Back of Book: 

After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming.

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be . . . especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in—including Teresa’s own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she’s created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life? 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Mystery | Thriller | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 

A riveting ghost story for the modern era in which vengeful ghosts are attacking people via the internet. 

Teresa has become a bit of an agoraphobe after the tragic car accident that killed her best friend. Now, Teresa lives within the comfort of the four walls of her room and finds solace in all things streaming. Whether she's having a chill day with her chat, collabing with her friends, or watching her favorite streamers, the internet is the only place that she truly feels safe. That is, until the fateful date that Brick, a popular streamer, gets attacked by a mysterious figure. Nothing is as it seems as Teresa works to unravel the mystery of what actually happened to Brick and hopefully gain some new subscribers along the way. 

I've never read a horror novel that dives deeply into the intricacies of the internet and uses it as a powerful weapon. I personally love consuming content from some of my favorite streamers, so it was neat seeing this world brought to life in this format. The very idea of our internet personas taking on a life of their own is an insanely creepy idea, and I truly ate up this book. 

This book indeed highlights the bad sides of technology and how it can easily be used to hurt others. On the other hand, it also does a great job of showcasing how the internet can also bring us together for the better. The online world that we are all learning to inhabit in this day in age is filled with both good and evil, which I feel this book represents very astutely. 

The narration style in this book is spot on. It is told in a mix media format that includes transcripts of streams, Discord servers, text messages, forums, and other creative content. This not only makes it a quick read, but also one that is diverse in its narrative storytelling. The narration of the prose in this book is also super eerie due to the fact it is told in an omniscient third person, making the narrator seem like a stalker. More details on this are revealed as the story progresses, but man didit make my hair stand on end. 

The first half of this book really had me trying to unravel all that was happening. After a while, it all became clear, but this book still had me invested until the very last page. I was really rooting for Teresa to overcome her severe anxiety and paranoia and see how she would take down the big baddie in the end. 

Speaking of Teresa's agoraphobia, I found her anxiety, panic attacks, and severe paranoia to be very relatable. I am a worrywart that is constantly stressing about things I can't control, and I definitely understand the fear that comes with anxiety attacks. Luckily, I am not as anxious as she is when it comes to leaving the house, but don't I know that it can still be hard to face the outside world on many occasions, especially if social interactions are required. 

As a complete random note, I was not expecting this book to have two of my least favorite types of horror: bug horror and eyeball horror. If you know, you know. Just thought I would throw this in here, because I was totally not ready for it and was a tad confused why either event was happening. 

Overall, "Deadstream" is a modern paranormal thriller that plays with the dark side of the internet and the vengefulness that is often not suppressed online. I enjoyed following Teresa's journey, especially watching her learn to cope with her anxiety, paranoia, and grief. This book did a great job of building suspense; there are many moments that my stomach filled with dread due to the fact I suspected what was coming and I was not excited for it. A quick paced cyber-thriller that many teens today can relate to. I would definitely recommend checking this one out, especially if you are interested in the world of influencing. 

Back of Book: 

Willie has always survived. No matter what life in Glory, Texas, has thrown at her. The sickness that swept through the state and turned most living creatures into terrifying shakes. Her own mother succumbing to the disease. Her father disappearing into saloons and gambling and liquor. Willie survives. And she'll make sure her younger brothers and sister do, too.

Then her good-for-nothing father steals a fortune from one of the most merciless shake hunters in town, and Willie is on the hook for his debt. With two young hunters as guide, Willie sets out across the desert to find him, and make him pay up.

But the desert holds many dangers—and the shakes are only a few of them. This is no place for the weak. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Science Fiction | Historical | Thriller | Dystopia 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

Back of Book: 

Prepare to die. His kingdom is near.

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.

But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.

Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.

A furious, queer debut novel about embracing the monster within and unleashing its power against your oppressors.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Science Fiction | Dystopian | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

In a dystopian wasteland, a group of genocidal cultists called the Angels are on a mission to destroy humanity. And Benji is their death weapon of choice. . . 

Sixteen-year-old Benji will do anything to escape the cult that raised him. Not only do they not recognize the fact that he is a trans boy, they are also the direct cause of the end of the world. In one final ploy to kill all non-believers, the Angels have injected Benji with a deadly virus called Seraph that is gradually turning him into the ultimate weapon that holds the very fate of humanity in his hands. With no choice but to run, Benji is desperate for a sanctuary. When he comes across the Acheson LGBTQ+ Center (ALC), Benji finds solace that there are others like him in this near destroyed world. But the Angels will stop at nothing to retrieve their ultimate weapon. It looks like Benji may have to embrace the monster within to free the world from those who have long oppressed it. 

This book is actually crazy. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into here, but it truly delivered. It's terrifying, it's heartwarming, it's inspirational, it's gruesome, and it's brutally honest. Trauma just bleeds from the pages of this narrative and it scares me to think of all the things that inspired the author to pen this novel. Also, the fact that this is going to be brought to the big screen is awesome, but goodness, it is going to be creepy as heck. 

This book has a concept unlike anything I have ever read before. I've read many dystopian books in my day, but this is the first one that took a religious cultist approach to the end of the world. The deep dive into how easily religion can be used to push one's agendas is super freaky, and the look into the inner workings of a cult was terrifying. Watching Benji try to escape from the Angels was super intense, but it also showed an honest approach to how difficult it is to shake ideas that have been instilled in a person from a young age, despite how ridiculous they may be. The fact that the Angels were literally turning Benji into the ultimate doomsday weapon was hard to stomach, but it really shows the extremes that some extremist groups are willing to go to achieve their misguided principles. A super unique world that I will not be soon forgetting.  

The community that is established at the ALC is so heartwarming. The Angels never viewed Benji for who he was, so getting to see him feel so validated just warmed my soul. The hell that Benji went through being a trans boy in a religious cult was brutal, and seeing him get a bit of respite was much appreciated. The amount of diversity in the LGBTQIA+ community that is present at the ALC makes sense because it's a help center for LGBTQIA+ teens, but it is still great to see all these kids come together in a little found family moment. Especially through all the brutal things they had to experience together. 

Now let's just take a second to give the diverse representation a shout out. Pretty much any pronouns one can think of in this book are used. He, she, they, e, and xe are all present, and I love to see that. The fact that Nick, the unofficial leader of the ALC, is autistic is also a joy to read about. It was really great to see someone with autism put in a leadership position and I was interested to see how he reacted to some of these intense situations as a neurodivergent individual.  The fact that beaded lizards are his comfort items really warmed my heart, and I couldn't help but really enjoy Nick as a character. 

Benji's dysphoria within the cult was extreme. Between everyone using his dead name, calling him "Sister," or only thinking of him in terms of "the Seraph," it makes sense that it was so hard for Benji to thrive as who he is. I love seeing Benji grow more into his true self as the book progresses, even though he is physically turning more in the Seraph. I think books in which people unleash the monstrous sides of themselves are super cool, and the way that this manifest physically in this book was quite special. After a certain point, Benji doesn't want to hide any piece of himself, and there is some neat metaphorical stuff happening here. Also, Benji and Nick's gradually shift towards one another as generally misunderstood outsiders is so sweet. They both have their unique needs, and I am so glad that they are willing to accommodate for each other. 

The body horror present in this book is seriously grotesque. Between the deadly virus that is turning humans into monsters, Benji's shift into becoming the Seraph (which involved many accounts of throwing up organs and parts of his face falling off), and the horrific things that the Angels do to their members, this book is often quite difficult to stomach. Be sure to take White's note at the start of the story into account and view the full list of triggering events. 

Overall, "Hell Followed With Us" is an incredible read. There is much to be discussed about religion, trauma, cults, gender dysphoria, the LGBTQIA+ community, self-discovery, abuse, and so much more. I gleaned many lessons from this book, but was also thoroughly entertained while reading it. Yes, it is freaky and disturbing, but it also has a message of triumphant hope and rising to face one's personal demons. I really enjoyed my time with Benji and I will certainly be checking out the rest of Andrew Joseph White's work in the future. 

Back of Book: 

Solving her best friend's murder means infiltrating a secret society, resisting a forbidden love, and running from a vengeful ghost in this sophomore novel by the author of Together We Rot.

Violet Harper knows her best friend was murdered. Even if everyone else has labeled her death a “freak accident,” Vi is sure she’d been trying to tell her something right before she died. Cryptic messages about her friend’s elite boarding school, her whirlwind romance, and the mysterious secret society she was entangled in all point to a more sinister fate.

So, Violet does what no one else seems willing to do: She transfers to the same fancy school to dig into the society’s murky history and find out what really happened to her friend. She knows the truth might not be pretty, but what she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome boy at the center of it all—Calvin Lockwell, the brother of her prime suspect and descendant of the school’s founder. He’s obnoxious and privileged, and Violet can’t deny their haunting attraction. It soon becomes clear his family is hiding a dark secret that may not be of this world, and suddenly Violet’s following her friend’s doomed footsteps down the rabbit hole. Even as details emerge of a deadly curse plaguing the school, she can’t escape her true feelings for Calvin. But loving him may be the last thing she ever does. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Thriller | Mystery | Romance | Fantasy 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

A girl desperate to solve the murder of her best friend finds herself a part of an elite secret society who seems to be both cursed and haunted by a vengeful ghost. 

Violet "Vi" Harper isn't convinced that her best friend's death was an accident. Desperate for revenge and a chance to find out the truth about Emoree, Violet enrolls in the illustrious boarding school that was the site of Em's "accident." Upon arriving at the school, Violet encounters one of the headmistress's sons, Calvin Lockwell, who also happens to be the brother of Violet's prime suspect. Despite the fact that he is an obnoxious brat who may or may not be related to a murderer, Violet can't stop the attraction that is beginning to form between them. After only knowing Calvin for a matter of days, Violet begins to learn that the Lockwell's are hiding many dangerous secrets. Violet knows that she should get away while she can, be Violet finds herself being dragged deeper into this dark mystery and the secrets that await her at the bottom of the rabbit hole. 

This one drew me in from the very first chapter. The murder mystery element of this book had me instantly interested and the dark academia vibes were tangible from the very first page. Once Calvin entered the scene, I found it hard to rip myself away from this darkly fantastical world. 

The vibes in this book are absolutely immaculate. The creepiness of all the nursery rhymes, poems, and stories sprinkled throughout this book had me squealing; I am a sucker for using such childish things to induce horrific feelings. This book is so thoroughly soaked in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," and I ate up every second of it. From the Queen of the Hart's to the rabbit mask at the masquerade ball to Violet's middle name being Alice, there are so many little shoutouts to this iconic story. The ways that the madness element that is so prominent in Wonderland adds to the horror is crazy, and I totally applaud Arndt for this! 

Speaking of the horror, the paranormal haunting that extends through this whole novel is so spooky and had me flipping through the pages rapid fire. I don't want to go into too many details, but the entire situation involving the Lockwell's is so masterful and honestly one of the most compelling magical tragedies that I've read about in a while. 

And the romance? I was beyond sold! Violet and Calvin have the best banter (I highlighted so many passages) and I found myself giddy by their interactions. The tension between these two is palpable and really adds to the thrill of the book, especially towards the end. The "will they, won't they" microtrope truly goes crazy in this book. 

I don't want to say too much about this book, because it truly depends on the shock factor. I adore the world, the characters, and the writing, so I enjoyed this one from start to finish. You'll just have to trust my word and give this book a chance if the vibes sound promising to you. 

Overall, "House of Hearts" is a truly wild ride that I can't recommend enough! I ate up the immaculate vibes, the tense and swoonworthy romance, as well as the murder mystery plot. The paranormal elements made this book so intense, and the nursery rhymes really added to the creep factor. I adore all the references to Wonderland, and the fact that they so expertly add to the thrill ride as well as character development is such a plus. I would recommend this to anyone who loves paranormal thrillers, dark academia, "Alice in Wonderland," or folk horror. I need to get my hands on "Together We Rot" sooner rather than later; this one has me seriously hooked on Arndt's work! 

Back of Book: 

Seventeen-year-old Iris Hollow has always been strange. Something happened to her and her two older sisters when they were children, something they can’t quite remember but that left each of them with an identical half-moon scar at the base of their throats.

Iris has spent most of her teenage years trying to avoid the weirdness that sticks to her like tar. But when her eldest sister, Grey, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Iris learns just how weird her life can get: horned men start shadowing her, a corpse falls out of her sister’s ceiling, and ugly, impossible memories start to twist their way to the forefront of her mind.

As Iris retraces Grey’s last known footsteps and follows the increasingly bizarre trail of breadcrumbs she left behind, it becomes apparent that the only way to save her sister is to decipher the mystery of what happened to them as children.

The closer Iris gets to the truth, the closer she comes to understanding that the answer is dark and dangerous—and that Grey has been keeping a terrible secret from her for years.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Back of Book: 

Recluse Sophie Vanguard’s winter cabin retreat turns ominous when blue flowers mysteriously appear. They’re everywhere. On her front porch, in kitchen cabinets, and even on her pillow. It isn’t long before chilling whispers echo in the halls, and her journal repeats seven unsettling entries.

Enter the bloodied and beautifully eccentric Ly Thi Ren. Though Ren seems familiar, Sophie refuses to believe the girl’s insistence that they are trapped inside a book.

In a land of fiction, truth and lies blur together, clear decisions are marred by doubt, and shared family trauma lurks just below the surface.

Can Ren and Sophie make it out alive? Or will they end up nothing more than words inked in blood and memory?

With elements of gothic horror, splatterpunk, romance, and fantasy, Inked in Blood and Memory is a self-aware LGBTQ+ horror that wraps its clutches around the reader and doesn’t let go. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Thriller | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Two girls race to escape from the horror novel that they are trapped in before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Day in this exciting sapphic fantasy horror novel. 

Sophie Vanguard has spent her days holed up in her cozy cabin just the way she likes it. That is, until a mysterious girl appears on her doorstep claiming to be Sophie's childhood best friend. Ly Thi Ren bursts into Sophie's life claiming that they are both trapped inside a horror novel, and they only have a couple of hours to escape if they want a chance to escape the people that trapped them inside the insidious book in the first place. 

The first couple of chapters had me a bit confused about what in the world was happening, but I soon found myself understanding the complicated cult that Sophie and Ren are trapped in and the various things that it entailed. Right away I was a bit thrown off by how nonlinear this book was in changing perspectives and jumping through time, but I soon found myself absorbed in the world and frantically turning pages to see what happened next. 

Humanity tends to be drawn to the occult and find cults quite interesting, and I am certainly no exception. In this book, three families worship a demon who requires children to be sacrificed to it and traps people in books. People's devotion to cults is always so intriguing to me and time after time it shocks me that people genuinely believe that they are doing the right thing. 

The majority of this book features Sophie and Ren trying to escape from the horror novel that they are stuck inside. These two have to face many different foes such as zombies, stalkers, killer teddy bears, and even alt versions of each other. Every obstacle that they faced raised the stakes and got me even more excited to see how this book would climax. 

I also really appreciated the relationship between Sophie and Ren. I appreciate that they have been friends forever and that they have a complicated relation with the third member of their trio, Jeremy. The romance elements in this book weren't suffocating, but they did a great job of adding a little more lightness to this dark novel. 

The ending was also very satisfying. The allusions on the last page were truly golden and they had me giggling. Getting a bit of resolution from the cult was also much appreciated and as a reader, I was left with a ton of hope for the future. 

Before I end this review, I want to comment on how pretty this book is. It was self-published, which allowed the author to adorn it with some pretty cool designs. From the end pages, to the chapter headers, to the random images scattered throughout the book, this novel is filled with pretty illustrations that accompany the book wonderfully. 

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with "Inked in Blood and Memory." As a reader, the concept of getting stuck inside a book was really fun and I found the fact that the majority of this story revolved around a cult made it quite interesting. The thriller-esque nature of this book was also nailed quite wonderfully. The fact that this book was told in so many perspectives also added to the creepy nature of this novel. I would be quite intrigued to see what else Ivy has penned, because I found this book to be unique, creepy, and filled to the brim with thrilling moments that kept me rapidly turning the pages. 

Back of Book: 

Washington Irvings haunting, macabre stories will give wide-eyed young readers delightful chills. This spooky anthology of timeless tales includes “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the eerie “Rip Van Winkle,” the funny “The Specter Bridegroom,” and “The Devil and Tom Walker.” Its perfect for Halloween, campfires, or anytime kids want a fun scare! 

Book Number: Stand Alone Short Stories 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Short Stories 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

Classic gothic tales by one of America's first successful writers.

My edition of this book only includes "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "Rip Van Winkle," "The Specter Bridegroom," and "The Devil and Tom Walker." All of these are gothic stories that showcase some fantastical element (usually ghosts) and focus on themes such as the passing of time, not being greedy, and punishment for those who have wronged.

I read "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" due to the fact that I picked up a retelling of it and realized I had no idea what was going on. I must say, reading the story helped me better understand the modern retelling I read, but I wasn't super excited about the story itself. Ichabod's a creep, the writing is superfluous, and the endings is ambiguous. I must admit, the way the ending is written allowed for the entire retelling to occur. The Headless Horseman is a cool character though, and I would be interested to see more modern writers take the idea of him and twist it in some way.

"Rip Van Winkle" is an intriguing little tale about a man who goes up to a mountain, falls asleep, and returns to a world that he doesn't recognize. I am highly fixated on the concept of time, so I must admit that this one freaked me out a bit. Going to bed one day and waking up decades later would be a literal nightmare and this story caused my brain to spiral a little bit. So a bit creepy due to the things it made me think about, but not really due to the writing or the "ghosts."

"The Specter Bridegroom" was the story that I enjoyed reading the most. It follows this man who is supposed to trek to this castle to wed this girl, but is attacked and killed by thieves. His friend is meant to tell the kingdom what has occurred, but finds himself drawn to the suppose-to-be bride. I found the way that the characters were described in this one to be hilarious due to the changing the of time periods, which made it a fun read. The way the princess behaves is actually laughable in this day and age, which makes me really consider how stories are viewed differently over time.

"The Devil and Tom Walker" pretty much just existed for me. It's another tale of some guy finding the treasure of Captain Kidd and trying to claim it as his own. In this one, Tom makes a bargain with the Devil to keep the loot, which ends up ensnaring his soul for good. I found it pretty boring and surface level, but at least it was short. It was also super obvious to tell that this one was just a cautionary tale written to say "don't be greedy" and "be careful what you wish for."

Overall, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories" are cautionary tales from the 1700s that still exist to this day. I understand how these stories would have been horrifying back when they were written (riding your horse through the woods at night, inexplainable forces being ghosts, the Devil himself coming to get you if you sinned), but now, they are pretty lack luster. I appreciate the legacy that Irving has helped establish, but I personally don't find his tales to be anything special. They're not horrible, but they don't stand out compared to anything else I've read either.

Back of Book: 

A teen girl and her family return to her mother's childhood home, only to discover that the house's strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.

The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That's what Libby's mom said. And after Libby’s recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.

But Libby’s new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds.

Libby’s mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family’s perfect new beginning, but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her, and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie, bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property.

We all wear masks—to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself—and everyone she loves.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Contemporary | Mystery | Thriller

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

A creepy house, disappearing ancestors, mysterious masks, and swarms of bugs take center stage in this horrific novel that filled me with terror from cover to cover. 

In need of a fresh start, Libby and her family move into the historical house of her mother's youth. After being diagnosed with bipolar III disorder in the aftermath of her biggest mistake ever, Libby wants to like the new house. Unfortunately, the house is way too weird to find peace within it. From the large stained glass windows featuring different types of bugs and the mysterious disappearances of many of the house's previous owners, nothing about Libby's new home screams safe or normal. When things turn from creepy to dangerous, Libby must rely on the only allies she has in order to escape from the house with her life. 

After reading this book, I realize that three things creep me out more than any others when it comes to horror stories. The first being bug horror. I seriously hate insects so much. The second is mask horror. I've only read a couple of stories that have masks that turn on their owners, but man, they are so terrifying. The third is creepy houses that come alive. "A Place For Vanishing" has all three of these things. As the story progressed, I could tell that the creepy windows, masks, and ever shifting house were going to lead to some pretty horrific things; I was one hundred percent right. I don't want to go into too much here because most of this book relies on the element of surprise to release the full effect, but I can officially say that I have now read two books that feature seven foot tall praying mantises. *hides face behind hands* I may be scarred for life all over again. 

I really appreciated the bipolar III representation in this book. Not only did it add to the spooky elements of this book, but I always love seeing mental health talked about freely on the page. Sometimes it can be hard to talk about subjects such as depression and suicide, but that doesn't change the fact that it's imperative we discuss mental health in various different ways. The way that the magical elements of this story reflect Libby's mental health journey are also very well done and I appreciate it greatly. The fact that all of the cast eventually open up about their mental health difficulties showcases excellently that we all have our demons, even when life is overall pretty good. 

The importance of family in this one is so sweet. Libby and her little sister, Vivi, have some serious dirt to get over, but I could tell instantly that all of their issues come from a place of love. Seeing them overcome their demons together and battle the monsters present in the house was very inspiring, and really shows the resiliency that relationships have when they are nurtured. 

Libby and Vivi not only have an important sibling bond, but they also have interesting hobbies that made me connect to them immediately. Libby is a theatre nerd (much like myself), so I related to her knowledge of the stage and her craving of the spotlight. I know that Fraistat has been heavily involved in theatre throughout her life, so I thought it was cool how much of herself she put into Libby's character beyond the bipolar III diagnosis. Libby is a ballerina and is addicted to insects, which is quite a unique combo. She's thirteen years old, but she knows so much about bugs already, which really came in handy due to the nature of the house they inherited. 

Finally, I feel I should touch on Flynn and the romantic elements a little bit. From the get-go, he is a tad suspicious, but he does work at the library, so he seemed like a good egg deep down. As the story progressed, I really started to appreciate all the pieces of Flynn, from his odd hobbies, his interest in the House of Masks, and the mental health demons he has been forced to carry with him for years. A pretty solid love interest, especially for a horror novel. 

Overall, Fraistat penned another fantastic novel with "A Place For Vanishing." It is super scary and intense, yet has very hopeful undertones. I think horror books that dive into societal issues are always the most successful and I've come to notice that ones highlighting mental health can be especially effective. I will never not be freaked out by bug horror, so there is a pretty good chance that this book will haunt me for the rest of my life. This book does get pretty heavy at times, but in my opinion, that makes it all the better. If a sentient house filled with larger than life bugs, magical masks, and séances seems of interest to you, do yourself a favor and check out this book! 

Back of Book: 

Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

Book Number: Stand Alone

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Historical | Thriller | Fantasy | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

Dark, disturbing, and downright terrifying, "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" blends the lines between history, fantasy, and the horrors that society often puts certain members through. 

In an alternate Victorian England, the living and the dead aren't as separated as many would like to believe. Those born with violet-eyes can control the Veil that keeps the spirits out of the mortal world. The Royal Speaker Society yearns to conquer all those with this unique ability, including young women who are viewed as nothing more than a womb who can foster the next violet-eyed generation into existence. Silas Bell, a transgender boy who has to hide his true identity, would do anything to get out of an arranged marriage that can only lead to him suffering. After a failed attempt to escape his fate, Silas is sent to Braxton's Sanitorium and Finishing School in the hopes that they can "fix" him. The school seems suspicious right from the get-go, but it isn't until Silas meets the ghosts of past attendees that he begins to realize that the Headmaster is hiding darker secrets than Silas ever could have imagined within Braxton's walls. 

I think this book officially beats "Trigger" by N. Griffin for the scariest, most disturbing book that I have ever read. However, I enjoyed my time with Silas much more than that particular novel. "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" is truly a mind boggling novel that blurs genres, pushes the boundaries of acceptable amounts of gore in YA, and made my heart pound for intervals that lasted hundreds of pages. Seriously, my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest by the time I reached the end of this novel. 

Silas' journey within Braxton's showcases a part of history that is often forgotten about or intentionally hidden from the public eye. In the late 1800s, medical experimentation was often done in very suspicious ways, and this book doesn't leave much to the imagination. Just thinking about some of the things done to these girls within the walls of this "school" is making my heart pound all over again, and it makes me so sad to dwell on the fact that these types of things were done in real life. I won't go into the bloody details, but make sure to read all of White's triggering warnings before going into this one. I'm a very squeamish individual, so I mentally had to prepare myself for literal weeks before I felt up to tackling this one. I was aware of much of the things that occur in this one, but not why or how they occurred, so none of the intensity was lost. 

This book also showcases how women in history have often been viewed as "unfit" or "mentally unwell" just because they don't fit into society's standards of how they should act. Many of the themes of this book venture into "The Yellow Wallpaper" territory. The girls who star in this book have been mentally, physically, and sexually abused to try to get them to conform to society which wasn't nearly as uncommon as one would like to think. The mental torment that these girls experience and the things that they do to themselves is already quite disturbing; it gets doubly so when you account for everything else. 

On top of the exploration into mental health, abuse, and medical experimentation in this book, Silas is a trans boy who is also autistic. This only expedited all of the anguish that Silas went through when they were trying to conform him into a "proper young lady." Luckily, Silas does find those who views as his equals in his fiancée Daphne and the groundskeeper of the school. Seeing multiple trans characters as well as several that have autism added much to this story, especially when it comes to thinking about how aggressively these people were shunned and abused in this time period. 

I have to touch again on how intense this book is. On top of all the gross medical stuff that happens, the extreme cases of abuse that the characters suffer, and the spooky spirit vibes, the thriller part also comes in because the reader is trying to figure out exactly what happens to the missing girls. This mystery had some tangible foreshadowing that allowed me as the reader to put it together, but I was always horrified by what all my conclusions were leading to. Much of this disbelief came from the fact that Silas literally can't trust anybody. As trustworthy as many characters first appear, no one seemed to be exactly who they said that they were. This just had me so anxious for Silas and the rest of the girls who where literally in danger of being murdered by the incidents going on in the house. 

And somehow, this book only gets more intense all the way to the very end. The fight to escape the "school" is absolutely terrifying and I just can't. Aaaaaaaaaah! And then after everything appeared safe, there are a few threads left and way too many pages to have a soft landing from there. This book just kept pulling intense moments out of thin air. And the epilogue? Actually beautiful. It gives the reader plenty of satisfaction while also leaving off on an ominous note. 

Overall, I could rant about how intense, artful, and genre blending "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" is forever, but I think I'll call it off here. Every page of this book is just so creepy and eerie; I was so worried the entire time. This book may have seriously had me stressing and sweating throughout the majority of it, but it deserves all the stars and praises. I may be scarred for life from this one, but I can't recommend it enough, especially to horror connoisseurs looking for something beyond their average horror story. 

Back of Book: 

Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and House of Hollow, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy―and herself―from ruin.

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.

But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.

Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Romance | LGBTQIA+ 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

A folk horror tale about a girl coming home to fight for what she loves most and relearn who she is in the process. 

Lacrimosa "Lark" Arriscane has just been kicked out of her prestigious boarding school after the betrayal of her best friend takes a violent turn. Upon returning home, Lark soon learns that her family is broke and desperate to escape their financial debt. In a last-ditch attempt, Lark agrees to marry the swan god, Therion, in exchange for the salt mines her family runs to be refilled with their prosperous goods. Unfortunately, the betrothal doesn't quite go as planned, and Lark finds herself connected to a god who is quite literally beginning to disappear from the world. With few options remaining, Lark turns to Alastair and Camile Felimath, her childhood best friends who she hasn't spoken to amicably in years. They must do everything they can think of to restore Therion to his former glory and save Lark in the process. 

"Tenderly, I Am Devoured" has been on my most anticipated read lists since December of last year. I've been sitting on the ARC for quite some time, but I finally got around to reading it. Unfortunately, I didn't adore it as much I hoped that I would, but it was still a good read. Folk horror is a genre that has greatly intrigued me, but I feel that most of them I've read aren't as great as I hoped they'd be, so maybe it's just not typically a genre for me. 

The complex world, god system, and magical elements in this book are a bit ambiguous and unexplained, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just had me doing a double take now and again and led to me having to overly explain myself when people asked what this book was about. I think the world Clipstone crafts is really cool and that Therion was an interesting concept, despite the fact that he didn't do all that much throughout the course of the novel. 

The chaotic bisexuals in this book are also pretty iconic (and I mean this is the best way possible). Lark literally kisses all the important characters that she isn't related to in this book, so I never knew what Lark was going to do romantically. I believe that this is the first poly book that I have ever read, which I also found super insightful. Lark is greatly attracted to both of the Felimath siblings, which is quite an interesting dynamic. Camile makes her thoughts on the situation obvious quite early in the novel, but I was intrigued by how Alastair was going to react to this fact. (He ended up also being a chaotic bisexual, so it all worked out in the end.) 

Clipstone creates such an enthralling atmosphere. The way she writes is so lyrical and beautiful, especially when it comes to describing emotion. This became a tad frustrating at times, though, because I felt that flowery language was taking over the narrative at certain moments. 

On the surface, this book is a story of a girl who must marry a swan god to save her family, but it also explores so much more. Lark has been betrayed time and time again by those she loves, so her learning to love herself and find her self-worth is a super important part of this story. Learning to trust those she loves that have wronged her in the past in another important element of this story that most readers can (sadly) relate to. 

I think the biggest downfall of this one for me is the pacing. It took a while for much action to really occur, and I spent over half of this book wondering what the main plot line was. This book really reads like a magical slice of life story with some creepy moments that add to the horror-esque vibes. Some moments in this book felt a tad repetitive, too, but this wasn't a major concern of mine. 

Overall, "Tenderly, I Am Devoured" is a beautifully penned folk horror novel that utilizes figurative language and a haunting atmosphere to the max. It may not have been my most favorite novel ever, but I really enjoyed learning about Lark and the Felimath siblings. I would definitely be interested in checking out more of Clipstone's work in the future and seeing if it ends up resonating with me or not. 

Back of Book: 

The Queen’s Gambit meets The Hunger Games in this “brisk and brutal…harrowing and intriguing” ( Kirkus Reviews ) novel about a teen girl whose abusive father teaches her the finer points of chess and hunting, all for his own sinister ends… drawn from the author’s own experiences.

For forever, Didi has had to be the best at anything her father demanded of her—the fastest runner, the master at chess, able to take down a deer with a bow and arrow at a dead sprint. If she fails, he denies her food. Clothes. Kindness. Yet he claims he loves her—he says he does—it’s why he pushes her. To be ready. Prepared. For anything. Ready to fight. Ready to...

Didi is terrified of what he may one day ask.

But she might be more prepared than her father ever expected.

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Contemporary | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

I think this is the freakiest book I have ever read.

"Trigger" is a story about a young girl named Didi who is abused by her father in near unimaginable ways. She is forced to wake up early and run laps around the property, become a master at chess, and shoot deer in a dead sprint, despite not wanting to harm a single soul. Her father only wants Didi to be the best, and if she doesn't meet his expectations, he keeps her from being fed, well clothed, and often even takes to beating her with a gun. And to top the cake, if she doesn't succeed, it's her fault and she is the one that needs to get better in order to be a "good daughter." He pushes her everyday to be ready for anything. But ready for what exactly?

This was some real messed up stuff in this book. I'm not going to go too much in detail because I don't want to give anything away, but dang. Her father puts her through the weirdest kinds of torture and it breaks my heart that any part of this book is based on the writers own life. This was a hard read for me, not in the fact that it took me forever (I read it in one sitting), but due to the mental journey through hell that this book took me on. The fact that it is her own father doing this to her. . . wow. That's what makes it one of the most messed up books I've ever read.

This book had some very interesting formatting choices. It jumps around from the "event" that occurs at the end of the novel, memories of her childhood, and glimpses of people asking her if she needs help. This book whips the reader around a bunch, which sometimes added to the intensity of the torment, but other times left my head spinning. I think it was an interesting choice to structure the book like this, but I can't exactly say it was a bad one. It added to the state of mind of the book. Despite the whirlwind that was happening around me, I still pieced together everything pretty early on and wasn't shocked by what occurred in the end. The reveal of the "event" was rock solid though; it was well structured.

This book is well done and I have the greatest respect that the author is willing to share their experiences with the world, even through a fictional account. However, this book didn't add much to my world, didn't get me attached to any of the characters, and wasn't super enjoyable to read. For these reasons, I cannot realistically give it a higher rating.

Overall, this book is an intense psychological thriller that borders on the plain horrific. It tackles tough subjects such as mental and physical abuse and should not be read by the faint of heart. If psychological thrillers are your thing, I would hands down recommend this book. It is a unique story that I feel could be enjoyed by many.

Back of Book: 

Wren owes everything she has to her home, Hollow’s End, a centuries-old, picture perfect American town. Tourists travel miles to marvel at its miracle crops, including the shimmering, iridescent wheat of Wren’s family farm. Until five months ago.

That’s when the quicksilver mercury blight first surfaced, poisoning the farms of Hollow’s End one by one. It began by consuming the crops--thick, silver sludge bleeding from the earth. Next were the animals. Infected livestock and wild creatures alike staggered off into the woods by day—only to return at night, their eyes, fogged white, leering from the trees.

Then, the blight came for the neighbors.

Wren is among the last locals standing. And the blight has finally come for her, too. Now, the only one she can turn to is the last person she wants to call: her ex, Derek. They haven’t spoken in months, but Wren and Derek still have one thing in common—Hollow’s End means everything to them. Only there’s much they don’t know about their hometown and its renowned miracle crops. And they’re about to discover that miracles aren’t free.

Their ancestors have an awful lot to pay for, and Wren and Derek are the only ones left to settle old debts.

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Science Fiction | Romance | Thriller 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 

Back of Book: 

A seductively twisted romance about loyalty, fate, the lengths we go to hide the darkest parts of ourselves... and the people who love those parts most of all.

Wyatt Westlock has one plan for the farmhouse she's just inherited—to burn it to the ground. But during her final walkthrough of her childhood home, she makes a shocking discovery in the basement—Peter, the boy she once considered her best friend, strung up in chains and left for dead.

Unbeknownst to Wyatt, Peter has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths on her family's property. Semi-immortal, Peter never remains dead for long, but he can't really live, either. Not while he's bound to the farm, locked in a cycle of grisly deaths and painful rebirths. There's only one way for him to break free. He needs to end the Westlock line.

He needs to kill Wyatt.

With Wyatt's parents gone, the spells protecting the property have begun to unravel, and dark, ancient forces gather in the nearby forest. The only way for Wyatt to repair the wards is to work with Peter—the one person who knows how to harness her volatile magic. But how can she trust a boy who's sworn an oath to destroy her? When the past turns up to haunt them in the most unexpected way, they are forced to rely on one another to survive, or else tear each other apart. 

Book Number: Stand Alone 

Genre: Young Adult | Horror | Fantasy | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟 

Dark secrets lie on the Westlock property and it's up to three estranged childhood best friends to put them to rest once and for all. 

Wyatt Westlock is finally returning to her childhood home after her father's death. Upon reaching the property, she has every intention of burning the farmhouse to the ground. That is, until she finds her childhood best friend, Peter, chained up in the basement. Wyatt doesn't know it, but Peter is actually an immortal being that the Westlock family has killed for many generations in order to keep the beast of the woods at bay. The only way for Peter to break free is to end the Westlock bloodline—even if it means killing the only person he's every truly cared about. With the dangers in the forest growing closer, Wyatt and Peter must put aside their differences and work together, even if neither one can trust the other. 

This book had me feeling so stupid. The entire time, I felt like I was putting together a puzzle but none of the pieces fit together all that well. All of the magical elements in this book had little lore to back it up, and I found that incredibly frustrating. The fact that this book isn't told in chronological order also had me trying to discern what happened in the past between the three children that made them all hate each other, which took more of my brain power than I liked. 

I think that though the overarching plot in this one isn't super unique, it also had some serious potential. Dark fantasies tinged with horror are in right now, so I can see the reader appeal. I just wish that this book would have flowed more fluently so that I could have understood more of the magical elements. I literally finished the entire book and still have a hard time explaining to someone else what went down in it.  

The only thing that this one really had going for it was Peter. I really pitied the fact that his father practically sold his soul to a demon. Like, seriously dad? Who hits their young child with an ax and then sells their soul to a literal demon? Definitely not the smartest move. I felt so bad that Peter had to choose between his freedom and the girl that he loved. Unfortunately, not even the romance carried this book for me, so I still found myself mostly bored and confused the entire way through. 

Overall, I am extremely disappointed to say that "Your Blood, My Bones" was a complete and utter miss for me. I was really looking forward to reading this one, but the organization of this book had me so confused. I think if this book would have been told in chronological order and the characters had time to grow on me before they all started hating each other I could have really enjoyed this one. As it is, I was confused by the laws of magic, I didn't dig the romance, and I found the ending to be super predictable despite not really knowing what was happening. I am still looking forward to checking out more of Andrew's work in the future, though I will definitely go into her next books cautiously optimistic.