“I hope you aren’t afraid of ghosts.”
I first heard about Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour during Penguin Teen Canada’s fall preview event this past summer. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Nina LaCour’s books from friends, but I’ve never actually read one . . . until now. The way this book was described—a beautiful story full of ghosts and grief—piqued my interested a lot, and I knew I needed to read it.
“Lana Lee is feeling stressed. Between updating her family’s Chinese restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, orchestrating a weekend long sidewalk sale for her restaurant and the other businesses in the Asia Village, and lending a sympathetic ear to just about everyone in her orbit, she’s beat. Unfortunately, things are about to get even crazier for poor, overworked Lana.”
I heard about the Noodle Shop Mystery series earlier this year and was immediately intrigued by the titles and covers! When I saw Killer Kung Pao by Viven Chien on NetGalley, I knew I had to read the book and give the series a try. I wasn’t sure if they had to be read in order, but I took a gamble and was so pleased with the story.
“Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.”
When I first heard about Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare, I had two immediate thoughts: 1) this book is going to be terrifying, and 2) I absolutely had to read it. Needless to say, I was over the moon when I received an early digital copy, and friends, it did not disappoint.
“She was here, in the daylight. She is breaking all her own rules. She is going to finish what she started.”
Friends, I did it: I finally read a book that takes place in the woods that didn’t scare my pants off! Sure, it made me uncomfortable at times, but it didn’t give me nightmares (yet). Instead, Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore used a creepy setting to create thriller centered around the love two twin sisters have for each other.
I’ve been reading a lot of graphic novels this year, and when I found out you could request them through NetGalley, I went a little overboard. While browsing through available titles I stumbled upon The Daughters of Ys, written by M.T. Anderson and illustrated by Jo Rioux, and immediately requested a copy.
I can’t remember the last time I read a book that made me cry as much as More Than Us by Ryan Jones did. This book deals with themes of suicide, mental health, and self-harm, so please be aware if you decide to add this title to your TBR list.
“The stories of Inglewell, like the tellers, are hybrids of tales from distant woods and forests.”
You’d think a story with such a bright, sunny setting wouldn’t be dark and gloomy, but that isn’t the case with Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings. Instead, this book is full of haunting stories, shattered memories, and family secrets that were buried deep for a reason.
Isn’t the cover of this graphic novel beautiful? As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read it. But friends, don’t be like me and assume a pretty cover means a nice, carefree story, because Ever After by Olivia Vieweg is the total opposite. In this story, the main character Vivi is trying to escape not only zombies, but the ghosts of her past as well.
When I saw that Mayhem by Estelle Laure was billed as a “supernatural feminist YA novel” I was immediately intrigued. It sounded like the type of book that I would love, and while the story was good, I ended up feeling like it would have made a better movie than a book (Gasp! I know!). In my defense, the author said they were inspired by the movie The Lost Boys (which I haven’t seen, so I can’t confirm or deny any similarities here).
“I’ve lived with ghosts my whole life, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt haunted.”
Every time I read a creepy book set in the woods, I think to myself, “this is it, this is the last time I read a book set in the woods!” And yet, as soon as I see another story with an eerie forest setting, I toss everything aside and run straight for it. That’s exactly what happened with Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters, and while my sleep schedule might regret it, the rest of me does not.
