Minor Prophets by Jimmy Cajoleas

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I absolutely adored Jimmy Cajoleas' last book, The Good Demon, so I was really excited to discover he had another release coming out. Minor Prophets follows Lee and his sister Murphy after their mother dies, leaving them to defend themselves against their step-father and flee to their estranged grandmother's house.

To make matters worse in this tense and terrifying situation, Lee isn't a normal kid. He has visions, visions that tell the future that his mother has always discouraged him from sharing or acting on. But now that she's gone, his grandmother is encouraging the visions, pushing Lee to the destiny he never knew he had. And his sister Murphy doesn't know what to think, other than that something is seriously wrong with their grandmother, her farm, and the residents of the small town they now call home. 

Based on the fact that this story is full of things I typically love, like spooky atmospheres and creepy cults, you would think I would have really enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I didn't. It was just entirely too much, and while the overall plot was good, the execution left much to be desired. I couldn't stand the main character Lee, or his sister and grandmother, and everything they did or said just made me angry.  Some parts were pretty disturbing and shocking for YA as well, and while that normally doesn't bother me, I don't think they added anything to this story.

The plot had a lot of American Horror Story vibes which I absolutely adore, but it just didn't work and I think the potential was wasted here.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Abrams for an ARC of this read! Minor Prophets by Jimmy Cajoleas is out now!

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

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I had been seeing this gorgeous cover everywhere, but knew nothing about the book itself when I picked up an ARC at the ALA Annual Conference. Shortly after, I heard Wilder Girls by Rory Power touted as a feminist "Lord of the Flies" retelling and was sold. In reality, it was so so much more than that.

Eighteen months ago, the Tox hit the Raxter School for Girls. Still without rescue and quarantined together, the faculty and students have no escape in sight, waiting for that rescue that had long ago been promised. As their bodies mutate and decay, and their friends die around them, the surviving girls must fight daily to make it in this wild new world. When Hetty's best friend Byatt goes missing amid the chaos, Hetty will stop at nothing to determine what happened to her friend, discovering some shocking truths about their reality on the island that she never expected.

Some parts of this book are descriptively gruesome when describing how the Tox had impacted different people. One girl got scales. One grew a second spine. One went blind in one eye and grew a second eyelid. The vivid descriptions made it so easy to imagine the Tox as a reality, immersing you in the story from the very beginning.

I loved how this was told from the POV of both Hetty and Byatt, letting the reader in on certain parts that only one girl or the other knew were happening. I also loved that this had queer representation. I honestly didn't get the Lord of the Flies retelling bit, if that's even what this was supposed to be, but it's been forever since I read that book and regardless this was amazing. 

Being completely honest, this may be the best book I've read all year. Hell, it may be one of the best books I've read EVER. It was unique, and beautiful, and horrific, and wonderful, and scary, and atmospheric all at once. I became so invested in these girls and this story that I was desperate for more when I hit the last page. I will sing the praises of this book for a long time to come. This is Rory Power's debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what she puts out next.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I received an ARC of this read at the ALA Annual Conference. Wilder Girls by Rory Power is out now!

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

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YALL THIS BOOK BLEW ME OUT OF THE WATER. That's all there is to it. I saw like 20 amazing reviews of this book in the span of a week or so and knew I had to pick it up. Those reviews were not wrong. Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand is a supernatural YA horror/thriller that actually managed to give me nightmares. 

This story follows three teen girls who live on Sawkill Ridge: Marian, the new girl who has just lost her father; Zoey, the police chief's daughter who is pretty much an outcast; and Val, the disgustingly rich popular girl who tends to run the show. Sawkill has a history of girls going missing, and Marian's sister Charlotte becomes the newest girl to disappear. Zoey is hellbent on figuring out what happened, as her best friend Thora went missing not too long before Charlotte did. And Val might be more involved in the disappearances than she wants anyone to know.

This book was amazingly atmospheric, with a setting that took on a persona of its own. There were monsters and magic, feminism and friendships. The lesbian and asexual representations were amazing, and done in such a way that made them just a normal part of everyday life. This book is full of kick-ass girls taking control of their own destinies and fighting against the way things have always been. 

I almost got really mad at the ending, but it turned itself around just in the nick of time! I will completely lose it if this becomes a movie, because I can just see it being so good!

Definitely read this. Just maybe not late at night before bed.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas

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If ever a book spoke to me, it was this one. Girl gets possessed by a demon, girl develops close friendship with the demon, girl gets an exorcism against her will and loses the demon, girl tries to get her demon back. That's the gist of The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas, and I enjoyed this read so much!

After Clare's demon, known simply as Her, is exercised against Clare's will, all she wants is to get her demon back. But it appears that her demon has left her three clues. Now Clare has to try to figure out these clues to be reunited with her demon once more. Making some unlikely friends in the process, and learning her town has more dark secrets than she realized, Clare is forced to make some tough decisions and risk it all to be reunited with Her.

I loved Clare's character! From her attitude, to the description of her room, to her musical tastes, I thought she was so unique and I was immediately drawn to her. I also really liked Roy and felt for his inner struggle to both rebel and stay true to his roots, faith, and father. I could picture everything in this story so vividly, and honestly think this would make a fantastic movie! 

At first, I didn't understand the cover at all, but after reading the book I now see why it is incredibly representative of the story. While the ending felt a little rushed, this did not at all deter from my love of this book. I wouldn't quite call this YA read a thriller, and I wouldn't really call it horror either, but whatever it was, it was fantastic!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Amulet for an advanced copy of this demonic read! The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas was released YESTERDAY, Sept. 18th, so be sure to pick up a copy of this fantastic story just in time for Halloween!

Campfire by Shawn Sarles

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Give me a good scary story and I am all in! This book delivered just that. Campfire by Shawn Sarles follows main character Maddie as she goes on a camping trip with her extended family. Immediately, Maddie is attracted to their hot guide Caleb, and conspires with her best friend Chelsea (who has also accompanied them on the trip) to make a move. 

The first few days of the trip go fairly well, with everyone gathering to tell scary stories around the campfire at night. But then a bear scare puts people on edge and everything goes downhill from there. Suddenly the scary stories they have been telling begin to come true, and the fun family trip becomes a fight for survival.

I really enjoyed this book! The scary stories told were actually very creepy, and even though this is YA, I was actually freaked out a little even as a 28-year-old! And horror is my jam, so that's saying something. There were a lot of unexpected twists in this as well that I didn't see coming, and since I can usually predict things pretty well, that was definitely impressive.

I thought the main characters were fine. I didn't love them but I didn't hate them, and nothing really jumped out at me to sway me one way or another. But this was a much more plot-driven than character-driven story, so this was fine with me. I really appreciated how this book didn't paint the picture of the perfect family, but rather showed the tumultuous intricacies that make up real life. This really is the perfect story to sit on your deck with on a summer evening, or even take with you on a camping trip...if you dare.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

A huge thanks to JIMMY Patterson Books for sending me an advanced copy of this spooky summer read! Campfire by Shawn Sarles is out TODAY, July 17th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

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The spooky reviews just keep on rolling in! I've had Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake on my TBR for SO long, and like some of my previous spooky reads I decided this needed to be a priority this Halloween season. First off, the text of this book is printed in burgundy ink, which is SO awesome and unique. It was dark enough to still be easy to read, but that different element really stood out to me.

This story follows Cas, a ghosthunter who in his father's footsteps dedicates his life to killing those who are already dead. This is how he meets Anna, a murderous ghost who has a passion for brutally killing anyone who sets foot inside her house. But Cas notices right away that Anna is different, almost human in her emotions, so he sets out to free her spirit from whatever curse is turning her evil. Throughout the story Cas also opens himself up to friendship, something he has never done, and he and his newfound posse band together to not only save Anna, but also themselves.

I really enjoyed this story, and am excited to read the next one, Girl of Nightmares. I thought all the characters were well developed and likable, and the story itself was very fast moving. You can tell that Blake did a lot of research on different types of witchcraft as well. I did think it was a little overly gruesome for YA, but the morbid side in me appreciated this. I did knock off a star because some plot points just didn't connect for me, but overall it was still a pretty great Halloween read!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke

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I have been meaning to read this book for so long, and this Halloween season I finally made it a priority to pick up this collection of stories! Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is an anthology of 14 scary short stories written by well-known YA authors and compiled by April Genevieve Tucholke. I don't read a lot of short story anthologies, but I should, since they are perfect for pausing and coming back to. Whenever I had to take a break, it was easy to find a place to do so.

I really thought this book was all over the place. Some stories were fantastic, while others were just bland. I especially liked In The Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan, Emmeline by Cat Winters, and Hide-And-Seek by Megan Shepherd. Sleepless by Jay Kristoff is disturbing, in a perverted way, as is The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma. The rest were unfortunately not that memorable. Other authors that contributed to this anthology are: Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo, Danielle Paige, April Genevieve Tucholke (who also compiled these stories), Jonathan Maberry, Stefan Bachmann, McCormick Templeman, AG Howard, and Kendare Blake.

I will say that some of the elements in a few of these stories are a little sexual for the lower age of YA readers, and that this book borders more on older YA/New Adult. The stories aren't really gruesome and many are more psychological than actually scary. I was hoping for nightmares, but was sorely disappointed, but then again I am 27 (so a little older than the target audience). I really do admire many of the authors that contributed, but I have to say that short stories (at least scary ones) just might not be their thing.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars