The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard

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TW: death, murder, grief, kidnapping, paranoia, stalking, violence, gore, implied sexual assault

Howard’s writing was so intense, atmospheric and claustrophobic. The pages crackled with electricity. The twists were excellent in the most case, though I wasn’t the biggest fan of one of them. I’ll read more from her for sure!

Mrs Sidhu’s ‘Dead and Scone’ by Suk Pannu

⭐️🧠

TW: death, murder, grief, fire, arson, cult, gaslighting

From the very first page, I was hooked on this cosy crime narrative, that goes to some very, very dark and horrific places. The setting allows for that facade of tranquil paradise, but the truth beneath paints a very different picture. Pannu led me on a merry dance down various rabbit holes, chasing some red herrings. The twists here are superbly executed and genuinely shocking. It is so well constructed and plotted. 

Full review here.

Foxglove by Adalyn Grace

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TW: death, murder, poisoning, imprisonment, child death, blood, violence

Grace’s writing is so perfect for this Gothic YA fantasy trilogy – it drips with atmosphere, tension and chemistry between characters. The central mystery was slightly weaker than Belladonna for me, but I’m so excited to see where things go next.

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

TW: death, murder, abandonment, blood, cancer, self harm, suicidal ideation, transphobia, bullying, aneurysm, neglect, knife wounds, misogyny, abortion

Erica Waters is one of those authors that just never fails to totally captivate me and this is yet another example of this. It is Dark Academia in a unique spin, or at least one that I have never seen explicitly before. Waters’ distinctive use of atmosphere so thick that it feels like it may start choking you is heightened here. This genre thrives on claustrophobia and paranoia, which is delivered here in next level territory. We really ruminate on the cost of ambition and success, leaving the question of what may be sacrificed for greatness.

Full review here.

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

⭐️🧠

TW: death, emotional abuse, manipulation, infidelity, addiction, grief, blood, classism

I really enjoyed our latest outing with the Hawthorne brothers and getting to dig more into their perspectives and histories beyond that of The Inheritance Games. Barnes still packs these full of twists, continuing to lead us down the rabbit hole. I’ll keep following.

When Ghosts Call Us Home by Katya de Becerra

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TW:  death, grief, blood, trauma, PTSD, panic & anxiety attacks, hallucinations, drowning, loss of a parent, manipulation

This book epitomises haunting. It is a surprisingly gorgeous exploration of family, loss and trauma. Becerra uses such stunning imagery, but warps it through a dark mirror to deliver these arresting moments. The writing is just everything. It is informed by Gothic traditions and the tropes of found footage media, particularly those that built a media sensation around themselves.

Full review here.

All These Sunken Souls

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: racism, death, murder, body horror, fire, arson, animal death, gore, blood, violence, slavery, intergenerational trauma, alcoholism, abuse, physical abuse, abusive relationship, gaslighting, manipulation

This is an incredibly solid YA horror anthology, providing fresh spins on familiar tropes. This was so, so good and the perfect thing to pick up as the nights draw closer. It boasts some amazing new voices and established gems of YA – keep an eye on everyone involved because they are going places. 

Full review here.

All The Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

🏳️‍🌈🧠

TW: murder, death, grief, animal death, gore, drowning, fire, murder of a child, injury, blood, violence, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD

This was a wonderfully Gothic read with excellent atmosphere and characterisation. It centrally deals with abuse and trauma, so bear in mind before reading. I also did not know going in that this was sapphic, so that was a lovely bonus.

Lilith by Nikki Marmery

TW: misogyny, sexual assault (on page), death of parent, death of child, miscarriage, domestic violence

Marmery’s writing was so evocative and expansive. I think the choice of third person narration just really did not work for me in this story. I felt so disconnected from Lilith and as a character driven read a lot of the time, this really diminished it for me.

Rouge by Mona Awad

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TW: death, grief, racism, murder, violence, cannibalism, cult activity, toxic relationship with parent, reference to past childhood sexual harassment + assault, grooming

Awad’s writing just takes these incredibly out-there concepts and delivers them in a way that I find myself totally wrapped up in. This is a strangely heartfelt look at the beauty industry and complex familial relationships.

People To Follow by Olivia Worley

⭐️🧠

TW: death, murder, violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, grooming, bullying

I was sold as soon as I heard And Then There Were None meets Love Island. Worley’s mystery delivers suspense by the bucketload, with mostly horrible characters and incredibly creative reveals that are very timely.

Full review here.

Channel Fear by Lisa Richardson

TW: abuse, neglect, abuse of a child, murder, death, suicide, violence, blood, gore, toxic relationship, cheating

This is a book rooted in shadows, mists and unexplainable phenomenon. It thrives in the unnerving nature of ambiguity. We have unreliable narrators and events that are not always as they seem. At its core, there is this twisted sort of love square. It is complicated and messy and felt very true to real life teenage relationships. There is particularly a thread strung throughout about parasocial relationships in the age of social media and the desire to capitalise on the fame of others.

Full review here.

Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison

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TW: violence, death, murder, emotional abuse, grooming, disordered eating, fatphobia, domestic abuse, substance use, animal death, toxic relationship, sexual assault and harassment

This was a YA mystery that lived constantly on the precipice. You are constantly questioning everything and everyone, but Harrison still manages to trick and surprise you. It sizzles with secrets and the burning heat pressing down on everyone involved.

Full review here.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

⭐️(side character)🧠

TW: abandonment, blood, body horror, child abuse, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fatphobia, gore, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, mental illness, murder, physical abuse, sexism, sexual assault, stalking, torture, violence

This was like a YA take on Criminal Minds and I loved it. I mean, teenage profilers who are all entangled with crime? It was dark, intense and twisty (especially with the inclusion of a certain viewpoint). Looking forward to continuing the series.