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Barbie Just Won't Die!
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26This 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?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 13, 2026
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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.
Want to Read
March 28, 2026want want want! this one sounds soo good! Pub Date: 10/2026
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!
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book right here, this is my exact brand of horror – a meta slasher set to the backdrop of what it means to be an aging woman and the misogyny that the world smothers us with each passing year presented on our bodies. Chef’s kiss, I had such a fun time with this one.
A main staple of slashers are the kills. While we don’t get to see the kills on page, the finding of the bodies is brutal. That first death, I was imagining that presented like a movie with the meditated music and the award-winning scream, it was so well written and presented on the page. Each following death is equally grotesque and haunting. While the Final Girl is the star of the show, the killer must live up to that same standard, and the Mirror Faced killed does live up to that horror.
And what a Final Girl Barb is. At her heart, she is the staple of what makes a final girl – brave, clever, unwilling to be killed, feral when that feral need to fight is presented – but she’s also just a woman; a woman who is going through the aging process and constantly presented with the glorified image of herself at twenty and everything that makes a twenty year old woman. She’s no longer spry, perky breasted, lean built and a walking universal sex image.
She’s forty, with everything that comes from reaching the age of forty, and the world always has something to say about a woman who dared to age. And I loved that she’s allowed to be forty – she’s got hot flashes, her body has its aches, she eats as she pleases, and despite the world sometimes shoving her into the box of beauty, she recognizes that her worth isn’t tied to what the world demands of a woman. A Final Girl is still a Final Girl all these years later, even if the world thinks less of her for not still being the same as she was twenty years prior.
While the Mirror franchise is only brought up in memories, I want these movies! A campy fifth installment where the Final Girl and killer are trapped in a Doctor Who/Happy Death Day style time warp where they try to kill/escape each other…. Yes please!! That is the camp slasher horror that we as a people deserve. This novel feels like a love note to the slasher genre.
Honest Review given for digital ARC Via Netgalley
A main staple of slashers are the kills. While we don’t get to see the kills on page, the finding of the bodies is brutal. That first death, I was imagining that presented like a movie with the meditated music and the award-winning scream, it was so well written and presented on the page. Each following death is equally grotesque and haunting. While the Final Girl is the star of the show, the killer must live up to that same standard, and the Mirror Faced killed does live up to that horror.
And what a Final Girl Barb is. At her heart, she is the staple of what makes a final girl – brave, clever, unwilling to be killed, feral when that feral need to fight is presented – but she’s also just a woman; a woman who is going through the aging process and constantly presented with the glorified image of herself at twenty and everything that makes a twenty year old woman. She’s no longer spry, perky breasted, lean built and a walking universal sex image.
She’s forty, with everything that comes from reaching the age of forty, and the world always has something to say about a woman who dared to age. And I loved that she’s allowed to be forty – she’s got hot flashes, her body has its aches, she eats as she pleases, and despite the world sometimes shoving her into the box of beauty, she recognizes that her worth isn’t tied to what the world demands of a woman. A Final Girl is still a Final Girl all these years later, even if the world thinks less of her for not still being the same as she was twenty years prior.
While the Mirror franchise is only brought up in memories, I want these movies! A campy fifth installment where the Final Girl and killer are trapped in a Doctor Who/Happy Death Day style time warp where they try to kill/escape each other…. Yes please!! That is the camp slasher horror that we as a people deserve. This novel feels like a love note to the slasher genre.
Honest Review given for digital ARC Via Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑨 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒘𝒐-𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑨 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔.
Barbra Jacobs used to be the girl you screamed for and rooted for in the same breath, the iconic Final Girl from the Mirror horror franchise. Now she’s forty, stuck signing glossy photos of her younger self and trying to convince the world, and quite possibly herself, that she’s more than the role that made her famous. When she’s offered a chance to host a new horror docuseries, it feels like a lifeline. But she never expected fans to start dying. The savagery felt familiar as it was the kind of brutality that mirrored the films that made her a star. And just like that, Barb realizes she isn’t just revisiting her past; she’s being dragged back into it, whether she wants to be or not.
This book is campy, sharp, and biting in all the right places, and it deftly explores the absurdity of fame, fandom, and the way women in horror get boxed into roles they’re never allowed to outgrow. But underneath the blood and the chaos and the sheer “wtf” moments, there are themes that are a little more cutting, such as the pressure to stay relevant, the impossible standards that must be navigated, and most of all, the way the world consumes women and then acts shocked when they don’t come out of it untouched.
And then there’s the horror of it all, which does not hold back. The kills are creative, the tension builds like a slasher you can’t quite look away from, and there’s this delicious thread of “is this real or is this part of the performance?” running through the entire story. It’s fast and feral in the way it balances humor with something genuinely unsettling. But more than anything, it feels like a love letter to the genre while also dragging it, just a little, for everything it’s done to the women who made it iconic. By the end, one thing felt very clear: the industry might have tried to keep Barb in a box, but she was never going to stay there quietly. So many thanks to Gallery Books for this fun early copy that will publish October 13, 2026.
Barbra Jacobs used to be the girl you screamed for and rooted for in the same breath, the iconic Final Girl from the Mirror horror franchise. Now she’s forty, stuck signing glossy photos of her younger self and trying to convince the world, and quite possibly herself, that she’s more than the role that made her famous. When she’s offered a chance to host a new horror docuseries, it feels like a lifeline. But she never expected fans to start dying. The savagery felt familiar as it was the kind of brutality that mirrored the films that made her a star. And just like that, Barb realizes she isn’t just revisiting her past; she’s being dragged back into it, whether she wants to be or not.
This book is campy, sharp, and biting in all the right places, and it deftly explores the absurdity of fame, fandom, and the way women in horror get boxed into roles they’re never allowed to outgrow. But underneath the blood and the chaos and the sheer “wtf” moments, there are themes that are a little more cutting, such as the pressure to stay relevant, the impossible standards that must be navigated, and most of all, the way the world consumes women and then acts shocked when they don’t come out of it untouched.
And then there’s the horror of it all, which does not hold back. The kills are creative, the tension builds like a slasher you can’t quite look away from, and there’s this delicious thread of “is this real or is this part of the performance?” running through the entire story. It’s fast and feral in the way it balances humor with something genuinely unsettling. But more than anything, it feels like a love letter to the genre while also dragging it, just a little, for everything it’s done to the women who made it iconic. By the end, one thing felt very clear: the industry might have tried to keep Barb in a box, but she was never going to stay there quietly. So many thanks to Gallery Books for this fun early copy that will publish October 13, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun, bloody little love letter to slasher movies and honestly, Barb might be one of my favorite horror heroines in a while. She’s forty, exhausted, over everybody’s nonsense, and still somehow expected to smile politely while signing photos from a role she played twenty years ago. Extremely relatable, honestly.
What I loved most was how this balanced campy horror fun with the very real frustration of being a woman aging in an industry that worships youth and then acts shocked when women get angry about it. Barb spends so much of the story trying to fit into the version of herself everyone else wants, while also dealing with a killer recreating murders from her old movies. Casual stressful Tuesday.
The horror stuff was genuinely entertaining too. Creepy masks, dramatic kills, horror convention chaos, fans acting way too intense, and that delicious feeling that someone is always watching. It felt like reading a slasher movie while yelling at the screen, except Barb actually knows the horror rules and keeps trying not to become another victim. I loved her for that.
Also, the humor really worked for me. There’s this sharp, funny self awareness running through the whole thing that kept it from feeling too heavy even when things got dark. And the nostalgia for old school horror movies? So good. You can tell this was written by someone who genuinely loves the genre, even while poking fun at it a little.
Definitely recommend this if you love meta horror, final girls with personality, and stories that are both fun and a little furious underneath all the blood.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
What I loved most was how this balanced campy horror fun with the very real frustration of being a woman aging in an industry that worships youth and then acts shocked when women get angry about it. Barb spends so much of the story trying to fit into the version of herself everyone else wants, while also dealing with a killer recreating murders from her old movies. Casual stressful Tuesday.
The horror stuff was genuinely entertaining too. Creepy masks, dramatic kills, horror convention chaos, fans acting way too intense, and that delicious feeling that someone is always watching. It felt like reading a slasher movie while yelling at the screen, except Barb actually knows the horror rules and keeps trying not to become another victim. I loved her for that.
Also, the humor really worked for me. There’s this sharp, funny self awareness running through the whole thing that kept it from feeling too heavy even when things got dark. And the nostalgia for old school horror movies? So good. You can tell this was written by someone who genuinely loves the genre, even while poking fun at it a little.
Definitely recommend this if you love meta horror, final girls with personality, and stories that are both fun and a little furious underneath all the blood.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Absolutely loved this one.
This was so suspenseful that it felt like watching a slasher film play out in real time. The tension was intense, especially during the escape scenes, and I loved being inside Barb’s head as she tried to figure out who was after her and how to outsmart the killer.
One of my favorite parts was the way Barb thinks through all the classic final girl choices. She knows the horror movie rules. She knows what the audience is screaming at the screen: don’t go in there, don’t look behind you, don’t split up. So instead of falling into the usual traps, she tries to do the opposite. That made the story unique, while still keeping the stakes high.
Barb was such a compelling character because she was both vulnerable and fearless. She is not just running from a killer; she is also fighting against the box Hollywood and horror fandom have trapped her in. The story does a great job exploring aging, especially the way women are often treated as less valuable when they no longer meet impossible expectations of youthfulness and beauty. It strongly points to how much of that value is shaped by male standards and fan entitlement.
Barb is a final girl I could not help but root for. I loved that it has something to say underneath all the blood and suspense.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.
This was so suspenseful that it felt like watching a slasher film play out in real time. The tension was intense, especially during the escape scenes, and I loved being inside Barb’s head as she tried to figure out who was after her and how to outsmart the killer.
One of my favorite parts was the way Barb thinks through all the classic final girl choices. She knows the horror movie rules. She knows what the audience is screaming at the screen: don’t go in there, don’t look behind you, don’t split up. So instead of falling into the usual traps, she tries to do the opposite. That made the story unique, while still keeping the stakes high.
Barb was such a compelling character because she was both vulnerable and fearless. She is not just running from a killer; she is also fighting against the box Hollywood and horror fandom have trapped her in. The story does a great job exploring aging, especially the way women are often treated as less valuable when they no longer meet impossible expectations of youthfulness and beauty. It strongly points to how much of that value is shaped by male standards and fan entitlement.
Barb is a final girl I could not help but root for. I loved that it has something to say underneath all the blood and suspense.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the ARC
I adored this book from the first page all the way until the end. The writing was fantastic, the humor was on point and the characters were wonderful. Sure, they weren’t always good people or likeable, but I still loved them. Minus one or two.
Barb is a forty year-old actor who’s biggest film role was the final girl in a series of horror movies about 20 years ago. Now, she’s stuck signing autographs while people talk at her about her career. A career that hasn’t been quite as successful as she was hoping. She’s bored, tired and dreading the slow creep of growing old in an industry that has little use for older women. Then, things take a turn and suddenly, she finds herself at the center of a real-life horror movie. And she really isn’t enjoying that at all.
Barbie Just Won’t Die is sprinkled with horror fandom, genre tidbits and enough humor to keep me entertained. I loved Barb even though she was a people pleaser (which I am not and does drive me slightly insane). I especially loved watching her grow and start to stand up for herself.
Overall, I give this 4.5 stars rounded up to a 5. I recommend Barbie Just Won’t Die to anyone who wants a funny, meta-horror novel with a feminist bent and a woman who is so over it.
I adored this book from the first page all the way until the end. The writing was fantastic, the humor was on point and the characters were wonderful. Sure, they weren’t always good people or likeable, but I still loved them. Minus one or two.
Barb is a forty year-old actor who’s biggest film role was the final girl in a series of horror movies about 20 years ago. Now, she’s stuck signing autographs while people talk at her about her career. A career that hasn’t been quite as successful as she was hoping. She’s bored, tired and dreading the slow creep of growing old in an industry that has little use for older women. Then, things take a turn and suddenly, she finds herself at the center of a real-life horror movie. And she really isn’t enjoying that at all.
Barbie Just Won’t Die is sprinkled with horror fandom, genre tidbits and enough humor to keep me entertained. I loved Barb even though she was a people pleaser (which I am not and does drive me slightly insane). I especially loved watching her grow and start to stand up for herself.
Overall, I give this 4.5 stars rounded up to a 5. I recommend Barbie Just Won’t Die to anyone who wants a funny, meta-horror novel with a feminist bent and a woman who is so over it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay but this was SO much more than just a slasher.
Barbie Just Won’t Die! follows Barb Jacobs, a former scream queen who’s been stuck in her “final girl” era for decades and honestly? That alone hooked me. But what I didn’t expect was how layered, self-aware, and sharp this story would be.
This book doesn’t just use slasher tropes… it flips them on their head. It asks what happens after the movie ends. After the fame fades. After the industry decides you’ve outlived your moment. And watching Barb grapple with that while being pulled back into a real-life horror scenario was equal parts unsettling and compelling.
There’s a really strong commentary here on aging in Hollywood, female rage, and the way women’s trauma is packaged as entertainment and it hits. But what I loved most is that it never loses the fun. It’s still chaotic, still bloody, still very much a slasher at its core.
Barb is messy, vulnerable, and painfully human. She’s not a perfect “final girl,” and that’s exactly why she works. I found myself rooting for her the entire time.
Also… the meta elements?? So good. The kills mirroring her old films added this eerie, full circle feeling that kept me hooked.
If you’re into horror that’s smart, a little unhinged, and actually has something to say, definitely pick this up
Barbie Just Won’t Die! follows Barb Jacobs, a former scream queen who’s been stuck in her “final girl” era for decades and honestly? That alone hooked me. But what I didn’t expect was how layered, self-aware, and sharp this story would be.
This book doesn’t just use slasher tropes… it flips them on their head. It asks what happens after the movie ends. After the fame fades. After the industry decides you’ve outlived your moment. And watching Barb grapple with that while being pulled back into a real-life horror scenario was equal parts unsettling and compelling.
There’s a really strong commentary here on aging in Hollywood, female rage, and the way women’s trauma is packaged as entertainment and it hits. But what I loved most is that it never loses the fun. It’s still chaotic, still bloody, still very much a slasher at its core.
Barb is messy, vulnerable, and painfully human. She’s not a perfect “final girl,” and that’s exactly why she works. I found myself rooting for her the entire time.
Also… the meta elements?? So good. The kills mirroring her old films added this eerie, full circle feeling that kept me hooked.
If you’re into horror that’s smart, a little unhinged, and actually has something to say, definitely pick this up
Review of advance copy
I received this advanced reader copy from an ARC drop at bookcon. Overall, I thought this book was a very entertaining slasher. Barb was a deeply feeling character internalizing a lot of self image issues and honestly a bit of trauma from being the “final girl” in an industry that liked to see these girls bleed and suffer, so she was definitely unpacking a lot of emotions throughout the book.
Where I thought this book could’ve had some more development was around the characters and their motives. I felt like I had a few looming questions after the end of the book and things that were left open? Also, while I didn’t think the twist was predictable, I thought it wasn’t really all that surprising in the end and almost felt like I wanted a way more “out there” twist.
Regardless, I had fun reading this and I LOVE the cover! I would recommend if you’re looking for a good slasher that’s for the girls.
Where I thought this book could’ve had some more development was around the characters and their motives. I felt like I had a few looming questions after the end of the book and things that were left open? Also, while I didn’t think the twist was predictable, I thought it wasn’t really all that surprising in the end and almost felt like I wanted a way more “out there” twist.
Regardless, I had fun reading this and I LOVE the cover! I would recommend if you’re looking for a good slasher that’s for the girls.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Barbie Jacobs has been a Scream Queen her whole life. The Mirror Man franchise catapulted her to horror fame, but after twenty years of playing the same character, she wants to grow and expand her acting chops. Unfortunately, someone has other plans for Barbie. Because someone is hellbent on taking her from onscreen Scream Queen to a real life Final Girl. Has her career as a Final Girl prepared her for this all too real confrontation?
This was a fun and campy story with a meta vibe similar to the Scream movies. There was also great commentary regarding the struggles of aging in Hollywood and body dysmorphia. Barbie struggled with mirrors via Mirror Man in her career as well as a phobia of mirrors in her waking life. I did love the symbolism even if it was a bit heavy-handed and on the nose.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun and campy story with a meta vibe similar to the Scream movies. There was also great commentary regarding the struggles of aging in Hollywood and body dysmorphia. Barbie struggled with mirrors via Mirror Man in her career as well as a phobia of mirrors in her waking life. I did love the symbolism even if it was a bit heavy-handed and on the nose.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An absolute riot of a slasher. Faded scream queen Barbra (though she went by Barbie during her time as star of a horror series) is trying to revitalize her career and make people finally take her seriously as an actress. So when a producer calls asking her to host a docuseries, she decides it's a great idea! Unfortunately, she has more worries than just her career: soon, people start dying around her in ways which mirror deaths from her horror franchise. And who could have done it all? Find out!
Dramatic, tense, and with some satisfyingly gory kills throughout. You'd be surprised how many creepy things can be done with a killer whose entire thing is mirrors. Plus, the characters are great throughout. 5 stars. Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the E-ARC.
Dramatic, tense, and with some satisfyingly gory kills throughout. You'd be surprised how many creepy things can be done with a killer whose entire thing is mirrors. Plus, the characters are great throughout. 5 stars. Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the E-ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the advanced reading copy.
I thought that the beginning was really strong and as a woman, I found myself really connecting with the FMC Barbra/Barbie/Barb. However, this story felt, at its core, an admission of personal grudges that were being aired out. I felt like the focus came across as internal, suppressed feelings demanding multiple monologues which, ultimately buried the Horror plotline.
Even though I can appreciate all of the feminist views and "Huzzah, I am woman!" close ups...I was wanting a page turning, anxiety propelling type of read. There were far too many lulls in this story where I nearly considered dnf'ing at the 50% mark.
This story was not for me. This author is not for me.
I thought that the beginning was really strong and as a woman, I found myself really connecting with the FMC Barbra/Barbie/Barb. However, this story felt, at its core, an admission of personal grudges that were being aired out. I felt like the focus came across as internal, suppressed feelings demanding multiple monologues which, ultimately buried the Horror plotline.
Even though I can appreciate all of the feminist views and "Huzzah, I am woman!" close ups...I was wanting a page turning, anxiety propelling type of read. There were far too many lulls in this story where I nearly considered dnf'ing at the 50% mark.
This story was not for me. This author is not for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think Pell has created a new genre here: literary slasher.
Pell has completely and deftly created Barb’s character, with an intricate backstory, an eclectic menu of wants and needs and a compulsively compelling personality formed by trauma. The reader is so deeply invested in Barb and her struggles to be better, that when the serial killer begins his handiwork it is even more shocking.
A great slasher, a terrifying killer, a compelling final girl, all wrapped in intelligence and heartbreak.
Amazing read. I loved it.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Pell has completely and deftly created Barb’s character, with an intricate backstory, an eclectic menu of wants and needs and a compulsively compelling personality formed by trauma. The reader is so deeply invested in Barb and her struggles to be better, that when the serial killer begins his handiwork it is even more shocking.
A great slasher, a terrifying killer, a compelling final girl, all wrapped in intelligence and heartbreak.
Amazing read. I loved it.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Barb is signing pictures of herself and old movie posters. You are introduced to an aging scream queen that goes to conventions to promote herself. Turns out the horror movies that Barb was in, shes now being stalked by a real life mirror man.
Your brought into her physche when she calls 911 who will believe her?
How many news networks will laugh at her 911 recorded call?
Will Barb be the Final girl in her own life?
This book takes a fun approach to horror.
My favorite quote "We're deciding whether or not you're a killer using math."
Ive heard of girl math but I haven't heard of Final girl math!
loved the book!!
Your brought into her physche when she calls 911 who will believe her?
How many news networks will laugh at her 911 recorded call?
Will Barb be the Final girl in her own life?
This book takes a fun approach to horror.
My favorite quote "We're deciding whether or not you're a killer using math."
Ive heard of girl math but I haven't heard of Final girl math!
loved the book!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25/5
I was so excited about this book - this is definitely for the fans of classic 80's/90's slasher movies.
Sadly, I did want more from this, overall.
I found the main character to be too flat and unlikable to be this important. (And she wasn't unlikable like it was on purpose, she just had no redeeming qualities or personality traits to me.)
But I did think this cover was so fun and funny.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I was so excited about this book - this is definitely for the fans of classic 80's/90's slasher movies.
Sadly, I did want more from this, overall.
I found the main character to be too flat and unlikable to be this important. (And she wasn't unlikable like it was on purpose, she just had no redeeming qualities or personality traits to me.)
But I did think this cover was so fun and funny.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc! Barbie Just Won’t Die! is a hot pink, feminist, slasher, blood bath of a book. It is funny at times and gory at others, while touching on deeper subjects like trauma and the pressure of trying to be someone you’re not. Barb is honestly relatable and hilarious. She wants to prove there is more to her than the character she played twenty years before, but Hollywood has her trapped in that box, and she is tired of being the Final Girl. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that’s what she’s best at…
April 9, 2026
I was lucky enough to read this an an ARC through NetGalley. This was a great book. I loved the story and the guessing game of who done it! The characters were so horror movie relevant and I absolutely adored the references to pop culture and the horror movie genre through out the book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance or the release.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A totally trip, super fun riot of a book! Will be perfect for a spooky October read. If you love slasher films, final girls, and a satirical look the horror genre. I loved Barbie, and I'm glad she won't die!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
She's fun.
I found myself pushing off plans to finish this one. Tanya Pell really nailed the aging final girl in this one and I adored her description of the cons the cast attended. They were spot on.
I think what I'm really enjoying is that it's a coming of middle age story. There isn't enough of this in horror fiction and I'm happy to see it gaining traction.
I found myself pushing off plans to finish this one. Tanya Pell really nailed the aging final girl in this one and I adored her description of the cons the cast attended. They were spot on.
I think what I'm really enjoying is that it's a coming of middle age story. There isn't enough of this in horror fiction and I'm happy to see it gaining traction.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Banger.
No notes.
Author's a delight.
And look at that cover!
No notes.
Author's a delight.
And look at that cover!
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 Netgalley
I sadly have to DNF this one. I truly appreciate being accepted for the ARC. I realized early on that the style was not connecting with me, so I stepped back rather than forcing it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was honestly funnyyyyyyy. Barb is so unserious and I love her for that
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was so fun!
Barbra Jacobs is a neurotic bundle of raw nerves, entirely caged in by her scream queen role in the "Mirror" franchise as final girl Debbie. It's been over a decade since the sixth and final film wrapped, and she just cannot get Hollywood to take her seriously. She's spiraling and feeling lost, struggling through the 20 year reunion event at another Horror con when a murder occurs just outside the bathroom stall she's using. Barbra Jacobs is once again the final girl -- this time in real life.
Barbra is a woman who feels trapped by societal expectations, by the industry, by her fans. She's a real mess. And yes -- as another reviewer mentioned I'd say the feminism here does feel pretty surface level, but I found it appropriate for Barbra's age and general vibe.
Definitely a page turner, I tore through this and enjoyed the atmosphere and I enjoyed the reveal of the killer. Some really gory/gruesome scenes so do be prepared, but it does what it says on the tin -- this is a slasher!
Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the ARC!
Barbra Jacobs is a neurotic bundle of raw nerves, entirely caged in by her scream queen role in the "Mirror" franchise as final girl Debbie. It's been over a decade since the sixth and final film wrapped, and she just cannot get Hollywood to take her seriously. She's spiraling and feeling lost, struggling through the 20 year reunion event at another Horror con when a murder occurs just outside the bathroom stall she's using. Barbra Jacobs is once again the final girl -- this time in real life.
Barbra is a woman who feels trapped by societal expectations, by the industry, by her fans. She's a real mess. And yes -- as another reviewer mentioned I'd say the feminism here does feel pretty surface level, but I found it appropriate for Barbra's age and general vibe.
Definitely a page turner, I tore through this and enjoyed the atmosphere and I enjoyed the reveal of the killer. Some really gory/gruesome scenes so do be prepared, but it does what it says on the tin -- this is a slasher!
Thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the ARC!
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