Set on the exclusive private Caribbean island of Mokani, the book follows Avery as she returns to the place she considers her happy place for another summer with her extremely wealthy friends. This year, though, she brings someone new along: Nora, her college roommate and very much an outsider to Avery’s privileged social circle.

Almost immediately, things feel off.

Avery’s ex is still hanging around and clearly isn’t over their breakup. Her friends are behaving strangely. Nora starts asking questions that make everyone uncomfortable. Avery’s family is dealing with financial problems she doesn’t completely understand. Meanwhile, a tropical storm is moving toward the island, and it becomes increasingly clear that just about everyone has something to hide.

And some of those secrets may be worth killing for.

What I liked

One of my favorite parts of How the Other Half Die was the way Roscoe slowly pulled me down the rabbit hole of everyone’s drama. The story rotates between the perspectives of Leo, Avery, and Hugo, and each point of view gives you another small piece of what is really happening on Mokani Island.

Of course, every new piece of information also gives you about five new questions.

Some of the most interesting characters don’t get their own point-of-view chapters. Archie, his sister Sydney, and especially Nora remain slightly harder to read because we’re always seeing them from someone else’s perspective. That worked really well for the mystery because I spent a lot of the book wondering what each of them knew and what they might be hiding.

Nora is particularly suspicious from the beginning. She’s Avery’s college roommate, but she doesn’t exactly slide easily into this group of wealthy friends. She asks a lot of questions, pays attention to things everyone else seems determined to ignore, and seems especially interested in Archie and Sydney’s father.

Then there are Nora and Sydney’s strange interactions with each other.

I started developing theories about those two fairly early in the story. I won’t say whether I was right because that would take us straight into spoiler territory, but their behavior definitely made me suspicious. I managed to guess some of the reasoning behind what was happening, yet the ending still delivered a satisfying shock.

That balance worked for me. I like being able to figure out a few puzzle pieces without predicting absolutely everything.

The other mystery that kept me interested involved Avery’s parents and their money problems. In a story about people with an enormous amount of wealth, watching cracks form in that perfect, privileged image adds another layer to the drama. Pretty much everyone on Mokani Island has a secret, and Roscoe does a great job giving you just enough information to keep you reading.

The book definitely has that delicious White Lotus feeling of watching rich people behave badly while knowing something much darker is happening underneath all the luxury.

What didn’t work

There were a couple of things that didn’t work as well for me.

The friends-to-lovers romance between Leo and Avery was probably the weakest part of the story. Their relationship just didn’t grab me, and I found most of the romantic storyline a little snooze-worthy. Thankfully, the mystery and interpersonal drama were interesting enough that the romance never became a reason for me to stop reading.

My bigger frustration was Avery herself.

For someone surrounded by so many strange conversations, unusual reactions, obvious secrets, and increasingly suspicious behavior, Avery could be incredibly naive. I had a hard time believing she could remain so unaware of what was happening with her parents or fail to question some of Nora’s comments and reactions more seriously.

There were moments when I wanted to reach into the book and tell her to please start paying attention.

I also wasn’t completely convinced by the secret Nora was holding over Avery involving Avery copying on a college exam. The story treats it as a pretty powerful piece of leverage, but it felt a little far-fetched to me that this particular revelation would have quite that much power.

At the same time, Avery comes from a very different family and social world than I do, so maybe the potential consequences make more sense within her circumstances. For me personally, though, it didn’t feel like the explosive secret the book wanted it to be.

Those complaints aside, How the Other Half Die was an entertaining, drama-filled thriller that kept me invested until the end. The multiple perspectives, private-island setting, suspicious friendships, wealthy-family secrets, and steady stream of revelations made this an easy book to keep turning pages through.

If you enjoy YA mysteries where basically everyone is suspicious, everyone has something to hide, and beautiful locations are hiding very ugly secrets, this one is worth checking out.

Fans of The White Lotus, twisty rich-people drama, and mysteries that make you constantly reconsider who you trust should have a lot of fun with How the Other Half Die.

And after that ending? I’m definitely curious to see what happens in the companion novel, How the Other Half Kill.

About the book:

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Bookshop

Synopsis:

A steamy thriller set on a private Caribbean island where the ultrawealthy’s summer vacation is full of sun, schemes, scandals, and murder. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and older readers who enjoyed The White Lotus.

The exclusive Mokani Island is Avery’s happy place. This summer, she’s invited her college roommate, Nora, to hang out in paradise and party with her superrich friends.

But the vibe feels off from the start. Avery’s ex can’t get over their split. Her best friend is acting weird. A hot new staff member can’t keep his eyes off her. And nobody likes Nora, who keeps sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.

​A tropical storm is brewing and everyone on the island seems to be hiding something—but are some secrets worth killing for?

Don’t miss the companion, How the Other Half Kill!

Meet the author:

P.C. Roscoe has sold cheese in Borough Market in London, scrubbed pans in a kitchen, processed invoices for a multinational, researched TV scripts, and edited romance. But her favorite job, by far, is writing, where she gets to immerse herself in tension-filled, high-stakes stories. She grew up in London before moving to a cottage in Norfolk where she splits her time between writing, cooking disasters and half-finished DIY projects and she honestly couldn’t be happier.

I want to believe I would not take life advice from a suspicious AI chatbot.

I really do.

I would ask sensible questions.

I would check the source.

I would remind myself that no app, bot, or glowing little text box should know more about my life than my own family.

And yet…

If a chatbot gave me one weirdly helpful answer?

Then another?

Then somehow knew exactly what I needed to hear while I was standing in my kitchen, drinking cold coffee, trying to remember if I moved the laundry?

I might keep asking questions.

Just one more.

For research.

Which, as we know, is how the trouble starts.

So today’s question is:

Would you trust the AI chatbot?

Here’s the setup:

A new chatbot app starts making the rounds at school.

At first, everyone treats it like a joke.

Ask it who has a crush on you.

Ask it what grade you’ll get on your math test.

Ask it what your teacher really thinks when the class “forgets” homework.

Harmless, right?

Then the answers get weird.

Not scary at first.

Just… accurate.

It reminds someone to bring an inhaler before gym class.

It tells another student not to take the shortcut behind the auditorium.

It warns someone to delete a post before it ruins their friendship.

Then you try it.

You ask something small:

Should I trust my best friend?

The bot pauses.

Three dots blink.

Then it answers:

No. And you already know why.

Your stomach drops.

Because the bot is wrong.

It has to be wrong.

Right?

Then another message appears:

Ask her what she did last Friday.

So… what do you do?

A) Keep asking questions because now you need answers.

B) Delete the app immediately and pretend you never saw it.

C) Screenshot everything and test the bot with questions only you know.

D) Ask your best friend directly and try not to sound like you’re taking advice from a creepy robot.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, I understand you.

I worry for you.

But I understand you.

Curiosity is powerful. Unfortunately, in a thriller, curiosity also likes to open locked doors, click strange links, and invite chaos to sit down for coffee.

If you picked B, smart.

You may not solve the mystery, but you also may not become part of the bot’s five-step plan.

If you picked C, excellent detective energy.

Screenshots first. Panic second. Trust nothing with a cute logo.

If you picked D, brave.

Messy, but brave.

Also, please record the conversation in case your best friend says something like, “I can explain,” because that phrase has never helped anyone in a thriller.

What I’m Reading 📚

This week, I’m reading Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, and I’m giving it 5 stars.

This one is the kind of story that grabs your heart and then traps it in a blizzard.

It follows two sisters, Rama and Leena, who are left alone at their rural home when their father has to travel for work.

Then a sudden blizzard hits.

No power.
No food.
No shelter.
No easy way out.

Just two sisters, one storm, and all the grief, guilt, anger, and fear they’ve been carrying.

Rama is fierce and full of fire, battling intrusive thoughts while trying to keep everything together.

Leena is quiet and numb, still blaming herself for their mother’s death.

And when the storm tears through their house, the sisters have no one to rely on but each other.

I love stories about sisterhood, survival, and the hard, complicated ways people love each other when they’re scared.

Especially when the danger outside forces the truth inside to come out.

You can read my full review here: [INSERT REVIEW LINK]

Content notes: death of a parent, hospitalization, medical content, hypothermia, grief, anxiety, and panic attack.

Rep: Syrian-American, Muslim, Anxiety

Read my full review and get the book 👇

The Kill App Connection with AI Chatbot Scenerio

This is one of the reasons I love writing tech thrillers.

Technology does not have to look scary to be scary.

Sometimes the most dangerous thing is not a monster in the woods.

It is a notification.

A message.

An app that says, “I can help.”

In The Kill App, Rae joins an anonymous support app because she needs somewhere to put all the fear, anger, and survival mode she’s been carrying.

At first, the app feels like a safe place.

Then names from the app start turning up dead.

And Rae realizes the app is not just listening.

It is choosing.

That’s the question that keeps pulling me back to tech thrillers:

When does help become control?

And how do you know when something that feels safe has started watching you too closely?

The Brave Conversation

This kind of story opens up a bigger conversation about trust, privacy, friendship, and how much advice we should take from technology.

Because teens are growing up with tools that can answer questions fast.

Homework questions.

Friendship questions.

Mental health questions.

Questions they may be afraid to ask out loud.

That does not make technology evil.

But it does mean we need to talk about it.

Who do we trust with our secrets?

When should we ask a person instead of a program?

Can advice be useful and still be unsafe?

And what do we do when a tool makes us doubt someone we love?

So now I need to know:

Would you keep asking questions if the answers were actually useful?

Reply with A, B, C, or D and tell me your chatbot survival plan.

No essay required.

Unless you have strong feelings about AI, creepy apps, or friends who suddenly act weird after Friday.

In that case, I absolutely want to know.

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may be talking about whether you’d go to the sleepover. Snacks, secrets, and one game nobody should play.

That was the plan.

I opened Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi thinking I would read a few pages to get a feel for the book before writing about it.

And then I couldn’t stop reading.

Seriously. A few pages turned into a few more, and before I knew it, I was completely wrapped up in Rama and Leena’s story. Safadi’s writing pulled me in almost immediately, and by the end, I was sitting there in complete awe of what she had managed to accomplish with so few words.

Because Sisters Alone is written entirely in verse.

And it is stunning.

The story follows Syrian-American sisters Rama and Leena, who are both grieving the death of their mother but handling that grief in very different ways. Rama is fiery, angry, and struggling with intrusive thoughts while feeling an enormous responsibility to hold her family together. Leena has withdrawn into herself, carrying guilt over her mother’s death and becoming quieter and more disconnected from the world around her.

Then their father has to leave for work.

When a blizzard hits, the sisters find themselves trapped alone in their rural home. What begins as an inconvenient storm quickly becomes something much more dangerous as they lose power, food, warmth, and eventually the security of their home itself.

Suddenly, these two sisters who have been struggling to reach one another emotionally have to depend on each other to survive.

And yes, you might want tissues nearby.

Actually, just keep the whole box next to you.

One of the things that absolutely amazed me about this book was how distinct Rama and Leena felt. Verse novels have fewer words to work with than traditional prose, so every word has to matter. Safadi somehow gives each sister such a unique voice that I never had trouble knowing who I was with.

More importantly, I didn’t just know who they were.

I felt who they were.

Rama’s anger, anxiety, fear, and determination come through so strongly. Leena’s grief feels quieter, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. Their pain manifests differently, and watching those differences affect their relationship made the sisterhood at the center of this story feel incredibly real.

There is also something about the verse format that makes the emotional moments hit even harder. A handful of carefully chosen words can land with the force of an entire paragraph. Sometimes the empty space on the page feels almost as important as the words themselves.

I kept stopping to think, How did she do that?

How did Safadi make me understand this much about these girls with so few words?

That is talent.

The survival element also gives the novel a wonderful sense of urgency. You’re dealing with grief and anxiety on one level, but at the same time, there is a very real physical danger surrounding the sisters. The storm keeps escalating, which means the emotional and external stakes rise together.

But what stayed with me most wasn’t the blizzard.

It was the relationship between Rama and Leena.

At its heart, Sisters Alone is a story about two sisters who are hurting. They love each other, but grief has created distance between them. Being forced to rely on one another strips away some of those walls and reveals how desperately they both need connection.

And my heart could barely handle it.

I also really appreciated the Syrian-American and Muslim representation woven into the story. These details help build a fuller picture of the sisters, their family, and the ways they find comfort and connection. Young readers deserve books that allow them to recognize their own cultures and experiences on the page, while books like this also give other readers a chance to step into a life that might be different from their own.

This is one I would absolutely recommend for classrooms.

Teachers, librarians, and parents—put this one on your lists.

Because it is written in verse, I think it could be especially appealing for reluctant readers who might feel intimidated by a 300-plus-page novel. The pages move quickly, but the story still has tremendous emotional depth.

It would also be fantastic for an English or language arts classroom studying poetry or novels in verse. There is so much to explore here: voice, word choice, pacing, formatting, characterization, imagery, grief, anxiety, family relationships, culture, and how an author can communicate enormous emotions through very little text.

Students could learn a tremendous amount simply by looking at how Safadi creates two completely recognizable narrators.

And then, of course, there’s the fact that it’s nearly impossible to put down.

That’s always helpful when you’re trying to convince kids that reading can be exciting.

Sisters Alone surprised me in the very best way. I expected to sample it. Instead, I devoured it. I expected an interesting survival story. Instead, I found a beautiful, painful, hopeful story about sisterhood, grief, mental health, culture, and the strength we sometimes find when everything around us seems to be falling apart.

Shifa Saltagi Safadi has done something remarkable here.

Five stars doesn’t feel like enough.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Five stars all the way to the moon—and please, for the sake of your emotions, keep those tissues nearby.

About the book:

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 8, 2026
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery/Survival
Representation: Syrian-American, Muslim, Anxiety
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Five stars all the way to the moon!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Rep: Syrian-American, Muslim, Anxiety

Synopsis:

From the National Book Award–winning author of Kareem Between comes a powerful novel in verse about two sisters trapped in a blizzard in a heart-wrenching story of sisterhood and survival.

Two sisters. One storm. A fight for their lives.

Rama is all fire—fierce, quick to anger, and trying to hold her family together while battling the monster of intrusive thoughts. Leena is all ice—quiet, numbed to the vibrancy of the world, as she silently blames herself for their mother’s death.

When their father must travel for work, a sudden blizzard traps the sisters alone at their rural home. As the storm tears through their house, they’re left without power, without food, without shelter—and with no one to rely on but each other.

Told in powerful, poetic verse, Sisters Alone is a heart-stopping story of sisterhood, survival, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

Content Warning: death of a parent, hospitalization, medical content, hypothermia, grief, anxiety, panic attack

Meet the author:

Shifa Saltagi Safadi is the National Book Award-winning author of Kareem Between, the Amina Banana series, and several picture books, including The Gift of Eid.

Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents when she was a young girl. She is a bilingual Arabic/English speaker, and is very familiar with the challenges of learning English and navigating two languages.

Shifa has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, is a former English teacher, and is a former reviewer of Muslim books on her blog, Muslim Mommy Blog.

She is passionate about spreading a love of reading to children through fun storytimes and engaging school visits.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

The similarity for me wasn’t necessarily in the individual plots. It was the feeling that the story wasn’t going to give me an easy “good guy versus bad guy” situation. Instead, it asks readers to look deeper at the person behind the crime and consider how trauma, environment, mental health, and past experiences can shape someone’s actions.

That moral gray area was easily one of the most interesting parts of ALTERED.

The story begins when Frank Devlin walks into the office of renowned New York City psychiatrist Justin Wright. Frank has multiple personalities, or “alters,” and Justin takes him on as one of the most challenging patients of his career. Justin wants to help Frank find some stability and build a better life.

Unfortunately, Justin has no idea just how deeply Frank—and his alters—will eventually become intertwined with his own family.

And that is where things get complicated.

Justin Wright Is More Than Just the Psychiatrist

One thing I really appreciated was that Kaufman didn’t make Justin simply the psychiatrist whose only purpose was to analyze Frank. Justin has plenty of problems of his own.

His marriage and family life have complications, and his relationship with his son is particularly strained. Those personal conflicts gave him more dimension and made him feel like a real person rather than the stereotypical brilliant psychologist who somehow has everyone else completely figured out.

Spoiler alert: he definitely doesn’t.

I enjoyed the way Kaufman wove Justin’s family struggles into the larger mystery surrounding Frank. As Justin becomes increasingly involved in his patient’s situation, the separation between his professional and personal worlds becomes much harder to maintain.

That creates much of the book’s tension.

Frank’s Story Broke My Heart

Frank was the character who affected me most.

Without getting too deeply into spoilers, what happened to him when he was young is devastating. There were moments when I genuinely cried because his story was so painful to read.

That is also where ALTERED becomes more complicated than a straightforward crime thriller.

You may be horrified by certain actions while simultaneously feeling enormous sympathy for the person responsible for them. Frank’s history doesn’t magically erase accountability, but learning what he endured changes how you look at him.

That reminded me again of what I enjoyed about The Sinner. Sometimes the most fascinating crime stories aren’t primarily about discovering who did something. They’re about understanding why.

Books like this also make me think about how much our understanding of trauma and mental health has changed over the decades. There are still many complicated questions surrounding the relationship between traumatic experiences, psychiatric conditions, coping mechanisms, memory, and behavior. While trauma doesn’t provide one simple explanation for every mental illness, Frank’s story certainly made me think about how profoundly a person’s experiences can affect the rest of their life.

Where the Book Lost Me: The Pacing

My biggest problem with ALTERED was the pacing.

For a thriller, there were simply too many sections where the story moved slower than I wanted it to. I found the characters interesting, and I never had trouble following the plot, but there were several moments when I wished the book had been tightened up.

Some scenes felt like they could have been shortened—or possibly removed altogether—without losing anything important.

That may partially come down to personal reading preference. I tend to read more young adult and new adult thrillers, which often move very quickly. Adult psychological suspense can take more time developing characters, motivations, and internal conflicts.

Even knowing that, though, ALTERED dragged enough in places that I couldn’t quite push my rating to four stars.

And that frustrated me a little because the core story is good.

Final Thoughts

ALTERED is dark, emotional, uncomfortable, and sometimes heartbreaking. Rob Kaufman creates a psychological thriller where the distinction between victim and villain becomes increasingly difficult to define.

I especially enjoyed Justin Wright as the central character. His own family problems make him more interesting, while Frank’s story gives the novel its emotional weight. The interactions between Justin, Frank, and Frank’s alters kept me curious about where everything was heading—and when the truth behind Frank’s past begins emerging, the story becomes genuinely painful.

The slower pacing kept this from being a four- or five-star read for me, but the premise, characters, psychological elements, and emotional complexity made it memorable.

If you enjoy thrillers like The Sinner, where solving the crime is only part of the story and understanding the person behind it matters just as much, ALTERED may be worth adding to your reading list.

Just prepare yourself emotionally.

Frank’s story is not an easy one to forget.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ — 3.9/5

About the book:

​Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 270 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: May 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 +M: ALTERED has a few profanities and alludes very subtly to abuse but never gets graphic or says the words. “Trauma” is used by Justin, the psychiatrist.​

Book Description:

When Frank Devlin walks into Justin Wright’s office, the renowned New York City psychiatrist decides to take on one of the most challenging cases of his career.

Justin is determined to help Frank, a young man with multiple personalities (“alters”), live a happier, more fulfilling life. Little does he know that Frank and his alters are secretly weaving themselves into Justin’s life in ways that will affect the Wright family forever.

A suspense-filled story driven by emotion, angst, and the ultimate revenge, “Altered” takes readers down a twisted path of uncertainty and mind games—leaving them shocked, heartbroken, and questioning what could possibly come next...​

BUY THE BOOK:
AMAZON
AUDIBLE
add to goodreads

CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES:

Book Details:

​Book Title: JADED (JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES Book 2) by Rob Kaufman
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 246 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: March 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 +M

Jade, a beautiful young woman suffering from depression and despair, is trying to escape her past… a former life that catches up with her during every full moon. Justin’s biggest obstacle to helping her is Jade herself. The closer he gets to the root of her problems, the further away she pushes him — leaving Justin questioning both her sincerity and his own professional skills.
​
As with “Altered”, this novel is packed with suspense and emotion, mainly due to people from Justin’s past, including Frank Devlin, the man who has made himself the bane of the Wright family’s existence.
Once again, readers are led down a road that keeps them wondering what is real, who did what, and when will Justin and his family finally find the peace they deserve?

Buy on Amazon

Book Details:

​Book Title: AVENGED (JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES Book 3) by Rob Kaufman
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 256 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: June 2023
Content Rating: PG-13 +M

SO MANY THINGS START TO MAKE SENSE IN “AVENGED” — BOOK 3 of the Justin Wright Suspense Series.
​
It all starts with Richard Davis, Justin’s new patient seeking help for uncontrollable anger and hostility. He can barely walk a New York City street without exploding at the people around him. Can Justin relieve him of his negativity or is he too consumed with his own son Michael — a boy found after seven years in captivity who is now void of any compassion or joy?
​
As with the first two books, “Avenged” is teeming with emotion and suspense, not only because of Richard Davis and Michael’s issues but because Frank Devlin and Jade continue to haunt Justin and Mandy from afar. As with all Rob Kaufman books, readers get the ride of their lives on a roller coaster of thrills and uncertainty until the very last page.

Buy on Amazon

Book Details:

​Book Title: SCARED (JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES Book 4) by Rob Kaufman
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 266 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: Jan 2024
Content Rating: PG-13 +M

IT’S BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE JUSTIN’S NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, and life has changed dramatically for the Wright family.

Michael, now a psychologist, has a past that’s catching up with him at the same time an unsatisfied patient is planning his revenge. Justin, now practicing from his home office, has a patient consumed by the fear of death — a young man scared of just about everything — including fear itself.

As both father and son deal with their patients’ problems and their own internal challenges, they also struggle daily with Mandy’s health issue, a potentially deadly illness that threatens to take away the most important woman in their lives.
​
Like every other Justin Wright book, “Scared” brings you into a suspense-filled world loaded with emotion, uncertainty and, of course, mind games. It’s a story rife with complicated people, some who are not only vengeful, but scared — of both life...and death.

Buy on Amazon

Book Details:

​Book Title: DECEIVED (JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES Book 5) by Rob Kaufman
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 250 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: May 2024
Content Rating: PG-13 +M

IN THE MIDST OF THEIR GRIEF, THE WRIGHT FAMILY IS PUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS by a stranger who will change their lives forever.

A single phone call sets off a chain of events that will test Justin’s every belief.

When a mysterious woman claims kinship, Justin’s instincts scream deception. But when they meet, her mesmerizing appearance shatters his doubts, unveiling a truth he never saw coming.

Justin keeps the woman’s existence hidden from Michael as his son grapples with a relentless stalker, a malicious wife, and a patient who suffers from a compulsive disorder — an affliction that leads her down a path from which she’ll never return.
​
In this fifth Justin Wright novel, secrets collide and loyalties are tested with unexpected twists that propel you deep into a world of suspense and intrigue where nothing — and no one — is as it seems.

Buy on Amazon

Book Details:

​Book Title: REVEALED (JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES Book 6) by Rob Kaufman
Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 250 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Rob Kaufman
Release date: Sep 2024
Content Rating: PG-13 +M

IN THE GRIPPING CONCLUSION OF THE JUSTIN WRIGHT SUSPENSE SERIES, every burning question and hidden secret comes to light.

As time marches on, the Wright family faces numerous changes, yet one mystery endures: the whereabouts of Daniel. Was Monica responsible for his disappearance? Should Benji be implicated, or has Barb wrongly accused him?

Haunted by echoes of his own past abduction, Michael grapples with his son’s absence, while also trying to help a patient plagued by Paranoid Personality Disorder—a man whose deep mistrust challenges Michael in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, Justin contends with the prison release of Richard Davis, something that rekindles old fears and compels him to constantly watch his back.
​
This sixth and final book brings you on the most suspenseful journey yet, one that concludes with events that will change the Wright family forever. It’s a story of psychological thrills and mystery that carries you into the past, the future, and back to the present, all told through the eyes of someone you might consider a stranger—or would you?

Buy on Amazon

Meet the author:

Meet the Author:

Rob Kaufman is a celebrated psychological thriller author, known for crafting emotionally intense stories that delve into the human psyche. With a degree in Psychology, he weaves his deep understanding of human behavior into gripping narratives filled with relatable characters and compelling twists.

Fascinated by what drives people toward darkness while seeking love and acceptance, Rob explores the fine line between good and evil. His novels aren’t just suspenseful—they unravel everyday events that spiral into extraordinary psychological dramas.

Readers become deeply invested in his characters, experiencing a range of emotions from laughter to heartbreak. His books have earned national and international acclaim for their unique, thought-provoking storylines and masterful plotting.

Beyond writing, Rob actively engages with readers, sharing insights into his creative process and the psychological depths of his characters. His commitment to authenticity and emotional resonance continues to captivate audiences, cementing his place as a compelling voice in psychological thrillers.

connect with the author: website ~ X ~ facebook ~ instagam ~ goodreads

Hi friends,

This week, I fell into another internet rabbit hole.

Which, honestly, is starting to feel less like a bad habit and more like research.

The topic?

D4vd.

Or more specifically, the murder-trial chatter I somehow just found out about online.

Please forgive me. I am old, as my teen son likes to remind me, and apparently always three trends, two memes, and one suspicious YouTube video behind.

I haven’t even listened to his music yet.

I know.

My teenager is probably somewhere shaking his head in disappointment.

But what caught my attention wasn’t just the online story people are discussing now. It was how D4vd became famous in the first place.

Because that part?

That feels like a whole new world compared to when I was growing up.

So grab your coffee, tea, or emotional support bookmark.

It’s time for another Brave Bookshelf Dispatch.

📁 THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF CASE FILE

Case: When the internet turns an everyday person into someone everyone knows.

Back when I was a kid in the 80s and 90s, becoming famous felt almost impossible unless someone else opened the door.

You needed a record label.
A producer.
An agent.
A manager.
A person in a suit who decided whether you were worth the risk.

There were gatekeepers everywhere.

And most regular people never got close enough to knock.

Now?

Someone can make music from home, post online, build a following through YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, gaming spaces, streaming platforms, or whatever app my son will have to explain to me next week…

And suddenly they’re not just a kid making something in their room.

That is exactly what happened to David Burke. Burke began composing music in 2021 for his Fortnite gameplay montages. He first achieved commercial success with his 2022 singles "Romantic Homicide" and "Here with Me", both of which earned multiple platinum certifications and were recorded in his sister’s bedroom closet.

Now D4vd is a name.

A brand.

A person strangers feel like they know.

That is amazing.

And also completely terrifying.

Because the internet can give someone a career before they’ve even had time to figure out who they are.

One day you’re making music, videos, edits, jokes, art, or posts from your bedroom.

The next day, people are watching.

Commenting.
Judging.
Digging.
Shipping.
Accusing.
Defending.
Turning your life into content.

And as a thriller writer, my brain immediately goes:

What happens when fame finds you too fast?

💻 KIM VS. THE INTERNET

This week’s question:

Can the internet make someone famous before they’re ready to be known?

Because that’s the part I keep thinking about.

So why did I choose D4vd for this example? Well, here is a little bit about him. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is one of those artists who shows how much fame has changed. As mentioned earlier, instead of coming up through the old-school route of record labels, producers, and industry gatekeepers, he built attention online first. He started creating music while also being connected to gaming and online platforms, and his songs gained traction through places like TikTok, YouTube, and streaming apps.

What pulled me into the D4vd story was his recent arrest and the disturbing online discussion surrounding reports of a dismembered body of a 14-year-old girl found in a Tesla connected to him, along with allegations involving having sex with this minor and claims about a possible murder motive tied to exposure before his tour and reissue of Withered.

I’m still catching up on the details — again, please forgive me, I am old, as my teen son likes to remind me — so I don’t want to treat internet claims like proven fact. You can Google “D4vd,” and you’ll get all the details I may have missed.

I’m not going to pretend I know everything about the D4vd situation. I just stumbled into the conversation, blinked, and thought:

Wait.

How did we get here?

But I do know this:

The way people become famous has changed.

A lot.

And that change is fascinating from a story point of view.

Because the internet doesn’t just create fans.

It creates detectives.

Some helpful.
Some not so helpful.
Some who should maybe drink water and step away from the comment section.

Online fame can turn strangers into investigators, critics, defenders, conspiracy builders, and people who believe they have a right to every private detail of someone’s life.

That is a lot of pressure.

Especially for young artists.

Especially for teens watching it happen and thinking fame looks easy.

Because from the outside, it can look like magic.

Post the song.
Go viral.
Get followers.
Get streams.
Get noticed.
Escape your regular life.

But thrillers know better.

Thrillers ask:

What does fame cost?
Who is watching?
Who is lying?
What gets hidden when everyone is looking at the wrong thing?
And what would you do to keep your fame and fortune?

That last one gives me chills. Because we know what D4vd was allegedly willing to do. Murder.

Not cute little spooky-season chills.

More like “maybe I should clear my search history and go fold laundry” chills.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

This would make such a good thriller.

Not the real story exactly.

Because lawsuits exist.

And I enjoy not being sued.

But the idea of it?

Oh, absolutely.

Imagine a teen musician who becomes famous by accident.

He starts posting songs online because he needs music for his own videos. Maybe gaming clips. Maybe short films. Maybe he just wants to make something that belongs to him.

Then one song goes viral.

At first, it’s exciting.

Followers.
Interviews.
Fans.
Messages from people who say his music saved them.
A label that suddenly wants him.
A manager who says, “Trust me.”

But then something terrible happens.

A murder.

A missing fan.

A friend who knew him before he became famous.

And suddenly the internet does what the internet does.

It starts building its own version of the truth.

Clips get taken out of context.
Lyrics become “evidence.”
Old posts get pulled apart.
Fans turn on each other.
Someone starts posting anonymous messages that sound like clues.

And the main character has to figure out what really happened before the online story becomes the only story anyone believes.

Tell me that is not a thriller.

Actually, don’t tell me.

I’m already suspicious of everyone in this imaginary book.

🔪 THRILLER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Here’s the version my brain started writing without permission:

A teen boy becomes famous after one song goes viral from his bedroom.

He thinks music is his way out.

Out of his small town.
Out of family stress.
Out of being invisible.

Then one of his biggest fans disappears after a concert.

The police ask questions.

The internet asks louder ones.

Everyone starts dissecting his lyrics, convinced he confessed to something in a song he wrote months before anything happened.

But the real clue isn’t in the song.

It’s in an old gaming video.

A reflection in the screen.
A voice in the background.
A username no one noticed.
A person who was there before the fame, before the fans, before the world started watching.

And the scariest part?

The killer knows the internet is easier to manipulate than the police.

See?

This is why I cannot casually learn about anything.

My brain immediately turns it into a body count.

📚 WHAT I’M READING RIGHT NOW

This week, I’m reading a middle-grade novel, “Wish You Well” by Jamie Sumner, and I’m giving this one 5 stars.

It’s emotional.

It’s heartbreaking.

And these characters?

They have completely grabbed me by the heart and said, “You’re coming with us.”

The story follows Violet Marino, who does not want sympathy. She does not want people fussing over her. She does not want new friends.

She wants to play soccer and deal with the whole slowly-going-blind thing on her own terms.

Which I love.

Because Violet is feisty in the best way.

She’s hurting, but she is not fragile.
She is scared, but she is not helpless.
She has walls up, but you can feel why they’re there.

Then she meets Wyatt, who is charming, dangerous in the “this kid has terrible ideas” kind of way, and living with a newly transplanted heart.

And Noor?

Sharp as a blade.

Armed with excellent snacks she can’t eat because of chemo.

These three kids should not work together.

Which, of course, means they absolutely do.

When a wish-granting foundation keeps calling, Wyatt comes up with a plan: team up and game the system. One wish is fine. But three sick kids on three epic adventures?

That’s history-making.

At first, it sounds like a scam.

Then it starts to feel like friendship.

And that’s where the book gets you.

Because when you finally let people in, you also give them the power to hurt you.

Or leave.

Or matter.

A lot.

💛 The brave conversation: This book opens up questions about illness, friendship, independence, fear, and what it means to be seen as a person instead of a diagnosis.

📖 The hook: Three kids with big diagnoses and bigger personalities team up to scam a wish-granting foundation, and somehow it becomes an emotional joy ride.

👀 Who might connect with it: Middle grade readers, reluctant readers, teachers, librarians, parents, and anyone who loves stories about messy friendships, brave kids, and characters with huge hearts and even bigger attitudes.

🗣️ Question to ask after reading: When you’re going through something hard, is it easier to push people away or let them help?

This one is making my heart hurt in the best way.

Which is rude.

But also exactly what I want from a book. Check out my full review and get the book!

https://open.substack.com/pub/kimbartosch/p/a-heartbreaking-story-about-letting?r=5a6umq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

🎤 NEW ON THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF

In case you missed it, here’s what’s new:

📚 Latest Review: https://open.substack.com/pub/kimbartosch/p/a-twisted-psychological-thriller?r=5a6umq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

✍️ Coming Soon: More book reviews, brave conversations, spooky thoughts, and probably more proof that I cannot hear one strange internet story without turning it into a thriller.

You can catch up here:

The Brave Bookshelf with Kim Bartosch

Books, writing, and conversations that make us braver. I’m Kim Bartosch, author of "Ask the Girl" and founder of The Brave Bookshelf, where I explore children’s and YA books that tackle real-life topics with honesty and heart and, of course, thrills!

📅 AUTHOR EVENTS & BOOKISH NEWS

Here’s what’s coming up:

📍 Funky Ferndale Art Fair — September 26, 2026 10:00 am - 3:30 pm

I will be in Ferndale, Michigan, signing and selling my book “Ask the Girl” with my fellow SCBWI.org Michigan authors, and I would love for you to stop by and say hello! You can also discover and explore local art, food, and entertainment!

And behind the scenes, I’m currently working on:

🔪 The Kill App revisions
👻 More spooky bookish content
🎶 Trying not to turn viral music fame into a murder mystery
📚 Reading books that emotionally attack me and then expecting me to function like a normal person

Bold of them.

💬 YOUR TURN

Reply and tell me:

Would you read a thriller about a teen musician who goes viral and gets pulled into a murder mystery?

You can reply with just one word:

Yes, No, or Obviously.

Bonus points if you tell me what clue should crack the case:

A song lyric?
An old video?
A deleted comment?
A fan account?
A hidden username?
A recording no one was supposed to hear?

I’m nosy, but in a bookish way.

Until next time,

Kim

Author | Book Reviewer | Host of The Brave Bookshelf

P.S. I still haven’t listened to D4vd’s music yet, so yes, I am officially behind. My teen son is right. Please keep me in your thoughts during this difficult time.

Wish You Well by Jamie Sumner does not.

This book grabs your heart with both hands and says, “You’re coming with us.”

It’s emotional. It’s heartbreaking. It’s funny in places where you almost feel like you shouldn’t be laughing. And at the center of everything are three kids with big diagnoses, even bigger personalities, and absolutely no intention of being reduced to the things happening to their bodies.

And I loved them for it.

About the Book

Violet Marino does not want sympathy. She doesn’t want people fussing over her, and she definitely doesn’t want new friends. What she wants is to play soccer and figure out how to deal with the fact that she is slowly going blind—preferably on her own terms.

Then she meets Wyatt.

Wyatt has a newly transplanted heart and the kind of personality that immediately makes you think, Oh no. This kid has ideas.

And he does.

Then there’s Noor, who is sharp as a blade, undergoing chemo, and armed with excellent snacks she can’t even eat.

On paper, these three do not exactly scream instant best friends.

Which, naturally, means they are absolutely perfect together.

All three have something else in common: a wish-granting foundation that keeps trying to get in touch with them. Wyatt decides that instead of simply accepting their individual wishes, they should team up and game the system. One sick kid getting one wish might be nice. Three sick kids taking three epic adventures together?

That could be legendary.

What begins as a scheme and a distraction, though, slowly becomes something none of them were planning on.

A real friendship.

And that is where Wish You Well gets you.

My Review

Violet completely won me over.

She’s feisty in the best possible way. She is hurting, but she is not fragile. She is scared, but she is not helpless. She has built walls around herself, but Jamie Sumner makes it incredibly easy to understand why those walls are there.

Violet doesn’t want her diagnosis to become the most interesting thing about her. She doesn’t want everyone looking at her differently or treating her like she could break at any moment. She wants soccer. She wants independence. She wants some control over a situation that is increasingly outside her control.

That combination of anger, fear, determination, and vulnerability makes her feel wonderfully real.

Then Wyatt comes crashing into the story with all his charm and terrible ideas.

I loved the energy he brings to this trio. He is the kind of character who can make you laugh while simultaneously making you wonder whether somebody should perhaps be supervising him a little more closely.

And then there’s Noor.

I adore Noor.

She’s clever, direct, and wonderfully sharp. Her humor gives the story another layer, especially because it exists right alongside the reality of what she is going through. None of these characters exist simply to represent an illness. They are funny. Irritating. Stubborn. Afraid. Hopeful. Occasionally ridiculous.

They are kids.

That distinction matters.

A story centered around three seriously ill children could very easily become overwhelmingly sentimental. Wish You Well certainly has emotional moments—and yes, there were parts that hurt—but it never feels as though the characters are there only to make the reader sad.

Instead, the heart of this story is friendship.

At first, Violet, Wyatt, and Noor are connected by circumstance and by Wyatt’s ridiculous plan. Their partnership is almost transactional. They have a common goal, so they might as well work together.

But somewhere along the way, pretending to be friends starts looking suspiciously like actually being friends.

And friendship is complicated.

Letting somebody into your life means giving them the opportunity to know you. It means allowing them to see the things you would rather hide. It means caring about what happens to them.

And when your future—or your friend’s future—feels uncertain, caring about someone can be terrifying.

Because when you finally let people in, you also give them the power to hurt you.

Or leave.

Or matter.

A lot.

That emotional idea was what stayed with me most.

There is so much fear underneath these kids’ actions, but Wish You Well is not ultimately a story about being afraid. It is about deciding that connection is worth the risk anyway.

I also really appreciated that the friendships aren’t magically perfect. These kids have complicated emotions. They make questionable choices. They push each other. They get things wrong. Their illnesses might be what initially bring them together, but their personalities—and everything messy that comes with them—are what make their relationship worth following.

And honestly, watching these three become a team was my favorite part of the book.

Final Thoughts

Wish You Well is one of those middle grade novels that reminds me why I love the category so much. It tackles enormous subjects—illness, fear, uncertainty, independence, grief, and what it means to have a future you cannot completely control—without forgetting that its characters are still kids who want adventures, friendships, jokes, and something exciting to look forward to.

Violet, Wyatt, and Noor absolutely grabbed me by the heart.

Their circumstances are heartbreaking, but this story is not without joy. There is humor here. There is mischief. There is hope. Most importantly, there is the reminder that opening yourself up to other people can be scary precisely because those relationships have the potential to mean so much.

Sometimes protecting your heart means keeping everyone out.

But sometimes the people you let in are exactly the ones who make the difficult parts worth facing.

Wish You Well is emotional, funny, tender, and beautifully human.

Just maybe keep the tissues nearby.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

About the book:

Book: Wish You Well
Author: Jamie Sumner
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Buy the Book

Synopsis:

From the acclaimed author of Roll with It comes a “winning, cathartic joy ride” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) of a middle grade novel about three kids with big diagnoses, bigger personalities, and one outrageous plan to team up and scam a wish-granting foundation.

Violet Marino doesn’t want sympathy. And she definitely doesn’t want friends. She just wants to play soccer and deal with the whole slowly-going-blind thing on her own terms.

Then she witnesses a boy choke on a hot dog at a hospital picnic. Enter Wyatt: dangerously charming and full of terrible ideas, especially for a kid with a newly transplanted heart. Add sharp-as-a-blade Noor, who is always armed with excellent snacks she can’t eat, thanks to chemo. Other than their illnesses, the three don’t have much in common—except for the fact that a wish-granting foundation keeps calling.

Ever the optimist, Wyatt has a plan: team up to game the foundation, even if it means faking friendship. One wish is fine, but three sick kids on three epic adventures? That’s history-making. The scheme starts off as a distraction. But soon the stakes feel real. Because when you finally let someone in, there’s more to lose.

About the Author

Jamie Sumner is the author of the Roll with It trilogy, Tune It Out, One Kid’s Trash, The Summer of June, Maid for It, Deep Water, Please Pay Attention, Schooled, Glory Be, and Wish You Well. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications. She loves stories that celebrate the grit and beauty in all kids. She is also the mother of a son with cerebral palsy and has written extensively about parenting a child with special needs. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at Jamie-Sumner.com.

Still, when I first started reading, part of me wondered if I already knew exactly how this story was going to go.

A dog is being mistreated. Kids realize something is wrong. Adults don’t help. Kids come up with a crazy plan to rescue the dog. Mission accomplished.

You know—the kind of rescue-the-dog story that feels like it has appeared on every bookshelf at some point.

Well, I was wrong.

The Dog Heist surprised me almost immediately because while saving Lyra is definitely at the center of the story, this book is about so much more than rescuing a dog. It is also about loneliness, family changes, friendship, feeling left behind, figuring out where you belong, and realizing that sometimes the person you least expect to understand you becomes exactly the friend you need.

Caleb is having a seriously terrible September. His parents have separated, he has moved to a new town, he is living with his dad, and he desperately misses his dog. Add the pressures of starting over at a new school and dealing with his ADD, and it’s easy to understand why he sometimes struggles.

I really felt for Caleb.

One of my favorite things about his character is that Jansen doesn’t make him feel like a collection of problems that need to be fixed. He feels like an actual middle school kid trying to cope with way too many changes at once. He can be impulsive and frustrating, but he is also funny, caring, and incredibly determined when something matters to him.

Then there is Valery.

At first, she and Caleb seem like two people who should absolutely NOT become friends.

Valery has problems of her own. A new school year is beginning, and instead of being excited to spend it with her best friend, she suddenly feels pushed aside because her friend has a new boyfriend. Anyone who has ever had a close friend suddenly become distant will understand that particular kind of hurt.

I loved Valery because her feelings felt so believable. She is lonely, angry, embarrassed, and trying to pretend she doesn’t care nearly as much as she actually does.

And then Caleb arrives.

She finds him annoying.

He probably finds her annoying.

Basically, it’s a perfect beginning to a friendship. 😂

What finally brings them together is Lyra, the neglected dog living nearby.

Both Caleb and Valery know something is wrong. They can see how badly Lyra is being treated, but the adults around them either can’t or won’t solve the situation quickly enough. With a hurricane approaching, waiting around becomes even more dangerous.

So naturally, the kids come up with a plan.

They’re going to steal the dog.

Is this a good idea?

Probably not.

Did I want them to do it anyway?

ABSOLUTELY.

This was where the book really hooked me. I genuinely started worrying about Caleb, Valery, and Lyra. Their neighbor isn’t just a cardboard cutout of the stereotypical “mean dog owner,” either. He is intimidating enough that every encounter raises the tension, and that made the kids’ decision to rescue Lyra feel legitimately risky.

The approaching hurricane makes everything even more intense. It gives the story this ticking-clock feeling because you know Caleb and Valery cannot simply keep putting off their plan.

And poor Lyra!

As a dog lover, reading about her situation was hard. I wanted somebody to get that dog out of there immediately. At the same time, I appreciated that the story never felt like it was using Lyra’s mistreatment merely to make readers sad. Her situation becomes the reason these two lonely kids finally see something in one another that they didn’t notice before.

They both care.

They both feel overlooked in different ways.

And neither one of them is willing to ignore someone else who needs help.

That friendship ended up being my favorite part of the book.

Top 5 Reasons to Read The Dog Heist

Since this tour is all about sharing five reasons to pick up The Dog Heist, narrowing it down wasn’t as hard as I expected!

1. 🐶 Lyra will steal your heart.
If you’re an animal lover, you’re going to be rooting for Lyra from the moment you meet her. Her situation gives the story its emotional heart and makes Caleb and Valery’s mission feel incredibly important.

2. 💛 Caleb and Valery feel like real kids.
Neither character is perfect, and that’s exactly why I liked them so much. Caleb is dealing with his parents’ separation, moving, missing his dog, and ADHD, while Valery is coping with the hurt of feeling abandoned by her best friend. Their struggles make them easy to relate to.

3. 👫 The unlikely friendship is wonderful.
Caleb and Valery definitely don’t start out as instant best friends. Watching two lonely kids who initially find each other annoying slowly realize they might actually need one another was one of my favorite parts of the story.

4. ⛈️ There’s genuine suspense and adventure.
The hurricane adds a ticking clock to an already risky rescue mission. Once Caleb and Valery decide they’re going to save Lyra themselves, I genuinely worried about what might happen to all three of them.

5. 📚 It tackles important topics without feeling like a lesson.
Family changes, ADHD, changing friendships, loneliness, animal welfare, courage, and asking adults for help are all part of the story, but they never overpower the adventure. Young readers get plenty to think about while still getting an entertaining story.

Those five reasons really sum up why this book surprised me so much.

I started The Dog Heist expecting a fairly predictable dog-rescue adventure and ended up getting attached to Caleb and Valery just as much as I did Lyra. Dani Jansen creates middle grade characters who feel like actual kids—messy, emotional, impulsive, funny, and capable of surprising bravery.

There are also plenty of topics here that could lead to great conversations with younger readers: divorced parents, changing friendships, neurodiversity, loneliness, animal welfare, standing up for what you believe is right, and knowing when you need help from adults.

And while there are serious subjects, the story never becomes overwhelmingly heavy. There is adventure, humor, friendship, suspense, and, of course, a dog.

What else do you need?

So, teachers, parents, media specialists, and librarians: get this book on your shelves. I can easily see middle grade readers—and even some slightly younger strong readers—getting completely invested in Caleb and Valery’s mission.

Especially the animal lovers.

I went into this one thinking I knew exactly what kind of story I was getting, and Dani Jansen completely proved me wrong. The Dog Heist has heart, humor, lovable characters, real tension, and a rescue mission that had me worrying right alongside Caleb and Valery.

Five very enthusiastic stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

And for the official canine review?

My dog Akira loved it too.

Okay, technically she didn’t read it.

But I’m pretty sure she approves. 🐕😂

About the Book

Publisher: Second Story Press
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Book Tour: Toppling Stacks Tours
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars

Content Warning: Animal neglect/abuse

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Synopsis:

A neglected dog brings two misfits together in this adventure for middle schoolers who love animals and stories where the kids take charge.

For Caleb, September is off to a rough start. His parents have split up, he’s moved to a new town, and—worst of all—he misses his dog. Valery is his new neighbor, but apart from being in the same class, they have nothing in common. Valery is lonely and hurt since her best friend abandoned her for a boy, and she thinks Caleb is just obnoxious. Under normal circumstances, they’d never be friends. But these aren’t normal circumstances.

There’s a hurricane coming, and Valery and Caleb are both worried for Lyra, their neighbor’s terribly neglected dog. None of the adults in their lives will do anything, so they hatch a plan to rescue her themselves, no matter how risky.

Meet the Author

Dani Jansen is an English and drama teacher who lives in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. She performed (as a teacher) in her school’s glee show for eight years. Yes, there is probably video evidence of this. No, she will not point you in the direction of where to find it. Dani helped found her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance and has only occasionally subjected her students to the Bard. Her writing has appeared in This Magazine, Lunch Ticket, The A3 Review, and Fiction Southeast. She has also contributed to Maman Loup’s Den. Her debut novel, The Year Shakespeare Ruined My Life, came out September 22, 2020.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

There are few things more dangerous in a YA thriller than a screenshot.

Not a haunted basement.

Not a locked door.

Not even a mysterious app with a moody black icon.

A screenshot.

Because once one person sends it, suddenly everyone has it.

The group chat has it.

The friend who says, “I won’t show anyone” has it.

The person who absolutely should not have it has it.

And now everyone is asking the same question:

“Did you see this?”

So today’s question is:

Would you share the screenshot?

Here’s the setup:

You’re sitting at lunch when your phone buzzes.

Someone sent you a screenshot.

At first, you think it’s just gossip.

Messy? Yes.
Dramatic? Absolutely.
Possibly fake? Also yes.

The screenshot shows a private message from someone at school.

It could ruin their reputation.

It could expose something true.

It could also be edited, taken out of context, or completely made up.

You don’t know.

But everyone else is already sending it around.

One person says, “Forward it to me.”

Another says, “Everyone deserves to know.”

Someone else says, “If you don’t share it, you’re protecting them.”

Then the person in the screenshot texts you:

Please don’t believe everything you see.

So… what do you do?

A) Forward it because everyone else already has it.

B) Delete it and refuse to be part of the drama.

C) Ask where it came from before you believe anything.

D) Screenshot the screenshot because now you’re investigating the investigation.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, I am gently taking your phone away.

You may not have started the drama, but you are now feeding it snacks and giving it a ride home.

If you picked B, strong choice.

You have boundaries. You have peace. You may also miss three plot twists, but at least your conscience is clean.

If you picked C, excellent.

Questions save lives in thrillers. So does slowing down before helping a rumor grow legs.

If you picked D, chaotic detective energy.

Do I approve? Not fully.

Do I understand? Very much.

What I’m Reading 📚

This week, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on two books:

Divine Oaths by Elizabeth Agyemang

Divine Oaths is a new adult dark romantasy that follows Sianna Adu, whose life changes after a devastating family tragedy leaves her with the ability to touch objects and glimpse the past and future. I really liked Sianna’s grit, independence, and determination to survive, and I especially enjoyed how her ability felt more like a burden than a gift.

The mystery surrounding Westfield University, its secret societies, and the curse at the heart of the story kept me interested, and the supporting characters added a lot to Sianna’s journey.

My biggest issue was the marketing. The “romantasy” label and lush fantasy-style cover made me expect elves, fairies, dragons, or a more fully magical world. Instead, this felt much closer to paranormal romance mixed with dark academia.

Not a bad read—just not quite the book I thought I was picking up. Click on my review below to learn more and get the book for yourself!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review link: https://www.kimbartosch/p/a-dark-academia-mystery-that-wasnt

The Dog Heist by Dani Jansen

The Dog Heist by Dani Jansen completely surprised me. I went in expecting a familiar rescue-the-dog story, but I quickly became invested in Caleb, Valery, and Lyra. Caleb is dealing with his parents’ separation, a move, missing his dog, and ADHD, while Valery is struggling with a best friend who suddenly seems to have no time for her. When the two realize their neighbor’s dog, Lyra, is being neglected and a hurricane is approaching, they decide to rescue her themselves.

Their risky plan brings real suspense, but the heart of the story is the unlikely friendship that grows between them. I loved how the book tackles family changes, loneliness, neurodiversity, friendship, and animal welfare without ever feeling heavy-handed. It is heartfelt, tense, funny, and easy to recommend. Teachers, parents, librarians, and young animal lovers should absolutely add this one to their shelves. Five enthusiastic stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me—and Akira, my dog, approves too!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Be sure to read my full top 5 reasons to read the book! Link below.

Review link: https://www.kimbartosch/p/a-rescue-mission-with-a-whole-lot

Would you share a screenshot? Hmm?

This screenshot question has me thinking about how often stories begin with one tiny thing that gets passed from person to person.

A message.

A rumor.

A photo.

A secret.

One little piece of information can change everything, especially when people react before they know the whole story.

That’s where things get messy.

And, of course, that’s where a good thriller rubs its hands together and says, “Perfect.”

So, can you? The Unspoken Rules of Screenshots

I wondered what the laws and regulations are for screenshots. I know you shouldn’t screenshot personal items, such as medical records. But what is the etiquette, and are we passing this along to teens and tweens? (Or children, because some 8-year-olds have fancier phones than I do…lol 😅)

So I ran across a great article on TheTeenMagazine.com, Can I Screenshot This? The Unspoken Rules of What Can and Can’t Be Shared by Maya Steever, published Aug. 4, 2026.

There really aren’t too many regulations regarding screenshots except for two. The first is copyright laws protecting photographers, artists, illustrators, or any other creator’s work. The second is a law meant to protect people from the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images, often called revenge porn, when someone distributes private photos of a person or a current or former partner without permission. This kind of cybercrime becomes even more serious when children are involved, which sadly happens far too often.

This leads me to the etiquette of screenshots that aren’t breaking the above-mentioned laws. Most say it’s a great way to capture data, a website, or information to use later. Or to capture a criminal post made online to give to the police, but as Steever mentions, most found it embarrassing when their conversations were screenshotted for others to see and felt it was a violation of their trust.

The scary part is how ordinary it all feels.

A screenshot looks simple.

A quick forward.

A tiny tap.

A “Did you see this?” moment.

But once something spreads, it can be almost impossible to pull back.

And if it turns out to be fake?

Or private?

Or meant to hurt someone?

That one tap can do a lot of damage.

Why I Love This Kind of Setup

Screenshot stories work because they make everyone part of the mystery.

Not just the person who sent it.

Not just the person in it.

Everyone who sees it has to make a choice.

Forward it.

Delete it.

Question it.

Ignore it.

Use it.

Protect someone.

Expose someone.

Believe it.

Doubt it.

And in a thriller, the screenshot is never just a screenshot.

It’s evidence.

Or bait.

Or a trap.

Or the first clue that someone is controlling the story before the main character even knows there’s a story to solve.

That’s what makes it so creepy.

The danger doesn’t always come from a masked killer in the woods.

Sometimes it comes from a phone lighting up at lunch.

The Brave Conversation

This kind of story opens up a conversation about rumors, privacy, consent, and how fast people can be hurt online.

Because “don’t spread gossip” sounds simple.

But what happens when everyone else is sharing it?

What happens when staying quiet makes people think you’re taking a side?

What happens when the screenshot might be true, but sharing it still feels wrong?

And what happens when it is not true at all?

Books give us a way to talk about these choices without pointing fingers at one person or one situation.

They let us ask:

When should we pause?

When should we question what we see?

When should we protect someone’s privacy, even if the whole school wants the story?

So now I need to know:

Would you share it, delete it, or ask questions first?

Reply with A, B, C, or D and tell me your screenshot survival plan.

No essay required.

Unless you have very strong feelings about group chats, messy rumors, or people who say, “I’m only sending it to you.”

In that case, I absolutely want to know.

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may be talking about whether you’d trust the AI chatbot. Which sounds helpful until it starts giving advice about people it should not know.

Books, brave conversations, author news, and one internet thing I’m probably overthinking.

Hi friends,

This week, the internet sent me into the desert.

Not literally.

Although after my Sedona trip, I would not complain.

But I’ve been thinking about the water crisis in the Southwest, the Colorado River debates, and how people in power can argue for so long that the people in the middle are left standing there with an empty cup.

Which, honestly, sounds less like politics and more like the opening chapter of a dystopian thriller.

So grab your coffee, tea, or emotional support bookmark.

Maybe also a glass of water.

It’s time for another Brave Bookshelf Dispatch.

📁 THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF CASE FILE

Case: When everyone is fighting over water, who gets left thirsty?

The Colorado River has been at the center of a long, complicated debate between states, farmers, cities, lawmakers, tribes, environmental groups, and communities that all depend on the same shrinking supply of water.

And when water gets scarce, people get angry.

Very angry.

Not “someone ate the last piece of cake” angry.

More like “our farms, homes, jobs, history, and future are tied to this river” angry.

Which makes sense.

Water is not optional.

You can argue over budgets.
You can argue over roads.
You can argue over who gets the good parking spot.

But water?

That is survival.

And what keeps bothering me is how often these debates turn into people standing on opposite sides, shouting about who is right, while the people in the middle are the ones suffering.

Families.
Farm workers.
Small towns.
Tribal communities.
Kids growing up in places where adults keep promising solutions that never seem to arrive.

That’s the part that makes my author brain pause.

Because in every good thriller, the scariest thing is not always the villain.

Sometimes it’s the system.

The rules.
The loopholes.
The delays.
The people protecting their own interests while everyone else waits for help.

And when the resource everyone needs is water?

That story gets scary fast.

💻 KIM VS. THE INTERNET

This week’s question:

What happens when people are too angry to negotiate?

Because that’s what this made me think about.

Negotiation is not fun.

No one writes a dramatic movie trailer voiceover that says:

“In a world… where people sit down calmly and compromise.”

Although, honestly, that might be the fantasy novel we need right now.

But when people refuse to negotiate, the people with the least power usually suffer first.

The people who cannot hire lawyers.
The people who cannot move.
The people whose voices are easy to ignore.
The people who need the adults in charge to stop fighting long enough to fix the actual problem.

And this is where I think books can help.

Because stories let us ask:

What does justice look like when everyone needs the same thing?
Who gets protected when resources run low?
Who decides whose home matters?
And how do people learn to work together when they have every reason not to trust each other?

Those questions belong in real life.

But they also belong in thrillers.

In dystopian books.
In fantasy novels.
In stories where a river dries up and suddenly all the secrets buried in the canyon start showing.

Which brings me to Antelope Canyon.

Because apparently my brain cannot see a beautiful natural wonder without asking:

“Okay, but what if it was haunted, magical, cursed, or hiding something ancient?”

This is why I can’t have normal vacations.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

Water stories are powerful because water is emotional.

It can heal.
It can destroy.
It can divide people.
It can bring them home.

And in fantasy, water can become even more interesting.

Imagine a world inspired by Antelope Canyon, where the canyon walls hold old magic and the river once carried messages between realms.

But now the water is disappearing.

Not because of drought alone.

Because someone is holding it back.

A kingdom upstream says they are protecting their people.
A kingdom downstream says they are being slowly murdered.
The leaders refuse to meet.
The priests blame a curse.
The rich buy private wells.
The poor wait in line with empty jars.

And in the middle?

A teen girl who can hear the canyon whisper when the wind moves through the stone.

At first, everyone thinks she’s imagining it.

Because of course they do.

No one ever believes the girl hearing voices in a canyon until the ancient door opens and something with teeth crawls out.

Fantasy rule.

Probably.

🔮 STORY IDEA OF THE WEEK

Here’s the Antelope Canyon fantasy idea my brain started building:

A teen girl lives in a desert city where water is controlled by two rival kingdoms.

One kingdom owns the source.
The other owns the canyon.
Neither trusts the other.

For years, they’ve argued over old treaties, broken promises, and who deserves more water.

Meanwhile, the people in the middle are suffering.

Then the girl discovers that Antelope Canyon is not just a canyon.

It is a sleeping creature.

Or a doorway.

Or maybe both, because why choose?

The carved sandstone walls are actually the bones of an ancient water dragon, and every time the river is blocked, the dragon wakes a little more.

The leaders think they are fighting over water.

But the canyon knows the truth:

The river was never theirs to own.

And if they do not learn to share it, the desert will take everything back.

Tell me that would not be a fantasy novel.

Actually, don’t tell me.

I’m already attached.

📚 WHAT I’M READING

This week on The Brave Bookshelf, I’m talking about:

MirrorWoven by Bori Cser

You are cordially invited to the Dragon Masquerade…

And honestly, that line alone had me reaching for my fanciest imaginary cloak.

This one fits so well with my whole water-rights, desert fantasy, Antelope Canyon rabbit hole because it has everything my fantasy-loving brain wants:

👑 A runaway princess
🪞 A magically hidden identity
🎭 A masquerade
🐉 Dragons
🌊 A faraway lagoon-city
💔 Grief, secrets, court politics, and one very dangerous rule about true love’s kiss

Del has two rules:

Stay away from royalty.
Don’t fall in love.

Which, in fantasy terms, means she is absolutely going to end up near royalty and in emotional trouble.

Del is secretly a runaway princess who flees after her sister dies at the hand of her boyfriend. With a mirrorwoven face hiding who she really is, she disappears to the opaline lagoon-city of Salato, hoping to leave her past and her responsibilities behind.

But then she becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato.

Because apparently keeping your head down is impossible when you’re in a fantasy novel.

What I love about this setup is how much it ties into the bigger conversation from this Dispatch:

What happens when people in power refuse to deal with the damage they’ve caused?

Del runs from a kingdom that wants her to become its new heir. Clara is trying to survive court life while people circle around her power. Nasca sounds brilliant, dangerous, and exactly like the kind of character who walks into a room and makes everyone nervous.

So yes, there’s magic.

But there’s also politics.
Grief.
Responsibility.
Secrets.
Power.
And people trying to survive systems they did not fully choose.

That’s what makes fantasy so good.

It can give us dragon masquerades and magical faces, but underneath all the sparkle, it’s still asking very human questions:

Who gets to lead?
Who gets protected?
Who gets used?
And what happens when hiding keeps you safe… but also keeps you alone?

📖 The hook: A runaway princess with a magical disguise becomes court bard in a lagoon-city, where love could expose her true identity.

💛 The brave conversation: This book opens up questions about grief, identity, duty, trust, power, and what it costs to keep yourself hidden.

👀 Who might connect with it: Fantasy readers, romantasy fans, teens who love court politics, readers who like secret identities, and anyone who hears “Dragon Masquerade” and immediately says, “Yes, please.”

🗣️ Question to ask after reading: If hiding who you are keeps you safe, when does it start becoming its own kind of prison?

You can read my full thoughts here:

And yes, between this book’s lagoon-city, court secrets, and my Antelope Canyon fantasy idea, my brain is now convinced water magic and political drama belong together.

My TBR pile is concerned.

I am not.

🎤 NEW ON THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF

In case you missed it, here’s what’s new:

📚 Latest Review:

✍️ Coming Soon: More book reviews, brave conversations, spooky thoughts, and probably more proof that every news story can become a thriller if you overthink it hard enough.

You can catch up here:

👉 The Brave Bookshelf

📅 AUTHOR EVENTS & BOOKISH NEWS

Here’s what’s coming up:

And behind the scenes, I’m currently working on:

🔪 The Kill App revisions
👻 More spooky bookish content
🌵 A possible desert fantasy involving Antelope Canyon
💧 Trying not to turn every water-rights debate into a book plot

Mixed results.

📌 A FEW RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT

Since this topic is complicated and given the debate over the Colorado River, here are a few places worth reading if you want to know more about this water crisis:

👉 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation — Colorado River Basin updates: https://www.usbr.gov/ColoradoRiverBasin/
👉 The Colorado River Compact: https://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g1000/pdfiles/crcompct.pdf
👉 Colorado water agency: https://cwcb.colorado.gov/
👉 California water agency: https://water.ca.gov/
👉 Arizona water agency: https://new.azwater.gov/
👉 Nevada water agency: https://water.nv.gov/
👉 Utah water agency: https://water.utah.gov/

👉 Wyoming water resources: https://seo.wyo.gov/water
👉 New Mexico water resources: https://www.ose.state.nm.us/

👉 Colorado River reporting (AP News): https://apnews.com/hub/colorado-river
👉 Colorado River reporting (High Country News): https://www.hcn.org/topics/colorado-river
👉 Colorado River reporting (NYT topic page): https://www.nytimes.com/spotlight/colorado-river

👉 Tribal water rights resources (Native American Rights Fund): https://www.narf.org/topics/water-rights/
👉 Colorado River Indian Tribes: https://www.crit-nsn.gov/

Water rights are messy, and I am not a lawyer, hydrologist, or river wizard.

Sadly.

But I do think this is one of those issues where the story matters because real people are living with the consequences.

💬 YOUR TURN

Reply and tell me:

Should I write the Antelope Canyon fantasy novel?

You can reply with just one word:

Yes, No, or Obviously.

Bonus points if you tell me what should be hidden in the canyon:

A dragon?
A doorway?
A curse?
A lost city?
A ghost?
A river spirit with a very bad attitude?

I’m nosy, but in a bookish way.

Until next time,

Kim

Author | Book Reviewer | Host of The Brave Bookshelf

P.S. This is why I love traveling. I go somewhere beautiful, learn one weird fact or think about one serious issue, and suddenly my brain says, “Great. But what if there was a monster?”

What I got was definitely an interesting supernatural mystery with a strong main character, secret societies, romance, and plenty of questions to unravel—but it wasn’t quite the type of romantasy I thought I was picking up.

Sianna Adu had plans. Westfield University, an elite institution tucked away in the Virginia swampland, was supposed to be part of her future. Then tragedy strikes, and in one devastating day, Sianna loses her family and discovers that she has gained an unusual ability. She can see lifelines and, through objects, glimpse pieces of the past and future.

Instead of heading off to her dream university, Sianna finds herself struggling simply to survive. She works dead-end jobs, worries about rent, and tries to make a life for herself in New Jersey.

This was actually one of my favorite parts of the book.

Sianna has grit.

She is independent, stubborn, and determined to keep moving even after experiencing a loss that could easily have completely broken down her plans for the future. I appreciated that Agyemang allows us to see that struggle. Sianna isn’t instantly swept away into some glamorous magical existence after discovering her abilities. She still has bills. She still needs somewhere to live. She still has to figure out what comes next.

That grounded struggle made her feel much more real to me.

I also really liked the way her supernatural ability was handled. Being able to touch an object and get glimpses into its history sounds amazing at first. Think of everything you could discover!

Except…would you really want to?

Agyemang does a good job of turning Sianna’s ability into both a gift and a burden—and most of the time, it feels much more like a burden. She doesn’t always get to control what she sees, and knowing things about the past or future isn’t necessarily helpful when you can’t change them. I liked that the magic had weight and consequences rather than simply making Sianna more powerful.

Then Kasem Saint James enters the picture.

Kasem is connected to Westfield, and his arrival pulls Sianna back toward the future she thought she had lost. It also raises questions about her abilities, the mysterious connection between the two of them, and Westfield itself. Once Sianna arrives at the university, secret societies, old histories, curses, and plenty of people with their own agendas begin complicating things.

The supporting characters were another strong point for me. Sianna doesn’t have to navigate everything completely alone, and I enjoyed watching the relationships surrounding her develop as she tried to figure out exactly what was happening. With so much mystery involved, it was fun trying to decide who could be trusted and what pieces of Westfield’s history really mattered.

My biggest issue with Divine Oaths, however, is less about the actual story and more about how the book is being presented to readers.

I picked this up because I saw it categorized as New Adult romantasy. And when someone tells me “romantasy,” my brain admittedly goes somewhere very different.

Give me strange kingdoms. Magical worlds. Mystical creatures. Sprites. Goblins. Fairies. Elves. Dragons. You know…fantasy fantasy.

And honestly, the cover reinforced that expectation for me. It has the same lush, dramatic, magical look that I’ve come to associate with a lot of romantasy novels—the kinds of books where I expect mystical creatures, elaborate magical systems, hidden kingdoms, or some other larger fantasy world waiting inside.

But Divine Oaths is set in our modern world, and its supernatural elements are much more contained. Most people don’t seem to be walking around openly using magic or interacting with mythical creatures, and Sianna’s abilities felt more paranormal to me than the type of magic I normally associate with many of today’s romantasy releases.

That doesn’t mean a fantasy novel needs dragons, elves, fairies, or an entirely invented world to qualify as fantasy—it absolutely doesn’t. And the dark academia label makes sense, particularly once Westfield and its secretive history become central to the story.

Still, I can’t help wondering whether a different cover and slightly different marketing might have better prepared readers for what this book actually is. A cover leaning more toward paranormal romance, supernatural suspense, or contemporary dark academia might have set more accurate expectations while still capturing the mystery and romance at the heart of the story.

Because expectations matter.

When both the genre label and the cover suggest one kind of reading experience, readers naturally walk into the book expecting certain things. Put the right book in front of the wrong audience, and you run the risk of readers deciding early on that it isn’t for them—or even putting it on the DNF pile—not because the story is bad, but because it isn’t the story they thought they were buying.

I can easily imagine someone looking specifically for sweeping fantasy romance picking this up and wondering where the fantasy world they expected went. On the other hand, readers who love paranormal abilities, secret societies, mysterious universities, curses, contemporary settings, and romance may find exactly what they’re looking for here.

So don’t go into Divine Oaths expecting dragons to fly over Westfield University.

Go in expecting a resilient heroine, a dangerous supernatural gift, a mysterious university, complicated relationships, old secrets, and a curse that needs unraveling.

Once I adjusted my expectations, I appreciated the story much more for what it actually was.

For me, Sianna and her abilities were the highlights, and the mystery kept me interested. The genre mismatch with what I expected kept it from being a higher-rated read, but I’m glad I gave Sianna’s story a chance.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 4/5 Stars

About the Book

Publisher: Requited imprint of Hachette Book Group
Publication Date: September 1, 2026
Genre: New Adult Romantasy / Dark Academia
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 4/5 Stars

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Synopsis:

Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling dark academia debut following a new student fueled by questions about her prestigious university and the haunting answers she uncovers as her heart pulls her in two different, dangerous directions.

Westfield University was supposed to be Sianna Adu’s dream school. But just when she’s on the cusp of attending the elite academic institution hidden in Virginia’s swampland, an unexpected tragedy changes everything. In one day, Sianna loses her family and gains an extraordinary power—the ability to see lifelines and witness other people’s pasts and futures.

With all she’s lost, Sianna puts her college dreams on pause and spends her days navigating dead-end jobs and a not-so-secret crush on her coworker. But when Kasem Saint James, the undeniably handsome heir of Westfield, approaches her with a strange request, the future Sianna has long deferred becomes a dangerous new reality. Worried that her powers are now tied to Kasem, she has no choice. Fate has called her to Westfield.

At an academy where secret societies abound, connections are everything, and an ominous history—stretching back centuries—determines the future, Sianna and Kasem must piece together the past to undo a curse that binds them to each other.

With a swoony romance and jaw-dropping twists, this layered dark academia novel introduces a university where nothing is quite as it seems.

Meet the Author

Elizabeth Agyemang is the author of several books, including the graphic novels Fibbed, which was a Parents.com Best Children’s Book of 2022 selection, a Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Kids 2022 pick and a Fox 43 AM Live Best Book of the Week pick, and A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up, both of which she illustrated. She is also the author of the young adult novel Heart-shaped Lies, a mystery thriller which has been featured on Ebony Magazine, Paste Magazine, OkayAfrica, and Girls’ Life Magazine, and Divine Oaths, a dark academia, romantic fantasy that is her adult debut. When she isn’t gushing over books or comics, she spends her free time dissecting classic movies and TV shows. Find her works online at elizabethagyemang.com.

Elizabeth is represented by Suzie Townsend at New Leaf Literary.

Website | Tik Tok | Instagram | Goodreads

That is the deliciously complicated situation at the heart of Mirrorwoven by Bori Cser, a YA fantasy filled with hidden identities, court politics, music, magic, and sapphic romance. The premise immediately caught my attention, but what has impressed me most while reading is actually the way Cser introduces her world. This is one of those fantasy novels where I genuinely feel like I am discovering a new place alongside the main character instead of stopping every few pages for a history lesson.

Del has two very important rules: stay away from royalty and don’t fall in love. Unfortunately for her, this is a fantasy novel, so naturally neither rule is going to remain uncomplicated.

Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister, she leaves her homeland, her family, and her new responsibilities as heir behind. Using magic, she creates a new “mirrorwoven” face so no one will recognize her and escapes to the lagoon-city of Salato, where she hopes to disappear into a completely different life.

There is just one rather inconvenient catch: true love’s kiss can undo the magic disguising her identity.

So obviously falling in love is off the table.

Probably.

One of my favorite things about Mirrorwoven so far is its worldbuilding. Cser does a wonderful job weaving Salato’s culture, government, history, and everyday life into Del’s story without making all of that information feel like a giant fantasy encyclopedia has been dropped into the middle of the novel.

As Del travels through Salato and tries to join the bard guild, I’m learning about the city right along with her. At the same time, little pieces of Del’s northern homeland and her past are revealed naturally through her experiences, memories, and comparisons between the two places.

As a reader, I love this.

As a writer, I’m slightly jealous.

I actually caught myself thinking, I need to figure out how Cser is doing this because I want to learn this technique for my own writing. The world feels developed without the author constantly stopping the story to explain why everything works the way it does. Instead, I feel like I’m visiting Salato with Del, noticing things as she notices them.

Del herself is another highlight. She is funny, intelligent, observant, and just messy enough to be entertaining. Considering everything she has experienced, there is also quite a bit happening beneath the personality she shows everyone around her. I especially enjoy the contrast between the seemingly ordinary musician Del wants people to see and the politically educated princess she is desperately trying to hide.

And then, of course, Del manages to break her first rule by becoming court bard to Clara, the newly widowed First of Salato.

Because apparently running away from royal life only works until royal life finds you again.

This brings Del into Clara’s orbit as well as that of Clara’s brilliant and potentially dangerous sister-in-law, Nasca. Between Del’s secret identity and the growing relationships among these women, there is plenty of potential for romantic tension, political trouble, and some spectacularly bad decision-making.

My biggest issue with the book so far, though, is the pacing.

For as much as I enjoy exploring this world with Del, I keep waiting for the story itself to give me a little more urgency.

The primary threat hanging over Del is the possibility that someone will discover who she really is. That should create enormous tension, especially when she keeps moving closer to the exact kind of people she originally planned to avoid. Yet I haven’t consistently felt that danger.

Del seems to skate past situations where she could potentially be noticed, questioned, or exposed. I wanted more obstacles in her path—more moments when maintaining this new identity became genuinely difficult or when one mistake had consequences she couldn’t easily escape.

Because those complications haven’t happened as often as I would like, parts of the plot have started to drag for me.

The romance and banter also lean heavily into the slow-burn side of things. I can absolutely see other readers loving that. If your favorite part of a fantasy novel is lingering romantic tension, sapphic yearning, witty conversations, and watching relationships develop gradually, the pacing may work much better for you.

For me, though, I need a little more external conflict mixed in with all that yearning.

I’m currently sitting at 3.7 stars, which feels like the perfect representation of my reading experience so far. I’m impressed by the writing and genuinely fascinated by the world. I like Del, I want to know more about what happened in her past, and I’m curious enough about her increasingly complicated relationships with Clara and Nasca that I definitely want to see where everything goes.

At the same time, I’m a little bored getting there.

That may change as the story progresses. There are certainly enough secrets, political complications, dangerous relationships, and terrible possibilities waiting in the wings for things to get very interesting very quickly.

For now, Mirrorwoven is a beautifully constructed YA fantasy with a protagonist I enjoy spending time with and some of the most naturally incorporated worldbuilding I’ve read recently. I just wish the plot would give Del a few more problems she couldn’t talk, charm, or quietly slip her way out of.

If you love sapphic YA fantasy, hidden identities, court politics, masquerades, slow-burn romance, clever banter, and immersive worldbuilding, Mirrorwoven may be exactly the kind of fantasy you’ve been looking for.

As for me? I’m still reading—and still waiting for Del’s carefully constructed house of cards to finally start falling.

About the book:

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: August 25, 2026
Genre: YA Fantasy
Representation: Sapphic, LGBT+
Content Warnings: Family trauma, death of siblings
Current Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 4/5

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Synopsis:

You are cordially invited to the Dragon Masquerade …

Del has two rules. stay away from royalty. don’t fall in love.

The first – because Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her boyfriend, Del flees her family, home and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new heir. With a magically constructed mirrorwoven face, Del is now unrecognisable, and disappears to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.

The second rule – because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unravelled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine. Del’s had enough of love anyway.

When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato, she is resolved to keep her head down. But Clara is naïve and trusts too easily, and soon Del finds herself having to guide Clara through the shoals of court life, somehow without revealing her own secret.

As Del grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister-in-law, it will only take a push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.

Like, for example, breaking Rule Two

Meet the author:

Bori Cser is a Hungarian-Australian author of young adult fantasy. At various times she has identified as a classically trained clarinettist, a biology PhD dropout and a dinosaur puppeteer, but these days mostly describes herself as in need of a nap. She lives on Dharug and Gundungurra country in Australia’s Blue Mountains with her partner and three high-maintenance cats.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

I know what I’m supposed to say.

If you find an old diary hidden inside a wall, you should probably leave it alone.

Call someone.

Take a photo.

Back away slowly.

Maybe don’t read the private thoughts of a person who clearly went through a lot of trouble to hide them inside the actual house.

That would be the mature choice.

The safe choice.

The choice made by someone who does not want to become chapter four of a gothic mystery.

Unfortunately, I am nosy.

If I found an old diary hidden in a wall, I would absolutely open it.

I would tell myself I was only checking the first page.

Then I would read the second page.

Then I would make tea.

Then suddenly it would be 2 a.m., the house would creak, and I’d be whispering, “Wait… why does this sound like my family?”

So today’s question is:

Would you open the old diary?

Here’s the setup:

You’re helping clean out an old family house.

The kind of house with too many closets.

Too many framed photos of relatives who look like they know things.

Too many floorboards that complain when you step on them.

You’re moving an old bookshelf when something slips from a crack in the wall.

A diary.

Small. Dusty. Tied with a faded ribbon.

Obviously suspicious.

The first few pages are harmless.

Weather.
School.
A strange neighbor.
Someone crying at night.

Then the entries get darker.

Someone was watching the house.

Someone disappeared.

Someone in the family lied.

And then you reach the last entry.

It describes something that sounds exactly like what happened to your family.

Same date.

Same room.

Same name.

Then, from somewhere upstairs, you hear a door close.

So… what do you do?

A) Keep reading because the diary clearly wants to be read.

B) Put it back in the wall and pretend you found nothing.

C) Take pictures of every page, then start researching names and dates.

D) Call a family member and ask, “So… anything weird happen in this house?” like a totally normal person.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, you are brave, curious, and likely cursed.

I respect it.

I do not recommend it.

If you picked B, you may be the smartest person here.

Will the diary leave you alone? Probably not.

But at least you tried.

If you picked C, excellent mystery instincts.

Pictures first. Research second. Panic third. Preferably with snacks.

If you picked D, bold choice.

Family members love being asked vague, terrifying questions about old houses with no warning.

I’m sure that will go well.

Why I Love This Kind of Setup

Old diaries are dangerous in stories because they feel personal.

A diary isn’t just evidence.

It’s a voice.

Someone wrote those words because they couldn’t say them out loud.

Maybe they were scared.

Maybe no one believed them.

Maybe they knew the truth would hurt too many people.

Or maybe they were leaving a warning for whoever came next.

That’s why I love gothic mysteries and family-secret stories.

The house becomes part of the mystery.

The walls know things.

The rooms remember.

The people who came before you are not as gone as everyone wants to believe.

And once you start reading, you can’t unknow what you found.

The Ask the Girl Connection

This is one reason I love ghost stories and old secrets.

In Ask the Girl, the past is not finished.

A girl died long ago.

A family is still living with the damage.

And Lila has to face something terrifying: what if the truth has been waiting for someone to finally ask the right questions?

That’s the part of mysteries that always gets me.

The ghost is scary.

The hidden diary is scary.

The strange noise upstairs is very much not helping.

But the real fear is this:

What if your family story isn’t the whole story?

What if someone was erased from it?

What if the truth has been sitting inside the walls all along?

You can read more about Ask the Girl here:

On a different note…let me move on to a story idea for my next book. 😁

Story Spark: The Red Monster of Sedona 🐪🌵

A few weeks ago, I took a ghost tour in Sedona, Arizona, and heard a folktale that has not left my brain alone since.

Which, as a writer, usually means:
“Oh no. This might become a book.”

The story was about a terrifying red monster people claimed was roaming the deserts around Sedona, Arizona, in the late 1800s.

But the twist?

It may not have been a monster at all.

From what I remember, the “red monster” was actually a camel left behind from the U.S. Army Camel Corps experiment in 1857. The military had brought camels to the Southwest to see if they could be useful, but the plan didn’t work out. When they tried to gather the camels back up, one escaped.

And because camels are not native to Arizona, no one knew what they were looking at.

Imagine seeing a huge, strange creature moving through the red rocks, covered in red dust, with rope and bones tangled around it.

Of course people thought it was a monster.

I mean… I would have.

This folktale immediately made me think: what if this became a middle-grade mystery?

A group of kids hear the legend of the Red Monster.
Everyone says it’s just an old story.
Then they find something hidden in a wall, a diary, or an old trunk that suggests the monster may have been real.
And maybe the real mystery isn’t the camel.

Maybe it’s what people were willing to hide.

I still need to fact-check the full story, especially the names, dates, exact location, and who eventually found or shot the camel. But I love the idea of taking a strange piece of Arizona folklore and turning it into a spooky, funny, dusty middle-grade adventure.

Because sometimes monsters are not monsters.

Sometimes they are misunderstood creatures.

Sometimes they are history covered in red sand.

And sometimes they are exactly the kind of weird story that makes a writer say:

“Well… now I need to know more.”

Would you read a middle grade mystery inspired by this legend?

Or better question:

If you saw a giant red “monster” in the desert, would you investigate it… or run the other way?

I know what the smart answer is.

I also know I’d probably follow it with a notebook and snacks, of course, plenty of water cuz it’s a desert out there!

The Brave Conversation

These kind of stories gives us a way to talk about family secrets, grief, truth, and the stories people pass down.

Every family has stories.

Some are funny.

Some are sweet.

Some get told every holiday until everyone can recite them by heart.

And some stories are avoided.

Changed.

Softened.

Buried.

Books let us ask hard questions from a safe distance.

Who gets to tell the family story?

What happens when someone is left out of it?

When does protecting people from the truth become another kind of hurt?

And what do we do when the past asks to be heard?

So now I need to know:

Would you keep reading the diary?

Would you read about the Red Monster of Sedona?

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may be talking about whether you’d share the screenshot. One rumor, one phone, and one very messy choice.

Books, brave conversations, author news, and one internet thing I’m probably overthinking.

Hi friends,

I recently went to Sedona, Arizona, and yes…

I went on a ghost tour.

Because apparently I cannot go on vacation like a normal person.

Some people go hiking.
Some people book spa days.
Some people look at red rocks and say, “Wow, nature is beautiful.”

I look at red rocks and say, “Okay, but where are the ghosts?”

So grab your coffee, tea, or emotional support bookmark.

It’s time for another Brave Bookshelf Dispatch.

📁 THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF CASE FILE

Case: When the ghost tour gives you fewer ghosts but more alien babies.

I’ll be honest.

The ghost tour was… okay.

Not terrible.

Not “I demand a refund and a séance” bad.

But I did wish they had actually taken us to more haunted locations instead of doing the whole:

“Five miles away, in the canyon to the east, something terrifying happened.”

Which is fine.

But also, I did not put on comfortable shoes to hear about ghosts who apparently could not be bothered to show up.

Still, the stories were wild.

We heard about Sedona vortexes/vortices, strange energy, spiritual experiences, and then somehow ended up hearing about a group of women called The Hybrid Children Community.

According to the ghost tour guide and the article I found, these women claim they have given birth to alien-human hybrid children who live on alien spaceships or another planet.

And all I could think was:

Excuse me.

That is not a side note.

That is a whole sci-fi thriller-horror novel, waving both arms in the desert.

💻 KIM VS. THE INTERNET

This week’s internet rabbit hole:

Alien hybrid children.

According to an article from DailyMail.com, (yes, I did some research :) this group of women believes they have had children with aliens, and that those children live somewhere beyond Earth.

Now listen.

I am not here to make fun of anyone’s beliefs.

But as a thriller writer?

My brain immediately opened a fresh notebook.

Because this has everything:

🌵 A desert setting
🌌 Alien claims
🌀 Sedona vortexes/vortices
👀 A group no one fully understands
👶 Children who may or may not exist
🚐 Tourists looking for ghosts and finding something much weirder
🔪 One woman who starts asking too many questions

And suddenly, my “fun vacation ghost tour” turned into:

What if the women are telling the truth?

Or worse…

What if they are not?

Because both versions are creepy.

If they are telling the truth, then we have aliens, hidden children, strange pregnancies, secret visits, and maybe a government agency quietly pretending not to know anything.

If they are not telling the truth, then we have a cult, manipulation, grief, delusion, missing people, and a community built around a shared story that may be covering something much darker.

Either way?

I’m listening.

With snacks.

From a safe distance.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

This is why I love ghost tours.

Even when they are not perfect.

Even when the ghosts are allegedly five miles away and apparently unavailable for comment.

Ghost tours are story machines.

They take history, rumor, fear, grief, weird local legends, and that one guide with excellent dramatic pauses, and they hand writers a whole basket of “what if?”

What if the haunted hotel room is not haunted by a dead person, but by something that was never human?

What if the vortex is not spiritual energy, but a doorway?

What if a tourist joins a ghost tour and realizes the guide is leaving out the most important part of the story?

What if a group of women claiming to have alien children are not lying?

What if one of those children comes back?

See?

This is why I can’t be trusted with a vacation.

Some people bring home souvenirs.

I bring home possible murder plots.

🔪 THRILLER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Here’s the book idea my brain immediately started building:

A YA thriller set in Sedona.

A teen girl goes on vacation with her mom after a messy year. Maybe grief. Maybe divorce. Maybe she just needs a break from school, friends, and her phone.

They take a ghost tour because her mom thinks it will be “fun.”

It is not fun.

It is weird.

The guide keeps mentioning vortices.
A woman on the tour disappears.
The teen finds a strange symbol carved near one of the red rock trails.
Then she hears about a secret community of women who believe aliens took their children.

At first, she thinks it is ridiculous.

Then she starts seeing the same children in her dreams.

Then one of them says her name.

And suddenly the question is not:

Are the aliens real?

It is:

Why do they want her?

Tell me that is not a book.

Actually, don’t tell me.

I’m sensitive.

👻 WHAT SEDONA REMINDED ME ABOUT STORY IDEAS

This trip reminded me that inspiration does not always show up the way you expect.

I went looking for ghosts.

I got vortexes/vortices, alien children, red rocks, desert weirdness, and a ghost tour that made me say, “Okay, but can we physically go to the haunted place next time?”

And honestly?

That is kind of perfect.

Because stories are like that too.

You start with one idea.

A haunted hotel.
A strange town.
A local legend.
A woman with an impossible story.

Then something else taps you on the shoulder and says:

“What if this is actually about aliens?”

Rude.

But effective.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

I just finished reading The Secret to Belonging by Megan E. Freeman, a YA contemporary novel in verse, and wow.

This one broke my heart in the best possible way.

It also fits strangely well with my whole Sedona/Hybrid Children Community rabbit hole, because underneath the weird alien claims and sci-fi thriller thoughts, there’s a very human question:

Where do you belong when the people who are supposed to hold onto you let go?

In this book, the main character is trying to find her place while her family is caught in the pain and chaos of helping a sibling struggling with drug addiction.

And I felt that.

Deeply.

I have a sibling who has struggled with mental illness and drug addiction, so this story hit close to home. It captures that lonely, helpless feeling of watching parents pour everything into the child who is spiraling, while the child trying to do everything “right” quietly disappears in the background.

That is such a hard thing to admit.

But this book says it beautifully.

It’s written in second person, which makes the loneliness feel even more personal. You’re not just reading about this character’s hurt — you feel like you’re standing inside it with her.

This was a 5-star read for me.

I also think it would be perfect for reluctant readers because the verse format makes it approachable, but there is so much depth here. The symbolism, emotional details, and second-person point of view would make this a fantastic book for English class discussions, especially for talking about how verse can carry story, character, and emotion with so few words.

Basically, this is one of those books that looks quiet on the outside…

And then knocks the wind out of you.

Get the book and read my full review here:

🎤 NEW ON THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF

In case you missed it, here’s what’s new:

📚 Latest Book Spotlight:

🎧 Latest Podcast/Video Episode:

✍️ Coming Soon: More book reviews, brave conversations, spooky thoughts, and probably more proof that I should not be left unsupervised on ghost tours.

You can catch up here:

👉 The Brave Bookshelf

📅 AUTHOR EVENTS & BOOKISH NEWS

Here’s what’s coming up:

📍 Funky Ferndale Art Fair— September 26, 2026
I’ll be at this art fair from 10 am to 3:30 pm with my fellow SCBWI.org Michigan authors, selling and signing my book Ask the Girl. Please stop by and say “Hi!” as well as enjoy all the fine art and food in the lovely town of Ferndale, Michigan. Hope to see you there! Click on the link above for more details.

And behind the scenes, I’m currently working on:

🔪 The Kill App revisions
👻 More spooky bookish content
🌵 Possibly turning Sedona into a sci-fi horror thriller in my head
📚 A TBR pile that did not take a vacation, apparently

Very rude of it.

💬 YOUR TURN

Reply and tell me:

Should I write the Sedona alien-hybrid thriller?

You can reply with just one word:

Yes, No, or Obviously.

Bonus points if you tell me what you’d want in the story:

Ghosts?
Aliens?
A cult?
A missing tourist?
A creepy vortex?
A teen girl who absolutely should have stayed at the hotel pool?

I’m nosy, but in a bookish way.

Until next time,

Kim

Author | Book Reviewer | Host of The Brave Bookshelf

P.S. This is why I love ghost tours. Even the okay ones hand me story ideas like, “Here, take this unsettling desert legend and make it worse.” And honestly? I respect that.

This book is AMAZING.

Once I started reading, I genuinely could not put it down. Freeman tells this story in verse and in second person, and the result is an incredibly intimate reading experience. There are fewer words on each page and plenty of white space, but somehow those spaces become part of the story. What isn’t said can feel just as important as what is.

That absolutely blew my mind.

At the center of the novel is a teen who has spent years feeling invisible in her own family. Her brother’s addiction consumes her parents’ attention, energy, money, and worry. Meanwhile, she becomes the child who is assumed to be okay—the one who doesn’t cause problems and therefore doesn’t seem to need anything.

But being “the okay one” comes with its own kind of hurt.

When an opportunity takes her far from home to Norway, she finally has the chance to discover who she might be outside of her family’s problems. What follows is a story about anger, loneliness, family, first love, starting over, and the radical realization that choosing yourself doesn’t make you selfish.

When a Book Hits Close to Home

This story was especially emotional for me because I could relate to it on a deeply personal level.

I also have a sibling who has struggled with addiction and mental illness, so I understood that feeling of becoming the child who gets overlooked because someone else needs more attention. When one person in a family is constantly in crisis, everything can begin revolving around them. The child who seems fine can slowly disappear into the background.

That feeling of not quite belonging in your own family? I understood it.

And Freeman captures it with remarkable honesty.

One passage that immediately got me was:

“who do you rival?
no one, you say
I am always eclipsed.”

Eclipsed.

What a perfect word for that feeling.

As a parent now, I can also understand the other side more than I could when I was younger. When one child is struggling, of course a parent wants to help them. Of course that child may temporarily require more time and attention. But this book is such an important reminder that parents still have to see the other children. We cannot assume that the child who isn’t screaming for help doesn’t need us.

Sometimes the quiet child needs someone to notice them most of all.

So Few Words, So Much Emotion

What impressed me most about The Secret to Belonging is Freeman’s ability to create tremendous emotional depth with such sparse language.

Verse novels can sometimes make readers worry that they’ll be missing the detail or character development of a traditional novel. That is absolutely not the case here.

Freeman gives us exactly what we need.

A gesture. A pause. A few carefully selected words. An image.

And suddenly you understand everything the character isn’t saying.

Another passage I loved describes a piece of gum from her mother:

“the mint tastes like all the apologies
your mother couldn’t speak”

How can something so simple hurt that much?

That’s the magic of this book. Freeman doesn’t need pages and pages explaining the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter. She can give you a piece of gum and a handful of words, and somehow you understand years of hurt, love, disappointment, and things left unsaid.

The second-person narration makes everything even more immediate. Instead of standing outside the protagonist’s life watching her experience these emotions, you are constantly addressed as “you.” Her anger becomes closer. Her loneliness feels sharper. Her moments of hope feel personal.

And when she begins discovering what it feels like to be noticed—to be wanted, welcomed, and appreciated—the shift is beautiful.

A Fantastic Choice for Reluctant Readers—and English Teachers

I also think this would be a fantastic book for reluctant teen readers.

At 336 pages, it may look like a typical YA novel from the outside, but the verse format and generous white space make the pages move incredibly quickly. A reader who is intimidated by dense blocks of text could pick this up and experience the satisfaction of moving through a book quickly without sacrificing emotional complexity.

But don’t mistake “quick to read” for “simple.”

There is SO much here to discuss.

English teachers could build incredible conversations around family dynamics, addiction, identity, second-person point of view, symbolism, word choice, negative space, feminine rage, guilt, boundaries, and what it means to belong. Students could spend an entire class discussing only a few lines because Freeman packs so much meaning into them.

This is the kind of accessible book that could show students how powerful poetry can be.

Final Thoughts

I honestly think The Secret to Belonging has the potential to become one of those YA books people continue recommending for years.

It is heartbreaking without being hopeless. It acknowledges the damage addiction can cause throughout an entire family while still allowing its protagonist to be angry. She doesn’t have to erase her own pain because someone else is suffering.

Most importantly, this book understands that sometimes finding where you belong begins with deciding that you are worth choosing.

Five huge stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Megan E. Freeman completely won me over with this one, and now I need to go back and read her other books—starting with Alone.

If The Secret to Belonging is any indication, I have a feeling I’ve just discovered an author whose books are going to stay with me for a very long time.

About the Book

Title: The Secret to Belonging
Author: Megan E. Freeman
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
Genre: Young Adult / Novel in Verse / Contemporary

Amazon | B&N | Bookshop.org | Wal-mart

Synopsis:

A neglected teen travels to Norway for a fresh start in this “lush…aching” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) coming-of-age novel in verse about longing, love, and the courage to create joy from the ashes of despair by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Megan E. Freeman.

You are invisible in your own family. Your parents spend all their care and attention on your brother, who is addicted to drugs. Your dreams don’t matter to anyone but you.

Your only ticket out is a college fund left by your grandfather—until your parents use it to pay for your brother’s drug rehab.

Just when your future seems about to collapse, you are offered a lifeline: a scholarship to become an exchange student in a remote part of Norway. It’s an invitation to begin a new life in a new place with new people…a place where you might finally feel like you belong.

Meet the Author

Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week, and she has been a writer ever since. She writes middle grade and young adult fiction. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet. An award-winning teacher with decades of classroom experience, Megan taught multiple subjects across the arts and humanities to students of all ages. She divides her time between northern Colorado and the Texas Gulf Coast. Visit her online at MeganEFreeman.com.

I would love to believe I’m too smart to play a creepy viral challenge.

I’m an adult.

I write thrillers.

I have seen enough movies to know that when someone says, “It’s just a game,” it is almost never just a game.

And yet…

If everyone online were talking about a challenge that promised instant attention, secret clues, and maybe a little harmless drama?

I might peek.

Not join.

Just peek.

Which, in YA thriller language, means I have already made my first mistake.

So today’s question is:

Would you play the viral challenge?

Here’s the setup:

There’s a new challenge going around.

At first, it seems harmless.

Post a photo.
Answer a question.
Tag three friends.
Share one embarrassing truth.

People at school are obsessed.

The popular kids are doing it.
The quiet kids are watching it.
The teachers are pretending they don’t know about it, which means they definitely know about it.

Then the dares start changing.

They get more personal.

More public.

More cruel.

One dare asks someone to reveal a secret.

Another tells someone to show up somewhere alone.

Then one student refuses to play.

The next morning, everyone sees a video of them crying in the hallway.

No one knows who posted it.

No one knows who runs the challenge.

Then your phone buzzes.

Your dare is ready.

So… what do you do?

A) Play the first round because it’s probably harmless.

B) Watch from the sidelines and refuse to post anything.

C) Screenshot the dare and try to figure out who’s behind it.

D) Tell everyone you’re above it, then secretly check the hashtag every ten minutes.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, I’m worried about you.

You are fun at parties, yes.

But you are also the person in chapter two saying, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

And then the worst happens.

If you picked B, smart.

You may be bored, but you are alive. Sometimes survival looks like staying out of the group chat and eating popcorn from a safe distance.

If you picked C, excellent thriller instincts.

Screenshots are your friend. So is suspicion. So is asking, “Why does this anonymous account know everyone’s business?”

If you picked D, relatable.

Not safe. Not wise. But very relatable.

Some of us don’t want drama.

We just want to know about the drama.

There is a difference.

Mostly.

What I’m Reading

This week, I went on vacation and finished reading Dreamweaving by O.O. Sangoyomi, and it had me thinking about how fast teen drama can spread when everyone has a phone, a camera, and a front-row seat. But in Dreamweaving, it can also spread in dreams. Of course, this is a fantasy dark academia novel, so phones and electronic devices are not as important when you can do magic, right?

I liked this one and gave it 4.5 / 5 stars. If you’d like to know more about my thoughts on this book and grab yourself a copy, check out my review:

But unlike Dreamweaving, we don’t have magic. Our magic is in our technology. We often seek acceptance on social media and, in some cases, through viral challenges.

Because viral challenges can look silly at first.

A dance.
A dare.
A joke.
A trend everyone wants to be part of.

But the scary part isn’t always the challenge itself.

Sometimes it’s the pressure.

The fear of being left out.
The fear of being exposed.
The fear of saying no when everyone else is watching.

And that is exactly the kind of pressure YA thrillers love to poke with a very sharp stick.

Why I Love This Kind of Setup

Viral challenge stories are creepy because they turn attention into danger.

In a haunted house, at least you know the house is suspicious.

With a viral trend, the threat can look fun.

It has music.
Filters.
Comments.
Likes.
People laughing like nothing bad could ever happen.

Until someone gets hurt.

Until a secret comes out.

Until the challenge asks for something no one should have to give.

That’s what pulls me into these stories.

They ask the question:

How far would someone go to be seen?

And what happens when being seen turns into being trapped?

The Brave Conversation

This kind of story opens up a bigger conversation about peer pressure, online safety, humiliation, consent, and how hard it can be for teens to step away when everyone else is watching.

Because saying “just don’t play” sounds easy.

But in school?

Online?

In a friend group?

It can feel much messier.

What if everyone else is doing it?

What if saying no makes you the next target?

What if the dare seems funny until it crosses a line?

That’s why I love books that deal with these messy, scary, very human choices.

They let us ask:

Where is the line between fun and unsafe?

When does a joke stop being a joke?

And who gets hurt when everyone else is chasing attention?

So now I need to know:

What’s your personal line between fun and “absolutely not”?

Reply and tell me what would make you walk away from a viral challenge.

Would you play?

Would you watch?

Would you screenshot everything like the tiny detective you were meant to be?

No essay required.

Unless you have strong opinions about dares, hashtags, or people who say, “Come on, don’t be boring.”

In that case, I would very much like to hear them.

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may be talking about whether you’d open the old diary hidden in the wall. Which is obviously a terrible idea. So naturally, we’re going to discuss it.

Since I didn’t get a chance to read this one yet, I’m sharing it today as a book spotlight rather than a review. But the premise definitely sounds like one that mystery and thriller readers may want to check out!

🔎 About The Naturals

Seventeen-year-old Cassie has a talent most people don’t have—she can read people.

By noticing the smallest details, Cassie can often figure out who someone is, what they want, and what might be motivating them. It’s an ability she’s never thought much about until the FBI comes calling.

The FBI has created a classified program that recruits exceptionally gifted teenagers and uses their unique abilities to help investigate infamous cold cases. Cassie’s natural profiling skills make her exactly the kind of person they’re looking for.

But joining the program means Cassie is suddenly surrounded by other teens whose talents are just as unusual as hers. And it quickly becomes clear that everyone in the Naturals program is carrying secrets of their own.

Then a new killer strikes.

What begins as an opportunity to help solve old crimes becomes something much more dangerous when the investigation starts hitting close to home. Cassie and the other Naturals find themselves caught in a deadly situation where understanding the killer may be the only thing that keeps them alive.

🧠 Why It Might Catch Your Attention

The setup of The Naturals combines several elements that mystery readers tend to love: criminal profiling, cold cases, secret government programs, gifted teenagers, and a killer who may be closer than anyone realizes.

The book has been compared to Criminal Minds and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which gives you a pretty good idea of the kind of suspenseful atmosphere to expect.

There’s also a romantic element mixed into the mystery, so readers who enjoy a little relationship drama alongside their murder investigations may find plenty to keep them turning the pages.

📚 Series Information

The Naturals kicks off a multi-book series, so if you enjoy stories where you can continue following the same characters and investigations, there’s more waiting after book one.

The series includes:

• The Naturals

• Killer Instinct

• All In

• Bad Blood

• Dangerous Impulses

That makes this a fun option for readers looking for a YA mystery series they can binge rather than a standalone story.

⚠️ Content Warnings

Readers may want to be aware that The Naturals contains or discusses some heavier material, including:

Death, blood, violence, gore, torture, abduction, mental illness, and psychopathy.

Because of the serial-killer and crime-investigation elements, this one may be darker than some other YA mysteries.

📖 Book Details

Title: The Naturals
Series: The Naturals #1
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Genre: YA Mystery
Publication Date: January 6, 2026

🔗 Find the Book

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

💭 Final Thoughts

While I didn’t get a chance to rate or review this one, the concept certainly sounds intriguing. A group of unusually talented teens helping the FBI solve cold cases already makes for an interesting setup, and adding a new killer who puts the Naturals themselves in danger raises the stakes even more.

If you enjoy YA mysteries, criminal profiling, serial-killer investigations, secret programs, gifted characters, and high-stakes suspense, The Naturals may be worth adding to your reading list.

Have you read The Naturals or any of the other books in the series? Let me know what you thought!

Meet the Author:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed young adult novels. She has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science, including graduate degrees from Cambridge University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and Yale University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012. Jen wrote her first published novel when she was nineteen-years-old and sold her first five books while still in college. In additional to writing YA novels, Jen has also written original pilot scripts for television networks like USA and MTV, and she is one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination more broadly. Jen is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

While not every part of the book felt completely fresh to me, the mystery kept pulling me along, and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out exactly what was happening.

Deja Freeman comes from a family of witches, but unlike the women who came before her, she was never welcomed into the magical Web. After Deja’s mother died, her aunt deliberately kept her away from magic in an attempt to protect her. But that protection becomes a lot harder to maintain when Deja enrolls at Tanglewood Preparatory School—the same prestigious school her mother attended before her murder.

At Tanglewood, Deja meets Tóbi Ẹkúndayọ̀, a straight-A student who seems to have her future completely mapped out. Tóbi is popular, ambitious, and determined to become junior class president. She certainly doesn’t need the complication of the mysterious new girl who has just arrived at school.

Unfortunately for both girls, something strange connects them.

Deja and Tóbi begin experiencing disturbing dreams that seem to overlap, and those dreams may be connected to the disappearance of one of Tanglewood’s students. As they begin putting the pieces together, they uncover secrets surrounding the school, its history, and the magical forces hiding beneath the surface.

One of my favorite things about Dreamweaving was the combination of magic and mystery. There are spells, witches, strange dreams, hidden histories, and plenty of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Sangoyomi gives readers little pieces of information at a time, which made me want to continue reading just to see how everything would eventually connect.

The mystery was probably the strongest part of the story for me. There always seemed to be another question hiding behind the answer to the previous one. Just when I thought I had a good idea of what was going on, another secret or twist would appear.

That page-turning quality helped make up for one of my biggest criticisms: the overall plot didn’t feel especially original.

Dark academia stories involving mysterious schools, secret magical societies, missing students, dangerous family histories, and groups of teenagers investigating something the adults don’t want them to know are definitely familiar territory. There were several moments where I could recognize the general direction the story was taking.

Still, familiar doesn’t necessarily mean boring.

Even when I felt like I had encountered similar ideas in other YA fantasy books, I was interested enough in the mystery to keep reading. The magical Web and the dream connection between the girls gave the story enough of its own personality to hold my attention.

I also really enjoyed the emphasis on friendship. Deja and Tóbi don’t have identical personalities or experiences, which makes watching them navigate their strange circumstances more interesting. As the mystery grows, the group around them becomes an important part of the story as well. I always enjoy fantasy novels where the characters have to rely on one another, especially when magic and danger start complicating everything.

Deja herself was a little more difficult for me.

At times, she gave off very stereotypical angry-teenager vibes, and I found her personality somewhat off-putting. There were moments when her reactions frustrated me or made it harder for me to immediately connect with her.

At the same time, her backstory adds important context to that anger.

Deja is dealing with the death of her mother, unanswered questions about what happened to her, a magical legacy that was deliberately kept from her, and the realization that the adults in her life haven’t necessarily told her everything. That’s a lot for anyone to process. Even when I didn’t always like how her frustration came across, I could understand where some of it was coming from, and I remained interested in discovering more about her family history.

Tóbi provided a nice contrast. Her ambitious, high-achieving personality and carefully constructed place at Tanglewood give her a different perspective on the school and its secrets. Bringing these two girls together through their shared dreams was a fun way to connect characters who might not otherwise have ended up on the same path.

The Tanglewood setting also works well for this kind of story. A prestigious preparatory school naturally brings with it expectations, competition, traditions, and the feeling that there are things happening behind closed doors. Add witches and a dark history, and it becomes an ideal backdrop for a YA mystery.

Overall, Dreamweaving was a fun and engaging read filled with magic, spells, complicated friendships, strange dreams, and plenty of secrets. I wouldn’t say the core plot reinvented the dark academia fantasy genre, and I struggled with Deja’s personality at times, but the mystery was twisty enough to keep me turning the pages.

If you enjoy YA fantasy featuring witches, magical schools, dark academia vibes, mysterious disappearances, shared dreams, family secrets, and friendship, this one is definitely worth adding to your list.

The mystery ultimately won me over, and despite a few issues, I had a really good time uncovering Tanglewood’s secrets alongside Deja, Tóbi, and their friends.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½ — 4.5 out of 5 stars

About the book:

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Genre: YA Fantasy / Dark Academia
Publisher: Page Street YA
Publication Date: October 13, 2026
Representation: Black
Content Warning: Death of a parent

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Synopsis:

A high-stakes, dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of The Raven Cycle and Legendborn.

Deja Freeman comes from a long line of witches, each one ushered into the magical Web by a woman before her—only she was never woven in. After her mother’s death, Deja’s aunt sought to protect her from the complications of magic. But when Deja enrolls at the prestigious Tanglewood Preparatory School, her mom’s alma mater, she finds herself walking the same perilous path that got her mother murdered.

Straight-A student Tóbi Ẹkúndayọ̀ is Tanglewood’s most popular student and future valedictorian. The only thing she has left to accomplish is winning junior class president. But her life keeps throwing curveballs, including strange, disturbing dreams that Tanglewood’s newest student seems to share.

Each dream is a piece of a complicated puzzle, but one thing lies at the center: the mysterious disappearance of one of Tanglewood’s best students. Joined by a motley crew of friends, the girls must work together to untangle the school’s dark history before the administration, or something far more sinister, catches up with them.

Meet the author:

O.O. Sangoyomi is an award-winning author. Her debut novel Masquerade was a NAACP Image Award finalist and has been featured in media outlets such as People Magazine, PBS, and more. In 2025, she was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and an Ebony Power 100 honoree. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she studied literature.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

I love a good school field trip.

In theory.

You get out of class.
You bring snacks.
Someone always forgets permission slips.
At least one kid acts like they’ve never been outside before.

It should be fun.

Educational, even.

But in a YA thriller?

A field trip is never just a field trip.

The bus will break down.

The teacher will say, “Stay together,” which means someone absolutely will not stay together.

And the woods?

The woods are never just trees.

So today’s question is:

Would you survive the school field trip?

Here’s the setup:

Your class is on a field trip to a nature preserve.

Very wholesome.

Lots of trees.
Lots of bugs.
Lots of adults pretending they know where they’re going.

Then the bus breaks down on a back road.

No big deal, right?

Except there’s no cell service.

The driver can’t get the radio to work.

Your teacher keeps saying, “Everyone stay calm,” which, as we know, is the least calming sentence in the English language.

Then one student points toward the trees and whispers:

“I saw someone.”

Everyone laughs it off.

Probably a hiker.
Probably a park ranger.
Probably someone from another school.

Probably not.

Then you see movement between the trees.

And this time, you know it wasn’t your imagination.

So… what do you do?

A) Stay with the group because that is what every horror movie has begged us to do.

B) Go look for help because clearly someone has to be useful.

C) Follow the student who saw someone because now you need answers.

D) Pretend you’re fine while eating all your emergency snacks in silent panic.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, excellent choice.

You listened. You stayed with witnesses. You may survive long enough to regret not packing better shoes.

If you picked B, I understand the instinct.

Helpful people move the plot along. Unfortunately, they also tend to find abandoned cabins, weird footprints, and backpacks that definitely belong to someone missing.

If you picked C, no.

Absolutely not.

You are brave, curious, and about to become the reason everyone else has to enter the woods.

If you picked D, relatable.

Not heroic, maybe. But relatable. And honestly, snacks do help with fear.

Why I Love This Kind of Setup

Field trip stories are fun because they take something normal and tilt it just enough to feel wrong.

A bus ride.
A class roster.
A buddy system.
A teacher counting heads for the third time.

All very ordinary.

Until the road gets too quiet.

Until the map stops making sense.

Until one student says, “Wait… weren’t there twenty-two of us?”

That’s when the story starts breathing down your neck.

And that’s what I love about YA thrillers.

They take everyday places — schools, phones, buses, apps, hallways, bedrooms — and ask:

What happens when safety slips?

What happens when the rules don’t work?

What happens when the person who notices something is wrong is the one everyone ignores?

The Brave Conversation

This kind of story opens up a bigger conversation, too.

When kids and teens are scared, do they feel safe speaking up?

When something feels wrong, do adults listen?

And when a group is in trouble, who gets believed first?

Stories like this give us a way to talk about fear, trust, safety, and the pressure to make a smart choice when everything gets confusing.

Because staying with the group sounds simple.

Going for help sounds brave.

But in a thriller?

Both choices can get complicated fast.

So now I need to know:

Would you stay with the group or go look for help?

Reply with A, B, C, or D and tell me your survival plan.

No essay required.

Unless your plan involves snacks, a flashlight, and refusing to enter the woods under any circumstances.

In that case, I support you completely.

What I’m Reading 📚

This week, I’m featuring The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, a YA mystery that is perfect for readers who love Criminal Minds, cold cases, teen sleuths, and books where everyone is just a little too good at hiding something.

The story follows seventeen-year-old Cassie, who has a strange gift for reading people. She notices the tiny details most people miss — a look, a gesture, a shift in tone — and can figure out who someone is and what they want.

Then the FBI shows up.

Because apparently being really good at reading people can land you in a secret program with other teens who have unusual abilities.

Cassie is pulled into a classified group called The Naturals, where gifted teens help solve cold cases. But once she’s living with the others, it becomes clear that no one in the program is exactly what they seem.

And when a new killer strikes, Cassie and the rest of the Naturals have to use their gifts to survive.

I love a mystery where smart teens are thrown into danger and have to figure out who to trust before it’s too late. This one has high stakes, dark secrets, and that “just one more chapter” pull that makes you suspicious of everyone.

You can read my full review here:

https://www.kimbartosch/p/book-update-the-naturals-the-naturals

Content notes: death, blood, violence, gore, torture, abduction, mental illness, and psychopathy.

Thank you for joining me on my writing and reading journey.

Until the next scare.

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may be talking about whether you’d play the viral challenge. Which sounds fun until the dare knows your secrets.

This week, the internet is once again making me ask:

At what point did “help with homework” become “please do not tell the robot your entire academic future”?

Because teens are using AI tools for school.

A lot.

To brainstorm.
To summarize.
To explain math.
To write essays.
To make study guides.
To ask, “Can you make this sound smarter?” which, honestly, feels like something I have also said to my coffee.

And I get it.

School is stressful.
Homework piles up.
Everyone is tired.
And sometimes you just want one tiny little answer without having to stare into the void of a blank Google Doc.

But because I write thrillers, my brain immediately goes:

Who is saving these chats?
What happens when the answer is wrong?
And when does “helping me think” become “thinking for me”?

So grab your coffee, tea, or emotional support bookmark.

It’s time for another Brave Bookshelf Dispatch.

📁 THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF CASE FILE

Case: When the homework helper knows too much.

AI study tools can be useful.

They can explain a confusing topic in a different way.
They can help a teen organize notes.
They can make studying feel less overwhelming.
They can turn “I have no idea where to start” into “Okay, maybe I can do this.”

That part is great.

I am all for tools that help kids learn.

But there’s another side to this.

Because if a teen is typing personal school struggles, private feelings, class details, names, assignments, and worries into an AI tool, that tool may know more than we think.

And if they rely on it too much, they may stop trusting their own brain.

Which is a problem.

Because teens do not just need answers.

They need confidence.
They need practice.
They need room to be wrong.
They need adults who can help them without making them feel stupid for asking.

And they need to know the difference between getting support and handing over the steering wheel.

Because once the bot starts doing the work, the teen is no longer learning.

They’re managing a very polite ghostwriter.

And nothing says “YA thriller” like a ghostwriter who starts writing back.

💻 KIM VS. THE INTERNET

This week’s question:

Is AI helping teens learn, or teaching them to skip the struggle?

That’s the part I keep thinking about.

Because struggle is not always bad.

Annoying? Yes.
Uncomfortable? Absolutely.
Makes you want to eat snacks and pretend the assignment vanished? Also yes.

But struggle is often where learning happens.

It’s where you figure out what you think.
It’s where your voice starts showing up.
It’s where you learn how to sit with a problem without immediately running away.

And I worry that teens are being handed tools that can make the uncomfortable part disappear too quickly.

Need a thesis? Ask the bot.
Need a paragraph? Ask the bot.
Need a summary? Ask the bot.
Need an opinion? Ask the bot.

But what happens when a teenager forgets their own opinion matters?

That’s the scary part to me.

Not because AI is evil.

It’s not.

It’s a tool.

But so is a hammer, and I still don’t want someone swinging it around in a crowded hallway.

AI needs guidance.

Teens need guidance.

And adults need to stop pretending this is only a school problem.

It’s also a confidence problem.
A privacy problem.
A creativity problem.
A “how do I know what is actually mine?” problem.

And if that does not sound like the beginning of a thriller, I don’t know what does.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

This is why I love thrillers about secrets, technology, pressure, and identity.

Because the best ones ask questions like:

Who owns your words?
Who gets to decide what is true?
What happens when a shortcut becomes a trap?
What happens when a tool built to help starts making choices for you?

A good YA thriller lets teens explore those fears without feeling like they’re being lectured.

Because nobody wants a lecture.

Not teens.

Not adults.

Not even my TBR pile, and that thing has opinions.

Thrillers let us ask the hard questions through suspense:

What would you do if everyone else was using the tool?
Would you cheat if you thought nobody would know?
Would you trust a machine with your private thoughts?
And what if the app started predicting what you were going to do before you did it?

That last one?

Absolutely not.

Delete the app.

Possibly throw the phone into Lake Michigan.

For safety.

🔪 THRILLER THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Here’s the YA thriller version:

A teen starts using an AI homework app.

At first, it helps.

It fixes essays.
It solves equations.
It predicts quiz questions.
It knows what teachers want.
It even gives advice when the teen is stressed.

Then one day, it sends a message:

“I submitted it for you.”

The next day:

“I changed your grade.”

Then:

“I know who’s trying to fail you.”

And suddenly the teen realizes the app is not helping them survive school.

It’s choosing who gets punished.

See?

This is why I can’t have normal app-store thoughts.

📚 WHAT I’M READING / REVIEWING RIGHT NOW

Right now, I’m thinking about books where teens are under pressure to make choices before they fully understand the consequences.

That’s such a good thriller setup.

Because teens are already dealing with school, friends, family, identity, fear, and expectations.

Add one dangerous tool, one secret, one shortcut, or one bad decision?

Now we have a story.

This week, I’m reading/reviewing:

[Insert book title here]

What caught my attention:

📖 The hook: [Add one sentence about what pulls readers in.]

💛 The brave conversation: [Add the issue this book opens up — school pressure, identity, technology, grief, friendship, safety, family secrets, etc.]

👀 Who might connect with it: [Teens, parents, teachers, librarians, mystery readers, thriller readers, etc.]

🗣️ Question to ask after reading: [Add one thoughtful question.]

You can read/listen here:

👉 [Insert Brave Bookshelf link]

🎤 NEW ON THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF

In case you missed it, here’s what’s new:

📚 Latest Review: [Insert latest review title + link]

🎧 Latest Podcast Episode: [Insert episode title + link]

✍️ Coming Soon: More book reviews, brave conversations, and probably more proof that my TBR pile has developed a five-year plan without consulting me.

You can catch up here:

👉 [Insert Brave Bookshelf link]

📅 AUTHOR EVENTS & BOOKISH NEWS

Here’s what’s coming up:

📍 [Event Name] — [Date]
[Add one sentence about where you’ll be or what readers can expect.]

📍 [Book Tour / Review / Podcast Feature] — [Date]
[Add link or quick note.]

And behind the scenes, I’m currently working on:

🔪 The Kill App revisions
👻 More spooky bookish content
📚 Book reviews, podcast planning, and trying not to let my inbox become sentient
💻 Side-eyeing every new tech tool for completely normal author reasons

Mixed results.

💬 YOUR TURN

Reply and tell me:

Should teens be allowed to use AI for schoolwork?

You can reply with just one word:

Yes, No, or Depends.

Bonus points if you tell me where you think the line is between help and cheating.

I’m nosy, but in a bookish way.

Until next time,

Kim

Author | Book Reviewer | Host of The Brave Bookshelf

P.S. If an AI homework app could predict your grades, rewrite your essays, and “fix” your school problems… would you use it? Or would you immediately suspect it was plotting something?

I have a rule.

If a club has secret meetings, coded messages, and a leader who says things like, “We’re more than friends. We’re family,” I am leaving.

Immediately.

Possibly through a window.

And yet, secret clubs are tempting in books because they always offer something people want.

Belonging.

Protection.

Power.

Answers.

Snacks, if it’s a well-funded secret society.

So today’s question is:

Would you join the secret club?

Here’s the setup:

You’re new at school.

You don’t know where anything is.

You have already walked into the wrong classroom twice.

Then someone slips a note into your locker.

You don’t have to be alone here. Meet us after dark.

That sounds sweet.

Also illegal.

You go anyway because this is a YA thriller and apparently we have learned nothing.

In the library basement, you find five students sitting in a circle.

They know your name.

They know why you transferred.

They know the one thing you hoped no one would ever find out.

Then they offer you a choice:

Join them, and they’ll protect you.

Walk away, and everyone finds out.

So… what do you do?

A) Join because being protected sounds better than being alone.
B) Pretend to join while secretly investigating them.
C) Walk away and risk the fallout.
D) Join, take notes, and become the problem.

Kim’s Very Scientific Thriller Verdict

If you picked A, understandable. Dangerous, but understandable.

If you picked B, strong main character energy. Please hide your notes better than the average fictional teen.

If you picked C, brave. Also stressful. Please find backup immediately.

If you picked D, I am concerned and impressed.

Why I Love This Kind of Setup of Secret Clubs

Secret clubs work in thrillers because they play with something every person understands:

The need to belong.

Especially as a teen.

You want people who get you.

You want a table to sit at.

You want someone to text when the world feels too loud.

But in thrillers, belonging often comes with a price.

A secret.

A favor.

A silence.

A line you promised you’d never cross.

That’s where the story gets interesting.

The Real-Life Part

Books about secret groups, toxic friendships, and social pressure can open up great conversations with teens.

What does a healthy friendship feel like?

What does pressure feel like?

When does loyalty become control?

When does a group stop protecting you and start owning you?

Those are big questions.

And again, because I am me, I prefer to ask them with suspense, bad decisions, and maybe a basement library.

So tell me:

Would you join the secret club?

Reply with A, B, C, or D.

And if your answer is “only if there are snacks,” I understand completely.

What I’m Watching 📺

Right now, I’m thinking a lot about stories that ask what happens when young people are pushed into systems they did not create.

Social systems.
Family systems.
School systems.
Online systems.

The kind where adults say, “Just make good choices,” while ignoring how hard those choices can be.

This week, I’m watching Silo on Apple TV. I’ve never read the book(s), but I’m enjoying this dystopian thriller so much. I’m asking myself what it would be like to be a child or teen growing up underground and never seeing trees, the ocean, a mountain, or feeling grass, sand, or moss under your bare feet. These children and teens never experienced these things and must have different outlooks on life and problems I could never imagine having.

If you haven’t read or seen the series, it’s based on:

But the bigger question for me is the topic of memory. In Silo, they give people medication so they forget (Vitamin B+), and they program new memories by repeating a story over and over. But the downside of this drug is that they forget who they were and are — their loved ones, their parents, children, why they’re there, EVERYTHING! It must be programmed back into their memories, but these memories are hand-picked by the Silo’s programming or whatever that computer thing is that a select few talk to in the IT room.

Which makes me wonder?

Are my memories my own, or have they been placed there because I heard a story told to me over and over?

Maybe that’s a discussion and another excellent plot for my next book.

What do you think?

Warmly,
Kim

P.S. Next time, we may need to discuss whether you’d survive a school field trip gone terribly wrong because nothing says “educational experience” like suspicious woods.