Title: We're Not Safe Here
Author: Rin Chupeco
Genre: horror
Age Range: teen
Similar book: What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould
Summary (provided by publisher): Wispy Falls is safe. The town motto is even "You'll be safe here!" But you aren't safe in the woods that surround the town. In the woods there are monsters. People go missing in the woods. And sometimes the monsters don't stay in the woods…maybe you aren't that safe in Wispy Falls.
A seventeen-year-old vlogger known as Storymancer is determined to get to the bottom of what's wrong in his town. A few years ago, his little brother went missing in the woods and no one, not even his parents, seemed to care enough to try and find him.
But for the first time, an actual body has been found in the woods, and Storymancer is using the opportunity to uncover the rotten core at the heart of Wispy Falls. To investigate the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and the people in town who might just want the monsters there after all.
What I liked: Chupeco has found a careful balance between horror and humor, leaning into the absurdity of a horror scenario but allowing the creepy atmosphere to keep the reader on edge. The novel masters jump scares in a way reminiscent of a horror movie. The air of the book is akin to a Jordan Peele movie.
What I didn't like: While the mixed format approach allows this book to stand out from the crowd it doesn't allow for a deep connection with the characters. They never feel like real people so we care less about what happens to them. While the concept held a lot of promise it feels like it is never truly realized.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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