the most lovable final girls in all pink.
The pacing in the first half of the book is pretty good, especially as we discover the franchise, the players, and Barb’s own identity as the quintessential final girl. The hotel scene was truly perfection. 💡 (iykyk)!
The second half was very fun, with brutal kills and an energy that felt like I was in a slasher movie. I was still guessing who the killer was until the end! I did find myself wishing the story was a little more streamlined, as my attention occasionally drifted in the final third when lulls interrupted the momentum building toward the final showdown.
Overall though, a fantastic read! And being inside Barb’s mind with all her insecurities, intrusive thoughts, and trauma, then watching her grow and embrace herself was a real pleasure to read.
This B Just Won’t Die! follows Barb, a now-40-year-old final girl from the Mirror Man horror franchise, whose life is thrown into chaos after a brutal murder at a horror convention leaves her on edge and worried she may have been the target.
With renewed interest in the franchise putting her back in the spotlight, she finds herself staring into the mirror, not sure who is poised to strike and who is a friend. But while her killer may be masked, she is becoming tired of the plastic, fake mask she’s been wearing as the perfect victim for horror lovers.
I absolutely loved this funny, chaotic horror thriller that has fantastic slasher energy, a magnetic villain in Mirror Man, meta-level introspection on horror and its treatment of women, and one of the most lovable final girls in all pink.
The pacing in the first half of the book is pretty good, especially as we discover the franchise, the players, and Barb’s own identity as the quintessential final girl. The hotel scene was truly perfection. 💡 (iykyk)!
The second half was very fun, with brutal kills and an energy that felt like I was in a slasher movie. I was still guessing who the killer was until the end! I did find myself wishing the story was a little more streamlined, as my attention occasionally drifted in the final third when lulls interrupted the momentum building toward the final showdown.
Overall though, a fantastic read! And being inside Barb’s mind with all her insecurities, intrusive thoughts, and trauma, then watching her grow and embrace herself was a real pleasure to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Former Scream Queen. Real Life Final Girl … Barb Jacob’s.
Barbie just won’t die or This b*tch just won’t die (I think Tanya changed the title of the book) was amazing. In my opinion it’s hard to do an adult slasher right but Tanya Pell did it amazingly. The real life implication of being a woman in horror and how the public sees you is so detailed and expressive. Obviously, I’m a man and do not know the pressures of being a woman. But, from my point of view I think the book does an amazing job showing the societal pressures that having to look a certain way and act a certain way has on the individual. Especially, if that person internalise it and lets it feast and eat at them. A lot of adult themes that are displayed. I loved how in the first part of the book we can see the toll that the mirror series has taken on Barbara and especially going to the conventions, interacting with fans. She’s living a lie basically, still being someone she’s not. Desperate to leave.
As for the slasher aspect (my favourite) I thought it was done very well and I kinda got excited at parts. Nothing was over the top or inventive. It was your basic Scream formula and it worked perfectly with the overall theme. I could see where the ending was going and am still a bit confused on it.
Overall, if you are a fan of Scream and Meta slashers then this one is 100% for you. The book comes out 13-OCT-2026
Barbie just won’t die or This b*tch just won’t die (I think Tanya changed the title of the book) was amazing. In my opinion it’s hard to do an adult slasher right but Tanya Pell did it amazingly. The real life implication of being a woman in horror and how the public sees you is so detailed and expressive. Obviously, I’m a man and do not know the pressures of being a woman. But, from my point of view I think the book does an amazing job showing the societal pressures that having to look a certain way and act a certain way has on the individual. Especially, if that person internalise it and lets it feast and eat at them. A lot of adult themes that are displayed. I loved how in the first part of the book we can see the toll that the mirror series has taken on Barbara and especially going to the conventions, interacting with fans. She’s living a lie basically, still being someone she’s not. Desperate to leave.
As for the slasher aspect (my favourite) I thought it was done very well and I kinda got excited at parts. Nothing was over the top or inventive. It was your basic Scream formula and it worked perfectly with the overall theme. I could see where the ending was going and am still a bit confused on it.
Overall, if you are a fan of Scream and Meta slashers then this one is 100% for you. The book comes out 13-OCT-2026
October 8, 2026
#ad much love for my advance copy @gallerybooks #partner
& @simon.audio #partner for the ALC
This B Just Won’t Die
< @
Releases: October 13, 2026
Final girls weren't heroes. Just survivors…
I had such high hopes for this one since I enjoyed Her Wicked Roots so much, but while I did enjoy some of this one, it felt like it was just a bunch of nothing happening.
This B Just Won’t Die is a hilarious feminist slasher but it doesn’t exactly deliver that. You’ll get the humor but the slasher side is quite weak. Barbara is an aging actress who is trying to break out of Hollywood’s box of her, but she’s being pushed out instead. There’s always the next young actress waiting to take your spot - and when Hollywood is done with you, you’re done.
Then fans of hers start popping up dead, their deaths way too similar to the movies she did. Is someone close to her killing off her fanbase? Or is it someone else? So many things to figure out. Then there’s the docuseries that Patty wants Barb for.
🎧: Also followed along with the audio and def recommend it. Natalie Naudus was the perfect narrator for this story. Her voice matched what was happening perfectly. Loved her pitch and tone. It was a fun listen. She really captured the FMC personality so well. Though I don’t care for the story, I loved the audio.
Expected more, wanted more. Blah.
& @simon.audio #partner for the ALC
This B Just Won’t Die
< @
Releases: October 13, 2026
Final girls weren't heroes. Just survivors…
I had such high hopes for this one since I enjoyed Her Wicked Roots so much, but while I did enjoy some of this one, it felt like it was just a bunch of nothing happening.
This B Just Won’t Die is a hilarious feminist slasher but it doesn’t exactly deliver that. You’ll get the humor but the slasher side is quite weak. Barbara is an aging actress who is trying to break out of Hollywood’s box of her, but she’s being pushed out instead. There’s always the next young actress waiting to take your spot - and when Hollywood is done with you, you’re done.
Then fans of hers start popping up dead, their deaths way too similar to the movies she did. Is someone close to her killing off her fanbase? Or is it someone else? So many things to figure out. Then there’s the docuseries that Patty wants Barb for.
🎧: Also followed along with the audio and def recommend it. Natalie Naudus was the perfect narrator for this story. Her voice matched what was happening perfectly. Loved her pitch and tone. It was a fun listen. She really captured the FMC personality so well. Though I don’t care for the story, I loved the audio.
Expected more, wanted more. Blah.
October 1, 2026
• 4.5 rounded to 5 •
i was really looking forward to this one, & honestly, it did not disappoint! i had such a fun time reading it.
barb is a final girl who all of a sudden finds herself becoming one in real life when people around her start dying.
this was such a funny horror slasher. it was mixed with suspense, gore, & barbie vibes. i could not stop laughing, but at the same time, this book kept me at the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the heck was behind it all! i thought i had figured it out & was soooo freakin’ sure i knew who it was, until like around 70-80%. so safe to say, i was pretty darn shocked when the reveal happened.
only reason this was not a full 5 star is because i did find barb to get a little annoying at times with how much she worried about her image, what people thought of her, & how she would be perceived. but at the same time, i could understand where she was coming from.
overall, this was a very entertaining read. i had a great time with this one! definitely recommend if you enjoy humor with your slashers, along with barbie vibes. you can’t go wrong with this one!
thank you so much to simon & schuster for the gifted advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.
i was really looking forward to this one, & honestly, it did not disappoint! i had such a fun time reading it.
barb is a final girl who all of a sudden finds herself becoming one in real life when people around her start dying.
this was such a funny horror slasher. it was mixed with suspense, gore, & barbie vibes. i could not stop laughing, but at the same time, this book kept me at the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the heck was behind it all! i thought i had figured it out & was soooo freakin’ sure i knew who it was, until like around 70-80%. so safe to say, i was pretty darn shocked when the reveal happened.
only reason this was not a full 5 star is because i did find barb to get a little annoying at times with how much she worried about her image, what people thought of her, & how she would be perceived. but at the same time, i could understand where she was coming from.
overall, this was a very entertaining read. i had a great time with this one! definitely recommend if you enjoy humor with your slashers, along with barbie vibes. you can’t go wrong with this one!
thank you so much to simon & schuster for the gifted advanced copy in exchanged for an honest review.
October 10, 2026
A healthy dose of feminine rage inspired gore mixed with an incredible cast of bitter characters, who at certain points throughout the story, are all guilty of being trapped in one position they find themselves unable to escape. And if you cannot go out quietly, why not take a few down as you fall!
This is the incredible story of Barbra Jacob’s-scream queen extraordinaire; typecast as a final girl for not one, not two, but six slasher series movies. An overnight sensation- but now it’s mid life, and she’s desperate to get out of that typecast role and move on.
Yet, someone else really wants her to be the final, final girl and terrible things occur while Barbra attempts to extricate herself from the horror film industry. Which bitter character wants her truly dead?
This is a snarky, darkly humorous read about determining one’s self worth and is it always based off what others think of us? Or what we think of ourselves? Or being typecast as a certain persona and never being seen as anything but that one image?
This is well done with themes, plot, and suspenseful terror!
This is the incredible story of Barbra Jacob’s-scream queen extraordinaire; typecast as a final girl for not one, not two, but six slasher series movies. An overnight sensation- but now it’s mid life, and she’s desperate to get out of that typecast role and move on.
Yet, someone else really wants her to be the final, final girl and terrible things occur while Barbra attempts to extricate herself from the horror film industry. Which bitter character wants her truly dead?
This is a snarky, darkly humorous read about determining one’s self worth and is it always based off what others think of us? Or what we think of ourselves? Or being typecast as a certain persona and never being seen as anything but that one image?
This is well done with themes, plot, and suspenseful terror!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was so much fun! It was like if Scream and The Barbie movie with Margot Robie had a baby. There was lots of feminine rage, gory kills, and lots of fun twists. I was guessing till the end who the killer was, which was a lot of fun. Also, as someone who is encroaching on my 40s, the perimenopause discussion feels really refreshing and relatable to read about, when so many other stories revolve around women in their 20s. I loved the commentary about how aging women are viewed and held to different standards.
This book was everything I was hoping it to be, and more. I loved the depth to the characters and their relationships. I loved the build to each of the kills - the pacing overall was great because we had a slower start but got to know the characters and their relationships with Barbra, but once it hit the fan, this turned into the perfect slasher story that I think was movie-worthy. If you loved the Scream movies and you loved the Barbie movie, you'll definitely enjoy this one!
This was so much fun! It was like if Scream and The Barbie movie with Margot Robie had a baby. There was lots of feminine rage, gory kills, and lots of fun twists. I was guessing till the end who the killer was, which was a lot of fun. Also, as someone who is encroaching on my 40s, the perimenopause discussion feels really refreshing and relatable to read about, when so many other stories revolve around women in their 20s. I loved the commentary about how aging women are viewed and held to different standards.
This book was everything I was hoping it to be, and more. I loved the depth to the characters and their relationships. I loved the build to each of the kills - the pacing overall was great because we had a slower start but got to know the characters and their relationships with Barbra, but once it hit the fan, this turned into the perfect slasher story that I think was movie-worthy. If you loved the Scream movies and you loved the Barbie movie, you'll definitely enjoy this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Tanya Pell has established herself as an absolute master of all different types of horror, and with Barbie Just Won’t Die!, she shows herself an absolute master of the slasher. This book works brilliantly as a classic slasher, following the familiar beats while having so many twists and surprises that will keep veterans and new readers alike shocked and delighted. Some truly gnarly kills, an instantly iconic villain, and some fantastic set pieces make this a slasher instant classic.
But the beauty of this book doesn’t just stop there, because Pell uses the slasher as a way to explore the way that society looks at women, and specifically women as they age. Barbra Jacob’s is a completely three dimensional, breathing, fully formed, flawed, and fantastic main character. She makes good decisions, bad decisions, selfish decisions, selfless decisions, and shows how so often a man (especially a white man) can do the same thing and be celebrated, but when a woman does it, it’s a problem.
The director and co-star of the iconic slasher film she is celebrating the anniversary of are rugged, mature geniuses and iconoclasts, she is past her prime and has to act exactly as expected if she hopes to continue landing roles and jobs in show business.
Pell doesn’t flinch from the realities of the human body as it ages (or when it is damaged in an attack) and this becomes a book that works so perfectly as both an entertainment and a philosophical look at the effects of patriarchy and unfair expectations of women.
A must read and Pell further cements herself as a favorite of mine personally and a definite must buy author.
But the beauty of this book doesn’t just stop there, because Pell uses the slasher as a way to explore the way that society looks at women, and specifically women as they age. Barbra Jacob’s is a completely three dimensional, breathing, fully formed, flawed, and fantastic main character. She makes good decisions, bad decisions, selfish decisions, selfless decisions, and shows how so often a man (especially a white man) can do the same thing and be celebrated, but when a woman does it, it’s a problem.
The director and co-star of the iconic slasher film she is celebrating the anniversary of are rugged, mature geniuses and iconoclasts, she is past her prime and has to act exactly as expected if she hopes to continue landing roles and jobs in show business.
Pell doesn’t flinch from the realities of the human body as it ages (or when it is damaged in an attack) and this becomes a book that works so perfectly as both an entertainment and a philosophical look at the effects of patriarchy and unfair expectations of women.
A must read and Pell further cements herself as a favorite of mine personally and a definite must buy author.
August 26, 2026
Review of Advanced Copy provided by the Publisher.
So, I thought this was going to be a horror book, but it came across more like a light thriller/mystery. This takes a look at the role of scream queens in horror movies, aging, and being a woman in Hollywood. I enjoyed the overall concept, but the execution seemed strained and disjointed. I get the feeling it was trying to say something, but it wasn’t quite getting where it wanted to be.
I think this book definitely has its intended audience and that they will absolutely enjoy it.
For me, it was just okay.
So, I thought this was going to be a horror book, but it came across more like a light thriller/mystery. This takes a look at the role of scream queens in horror movies, aging, and being a woman in Hollywood. I enjoyed the overall concept, but the execution seemed strained and disjointed. I get the feeling it was trying to say something, but it wasn’t quite getting where it wanted to be.
I think this book definitely has its intended audience and that they will absolutely enjoy it.
For me, it was just okay.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with this ARC.
This B Just Won't Die! is surely a meta, trope-y book for slasher fans. It utilizes familiar elements that we know and love while winking at us along the way. In regards to it's overall atmosphere as a slasher, this book is like putting on a comfortable, familiar pair of shoes.
The thing that I found most engaging was our final girl, Barb. The way that Pell wrote her body dysmorphia, self-loathing, and want to be wanted made her relatable and sympathetic, the kind of person you could root for even if you can't relate to all of her personal issues. Pell captured an ongoing debate in horror quite well - when do we stop reveling in the violence to reflect on how women in the genre are treated?
Although the feel of This B Just Won't Die! worked in a lot of ways, it suffered in storytelling and pacing. The bookends of the narrative were well done, but at about 45% of the way into the story, it slowed so much that it became a tad boring. Luckily, the thrills picked back up at about 65% in and maintained a good pace up till the end.
But after a while, this book - for me - began to feel almost too full of tropes that it started to lose its fun. There's a fine line of predictability that comes with horror, and specifically the slasher genre - eventually we stop reveling in the familiar fun and begin to instead wait for something interesting to actually happen.
The thing that truly brought this story down the most, in my opinion, is the finale reveals. As I mentioned, predictability is to be expected in the genre, but the fact that I guessed all 3 of the big reveals and was let down by all of them? A bit unfortunate.
So, although I have my gripes with This B Just Won't Die!, I think it may work incredibly well for other readers. For those who enjoy 90s slasher vibes with a little bit of camp, this will be a fun ride!
R.E.A.D.S. SCORE
R: 7/10
E: 6/10
A: 6/10
D: 6/10
S: 6/10
Total: 6.20/10.00
This B Just Won't Die! is surely a meta, trope-y book for slasher fans. It utilizes familiar elements that we know and love while winking at us along the way. In regards to it's overall atmosphere as a slasher, this book is like putting on a comfortable, familiar pair of shoes.
The thing that I found most engaging was our final girl, Barb. The way that Pell wrote her body dysmorphia, self-loathing, and want to be wanted made her relatable and sympathetic, the kind of person you could root for even if you can't relate to all of her personal issues. Pell captured an ongoing debate in horror quite well - when do we stop reveling in the violence to reflect on how women in the genre are treated?
Although the feel of This B Just Won't Die! worked in a lot of ways, it suffered in storytelling and pacing. The bookends of the narrative were well done, but at about 45% of the way into the story, it slowed so much that it became a tad boring. Luckily, the thrills picked back up at about 65% in and maintained a good pace up till the end.
But after a while, this book - for me - began to feel almost too full of tropes that it started to lose its fun. There's a fine line of predictability that comes with horror, and specifically the slasher genre - eventually we stop reveling in the familiar fun and begin to instead wait for something interesting to actually happen.
The thing that truly brought this story down the most, in my opinion, is the finale reveals. As I mentioned, predictability is to be expected in the genre, but the fact that I guessed all 3 of the big reveals and was let down by all of them? A bit unfortunate.
So, although I have my gripes with This B Just Won't Die!, I think it may work incredibly well for other readers. For those who enjoy 90s slasher vibes with a little bit of camp, this will be a fun ride!
R.E.A.D.S. SCORE
R: 7/10
E: 6/10
A: 6/10
D: 6/10
S: 6/10
Total: 6.20/10.00
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I love the cover of this book, and I was genuinely excited to read it because it seemed like something I’d really enjoy.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into it. As a huge horror and slasher fan, I expected to be pulled in more, but the story just didn’t fully click for me. The writing style ultimately wasn’t a good fit for my taste.
Thank you NetGalley, Tanya and Gallery Books for eARC!
Rating : ✨✨
Publication Date: October 13,2026
Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into it. As a huge horror and slasher fan, I expected to be pulled in more, but the story just didn’t fully click for me. The writing style ultimately wasn’t a good fit for my taste.
Thank you NetGalley, Tanya and Gallery Books for eARC!
Rating : ✨✨
Publication Date: October 13,2026
April 15, 2026
Great slasher and several excellent moments of tension. Enjoyed the commentary and thoughts on perimenopausal women in society!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It's always a blast to dive into a new slasher story, but what's even more fun is a fresh, unique, and entertaining take on the slasher genre such as
Tanya Pell
's
This B Just Won't Die
. Pell wonderfully balances horror, just the right amount of humor, and social commentary in this chilling tale.
Former scream queen Barbra Jacobs desperately wants to break out of the box Hollywood has neatly packaged her in. Cast as the star of the Mirror horror franchise films twenty years ago, the breakout role that shaped her career has also destroyed her dreams of being taken seriously as an actress. Now forty, and still seeking the approval of everyone around her, she makes ends meet by signing old photos of herself and doing meet and greets at horror conventions.
So when a producer calls asking her host The Monsters We Made, a hot new horror docuseries, she sees it as a step in the right direction. But when fans begin dying around her—and in ways that mimic the kills in her films—Barb is thrust back into a role she can’t seem to walk away from: The Final Girl.
Will she ever break out of the display-box-life she’s been imprisoned in, or will Mirror Man end it all in Barbie’s Scream House?
As someone who has worked closely with various conventions and hosted a number of panels, its fun to dive into a fictional story the features the convention life. Knowing that a lot of the guests of these conventions are not currently working in their field and spend most of their time signing autographs and taking photos with the fans from their work of the past. Twisting this story from there into a slasher story made for a gripping adventure.
Its not the convention itself that takes center stage, but our main character Barbra "Barb" Jacobs and her struggle to find an identity while dealing with the struggles of aging, typecasting, and finding self-worth. This made Barb's character feel much more relatable and the stakes all that more higher. Pell wonderfully crafts Barb's character in a way that made it easy to root for her, while also making her more than a typical Final Girl, one with more emotional depth.
This B Just Won't Die is proof of Pell's love for the genre. Pell crafts a horror story that feels familiar to us fans of the genre, all while delivering on surprises and elements that keep you on the edge of your seat. It's the actual scares in this story that terrify you, but it's the relationship to real life horrors that hit even harder, including aging, visibility, fame, and societal expectations. Blending these themes into a story, while also creating a sense of unease isn't easy, but Pell lands it wonderfully.
Pell doesn't let off the gas with This B Just Won't Die. It's a fast-paced story with escalating tension that made each page quick, but also carry a lot of weight and momentum. It's the dark humor moments that give us a slight break from the tension that allows this novel to be swallowed a bit easier, but it also remains very entertaining during these breaks in suspense.
This B Just Won't Die is a wildly entertaining slasher that truly understands what horror fans love while delivering something fresh and meaningful. Tanya Pell wonderfully balances frights, dark humor, and thoughtful social commentary on aging, fame, and identity to create a story that feels thrilling and somehow relatable. Barb is a Final Girl worth rooting for and her journey adds emotional weight to the blood-soaked mystery unfolding around her. This B Just Won't Die is a love letter to slasher fans that proves familiar tropes can still feel fresh and relevant.
This B Just Won't Die! hits bookstores everywhere on October 13, 2026 from Gallery Books. The audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, is available via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of This B Just Won't Die! from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Former scream queen Barbra Jacobs desperately wants to break out of the box Hollywood has neatly packaged her in. Cast as the star of the Mirror horror franchise films twenty years ago, the breakout role that shaped her career has also destroyed her dreams of being taken seriously as an actress. Now forty, and still seeking the approval of everyone around her, she makes ends meet by signing old photos of herself and doing meet and greets at horror conventions.
So when a producer calls asking her host The Monsters We Made, a hot new horror docuseries, she sees it as a step in the right direction. But when fans begin dying around her—and in ways that mimic the kills in her films—Barb is thrust back into a role she can’t seem to walk away from: The Final Girl.
Will she ever break out of the display-box-life she’s been imprisoned in, or will Mirror Man end it all in Barbie’s Scream House?
As someone who has worked closely with various conventions and hosted a number of panels, its fun to dive into a fictional story the features the convention life. Knowing that a lot of the guests of these conventions are not currently working in their field and spend most of their time signing autographs and taking photos with the fans from their work of the past. Twisting this story from there into a slasher story made for a gripping adventure.
Its not the convention itself that takes center stage, but our main character Barbra "Barb" Jacobs and her struggle to find an identity while dealing with the struggles of aging, typecasting, and finding self-worth. This made Barb's character feel much more relatable and the stakes all that more higher. Pell wonderfully crafts Barb's character in a way that made it easy to root for her, while also making her more than a typical Final Girl, one with more emotional depth.
This B Just Won't Die is proof of Pell's love for the genre. Pell crafts a horror story that feels familiar to us fans of the genre, all while delivering on surprises and elements that keep you on the edge of your seat. It's the actual scares in this story that terrify you, but it's the relationship to real life horrors that hit even harder, including aging, visibility, fame, and societal expectations. Blending these themes into a story, while also creating a sense of unease isn't easy, but Pell lands it wonderfully.
Pell doesn't let off the gas with This B Just Won't Die. It's a fast-paced story with escalating tension that made each page quick, but also carry a lot of weight and momentum. It's the dark humor moments that give us a slight break from the tension that allows this novel to be swallowed a bit easier, but it also remains very entertaining during these breaks in suspense.
This B Just Won't Die is a wildly entertaining slasher that truly understands what horror fans love while delivering something fresh and meaningful. Tanya Pell wonderfully balances frights, dark humor, and thoughtful social commentary on aging, fame, and identity to create a story that feels thrilling and somehow relatable. Barb is a Final Girl worth rooting for and her journey adds emotional weight to the blood-soaked mystery unfolding around her. This B Just Won't Die is a love letter to slasher fans that proves familiar tropes can still feel fresh and relevant.
This B Just Won't Die! hits bookstores everywhere on October 13, 2026 from Gallery Books. The audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, is available via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of This B Just Won't Die! from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**5 Stars**
*This B Just Won't Die!* by Tanya Pell was everything I want from a slasher novel and then some. Sharp, darkly funny, self-aware, emotional, and packed with enough horror goodness to keep me hooked from beginning to end. This was my first book by Tanya Pell, and by the time I reached the final page, she had officially earned a spot on my insta-buy author list.
One thing I know about myself as a reader is that I will never get tired of a great Final Girl story. Give me horror conventions, scream queens, serial killers, and meta commentary on the genre, and I'm already invested. Pell takes those familiar elements and delivers something that feels both nostalgic and fresh, balancing horror and humor in a way that never undercuts either.
Barbra was an incredibly compelling protagonist. As a former scream queen struggling to move beyond the role that defined her career, she carries so much frustration, vulnerability, and determination throughout the story. Her journey isn't just about surviving a killer—it's about identity, self-worth, and breaking free from the boxes other people place us in. Watching her navigate those challenges made her feel far more layered than the typical horror heroine.
The horror itself absolutely delivered. The kills were creative, the tension was high, and the mystery surrounding Mirror Man kept me guessing. At the same time, the story never forgot to be fun. There were multiple moments where I found myself grinning because the book clearly understands and loves horror as much as its readers do.
What surprised me most was how thoughtful the story became beneath the blood and chaos. This isn't just a slasher. It's a novel that asks readers to think about celebrity, aging, expectations, identity, and the ways society often tries to define women long after they've outgrown the roles assigned to them. The themes felt natural and never overshadowed the entertainment value.
And can we talk about the aesthetic for a second? A pink horror book that is equal parts brutal, clever, and introspective is basically catnip for me. The contrast between the vibrant exterior and the darker themes inside worked perfectly.
Overall, *This B Just Won't Die!* was an absolute knockout. It's a love letter to horror fans, a fantastic Final Girl story, and a sharp examination of identity wrapped in a bloody, entertaining slasher package. If you love horror, scream queens, meta commentary, and stories that make you think while keeping you thoroughly entertained, put this one on your TBR immediately.
Tanya Pell has officially made me a fan, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.
Thank you, NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Tanya Pell (an absolute icon!) for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review.
*This B Just Won't Die!* by Tanya Pell was everything I want from a slasher novel and then some. Sharp, darkly funny, self-aware, emotional, and packed with enough horror goodness to keep me hooked from beginning to end. This was my first book by Tanya Pell, and by the time I reached the final page, she had officially earned a spot on my insta-buy author list.
One thing I know about myself as a reader is that I will never get tired of a great Final Girl story. Give me horror conventions, scream queens, serial killers, and meta commentary on the genre, and I'm already invested. Pell takes those familiar elements and delivers something that feels both nostalgic and fresh, balancing horror and humor in a way that never undercuts either.
Barbra was an incredibly compelling protagonist. As a former scream queen struggling to move beyond the role that defined her career, she carries so much frustration, vulnerability, and determination throughout the story. Her journey isn't just about surviving a killer—it's about identity, self-worth, and breaking free from the boxes other people place us in. Watching her navigate those challenges made her feel far more layered than the typical horror heroine.
The horror itself absolutely delivered. The kills were creative, the tension was high, and the mystery surrounding Mirror Man kept me guessing. At the same time, the story never forgot to be fun. There were multiple moments where I found myself grinning because the book clearly understands and loves horror as much as its readers do.
What surprised me most was how thoughtful the story became beneath the blood and chaos. This isn't just a slasher. It's a novel that asks readers to think about celebrity, aging, expectations, identity, and the ways society often tries to define women long after they've outgrown the roles assigned to them. The themes felt natural and never overshadowed the entertainment value.
And can we talk about the aesthetic for a second? A pink horror book that is equal parts brutal, clever, and introspective is basically catnip for me. The contrast between the vibrant exterior and the darker themes inside worked perfectly.
Overall, *This B Just Won't Die!* was an absolute knockout. It's a love letter to horror fans, a fantastic Final Girl story, and a sharp examination of identity wrapped in a bloody, entertaining slasher package. If you love horror, scream queens, meta commentary, and stories that make you think while keeping you thoroughly entertained, put this one on your TBR immediately.
Tanya Pell has officially made me a fan, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.
Thank you, NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Tanya Pell (an absolute icon!) for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest and fair review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This B Just Won't Die! feels like if Neve Campbell wrote a book about her life post-Scream franchise. Real, campy, and a little funny, Tanya Pell takes a stab at the meta slasher trope and kills (see what I did there?)
Barb is on a never-ending horror convention ride, signing her name across pictures of her boobs in pink Sharpie marker while everyone tells her how hot she was twenty years ago. She can't escape her former self, who happens to be one of the most famous Final Girls named Debbie in the Mirror franchise. She's just so, so tired of being Debbie from Mirror or 20-year-old actress Barbie and her guided meditations are not pulling her out of the stress-induced funk. How do you grapple with so many people wanting a version of you that hasn't existed in twenty years?
Now Barb has the opportunity to reinvent herself and regain her identity: she's just been cast as the host of The Monsters We Made, a buzzy new horror docuseries covering the makings of all the big horror films, including the Mirror franchise. Unfortunately, that means going back to the Barbie Scream House, the house where the Mirror franchise began. Will Barb survive the walk down memory lane? You'll have to read the book to find out. Back soon, sweets!
First and foremost, I LOVED this book. I love a good slasher and I love a woman who can write good horror. With a lot of slashers you will get a ton of characters, but only a select few that have good backstories and personalities. It makes you less invested in their well-being and you don't care when they die. Pell gave each character a full personality and backstory, making them memorable and their deaths matter. There was never a "who was that again?" moment in the book.
This B Just Won't Die! gives you creative kills and the horrors of what it's like to be a woman aging. Women's bodies are scrutinized so much more and people love giving their opinions on your appearance. That in and of itself is a horror movie. I really appreciate Pell including this as part of Barb's story. It felt so relatable and there were so many moments when I went, "Yeah!! Tell 'em, Barb!" Also, I'm obsessed with how girly Barb is. A lot of the time, people try to make strong female characters less feminine, as if you can't be strong and love the color pink. Shout out to Pell for giving us both.
Read this book if you love:
-Meta slasher movies like the Scream franchise
-Campy horror like Friday the 13th
-Feminist horror or the Pink Horror genre
-Books by Rachel Harrison
-Potatoes in any form, but especially french fries
-Horror conventions
-Books set in remote locations
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-ARC of this book.
Barb is on a never-ending horror convention ride, signing her name across pictures of her boobs in pink Sharpie marker while everyone tells her how hot she was twenty years ago. She can't escape her former self, who happens to be one of the most famous Final Girls named Debbie in the Mirror franchise. She's just so, so tired of being Debbie from Mirror or 20-year-old actress Barbie and her guided meditations are not pulling her out of the stress-induced funk. How do you grapple with so many people wanting a version of you that hasn't existed in twenty years?
Now Barb has the opportunity to reinvent herself and regain her identity: she's just been cast as the host of The Monsters We Made, a buzzy new horror docuseries covering the makings of all the big horror films, including the Mirror franchise. Unfortunately, that means going back to the Barbie Scream House, the house where the Mirror franchise began. Will Barb survive the walk down memory lane? You'll have to read the book to find out. Back soon, sweets!
First and foremost, I LOVED this book. I love a good slasher and I love a woman who can write good horror. With a lot of slashers you will get a ton of characters, but only a select few that have good backstories and personalities. It makes you less invested in their well-being and you don't care when they die. Pell gave each character a full personality and backstory, making them memorable and their deaths matter. There was never a "who was that again?" moment in the book.
This B Just Won't Die! gives you creative kills and the horrors of what it's like to be a woman aging. Women's bodies are scrutinized so much more and people love giving their opinions on your appearance. That in and of itself is a horror movie. I really appreciate Pell including this as part of Barb's story. It felt so relatable and there were so many moments when I went, "Yeah!! Tell 'em, Barb!" Also, I'm obsessed with how girly Barb is. A lot of the time, people try to make strong female characters less feminine, as if you can't be strong and love the color pink. Shout out to Pell for giving us both.
Read this book if you love:
-Meta slasher movies like the Scream franchise
-Campy horror like Friday the 13th
-Feminist horror or the Pink Horror genre
-Books by Rachel Harrison
-Potatoes in any form, but especially french fries
-Horror conventions
-Books set in remote locations
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Barbie Just Won’t Die!” by Tanya Pell is honestly such a fun, chaotic slasher horror with self-aware humor, and it works way better than you’d expect.
The story follows Barbra (aka Barb), a former scream queen who got famous years ago for playing the stereotypical “final girl” in a horror movie franchise. Now she’s in her 40s, stuck signing autographs and dealing with an industry that’s basically moved on without her. She’s tired of being typecast, tired of people underestimating her, and honestly just tired in general. So when she gets the chance to host a docuseries tied to her old films, she jumps at it, which, of course, turns out to be a terrible idea.
Things escalate fast when people around her start dying in ways that mirror the movies that made her famous. There’s a stalker element that’s genuinely creepy, especially since the killer seems obsessed with blurring the line between fiction and reality. It gives the whole book this meta, “are we inside a horror movie right now?” vibe that makes it really entertaining, especially if you’re into slasher tropes since this book has a lot of slasher movie references throughout.
One of the best parts of this book is Barb herself. She’s not your typical perfect final girl; she’s insecure, a bit of a people pleaser, and struggling with aging in Hollywood and her own self-worth. But that’s what makes her feel real. Watching her grow, stand up for herself, and reclaim her agency is just as satisfying as all the horror elements. There’s also a really strong sense of female camaraderie among the women in the film industry, which adds a nice layer to the story.
That said, the pacing isn’t perfect. It takes a while for the main action to fully kick in (almost halfway through), and there are some slower sections where Barb is stuck in her own head. But once it hits that final stretch? It goes. Full-on slasher mode with characters getting picked off one by one, lots of gore, intense chase scenes, and a super twisty reveal that’s honestly hard to predict.
Also, the humor? Surprisingly great. It balances the darker themes really well and keeps the book from feeling too heavy, even when it’s dealing with stuff like fame, trauma, and identity.
Overall, this is a super entertaining, slightly unhinged meta-horror with a feminist edge. If you like slasher movies, messy but lovable characters, and stories that poke fun at horror while still delivering actual scares, you’ll probably have a blast with this one.
“Barbie Just Won’t Die!” by Tanya Pell is honestly such a fun, chaotic slasher horror with self-aware humor, and it works way better than you’d expect.
The story follows Barbra (aka Barb), a former scream queen who got famous years ago for playing the stereotypical “final girl” in a horror movie franchise. Now she’s in her 40s, stuck signing autographs and dealing with an industry that’s basically moved on without her. She’s tired of being typecast, tired of people underestimating her, and honestly just tired in general. So when she gets the chance to host a docuseries tied to her old films, she jumps at it, which, of course, turns out to be a terrible idea.
Things escalate fast when people around her start dying in ways that mirror the movies that made her famous. There’s a stalker element that’s genuinely creepy, especially since the killer seems obsessed with blurring the line between fiction and reality. It gives the whole book this meta, “are we inside a horror movie right now?” vibe that makes it really entertaining, especially if you’re into slasher tropes since this book has a lot of slasher movie references throughout.
One of the best parts of this book is Barb herself. She’s not your typical perfect final girl; she’s insecure, a bit of a people pleaser, and struggling with aging in Hollywood and her own self-worth. But that’s what makes her feel real. Watching her grow, stand up for herself, and reclaim her agency is just as satisfying as all the horror elements. There’s also a really strong sense of female camaraderie among the women in the film industry, which adds a nice layer to the story.
That said, the pacing isn’t perfect. It takes a while for the main action to fully kick in (almost halfway through), and there are some slower sections where Barb is stuck in her own head. But once it hits that final stretch? It goes. Full-on slasher mode with characters getting picked off one by one, lots of gore, intense chase scenes, and a super twisty reveal that’s honestly hard to predict.
Also, the humor? Surprisingly great. It balances the darker themes really well and keeps the book from feeling too heavy, even when it’s dealing with stuff like fame, trauma, and identity.
Overall, this is a super entertaining, slightly unhinged meta-horror with a feminist edge. If you like slasher movies, messy but lovable characters, and stories that poke fun at horror while still delivering actual scares, you’ll probably have a blast with this one.
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