The Society for Soulless Girls
Laura Steven

Publisher: Delacorte Press / Random House Children's

Pub Date: Sept. 19th, 2023
​
Genre: Young Adult Thriller / Mystery
​

Synopsis:

A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.

​Ten years ago, four students lost their lives in the infamous North Tower murders at the elite Carvell College of Arts, forcing Carvell to close its doors.
​
Now Carvell is reopening, and fearless freshman Lottie is determined to find out what really happened. But when her beautiful but standoffish roommate, Alice, stumbles upon a sinister soul-splitting ritual hidden in Carvell’s haunted library, the North Tower claims another victim.
​
Can Lottie uncover the truth before the North Tower strikes again? Can Alice reverse the ritual before her monstrous alter ego consumes her? And will they give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between them?
Exploring possession and ambition, lust and bloodlust, femininity and violence, The Society of Soulless Girls is perfect for fans of The Secret History, A Lesson in Vengeance, and The Grimrose Girls.

Content Warning: sexual harassment, on page animal death, suicide, self-harm, violence, murder, physical abuse

1. You're a fan of creative retellings: 
'The Society for Soulless Girls' is a retelling of Jekyll & Hyde with a dark, academia aesthetic!

2. You like complications: 
The sapphic leads have complex life situations and complex emotional make-ups.

3. Enemies-to-lovers is your trope: 
Add a little grumpy/sunshine and some slow-burn romance to top it off. 

4. You want your thrillers with a touch of magic: 
Occult rituals, mystery, and social politics, oh my!

5. You prefer stories that push beyond your comfort zone: 
These are 'angry girls. So, there's a lot of violence and boundary busting here, so if that's your thing, this is the book for you!

About the Author:


Laura Steven is an award-winning author from the northernmost town in England.


She has published several books for children and young adults; her debut novel The Exact Opposite Of Okay won the inaugural Comedy Women In Print Prize in 2019, while The Love Hypothesis was optioned for TV by an Emmy-winning team. Her books have been widely translated, and her work has appeared in The i Paper, The Guardian and Buzzfeed.

Surrender Your Sons
Adam Sass

Publisher:
    Flux

Pub Date: Sept. 15th, 2023
​
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
​

Synopsis:


Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.


His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”


But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are—and taking this place down.


Content Warning:  conversion camps, religious bigotry, homophobia, transphobia, physical and emotional abuse, suicide, murder, kidnapping

About the Author:


Adam Sass began writing books in Sharpie on the backs of Starbucks pastry bags. (He’s sorry it distracted him from making your latte.) His debut YA novel, Surrender Your Sons, was named a best book of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews and Foreword INDIES, a best first novel for young readers by Booklist, won the Gold Medal for YA fiction at the IPPY Awards, and was a selection for ALA’s Rainbow Book List for 2022. His YA rom-com, The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers, was named a Best Book of 2022 by Seventeen and received starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal. He is also the author of the upcoming thriller, Your Lonely Nights Are Over.
​

Adam has been featured in Teen Vogue and the Savage Lovecast. He is also a recurring co-host on the popular podcast Slayerfest98, where he recaps Marvel shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and other pieces of pop culture. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband and dachsunds. 

Midnight at the Houdini
Delilah S. Dawson

Publisher: Delacorte Press / Random House Children's

Pub Date: Sept. 5th, 2023
​
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
​

Synopsis:


A girl discovers a surreal hotel where no one ever leaves. When the clock strikes midnight she’ll be trapped there forever unless she’s able to break free from magic that in turn breaks all her rules. Perfect for fans of Caraval and The Starless Sea!


The night is perfect and glorious and sparkling, too beautiful to be real. Like magic.


Anna may have grown up in glitzy Las Vegas, but she’s determined that no one will ever call her shallow. While her older sister Emily is the star of the family, Anna is the diligent stage manager, making sure that both their lives go perfectly to plan. But when Emily reveals a startling betrayal, Anna flees in the middle of a raging storm and takes shelter in a boutique establishment she’s never seen before: The Houdini.  


Inside, Anna discovers a magic hotel . . . and a magical boy. Earnest, curious Max has lived his entire life inside the Houdini. Over the course of one surreal evening, he becomes Anna’s guide to the curious building. For the first time in her life, Anna is center stage, in a place that anticipates her every desire, with a boy who only has eyes for her.  


But that’s because the Houdini has no other guests. No one ever enters the Houdini . . . and no one ever leaves. When the clock strikes midnight, Anna will be trapped in the Houdini forever. If Anna’s ever going to find out who she is on her own in the real world, she’ll first have to make an impossible escape. But will she be able to do it if it means leaving Max behind?

I've mentioned before that I have discovered an affinity for fantasy stories with performance magic style settings, so when I saw 'Midnight at the Houdini' by Delilah S. Dawson show up in the tour offerings for the month, I jumped at the chance to give it a read.

The concept is clever and I enjoy the ticking time clock on the course of events. It certainly keeps things interesting knowing that there's a finite point not far ahead and a lot for the main character, Anna, to deal with.. if there's hope of resolution.

While the story is good and the characters are likeable, I find for me personally.. the prose to be just a bit simple. I believe the author is just trying to set the tone to match Anna's age, but her voice doesn't change much between the opening pages when she's a mere 10 year old girl, to the core of the story.. six years later. Despite her whirlwind organizational skills, she seems the same in the way she communicates and processes thoughts.

Ironically, this is a young adult story with definitive young adult themes, some of which are relatively dark. But the style of writing just makes it feel younger. I'd still recommend it as a read, but I'd also suggest adjusting your expectations of the way it's told and how things unfold.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it. Anna is a sweet, if needy girl and Max is quite disarmingly charming. The dynamic between the others who run the hotel is filled with tension and the place has a lovely old eerie quality to it. 

About the Author:

​

Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy’s Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.

She’s written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore’s Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.

Her Radiant Curse
Elizabeth Lim

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers / Random House Children's

Pub Date: Aug. 29th, 2023
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Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
​

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES comes a tale of two sisters—one as beautiful as the other is monstrous—who must fight to save each other when a betrothal contest gone wrong unleashes an evil that could sever their bond forever.

One sister must fall for the other to rise.

Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offers her in sacrifice to the Demon Witch, she is forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vanna—the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.

Now seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath—launching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.
​
Weaving together elements of The Selection and Ember in the Ashes with classic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Helen of Troy, and Asian folklore, Elizabeth Lim is at the absolute top of her game in this thrilling yet heart-wrenching fantasy that explores the dark side of beauty and the deepest bonds of sisterhood.

​1. You love Lim's 'Six Crimson Cranes' series: 
'Her Radiant Curse' is a prequel to the popular series, so you're bound to love this too!

2. Rich in cultural background: 
Beautiful authentic Asian fantasy, steeped in Chinese mythology.

3. Familial conflict: 
Two sisters, one shunned by her family, the other desperate to save her. 

4. Lyrical prose: 
Lim is an elegant writer with a lyrical style, while managing not to overdo the flowery language.

5. Slow-burn monster romance: 
Demons, half-dragons, and serpent beings.. oh my.. what more could you want?

​About the Author:


Elizabeth Lim is the author of the critically-acclaimed and bestselling The Blood of Stars duology (Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk), the New York Times bestseller So This is Love, and the USA Today bestseller Reflection. Forthcoming books include the Six Crimson Cranes duology, expected summer 2021 and summer 2022, respectively. 


Elizabeth grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, “Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that’s kinda cool!” But after one of her teachers told her she had “too much voice” in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English. 


Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and she turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel—for kicks, at first, then things became serious—and she hasn’t looked back since.

​
Elizabeth graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in music and a secondary in East Asian Studies, and she completed her graduate degrees (MM, DMA) at The Juilliard School. She grew up in Northern California and Tokyo, Japan, and now resides in New York with her husband and two daughters.

Cold Girls
Maxine Rae

Publisher:
    Flux

Pub Date: Aug. 22nd, 2023
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Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
​

Synopsis:


Eighteen-year-old Rory Quinn-Morelli doesn’t want to die; she wants refuge from reality for even a minute: the reality where she survived the car crash eight months ago, and her best friend, Liv, didn’t. Yet her exasperating mother won’t believe the Xanax incident was an accident, and her therapist is making it increasingly hard to maintain the detached, impenetrable “cold girl” façade she adopted from Liv.

​After she unintentionally reconnects with Liv’s parents, Rory must decide: will she keep Liv’s and her secrets inside, or will she finally allow herself to break? And if she breaks, what will she unearth amid the pieces?

Content Warning: Grief

About the Author:


Maxine Rae attended Tulane University where she was taught and singled out for commendation by two-time National Book Award–winner Jesmyn Ward.

​While working on Cold Girls, Maxine received feedback and mentorship from National Book Award–finalist Charles Baxter. She later revised and workshopped the manuscript in the selective Novel in a Year program at StoryStudio Chicago, whose artistic director is Pulitzer Prize in Fiction–finalist and Andrew Carnegie Medal–winner Rebecca Makkai.

As a young, queer woman from the Chicago area, Maxine has written a debut molded by emotional truth.

To Charm a Dark Prince
Book 1 of The Iron Crystal
Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Publisher: Second Sky
Pub Date: Aug. 18th, 2023
​
Genre: Fantasy Romance


​To save a kingdom, she must charm a monster.


Transported to the magical realm of Avalon, Gwen finds herself in the hands of its dark and beautiful ruler--Mordred, the Prince in Iron.


The prince holds total power in Avalon, trapping his rivals in an enchanted crystal prison. But he shows a strange gentleness to Gwen.


Seeing no other way to escape, Gwen strikes a deal with Mordred’s enemy. If she can break the crystal, she will be free to go home.


Gwen joins Mordred’s court with a plan to steal his heart and destroy his prize.


Desire sparks between them at once. But Mordred is a dangerous host. As they draw closer, his passion and anger burn brighter.


Gwen would be foolish to trust him.


And even more foolish to betray his trust…


A gripping dark fairy tale and a seductive fantasy romance, with slow-burning attraction, enemies-to-lovers banter and an alluring villain. The Iron Crystal series will enchant fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elisa Kova and Danielle L. Jensen.

'To Charm a Dark Prince' by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is a dark fantasy re-telling of the Arthurian legend that focuses primarily on Mordred and Gwen. Other familiar names do make appearances, but the characters are definitely a modern take on their 'could-be' place in Avalon.

Mordred is tasked with a heavy burden, which of course leaves him generally grumpy and overall kind of intriguing. He's powerful and a bit oppressive, which makes him fun to read.. and he's definitely not lacking in the looks department either. 

For me, he was the best part of the book. Gwen I found to be just okay, moderately annoying and sometimes coming across rather clueless. The bones of the story are interesting. There are lots of neat concepts strewn throughout the pages, but the writing could use some development. 

The book is recommended for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elisa Kova, and Danielle L. Jensen, but in my opinion it's far more Kova than Maas. If you liked Kova's A Trial of Sorcerers, this one is for you.

About the Author:


​As a USA Today bestselling author and award-winning designer, Kat has always been a storyteller. She delights in spinning stories of the sweetest nightmares to delight her readers with her unique twist of fantasy, horror, and romance. With ten years in script-writing for performances on both the stage and for tourism, she has always been writing in one form or another.
​
Also on her list of skills are artistic direction, scenic painting and props, special effects, and electronics. A graduate of Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Design, she has a passion for unique, creative, and unconventional experiences. In her spare time, she builds animatronics and takes trapeze classes.

​House of Roots and Ruin
(Sisters of the Salt #2)
Erin A. Craig

Publisher:
    Delacorte Press/RHC

Pub Date: July 25th, 2023
​
Genre:
    YA Fantasy/Retelling
​

Synopsis:


Seeing as this indeed a sequel, we don't want to give any spoilers so below, we have the synopsis of Book 1!

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

Those of you who know me, also know I'm terribly prone to jumping into series midway through.. and that's absolutely the case here too.

'House of Roots and Ruin' is book two in the Sisters of the Salt series by Erin A. Craig. I never got around to reading the first, 'House of Salt and Sorrows,' though everything about the synopsis called to me. After this though, I'm definitely making time to go back and read it soon.

It's funny. I get accustomed to the more casual style of modern writers and sometimes forget how much more moving a real wordsmith actually is. Craig is a truly gifted author and I'm so happy to have finally experienced her work.

This story is so full to bursting.. full of emotions.. hope.. pain.. beauty.. love.. and loss. It's an elegant Gothic tale that's at times whimsical and at others devastating. The prose is lyrical, but not overdone. Foreshadowing is subtle, like something in your peripheral vision.. that you might only notice if you're paying proper attention.

In a case of what might normally be 'not everything is as it seems,' this is more akin to 'nothing is as it seems.' 

I absolutely love this story and the delicate manner every aspect is crafted. The characters are richly portrayed and multi-dimensional. They're so fleshed out that I feel as if I know them, rather than the mildly thin caricatures I often experience in other novels.

Craig does a beautiful job with the imagery, making the settings tangible. Managing all the while to help me really see everything without putting me to sleep through redundant, overly long descriptions.

If you're a fan of Gothic thrillers or Gothic fantasy like Ghost Wood Song or Mexican Gothic, you won't want to miss this one! I can't wait to dig into more of her work!

​King of Storms and Feathers
(Courts of the Star Fae Realms #1)
Juno Heart

Publisher:
    Self-Published

Pub Date: July 5th, 2023
​
Genre: Fantasy
​

Synopsis:


I wake in a cage at the gilt market with no memory of my name.

When the fae King of Storms and Feathers purchases me, I vow to escape his palace of dust and gold, reclaim my memories, and return to the home that haunts my visions—a city of ruins in the decaying forests of the human realm.

In the meantime, I’ll pretend to be what King Arrowyn wants—an obedient green-eyed bird, chained and powerless, his for the taunting and taking.

But when I escape and fall into viler clutches, Arrow hunts me down, determined to retrieve his disobedient, most valued possession.

King of Storms and Feathers is the first book in the sizzling adult fantasy romance series, Courts of the Star Fae Realms. Readers who enjoy angsty enemies-to-lovers tension, a strong human heroine, and a morally gray fae king who yearns to control her but, instead, falls helplessly under her spell will love this book!

** This series contains dark elements and is suitable for mature readers. For more information, please visit Juno Heart’s website.

​I was a bit slow making my way through this story, but largely that was because initially I was enjoying it so much and I really wanted to absorb every detail. 

While the synopsis claims "you're going to hate him until you don't".. for me, it was wrong. I never hated him. He was a bit of a jerk, yes.. but in all the hot ways I enjoy a book's romantic interest.. that don't work out so well in real life. 

From the moment Arrow acquires his "disobedient, most valued possession,' he's almost adorably obnoxious and broody. He easily squashes her escape attempts and literally tosses her about, yet all the while I'm over here making grabby hands at him. 

She's a brat too, but in mostly endearing ways. Her snarky responses are relatable and funny. For him, she's annoyingly strong-willed and exactly what peaks his interest. Minus the endearing nature and her penchant for throwing herself into trouble over and over, this is pretty much my dynamic in most relationships.. so I get her in ways I don't normally get MCs. 

That being said, a little over halfway into the novel I did get a bit tired of her getting herself into the same situations. At some point, you learn a little and at least adapt your approach to things. That's also where reading it really picked up for me because I was no longer as invested as I had been in each moment. 

The 'bones' of the tale are all very intriguing. I liked Arrow's backstory, as well as the result that had on his views and behavior. I enjoyed the dynamic between him and the MC.. the constant conflict of emotion.. and the swings between fighting each other and engaging in other more pleasurable past times. 

On a side note, when I first read Heart's work about three years ago, I felt like she had a lot of potential and just really needed to get some experience under her belt. She's absolutely done that and her writing has definitely evolved well. 

Honestly, though despite my impatience with repeating the damsel-in-distress angle too frequently for my taste, I am now eagerly awaiting book two. If you want a fun, steamy read and enjoy a morally grey love interest, definitely give this one a try. 

The Vinyl Underground
Rob Rufus

Publisher:
    Flux

Pub Date: March 20th, 2020
​
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
​

Synopsis:


Dig it.


During the tumultuous year of 1968, four teens are drawn together: Ronnie Bingham, who is grieving his brother’s death in Vietnam; Milo, Ronnie’s bookish best friend; “Ramrod,” a star athlete who is secretly avoiding the draft; and Hana, the new girl, a half-Japanese badass rock-n-roller whose presence doesn’t sit well with their segregated high school.


The four outcasts find sanctuary in “The Vinyl Underground,” a record club where they spin music, joke, debate, and escape the stifling norms of their small southern town. But Ronnie’s eighteenth birthday is looming. Together, they hatch a plan to keep Ronnie from being drafted. But when a horrific act of racial-charged violence rocks the gang to their core, they decide it’s time for an epic act of rebellion.


Content Warning:  Racial violence and harassment, grief, drug use, underage drinking

​About the Author:


Rob Rufus is a musician and writer living in Nashville. His band, Blacklist Royals, has released two full-length albums and played in sixteen countries over the past five years. His new project, The Bad Signs, released their first single in 2015. He is the author of Die Young with Me.

Dark Magic
​(The Chronicle of the Underworld #1)
Raluca Narita

Publisher:
    Underworld Publishing House LLC

Pub Date: June 27th, 2023
​
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
​

Synopsis:


The Goddess of Death, the Grimm Brothers, and the Devil collide in a thrilling new paranormal fantasy series.

Primrose Titan is the Goddess of Death, an ancient deity who reaps the souls of the dead and rules the Underworld. All life ends with death, and in death, there is no happiness. Primrose knows this better than anyone, and her heavy responsibility has twisted her reality, purging her of all feelings for humans—or so she believes.

When the Demon King Lucifer escapes his prison in Hell and threatens chaos on the human world, Primrose must hunt him down. The High Court, a council of deities, is skeptical Primrose can handle Lucifer on her own and appoints the handsome yet icy Atlas Grimm, one of the fabled Grimm Brothers, to assist her. Strange, dark magic and supernatural creatures sent from the Devil himself stand in their way, along with political enemies acquired over the millennia.

As a huge fan of the fantasy genre in general, if you know me.. you know some of my favorite stories are in the theme of the gods/goddesses or fallen angel/demon tropes. So, I was really excited to give this book a read when I saw the synopsis for it.


The premise is an interesting one with Lucifer on the loose and the Goddess of Death on the hunt for him. I liked the way the cast was built from a variety of tales.. not only gods, goddesses, angels, and demons, but also some fun additions like the Grimm Brothers. Add to that, the way they got their way to the council table.. and it certainly had a lot of potential from the get-go.


There's plenty of action, in fact there are moments where it almost feels like a gauntlet quest, and that plays pretty well here. Fabled characters have been modernized to suit the theme of the story and there's a fair amount of subterfuge seemingly happening at all times as well.


If you like options, there are a couple of romantic interests here.. but while I definitely had my own preference, I wasn't really invested in any of them with the protagonist. All the characters are moderately interesting, they just don't have a ton of depth and I didn't find myself connecting that much.

​
Nonetheless, it's a fun story.. worth checking out.

About the Author:


Raluca Narita was born in Romania and grew up in Southern California and West Texas.


​She currently resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and loves to travel in her free time. Raluca is the author of The Chronicles of the Underworld series.