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. It's a race to survive the deadly carnage in this spellbinding sapphic thriller that will have you screaming and swooning for more.

Review

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

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

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

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