The disturbing history of Cheboygan, Aedan’s hometown, quickly becomes the focus, as Aedan discovers an ancient evil is feeding on the city’s souls, possessing its inhabitants and turning them into mindless automatons. Diligent and altruistic Aedan believes it’s his calling to crack the case of the Cheboygan demon before he leaves for college, and he blithely pursues that feat, shrugging off an elder’s warning that “some waters are too deep and dark to tread lightly in.” McGinn forges Aedan’s courage with the steely resolve of youth, as he vows to face whatever awaits him in the town’s shadowy corners.
An ominous aura permeates, as Aedan’s quest zigzags around a panoply of horror staples, beginning with missing people, an ancient tome of knowledge, and a map leading to a rickety cabin in the woods. From witch trials to a sanitorium, McGinn fully traverses genre conventions—even inserting a haunted refrigerator into the mix, in an amusingly horrifying scene that YA readers will relish. McGinn arranges the disparate parts into a mostly cohesive, spine-tingling whole, revealing the town’s atrocities with appropriate gloom and intrigue, and readers will relate to Aedan as he strives to make his adult mark. The literal deus ex machina ending disappoints, but it’s more the journey and Aedan’s genuinely virtuous character that satisfy.
Takeaway: A group of teens hunt down a soul-stealing demon terrorizing their town.
Comparable Titles: Robin Wasserman’s Girls on Fire, Natalie C. Parker’s Beware the Wild.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Little’s characterization shines exceptionally bright with Marilyn, a master manipulator who retains the sweet, loving embrace of a mother trying to give her son a good life, even as she takes advantage of everyone else to get what she wants. And what Marilyn wants most is for O.C. to leave her alone: he’s hot on her trail, without permission from the force, and desperate to prove to himself—and the world—that his firing was unjust. Little carefully builds the two distinct sides of Marilyn, a loving mother and scheming monster, in unnerving scenes that find her cuddling her son while considering how to force Timmy, a 27-year-old hacker, to do her evil bidding.
Highlighting the ultimate outcome for hardened criminals, Little uses Timmy’s fate as a presage for Marilyn, who becomes increasingly desperate as O.C. makes headway in discovering her new identity. Outside of his determination to bring Marilyn to justice, Little keeps O.C. fairly contained, never delving too deeply into other aspects of his life (though readers will sense his simmering rage and overwhelming desire to clear his name). The action climaxes when a gunman enters O.C.’s home and threatens his girlfriend and her family, driving O.C.’s final steps toward Marilyn. Though some grammar errors distract, Little expertly balances character development with pulse-pounding action sequences in this stormy offering.
Takeaway: Chilling character study of a master manipulator pursued by a determined ex-cop.
Comparable Titles: Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, B.A. Paris’s Behind Closed Doors.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C+
Marketing copy: A
Carson offers younger readers entertaining characters who, while attempting to solve problems, tend to create more—a charming, humorous mix that tosses them into a sea of unlikely quests. From finding "lost" library books to crashing their way into an upscale tea party, DoGoody and Fleabins are an exuberant pair with the best of intentions, though their shenanigans cause more harm than good (thankfully, the pair always try to fix their mistakes in the end). Though Fleabins wreaks havoc outside in the real world—such as driving DoGoody's off-limits car and busting a pack of dogs out of dog training school or planting a kiss on the bride at a wedding he’s not invited to—DoGoody tends to take the blame, thanks to Fleabins conveniently shrinking from the size of a chimpanzee to the true scale of a flea whenever he leaves DoGoody Mansion.
Shannon McKeon’s black and white illustrations hum with energy, showcasing DoGoody trying to tame his lively best friend while Fleabins marches, carefree and untroubled, through heaps of self-made problems. The hijinks are brilliantly crafted to leave children laughing while also creating suspense, as they predict what sticky situations these two lovable characters will get into next. These two are a winning pair.
Takeaway: A mild-mannered canine tries to keep his chaotic best friend in line.
Comparable Titles: Luvvie Ajayi Jones's Little Troublemaker Makes A Mess, David Shannon's No David!
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Luce deftly weaves a layered story of friendship, aspirations, and the ingrained biases that cast a dark shadow over American culture. The play confronts schisms on human rights, equality, and homophobia while highlighting, in tense exchanges, the violence that rises from baseless hatred of other groups’ lifestyles and beliefs. The American Dream and the cost of fame is also explored through the gaze of the play’s actors, particularly Matt Connor, who portrays the bully. Connor is beloved by his cast mates, but his struggles with alcohol may push him out of a job—and cost him everything he holds dear.
The result is innovative, perceptive, and upsetting, as Luce never downplays the terrible things men feel moved to call each other. In both novel and play, all of these men stand at a crossroads, with Luce making their choices—and the potential fallout—not just suspenseful but resonant, rooted in deep national pathologies. Bill especially faces hard questions about his embittered convictions, including “Do you like yourself? I mean deep down, do you like who you are?” Star Late Rising explores, with empathy and electric invention, the dark side of American masculinity.
Takeaway: Boldy unconventional story exploring American hatred, anger, and violence.
Comparable Titles: Peter Heller’s Burn, Tiffany McDaniel's The Summer That Melted Everything.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Columbina’s clan holds a special place in Mann’s world: they are responsible for burying pine cone seeds to help replant forests. From the beginning of this thoughtful novel, readers will grasp the beautiful symbiosis between Columbina’s family and nature, and, through Columbina’s eyes, Mann relays the vital interconnectedness of their environment, always with a nod towards cooperation and respect. Columbina’s bird’s eye view expertly shifts reader perspective, and Mann skillfully builds characterization from each creature’s instinctual behaviors: first-person musings of an ancient Whitebark pine tree, marveling at Columbina’s boldness and idealism, are sprinkled throughout the novel, while in other scenes the elders prevent young swallows from protecting a hummingbird’s nest with the rebuke, “Not our kin, not our fight!”
Mann’s striking presentation of this naturalist world—heightened by Steve Habersang’s pen-and-ink illustrations—combines instinctual wisdom with inventive adaptability. An integral part of Uplift’s environmentally conscious message revolves around humans—known here as the Tall Ones—who creep into even the most protected habitats, destroying the forests and putting bird species at risk. Columbina plays a crucial part in confronting the Tall Ones, accepting great personal sacrifice in her efforts to unite mankind and nature, and Mann ends the novel with a poignant reflection on the cycle of life in the natural world.
Takeaway: Beautiful portrait of nature’s cycles, from the perspective of a Clark’s Nutcracker.
Comparable Titles: Barbara Gowdy’s The White Bone, Laline Paull’s The Bees.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Beyond its character-driven narration, Weiner’s story unfurls a detailed history of 20th century America, often detouring into interesting snippets—from the Titanic’s sinking to the ideals and political machinations of Tammany Hall—designed to shore up the text with historical background. When Bill Roth, Patrick Doyle, and Anthony Carbone cross paths with Oscar Klein, fortune truly begins to favor them: Klein, a street-smart orphan from Philadelphia, arrives in New York penniless but determined, and his instinctive business acumen leads to a venture between himself and the family representatives, a development that Weiner dedicates much time to fully fleshing out.
Weiner threads the ideals of philanthropy throughout the novel, as, over the generations, the four families channel their wealth into charities, medical work, and more. Just as altruism becomes a character in and of itself here, so, too, does New York City, as it grows and evolves alongside the novel’s cast, swelling and ebbing with the ups and downs that accompany carving out a life from virtually nothing. This is a poignant reminder that the true measure of success lies not in wealth or fame, but in the bonds we forge and the legacies we leave behind.
Takeaway: Inviting generational saga of four intertwined families in 20th century America.
Comparable Titles: Zadie Smith’s White Teeth, Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-
On his surprise return, Robin discovers that his mother’s health is ailing. Soon, bereft, Robin returns to the woods that debut author Cricket describes with era-appropriate awe and mystery—“the old trees keep what they know to themselves.” Robin is heartsick, believing his mother’s spirit now inhabits a bird, and soon encounters three fairies, whom he endeavors to trick into telling him who his father is. Cricket excels at fae play, at riddling logic, and at magic moments like Robin worrying, as he peers into “the wavy moonlit water,” that he sees “ not the eyes of a boy at all, but of some creature a thousand years old”.
The plot turns on Robin helping the villagers against a cruel baron, despite his belief that they don’t care a “fig” for the Witch’s Boy. But what lingers is this world. In clear, brisk prose, The Legend of Robin Goodfellow exults in a world of magic circles, “blurry mist”s, fairy tricks, and the conflict between paganism and the cosmology of the village’s Father Tom, who warns Robin that without prayer Mam may languish in Purgatory.
Takeaway: A healer’s shunned son must save the village in 12th Century England.
Comparable Titles: Pat Walsh’s Crowfield Abbey series; Donna Jo Napoli’s Breath.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
That sense of calling shines through as Rönn provides frank and intimate details about the abortion process in a way that is informative and deeply personal to her own experience, while providing up-to-date data about abortions in the U.S., her home country of Sweden and other countries. "It’s not only the stigma against abortions that makes it difficult—restrictive laws and financial constraints also play a significant role,” Rönn writes. Blending her own story with the history of birth control clinics and the laws that determine and limit women's rights, Rönn provides insight that will open the door to hard conversations about abortion.
Rönn shares raw feelings of “disenfranchised grief” and the process of "grief work,” while also exploring guilt and feeling judged for her choice in the aftermath. A healing journey, a moving act of disclosure, and an impactful call-to-action powered by a visceral sense of mission, Behind Bulletproof Glass challenges the status quo and urges women to tell their stories. Rönn makes the case that breaking “this vicious circle of stigma, shame, and silence” demands talking about abortion.
Takeaway: Resonant memoir and call-to-action about daring to talk frankly about abortion.
Comparable Titles: Bonnie Brady's And That Was That, Meera Shah's You're The Only One I've Told.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Readers are taken inside a fraught childhood, full of its little pleasures, familial pressures, fears, and censures. Readers should be mindful that the book contains descriptions of sexual abuse, with Brooks taking pains to capture the helplessness, and anger that such experiences trigger, while also going on to work through them: “What kind of mother lets a man inspect her daughter’s body that way?” she eventually shouts, a welcome burst of catharsis. The adult Brooks lives with a sense of foreboding: will she end up like her mother? She tries her best not to, but at times can’t help but feel she’s exhibiting traits she grew up around.
Fitting to its subject, this is no easy read, and the narrative can feel claustrophobic. But the author does a great job of taking readers into a difficult life, laying bare the people and traumas that made her who she is—and her sometimes frantic efforts to overcome it all. Still, she surveys her family’s “flawed humanity” with an empathetic eye but also a bracing, honest clarity. Healing and hope, here, are hard earned.
Takeaway: Devastating memoir of a mother’s many husbands and growing up unprotected.
Comparable Titles: Mary Manning’s Nobody will Believe You, Stephanie Foo’s What My Bones Know.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Madsen’s prose is unadorned and sensible, detailing a lifetime of dire situations that she meets head on—and seeks resolution for, instead of wallowing in the mire of self-pity. She is always on the move, literally and metaphorically, resulting in phenomenal growth, both in terms of acquiring worldly skills to afford creature comforts as well as personal and spiritual development. Her too-trusting nature often lands her in sticky situations, but she flits from those retellings to moments of triumph, never dwelling longer than necessary on the abuses and failures she experiences. Even her encounters with the occult, transformative learning with treasured mentors, and a terrifying cancer diagnosis receive the same level-headed treatment.
The memoir’s softer moments—Madsen’s joy at being a mother, her determination to ooze “love and compassion” at every turn—impart valuable lessons, namely her ability to pivot from failure to success, to constantly move forward, and to refuse to dwell in the past. Her regrets form the basis for new beginnings by the book’s end, as she lovingly reminds readers “Regardless of where we are, our past does not dictate our future. What we do today paves the future according to our thoughts, feelings, and actions.”
Takeaway: Candid memoir urging readers toward self-forgiveness and actualization.
Comparable Titles: Jessica Bacal’s Mistakes I Made at Work, Vanessa Springora’s Consent.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
At its heart, Transportaling is a sharp satire of contemporary American society. Milks draws biting parallels between Melenca and Earth, weaving in commentary on political polarization, health care, and immigration issues, all through the lens of Melencan politics, which is split between the opposing factions of Unifiers and Compactors. The slogans, such as “Restore Melenca to glory,” resonate with contemporary discussions on nationalism, while the novel also critiques post-truth propaganda techniques, where the distinction between fact and fiction is blurred to justify destructive mining operations. The environmental degradation in Melenca—manifested through cracks, sinkholes, and toxic gasses—serves as a clear allegory for the ongoing climate crisis in our own world. Complicating things are comic frictions between the outbounders themselves, some of whom see Melenca as ripe for business ventures of their own.
Milks excels at creating a richly textured world, with the culture and societal dynamics of Melenca unfolding organically through dialogue rather than dense exposition, keeping readers open to alt-world thought experiments engaged and curious. The fast-paced narrative is fueled by ever-present dangers, including a fanatical group (rightcakes) in pursuit of the protagonists. Sam’s personal journey of self-doubt—particularly his career and romantic struggles—grounds the novel in feeling. Milks has crafted a thought-provoking novel that invites readers to reflect on the state of their own world long after the final page.
Takeaway: Engaging blend of alt-reality adventure and incisive socio-political commentary.
Comparable Titles: Walter Moers; Connie Willis.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: –
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B-
Readers will want to start with Tuohy’s first book in the series, as the events coming into play here largely hinge on Sarah and Miranda’s earlier experiences. As the murders escalate, Sarah, Miranda, and their group of friends and family must band together, investigating clues while trying to nail down who’s responsible, all while traversing the nooks and crannies of Paris. Readers spend the most time with the free-spirited Sarah, whose obsession with all things Sarah Bernhardt pops up throughout her amateur sleuthing, but Miranda plays a close second. A feisty young girl with great intelligence but an equally demanding attitude, she is harder to connect with, though her eagerness to help solve the murders stalking her aunt is endearing.
What Tuohy does best is give readers a sense of roaming through Paris's museums, theaters, restaurants, and parks, where the book’s characters live, play, and, in some cases, die. As Sarah and Miranda meander through Parisian streets—hunting for Sarah Bernhardt’s grave in the Montparnasse cemetery, sampling ice cream in Le Marais—they subtly draw readers into a world of elegance and charm that only thinly veils the dangers lurking beneath. The clues are plentiful, and readers who enjoy wild rides through a slew of red herrings, as opposed to more methodical mysteries, will be entertained.
Takeaway: Wild mystery ride through Parisian streets, with loads of amateur sleuthing.
Comparable Titles: Emilia Bernhard’s The Books of the Dead, Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen’s Treachery in Bordeaux.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
For Tarot readers old and new, this is a smart, demystifying guide worth refering to often. In Latin, “arcana” means secrets, Grant advises. In Tarot terminology, it refers to two categories: Major Arcana (22 cards representing life’s spiritual lessons) and Minor Arcana (56 cards symbolizing everyday life events). Grant dedicates a chapter to each of the 78 cards, explaining in depth the significance. The minor arcana each have a defined area, with cups representing emotions, love, relationships, and creativity; pentacles represent material possessions or career-oriented matters; while swords, which symbolize action or conflict, often relate to mental states or communication issues. Grant also provides actionable steps, advanced steps for some of the cards, and the meanings of upright and reversed cards.
While some readers may scoff and dismiss Tarot as a new-age weird practice, psychologists praise the Tarot cards as tools for metaphorical thinking during therapy sessions. Grant also notes that the American Psychological Association shows tarot readers are more intuitive and empathetic than nonreaders, a tendency exemplified by the author’s warm tour through the decks and their resonance in the lives of practitioners. The perfect guide for beginners learning Tarot, Grant’s empathetic teaching provides a comprehensive view of the craft.
Takeaway: Comprehensive guide for readers seeking to learn the nuances of Tarot today.
Comparable Titles: Liz Dean’s The Tarot Companion, Emmi Fredericks’s The Smart Girl's Guide to Tarot.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Highlighting the importance of helping others and providing educational information about ocean life, Vozzo creates an imaginative story featuring a resourceful plumber and lively characters that young readers will enjoy. Poseidon's friendly nature and his way with a wrench and plunger become legendary, suggesting to young readers that talent and learned, practical skills can take you where you want to go. Readers familiar with the Greek god of the sea will enjoy seeing the aptly named protagonist of this story flourish in his snorkel gear amid Nina Mkhoiani’s vibrant illustrations that showcase sea creatures, coral reefs, and other charming detail.
The art and layout, mostly in two-page panoramic spreads, is imaginative, with shell homes, bioluminescent sea sponges, a host of wide-eyed fish and crustaceans, and a faint, bubbly digital gloss suggesting the strangeness of life underwater. Even the eels look friendly, and Poseidon’s face communicates warmth even through his dive mask. The low stakes of the tale may diminish some readers’ interest, especially as Poseidon’s actual plumbing action is more suggested by the text than compelling dramatization, with the illustrations emphasizing the milieu over any narrative drama. The result is an inviting hang-out story that offers fun under-the-sea vibes and friendship.
Takeaway: Sweet and chill undersea adventure of Poseidon the plumber, unclogging the depths.
Comparable Titles: Meeg Pincus's Ocean Soup, Kelly DiPucchio's Oona.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Parent packs plenty of characterization in his brief tales. Each delves into the prickly resentments and bubbling rages that simmer beneath the surface, only to be exacerbated by supernatural fiends. The somber and gut wrenching tale celebrating Dia De Los Muertos follows a tormented veteran reliving the carnage he witnessed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. He uses his monstrous powers, borne of grief and guilt, as payback against the evil doers of today. Epitomizing how revenge is sweet, “Black” features a cheating husband with a bad heart planning to repair his marriage, until his wife invites him on a haunted hay ride with ulterior motives.
In the witty “Last Halloween,” 13-year-old Jessica’s best friend thinks they’re too old for trick or treating, but Jessica’s tattered spider costume comes in handy when an interdimensional portal unleashes hellish monsters. Terrifying takes on the traditional haunted house theme, blood suckers, psychopaths, ghouls needing replacement parts, and hellish carnival rides provide readers the scares they expect, honed by Parent’s crisp descriptions and unexpected thrills.
Takeaway: Creepy Halloween tales thrill with haunted houses and monsters in the shadows.
Comparable Titles: Ronald Kelly’s The Halloween Store, J. Tonzelli’s The End of Summer.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Wischowski’s atmospheric writing playfully explores huddled-around-the-campfire storytelling, with an emphasis on the possibilities of the oral tradition—the standout “The Tale of Black Hands” opens with a consideration of how the teller always refreshes the tale, no matter how familiar. Such intimate narration—including clever uses of direct address and unreliable storytellers–conjures the feeling that the reader is being let in on a secret. Standout stories include “The Ghost of John,” where a corpse discovers, rather gruesomely, that he’s not all there. “Grandson” details a scam attempt with devastating consequences; “The Gashadokuro” follows a family stalked by giant skeletons from Japanese folklore; and “Circus Fortune” describes a young boy’s chance encounter with a hypnotist at a county fair.
The only thing that detracts somewhat from an otherwise excellent collection is an essay at the end of the book about “ghost science.” The author posits some scientific theories about ghosts, with a marked tonal shift from the rest of the collection. Although designated a middle-grade YA collection, it holds great appeal for seasoned horror fans. With much original flair but also nods to other nostalgic spook-out hits like Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, this earns its place on the discerning horror reader’s bookshelf.
Takeaway: This spooky collection is full of scares for all ages.
Comparable Titles: Anastasia Garcia and Teo Skaffa’s Ghostly, Ghastly Tales, Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-