That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic

That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic

By Keala Kendall

Random House, 2026. 337 pages. Young Adult Horror

A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise. For the world's wealthiest, Kōpa'a Island Resort is more than a destination. It's the ultimate escape. With no cell service or Wi-Fi, the Hawaiian island is a coveted wellness retreat renowned for its persimmon orchard and promises of rejuvenation. But to uncover what happened to Ohia, Lehua will have to unearth the island's bloody history and face the horrors that lurk within its sugarcane fields--or risk being consumed by them.

I never thought I'd have the opportunity to read a Native Hawaiian horror - and this one sure delivers! Swapping the usual haunted mansion for an eerie hotel resort, Kendall deftly investigates the many ghosts of colonization and its psychological impact on Hawaiians today. Rich with atmosphere, complex characters and spooky encounters, That Which Feeds Us is a ghost story that's sure to linger with readers long after they've braved its pages. 

If you like That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic, you might also like:

Honeysuckle and Bone

By Trisha Tobias

Sweet July Books, 2025. 304 pages. Young Adult Horror

Carina Marshall is looking to reinvent herself, and what better place to do it than Jamaica, her mother's alluring homeland where she conveniently has access to an au pair gig for the wealthy and powerful Hall family. Once there, Carina finds herself settling right into her busy, but comfortable, new life. Yes, the family runs a tight ship, and yes, there is some tension between the Halls, but Carina is content flying under the radar and hanging out with her new friends--not least, the handsome and charming Aaron. But when inexplicable things start happening to her in the house, only getting worse each night, Carina realizes that someone, or something, is out to get her. Is it the Halls? The house itself? Or is her own past catching up with her? With Aaron's help, she must figure out what is haunting her, and fast, before she's forced out of Blackbeard House for good.

She is a Haunting

By Trang Thanh Tran

Bloomsbury, 2023. 341 pages. Young Adult Horror

Seventeen-year-old bisexual Jade Nguyrn is spending the summer in Vietnam at the French colonial house her estranged father is fixing up as a vacation rental, but unbeknownst to her family, the house and its ghosts have other plans.

Burn Down, Rise Up

By Vincent Tirado

Sourcebooks Fire, 2022. 338 pages. Young Adult Horror

When an urban legend rumored to trap people inside subway tunnels seems to be behind mysterious disappearances in the Bronx, sixteen-year-old Raquel and her friends team up to save their city--and confront a dark episode in its history in the process

KD

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls 

By Jessica Spotswood 

Henry Holt and Company, 2026. 388 pages. Young Adult Horror 

 The harrow home for wayward girls has long stood as a place of secrets. The estate has housed hundreds of young women hidden away during their pregnancies, their homesick cries echoing through the halls, providing a haunting score to Grace Harrow's childhood. Now, in the summer of 1947, the Home has been sold to a wealthy hotelier. Grace expects the new owner's daughters to be spoiled. Yet Rose, the eldest daughter--unaware of Mr. Harrow's abusive tendencies--is jealous of Grace's seemingly easy confidence. But as they're drawn into each other's lives, an unlikely friendship begins to form. Fortunately so, because not all of the wayward girls made it out ... One still lingers. Lurking in the shadows. Looking for vengeance. To expose the truth buried in the walls of the Harrow Home, Grace and Rose must unravel a legacy of silence and cruelty. But Grace's father will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden, and if the truth comes to light, it could destroy both their families. 

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls is a book packed full of rage, revenge, and broken hearts. I was delighted to find that I cared about (or was at least interested in) every character's story - no small feat as I am sure we have all experienced. This is one of those perfectly atmospheric gothic tales. I felt like I could smell the pool the characters gathered around and could feel the humid basement air. Do yourself a favor and dip your toe in the water of this spooky read, just don't look too closely at your reflection. 

 If you like The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls, you might also like: 

 

What Rough Beast 

By Mindy McGinnis 

Harper, 2026. 272 pages. Young Adult Horror 

 Ava learned the hard way that speaking up means being shut out. A social outcast, she finds comfort in her job at a wildlife rehabilitation center, surrounded by the injured, the damaged, and the lame. Best of all, the work distracts her from the night that changed her life--and the boy she holds responsible for it. Micah knows he's not a good guy. His past is littered with mistakes, accidents, and things he'd rather forget. But feeling guilty and accepting punishment are two different things. He doesn't know which is worse--the weight of what he's done & or the growing feeling that it's all about to be dragged into the light. Hailey will do whatever it takes to rise up from her life of abject poverty. The biggest weapon she has is her looks, and she'll use it to get what she wants--the richest boy in town. When Ava's claims threaten their relationship, Hailey knows she must silence her--maybe forever. When Ava unknowingly awakens an entity that has been biding its time underground, the three teens will be brought together on a night when something wants to be born and only a death will balance the scales. 

Holloway 

By Elana K. Arnold 

Clarion Books, 2026. 330 pages. Young Adult Horror 

 It is the late summer of 2021, and a girl named Nora is on the Paris Metro. Nora, whose mother loved her, even though Nora was broken. Nora, who couldn't help her mother when her mother needed her most. Nora, from whom the pandemic has taken nearly everything, save the object she clings to: a cylinder containing her mother's ashes. With no family left, no friends to speak of, and no way to turn back time, Nora has come to France to keep a promise she never got to make: to spread the ashes in a place her mother never got to see. But instead, Nora finds herself on the run through a forest in the night, taking refuge in a dark holloway. And when she wakes, and tries to make her way back to something she recognizes, she realizes that is impossible. Because it is no longer 2021. Questioning everything--including her own sanity--Nora sets out on a journey through a time and place completely foreign to her, and yet one that, much like the time and place she came from, is defined by death, loss, fear, and uncertainty. A journey in which she must find a way to honor her mother--and heal herself--in a world that feels irrevocably broken. 

Manor of Buried Secrets 

By Mason O’Connor 

Catalyst Press, 2026. 307 pages. Young Adult Horror 

 When sixteen-year-old Peter Brewer's unconventional great-aunt Patricia--one of the last heirs to the once-wealthy Woodwright family--passes away at the age of 105, Peter's family travels to Patricia's mansion for her funeral. Thrown into the hothouse of old feuds and eccentric characters, Peter finds himself drawn into the web of family secrets surrounding Patricia's inheritance. Rumors swirl of a hidden fortune, and Peter's curiosity grows with each obscure conversation he overhears. When Peter and his new friend Larissa find Patricia's cryptic love letters to a young man, written decades before, they set out to uncover the hidden truths about Patricia's legacy--and how her secrets may still haunt the Woodwright family. Falling for Larissa, Peter can't help wondering if he is doomed to torpedo this relationship because of his own foibles. As Peter is pulled deeper into Patricia's long-buried past, he starts to realize that others at the funeral might have their own hidden agendas ... and seeking to uncover the truth may put him and Larissa in danger of getting in their way.

CB

Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction

Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction
by Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Short Stories.

Explore a world where bats block out the sun, where soup is a trap for your soul, or where the life-force of a glacier can bring back the dead. Journey to a place where the wind can be captured, time can be crafted into infinite attic space, or a hot tub can house an ancient monster. And revisit the Arc of the Scythe universe for two all-new tales of gleaning.

A short story collection by one of my favorite "evil genius" authors? Yes, please!

In the introduction, Shusterman discusses how he grew up enjoying the short stories of Isaac Asimov (I, Robot, the Foundation series, etc.). This collection (featuring some new stories and many previously published in other anthologies) would fit in perfectly among the likes of Asimov, Richard Matheson, Orson Scott Card, and The Twilight Zone. He moves through different genres with ease, spinning clever tales of a pizza delivery to the underworld, an unconventional presidential campaign, an elite boarding school for severely phobic youth, time-traveling lightning storms, a colony ship voyaging to a distant world, circus zombies, a self-aware (and surprisingly compassionate) firearm, lost luggage, and one of the best worst(?)(best???) puns you’ll ever read. This is a great place to begin if you have never tried Neal Shusterman’s books before, as his witty and thoughtful writing style is on full display. If you’re already a fan, it’s a pleasure to see how much fun he can have on a smaller scale (not to mention the always appreciated Arc of a Scythe bonus stories, plus an extra treat to tide you over until the prequel novels arrive).

To sum it up: Butterball. Trust me, it's worth it, ha ha ha.

If you like Mindworks, you might also like:

They Bloom at Night
by Trang Thanh Tran
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025. 262 pages. Fantasy.

Since the hurricane, the town of Mercy, Louisiana has been overtaken by a strange red algae bloom. Noon and her mother have carved out a life in the wreckage, trawling for the mutated wildlife that lurks in the water and trading it to the corrupt harbormaster. When she's focused on survival, Noon doesn't have to cope with what happened to her at the Cove or the monster itching at her skin. Mercy has never been a safe place, but it's getting worse. People are disappearing, and the only clues as to why are whispers of underwater shadows and warnings to never answer the knocks at night. When the harbormaster demands she capture the creature that's been drowning residents, Noon finds a reluctant ally in his daughter Covey. And as the next storm approaches, the two set off to find what's haunting Mercy. After all, Noon is no stranger to monsters . . .

Pretty Monsters
by Kelly Link
Viking, 2008. 389 pages. Short Stories.

Nine short stories ranging from fantasy to horror to sci-fi, in which nothing is what it seems, and everything deserves a second look. From the multiple award-winning "The Faery Handbag," in which a teenager's grandmother carries an entire village (or is it a man-eating dog?) in her handbag, to the near-future of "The Surfer," whose narrator (a soccer-playing skeptic) waits with a planeload of refugees for the aliens to arrive, Link's stories are funny and full of unexpected insights and skewed perspectives on the world.

Feed
by M.T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2002. 237 pages. Science Fiction.

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon - a chance to party during spring break and play around with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who knows something about what it's like to live without the feed--and about resisting its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires.

-LAH

Beauty Reborn

Beauty Reborn 

by Elizabeth Lowham 

Shadow Mountain, 2023. 208 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

Beauty’s life is the stuff of fairy tales. The youngest in her family, Beauty isn’t trying to catch Stephan’s eye. He is the lord baron’s heir, well above her family’s modest station, but when he kisses her hand at a party, Beauty is swept away by his charm, his wit, and his passionate declarations of love. Hearts can be untamable creatures, especially when touched by the fires of first love, and Beauty doesn’t see the truth of Stephan’s intentions until it is too late. Until he stops asking for Beauty’s love―and simply takes it from her one night despite her refusal. Beauty locks away the secret of what happened to her, and when her father emerges from the enchanted forest with a stolen rose in his hand and the tale of a vicious beast on his breath, Beauty seizes the chance to run as far from Stephan as possible. She has some experience with beasts, after all. Certainly the one in the forest couldn’t be any worse than the one she’s already encountered. Breaking the Beast’s curse might be the key to discovering her own path to healing―and finding the courage to allow herself to feel reborn. 

I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, especially Beauty and the Beast, but Beauty Reborn was a bit different. Obviously, the original fairy tale is interwoven in this story, but the added aspect of what happened to Beauty gave her some depth and added motives. Even though I know this story by heart, I didn’t know how it would all come together. Their friendship is sweet and healing. Beauty’s annoying sister, Astra, is another story…literally! (Make sure to read the sequel Astra Remade next!)

If you like Beauty Reborn, you might also like: 

Cruel Beauty

by Rosamund Hodge 

Balzer + Bray, 2014. 346 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

The Merchant’s Daughter 

by Melanie Dickerson 

Zondervan, 2011. 284 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf 's bailiff a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

Beastly Beauty 

by Jennifer Donnelly 

Scholastic Press, 2024. 321 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything, too badly? That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be sweet and compliant so she can marry well, but try as she might, Arabella can't extinguish the fire burning inside her -- the source of her deepest wishes, her wildest dreams. When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle. As the years pass, Arabella abandons hope. The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true self: a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love. When a handsome thief named Beau makes his way into the castle, the captive servants are thrilled, convinced he is the one to break the curse. But Beau -- spooked by the castle's strange and forbidding ladies-in-waiting, and by the malevolent presence that stalks its corridors at night -- only wants to escape. He learned long ago that love is only an illusion. If Beau and Arabella have any hope of breaking the curse, they must learn to trust their wounded hearts, and realize that the cruelest prisons of all are the ones we build for ourselves.

EJW

Hekate

Hekate
By Nikita Gill
Little, Brown and Company, 2025. 364 pages. YA Fiction

Orphaned by the war between the Titans and Olympians, Hekate is raised in the Underworld by Styx and Hades, and after discovering her powers and ascending to Goddess status, she becomes the key to ending an immortal war that threatens both the Underworld and Mount Olympus. 

Gill explores themes of identity, resilience, and the effects of war on the children it leaves behind. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy mythology with a feminist lens, coming of age stories, and beautifully written poetry. 

If you like Things No One Taught Us About Love, you might also like:

Ariadne
By Jennifer Saint
Flatiron Books, 2021. 308 pages. Fiction

A feminist retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur, which imagines what motivated Cretan princess Ariadne to defy her father and the gods and help Theseus escape the labyrinth alive. 

Circe
By Madeline Miller
Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 393 pages. Fiction

Circe, the much-misunderstood enchantress of the Odyssey recounts her life, from her childhood among the gods to her exile on the island of Aiaia.

RBL

The Oks Are Not OK

The Oks Are Not OK
By Grace K. Shim
Kokila, 2026. 352 pages. Young Adult Fiction.

When seventeen-year-old influencer Elena Ok's family loses its fast-fashion fortune and flees Los Angeles for rural California, she is forced to confront her family's dynamics, and when she begins helping local vendors at the Blaire Fair, she starts to rethink her definition of success.

While this feels like the setup for a romantic comedy on the Hallmark Channel, The Oks Are Not OK is not what I was expecting. The tiny fictional California town of Blaire (located about 20 miles outside of Bakersfield), is a far cry from the Christmas tree farms and leaf-strewn New England hamlets you’ll usually find in a Hallmark film—California’s Central Valley is a massive agricultural region that goes largely ignored by the rest of the world. It’s sweltering hot for much of the year, and most tourists only see it through their car windows as they drive through on their way to someplace more exciting. (Source: I was born and raised in the Valley, and I was thrilled to see it get a little attention.) Blaire takes it even further, as the town lies within a National Radio Quiet Zone where all high-frequency electronic transmissions are forbidden—there’s not even cell service! In another story, exile to this "forgotten town" would set the stage for Elena to meet a sweet and probably flannel-clad young man who would teach her some important life lessons, and she would fall in love with him after a series of comical hijinks and misunderstandings.

But that’s where The Oks Are Not OK takes a different path. It’s not a rom-com at all, it’s a coming-of-age story, for both Elena and her family. Elena’s journey of self-discovery leads to her brother Gavin’s attempts to break free of the “heir to the empire” image placed on him from birth to forge his own career path, and to her parents’ realization that their intense focus on creating a prosperous new life for themselves has had unintended effects upon their entire family. The good-hearted citizens of Blaire don’t get as much attention as they deserve, but it’s really for the best that focus stays on the Ok family. It’s a surprisingly heartwarming story of family members learning to finally see one another, and of a heroine who learns to love and value herself for more than just her social media following.

If you like The Oks Are Not OK, you may also like:

The Complex Art of Being Maisie Clark
by Sabrina Kleckner
Flux, 2025. 284 pages. Young Adult Fiction.

When eighteen-year-old Maisie moves to London to develop her own artistic style outside her family's portrait business, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery with help from her older brother and her brooding photography partner.

 

The Edge of Anything
by Nora Shalaway Carpenter
Running Press Teens, 2020. 362 pages. Young Adult Fiction.

Len is a loner teen photographer haunted by a past that's stagnated her work and left her terrified she's losing her mind. Sage is a high school volleyball star desperate to find a way around her sudden medical disqualification. Both girls need college scholarships. After a chance encounter, the two develop an unlikely friendship that enables them to begin facing their inner demons. But both Len and Sage are keeping secrets that, left hidden, could cost them everything, maybe even their lives. 

Everything Within and Between
by Nikki Barthelmess
HarperTeen, 2021. 328 pages. Young Adult Fiction.

Raised by her strict Mexican grandma, Ri Fernández has never been allowed to learn Spanish. She has always been pushed away from the neighborhood they call home and toward her best friend's world of mansions and country clubs in the hopes that it will bring Ri closer to achieving the "American Dream." Her mother disappeared when Ri was young, so when Ri finds an unanswered letter from her mom begging for a visit, Ri decides to reclaim what her grandma kept from her: a language and a mother.

-LAH

Betting on You

Betting on You

By Lynn Painter 

Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2023. 425 pages. Young Adult 

Seventeen-year-old Bailey isn’t excited to start a new job at a hotel waterpark—especially when she discovers an old acquaintance, Charlie, is a coworker. The two clashed a year earlier during Bailey’s emotional move after her parents’ divorce, and they’re still opposites now. Yet, as they bond over gossiping about guests and coworkers, Bailey finds herself enjoying Charlie’s company. When they make a bet over whether a flirty pair will actually get together, Charlie argues that boys and girls can’t be just friends, while Bailey is determined to prove him wrong. As they track other people’s romances, Charlie hides his growing feelings for Bailey. Fake dating to appease Bailey’s mom only complicates things, blurring the line between pretense and reality. But Charlie is keeping a secret—one that could jeopardize everything before their relationship truly begins. 

First, can I just say how I love the way the book cover depicts Bailey and Charlie’s journey? It’s adorable and very fitting. Like so many YA romances, there are plenty of ups, downs, and please just communicate! moments. Still, I’m a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and fake dating tropes. I breezed through this 400+ page book, probably because it’s so fast-paced and had a lot of wit and banter that kept me chuckling. Bailey and Charlie struggle with the divorce of each of their parents, but find a sense of solace in their shared experiences that brings them closer together. I really loved their journeys individually, together, as well as with their friends and family. I would easily recommend this to someone looking for a nice, YA contemporary romance. 

If you liked Betting on You, you might also like: 

Hot Dog Girl

By Jennifer Dugan 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2019. 311 pages. Young Adult 

A lovesick teenager schemes to win the heart of her crush at her amusement park summer job, all while dressed as a hot dog. 

The Right Side of Reckless

By Whitney D. Grandison 

Inkyard Press, 2021. 405 pages. Young Adult 

Working at the local community center, Guillermo Lozano meets the one girl who is off limits, and as friendship—and something more—blossoms between them, he decides to break the rules and be a little bit reckless. 

ACS

The Rose Bargain

The Rose Bargain 

By Sasha Peyton Smith 

Harper, 2025. 385 pages. Young Adult 

For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So, when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price. 

Someone recommended this book to me, but I can’t remember who, and I’m so glad they did! I really enjoyed this young adult romantasy. Set in 1840s England, it’s a fun blend of fantasy, romance, a dash of battle royale, all wrapped with a bow of court intrigue. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful, which kept me going after I’d been in a pretty solid reading slump. The worst part about reading this book is that it’s the first in a series, and I read it before the next book’s release! Easily recommended by me, The Rose Bargain is a clever, compulsively readable start to a series that knows exactly how to enchant, and how to leave you wanting more. 

If you liked The Rose Bargain, you might also like: 

The Selection 

By Kiera Cass 

HarperTeen, 2012. 327 pages. Young Adult

America Singer is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her. 

The Cruel Prince 

By Holly Black 

Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 370 pages. Young Adult 

Jude, seventeen and mortal, gets tangled in palace intrigues while trying to win a place in the treacherous High Court of Faerie, where she and her sisters have lived for a decade. 

ACS

K-Jane

K-Jane
by Lydia Kang
Quill Tree Books, 2025. 326 pages. Romance.

Jane Choi is a typical Nebraskan teen--a corn-fed lover of Husker football. But lately, she feels like she's missing something. Her non-Korean classmates--that's everyone--are immersed in K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty . . . basically, K-everything. Everyone seems to know more about Korean culture than Jane. And she isn't sure whether she's more annoyed at them, or herself. With a baby brother on the way, Jane is determined to save her new sibling from enduring the same humiliation. What better way than to start a private social media account about all things Korean so her closest cousins can learn from her? But Korean heritage and identity are more complicated than taste-testing multiple varieties of kimchi in front of a camera. And when online virality crashes into real life, Jane's plans might just go K-boom in her face.

I was introduced to K-dramas a few years ago (Let’s Eat and Playful Kiss are my favorites), and my family has been rocking out to the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack all summer. That is as much experience as I can claim with Korean culture. Nevertheless, there’s a lot for me to relate to in the trials and tribulations of Jane Choi. As the mixed-race grandchild of an immigrant, I know what it feels like to be asked “So where are you from?” in that particular tone (the one which is followed by surprise when the answer isn’t the name of another country). And it can be difficult to feel a connection to your ancestors when there are major language and cultural differences.

Jane’s struggles with her heritage are not all that she has to deal with. She also has a romantic interest, the artsy, cool and mysterious Edward. (Any resemblance to the leads of a certain Charlotte Brontë novel is not a coincidence.) This novel owes a lot to Brontë, K-dramas, and even Hallmark movies. There are missed opportunities and misunderstandings galore, as Jane has trouble hearing anything over her own self-disparaging inner monologue and her all-consuming quest to become the perfect Korean girl. To make things even more difficult, the brooding Edward is keeping some secrets of his own. You may get pretty frustrated with both of them (I certainly did!). But author Lydia Kang draws everything together into a K-drama-worthy ending that will leave you not just entertained but uplifted. (And I'd love to read an entire book about Jane's grandmother, who steals the show every time she appears!)

 

If you like K-Jane, you may also like:

Lou With the Band
by Alexandra Leigh Young
Walker Books, 2025. 294 pages. Fiction.

Restless Lou is a Cuban-American girl who's never left Texas, let alone the country. But the "New Lou" (sporting a freshly shaved head, courtesy of her best friend Molly) has deferred her first semester at Texas State to work for a celebrity musician on a world tour. It will be the summer of a lifetime, full of underground parties, disco spas, and gelato. When Lou falls for a tattooed guitar prodigy who makes her feel achingly alive, it doesn't cross her mind to doubt him or--as life on the road tightens its hold--her course. Will Molly know her when she returns, if she returns? Who is the "New Lou" really?

 

Everything We Never Had
by Randy Ribay
Kokila, 2024. 264 pages. Fiction.

Told in multiple perspectives spanning nearly a century, Everything We Never Had unfolds like a beautifully crafted nesting doll, where each boy in the Filipino-American Maghabol family forges his own path amid heavy family and societal expectations, passing down his flaws, values, and virtues to the next generation, until it's up to Enzo to see how he can braid all these strands and men together.

-LAH

All Better Now

All Better Now
by Neal Shusterman
Simon & Schuster, 2025. 518 pages. Science Fiction.

A deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. Those who survive it experience a long-term effect no one has ever seen before: utter contentment. Stress, depression, greed, and other negative feelings are inexplicably gone. More and more people begin to revel in the mass unburdening. But not everyone. People in power—those who make a living convincing the public that happiness comes from buying more, new, faster, and better everything—know this new state of being is bad for business. The race to find a vaccine begins. Meanwhile, a growing movement of Recoverees plans ways to spread the virus as fast as they can, in the name of saving the world. It's nearly impossible to determine the truth when everyone with a platform is pushing their agenda. Three teens from very different backgrounds who have had their lives upended in very different ways find themselves at the center of a power play that could change humanity forever.

Neal Shusterman excels at exploring very timely “what-if” questions, allowing his stories to develop around one intriguing central idea. The concept of “toxic positivity” has long fascinated me—I’m normally a pretty upbeat person who prefers to find silver linings wherever I can, but there comes a point when “looking on the bright side” starts to do more harm than good. Where is that line, though? All Better Now forces all of humanity to question what happiness truly means—and there are no easy answers. Shusterman’s earlier hit series, The Arc of a Scythe, took place in a far-future version of Earth, which made everything seem a bit more fantastical. All Better Now, on the other hand, takes place in a “five minutes in the future” version of our present day, which can make things hit more than a little too close to home. Character motivations vary wildly, and you definitely won’t always like them or agree with them. (Dame Glynis Havilland comes straight from the Maleficent School of Petty Villains.) But Shusterman always lets his characters behave in ways that feel very true to who they are. You can always count him to craft a thoughtful tale that will stick with you for a long time. The scene is definitely being set up for a sequel, and I'll be looking forward to it!

 

If you like All Better Now, you might also like:

The Darkest Minds
by Alexandra Bracken
Hyperion, 2012. 488 pages. Science Fiction.

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America's children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Snowglobe
by Soyoung Park
Delacorte Press, 2024. 372 pages. Science Fiction.

Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that's warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city. The residents of Snowglobe have everything: fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves.

LAH

Dragonfruit

Dragonfruit

By Makiia Lucier

Clarion Books, 2024. 356 pages. Young Adult Fantasy.

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person's greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning. Every wish demands a price. Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most: a chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong. Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign, Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time--hope. But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape . . . that of the dragonfruit itself.

European dragons are out; Pacific dragons are in! Ocean lovers will love this new take on one of literatures favorite mythical creatures. I encourage you to judge this book by its cover because it absolutely is just as gorgeous, whimsical, and awe-inspiring as it looks. Highlighted by an incredible magic system, this story examines what it means to come home. The author handles themes of loss and belonging with amazing care. If you've ever had to grapple with the idea of returning to a place you are worried no longer has space for you, come find yourself in this book.

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And Break the Pretty Kings

By Lena Jeong

HarperTeen, 2023. 440 pages. Young Adult Fantasy.

A teen must defeat an ancient evil to protect her family and claim her birthright as queen in Jeong's Korean mythology--inspired fantasy debut, a series launch. As the crown princess of Seolla, 16-year-old Mirae has for her entire life been preparing to become queen--and, by extension, the warden of an evil magic called the Inconstant Son. But when the "generational madness" brought about by the sinister magic's influence consumes her mother sooner than expected, Mirae must prove she's ready to ascend the throne by completing the Trial of the Gods. The trial is meant to test her ability to control all four elements, create illusions, and manipulate time--basic tenets of Sacred Bone Magic. Before she can complete the trial, however, Mirae's beloved older brother Minho is kidnapped by an unknown entity. To rescue him, Mirae, along with her younger brother Hongbin, Minho's palace aid Siwon, and Captain Jia of the Wonhwa guards, must combat the Inconstant Son's growing power and reckon with long-buried family secrets.

Six Crimson Cranes

By Elizabeth Lim

Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 456 pages. Young Adult Fantasy.

Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother. A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die. Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost.

The Ivory Key

By Akshaya Raman
Clarion Books, 2022. 375 pages. Young Adult Fantasy.

Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya may be siblings, but they've never been close or even liked each other that much. Torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken, only one thing can bring them back together: the search for the Ivory Key, a thing of legend that will lead the way to a new source of magic. Magic is Ashoka's biggest export and the only thing standing between them and war with the neighboring kingdoms--as long as their enemies don't find out that the magic mines are nearly depleted. The siblings all have something to gain from finding the Ivory Key, and even more to lose if they don't. For Vira, the Ivory Key is the only way to live up to the legacy of her mother, the beloved former maharani. Ronak plans to get out of his impending political marriage by selling the Ivory Key to the highest bidder. Kaleb has been falsely accused of assassinating the former maharani, and this is the only way to clear his name. And Riya needs to prove her loyalty to the Ravens, the group of rebels that wants to take control away from the maharani and give it to the people. With each sibling harboring secrets and conflicting agendas, figuring out a way to work together may be the most difficult task of all. And in a quest this dangerous, working together is the only way to survive.

KJ