I made a batch of reading in 2024, and I was very lucky to have enjoyed (mostly) all the books and comics I bought. That might have made it difficult to choose my favorites when it came time to reflect on the year, but I had no doubt which book I loved the most, because one in particular completely hit me, tore my heart out, made me laugh, made me cry, etc., etc., etc.: Stephen Graham Jones I was a teenage murderer.
Now, I was a teenage murderer It wouldn't seem like the gentle story that would leave you crying about love and the power of friendship if you, you know, judge a book by its cover. The slasher genre isn't exactly known for its emotional depth, so if you went into this thinking you were in for a classic revenge killing spree with some teenage shenanigans mixed in, I wouldn't blame you. And you wouldn't be entirely wrong: this book certainly has those things. But the supernatural slasher element, while an important part of the plot, feels secondary to the rollercoaster coming-of-age story that's really at its center.
Tolly Driver doesn't want to be a slasher, but it is. It's in his blood, thanks to a series of strange incidents that lined up just the right way to seal his fate. Amber, her best friend and truly a do-or-die person, is very knowledgeable on the subject and essentially becomes her guide on this bewildering journey. I was a teenage murderer deals with a lot of difficult topics, like the pain of losing a young parent, something I instantly identified with, the pressure of trying to do right by the people you love, and the terrifying reality of growing up and growing into yourself. But it's also usually funny, which helped offset all the blood and tragedy.
This is the second year in a row that a Stephen Graham Jones book has been at the top of my list, which isn't surprising because I'm a huge fan, but I was a teenage murderer It's really on another level. It's not just one of my favorite books of the year, it's probably one of my favorite books of all time. I wanted to start over as soon as I finished reading it, but I couldn't because I was crying too much. — Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor
