Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White follows a young trans boy named Benji who has been made into a weapon by the evangelical cult that has unleashed Armageddon. He escapes and runs into a group of queer teens who offer him shelter. While trying to control the monster within him, Benji learns that the group’s leader Nick has a few secrets of his own.
You will not be able to put this book down. The queer found family and dark dystopian setting is perfect for all of the fall vibes. Hell Followed With Us has a terrifying blend of dystopian, fantasy, and horror. There is also amazing queer and autistic representation! Be sure to check this book out at the public library, or keep an eye out for it in our own library!
The Adult by Bronwyn Fischer is about a college freshman named Natalie who has just moved to the city of Toronto to start school. As an outsider, she has a hard time making friends, but then she meets an older woman named Nora. An intense relationship is formed, and Natalie is forced to create more secrets in order to protect the relationship.
This is a campus novel that’s mostly a coming-of-age and has beautiful prose. I also recommend this for the fall semester college campus atmosphere that is captured well in the novel.
Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco follows vampire hunter Remy Pendergast, son of the Duke of Valenbonne, and an outcast among his fellow Reapers. He is rumored to be a half-vampire, and has been trained to be a weapon by his father.
Remy discovers a terrifying new breed of vampire outside his city, leading him to hesitantly to pair up with vampire couple Xiaodan Song and Zidan Malekh. The three work together on finding a cure for a virus taking over the city, but Remy is not sure if he made the right choice by working with vampires.
This is a fun, fast-paced fantasy adventure that also has a blend of horror. Remy, Xiaodan, and Zidan have a complicated yet loving polyamorous relationship. The world building and court politics are filled with intrigue, and Remy as a main character is complex and someone you will fall in love with.
An Education in Malice is a dark academic vampire romance story that is also a Carmilla retelling. The novel follows Lauren, a freshman college student who has moved from Indiana to an all-girls school in Massachusetts. In her poetry seminar, she is captivated by her classmate Carmilla, who deems her a rival on the first day of class. Lauren learns the interesting relationship between Carmilla and their writing professor, discovering that they are vampires and her whole world changes.
This book is filled with the perfect dark acemedia vibes for fall, and the lesbian vampire romance between Lauren and Carmilla is well written. The way they compete with their writing and how it brings them closer is what makes their rivalry compelling and addicting to read.
The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver follows a teenager Liam who has just lost their brother Ethan to a hit-and-run. They feel more isolated than ever, and during this time they find themselves spending more time with Ethan’s best friend Marcus.
Liam and Marcus feel that they are the only people who understand what the other is feeling, and a complicated bond is formed. Liam is forced to confront their other friendships as they try to navigate their grief, unsure if this new bond with Marcus is for better or for worse.
This book has one of the best explorations of grief, and while there are no real ghosts in this story, the tone and dark atmosphere will make you feel like there is one. With Liam’s grief, there is also a story about their closure and how they learn to heal. I liked how Liam’s interpersonal relationships were affected by their grief as well. If you are looking for a book that feels like a punch and a hug right now, The Ghosts We Keep is for you.
Merryn Overbeck ‘28
Header Image Source: Megan Compton
Book Images Source: Apple Books
