Book Recommendations: Part Four

 I can only apologise for the lack of posts here recently – life definitely got in the way once again. However, I’m back for the fourth instalment of ‘Book Recommendations’ and seeing as this is spooky month – I’ve selected books that are perfect reads for the season…

Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas

You know you’re old when you’re reading YA books and you immediately adopt the characters in your head as your children and that was most definitely the case for me reading ‘Cemetery Boys’. The story follows Yadriel; whose traditional Latinx family are struggling to accept his gender. Determined to prove that he is a real brujo, Yadriel, with the help of his cousin/best friend, Maritza, performs a ritual to summon and help set free the ghost of their recently deceased cousin. However, things don’t go to plan when Yadriel accidentally summons the ghost of Julian Diaz – branded the ‘school’s bad boy’ in life. Yadriel soon realises that he and Julian – who is not ready to move on until he gets some answers and is able to tie up some loose ends – can help each other. The more time they spend with each other, the less Yadriel wants to let Julian go, but their journey is met with obstacles neither of them expect and is clouded with the looming shadow of death threatening to tear them apart. Packed full of beautiful representation, different types of love and rich with culture – this is definitely something you need to add to your TBR. (Trigger/Content Warnings: Parental Death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Homophobia)

Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

Honestly the tagline ‘The lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read’ had me sold and I’m so glad it did because I loved this read. It follows Ash Persaud, whose life is cut short on New Years Eve. In the afterlife, a group of badass girl reapers are waiting for her with an invite to join them. However, Ash struggles to move on from her first love – Poppy. Ash is desperate to see and be reunited with her again – even if its for a limited time and she is determined to do anything to make this happen because as far as she’s concerned – not even death will keep them apart. Ash is left with the choice of becoming a reaper or seeing Poppy again – but at what cost? This was such a unique read and it was so beautifully heartwrenching that I can’t not recommend it. Plus, it’s full of teenage girl reapers which was something I’d loved to have read when I was a teenager. (Trigger/Content Warnings: Death, Grief, Suicide mention)

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh

If I can introduce this book in one way – it would be that fans of ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ would love it. Dare Chase is a seventeen year old paranormal investigation podcaster. Despite her own disbelief in the supernatural, Dare takes an internship in a haunted house for the sake of her podcast ‘Attachments’. Legend surrounding Arrington Estate say that the spirit of Atheleen Bell haunts the property. Atheleen drowned in the Arrington’s lake when she was a teenager under suspicious circumstances and it’s those suspicious circumstances that draw Dare in – who is determined to prove the involvement of living beings rather than anything supernatural. However, the longer Dare spends in the house, the more creepy surprises are revealed to her from threatening messages left on walls, unexplained bruises on her friends (two girls that are also staying in the house) shoulders and a lake that seems to be threatening them with its very current. Will the house reveal itself to be supernaturally inhabited? Or is there a rational explanation for everything? Dare is on a dangerous journey to find out. Spooky and sapphic – this book was definitely up my street and I know a lot of other people would enjoy it too. (Trigger/Content Warnings: Death, Horror imagery portrayed)