ARC Review: Survival Show (Survival Show #1) by Juno Dawson

 

American Idol meets The Hunger Games in this campy, dystopian satire about a teen betting her life that her singing talent can make her a star from the celebrated author of This Book Is Gay, Juno Dawson.

The world just seems to take and take from Taryn Beck, but there’s one thing it’ll never have: her voice. Only when she’s singing does Taryn feel like she can escape her reality—free from the aftermath of the War, free from the Scottish refugee camps where she and her family now live, and free from the responsibility of making ends meet for the sake of her sick brother.

Taryn’s voice is her one ticket out, and that’s why she enters to be a contestant on the world’s most watched television program: Starmaker, where kids from the New Peace Global Alliance compete for the chance to join an all-singing, all-dancing pop group. Rise to the top, and a life of luxury, stardom, and money awaits.

There’s only one small catch. The lowest ranking face a televised public execution. Starmaker thanks their participants for their noble sacrifice to Project Population.

Taryn’s about to sing for her life.

Title: Survival Show (Survival Show #1)

Author: Juno Dawson

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: August 4, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I didn't even read the blurb for this one before I requested it because it's Juno Dawson and I really have loved all the books I've read from her. Then I got approved and read the blurb and thought to myself, Hunger Games and American idol merged? I'm so glad I signed up. I was ready for all the gruesome fun and gory details.

This book, on it's own, is absolutely dystopian. Set in a future where lands have been washed away by the sea, countries have merged and/or been renamed, and most people are hurting just to stay afloat, we meet Taryn Beck. A girl with a fantastic voice who just wants her brother to be ok. She enters Starmaker, a TV show contest where contestants sing and dance their way to the top, or get eliminated, literally. All she wants is to win the whole thing so she can afford the medication her brother needs to survive. But things aren't always what they seem and there's a true sinister plot behind the show and Taryn is determined to bring them all down.

Things I enjoyed from this book:

The premise! I love the idea of an American Idol type show where contestants sing and dance to advance or get put to death. It definitely had a Hunger Games feel to it throughout. While I've read many books that have a Hunger Games type theme, I've not read anything this unique.

The character diversity! For the most part, I found the characters intriguing. I like that Dawson chose so many different people to represent for this story.

The politics! Of course a dystopian novel would not be dystopian without political intrigue and villains who want to always stay on top and keep the little man down. I definitely felt the cast system in this book.

Things that could have been better:

The characters themselves. I liked them enough, most were relatable. But for me they just were not fleshed out as well as they could have been. It was hard for me to keep them straight many times and then when I did remember who they were, there wasn't anything truly unique for most of them to make them stand out.

The progression of the story. I found the pacing off in this book, It wasn't that it was very slow, but there were parts where I felt like I had to push through and didn't feel like they really leant anything to the actual story line.

The world building. When I read a dystopian book, I have to know why it's dystopian. While we are told why to a certain degree, we are not ever shown why. It's like Dawson threw it at us and then said, "you'll just have to believe what I'm writing." I can usually suspend my disbelief and picture the world, but the details and the reasoning for the war that happened making the world the way it is now just wasn't clear to me at all. I struggled to understand why I would care about anything that was happening to Taryn or exactly how her family was in the position they were in due to events of the past. Plus, the timeline was a bit confusing to me. It seemed like this war was pretty recent, that Taryn remembers the time before it all. But she's only 17 and I had a hard time believing this was true.

The romance. Yep, could have done without this. Honestly, there was almost no point to it. And I didn't feel any of the chemistry or emotional attachment needed to really make what happens towards the end (I won't spoil it) even make a difference in Taryn's story. The whole tale could definitely had been told without ever having any romance at all.

Overall, this was a decent story, I found it fun but not amazing. This is my least favorite title I've read from this author (and Her Majesty's Royal Coven got 5 stars from me across the board for all the books). The pacing, world building, and overall character development of this book could have used a bit more tweaking for me. But if you're looking for a fun YA with high stakes and a good amount of drama, pick this one up!

Author:

Juno Dawson is a #1 Sunday Times best-selling novelist, screenwriter, podcaster, and a former columnist for Attitude Magazine. Juno’s books include the global bestsellers, THIS BOOK IS GAY and CLEAN. She won the 2020 YA Book Prize for MEAT MARKET. Her first adult fantasy trilogy HER MAJESTY’S ROYAL COVEN launched in 2022, becoming an instant best-seller.

She also writes for television and has multiple shows in development both in the UK and US. Her TV credits include DOCTOR WHO (2025) and THE BIRTH OF VENUS (2021). An occasional actress and model, Juno had a cameo in the BBC’s I MAY DESTROY YOU (2020), a recurring role in HOLBY CITY (BBC 2021) and was the face of Jecca Cosmetics Play Pots campaign.

With Dylan B Jones, Juno hosts the smash podcast SO I GOT TO THINKING, the UK’s biggest SEX AND THE CITY fan podcast with over two million streams to date.

Juno grew up in West Yorkshire, writing imaginary episodes of Doctor Who. She later turned her talent to journalism, interviewing luminaries such as Steps and Atomic Kitten, before writing a weekly serial in a Brighton newspaper. Her writing has appeared in Glamour, The Pool, Dazed and the Guardian. She has appeared on Pointless Celebrities, BBC Women’s Hour, Front Row, ITV News, Channel 5 News, This Morning and Newsnight.

Juno lives in Brighton. She is a part of the queer cabaret collective known as CLUB SILENCIO. In 2014, Juno became a School Role Model for the charity STONEWALL.

Audio ARC Review: Breakout by Various Authors

 

For Thurgood Marshall Academy's best and brightest--five friends who've been thick as thieves since kindergarten--this spring break is all about forgetting: they want nothing more than to wash away last year's tragedy, and the human-shaped hole it left in their friend group.

It's a hole the new kid, Anthony Brooks, seems to fit right into. So when he invites the Five to join him on a private island for a week at his dad's luxury resort, they agree with zero hesitation. No one's counting on a freak tropical storm swooping in and killing the vibe. And speaking of killing, they're also ill-prepared for the mounting collection of dead bodies... including (another) one of their own.

As their dream trip unravels, everything they tried to leave behind--secrets, lies, betrayals, dead best friends--seems to be washing up on the shore of their lives for everyone to see. Will any of them make it out alive?

Title: Breakout

Authors: Dhonelle Clayton, Tiffany B. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Harper Audio Children/Quill Tree Press

Publication Date: June 2, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Harper Audio Children's, Quill Tree Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

I will admit, I had to rush through this one due to when I was approved and the publication date. But it wasn't a hardship to do so. I enjoyed this YA title but it wasn't my favorite. I read the short story collection from these authors when it was available so I was interested to see how they would incorporate all their voices into one story.

The audio is well done. All the narrators did their characters so well and really kept me wanting to listen. I was worried there would be too many voices for me to really enjoy the story but there were not. I appreciated having the different narrators as it made it easy to differentiate the POVs.

I love a book with multiple POVs. And for a book written by 6 different authors, this one was done really well. I never felt overwhelmed with the switches to the different characters and I appreciated how the voices were all very different and unique. It helped me connect more to the characters. I also enjoyed the diversity of the characters.

The plot was fun and interesting. I love a good mystery that incorporates other elements, in this case romance. The atmosphere was also good. I really felt like I was there with the characters. Lots of drama, a cool island and boat, a storm rolling in, and secrets galore. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. So much build up and little reward. It just didn't come together for me as I felt like it should.

Overall, this was fun. I think the age group it's intended for will enjoy it enough but it just didn't pack the punch I was expecting.

Authors:

Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers series, The Belles series, Shattered Midnight, co-author of Blackout, Whiteout, The Rumor Game, and of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books. She is the President and founder of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, IP story companies creating diverse books for all ages. She’s an avid traveller, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Find her on Instagram: @brownbookworm.

Tiffany D. Jackson is the highly acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of YA and MG novels such as Blood in the Water, Monday's Not Coming, Allegedly, The Scammer, and more. She is also the coauthor of Blackout and Whiteout, and author of the picture books Santa in the City and Trick-or-Treating in the City.  

Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.

Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.

Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine with a picture included. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. She can also still rap if needed. She is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Meyers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, was acquired by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction and will be published in spring 2017. Film rights have been optioned by Fox 2000 with George Tillman attached to direct and Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg set to star.

Ashley Woodfolk has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated from Rutgers University and worked in children's book publishing for over a decade. Now a full-time mom and writer, Ashley lives in a sunny Brooklyn apartment with her cute husband, her cuter dog, and the cutest kid in the world. Her books include The Beauty That Remains, When You Were Everything, and the Flyy Girls Series.

Nicola Yoon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star. She is a National Book Award finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book recipient and a Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner. Both her novels have been made into major motion pictures. Nicola grew up in Jamaica and Brooklyn, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, novelist David Yoon, and their family.

ARC Review: Flirting With Murder by Amanda

 

The Agathas meets Thursday Murder Club in Amanda Sellet’s latest YA novel, a cozy mystery with a splash of romance.

Some people visit Florida for theme parks and beaches. High school junior Virginia Tillis is there for murder. Accidents, electrocution, tainted hand every victim meets a different end at her grandmother Lainey’s rococo pink condo. Such is life (and death) when you roll with a crew of theater retirees who roleplay murder mysteries from the comfort of their own home in a game they fondly call Killing Me Softly.

But this summer, fictional murder has given way to the very real death of the building's beloved owner and his dramatic last testament has the vultures circling, from estranged relatives to sleazy property developers, dead set on getting the most from his will.

Adding to the tension for Virginia is the appearance of Felix, the cute guy she met at the airport who turns out to be the grandson of one of the condo’s residents. With his charm and musical theater chops, he’s the person Virginia most wants to beat at Killing Me Softly. That is, until the day they discover an actual dead body while playing the game, forcing them to work together to figure out whodunit.

In this comedic mystery about finding the Watson to your Holmes, Virginia and Felix must banter their way from rivals to co-detectives in time to save their eccentric grandparents from a shocking disruption to the community they've always loved.

Title: Flirting With Murder

Author: Amanda Sellet

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Expected Publication Date: April 21, 2026

Review:

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions exprseed here are my own.

I loved the idea of this book.  A cute little cozy mystery where YA sluths helping to solve a mystery. It just sounded like fun. And it was fun, enough. But nothing spectacular. 

Virginia and Felix were cute enough. Their romance was just ok for me, nothing special. Nothing full of chemistry. It was YA romance appropriate throughout the entire book but I just didn't feel their connection.

I loved the older characters in the book. They were quirky and fun. The building and the residents were the most interesting part of this story, I do wish there was more exploration and development for them.

The mystery was just ok. I didn't feel like it kept on track. There were so many times it wandered off. I just didn't see it as the main theme of the book, which is what it should have been.

The pacing was quite slow for me. I kept waiting for things to happen an they just didn't. I wanted fun, suspense, mystery. This would be what pushed the story forward. But it just wasn't really there.

There was so much potential with how the blurb laid out the plot, but that just didn't come to fruition. The story is cute enough and I can see how it might appeal to the YA audience, but definitely the younger end of that crowd.

Author:

AMANDA SELLET is a former journalist and the author of romcoms for teens and adults, including By the Book, which Booklist described in a starred review as, “impossible to read without laughing out loud.” She loves old movies, baked goods, and embarrassing her teen daughter. Hate to Fake It to You is her adult debut.

ARC Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

 

“An absolute winner—sharp, suspenseful, and so much fun.” —Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

An unforgettable YA murder mystery set in an escape-room themed game show, by Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, and Tamara Moss, rising star and acclaimed author of Lintang series.

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

Title: The Escape Game

Author: Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Publication Date: April 7, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love Marissa Meyer and will read anything she writes. When I was contacted by the publisher to read an early copy of this, I jumped at the chance. I haven't read anything by Tamara Moss before but I figured Meyer knew what she was getting into when she chose to co-write this book, and I was right. This book was so much fun!

Firmly planted in the YA realm, a group of teens gets picked to star in The Escape Game, a television show centered around teams competing against one another to solve escape room puzzles in order to win a huge cash prize. I have never done an escape room, though I think it would be quite fun. One thing that struck me about this book was how well the authors showed me what theses rooms looked like and how the teams were able to solve the puzzles and escape. Of course you can't have escape rooms and teams competing without drama. And that drama came in the form of a mystery. A contestant from a previous season was found dead on the set of one of the rooms, and her sister has returned to this season to help build the drama. But also, she needs to find out who killed her sister as everyone thinks she did it.

Told in alternating POVS from the four team members, you get great glimpses of what each members strengths, weaknesses, and flaws are. Add to that their diversity and the story really does turn into something special. If I had to pick one character I liked more than the others, I really couldn't. Each one was unique and messy in their own way and this truly made them relatable.

Did I have to suspend my disbelief for this story a bit? Yes, yes I did. To truly think these teens could be solving these puzzles seemed a little out of the realm of a high school aged kid, but maybe I just don't know enough high school aged kids (by the way, I have three). But it was fun to think they could solve the puzzles all while trying to solve the mystery. And I enjoyed the element of found family. 

And then at the end, when you think everything has been tied up in a nice, neat bow, the authors throw you a little wrench to wet your appetite for what seems to be a second book. Yeah, I'd definitely read it.

If you're looking for a fun story with game action, a hint of romance, and a group of kids thrown together who become friends when they are truly needing some friends, pick this one up and watch them bond and solve the mystery!

Author:

I live in Tacoma, Washington, with my husband and beautiful twin daughters. Represented by Jill Grinberg. Learn more about me and my upcoming books at http://www.marissameyer.com.

Tamara Moss grew up in Perth, Western Australia. She has a BA majoring in Asian Studies and taught primary school for ten years. Inspired by her students’ love of adventure, Tamara wrote a middle-grade series starting with Lintang and the Pirate Queen. Her next novel, The Escape Game, is a YA murder mystery co-authored with NYT-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

Tamara also writes adult crime and thrillers under the name Tamara M. Bailey.

ARC Review: The Gravewood (Gravewood #1) by Kelly Andrew

 

Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood – a deadly forest that’s cut her town off from the world. With resources dwindling, she’s forced to ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she’ll be left in silence.

Her only hope is Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of the vampires who rule the Gravewood. Their deal is simple: she gives him her blood, he brings her batteries. No lines crossed. Nothing personal.

Until Shea’s best friend is lured into the Gravewood, and her brother Asher Thorley returns from the frontlines, willing to expose Shea’s darkest secrets to get his sister back.

Ever the opportunist, Lysander offers a new bargain: if Asher kills his vampire rival, he’ll help find the missing girl. And if Shea agrees to Turn, he’ll cure her ailing mother.

But every deal pulls her closer to Lysander – and to becoming a monster herself.

Title: The Gravewood (Gravewood #1)

Author: Kelly Andrew

Publisher: Scholastic

Expected Publication Date: April 7, 2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I had the pleasure of reading a Kelly Andrew book early last year and I adored it. Her writing is so good. I love how she can easily tell a story that draws the reader in and keeps them hooked on the plot. This one did that and more. I loved the themes: paranormal, dystopian, a little bit of romance. And I loved the plot. This book has cemented that I will read anything Andrew chooses to write.

I haven't read a vampire like book in a long time. At least not one that drew me in so well and keep me wondering what would happen next. Andrew managed that and more. While the characters are not strictly what I normally think of as vampires, that theme is definitely there. But Andrew puts a bit of a twist on how they come about being the blood sucking creatures we know from history. Not only does she include paranormal creatures in her story, but she managed to make it dystopian, as well. A world where a "rot" has taken over and killed off more people than not. A "rot" that transforms people, but not always. It's such an interesting and unique concept.

I love a book with dual POV and Andrew chose to incorporate that here. The FMC, Shea, and MMC, Lysander, were well developed and relatable. The idea of Shea making a deal with the "devil" really pushed the plot forward. Everyone in the story had something to gain (or lose) from the deals that are made. While Shea is a sweet and a bit naive, Lysander is a great morally gray character who exerts his influence over her. Their dynamic really seeps off the page. You feel the pull they have for one another through the bond that forms given their deal (I don't want to spoil it so I'll leave it at that). 

Andrew chose to include a disability in this book: the FMC has hearing loss and wears hearing aids. I knew she had done this and love that she was able to include what she has personally experienced in her life in this book. It was authentic and real. I've seen Andrew's posts on IG about her hearing loss and use of hearing aids; I've even asked her questions because I needed to understand it more. This book truly shows how such hearing loss affects people. What they go through as the hearing aids bring the world's sounds into more focus. Andrew shows how overwhelming this can be for the individual. It was so well done!

The politics in this one really form the overall theme. The "vampires" are in charge, whether the characters believe it or not. There are deals being made left and right. Areas that are off limits to others. Places where people should not go. Andrew really builds the world out well. Especially with the introductory chapter that gives some back story. Much of the book focuses on the survival of the characters and how they manage to do that. The overall feel reminded me of Alexandra Bracken's The Darkest Mind series, though the theme is totally different. But I could see the influence of many books during this story: Twilight, Divergent, The Darkest Minds, The Vampire Diaries, and many others. But Andrew makes this one all her own with it's uniqueness.

The romantic theme is another part of the story I enjoyed. There's a push and pull between the two main characters that you're not quite sure is an attraction or something that is happening relate to their deal. I'm happy Andrew did not make it the central theme but it is underlying throughout. I felt the push and pull between the FMC and MMC as well as the side character that creates almost a love triangle (though not quite). I had the feeling the romance was headed into a throuple, but it didn't go there and I was honestly happy as I recently read a YA book where that happened and it was not done as I would have liked for YA.

Finally, I loved the found family aspect of this book. The main characters parents are not quite present so they are forced to become more adult and be on their own. It was easy to see how they characters, including the side characters, would form a bond. All had distinct personalities, and motives. Some made me more mad than others. Plus there is diverse representation in the book which I always appreciate to help me expand my mind.

If you're looking for a unique twist on vampires and a book that draws you in from the very start and keeps you turning pages, Andrew is one to make sure you read. I am excited to see where she takes the rest of this series!

Author:

Kelly Andrew lost her hearing when she was four years old and she’s been dreaming up stories in the silence ever since.

Andrew lives in New England with her husband and their two daughters (and a very grouchy Boston Terrier). She has a BSW, but received her Masters in English & Creative Writing. When she’s not writing, she enjoys obsessing over a good book, scouring flea markets for treasure, and getting intentionally lost in the woods.

Andrew is represented by Josh Adams at Adams Literary.

ARC Review: Most Likely To Murder by Lish McBride

 

Yearbook superlatives turn deadly in this darkly funny young adult thriller.

The rumor mill has never been kind to Meadowvale High seniors and best friends Rick and Martina, labeling them outcasts (sure), stoners (no comment), and pranksters (okay, this one’s fair). But for the most part, they have successfully flown under the radar.

That is, until they’re targeted in a prank that replaces yearbook superlatives with grisly forecasts of student and faculty deaths. Sure, Rick and Martina were never going to be voted Most Likely to Succeed . . . but Homecoming’s Cutest Corpses? Thanks for the cute, no thanks on the corpse.

At first, the senior class is annoyed by the prank. But when the body of Mr. Stephens, Most Likely to Sleep with the Fishes, is dredged from the bottom of a lake, suspicions arise that something truly sinister is going on. And as more people turn up dead in the exact ways the yearbook promised, it becomes clear someone’s killing off the student body one page at a time.

Now Rick and Martina must find the yearbook killer before their vicious superlative comes true. So much for surviving high school without drawing attention. Now Rick and Martina just want to survive.

For fans of Holly Jackson, Karen M. McManus, and Danielle Valentine!

Title: Most Likely To Murder

Author: Lish McBride

Publisher: G.P. Putnam Sons Books for Young Readers

Expected Publication Date: March 24, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Give me all the dark, twisty, thrilling moments of a murder mystery and plant it in a high school and I will be HOOKED. That's what this book did to me. I flew threw it without a clue as to who the villain was until about 10% from the end when I finally figured it out. McBride gave no obvious hints as to who it would be and that was fun for me because I love a good surprise.

This one is definitely done at a slower pace that builds and builds and builds until it explodes before your eyes. I enjoyed the main characters, Rick and Martina, as well as all the secondary characters we got to know (I'll refrain from naming them as I don't want to spoil who doesn't make it to the end). The murder scenes were intense enough to have me turning pages. And once I found out the villain, some of those scenes made so much more sense!

I will say the killer was not who I would have pictured. Since McBride really didn't give any clues as to who it might be, that reveal fell just a bit short for me. I didn't feel the impact I would have had we had some more background on said character, or even some interaction with that person throughout the book.

There's a nice little romance that blooms and happens. It's quite sweet though it felt just a little like filler for the story. I'm not 100% sure it was moving the story forward as much as just telling a sweet story between those characters.

The premise and story were fun and the read was fast, which I'm always a fan of. While I predicted some of the twist, there were a few surprises for me. This one is definitely squarely in the YA realm as far as ease of reading and characters the target audience can relate to. I would have liked a bit more of a diver into the individual characters. The different POVs from some of them were nice but I would have liked to see it from all, not just some hand picked ones. It seemed a bit inconsistent. An overall suspenseful and easy read that will have any teen turning the pages to find out who done it!

Author:

Lish McBride is the author of funny and creepy Young Adult books such as Hold Me Closer, Necromancer; Necromancing the Stone; Firebug; and Pyromantic. She has published short stories in the Normal School, Tor.com, and the anthologies Cornered, What to Read in the Rain, Freaks & Other Family, and Kisses & Curses. She got her BFA in creative writing from Seattle University and her MFA from University of New Orleans. Lish is also currently a bookseller and event host at Third Place Books, a giant thriving indie bookstore just outside of Seattle. Her first book, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults title, Morris Award finalist, and won the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award. While she has no long term goals for world domination, she would like her own castle.

ARC Review: Meet Me Under the Lights by Cassie Miller

 

My Life with the Walter Boys meets The Notebook in this small town baseball romance perfect for fans of Kasie West and Carley Fortune.

High school junior Eliza Crowley is known as the Princess of Fairfield, a farm town in North Carolina that loves two things—tradition and baseball. Although Eliza loves “the game,” her life goal is to become a lighting designer on Broadway. Shaking off her reputation as the rich girl and focusing on her town's community theater production are what she’s set her sights on this summer, and nothing will stand in her way. That is until Reed Fulton, the grandson of a struggling Fairfield farmer, and ace pitcher of the Fulton Hawks, returns to town. Reed dreams of putting the catastrophe of last season behind him and leading the Hawks to a championship victory against the Crowley Cardinals. When his childhood friend turned stranger, Eliza, strolls back into his life, she makes his heart accelerate quicker than his fastball, and he’s not sure he can stay away from the girl he’s supposed to despise. Small-town summers and baseball draw Reed and Eliza together, even though the Crowleys and the Fultons are determined to run each other out of town. When the families make a deal to settle their thirty-year-long dispute once and for all, Eliza and Reed are stuck in the middle during the most important summer of their lives.

Title: Meet Me Under The Lights

Author: Cassie Miller

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 3, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was a cute YA romance story based on Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet. Not something new as far as tropes go, but still fun.

Told in dual POV, which I really enjoy, the story follows Eliza and Reed and the rivalry of two competing high school baseball teams and families. Both Eliza and Reed have a lot riding on each of their teams winning. But Eliza and Reed also have a past and, even though they are enemies, they can't help but be attracted to one another and they both catch feelings.

The characters were absolutely YA. They had some good growth and development throughout the book. I can see how they would be relatable to teens. I do wish we would have had more about their relationship growing up. Having known each other so long and obviously having had history, it would have been easier to understand their connection if I had more of that throughout the story. Maybe in flashbacks or something of that sort. It was hard to understand their sudden attraction without really having been show their past.

The plot is believable enough. I liked the idea of the feuding families. The pacing varied throughout the book. Sometimes it was fast, other times I had to push myself to get through a chapter.

The romance does dive into kissing but doesn't go further than that, which I would expect from a YA romance.

I will say I very much disliked the character of Ben. He seemed super self centered and very melodramatic. I do wish there was more of a dive into his and Reed's friendship. We are told about it a bit, but not enough to really make me like Ben's character or truly understand his need to be in the story. Except he does have a huge part in how the book's plot takes a turn about 85% into the book.

This was a quick and easy read. Definitely marketed to the right crowd: fans of Kasie West. Though I like West's stories much better than I liked this. I would definitely give this author another chance to see if she can hone her craft a bit.

Author: 

Cassie Miller is a former high school English teacher turned elementary librarian. She has a teaching degree from Radford University and library endorsement from the University of Virginia. She wears many hats but finds her favorites are “stage and lighting director,” “eccentric storyteller,” and “boy-mom.” Cassie currently resides in southwest Virginia with her family and an ever-growing number of cardigans and nerdy bookish shirts.