A funny, if slightly basic, "survival guide" that makes fun of (but appreciates) classic horror tropes. Not really a novel to read in one sitting, but fun to browse.

I don't think I was in the right mindset the first time I tried to read this one. I stopped early on and took forever to get back to it. I really enjoyed the read this time. It's a great winding down kind of read. If you know your horror movies, you'll definitely get more out of it just through the head nodding "you know, that does happen a lot" kind of moments. It would be a great gift for a movie lover that needs a laugh.

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! As a huge horror movie fan I felt like that was kinda obvious, I would love it, but hey, 🤷🏼‍♀️ Ya never know.

Seth Grahame-Smith is a name many horror fans will recognize. He’s the author of the horror classics Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter both of which have been adapted into films. Before those books, way back in 2007, Grahame-Smith penned a field guide for anyone unlucky enough to find themselves in the “terrorverse”, How to Survive a Horror Movie. In this expanded 2019 edition brought to you by Quirk Books, Grahame-Smith offers the advanced scout’s guide to survival with irreverence and love for all the trends and tropes of the genre.

After establishing if you are actually in a horror movie and then what kind, the reader is guided through hilarious (but very informative) chapters covering any and all possible horror movie scenarios including “how to survive a night of babysitting”, “what to do when an evil vehicle wants you dead”, “what to do if you only have seven days to live” and my personal favorite, “what to do if your corn has children in it”.

Also included are handy charts and checklists filled with pointers like which tools to take from the tool shed arsenal (chainsaw- yes, shovel- no, do you really want to hand the screenwriter the “dig your own grave” narrative?!), “10 wildlife creatures that are always evil” and “10 things to never, ever, ever put in a child’s room” (clowns top that list as any good horror fan knows).

This book may be little but it packs a huge, hilarious gut punch and it deserves a place on your bookshelf or coffee table. You can even pick up a few copies for friends, but as the author notes early in the guide if someone gave this book to you as a gift, “that’s like your spouse signing up for life insurance ‘which you’ll probably never even need'” so choose the recipients wisely.

How to Survive a Horror Movie is available on the Quirk Books Website which will send you to your favorite online purveyor.

A fun, quick read. It really is exactly what you would think it was from the title. A must read for horror fans, and really anyone who enjoys a good trope.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It often had me laughing out loud. The author provides practical information on what to do if you find yourself in a horror film and how to survive for the sequel. There are even ejection seats if the previous tips do not work, like changing the genre, product placement or fleeing to a budget busting location. At the end is a list of the author's favorite films. This book will make a great gift for any movie fan on your list. Enjoy

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

This book would make a great present for anyone who loves horror movies. I plan to give it as presents this Christmas to a couple of my horror-loving fans. It is more of a coffee-table, pick-up and peruse book then a book to read straight through. I can see many fun conversations happening in any room where this book is featured. Funny and droll. Thanks for the chance to read this entertaining little love letter to the horror movie genre!

Entertaining piece of meta fiction for serious horror fans which plays around with tropes and scenarios. "Don't go in the basement..." sort of thing..... The author really knows the genre and dives into the different familiar styles in the six chapter. If you're a life-long horror fan you'll be chuckling in no time.

Note Net Galley did not provide me with this book due to a glitch and I resourced it elsewhere.

A super entertaining read and easy to devour in one sitting. I really enjoyed the humor and subtle references to horror movies past and present. The illustrations were also great and the list of the author's recommended horror films at the end was a nice bonus.

How to Survive a Horror Movie is a fun read filled with tongue-in-cheek "advice" on how to survive a jaunt into the Terrorverse; that is, a merciless (but loving) skewering of the cliches and archetypes of horror cinema. Includes great artwork, an excellent foreword by Wes Craven, and an appendix of "Additional Study Materials" (ie, a small canon of the best of horror film) that is perfect for casual horror fans looking to build up their horror know-how ("Your movie collection is a weapon. Load it with the best ammo available."). This 2019 edition has updated this appendix to include welcome additions like Get Out, Hereditary, The Babadook, and a handful of other films that have made a mark on the genre since the first edition was published in 2007.

The chapters here are great little stand-alone essays, as well (which is good, since you may want to read this book one bit at a time to prevent humor fatigue) and, as somebody who teaches college courses on horror film/literature, some of these would make excellent and fun companion reading for my students (I would love to give students a copy of "What to Do If Your Corn Has Children In It" during a unit on Midwestern Gothic, for example). Then, if nothing else, my class would at least teach them valuable life lessons like to never run upstairs when you should be running out the front door.

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the 2019 edition in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fun, entertaining, and quirky. I really enjoyed it. It’d make a great addition to horror fans library.

I really couldn't get into this one and did not finish it. Maybe it just wasn't my style of humor, but I'm glad I know about it so I can mention it to horror movie fans who may be interested.

How to Survive a Horror Movie is pure fun. It's a quick read; I flew threw it in a couple of hours, but I loved every minute of it. The humor was spot-on, and I loved all the subtle and not-so-subtle references to horror movies. Highly recommended for the casual horror movie fan and the horror movie buff alike.

A fun volume for any horror-lover's library! Grahame-Smith gives tongue-in-cheek advice for the most popular horror movie scenarios. At the back of the volume is a list of films that all horror-lovers should have on their radar, from mainstream to cult classic. A quick and enjoyable read, with fun illustrations and an introduction from Wes Craven himself.

I did not realize that this netgalley book would only be available in the in the protected PDF format and I don`t have a viable way to read it since I can only open the file on my computer and I only read digitally on my mobile devices. I`m sorry that I cannot review this title at this time. I will try to read it later if my library gets a copy.

What a riot this book was! Any discerning horror movie fan will love this survival guide if you somehow find yourself in the Terrorverse. Filled with puns and poking fun at the cliches that make the genre what it is, this is a joyous homage to the glory that is horror in all of its various forms. There are tips to check whether or not you yourself are in fact already dead, useful hints for detecting demon possession with the subtle use of dogs and commiseration for those of us who are unfortunately not attractive enough to make it to the end credits. My only criticism is that it just wasn't long enough - I could have read a 500 page tome on this subject and loved every minute of it. Overall, this is a really funny and quick read that I would recommend to anyone who knows not to run upstairs when you should be running out of the door!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

How to Survive a Horror Movie is humorous and entertaining. This is well written and quirky. I will buy this book for gifts when it comes out.

While written in a tongue-in-cheek way, this book is actually really good for film students.
Throughout its chapters it looks at tropes, character archetypes and sub genres of the modern cinema world.
There’s a few elements similar to ‘choose your own adventure story’ and I just wish they’d played on that a little more.

Definitely a different take on a horror, Interesting and fun, with advice and takes on horror movie survival, it’s absolutely hilarious and I do wish it were a little spookier