Author: thelibraryladiesmn

Serena’s Review: “Bitten”

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Book: “Bitten” by Jordan Stephanie Gray

Publishing Info: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

Review: This was one of those frustrating reads where I wanted to like it a lot more than I actually did. Part of this could be on me, as I’m an adult reading a YA fantasy book. But I also don’t think it’s only that, as there are plenty of YA stories that I still enjoy. However, this one frustrated me more often than it did anything else.

Part of that frustration stems from the fact that I did enjoy the overall world-building and setup for the plot that we got in the early parts of the book. True, much of this world felt familiar, especially if you’ve read many paranormal books. But I don’t think familiarity is an automatic mark against it, and I think it’s use of the werewolves combined a healthy balance of trademark plot points and new political/cultural flourishes. To that last point, I do wish there had been a bit more fleshing out to be had with regards to just why this society operates the way it does. I don’t need a straight, blow-by-blow explanation or anything, but as it stands, much of it felt too close to “that’s just how it is” rather than tied to any lore-centric reason for why things have come to be done in certain ways.

However, what started out as an interesting plot fueled by revenge and anger quickly devolved towards the middle part of the book. And it was here that I had the most problems. I don’t think even as a teen reader myself I would have enjoyed the sheer avalanche of mean girl drama that overtook this portion of the story. At best it was tedious and at worst it was stereotypical. This could have been saved, perhaps, had Vanessa had a stronger POV. But while I didn’t actively dislike her, she didn’t have enough going for her to counterbalance some of the silliness of the high school drama going on around her. At times, her inner monologue became incredibly repetitive even.

I’ll also note that this book rates high on the gore factor and the explicitness of its romantic interactions. And my discomfort with that comes down fully to the fact that I’m now an adult reading this. I’m by no means saying that teens should only read closed-door romances or anything like that! But, as an adult myself, it does feel a bit voyeuristic and icky to be reading fairly explicit romance scenes between teen characters. This is especially true in books that are set in a high school setting. It’s easy enough to turn my brain off in a more general fantasy novel where the teenage protagonist is taking care of her family in a cabin and fighting dragons and what have you; in every way that matters, that kind of character is an adult in that world. But when the main character is literally in school and then I get whacked down into a pretty graphic romance scene…yeah, it just feels icky. But again, this would be a very different experience if I was an actual teen reader picking this one up, so take this all with a huge grain of salt! More so, this is just a note of forewarning for other adult fantasy readers who may struggle in a similar way.

Overall, this was only an ok read. I think the author has potential, and I did enjoy the paranormal werewolf aspects of the story, even if they felt fairly familiar at times. That said, Vanessa herself wasn’t a very strong main character and the teenage drama of it all was a big “no” for me. I think this is one that may appeal greatly to its target audience, but I don’t think I’d recommend it to adult fantasy fans.

Rating 7: I’m not the audience for this book, and that was clear throughout. However, there were some interesting world-building moments and werewolves are always a good time!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Never Ever After” can be found on this Goodreads list: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025

Kate’s Review: “The Captive”

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Book: “The Captive” by Kit Burgoyne

Publishing Info: Hell’s Hundred, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC and a finished copy from the publisher.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A darkly comedic, cinematic horror about a revolutionary group who kidnap an heiress, only to discover she’s pregnant with the antichrist, and she’s about to give birth.

From Ned Beauman, the Man Booker Prize longlisted author of The Teleportation Accident and Clarke Award winning author of Venomous Lumpsucker. Perfect for fans of Grady Hendrix and Joe Hill.

Underground revolutionary group, The Nail, and their newest member, Luke have kidnapped 23-year-old heiress Adeline Woolsaw, whose wealthy parents run the Woolsaw Group, a vast outsourcing company. They run everything from prisons and hospitals to military bases – quietly suffocating the country with the help of powerful friends in government.

The Nail’s to use the kidnapping to draw attention to the Woolsaw Group and their terrible practices. But with Adeline bundled into their van, The Nail discover two things. The first is that she’s just about to give birth. And the second is that this isn’t a normal baby. In fact, it has devastating supernatural powers. Because the father of this baby wasn’t a man, it was… something else. Something that her parents make human sacrifices to on an altar in the basement of their Highgate mansion. And all this time the Woolsaw Group has been preparing the ground for the Woolsaws’ real an infernal new kingdom that will rise with Adeline’s son sitting on its throne.

Review: Than you to Hell’s Hundred for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of this novel!

When I was in tenth grade, one of my friends and I watched “The Omen” during a sleepover the night of the Halloween Dance. Ever since it’s been a horror movie I enjoy, and it along with “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist” brought the idea of the antiChrist and demonic children to the forefront of horror storytelling (there is a whole argument to be made about these sorts of stories being told at this time due to people freaking out about Vatican II, as there is an argument to be made about movies like “The First Omen” being made in response to reproductive rights being under attack and more awareness of religious institution corruption, but that’s a different TED talk for a different time). It’s not a sub- genre I really seek out, but I do like checking it out every once in awhile if the opportunity presents itself. Fast forward to receiving “The Captive” by Kit Burgoyne as book mail! Looking it over it sounded like it could be a lot of fun, so I added it to the TBR pile!

I feel like this is less of a straight up ‘horror’ novel and more of a dark fantasy thriller, as I don’t think there were any moments of true dread or terror. But that didn’t make it any less fun to read for me, as I do love dark fantasy, and this one had not only fun world building, but also interesting satirical elements. We follow a leftist/anti-Capitalist group called The Nail, that is trying to expose the abuses and corruption of a sleek billionaire family with its fingers in many damaging pies, whether it’s poorly run mental facilities, detainment centers, or other places that cause harm (that can be easily ignored by the greater public all in the name of lining their pockets but under the radar). Their big plan is to do a Patty Hearst-esque sting in which they kidnap the heiress, Adeline, hoping to use her to get people to look into the Woolsaw Family and start asking questions. But two things catch them by surprise: 1) she is more than happy to go with them, and 2) she gives birth to a baby they had no clue existed, and who seems to have strange powers. It’s been a bit of a pattern when it comes to ‘antiChrist’-esque stories that it’s a religious or political group or cult or what have you behind it. So what fun to see it being a billionaire family that just keeps wanting more, more, MORE for themselves. Not that it shocks me that we’re seeing this kind of shift, given that we’re living in a new Gilded Age with billionaires getting richer and more powerful and influential as others struggle more and more. I enjoyed how Burgoyne developed that narrative with that context. I also liked that The Nail was in WAY over its head, specifically idealistic Luke to has his own reasons for wanting to take the Woolsaw Family down, but then starts questioning his compatriots actions when a postpartum woman and her child, dangerous as he may be, are being used as pawns not just by her family, but by his group as well.

But I think that what connected most with me (and I’m such a sap for this, but eh, this is me now!) was the way that Burgoyne portrayed Adeline’s relationship with her children, specifically her six year old daughter Mia…. who was a first attempt at a magical/demonic heir but then cast aside because she was a girl. While Adeline was forced to be a vessel for these children against her will due to her parents ambitions, I thought that her conflicted but also protective feelings towards her kids was very interesting, as it would have been easier for her to be portrayed as either ‘a mother’s love conquers all’ or ‘I have no connection at all to these things!’ With Mia especially I found myself teary as she wants to save her daughter at all costs.

I enjoyed “The Captive”. It wasn’t as scary as I had hoped, but it was a fun dark fantasy nevertheless. And timely in its own way!

Rating 7: Fast paced and, interestingly enough, topical in a way! “The Captive” is a pretty fun dark fantasy story that plucked at my heartstrings more than I anticipated.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Captive” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2025”.

Serena’s Review: “Wild Reverence”

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Book: “Wild Reverence” by Rebecca Ross

Publishing Info: Saturday Books, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Born ​in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Review: When I started reading this one and immediately fell in love with it (as I always do with Ross’s books it seems), I realized something: In many ways, Ross has taken up the reigns from Juliet Marillier in regards to these sorts of whimsical, lyrical, heartbreakingly romantic fantasy tales. Of course, Marillier is still writing, but her books are terribly difficult to get nowadays (her most recent one only released in Australia), so this makes Ross’s much more accessible titles all the more appealing. This little aside probably doesn’t mean much if you’re not familiar with Juliet Marillier’s works. But if that’s the case, and you enjoy Rebecca Ross and are looking for more, definitely give Marillier’s extensive back catalog a look!

It’s always a bit worrying when an author returns to a world/story that feels complete (I feel like Ava Reid’s “A Theory of Dreaming” is a good example of how it can go wrong). So when I heard that this was a prequel to “Divine Rivals,” I had concerns. But Ross proves here that there is a correct formula for making this work! For one thing, this book would be perfectly approachable to readers who have no knowledge of “Divine Rivals” and the world that was set up in that duology. Indeed, this book takes place so far in the past from those events that almost nothing is recognizable between one and the other. There are only the barest references to characters and places that show up in those books, and even these are of the sort that feel earned to this book alone, and not simply as empty “easter eggs” for fans of the other series.

The other factor that makes this successful as a prequel is the fact that the focus is on characters, places, and conflicts wholly unreferenced in the other duology. From my memory, there are only two gods mentioned in this book that showed up in the other books. And, indeed, the two gods at the heart of the conflict in “Divine Rivals” were some of the more obscure parts of that series, for better or worse. So getting a clearer look into what these pantheons looked like centuries in the past felt like being introduced to a fully unique world and lore.

And boy does Ross make up for that obscurity here! Not only does she create one pantheon, but two! Each with their own cultures, stories, and hierarchies. And then on top of those, she builds up the complicated dynamics that exist between them. Matilda’s story is told slowly and carefully, with the first third of the book devoted to her childhood and early adolescence. But what could have felt as slow pacing as we await the main action of the plot, instead felt like crucial world building and the introduction of a whole host of side characters, all of whom I wished to spend more time with, ultimately.

Matilda was fantastic, to put it simply. She’s a child between worlds and we see both the strengths and insecurities this brings to her. Because of how disconnected the two pantheons are, much of her existence has been shrouded in secrets and unknowns. There were a number of interesting twist and turns throughout the story that explored the tricky ways that her unique place between these worlds allowed her to manipulate events in surprising ways, even to her! I also enjoyed her internal journey, one that begins in fear, moves into a place where she has been taught how gods “should” behave, and then slowly comes into her own power, embracing that which her peers have deemed weaknesses.

Vincent is also a great romantic lead. He gets less page time than Matilda, but what we do see from him is so, so good. I was never quite as enraptured with the love story from “Divine Rivals” as other readers were, instead preferring the quieter, more adult romance found in other titles by Ross. So I was thrilled to see a return to that sort of love story play out here. Matilda and Vincent’s relationship hit on all of the right notes, mutual wariness that lead to deep feelings based on more than simple passion.

The conflict was also incredibly well done, with antagonists ranging from the mortal to the immortal. Once the plot starts up, it never really stops, with Matilda literally running from one action scene to another. And yet, at the same time, the story always felt keenly focused, precisely tuned to Matilda and Vincent and there journeys through these troubled times.

So, yes, I loved this book. In many ways, it was a return to the sort of love stories that I look for from Rebecca Ross. But it was also an incredibly well-drawn, detailed fantasy world with a twisting and intricate plot that will keep you on your toes throughout. If you’re a fan of Ross, than this is a must read! And I also strongly recommend it to romantasy fans and readers looking for a fairytale-like fantasy standalone!

Rating 10: Where romantasy meets epic fantasy, Ross is the reigning queen of the genre!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wild Reverence” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Best Books of 2025 and “Matilda”.

Kate’s Review: “The Silenced”

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Book: “The Silenced” by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Publishing Info: Delacorte, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher at ALAAC25

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Welcome To The Farm

Hazel Perez thought her school project on the abandoned Oakwell Farms School for Girls—or “The Farm” as it’s known to locals—would be just another assignment. But when a late-night research trip ends with her falling unconscious, she reawakens with a desire for revenge that isn’t her own. Desperate to free herself from these sudden violent urges, Hazel begins to investigate.

As she delves deeper into Oakwell Farms’ past, Hazel discovers the harrowing experiences of the girls who were once forced to live within its walls—under the eyes of sinister men—and the spirits who still linger.

With the help of some unlikely allies, Hazel must navigate a treacherous path of corruption, history, and the supernatural to bring peace to the restless spirits and uncover the truth about her family’s involvement.

The Silenced delves into the Trouble Teen Industry through a riveting exploration of a reform school’s haunted past colliding with the traumatized present.

Review: Thank you to Delacorte for giving me an ARC of this novel at ALAAC25!

One of the many horrible and tragic topics that has grabbed my attention over the past few years is the Troubled Teen Industry, in which parents send their kids to ‘reform schools’ or programs in hopes of turning their ill behaved ways around… Though ultimately it’s rarely actually a helpful experience, and a terribly abusive an traumatic one (especially since so many kids that have been sent to these programs for being ‘bad’ aren’t actually bad, but behaving in ways that their parents are embarrassed by or don’t approve of). I’m always on board to read books about this, fiction or non-fiction, so when I saw that Diana Rodriguez Wallach had written a horror novel called “The Silenced” that focused on the Troubled Teen Industry as a backdrop I knew that I HAD TO READ IT. I was thrilled to get a copy at ALAAC25, and when I finally jumped into it I found myself fully invested. And fully horrified.

First the supernatural elements. Our protagonist Hazel, after having an accident at the abandoned property of the now closed reform school The Farm, is finding herself haunted by an angry spirit who may or may not be taking over her body. Hazel keeps having images of a ghostly girl hanging on her back, and feels her body being overrun by the rage and anger of this ghost that won’t leave her alone. I really, really liked the creepy imagery of this book, and the building suspense of Hazel becoming more and more unhinged as she investigates what is happening to her, and what the history of The Farm has to do with it. I also loved the strange and suspenseful moments at The Farm and the scary beats. I was unfamiliar with Wallach’s game, but now that I’ve been introduced I need to check out other books she’s written because this one was really fun.

But it’s the far more realistic horrors of the Troubled Teen Industry that really made this read a winner. I’ve mentioned before that I have a dear dear friend who was sent to a wilderness reform school, and as more horrifying stories have come out about these kinds of places in the past few years it has become VERY clear that these so called ‘helpful’ schools have caused so much damage and trauma to children who were sent to such places. And “The Silenced” doesn’t shy away from how awful and abusive these schools and programs could be. Wallach doesn’t shy away from it, and I found myself completely on edge as we see not only Hazel’s investigations, but also the dual perspective of a girl who was sent to The Farm in 1995 and the horrors that she endured all in the name of ‘help’ and ‘healing’. Even though the ghost that has attached herself to Hazel is terrifying, her rage and despair is fully explored and fleshed out in the narrative, and it’s so, so heartbreaking and haunting. I’m so glad that Wallach decided to be frank and honest with the awfulness, even if it made for a very emotional and upsetting read at times.

“The Silenced” was a fantastic and gripping read. I can’t recommend it enough for the upcoming Halloween season. Just steel yourself for the really bleak aspects.

Rating 9: Gripping, haunting, creepy and all too relevant, “The Silenced” may be a supernatural horror tale, but the real life horrors of the Troubled Teen Industry play the biggest part in this novel.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Silenced” is included on the Goodreads list “YA Novels of 2025”.

Joint Review: “The House of Quiet”

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Book: “The House of Quiet” by Kiersten White

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, September 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: ARC from ALA!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: To save her sister, she must enter the House.

In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.

Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.

Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.

In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.

Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion.

Serena’s Thoughts

Long time readers of the blog may remember the last joint review Kate and I posted of a Kiersten White book….Suffice it to say, we didn’t love it. So I went into this one with trepidation. However, I’m happy to report that this one worked much better for me!

For one thing, it had a lot going for it with themes and tropes that play well into my preferences. I’m curious to see how Kate felt, because unlike another recent joint review (“The Library at Hellebore”), this one felt like it more closely aligned with the fantasy genre than with horror. Though it definitely still had its creepy moments, particularly in some of the other POV chapters highlighting the kids’ powers. Most strongly, however, this read as a gothic mystery, which I gobbled up. I think this sort of slow-burn, highly atmospheric story plays well to White’s strengths as an author which left me much more satisfied with it than with her last.

I will say that while I enjoyed the sibling relationship at the heart of the story, it took me a while to become too invested in our main character, Birdie. There was nothing wrong with her, per see, (other than the fact that she missed what were some fairly obvious clues), but I never felt strongly connected to her as a character. The story is also on the slower side, so readers looking for a more fast-paced read may struggle a bit here.

Overall, however, I was happy to see return to form for White. While this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I think it was successful for what it set out to do, especially for readers looking for gothic YA fiction.

Kate’s Thoughts

Hooray! After not enjoying the previous Kiersten White book that we joint reviewed on the blog I’m happy to report that “The House of Quiet” was a return to form! This was an anticipated read for me this year, though I was feeling a bit nervous after the last of her novels, but overall I found this one to be much more enjoyable.

I do agree with Serena that this is more of a Gothic Fantasy, or perhaps Dark Fantasy, tale as opposed to the horror-esque cover, but that was fine for me! I enjoyed the world building that White did, with different regions having different cultural touchstones, and different characters from different areas having different motivations depending on what their life experience was like. I enjoyed Birdie enough as one of our main characters, as her trying to find her sister Magpie in The House of Quiet by pretending to be there strictly as a maid, but actually looking for information.

But I think that the character I enjoyed even more was the mysterious and acerbic Minnow, who was also hired on as a maid, but who is clearly hiding her cards and has other motivations that she is trying to fulfill. White is always quite skilled when it comes to creating characters that you can’t quite suss out at first, peeling back layers to reveal interesting truths, and Minnow was a good example of that. I also enjoyed the mystery at hand as Birdie finds herself in a dangerous web with more questions popping up as she gets deeper and deeper into her investigations.

“The House of Quiet” was a fun Gothic tale from Kiersten White! Set this one aside for the upcoming spooky season, I’d say!

Serena’s Rating 8: Perhaps a bit slow at times, but a nice option to scratch that gothic YA fantasy itch!

Kate’s Rating 8: I’m so glad that I’m back on the Kiersten White bandwagon! “The House of Quiet” is strange, layered, and a well pieced together Gothic mystery!

Reader’s Advisory

“The Library at Hellebore” is included on these Goodreads lists: Twisted Tales for Beautifully Damaged Minds and 2025 Dark Academia Releases.

Kate’s Review: “Body of Water”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Body of Water” by Adam Godfrey

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Landmark, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Don’t let the water drag you down…

It’s been six years since Glen Masters lost his wife in a tragic accident. In hopes of reconnecting with his grieving teenage daughter, Lauren, he decides to take her on a road trip through the Appalachian mountains, where he has fond memories of their past as a family. But what was supposed to be a quick diner pit stop suddenly transforms into a nightmare when armed men stumble in, ranting about a mysterious and deadly “living water” that attacked several people up the road. The story the men spin seems to be the rantings of drunken lunatics, but soon Glen, his daughter, and the other diners find themselves hostages to both the gunmen and the inexplicably terrifying entity. 

Because there’s truly something wrong with the water, and it has no mercy.

Panic grows as the diners play witness to a nature-defying being that seeks only to swallow everything in its path. With help nowhere in sight, the group of strangers must work together to devise an escape, and ultimately, Glen will have to face his worst fears to reconcile with the past or risk losing everything.

A chilling story from a brand-new voice in fiction, Body of Water explores the complicated nature of grief, terror, and the ghosts we must confront to survive.

Review: Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an ARC of this novel!

I am someone who has always been drawn to water. I love visiting the ocean, I love going up to Lake Superior and just vibing by the shore, and I have been known to really luxuriate in a bath, sometimes a couple times a day! I love water, but because I love it I ALSO love the idea of water becoming a villainous and carnivorous entity in a horror novel. Because I mean, how fun! So when I was sent “Body of Water” by Adam Godfrey, I was very, very amped to read it, as the idea of a bunch of people being trapped by a dangerous and hungry water-like being was just such a fun premise! And for awhile it lived up to my expectations!…. Until it kind of didn’t.

But first the good! “Body of Water” reminded me a lot of a few different things. The first is “The Mist”, which seems to be a big comparison that is being used by lots of people, but hey, if the shoe fits! We have a group of people, Glen and daughter Lauren at the forefront, stuck in a rural diner while a strange type of water lurks outside, killing and sucking the life out of anything that gets in its path. I was also thinking a lot about another Stephen King story “The Raft” as I read, as well as “The Blob”, with the viscous water entity doing a LOT of nasty body horror to anything that gets in its way much like those two stories. Throw in rising tensions between the trapped survivors in the diner (again, “The Mist” is an apt comparison) and you have a very suspenseful and dread filled story that had me on the edge of my seat as I was reading.

But we have to talk about the reason that this book has a lower score than one might assume with my previous paragraph’s praise. I won’t spoil anything here because I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s fun when this could very well be a ‘me’ thing. BUT. There is a crazy, CRAZY twist in this book that completely reframes basically the entire plot within the last couple of chapters of the story, negating basically everything before it. This one is particularly out there, as while looking back the seeds were certainly planted throughout the narrative, it still felt like whiplash. And as someone who has recently had a very difficult time abiding nutty twists for the sake of twists and shock value, this one really didn’t work for me.

But that won’t necessarily apply to everyone! And until that moment, “Body of Water” was, indeed, a suspenseful horror novel that I was enjoying. Just because it didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you!

Rating 6: A really suspenseful and solid horror novel was derailed a bit by a very random twist.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Body of Water” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2025”.

Serena’s Review: “The Summer War”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Summer War” by Naomi Novik

Publishing Info: Del Rey, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Celia discovered her talent for magic on the day her beloved oldest brother Argent left home. Furious at him for abandoning her in a war-torn land, she lashed out, not realizing her childish, angry words would suddenly become imbued with the power of prophecy, dooming him to a life without love.

While Argent wanders the world, forced to seek only fame and glory instead of the love and belonging he truly desires, Celia attempts to undo the curse she placed on him. Yet even as she grows from a girl to a woman, she cannot find the solution—until she learns the truth about the centuries-old war between her own people and the summerlings, the immortal beings who hold a relentless grudge against their mortal neighbors.

Now, with the aid of her unwanted middle brother, Celia may be able to both undo her eldest brother’s curse and heal the lands so long torn apart by the Summer War.

Review: There’s no point in building up to a point that is probably already a given, but I really loved this story. Like I have for every other piece of writing by Naomi Novik that I’ve read over the years!

One of the more interesting aspects of this one, however, is its length. Last fall, I read a collection of short stories that Novik released which included the original, short story version of “Spinning Silver.” While enjoyable, it was also clear how much the final version of the story benefited by being elongated into a full length novel. Here, we have something in-between: not a short story, but still a shorter, novella length piece of fantasy fiction. And, while I still would love to explore a longer version of this story, I think that has more to do with the fact that I simply want more of Novik’s writing full stop, not that this particular narrative required further depth; for all of its shorter length, the story felt complete, impactful, and fully realized.

One factor that stood out in particular was the choice to center sibling and family relationships as the emotional core of the story, rather than the more typical romantic plotline. And while I love a good romance (and Novik in particular has always written excellent ones), it was also a breath of fresh air to see this sort of acknowledgement that romantic love is not the be-all, end-all of character motivations. Indeed, sibling relationships can be some of the most complicated ones there are, as we see here!

This also read as an original fairytale, from start to finish. It’s hard to put a finger on exactly what quality of writing it is, but there’s a distinctive style of fairytale fantasies that always feels easily identifiable when you’re reading it. Some combination of whimsical, lyrical, and character-focused, perhaps? Whatever it is, this one had it in spades! I enjoyed the world-building we had, though this is definitely an area of the book that I’d love to revisit in a longer story, just to get further into the details and history of this world.

Perhaps my one critique is that there were moments where some of the characterization felt a bit off. The subplot romance that we do have comes on quickly, just dipping its toes into the water of “instalove.” As this romance doesn’t include our main character, this ultimately didn’t bother me as much, but it is there. There were also moments where Celia reads as older than she is. However, again, this is fairly standard for fairytales where children are often the main characters and must act and think in ways that are, perhaps, more mature than one would expect.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novella! Of course, I’m always left wanting more when it comes to Novik’s writing, but I think this one does a good job of standing on its own two feet, even for a shorter tale. Fans of fairytale fantasies who want a more manageable read than the typical tome should definitely give this one a try!

Rating 9: Atmospheric and heart-wrenching, Novik introduces a wholly original feeling fairytale that only leaves you wanting more!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Summer War” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2025 Adult Fantasy Releases

Kate’s Review: “When We Were Monsters”

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Book: “When We Were Monsters” by Jennifer Niven

Publishing Info: Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher at ALAAC25

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A simmering psychological thriller about a dead teacher at an elite boarding school, the students who had every reason to want her gone, and the tangled web of rivalry and romance concealing the truth—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places.

At an elite boarding school, 8 students are selected for an exclusive program, but only one will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams. 

Effy is piecing together a story about the tragic betrayal that led to her mother’s death. Arlo hopes to publish a novel—but he’s also trying to start a new chapter with Effy after he broke her heart and ghosted 3 years earlier. Everyone has a compelling reason to be there—they all want a big break—but only the most ambitious will prevail as the students are eliminated one by one.

Their mentor is the one and only Meredith Graffam, an enigmatic writer, director and actress, whose unorthodox teaching methods push them past the breaking point. Under Graffam’s tutelage, the students reveal their darkest secrets, take unthinkable risks, and slowly start to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

Review: Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers for giving me an ARC of this novel at ALAAC25!

There were times at ALAAC25 that I would find myself in a line that I hadn’t intended to join. What can I say, I sometimes go full lemming mode and follow the crowd, especially when books are involved. So when I found myself in a signing line to get an ARC of Jennifer Niven’s new book “When We Were Monsters”, I didn’t really have any expectations, I just knew that if others were in line, I should be in line (in my defense in this case, Serena was in line too and I was following her lead). But once I had it in my hands, and read the description, I was pretty interested. Sometimes just jumping in line pays off!

We have two perspectives in this book, both students at the workshop of the mysterious and possibly nefarious Meredith Graffam, famous and notorious author who is running a writing workshop for J-Term at a boarding school wtih a dark history. The first is Effy, a girl who is trying to unpack the trauma of her mother being killed in a drunk driving accident where her father was the drunk driver. The other is Arlo, Effy’s ex who is trying to work through his own trauma where he feels like he is the one at fault, and who also feels bad about hooking up with Effy and then ghosting her. I enjoyed both of their perspectives, as they felt different enough that there was a contrast between the two, but at the same time I liked seeing how each of them approached the unfolding mystery, and also their past and their feelings for each other. I think that I liked Arlo a bit more, as his voice felt a bit more well rounded than Effy, but Niven did both of them justice. And I also enjoyed their romance, call me sappy or whatever. I just enjoyed seeing them reconnect and strengthen a bond between each other.

As for the mystery and thriller aspects of this book, it’s a promising foundation. I love the idea of a sinister authority figure pressuring and manipulating those under their authority, especially seeing how the manipulated players fall into trap after trap and the intensity that comes with it. Meredith Graffam is a pretty well developed antagonist, lording over her eight students who depend on her not only for their potential future dreams as creators and artists, but also as one of the only adults at the program, and pushing them to the limits until they get close to breaking. It has the frog in the boiling water moments, it has gaslighting, it has a lot of tension as things get worse but Effy, Arlo, and the others aren’t certain if they are overreacting. I will say, however, that sometimes the frog in the pot of boiling water felt like it could move a little bit faster. I like a slow burn, but there were times I felt like things were dragging a bit.

As a whole, I enjoyed “When We Were Monsters”. It’s a solid psychological thriller with an enjoyable romance, and it’s a good dark academia read.

Rating 7: I liked the perspectives and I liked the unfolding of the mystery within this thriller, though the slow burn may have been a LITTLE slow at times.

Reader’s Advisory:

“When We Were Monsters” is included on the Goodreads list “2025 Dark Academia Releases”.

Serena’s Review: “The Faerie Morgana”

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Book: “The Faerie Morgana” b y Louisa Morgan

Publishing Info: Redhook, September 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: To the other priestesses of the Nine, a powerful council at the Lady’s Temple, Morgana is haughty and arrogant as she performs feats of magic no human should be capable of. Rumors start that she must be a fearsome fae.
 
To King Arthur, Morgana is a trusted and devoted advisor, but his court is wary of her and her prodigious talent at divination. But his wife sees Morgana as a rival and a malevolent witch.
 
To Braithe, Morgana’s faithful acolyte, she is simply the most powerful priestess Camelot has seen.
 
Morgana doesn’t know why she’s so different from everyone else, and she doesn’t much care. But when she aids Arthur to ascend the throne before his time, she sets off a series of events that will change everything Morgana believes about her power.

Review: There are a million and one Arthurian books out there, and yet I always pick up the next one when I see a new title enter the field. This one was particularly interesting with its re-focusing the story on Morgan Le Fay, this time as the priestess Morgana.

And I will say, this is a heavily character-driven story, so you’re investment in not only Morgana but the other characters that surround her will likely heavily influence your enjoyment of this story. Morgana herself could be frustrating for me at times; she seems to start out as incredibly powerful and than simply remains so throughout the story. That being the case, some of her plot felt more like a “day in the life” story than much of an actual character arch.

However, I did enjoy many of the other characters. As always, for fans of Arthurian legends, half of the fun in exploring new interpretations of these tales is seeing different versions of these characters come to life. I think most of these are approachable enough to even those with only a passing knowledge of Arthurian legends, but, of course, the more you know, the more you’ll get here. I also really enjoyed a new side character, Braithe. Unlike Morgana, we see more of a transformation in this characters, as she grows from a fairly naive to more confident in herself.

Most of all, I enjoyed the writing. This was a very lyrical, atmospheric style of story. In many ways, this neatly aligns with the character-driven nature of the story, with less emphasis placed on an action-packed plot (indeed, many of these sorts of scenes take place off page) and more focus on quieter reflection. Again, I think this is the sort of stylistic choice that will really work for readers who are a fan of this kind of writing (like me) but perhaps less so for those looking for a more plot-driven story.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! I perhaps would have liked to see more development for Morgana herself, but I appreciated the quieter nature of the story being told. Fans of lyrical writing and Arthurian tales in general should definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: With a nice mixture of new interpretations and familiar faces, this lyrical take on the Arturian legend will be a hit for many readers!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Faerie Morgana” can be found on this Goodreads list: All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in September 2025.

Kate’s Review: “Fiend”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Fiend” by Alma Katsu

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.

Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.

The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work outfor the Berishas. They’re blessed.

At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

I’ve been a fan of Alma Katsu for a good number of years now, always impressed with her historical fiction novels and how she can take real life events and bring in some strange supernatural elements that send chills down my spine. It has been a few years since she has written a full novel, and imagine my surprise when not only did she have a new novel coming out, it was going to be set in modern times! Unexpected! But reading about “Fiend”, it kind of made sense why she wanted to have it take place in the present, as the themes, although timeless, have an extra oomph in a time where billionaires are taking advantage of other people and causing lots of pain with few consequences (I suppose this also could have been a Gilded Age theme, but oh well). And since it’s Katsu, we gotta have SOMETHING spooky. And in “Fiend”, a greedy corporate family of billionaires have a supernatural presence at their beck and call to fulfill many a whim.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I am always here for a book about nasty billionaires getting their comeuppance, and the Berisha Family definitely has shades of the Roys in “Succession” meets the Ushers from Mike Flanagan’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”. We have the patriarch Zef, who is trying to figure out who is going to take over once he has passed on, his traditionalist values leaning towards his son Dardan even though middle child Maris is probably the most qualified (with youngest Nora just kind of in the wings doing her own thing). The family is filled with pretty nasty people, but as things start to go awry and Maris is trying her best to right the ship (though little appreciation is thrown her way), the family starts to fracture. And all of the ‘convenient’ ill fortunes thrown at their rivals starts to turn back on themselves. Katsu has written a shorter book her, and while that means it reads fast and the pace is quick, it does mean that we have a LOT of world building to do along with fully exploring a dysfunctional family line that’s falling towards ruin. Plot wise, I kind of wish we had more mythos and building blocks regarding what, exactly, has been helping this family for so many years, especially as the being starts to seemingly go rogue. We do find out, but I wanted more exploration of it.

But as a family drama? I really enjoyed it. We have Kef, who is such a dick who has pigeonholed his kids into roles that they don’t really want while also stoking rivalries that can ebb and flow depending on what each sibling wants. We have Dardan, who knows that the weight of the world is going to be on his shoulders, though he also knows that he probably can’t hack it at the end of the day. We have Maris, who is VERY competent but is a girl, who then takes out her frustrations of those weaker than her. And we have Nora, who is discounted as the youngest and also a girl, but wants to be more than the ruthless Berishas that they have always been. I really liked the family dynamics and seeing all of the siblings try to maneuver through the entire mess as it unfolds. And as I mentioned above multiple times: the horrible billionaires causing pain and misfortune to line their own pockets? That feels rather apt.

“Fiend” is another enjoyable book from Alma Katsu! I’m so happy she has come back with another novel!

Rating 8: “Fiend” will fill that void that “Succession” left, especially if you wanted the Roys to have a little more supernatural punishment thrown their way.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Fiend” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward To in 2025”.