Why Did I Think This Was a Sequel???

TITLE: Ghost in the Night

AUTHOR: Tiffany D. Jackson

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press

PUBLISHING DATE: August 04, 2026

PAGES: 284   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Savannah, Georgia, is a city on edge when twelve-year-old Harmony arrives with her blues musician father for a summer gig. The recent disappearance of a local boy remains unsolved, and the trail has gone cold, leaving the simmering community without answers or closure. Savannah, with its mossy trees and ornate old homes, is also a place rich in history...and ghosts. Ghosts are what pique Harmony's interest. Still reeling from her losses back home, Harmony wants to believe in ghost stories...but isn't sure what's real. When she goes on one of the many ghost tours around town, she takes a photo of what might be a ghost. Or is it a hoax?

As Harmony and her new friends look into the truth behind the ghost picture, they stumble into a dangerously tangled web of ambition, lies...and murder. Can Harmony unravel the mystery in time...or will she have to give up the ghost?

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers thrills and chills once more with this layered, evocative mystery that is sure to give readers goosebumps.

MY THOUGHTS: For some reason, I thought this was a sequel or companion novel to last year's Blood in the Water, Jackson's debut MG book I loved so much. Shows you how much I know.  Either way, I really enjoyed this spooky MG read and am glad I grabbed it off of Hoopla and started it on a whim.

Harmony has spent the past few months touring with her father following her grandmother's recent death.  Her father takes an extended gig in Savannah for six weeks and the two of them are staying in a cottage on one of his friend's properties. Harmony has a fascination with ghosts, partly because she believes she saw her grandmother's ghost in their apartment after her passing.  In every city they visit, Harmony attends a local ghost tour hoping to see more. 

The friend's son Robby, who is a bit younger than Harmony, ends up attaching himself to Harmony. He is a unique kid smart beyond his years who spends his time building robots and entering robotic competitions.  In addition, one of the town's historians has recently been murdered and his young grandson is missing.  One night, Robby goes with Harmony on a ghost tour of Savannah. Harmony ends up taking a picture and she thinks she has captured a ghost peering out the haunted Myers Mansion. Harmony meets another girl her age, Myah, who thinks Harmony actually caught the ghost of murdered historian.  Can Harmony and her friends prove what happened to him and just as importantly, his missing grandson?

You know, I think I just realized how much was really going on in this book.  On top of that, you have growing pains between Harmony and her father, her missing her friends back in Harlem and trying to find out the real connection between her father and his friend, and Harmony dealing with the death of her grandmother. In fact, maybe it was a bit too much.  I enjoyed the ghost story and how all the ended up and loved seeing Harmony and Robby grow closer and Robby finding "family" that has seemed to elude him since his dad died but would have liked to see a bit more of Harmony and her father exploring the loss of her grandmother and the toll it has taken on both of them.

Also, I have to say, Harmony is young - I'm guessing 13 maybe, and her father is allowing her to go on nighttime ghost tours of cities like Savannah and Chicago alone.  I'm not sure that is really a message to send MG readers but hey, maybe that is just me. 

Overall, this was a quick read and a perfect MG to work in for my Summer of Horror event.  If you like this author, I am sure this book will be a hit and is definitely something you could grab for some of the younger readers in your life. 

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Wow! They Got It Right!

TITLE: Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die

AUTHOR: Mallory Arnold

PUBLISHER: Poisoned Pen Press

PUBLISHING DATE: July 14, 2026

PAGES: 352   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: One isolated cabin. One cheating boyfriend. One plan to get even. 

When Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover that they've each been dating the same man, what starts as outrage quickly spirals into a plot for revenge. Together they hatch a plan to lure their boyfriend to a romantic getaway in a secluded cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain. 

Only what was meant to be harmless payback soon takes a chilling turn when their not-so-adoring boyfriend is found dead in the cabin. 

Stranded and snowed in, the women begin to look at each other with increasing suspicion. And as tensions rise, hidden motives come to light. To survive, each woman must confront her own demons as they fight to uncover if one of them is the killer, or if something else lurks in the freezing wilderness, waiting to pick them off one by one.

MY THOUGHTS: After reading several books marketed as horror but which ended up being primarily thrillers, I was a bit nervous to start this one.  However, I can happily say they got this one right!  This definitely has a slasher vibe with a side order of cults and bunches of blood and gore. 

The story is told from three perspectives - Nora, Ruby and Cham.  In the beginning the reader sees that each one is very different, and each have a boyfriend who probably relies on them more than he should.  It doesn't take long to deduct that while the women are very different, the boyfriend is actually the same man, and he is taking them all for a ride. 

By some miracle which I am actually shocked happened at all, the three women end up meeting and are surprised to learn what they actually have in common.  Together, they trauma bond and they devise a plan to get even.  Ruby, who is adopted, recently inherited a remote cabin owned by her actual parents in a small town.  They all know how what a coward Jason is when it comes to scary movies, so they recruit a fourth woman to lure him to the cabin where they plan to scare him into giving him back all he has taken from them. Little do they know Ruby's parents were members of an old cult who once tried to take over the town and when a snowstorm strands them all at the cabin, it may be the three of them that are in for the scare of their lives.

This book really has it all - action, suspense, a snowy isolated setting, creepy town residents and a few twists and turns I never saw coming.  Also, surprisingly, I loved all three women, and it was nice to see them band together for a common cause and even nicer to see their friendship truly grow. The book starts with the three women being interviewed at the local police station so off the bat, the reader knows something happens to Jason, but I had no idea for the ride I was in for.

I have a copy of this author's last book and never got around to it but now I am anxious to pick it up as well.  If you love your thriller more on the horror side, this is one to check out!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Hitchcock's Everywhere!

TITLE: Scary Movie Night

AUTHOR: Miranda Smith

PUBLISHER: Bantum

PUBLISHING DATE: July 14, 2026

PAGES: 291   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Tippi is ready for a fresh start. After breaking off her engagement to an increasingly demanding, controlling, and emotionally unstable man, she is newly inspired to do whatever it takes to put herself first. Plus, her thirty-fifth birthday is coming up: a perfect occasion to ring in this new era. Tippi’s friends see the opportunity, too, and lean into her love of horror films by throwing her a lavish theme party at a secluded mansion, where everyone dresses as characters from iconic scary movies. But Tippi's attempts to enjoy the night are shattered when she starts receiving terrifying messages from her ex, Oliver, to expose a secret she was ready to take to the grave. 

At first, Tippi can’t believe her eyes. Oliver moved across the country after they broke up—he can’t have crashed her party. Could one of her friends have found out? But when her guests begin to disappear one by one, it becomes clear that the threats have very real consequences. And the messages make clear one the call is coming from inside the house. 

As Tippi is forced to navigate the deception of those closest to her, she realizes that in the end, some things are indeed like in the movies, and she’ll do whatever it takes to just survive the night.

MY THOUGHTS: I'm starting to notice a trend.  Seems like an awful lot of books lately are being tagged as horror and when I read them, I just don't see it.  Now I'm not saying I'm not enjoying what I am reading, but I think mismarketing is doing a disservice to some great books and setting some readers up for failure as well.  This book has lots of horror elements.  The MC loves horror movies, especially classic Hitchcock films (thus the name Tippi), and there is lots of murder and suspense.  However, I wouldn't call it a horror novel so if you don't typically read horror, don't skip this one automatically.

Tippi is coming off a bad relationship and getting ready to head tro Europe to start over.  She felt her fiance Oliver was too good to be true and turns out, he was.  Her best friend arranges a horror-themed birthday party to be held at the remote estate of Tippi's grandmother. It's a themed party and everyone comes dressed at their favorite horror character.  Soon, Tippi starts to fear the party has one uninvited guest planning an appearance - Oliver.  She starts finding clues and letters indicating he is not far away.  But Tippi has more to fear from Oliver than anyone knows.  In addition, the old group of best friends have lots of skeletons in their closets waiting to emerge and when they finally start breaking out, the dead bodies start piling up.  What is going on and who will make it out alive?

This book was a fun summer thriller.  I loved the horror elements even if I didn't care for the majority of the characters.  I have to admit the author killed off my favorite character, and likely the sanest character, early on which stung a bit, but it didn't keep me from reading.  I also kind of felt the book was a tad predictable but that is probably because I read a lot of thriller/mysteries.  

I feel this book is perfect for this time of year.  I ended up reading it inside during 100-degree heat indexes, but I imagined I was sitting pool/beachside and enjoyed it just the same.  The little trivial facts about some Hitchcock films also kept me intrigued, despite never have actually read or seen any other than Psycho. If you are into lock-room mysteries than I really think you will enjoy this book, so give it a try!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

  

Watch Out for Those Showers!

TITLE: Marion

AUTHOR: Leah Rowan

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

PUBLISHING DATE: June 2, 2026

PAGES: 336   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: NORMAN WAS HER FIRST. 

Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back... 

Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does? 

In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.

MY THOUGHTS: I have always enjoyed Psycho and especially loved the series, Bates Motel, which was on AMC several years ago (if you haven't checked it out, do so).  So, when I saw this was novel was Psycho adjacent, I know I had to pick it up.  And I'm telling you, it's a decision I never once regretted while reading.

Marion lives in New York and works at an ad agency.  She basically does the job of several people, including her boss and is always getting passed over for promotions.  Marion also has a sister whom she feels she has to care for, even though she is the younger of the two.  Marion believes her sister is being abused by her controlling husband and wants more than anything to help her. So, one weekend, an opportunity to do that falls into Marion's lap.  She runs off with a bunch of company money and when the bus to her sister's town breaks down, has to check into the Billings Hotel.  Enter Norm and if you know the story behind Psycho at all, everything takes off from here.

I really liked Marion as a character, although I'm not sure the reader is supposed to. Oh, and her name isn't Marion, that's just how she checks into the hotel.  She makes some pretty unhinged choices throughout a lot of the book, but I could see how those decisions became rooted and I really never blamed her for them.  She desperately wants to protect her sister and throughout the book, the reader gets glimpses into Marion's childhood which help explain where she is coming from.  I also enjoyed all the murders and how Rowan weaved the traditional Psycho characters into the tale in some unusual ways.  

My only real critique is that halfway through the book, Hannah, a wannabe private investigator, starts investigating what is going on and her sections through the timeline a bit out of whack for me.  Also, while I enjoyed the sections from Hannah's POV, I wasn't overly pleased with her role at the end.

Overall, I had a blast watching Marion become unhinged and seeing some truly awful characters get some pretty awful endings.  This book is classified as horror, which I feel isn't really accurate, so just beware it's more like a thriller with some horrific things happening.  I actually feel the horror label might turn some people away and I think this book could really have a wider audience if publicized as a thriller.  Please, if you too are fascinated by Norman Bates and "Mother," this one is worth checking out.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

"The worms crawl in. The worms crawl out."

TITLE: Wolf Worm

AUTHOR: T. Kingfisher

PUBLISHER: Tor Nightfire

PUBLISHING DATE: March 24, 2026

PAGES: 277   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects, or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use. But soon enough she finds that there are darker things at work than the Carolina woods. What happened to her predecessor, Halder’s wife? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thieves?” 

With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a dark road full of parasitic maggots that burrow into human flesh, and that his monstrous experiments may grow to encompass his newest illustrator as well.

MY THOUGHTS: I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to pick up this book but I'm glad I did.  And little did I know that while I initially came for the horror, I ended up loving some of the characters more than I ever expected. 

Sonia used to be an illustrator for her father, a known naturalist.  However, after his death, she ends up teaching at a girl's school for lack of a job in her desired profession.  Sonia finally gets a job illustrating for Dr. Halder, a reclusive entomologist, which involves living on his reclusive estate in North Caroline.  Sonia is new to the insect world but eventually starts catching on and producing artistry to Halder's liking.  But soon she learns Halder has a mysterious shed out back and Sonia believes she may have heard him talking to someone one night. There is also Halder's obsession with bot flys and screw worms which more than gives Sonia the creeps, especially when she observes some of the wildlife acting very odd.  And if that wasn't enough, what really happened to Halder's wife, his prior illustrator and did he really kill her lover?  

It was a joy reading from Sonia's perspective.  Not only is she bright and a bit too curious, but she also has a wit about her which brings some humor to an otherwise dark book.  I enjoyed Halder's housekeeper Rose and her husband Jackson and appreciated some of the historical elements and deep South customs their interracial marriage, an extreme taboo during the time of the book, Kingfisher included.  

Now don't get me wrong.  This book is disgusting in places and took a turn at the end I never anticipated but truly loved.  This is my third book from this author and now I find myself wanting to go back and devour everything else she has ever written.  If you love horror and don't mind bugs, then please consider picking this one up!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

You Won't Find THIS Barb in Bethesda!

TITLE: Bethesda

AUTHOR: Lisa Morris

PUBLISHER: Quill and Crow Publishing House

PUBLISHING DATE: June 23, 2026

PAGES: 157   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Tryss just wants to get home to say goodbye to her dad before he passes away, but when she pulls off the freeway to find a gas station, she ends up stuck in Bethesda, a backwoods town with no cell service and a car that won’t start. Worse still, the town’s citizens aren’t exactly…alive. Unless you count the Barbs. They’re Bethesda’s sisterhood of cloned caretakers, and they may look friendly, but like the town, surface impressions can be deceiving. In her attempt to leave, Tryss meets Aiden, who’s been stuck in Bethesda for six months and has all but given up hope of escaping. They team up to figure out the town’s deadly—and just plain weird—secrets, but will the town actually let them leave?

MY THOUGHTS: You know those books where after the first page, you just get sucked in and you know you are going to love it?  Well, this was one of those books for me.  

Tryss is traveling back to her hometown in a race against time to see her father who just entered hospice.  Toward the end of her journey, she runs low on gas and finds a small town with an open gas station.  However, after filling up, her car won't start.  Thus begins Tryss's mission to find someone to help her. 

She cannot get cell reception and since it is the middle of the night, no one is on the streets.  Tryss knocks on several houses and eventually breaks into one where she finds a preserved woman sitting at the kitchen table.  Tryss sends Tryss exploring the whole town and she finds quite a few people, but none can help her because they are all dead. The next morning Tryss notices several open businesses, but all say the town has no working phones and all seem to look like that same person and have the same name - Barb. 

I really don't want to say much but if you love horror, then this is one you can't miss. I couldn't wait to see what unfolded and if Tryss would make it home to see her dad and even though the ending left quite a few things open for interpretation, it was still satisfying.  In fact, a day later, I find myself still trying to wrap my head around the mysteries of Bethesda. While this novel is only a novella, I find myself wanting more and I will definitely be checking out more from this author in the future. So stop reading my review and go preorder a copy!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS