Tag: Holly Horror

Summerween: The Holly Horror Series by Michelle Jabès Corpora

Tired of endless summer days? Craving a break from the heat and longing for that crisp autumn air? We’ve got just the recs for you. Get ready to ditch the poolside vibes for pumpkin spice, falling leaves, and a generous helping of creepy thrills with our Summerween reads!

Unmasking Holly Hobby’s Haunting Makeover

Many adult readers remember Holly Hobby dolls, art, clothes, and toys. These adorable 80’s images were sweet, yet often had a subtly chilling quality. Holly was always dressed in patchwork, her enormous bonnet famously covering her face. This left her facial features, and thus her identity, a mystery. Who was Holly Hobby?

In the Holly Horror series, Holly is brought to life, crafting a layered story brimming with mysteries and ghosts. These books deliver all the genuine ghost story ingredients: a creepy Gothic house with a troubled history, a protagonist with a past but bringing her secrets along, a couple of generations worth of missing girls, and a music box with a description sure to give you chills.

After her parents’ divorce, Evie Archer’s mother insists their fractured family move to Ravenglass. The family home they’re inheriting seems financially ideal, even if it comes with a disturbing past—namely, that Evie’s cousin vanished from the same house when she was Evie’s age. Not long after moving in, Evie starts to unravel clues from the past, all while experiencing unexplainable and terrifying ghostly visions. Meanwhile, Evie begins obsessively sewing a new, yet eerily familiar, patchwork dress.

The Haunting Quality of Family Trauma

Evie’s family is grappling with deep-seated trauma and tensions that desperately need resolving. As with any truly impactful ghost story, the supernatural elements of the Holly Horror series brilliantly mirror these family tensions, which will resonate with many readers. The chilling ghost story isn’t just a tale of the supernatural; it’s a terrifying reflection of the deeper, more unsettling reality of relatable real life issues. The true fear here isn’t what goes bump in the night, but the echoing pain and unresolved issues within the family, and even society, itself. As Evie works towards confronting the issues in Ravenglass and her family, readers dealing with their own struggles will find a powerful sense of catharsis.

But don’t get too comfortable, because this is a series! Holly Horror #2: The Longest Night is just as terrifying. These books are perfect for kids who loved Stranger Things or titles by Kate Alice Marshall and Courtney Gould. These books also make for wonderful intergenerational reads. For those who grew up with Holly Hobby, consider sharing these unique reimaginings with a younger reader!

–Rachel Milburn

#ICYMI: 8 Books You Might Have Missed

It’s almost the end of 2023 and time to submit your last carts for the year!  If you find yourself with extra funds, here are some titles from the last two years that you might have missed. Some are from debut authors that snuck under the radar, while others are old favorites with new projects.

    • There’s No Way I’d Die First
    • By Lisa Springer
    • Delacorte Press: 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593643174

    This debut is for the horror-obsessed teen and pulls out all the tropes in what ends up being a campy, gory romp. If the tropes aren’t enough of a tell, each chapter starts with a quote from a horror movie and gives a hint to upcoming events. This is an homage to all the greats, with references to Stephen King, Scream, a killer clown with superhuman strength that rivals Michael Myers, and a heavy dose of teen drama. It also tries to tie in some political and social commentary and a hint of romance. Does this require suspension of belief? Yes. That’s the point. Hand to your older teens or your horror movie buffs.

    • Holly Horror
    • by Michelle Jabé Corpora
    • Penguin Workshop, 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593386217

    A scary take on our patchwork-clad, bonnet-wearing gal, Holly Hobbie. After her parents split, Evie’s mom moves the family back to her hometown and into the Horror House, so named because Holly vanished from it decades before. As Evie pokes around in the attic and discovers more of Holly’s story, weird things start to happen to her. The book ends on a cliff-hanger and readers will eagerly await book two. For younger teens that are more into supernatural mysteries, rather than slasher stories.

    • 16 & Pregnant
    • by LaLa Thomas
    • MTV Books, 2023
    • ISBN: 9781665917278

    If you are a millennial, you probably remember when this show first aired back in 2009. The show followed teens that found themselves pregnant and documented how their lives were impacted, eventually leading to the spin-off series, Teen Mom. Two teens find themselves dealing with a surprise pregnancy that derails their life plans. All options are discussed and the book does not shy away from health challenges that can accompany a pregnancy. This is an empowering story about friendship and parenthood. This is a great option for those looking for relatable stories about teen pregnancy, as well as viewers of the MTV show. This would also be a great option for parents and teens to read and discuss together.

    • Hotel Magnifique
    • by Emily J. Taylor
    • Razorbill, 2022
    • ISBN: 978059340515

    This 2022 debut is Caraval meets Howl’s Moving Castle and my favorite cover of 2022. This dark fantasy features a magical hotel that moves to a new place every night. Employees of the hotel are magically bound to service and although the hotel is gorgeous and luxurious, it’s a gilded prison. Franco-philes and fans of lush, character-driven fantasy will devour this. Additionally, the stunning cover makes this an easy book to hand-sell.

    • A Million to One
    • by Adiba Jaigirdar
    • Harperteen, 2022
    • ISBN: 978006291632

    Published right before the end of 2022, I think this one snuck past a lot of people. Take a diverse group of teens, put them on the Titanic and add in a heist. Jaigirdar’s previous YA novels have been sapphic romances–here she moves more into action and historical fiction territory. This reads quickly and is a nice option for younger teens that enjoy heists or books about the Titanic. 

    • Something More
    • by Jackie Khalileh
    • Tundra Books, 2023
    • ISBN: 9781774882139

    This romance is about a Palestinian-Canadian teen, newly diagnosed as autistic. She makes a list of all the things she wants to accomplish in high school before she graduates. She quickly learns there is no guidebook for matters of the heart when she finds herself caught between two guys. This is a refreshing take on the classic coming of age story.

    • The Grimoire of Grave Fates
    • by Hanna Alkaf and Margaret Owen, et al.
    • Delacorte Press, 2023
    • ISBN: 9780593427453

    If you have teens looking for a Harry Potter-esque story, hand them this one. It checks all the boxes: a magical boarding school that flies around à la Howl’s Moving Castle or the aforementioned Hotel Magnifique, an evil professor, a murder mystery, and magical beasts. This isn’t really a short story collection, nor is it a traditional novel. Each chapter is by a different YA author and features a different character that propels the plot forward. Some stories are stronger than others–I need a whole book about Diego, please! This collaborative effort has something for everyone and is a great option for younger teens.

    • A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy
    • by Jeff Bishop
    • Putnam, 2022
    • ISBN: 9781984812940

    Don’t be fooled by the cotton candy cover!  This book is a lot of things–technically it’s speculative fiction. You could also consider it a romantic comedy. It should be about a boy having the best time of his life, the summer after his senior year. But ultimately, it’s about a boy that suffers a torn ACL, leaving him stuck on the couch recovering from surgery, while dealing with a really bad breakup with his girlfriend, who happens to be in a coma from a car accident, which makes it pretty weird that Cam can see and talk to her while on his sofa. Tandy is chaotic and will have you laughing and weeping, reminiscent of the John Hughes movies referenced throughout. This was my favorite debut of 2022 and one of my favorites of the year. Hand to your older teens– especially your broken-hearted high school seniors

    -Megan Nigh