From the author of the New York Times bestselling My Dearest Darkest comes another incredible sapphic horror. When four best friends with a hunger for human flesh attend a music festival in the desert they discover a murderous plot to expose and vilify the girls and everyone like them. This summer is going to get gory.
Two years ago, a small percentage of population underwent a transformation known as the Hollowing. Those affected were only able to survive by consuming human flesh. The people who went without quickly became feral, turning on their friends and family. Luckily, scientists were able to create a synthetic version of human meat that would satisfy their hunger. As a result, humanity slowly began to return to normal.
Cut to Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine, four hollow girls living in Southern California. As a last hurrah before graduation they decide to attend a musical festival in the heart of the desert. They have a cooler filled with seltzer, vodka, and Synflesh... and are ready to party.
But on the first night of the festival Val goes feral and ends up killing and eating a boy in one of the bands. As other festival guests start disappearing around them the girls soon discover someone is targeting people like them. And if they can't figure out how to stop it, and soon, no one at the festival is getting out alive.
*Bustle Best Book of March 2022
*Buzzfeed Highly Anticipated YA Novel
*Lambda Literary Most Anticipated LGBTQIA+
*BookRiot Best New Dark Academia YA Book
Wilder Girls meets The Craft in this Sapphic horror debut that asks: what price would you be willing to pay to achieve your deepest desires?
Finch Chamberlin is the newest transfer student to the ultra-competitive Ulalume Academy... but she's also not what she seems. Months before school started, Finch and her parents got into an accident that should have left her dead at the bottom of the river. But something monstrous, and ancient, and terrifying, wouldn't let her drown. Finch doesn't know why she woke up after her heart stopped, but since dying she's felt a constant pull from the school and the surrounding town of Rainwater, like something on the island is calling to her.
Selena St. Clair sees right through Finch, and she knows something is seriously wrong with her. But despite Selena's suspicion, she feels drawn to Finch and has a sinking feeling that from now on the two will be inexplicably linked to one another.
One night Finch, Selena, and her friends accidentally summon a carnivorous creature of immense power in the depths of the school. It promises to grant every desire the girls have kept locked away in their insecure hearts--beauty, power, adoration--in exchange for a price: human body parts. But as the cost of their wanting becomes more deadly, Finch and Selena must learn to work together to stop the horror they unleashed, before it consumes the entire island.
Thirteen-year-old perfectionist Riley Bailey doesn't have time for friends. She's too busy making her Ivy League dreams a reality. Her only friend, Genevieve, is more of a persistent neighbor with an obsession for all things supernatural than actual confidante. But one night, Genevieve convinces Riley to sneak out and investigate the strange lights that have suddenly appeared in the surrounding woods.
They follow the lights to find a magnificent circus in a clearing. Tickets cannot be purchased; guests must be invited and accept the invitation.
Uncharacteristically, Riley finds herself immediately drawn to the carefree fun of the all-kids circus, where there are no adults to spoil the magic. She is particularly captivated by Miss Starr, the mysterious 16-year-old ringleader who always seems to be nearby.
Genevieve is the first to point out the strange aspects of the circus, the troupe, and Miss Starr. Why do all the kids have a ghostly appearance? How is it that they can perform impossible feats without getting hurt? Why is Miss Starr so intent on convincing Riley to join her circus? And why does one of the troupe members look so familiar?
Riley finds herself caught between Starr and her alluring circus and Genevieve's attempts to convince her that something is wrong. Will Riley solve the mystery unfolding in the circus tent before the final curtain falls? Or will she runaway with the circus forever?