When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

“When Dawson Sumter goes missing, all he leaves behind is a smattering of blood in room 4 of the debt-ridden motel owned by Neera Singh's family. Disappearances like this aren't uncommon in the rural Georgia town of Carrion, especially every thirteen years when a periodical cicada brood returns from underground, shrieking their deafening screams.

For Neera, Dawson is another reminder that in this corner of the South, the rich only get richer, and the poor—well, nothing good comes their way.

Neera sets out to investigate Dawson’s whereabouts—if he even still lives—along with three other teens: Isaiah, son of a prominent judge and clandestine true crime podcaster; Reid, son of the wealthiest man in the region; and Sam, estranged daughter of the local hitman. As they find themselves entangled in a messy web of secrets and lies, they discover the riches of the adjacent Lake Clearwater community may have a terrifying source of power dating back to the town’s founding and an ancient urban legend about three devils, each more sinister than the next. How deep does the rot go, and can they find a way to escape its reach?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book reminded me of the Charlie Daniels song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Except in Carrion, Georgia, local folklore has it that there are actually three devils at the crossroads, each one more sinister than the next. They each prey on desperate residents in rural, backwater Georgia where the uber rich live close by who keep their secrets even closer.

Not all is what it seems in Carrion/Lake Clearwater. And as readers dive deeper into the story, the more all of the pieces of this story come together as Sam, Neera, Reid, and Isaiah race to figure out what has happened to Dawson Sumpter, the one person who initially ties them together. This was an excellent Southern Gothic mystery/thriller that will keep readers eagerly anticipating what really is going on in Southwest Georgia. The audio version was incredible.

Visit Xan Kaur’s website.

The Oks Are Not OK by Grace K. Shim

“Seventeen-year-old Elena Ok (pronounced Oak) has mastered the art of being both a Los Angeles party girl and financially savvy influencer, but her family doesn’t see the brilliance behind her carefully curated image. Instead, they endlessly praise her older brother Gavin, whose most impressive achievement is consistently forgetting his homework. All of Elena’s hard work and social clout disintegrates when the Oks, founders of the wildly popular (and now bankrupt) fast fashion brand It’s Ok! (pronounced “OKAY”), lose their fortune overnight.

With their empire crumbling and an investigation underway, the Oks flee to Blaire, CA—a farming town that’s as glamourous as Temu. Mr. Ok, a now disgraced retail mogul, and Mrs. Ok, a now also disgraced fashion-forward matriarch, realize they’ve spent decades perfecting their public personas at the expense of actually knowing their kids. Meanwhile, Elena and Gavin are stuck in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to distract them from their family’s unraveling dynamics—or each other’s annoying habits.

But life in Blaire isn’t all bad. As the family reconnects with their Korean farming heritage, Elena discovers a hidden the Blaire Fair, the local market brimming with untapped potential. Applying her business savvy, she helps the small-town vendors thrive and sees how they put their profits back into the community. For the first time, Elena begins to question her own definition of success.

The Oks are Not OK offers humor and drama to tell a story about family, self-discovery, and the fine line between building a brand and building a life.” - taken from Goodreads.

The Oks lose everything when they must declare bankruptcy. The only things they are left with are daughter Elana’s earnings as a social media influencer and a tiny house in a backwater town. Can this family find a way to pivot to survive living in small town Blaire while repairing their relationship?

Visit Grace K. Shim’s website. 

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

“To find love is a curse ...

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris's parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.” - taken from Goodreads.

This story is best summed up as The Bachelor set in a fairy tale. Arris must marry but he hopes to avoid the fate of his grandfather and other descendants. He wishes to live a full first life before his second life, and when he becomes a tree. For Arris, marriage means murder at the hands of his wife. When Demelza unexpectedly shows up to the competition, she offers Arris her truth-seeking abilities as a veritas swan to keep him safe from a murderous bride. As the competition heats up, what happens when true love begins to develop?

Visit Roshani Chokshi’s website.

Room to Breathe by Kasie West

“When the walls close in, the truth comes out.

When Indy’s life came crashing down, she made a no one could know. To the world, she’s still the same Indy—cool, calm, unshaken. But behind the scenes? It’s chaos.

Her tight-knit crew—Beau, Caroline, and Ava—were once her everything. Now they’re strangers she can’t seem to reach—especially Beau. And the only person she talks to these days is Cody, a skater-boy she used to think was so not her type. Funny how everything changes when your world flips upside down.

And then, as if things couldn’t get weirder, Indy finds herself literally stuck in a school bathroom with Beau. After months of silence, and there’s no escape. If they want out, they’ll have to face the messy truth about what happened between them and find a way back to what they once had. Or maybe even more . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

Indy finds herself locked in the teacher's bathroom after school on a Friday without her cell phone. Her life has been turned upside down due to some family issues. When her former friend Beau gets locked in with her as well, Indy's story between then and now begins to unfold. Locked in the bathroom together overnight, can Indy and Beau repair their damaged friendship and find a way out?

Visit Kasie West’s website.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

“8 HOURS TO STOP AN EXPLOSION... 8 HOURS TO FALL IN LOVE.

It’s 2067, and the Graves family has transformed Mars from lifeless rock into a chaotic patchwork of settlements—and everybody wants a piece.

Enter Hunter Graves: handsome, ambitious, and with spectacularly bad timing. He shows up at the United Nations base just as an emergency evacuation sends everyone scurrying for safety. Except he’s left behind. Uh oh.

Also stranded: Cleo, a sharp-tongued stowaway with no intention of dying today, and even less patience for overconfident trust fund boys. But the enemy of your enemy might just help you survive, so here we are.

Turns out the evacuation was just a cover for the mercenaries who came next, and they plan to blow up the base—and every trace of their crime—in eight hours.

Now, Hunter and Cleo have one shot to stop the explosion, escape alive, and deal with the inconvenient fact that they’re falling for each other.

The clock is ticking.” - taken from Goodreads.

In this standalone novel set on Mars, Hunter and Cleo have 8 hours to stop the group that has attacked the unpack station with plans to destroy it. Hunter is the Uber Rich Scion of the Gray's family, the first humans to settle on Mars. Kept in the dark by his mother and sister, Hunter has arrived unannounced to the planet. Planet. Cleo is a hitcher and is on Mars illegally, running from her family’s debt on Earth. These two must learn to trust one another and work together to defeat the station's Invaders. Can Hunter and Cleo save packs before time's up? And what happens when the mutual attraction between the two people from very different backgrounds heats up?

Visit Amie Kaufman’s website.

Meet Me Under the Lights by Cassie Miller

 

“High school junior Eliza Crowley is known as the Princess of Fairfield, a farm town in North Carolina that loves two things—tradition and baseball. Although Eliza loves “the game,” her life goal is to become a lighting designer on Broadway. Shaking off her reputation as the rich girl and focusing on her town's community theater production are what she’s set her sights on this summer, and nothing will stand in her way. That is until Reed Fulton, the grandson of a struggling Fairfield farmer, and ace pitcher of the Fulton Hawks, returns to town. Reed dreams of putting the catastrophe of last season behind him and leading the Hawks to a championship victory against the Crowley Cardinals. When his childhood friend turned stranger, Eliza, strolls back into his life, she makes his heart accelerate quicker than his fastball, and he’s not sure he can stay away from the girl he’s supposed to despise. Small-town summers and baseball draw Reed and Eliza together, even though the Crowleys and the Fultons are determined to run each other out of town. When the families make a deal to settle their thirty-year-long dispute once and for all, Eliza and Reed are stuck in the middle during the most important summer of their lives.” - taken from Goodreads.

Eliza Crowley is literally Fairfield royalty. Her family is wealthy and her father owns the Crowley Cardinals, the town's baseball team as well as the town’s stadium. She is excited to spend the summer working as a lighting director for the town's production of Romeo and Juliet. Life soon mirrors the theater when Reed Fulton returns to town to be the pitcher for his grandfather's revitalized team, the Fulton Hawks. Knowing that their respective families get along as well as oil and water, circumstances soon bring the two of them into each other's orbit. When the feuding steps up over which family will own the town’s stadium, can Reid and Eliza's burgeoning relationship survive the fight between their families?

This is the perfect read for fans of Kasie West and Lynn Painter.

Visit Cassie Miller’s website.

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that when there is a hot person, there is also someone with a crush on them.

Mia Yoon has a plan for everything. Get a full ride to her dream film school in Los Angeles, behind her mom’s back, and escape her middle-of-nowhere hometown—check. Produce her own dating show starring other people and their crushes—check. But everything goes off the rails when she has to enlist the help of her own secret crush, Noah Jang, a boy she’d rather hate.

Despite being a campus celebrity voted “most eligible student bachelor,” Noah can’t remember the last time he was in a relationship. And he’s perfectly content with that, thank you very much, especially since just the word feelings makes him uncomfortable. But he can’t stop staring at Mia, who keeps glaring at him in class. And when she asks him to be on her dating show—as one of the contestants—he can’t say no.

As Noah goes on more and more romantic dates on The Cuffing Game and Mia watches from behind the camera, something feels off. With the showrunner and contestant slowly falling for one another, can the show still go on?” - taken from Goodreads.

College film student Mia creates her own dating reality show called The Cuffing Game in which she pairs up people with their crushes. Unfortunately her roommate has the same crush as her, the popular influencer Noah Jung. As filming on the show happens, is Mia able to keep her feelings under wraps for the sake of the show? And what happens when everyone's true feelings come out at the end”?

Visit Lyla Lee’s website.

They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

“Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.

The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. Mila was the top runner on her team back home and at first, Ellie and Stella view her as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been lookigfor a friend. In a moment of weakness, she even shares her darkest secret with Mila. For her part, Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.

With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.” - taken from Goodreads.

The Steckler sisters are opposites in every way except for their love of cross country running. Striving to be the best, the two are out to impress the college scouts who have taken notice. This year is poised to be the best until fellow runner and competition Mila Keene moves to town. Before too long, both Stella and Ellie begin to see Mila as more than competition; Stella as a friend and Ellie as a confidant. With regions living on the horizon, Mila goes missing. Even though years have passed since the unsolved murders of some female teenage runners, the town of Edgewater begins to fear that its notorious nickname, Deadwater, is being revived. Soon all eyes of the town have landed on Stella and Ellie as suspects even though they also wonder what happened to Mila. 

What secrets are Stella and Ellie holding close? And what happened to Mila Keene?

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

Sparking Fire Out of Fate by Brigid Kemmerer (Forging Silver Into Stars book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the Forging Silver Into Stars series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the final for you.

“Callyn has grown closer to Queen Lia Mara in Syhl Shallow, bonded by the secret magic they share. But their magic can stay hidden only so long, especially when a dangerous plot on the Queen's life forces Callyn to work with the man who betrayed her.

In Emberfall, Tycho and Jax are struggling to rebuild their connection after months apart, complicated when they learn of Truthbringers causing trouble at the borders. Sent to investigate together, Jax and Tycho soon discover that the rebellious faction has formed a devil's bargain with the magical scravers to destroy human magic once and for all.

When their missions bring them together, Tycho, Jax, and Callyn find themselves facing threats from all sides. With one last chance to save their magic and their kingdoms, they must work together, or lose everything.

War has erupted. Love is tested. And without sacrifice, magic could destroy everyone . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

This was the thrilling conclusion to what was essentially a six book series starting with A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Although we see a couple of characters from the first book make an appearance, this book focuses on our favorites from the last three books. A great ending for our characters but I would have liked to see a little bit more from Callyn at the end.

Visit Brigid Kemmerer’s website.

Heart Check by Emily Charlotte

“Luke Dawson and Harper Braedon could have been friends. They trade shifts at the same diner, share classes at school, and are driven by their greatest passions: hockey for Dawson and jewelry-making for Harper. But some things aren't meant to be. Dawson thinks Harper is stuck-up, too good for anything resembling school spirit. Harper thinks Dawson is a self-centered jock, a perfect fit for a hockey team that seems to absorb all the budget away from the arts departments.

When his beloved hockey coach gets fired for misallocation of funds, Dawson is terrified that all his plans for impressing scouts are vanishing before his eyes. A rumor goes around that Harper was the one who got him fired, and suddenly she’s public enemy number one.

But even with their mutual dislike at an all-time high, Harper and Dawson can’t escape splitting shifts forever. Can forced proximity help them find some common ground, or will long-held grudges finally succeed in bringing them both down?” - taken from Goodreads.

Hockey rules at Hamilton lakes High School to the detriment of other extracurricular programs. Luke Dawson hopes to play in the NHL while Harper Braden wants to succeed at her jewelry making business. Co-workers at Luke's parents' diner, they are colleagues but not necessarily friends. They both see their hopes and dreams begin to vanish when the hockey coach is fired over the mismanagement of funds and Harper is falsely accused of blowing the whistle. Soon the two begin to take notice and see that each other's goals are as valid as their own.

This book is perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Kasie West.

Visit Emily Charlotte’s website.

Coldwire by Chloe Gong (Strange Loom book 1)

“The future is loading…

To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”

But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.

Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.

Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…

Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.” - taken from Goodreads.

Lia Ward is getting ready to graduate from NileCorp’s Academy. She is the adopted daughter of senator Henry Sullivan, who it turns out is harboring secrets of his own. Her first assignment comes before graduation and she is paired with Kieran Murray, the headmaster's son and her academic rival. This is a strange turn of events since no one in the past has been given a post prior to graduation nor are they paired up with a partner. Eirale Ward is on an assignment to capture government anarchist Nik Grant in order to stop further uprising in the country. Grant always escapes capture until he frames Eirale for murder and holds her hostage until she can help him track down a particular program.

In a world where the lines between real life and virtual reality constantly blur, can Lia and Eirale complete their assignments without incidents before their worlds unexpectedly collide. Even though this book starts off slow and has lots of details in the complex world building, readers will be left in shock at the ending of the first book.

Book 2 is TBA.

Visit Chloe Gong’s website.

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

 

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father's shoppe hasn't sold anything magical in decades, and it's only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon's teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools' gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow's fakes into exactly what they're purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri's help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.”- taken from Goodreads.

This was a fantastical quest full of mystery, magic, friendship, and romance. Willow Stokes inherited her father’s shop full of nonmagical objects and debt upon his sudden death. She can barely keep her head above water and doesn’t really let anyone into her life, including Finlay, who wants Willow’s heart. When a stranger arrives in town who claims to be cursed with magic, Willow sees a way out of her situation. If she can convince Brianna to help her sell her “magical” items in her shop, she will help her find a cure for her curse. Can these two girls work together to solve each other’s problems or will Willow find a way to sabotage herself again?

Visit Mara Rutherford’s website.

The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Inheritance Games book 0)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t started this series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Read her side of the story, then flip the book over to experience their love anew through his eyes in this novel that you can read backward or forward.

“Hannah Rooney knows how to be invisible. At twenty, she keeps her head down and her eyes open, and so far, she’s managed to avoid being pulled into the dealings of her notorious criminal family. Hannah lives her life in countdown mode, biding her time in nursing school as she waits for her beloved sister, Kaylie, to turn eighteen so Hannah can get them both far, far away from Rockaway Watch and start a new life.

Tobias Hawthorne II acts every inch the entitled heir that he is. As the only son of one of the country's richest men, there isn't a door that isn't open to him. Yet behind his razor sharp cheekbones and devil-may-care attitude, Toby is guarding a nest of deadly secrets and a fiery anger fierce enough to burn everything in his path.

Their lives collide in one tragic, stormy night, where an act of arson and nature leave Kaylie and two others dead and Toby just barely alive--with no memory of who he is. The fisherman who pulls him from the ocean enlists Hannah to help save the very person who she knows took away her sister. Fueled by her hatred, Hannah is determined to deny Toby's death wish by keeping him alive. He is the last person that she should ever develop feelings for, and she is the first thing he ever remembers seeing.

*Hannah’s side of the story was previously published as a novella in Games Untold.” - taken from Goodreads.

Read both Hannah and Toby's perspectives of their story.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman (A Fate So Cold book 1)

“For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility―but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician―and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.” - taken from Goodreads.

The first book in a unique duology, this opening story begins the tale of two magicians who are brought together by a horrific fate that sets them at odds against their wills. In the battle of summer versus winter, two unlikely champions have been chosen. For Dominic and Ellery, it seems like kismet has brought them together. As they join forces to battle winter from completely taking over summer, they soon realize that in order to win, only one of them can be standing at the end.

Beautiful storytelling, vivid scenes, and a heartbreaking romance that places during the heat of battle, readers will be left hanging over what’s to come in this story’s conclusion.

Book two is due out in 2026.

Visit Amanda Foody’s website.

Visit C.L. Herman’s website.

Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet

 

“When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.” - taken from Goodreads.

I have never read the book Little Women but one only needs to know the basics of the story to enjoy this modern day retelling. The father, Mr. March has written a controversial best selling novel based on the lives of his four daughters, Little Women. Just like in the original story, Beth dies in the book. Only in real life, Beth is still alive…until she isn’t.

This book is told in four POVs, between before Beth’s death and after and begins with Jo and Amy finding Beth’s body on the morning of January 1. As the March sisters begin to tell their stories and the pieces come together surrounding the mystery over Beth’s death, readers will be shattered by the ending.

Visit Katie Bernet’s website.

Fearful by Lauren Roberts (Powerless book 3.5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in the Powerless series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Love too grand, it kills.

Mara never intended to set foot in Ilya again. But when the king makes a life-altering decision, her interest is piqued, and Death is determined to understand Kitt Azer’s mind if he is destined to join her in the Mors.

Spending time with the king while observing the castle’s inhabitants reminds Mara that there is more to life than just death. There is love. But even the purest of intentions spur revenge and the pursuit of power. And fate will have its way with all of them—to live, to rule, to love, and most certainly, to die….” - taken from Goodreads.

The main focus of this story is between Kitt as he is suffering from the effects of the plague and Mara, Death personified. Also throw in Blair and Lenny to explore their story deeper. A read for true fans.

Visit Lauren Roberts’ website.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

“Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.

They’re everything everyone wants to be.

Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.

Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.

But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a book that kept you on the seat of your pants until the very end trying to uncover what really happened. Emily MIlls dies by suicide on prom night. She desperately wanted to fit in with a group of popular students known as the Thrashers. Soon, fingers start pointing at Jodi and her friends when Emily’s journal portrays a climate of bullying with Zach Thrasher being the leader. Jodi, not rich like her friends, soon discovers that she is the key to figuring out what really happened. As secrets begin to unfold, Jodi soon realizes that maybe she does not know who her so-called friends really are.

Visit Julie Soto’s website.