Ander & Santi Were Here vs The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family’s taquería. It’s the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it’s all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?

To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family “fires” them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi’s eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi’s first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.

Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.

TW: deportation, racism, xenophobia, police brutality, sexual content, kidnapping, violence, death of parent.

Lovingly described to me as a “rom-sad,” the tragic distant cousin of the romantic comedy, I had high hopes for Ander & Santi Were Here. If I could describe this book in one word, it would be “authentic.” The depth of the love story, the struggle of figuring out your future as a young person, Ander acting like a teenager and being flawed, these things are so honest and real. The constant threat that Santi could be deported felt like a weight in my stomach, and I imagine a number of teens could feel that same empathy. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but the story is filled with heart. As a quick note, by the end of the book Ander is 19 years old, so at times the sexual content may be too much for younger teens.

The author’s note at the beginning of this novel is an absolute must-read. In it, Jonny Garza Villa elaborates upon his reasoning for crafting Ander as a perfectly imperfect character. Too often, the perceived “value” of young immigrants is judged by what they can offer to society. While the stories of future valedictorians and STEM geniuses can and should be celebrated, they are not the only stories that exist. Ander, at times, is incredibly selfish, has a bad attitude, doubts themself, and wonders in what direction life might take them. They are flawed, but they learn and grow, and their story was so worth being told. To me, that was the most beautiful part of this book.

If you like Gentefied (this show even gets a mention in the book!), then read Ander & Santi Were Here.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

TW: Graphic violence, sexual assault, medical gore (including an on-page Cesarean section), transphobia, ableism, medical/psychiatric abuse, gaslighting, discussions of miscarriage.

To me, the biggest strengths of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth were the dark tone and the cast of characters. I can only describe the gore and bodily horror as a train wreck (but in the best way). Despite many incredibly gruesome moments, you almost couldn’t look away. This is perfect for those teens looking for a strong ick factor, but can just as easily be a dealbreaker for teens who don’t like scary books. The world building around Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium is strong, and reading this book can feel incredibly immersive for a teen audience. While of course much of the horror about the establishment comes from the vivisections they perform on students, on a broader scale it is horrendous at its core simply for considering young women ill if they are not the perfect image of a future wife and mother.

This title includes strong positive messages surrounding identity. After being regarded as different, as less than for all his life, Silas discovers that there are people who exist that are like him. He sees himself in Daphne and in the groundskeeper, and in such a heavy book these moments are deeply uplifting. Plenty of teens at my library have indicated that they’re a sucker for a good redemption arc; readers can see this in Mary’s character. She’s still snarky, sarcastic, and aggressive, but by the end teens may find that they’re cheering for a character they never expected to care for. At its core, Andrew Joseph White offers a story about young people quite literally tearing the patriarchy to the ground, a story that is packed with guts in more ways than one! 

Not many shows exactly compare to this title, but if you like Wednesday or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, you might enjoy reading The Spirit Bares Its Teeth.

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Winner: The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

As I read both of these titles, I was struck by how strongly they affirm the identities of their protagonists. Teens need books in which they can see themselves, and in that regard, these books were truly wonderful. As a romance lover who is notoriously a baby about horror books, this came as a shock to me! I can see Ander & Santi being popular among romance readers, but The Spirit Bares Its Teeth has a cross-genre appeal that could stand out to many different kinds of teens. Fans of not only horror, but also fantasy, historical fiction, and suspense might enjoy this title.

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Katie Parfitt (she/her) is a Teen Services Librarian at Naperville Public Library and the Young Adult Liaison for iREAD. When not reading sappy YA romances, you’ll often find her at the theater or on (yet another) spontaneous trip to a new city!

Brooms vs The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Brooms by Jasmine Wells & Teo DuVall

It’s 1930s Mississippi. Magic is permitted only in certain circumstances and by certain people. Unsanctioned broom racing is banned. But for those who need the money, or the thrills…it’s there to be found.

Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and best friend Loretta are determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take part in national races. Cheng-Kwan is doing her best to handle the delicate and dangerous double act of being the perfect “son” to her parents and being true to herself while racing.

The team also includes Mattie and Emma — Choctaw and Black — who are trying to dodge government officials who want to send them and their newly-surfaced powers away to boarding school. And Luella is in love with Billie Mae. Her powers were sealed away years ago after she fought back against the government. She’ll do anything to prevent the same fate for her cousins . . .

TW: Racism

It’s funny how this far into the bracket, where books of different tones and genres often come head to head, is where we end up pitting two takes on historical fantasy, remixing genre conventions through contemporary lenses and where the invented magic systems conform to historically-accurate prejudices and practices. 

Brooms presents an intriguing alternate 1930s American South where magic exists but is severely regulated along racial lines akin to Jim Crow segregation. It deftly tackles heavy topics like racism in a relatively low-key narrative. The comic art is really great, with expressive artwork full of vibrant character designs and rich colors. (I especially love how DuVall colors their skies.) 

However, some aspects feel underbaked. The rules, limits, and broader societal impacts of magic remain murky. Similarly, while the large cast allows for ample representation of experiences with ability, sexuality, gender identity, or racial and ethnic origins, most characters end up thinly sketched. 

I wish the comics format had been used to even greater effect. The broom races feel too short and less dynamic than I’d have hoped in such a visual medium. Also, while I appreciated how the physical movements of signing were portrayed, I was disappointed they weren’t “translated” for the reader, but relied on other characters to verbalize that dialog. Ironically, it left Emma, a deaf character, particularly muted.

Still, Brooms has much to offer as an accessible exploration of discrimination and representation, with engaging characters and some excellent art.

While I love much of the art, adapting the story as a print book would allow for deeper character development and fuller world-building, the two aspects I felt were most missing. Also, I would love a simple one-page, broom-racing RPG, maybe along the lines of Crash Pandas.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

TW: Graphic violence, sexual assault, medical gore (including an on-page Cesarean section), transphobia, ableism, medical/psychiatric abuse, gaslighting, discussions of miscarriage.

In The Spirit Bares its Teeth, White takes the Gothic horror conventions rooted in repression and hidden darkness and filters it through modern perspectives on gender, bodily autonomy, neurodivergence, and more. The result is a delightfully gnarly yet insightful read. (The amount of gore is a warning to some readers, but in my experience it is also a major selling point to others.) White’s visceral and savage prose pays as much loving attention to lush greenhouse descriptions as it does to grisly surgeries and body horror.

Silas is a complex protagonist, and his own path of self-discovery — peeling back his skin to probe the varied aspects of his identity, to test how they interact or are perceived by both him and the hostile world he moves through — is one of the more nuanced I’ve read in YA in a long time. With this coming after his first novel And Hell Followed With Us, Andrew Joseph White may become my most recommended YA horror author.

If this book were adapted into something else, I’d love to be able to see the violet eyes and Braxton of this world, so I originally thought it would be a great movie or limited series; however, I’m worried Silas’s interiority and narration would get lost. Instead, I’ll have it swap formats with its competitor and make it a graphic novel.

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Winner: The Spirit Bares its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Both titles are worth recommending, providing compelling stories and perspectives that could resonate deeply with teens. Moving The Spirit Bares its Teeth on to the next round was a fairly easy choice, though. While it’s not for every reader, I think its mix of genres will have wider appeal than other horror titles. Its sheer quality in executing its vision, where Brooms felt a bit lacking, is what really pushed it over the finish line for me.

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Evan Mather is a Librarian at Maine East High School, having recently transitioned to schools after almost a decade working with teens in public libraries. He loves film, food, and playing D&D. When he’s not working, you can usually find him annoying his cat with too many forehead kisses.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth vs This Dark Descent

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

TW: Graphic violence, sexual assault, medical gore (including an on-page Cesarean section), transphobia, ableism, medical/psychiatric abuse, gaslighting, discussions of miscarriage

There are several words that can be used to describe The Spirit Bares Its Teeth. Some that came to mind as I read include “brutal,” “traumatizing,” even occasionally “gross.” But upon completing the novel, the word I most associate with it is “extraordinary.” 

This is far from being a book for every teen, but for teen readers with whom Silas’s story resonates, this could be a life-changing read. The trigger warnings definitely are not there for decoration, and there is more explicit language (including a lot of– to be fair, warranted– f bombs) and references to sex than some readers may be uncomfortable with. White’s writing is intense and visceral and does not for a moment shy away from the harshest realities of Victorian society, transphobia, and ableism against neurodivergent individuals. White’s own identity as a trans man with autism no doubt helps Silas feel like a fully-realized character experiencing marginalization, rather than reading like a checklist of symptoms or having his identity be incidental. Moreover, the supernatural elements of the story and the central mystery are incredibly compelling, and the ending feels like releasing a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. 

It’s also worth noting that the narrator of the audiobook, Raphael Corkhill, does an extraordinary job, with narration that adds a sense of frantic claustrophobia to Silas’s thoughts. 

After this book watch The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix).

This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson

Mikira Rusel’s family has long been famous for breeding enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her ranch, Mikira has only one option: she must win the Illinir, a treacherous horserace whose riders either finish maimed or murdered. Yet each year, competitors return, tempted by its alluring prize money and unparalleled prestige.

Mikira’s mission soon unites her with Arielle Kadar, an impressive yet illicit enchanter just beginning to come into her true power, and Damien Adair, a dashing young lord in the midst of a fierce succession battle. Both have hidden reasons of their own to help Mikira — as well as their own blood feuds to avenge…

In a world as dangerous as this, will the need for vengeance butcher Mikira’s chances of winning the Illinir … or will another rider’s dagger?

TW: Violence, murder, guns, death of a parent, antisemitism, animal violence/death

There are a lot of things happening in This Dark Descent, which works both in the novel’s favor and to its detriment. On one side of the coin, it is filled with appeal factors for a wide variety of teens, including queer representation, action-packed horse race sequences, political scheming, and complex moral quandaries. However, the plot occasionally becomes convoluted and character motivations are sometimes difficult to parse. Several of the questions left unanswered may be addressed in the anticipated second book of the duology, but on its own This Dark Descent may leave teen readers confused and frustrated, especially after a 400-page investment. 

Ultimately, the book shines brightest when establishing its impressive and unique worldbuilding. The world of This Dark Descent is heavily inspired by Jewish history and folklore, with golems and dybbuks playing key roles in the plot. This leads to an interesting and unique magic system which, while not perfectly executed, was fun to learn more about as the story unfolded. There is a great deal of promise in this series, and high-fantasy lovers will likely enjoy this new take. But, least in this first book, that promise is not lived up to well enough to justify the lengthy and sometimes confusing commitment. 

After this book watch Merlin (BBC).

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Winner: The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

To be completely frank, I would have had a very difficult time justifying the choice of any book over The Spirit Bares Its Teeth. Beating it would have required an equally extraordinary book, and This Dark Descent, though perfectly serviceable for fantasy readers, is not that book. 

In terms of teen appeal, both of these books will be best enjoyed by fairly niche audiences of older teens. If I had read This Dark Descent without being told it was YA, I likely would have assumed the book to be New Adult, and there is little that jumps out at me from the book as being especially exciting to most teens. Meanwhile, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth has a list of trigger warnings that will challenge all but the least squeamish of readers. However, there are teens who need a book like The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, which vividly and frankly takes on the effects of transphobia and ableism in a way that does not shy away from the most traumatizing — and therefore, the most urgent — aspects of this hatred. 

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Sophie Popovich is a librarian on the Outreach team at Geneva Public Library. When she is not at work, you can find her reading, watching live theatre, and assuring her cats that they are the most perfect kitties to ever live.

That Self-Same Metal vs. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams

Sixteen-year-old Joan Sands is a gifted craftswoman who creates and upkeeps the stage blades for William Shakespeare’s acting company, The King’s Men. Joan’s skill with her blades comes from a magical ability to control metal—an ability gifted by her Head Orisha, Ogun. Because her whole family is Orisha-blessed, the Sands family have always kept tabs on the Fae presence in London.

Usually that doesn’t involve much except noting the faint glow around a Fae’s body as they try to blend in with London society, but lately, there has been an uptick in brutal Fae attacks. After Joan wounds a powerful Fae and saves the son of a cruel Lord, she is drawn into political intrigue in the human and Fae worlds.

TW: Misogyny, racism, murder, mention of miscarriage, animal death

This book is so fun! Set in Shakespeare’s London, main character Joan is a part of Shakespeare’s company. While her twin brother is the actor, Joan is the stagehand in charge of sword props, as well as the daughter of a blacksmith, and can manipulate metal. She and all her family have magical powers handed down by the Orisha, and they are the only thing standing in the way of Fae who want to do damage on the human world. 

The atmosphere of this book is so, so good. I felt really immersed as I was reading, and I never once lost track of the setting or the time. As someone who was a little Shakespeare obsessed in middle- and high- school, I would have loved this book as a teen. Shakespeare himself is even a character, and his portrayal does him justice. Joan is keenly aware of her position as a black woman in this era, and the tension that creates for her really gave us a good insight to how she’s viewing the world. The world building is a real masterclass, and I found myself missing it when I finished; it was like I’d been living there! 

The action sequences really sold me on the book. Joan is a competent swordswoman, and watching her get to fight brought a lot to the pacing and helped liven up moments that needed some extra spice. Also, the horror with which WIlliams describes some of the Fae was super effective–it made me very glad they weren’t creatures I was going to encounter in a back alley. She handles the idea of a mist or glamor really well–it’s such a staple of fantasy, and this was one of the best balances I’ve read in a long time! 

For a book that is action-packed and character-driven, I feel a little weird in saying that my only issue is that Joan was a little too perfect. She wins every fight, knows how to step in during a play she’d never rehearsed for, etc. The awareness she brings to her position gets a little muddled in her actions–I wanted to see the consequences of some of those insecurities play out a little more. That said, there are enough deeply-flawed characters, atmosphere, action that it’s easy to ignore those notes. 

I finished this book so excited to read the sequel and hand it off to readers! 

If readers want more fairies and political intrigue: Cruel Prince by Holly Black; If readers want more black history fantasy: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland; If readers wants more YA meets Shakespeare with lots of action: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong; If readers want more black girl magic and family legacy: Legendborn by Tracey Deonn.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife. According to Mother, he’ll be married by the end of the year. It doesn’t matter that he’s needed a decade of tutors to hide his autism; that he practices surgery on slaughtered pigs; that he is a boy, not the girl the world insists on seeing.

After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School. The facility is cold, the instructors merciless, and the students either bloom into eligible wives or disappear. So when the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its rotten guts to the world—as long as the school doesn’t break him first.

TW: Graphic violence, sexual assault, medical gore (including an on-page Cesarean section), transphobia, ableism, medical/psychiatric abuse, gaslighting, discussions of miscarriage

I read Andrew Joseph White’s debut, Hell Followed With Us, and I remember saying out loud to a friend: “This was good, but I bet his next book is even better.” Well, score one to me. This book was astonishing. 

Set in an alternate London where how purple your eyes are is linked to how easily you can access the spirit world, Silas is a trans man who, due to being perceived as female, is a prime marriage candidate for the powerful Speakers. But his inability to fit into the roles women are meant to play, both due to being trans and being autistic (although White never uses the term, given the Victorian setting), lands him in a school for troubled girls. There, he begins to unravel the dark subculture of torture and sexual abuse that has made the school so “effective.”  

Silas feels like a very fleshed out character. He’s obsessed with medicine, but has a hard time relating to people, often mentally imagining the ways he’d operate them to fix illnesses, but not able to relate to their experiences. He also articulates something we just don’t see in YA books–there is a deep overlap in experience between trans men and cis women, and that violent misogyny hurts both groups. His anxieties manifest as a rabbit that he mentally talks to, which is incredibly effective and gives readers a way to both be in his head and experiencing the horrors Silas is witnessing with a level of distance that is super effective. 

White excels at gross-out horror, which is mostly great; however, it could turn some readers off. Readers might also be frustrated by the convenience of the romantic subplot, which can at times serve as a light in the darkness of the book, but can also cheapen certain moments. 

Overall, an amazing read for teens who love horror, who might be looking for a trans main character who is allowed to be messy and flawed, or for a fast paced book that looks at the way misogyny can rot out the core of a culture. 

If readers want more of the dark Victorian setting: My Dear Henry by Kaylon Bayron; If readers want more queer horror: The Honeys by Ryan La Sala; If readers want more Victorian medicine: Anatomy by Dana Schwartz.

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Winner: The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

This was a really tough comparison. I went back and forth literally two dozen times while writing my reviews! I pulled up circulation statistics for my library and surveyed teens who I knew had read one or both books. Ultimately, I would recommend both of these books to teens. They are both AMAZING and absolutely have their readers!

That said, I felt like it came down to this: More teens will like That Self-Same Metal, but I think the teens who like The Spirit Bares its Teeth will like it in a more intense way. I have had several teens tell me it was their favorite book “maybe ever,” and I think that extra level of engagement really means a lot. I struggled to find a lot of read-a-likes because we just don’t have a lot of books with trans leads or autistic main characters, or that explore either identity in a fun, gorey way.

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Maisie Iven is a Teen Librarian at the Naperville Public Librarian and the 2025 chair for the iREAD Summer Reading program, which they think you should check out!

Round I Bracket XV: The Getaway vs Hell Followed With Us

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Jay discovers that the mountain resort where he lives and works with his friends and family is also a doomsday oasis for the rich and powerful who expect top-notch customer service even as the world outside the resort’s walls disintegrates.

The Getaway is a terrifying look at what would happen if a theme park, like DisneyWorld, had more power over the world than anyone imagined. The characters and short, fast paced chapters will keep teens on the edge of their seat. While the ending felt a little crammed with action, there was plenty of payoff for everything that Giles built over the course of the book. 

There were enough great references to our own current world, like shows and books, to give context to how quickly the world fell apart in this version of an apocalypse. And the technology was just advanced enough to feel believable and think about as it became a weapon used against people. Giles does not shy away from violence, but it feels integral to the story and the impact it has on Jay’s motivations. All of these elements will keep teens engaged while reading and make them really think about race, climate change, and technology in our world. 

Read-a-likes: The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with. But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all. Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.

Hell Followed With Us is Benji’s horrifying story of escaping a religious cult working to end the world. The story jumps right into the action and sets the tone for the battles and violence that will ensue. This also means the reader must play a little catchup to understand what the Flood is and all of the language used around the cult. Once the reader is in though, they will be rooting for Benji to find his place in the world, win the battle, and find happiness. 

Benji is a complex main character who is dealing with identity and morphing into a weaponized being. He is surrounded by a large set of characters from the ARC, who reflect a diversity within queerness. And while there is some romance, it doesn’t feel heavy handed or like a traditional love triangle. The relationships throughout the story are part of what makes this such a successful book for teens. 

This is a fantastic book for teen readers who love post-apocalyptic and horror fiction and are okay with graphic violence and grotesqueness. While not every teen will gravitate towards this story, it will be a powerful read for those who do.

Read-a-likes: The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon & All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown

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Winner: The Getaway by Lamar Giles

The Getaway is the winner in this round. While both books have their strengths and will find their readers, The Getaway has wider appeal for teens and the world building was slightly more grounded in a world teens will know. While both books have some graphic violence and deal with triggering topics, Hell Followed With Us leans more into horror which may not have the reach to a majority of teens.

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Amanda Klenk is the Teen Services Coordinator at the Downers Grove Public Library in Downers Grove, IL. When not reading copious amounts of YA books, she enjoys crafting, listening to podcasts, and spending time with family and friends.