Swarm by. Jennifer D. Lyle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Swarm

Author: Jennifer D. Lyle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/7/23

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Survival

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sixteen year-old Shur is one of the first to see the creatures. While staring out the window in history class, she spots one floating over the soccer field. It looks like a monarch butterfly—but it’s huge. Within minutes, her classmates’ phones are buzzing with emergency alerts. These things are everywhere, and though nobody’s exactly sure why the alerts are telling them to take cover, Shur knows it can’t be good. It’s only when she’s left school and headed home that she what the creatures do: they attack.

By the time Shur, her two brothers, and their two best friends make it back to her house, it’s clear the five of them must survive whatever comes next on their own.

As the “butterflies”—new hybrid creatures thought to be created by climate change—multiply and swarm outside, anxiety-prone Shur focuses on what she can control: boarding up windows, stocking food, and preparing a shelter in the basement. They lose internet and power while vigilantes create terror outside. Meanwhile the creatures begin to fulfill their ultimate purpose: multiplying via parasitic load, and before long, the butterflies aren’t the only thing trying to get in. To protect her family and survive the invasions, Shur must find the strength to protect their sanctuary at any cost.

Content Warning: body horror, violence, big bugs

I was so curious about this book because of the cover and title. Scary butterflies? How?! Butterflies are such beautiful creatures!

And then I read the book and yes I can imagine huge, people sized butterflies being creepy and scary especially with their legs and other body parts that isn’t their wings. Shur, along with her family and friends rush home after seeing a swarm of these butterflies in the sky at school. But it’s not only at their school – apparently it’s taking over the world and being bit from you makes you turn into a very scary, nasty creature. They get holed up at their house trying to survive without adults, without electricity, and just whatever they have.

I think teens who like horror and survival stories will love this books. It’s got some gory parts especially when they have to fight off whoever is trying to come into the house. I felt like how the kids survived was realistic and brave of them really. There was definitely a reference to COVID in here and we all remember how the world basically went on lockdown in 2020 and that’s what this book kind of felt like, minus scary butterflies outside out doors. COVID was the scary butterfly for us.

There wasn’t much explanation for the creatures in the book but I just went along for the wild ride this story took me on.

My Thoughts:

This one definitely gave me flashbacks of being in lockdown during COVID but I think I’d rather deal with that than carnivorous butterflies! The teen characters did a pretty good job surviving without any adults around. The story has scary butterflies, zombies, and killing said creatures with whatever they go, so if you like some gore, you will like this one. This one will appeal to teens, the younger YA crowd who likes horror and survival stories.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All That Consumes Us by. Erica Waters | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: All That Consumes Us

Author: Erica Waters

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 10/17/23

Publisher: HarperTeen

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Suspense, Mystery, Secret Society, Dark Academia, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to HarperTeen for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everyone knows the students in Corbin College’s elite academic society, Magni Viri, have it all—free tuition, inspirational professors, and dream jobs once they graduate. So when Tara is offered a chance to enroll, she takes it.

But once she’s settled into the gorgeous Victorian dormitory the academy calls home, something strange starts to happen. She finally has the chance to write, but her stories are dark and twisted. When she’s not sleepwalking, she’s dreaming about being trapped in a coffin, buried alive. And she’s starting to feel an unseen presence stalking her through the halls of her dorm.

As Tara slowly loses her grip on everything she’s ever known, she discovers a terrible secret at the heart of Magni Viri, one that just might turn her dreams into nightmares, one that might destroy her before she has a chance to escape.

All That Consumes Us will pull readers into a hypnotizing, utterly lush and gothic reverie that blurs the lines of reality and shows that the addictive nature of ambition, and its inevitable price, always claim their due.

Content Warning: death, self-harm

I’ve read only one other book from this author called The River Has Teeth and I enjoyed it a lot. When I read the synopsis for this book it sounded so intriguing I had to request it.

I like that this book is set in college because I feel like there isn’t many young adult books set in college, but so many things happens to a young adult after high school. And we see it in this case with Tara who is trying her best to do good in her classes, hoping one day to be a novelist but she is a young woman who has to pay her own tuition and make things meet. Tara doesn’t have a wealthy family to help her pay for school so when she is invited to the secret society, Magni Viri, she feels this is her one chance to realize her big dreams.

The secret society gives the whole story its mystery. There is a backstory with the founding fathers of Magni Viri and we learn about it with Tara who is new to it all. The twist in the story is a good one and so unexpected. I found it creative and definitely gave all the dark academia vibes! Tara lives in a Victorian dormitory, there are woods around her and a graveyard. She also feels like she’s being haunted and obsessed with writing this novel – she feels like she’s becoming someone else which becomes really creepy.

I like the diverse cast of characters but I wish I felt like I could connect to them but I didn’t. I do like how each student had lofty ambitions and being part of Magni Viri was a chance to reach those goals – but at what cost? And was it all worth it to be so consumed by their passions that they would do anything to make their dreams come true.

Tropes: secret society

Why you should read it:

you want to read a modern gothic horror story
good twist in the story, dark academia vibes with ghosts, obsessions, strange things happening

Why you might not want to read it:

not into horror

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was fairly entertaining but maybe a little too slow for me in the beginning and I wish I could’ve connected to the characters. Once everything starts unraveling for Tara is when I got more engaged and I was trying to figure what was going on with these Magni Viri kids. I like that it’s a college setting and it has a diverse cast. I thought the twist in the story was good and I like how the characters question if everything they are doing to achieve their goals are worth it.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The River Has Teeth by. Erica Waters | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hatchet Girls by. Diana Rodriguez Wallach | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Hatchet Girls

Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Paranormal, Suspense

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

For fans of Kara Thomas and Courtney Summers comes a supernatural horror that reminds us family can be our saving grace–or our biggest curse. Set one-hundred years after the Borden murders, this propulsive thriller imagines what a similar trial might look like today.

When the parents of the richest family in Fall River are found murdered by axe, the town is quick to blame newcomer Vik. It doesn’t help that he was caught standing over the bodies with blood on his hands and can’t remember anything about the night in question.

But Vik’s sister, Tessa, knows that Vik would never be capable of such a gruesome crime. Haunted by the mistakes she made that led her family to Fall River in the first place, she sets out to prove her brother’s innocence.

Her search for answers will lead her into a sprawling, supposedly cursed forest, as well as the childhood home of Lizzie Borden—the original axe murderess of Fall River.

Content Warning: violence, murder

I couldn’t resist requesting this one because I wanted some darker, thrilling, spooky reads for Fall. This one is dark, bloody, and spooky if you like true crime murders. This story revolves around the history about the Lizzie Borden axe murders that took place in Massachusetts, in the late 1800’s. I’ve heard of the name but wasn’t familiar with the crime story. Seems like this author did her research though and even stayed in the house of the murders! I love the dedication to the story!

The story is set in the Fall River, MA and one of the characters, Phil, even works at the Lizzie Borden house. Mariella, his best friend and the rich girl in town is actually a descendant of the Bordens so when she tries to test her luck by getting in touch with the supernatural forces of the town to help her with a desperate situation – something sinister and strange happens. Other than the Lizzie Borden information we get fed in the book, I also loved the acknowledgment of the Native Americans that had been killed on that land. So this town is the perfect place for a story like this. Mariella’s parents are murdered by her boyfriend Vik, but Tessa (Vik’s sister) wants to truth. What happened that night of the murders? Why would Vik do something that is totally unlike anything he would ever do? There are so many questions and Tessa won’t give up until she figures it out.

This is a quick read but at times I thought maybe too quick because I wanted more of the creep factor especially about the Lizzie Borden history. I felt like the twist was something I caught onto halfway into the book. I would have loved more character development too, I didn’t quite connect to Tessa or Mariella but I did appreciate their back stories since they both were going through some challenging things. I totally felt bad for Vik, poor guy.

I think if you like murder stories with some paranormal, creepy aspects, then you will like this one.

Why you should read it:

true crime, Lizzie Borden axe murder history, Massachusetts history, Native American history
supernatural twist to the story

Why you might not want to read it:

not into horror

My Thoughts:

This is a quick read and if you are into young adult horror and thrillers you may enjoy this one. I especially loved the historical facts I learned about the Lizzie Borden axe murders and the Native Americans that perished in that town, on that land. The story itself was creepy and gory and for the most part I was entertained even though I wish there was more character development and more of a scare factor.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Bitterness in the Hollow by. Kate Pearsall | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bittersweet in the Hollow (#1)

Author: Kate Pearsall

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/10/23

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Murder Mystery, Urban Legend, Romance, Thriller, Witches, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this beautifully dark and enthralling YA, four sisters with unusual talents investigate a mysterious disappearance in their secluded Appalachian town. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls!

In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets.

Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions–and a haze of nightmares that suggest there’s more to her story than simply getting lost.

Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year’s events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn’t make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder.

As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what’s hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth–about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family–she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

Content Warning: violence, vandalism, threats

There is so much I loved about this book. I love the Appalachian history of the small town that is Cabal Hollow. And the James women, especially the sisters, Sorrel, Rowan, Linden and Juniper, who have powers, but they are a tight knit group and I loved the sisterly bond between them. My favorite has to be Rowan, who has an outspoken personality. I thought Linden was a great character too though since the murder mystery revolves around her. I like how the suspect was hard to figure out and the explanation for their motives were interestingly tied to an urban legend, the Moth-Winged Man. Coincidentally, this is the second book this year I’ve read about a mothman!

I was intrigued with how curses, trades, magic, and consequences play a big role in this story. It starts off with one plea for life that ends up being a bargain that devastates people and families.

I also thought the childhood romance between Linden and Cole was so sweet. There was something creepy, yet heartwarming about this story once everything is revealed. I love the James family. And although they had powers and were known as witches, there isn’t a lot of witchcraft in this book but I thought it was a nice balance. I was really immersed in the story and I hope book two is about Rowan and Hadrian because the sparks between the two are off the charts!

Tropes: slow burn romance

Why you should read it:

the James women and their family bond – love how they are strong, capable women
the witchcraft and urban legend about the Moth-Winged Man, creepy vibes
intrigued from beginning to end

Why you might not want to read it:

this is being compared to House of Hollow but that book was darker than this one. I’d say this one is mild compared to House of Hollow and was more a mystery thriller. No body horror in this one.

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though sometimes I struggle with mysteries. I like the pacing of this story, it wasn’t as slow as most mysteries and I love the James women. I love the sisterly bond, and how strong these women are. I also adored the slow burn romance between Cole and Linden even though it wasn’t a main focus of the story. I was invested in the urban legend and I hope we get more of Rowan and Hadrian in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Warrior Girl Unearthed

Author: Angeline Boulley

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 5/2/23

Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery, Coming of Age, Thriller

Perry Firekeeper-Birch was ready for her Summer of Slack but instead, after a fender bender that was entirely not her fault, she’s stuck working to pay back her Auntie Daunis for repairs to the Jeep.

Thankfully she has the other outcasts of the summer program, Team Misfit Toys, and even her twin sister Pauline. Together they ace obstacle courses, plan vigils for missing women in the community, and make sure summer doesn’t feel so lost after all.

But when she attends a meeting at a local university, Perry learns about the “Warrior Girl”, an ancestor whose bones and knife are stored in the museum archives, and everything changes. Perry has to return Warrior Girl to her tribe. Determined to help, she learns all she can about NAGPRA, the federal law that allows tribes to request the return of ancestral remains and sacred items. The university has been using legal loopholes to hold onto Warrior Girl and twelve other Anishinaabe ancestors’ remains, and Perry and the Misfits won’t let it go on any longer.

Using all of their skills and resources, the Misfits realize a heist is the only way to bring back the stolen artifacts and remains for good. But there is more to this repatriation than meets the eye as more women disappear and Pauline’s perfectionism takes a turn for the worse. As secrets and mysteries unfurl, Perry and the Misfits must fight to find a way to make things right – for the ancestors and for their community.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter comes a thrilling YA mystery about a Native teen who must find a way to bring an ancestor home to her tribe.

Content Warning: missing girls, violence, abduction, murder, references to sexual assault

Angeline Boulley is becoming a must-read author for me because she writes stories with Indigenous characters and that’s one area that is sorely lacking in the young adult book world. In her books I learn more about the Ojibwe tribe, the culture, the issues they are dealing with in present day. I listened to this as an audiobook and I loved hearing their language because I would have not pronounced any of those words correctly in my head at all. The story takes place 10 years after Firekeeper’s Daughter so Daunis does make an appearance in this book, which was nice.

Perry is one of my favorite characters I’ve read this year. She IS a warrior girl, personified. She has a twin, Pauline, who is the studious and smart one but Perry is physical, bold, makes friends easy and doesn’t hold back her thoughts (which can get her into trouble) but she is genuine when wanting to help. She has such a love for her culture and community. She’s the type of person who wants to take action and I thought she was pretty awesome. Perry grows a lot from the start of the story to the end of it and I admired her.

A few things are happening in this book which is a mystery/thriller. Perry is doing an internship as punishment for wrecking a car and she didn’t want to do it but she has no choice. The internship opens her eyes to an issue not even I was aware of. Her job is to work with a man, Cooper, who is a museum curator trying to take back indigenous items from other local museums. A fire is lit in Perry and she becomes determined to help bring her ancestors and the items that belong to their people back to them.

Another thing that is happening in the story is that a girl has gone missing. There is a whole mystery with that ends up being a thriller at the end of the book. I do feel like while listening to the story that the first part was a bit slow. Perry is restless and wants to go fishing and she meets a boy Eric and there is a potential romance with him but I was very much interested in what was going on with the missing girl and her internship job. The second half moves quickly since there really is someone out there abducting girls and Perry figures it out almost too late.

My Final Thoughts:

I love how this author can put together a story that is educational, informative, emotional and have characters I am invested in, like Perry. I loved seeing Perry’s growth from beginning to end of this story. I loved learning more about the Ojibwe tribe and my eyes were opened to anthropological practices that deal with indigenous artifacts – seriously give it all back to them! Give the bones back, let them lay their ancestors to rest! This is a wonderful follow-up to Firekeeper’s Daughter and honestly cannot wait to read more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Firekeeper’s Daughter | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Together We Rot by. Skyla Arndt | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Together We Rot

Author: Skyla Arndt

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 272

Publication Date: 8/29/23

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Suspense

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A teen girl looking for the truth about her missing mother forms a reluctant alliance with her former best friend…in exchange for hiding him from his cult-leading family.

Wil Greene’s mom has been missing for over a year, and the police are ready to call the case closed–they claim she skipped town and you can’t find a woman who wants to disappear. But she knows her mom wouldn’t just leave…and she knows the family of her former best friend, Elwood Clarke, has something to do with it.

Elwood has been counting down the days until his 18th birthday–in dread. It marks leaving school and joining his pastor father in dedicating his life to their congregation, the Garden of Adam. But when he comes home after one night of after a final goodbye with his friends, already self-flagellating for the sins of drinking and disobeying his father, he discovers his path is not as virtuous as he thought. He’s not his father’s successor, but his sacrifice. For the woods he’s grown up with are thirsty, and must be paid in blood.

Now on the run from a family that wants him dead, he turns to the only one who will believe him: Wil. Together, they form a reluctant partnership; she’ll help him hide if he helps her find evidence that his family killed her mother. But in the end they dig up more secrets than they bargained for, unraveling decades of dark cult dealings in their town, led by the Clarke family.

And there’s a reason they need Elwood’s blood for their satanic rituals. Something inhuman is growing inside of him. Everywhere he goes, the plants come alive and the forest calls to him, and Wil isn’t sure if she can save the boy she can’t help but love.

Content Warning: violence, horror, parental abuse, grief, alcoholism, parent neglect

I love this book cover and I was intrigue by the title, Together We Rot. Right away you can tell there will be horror elements to it but I still wasn’t sure what to expect.

You are immediately thrown into this story where Wil, a teenage girl is angry because her mom has been missing but the town is about to close the case. She has a feeling her ex-best friend’s religious/cultish family is the reason for her going missing but she has no proof. Elwood, her ex-best friend is a boy who’s dad is the leader of the Garden of Adam, a religious cult, and he’s being abused by both his father and mother. Elwood is a timid and frightful boy but inside him is something dark.

In one night of desperation Elwood takes one night before he’s about to “leave” and parties with his friends like he never has. But things go haywire and he realizes something is wrong with him and maybe Wil’s suspicions about his family is correct. What happens next is quick and soon Elwood and Wil is on the run and hiding from his family and the sheriff and things take a turn for the worse.

The horror is when things about the church is revealed and mostly in the end when there is body horror when it comes to Elwood. I thought the ending was bittersweet though. Elwood had to accept some things about himself in order to make peace with what was happening.

It’s a quick read and I wasn’t sure how it would end but I did find it fairly entertaining! I also found the second-chance romance between Wil and Elwood kind of sweet. And I did enjoy the secondary characters, Wil and Elwood’s friends.

Tropes: best friends to enemies to lovers

Why you should read it:

it’s a quick read
fascinating story with two main characters with a history, a missing person mystery, a religious cult and something dark inside Elwood

Why you might not want to read it:

there are a few heavy topics with parental abuse and neglect
some pacing issues – slow start and then quickly picks up and rushes to the end

My Thoughts:

This one is a dark and unexpected story but with a sweet kind of second chance romance in the midst of it all. I love Wil and Elwood’s history and how they struggle through some truths to fall in love again. It’s their love that in a way saves Elwood. The horror mostly circles around the parental abuse and religious cult, and definitely around whatever darkness that lives in Elwood. So I found this book to be more of a mystery and suspense/thriller than horror (except the ending). I think if some things weren’t so rushed in the book my rating would be way higher. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Stranger Danger by. Maren Stoffels | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Stranger Danger

Author: Maren Stoffels

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 224

Publication Date: 5/2/23

Publisher: Underlined

Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Underlined for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From horror powerhouse author Maren Stoffels comes the next pulse-quickening read! There’s nowhere to hide when three teens find themselves in the middle of nowhere, with no internet and a killer hunting them down.

Don’t think you can get rid of me so fast. . . .

No phones. No internet. No social media at all. That’s what it’s going to take to finally get serious about school and focus on exams. Nova, Vin, and Lotus even rented a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere so they won’t get distracted. After that, everything can go back to normal.

But they aren’t alone. Someone is watching them from the forest. Someone who knows their secrets. Someone who wants revenge. And things will never be the same again.

Content Warning: bullying, threats, student/teacher relationship

Horror and thrillers are not what I usually read but I wanted to delve more into the genre this year and requested this one. Here’s what I thought:

+ I like how quickly the ball gets rolling in this story. I was thrown into, trying to get my bearings and figure out what is going on and things happen very quickly in this book. Plus it’s barely over 200 pages so it’s a VERY quick read.

+ There are three best friends Nova, Vin and Lotus who seem like good kids that are just going to do some major studying at some secluded farmhouse. They have big dreams after graduation so this big study weekend is important but then things start happening. Lotus gets mysterious texts. Nova and Vin get hurt…but who is doing all of this?

+ I thought the twist in the story was clever. I like how as the story moves along we dig deeper into everyones secrets and there are a lot! I felt like the story made me ask who is the real villain?

~ I think at times the story moved way too fast, for example in the beginning – but I think it was to throw the reader off because I assumed all kinds of things between the three friends before knowing the truth. So it did throw me off but it also felt like I missed something as I was reading, which was a little jarring.

~ Definitely for younger readers, minus the whole student/teacher relationship scandal situation going on! At times it reminded me of the movie Scream because they were alone in the house with someone out there messing with them.

~ I don’t think the title matched the story. Who is the stranger here? Because they figure out who was messing with them. I didn’t think the story was super scary, but definitely suspenseful.

Tropes: secluded house in the woods

Why you should read it:

a quick read
if you like movies like Scream, you will like this one – it’s more suspenseful than scary

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s such a quick read you get thrown into the story and then it’s over

My Thoughts:

The story didn’t wow me or give me major thrills and chills, though I did like the plot twist, but I think if you go into it just to have a little suspenseful fun then you will enjoy it. This one is a super quick read and you may enjoy it if you are into Scream.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lying in the Deep by. Diana Urban | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Lying in the Deep

Author: Diana Urban

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 5/2/23

Publisher: Razorbill

Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Razorbill for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.

After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn’t be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.

But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.

Perfect for readers of Natalie D. Richards, E. Lockhart, and Karen McManus!

Content Warning: drug use, death, violence

Taking classes on a cruise ship? This is definitely something I would have wanted to do while I was in college! And I think this setting made this story even more fascinating. I loved the travel aspect of it, because they did stop at ports to do some sightseeing.

But this story is focused on Jade and the heartbreak and betrayal she endured from her ex-best friend, Lainey and her ex-boyfriend, Silas. She assumes this semester away at sea would help her move forward but when she sees the both of them on the ship with her, things get messy. Jade is all in her feelings about missing Lainey and Silas, hurt that now they are together, and angry that they betrayed her. So when Lainey is missing from her room with just a room full of blood – Jade is suspect number one!

I think the cast of characters did a really good job of leading us away from the real suspect. I had my suspicions and I kind of was right. I didn’t want to be right though, so I’m glad I was partially right! Felix is someone Jade gets to know on the ship but he’s mysterious and she doesn’t know what his deal is. I loved them together. There was even a moment of fake-dating between them, but the two of them investigating Lainey’s disappearance was really fun. There were a few times I wished Jade would let go of her jealousy and anger but I can understand where she is coming from.

There is suspense, mystery, and so much drama between new friends and lovers, and a really good twist in the story. Also it’s another book set in college, which I’m happy about because we need more.

Why you should read it:

entertaining and full of suspense, mystery and even a little romance
a good plot twist

Why you might not want to read it:

not into suspense

My Thoughts:

This one was a fun read especially because the romance brewing between Felix and Jade was a nice edition! I read it in one sitting because I really was invested on trying to figure out what happened to Lainey and if Jade was maybe an unreliable narrator at some point! This is the second book I’ve read from this author and have really enjoyed both. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

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These Deadly Games by. Diana Urban | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mexican Gothic by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Narrator: Frankie Corzo

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 6/30/20

Categories: Horror, Audiobook, Adult, Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Thriller

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.

Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

Content Warning: violence, death, attempted sexual assault, inbreeding, disgusting body afflictions, cannibalism

I’ve been wanting to read this book for awhile now and I decided to do it as an audiobook and I’m glad! The story went fast and the narrator has a great voice and kept me engaged.

I don’t think I knew what I was getting into with this book but I was lured into the mystery of High Place. Plus, I love Noemi as a character. I love how she is carefree, out-going, charming and a ray of sunshine in High Place. The contrast between her and everyone else at High Place really put into perspective how isolated and creepy the house is.

And this book goes beyond creepy but the story builds up to it. At first I was just wondering, like Noemi, if the house was haunted – especially when the history of the house was told. There was a murder at the house and there were also many people that died in the community when they worked in the mines. I did not expect the turn the story took when everything is revealed. Ugh..and can I say that’s when it goes from creepy to disgusting! And I literally looked like this 😱😫 while listening to the second half of this book. The secrets really are horrifying.

Tropes: creepy house, family secret

Why you should read it:

you like gothic horror
Noemi’s character was a light in the darkness of this story

Why you might not want to read it:

not into horror, some gross scenes and it’s a very dark story

My Thoughts:

I don’t know why I decided to read more horror this year but I’m mostly enjoying it! I enjoyed the audiobook for this story – the narrator had a great voice and the author did a great job with building up the story to it’s horrifying end. I really enjoyed Noemi’s character and how she was a bright light, fighting for her cousin Catalina in this creepy, dark home called High Place. I love the mixture of paranormal, gothic, horror, and history that I got a taste of in this book. For me this was a strange and intriguing tale that had a slow start but finished with a bang.

Book Links:

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The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beautiful Ones | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last One to Fall by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Last One to Fall

Author: Gabriella Lepore

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 5/9/23

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Six friends. Five suspects. One murder.

Savana Caruso and Jesse Melo have known each other since they were kids, so when Jesse texts Savana in the middle of the night and asks her to meet him at Cray’s Warehouse, she doesn’t hesitate. But before Savana can find Jesse, she bears witness to a horrifying murder, standing helpless on the ground as a mysterious figure is pushed out of the fourth floor of the warehouse.

Six teens were there that night, and five of them are now potential suspects. With the police circling, Savana knows what will happen if the wrong person is charged, particularly once she starts getting threatening anonymous text messages.

As she attempts to uncover the truth, Savana learns that everyone is keeping secrets—and someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep those secrets from coming to light.

Content Warning: attempted sexual assault, bullying, toxic relationship, alcoholism

Five teens are a suspect in a murder of one of the most popular boys in school, Raf. He was the ring leader in his friend group but he wasn’t the nicest guy. I like how the story starts off with the incident of Raf’s fall and Savana gets called to the area it happens. Right away we start getting into how these teens are involved by going back to the “start” so to speak. The timeline worked pretty well and I liked that it was told between Savana and Jesse’s perspectives. We are introduced to the five friends, Raf, Jesse, Tara, Freddie and Owen – the coolest kids in school. Savana is not part of the group but she’s close to Jesse who is the boy next door.

I easily read this book in one sitting and I felt like the story moved quickly. I thought Savana was a really good friend to Jesse and even Tara later. There is a mild friends to lovers romance going on between Savana and Jesse – though it takes a back seat with all the drama going on with Raf.

There are some tough topics discussed in this story like alcoholism, divorce, cheating, abusive relationships, bullying, and sexual assault but the story doesn’t go deep into the topics but it does give some suspects a motive for killing Raf.

As for the mystery of who committed the act – it was definitely someone I didn’t expect, but after hearing why the person did it, it made sense. But it would have been nice to have more hints about it throughout the book! Also Savana was supposed to be observing this popular group for a research project she was doing but it didn’t seem that important since we never see her doing any research whatsoever expect for observing the group of friends.

Why you should read it:

it’s a quick read
you like young adult murder mysteries

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s an easy read – it has hard topics but doesn’t go deep into them

My Thoughts:

I like that this was a quick and easy read because sometimes mysteries can get too slow and boring for me. I finished this in one sitting. I thought Savana was a great character as she and Jesse try and figure out what happened the night Raf died. There are a lot of tough topics in the story but it doesn’t get too deep into them. It showed how each character was going through something behind closed doors and even though the five friends were supposedly close – they still kept secrets from one another. Overall, this was an enjoyable young adult mystery.