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Squid Game meets Wilder Girls in this debut sapphic supernatural thriller set in the glittering, cut-throat world of K-pop rivalry. A disgraced idol comes face-to-face with the demons of her past when the competition she enters turns out to be a deadly trap.
“The sweetest spot between horror and romance.” Chloe Gong, #1 bestselling author of These Violent Delights
After a shocking career-ending scandal, eighteen-year-old Sunny Lee spends her days longing for her former popstar life and cyberstalking ex-groupmate Candie. They were inseparable – before leaving tragedy and heartache in their wake. Now Candie is chasing stardom in a new K-pop competition, and Sunny can’t resist joining her. Finally, they can confront their past, like what happened that horrible night their third groupmate jumped to her death. And whether the dark, otherworldly secrets they keep had something to do with it . . .
But when Sunny is haunted by terrifying visions, gory injuries start happening to competitors – followed by even stranger mutilations – and it’s a race to survive the deadly carnage. Stitched with cutting commentary on the ugly side of stardom and impossible beauty standards, Linda Cheng’s mind-bending thriller will have you screaming and swooning for more.
“The sweetest spot between horror and romance.” Chloe Gong, #1 bestselling author of These Violent Delights
After a shocking career-ending scandal, eighteen-year-old Sunny Lee spends her days longing for her former popstar life and cyberstalking ex-groupmate Candie. They were inseparable – before leaving tragedy and heartache in their wake. Now Candie is chasing stardom in a new K-pop competition, and Sunny can’t resist joining her. Finally, they can confront their past, like what happened that horrible night their third groupmate jumped to her death. And whether the dark, otherworldly secrets they keep had something to do with it . . .
But when Sunny is haunted by terrifying visions, gory injuries start happening to competitors – followed by even stranger mutilations – and it’s a race to survive the deadly carnage. Stitched with cutting commentary on the ugly side of stardom and impossible beauty standards, Linda Cheng’s mind-bending thriller will have you screaming and swooning for more.
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Reviews
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces goes to places I never expected. A haunting meditation on love and fame from a fresh new voice in horror.
A darkly addicting and deliciously twisty tale of horror and romance infused with East Asian mythology and set in the dazzling world of idol competitions. Will make for a decadent addition to the YA thriller category.
An electrifying debut made of sweat, sparkles, and blood - and an unsettling look at the bone-crushing pressure young girls face in the world of entertainment. Cheng's debut is a chilling tale full of turns you'll never expect.
This is the kind of horror that will haunt you - a searing portrayal of the damage of impossible beauty standards, the crushing pressure of perfection, and the cruelty of online culture. Mesmerizing, heartbreaking, and absolutely terrifying.
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a seductive and darkly glittering exploration of the price of fame and friendship, set against the spectacle of a deadly K-pop competition.
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a rollercoaster of a story that had me screaming at the final, stomach-dropping descent. Cheng pulls back the shiny surface of the K-pop world to reveal the darkness and terror hidden underneath. An imaginative horror for readers who enjoy books that take them on wild, unforgettable rides.
A perfect blend of folk horror and dazzling showbiz that will grip you from page one. Cheng unravels how the exquisite sweetness - and toxicity - of female friendships is both dangerous and key to survival.
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces peels away the seemingly flawless skin of pop stardom and exposes the grisly insides of navigating an industry known to sacrifice hopes and dreams at the altar of fame. Chen delivers an unflinching look at the struggle of coming of age in the spotlight under the crushing pressure to succeed and at the same time delivers an emotional story of first love and genuine female friendships. Cinematic, gripping, and downright terrifying, this is a performance that you won't want to miss.
A glittering, gory page-turner, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is your next obsession.
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a thrill ride - but it's also so much more. If you peel back its slick and flawless skin, you'll find a nuanced portrait on fandom and idols, obsession and love, and how easily all lines can blur.
The sweetest spot between horror and romance.