Gorgeous Gruesome Faces

by Linda Cheng

Overview

A cutthroat K-pop competition leads to a dark obsession in this twisty sapphic horror-romance. Perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and Yellowjackets.

"A perfect blend of folk horror and dazzling showbiz that will grip you from page one." ―Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times-bestselling author of She is a Haunting

"The sweetest spot between horror and romance." ―Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights

You’ll love them to death . . .

Two years have passed since Sunny Lee lost her best friend Mina in a mysterious death. With their other BFF, Candie, the trio had been the hottest up-and-coming teen pop group, until it all suddenly ended. And Sunny can't help but wonder if Candie had something to do with it.

Now, Sunny is still seeking answers. When she discovers that Candie is attending a new K-pop workshop, Sunny follows, hoping to uncover the reason why Mina died... and why she died so violently. Sunny and Candie's reunion is haunted by more than Mina's death as the old spark between them returns, even stronger than before. But there's no time for romance when the lines between nightmare and reality start to blur, leaving their competitors' bodies bizarrely maimed and mutilated. To survive, Sunny must expose the dark secrets surrounding Candie and the workshop's twisted promise for fame.

Stitched with cutting commentary on the ugly side of stardom and impossible beauty standards, Linda Cheng’s mind-bending, feminist thriller will have readers screaming and swooning for more.

*Don't miss the chilling companion novel, Beautiful Brutal Bodies, coming Fall 2025*

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250865007
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Linda Cheng was born in Taiwan and spent her childhood moving between cultures and continents. She received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and worked as an art director across South Carolina and Georgia where she developed a deep love for sweet tea, grits, and Southern Gothic stories. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada with her family. Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is her debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

09/18/2023

The mysterious circumstances behind an Asian American pop star’s death spell disaster for the group’s remaining members in Cheng’s debut, a thrilling psychological horror. Two years ago, Sunday Lee, who is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent; Chinese American Candice Tsai; and Korean American Mina Park made up the all-girl musical group Sweet Cadence. But when nude photos of Mina are leaked online, Mina supposedly dies by suicide, and the group disbands. Now 18 and living in Atlanta, Sunny learns that Candie—from whom she’s estranged—is arriving from Los Angeles to participate in a prestigious workshop from which a few candidates will be chosen to become K-pop trainees in Korea. As Sunny inserts herself into the workshop, she determines to unravel the mystery of Mina’s death and reckons with the increasing instances of injury among her competitors, all while grappling with her ever-shifting relationship with Candie, who still seems to yield an inexplicable power over her. Alternating chapters titled “Then” and “Now” weave flashbacks from the height of Sweet Cadence’s fame with harrowing behind-the-scenes looks into the world of K-pop and fascinating, eeriely rendered supernatural horror elements . Ages 14–up. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Literary Management. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Gorgeous Gruesome Faces

*A PopSugar Best YA Book of the Year*

*A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year*

*A CrimeReads Best of the Year Pick*

★ "Haunting and magnetic . . . an example of masterfully executed psychological horror that readers will find difficult to put down." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"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." —Marie Lu, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Legend

"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." —Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times-bestselling author of She is a Haunting

"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.” —Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

"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." —Joan He, New York Times-bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find

"So perfectly titled. Gorgeous Gruesome Faces has found the sweetest spot between horror and romance, hitting the mark in every manner." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"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." —Judy I. Lin, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of A Magic Steeped in Poison

"Gorgeous Gruesome Faces goes to places I never expected. A haunting meditation on love and fame from a fresh new voice in horror." —Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times-bestselling author of The Mary Shelley Club and Lord of the Fly Fest

"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.” —Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

"A glittering, gory page-turner, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is your next obsession." —Gina Chen, New York Times-bestselling author of Violet Made of Thorns

"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." —Andrew Joseph White, New York Times-bestselling author of Hell Followed With Us

"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." —Liselle Sambury, author of Blood Like Magic and Blood Like Fate

"Thrilling...and harrowing." —Publishers Weekly

"In addition to nuanced characterization, this fast-paced sapphic thriller tackles themes of the social media preoccupation with celebrity love lives, the impossible beauty standards expected of teen idols, and a culture that ruthlessly wields power over teens girls desperate for their own agency." —BCCB

"Cheng’s writing is hypnotizing, and the eerie feeling permeates the story...Full of ghosts, drama, and danger, this is a great choice for horror lovers." —Paste Magazine

"A fantastic exploration of the true cost of fame, where there will be blood." —The Nerd Daily

A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults

A Nerd Daily Most Anticipated Book of the Year

An NYPL Best Book for Young Adults

From the Publisher

12/22/2023

Gr 9 Up—Sunny used to be a member of Sweet Cadence, a hit musical show and K-pop group where she found friendship with her fellow stars, Candie and Mina. After a scandal hit the group and Mina died a horrible death, the group disbanded and Candie hasn't spoken to Sunny in two years. Upon seeing that Candie is joining a local K-pop workshop to restart her career, Sunny decides to join in hopes of rekindling their friendship and her own career—that is, until several of the girls start falling prey to the same destructive and strange behavior that befell Mina the night she died. Sunny must figure out what is happening before she ends up another victim to the limelight. This book goes back and forth in time, starting with Sunny at the auditions for the hit show. Readers will be hooked by the shocking death at the very beginning and will want to continue with how fast-paced the dark reveals of Sunny's K-pop stardom are intertwined with the current day paranormal thriller of the sinister workshop. The story wraps up in just over 300 pages, making it an excellent quick pick, and there is some sapphic romance as well. VERDICT Cheng's debut is an excellent purchase for secondary school library collections where a well-done, fast-paced K-pop horror will be welcomed by many teen readers.—Molly Dettmann

School Library Journal

★ 2023-07-31
A cutthroat competition becomes haunting.

It’s been two years since Mina Park, Sunny Lee’s best friend, died, and although her death was ruled a suicide, Sunny was there that night. While she’s not sure exactly what happened, she knows something much darker was going on. Mina’s passing, following a scandal around leaked nude photos, was the final blow to Sweet Cadence, their all-girl Asian American pop group. After descending into obscurity and relocating to Atlanta from Los Angeles, Sunny is ready to try a workshop that offers a chance at K-pop stardom. She’s also motivated by the chance it offers to be face to face with Candie Tsai, who will also be participating. Former close friend and bandmate Candie was also there when Mina died. Seemingly flawless Candie has the perfect idol persona, but Sunny knows she is dangerous—and that she knows what really happened to Mina. Sunny will do everything in her power to get to the truth. As the days blend together, Sunny’s night terrors become reality, and strange things start happening to the girls in the program—and it all leads back to Candie. The narrative is haunting and magnetic, and an example of masterfully executed psychological horror that readers will find difficult to put down. True to its title, the gore is disturbing. Sunny’s parents are from Taiwan and Hong Kong; Candie’s family came from China, and Mina was Korean American.

Immensely and terrifyingly satisfying from beginning to end. (Thriller. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews