What do you think?
She Haunts Me Still
These violent delights have violent ends.
After surviving a shadowed childhood, Mallory Webb is ready to start fresh as a theater major at her mother’s alma mater, a sanitarium turned liberal arts university in Rhode Island. Landing the lead role in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet feels like a dream—until the blood-soaked wraith that caused her mother’s death resurfaces after years of quiet. With nothing to go on but cryptic symbols in an old college notebook, Mallory hopes the reason behind her mother’s haunting lies somewhere on campus, and resolves to find answers before she meets the same fate.
She’s surprised to make an unexpected ally in Ezra Pierce, the magnetic fourth year directing the play, and takes solace in their undeniable chemistry. But Ezra is a master secret keeper, and it’s clear he knows more than he’s letting on about Saskia Garin, Mallory’s elusive understudy whose past eerily mirrors her own.
When an ancient, bloodthirsty evil calls to collect a bargain that dates back to the New England vampire panic, Mallory, Ezra, and Saskia will have to untangle the tragic ways in which their histories are linked—and face the devastating consequences of their own star-crossed love story.
After surviving a shadowed childhood, Mallory Webb is ready to start fresh as a theater major at her mother’s alma mater, a sanitarium turned liberal arts university in Rhode Island. Landing the lead role in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet feels like a dream—until the blood-soaked wraith that caused her mother’s death resurfaces after years of quiet. With nothing to go on but cryptic symbols in an old college notebook, Mallory hopes the reason behind her mother’s haunting lies somewhere on campus, and resolves to find answers before she meets the same fate.
She’s surprised to make an unexpected ally in Ezra Pierce, the magnetic fourth year directing the play, and takes solace in their undeniable chemistry. But Ezra is a master secret keeper, and it’s clear he knows more than he’s letting on about Saskia Garin, Mallory’s elusive understudy whose past eerily mirrors her own.
When an ancient, bloodthirsty evil calls to collect a bargain that dates back to the New England vampire panic, Mallory, Ezra, and Saskia will have to untangle the tragic ways in which their histories are linked—and face the devastating consequences of their own star-crossed love story.
432 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2026
About the author
De Elizabeth
4 books392 followersDe Elizabeth (she/her) is a horror and dark fantasy author writing haunting, romantic books. She is passionate about telling emotionally resonant dark stories that feature messy main characters and bisexual representation. She is the author of the adult dark academia novel She Haunts Me Still. Her young adult debut, This Raging Sea, was published in 2025. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her listening to her latest Broadway obsession on repeat. You can follow her on Instagram @WordsByDe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 486 reviews
September 4, 2026
This was a fantastic book to start spooky season out with. A horror romance with a dark academia setting and questions you kept turning pages to find the answers for.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“What haunts you doesn’t define you.”
such an enjoyable, moody, atmospheric fall read for the horror-loving theater kids. set in gothic new england at shore college, a dark history lurks underneath the halls.
something that has followed mallory her whole life... maybe even before then.
mal feels herself unraveling as a ghostly woman who haunted her childhood suddenly reappears. v reminiscent of 2000s horror films like the ring and gothika, mal digs into the dark past of shore college answers with the assistant director of her play, ezra, who's own dark secrets may hold answers.
throw in some phantom of the opera for an ominous love interest and backstage accidents. as a former theater kid, it was nostalgic to vicariously experience the hectic juggling of demanding rehearsal schedules. at least i didn't have ghosts and demons to contend with during my hell weeks 👹
overall, i enjoyed this love letter hodge podge to theater and horror. it's not so dark that you need to be a die hard horror lover to endure it (a little body horror and ghostly/demon possessions), but it'll certainly set the mood for summerween or fall when you're wanting something to cozy up to on a dark and stormy night to get your heart rate up a little. the romance was also pretty sexy... both of them 🤭 (love triangle haters, look away)
my only critique is the second romance was a hard juggle, mostly bc it comes to close on the heels of the first. i'd have suggestions, but there'd be too many spoilers. i will always love me some bisexual rep tho <3
“To being afraid and doing it, anyway.”
an honest arc review ✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉‧ ♡*.✧
such an enjoyable, moody, atmospheric fall read for the horror-loving theater kids. set in gothic new england at shore college, a dark history lurks underneath the halls.
something that has followed mallory her whole life... maybe even before then.
mal feels herself unraveling as a ghostly woman who haunted her childhood suddenly reappears. v reminiscent of 2000s horror films like the ring and gothika, mal digs into the dark past of shore college answers with the assistant director of her play, ezra, who's own dark secrets may hold answers.
throw in some phantom of the opera for an ominous love interest and backstage accidents. as a former theater kid, it was nostalgic to vicariously experience the hectic juggling of demanding rehearsal schedules. at least i didn't have ghosts and demons to contend with during my hell weeks 👹
overall, i enjoyed this love letter hodge podge to theater and horror. it's not so dark that you need to be a die hard horror lover to endure it (a little body horror and ghostly/demon possessions), but it'll certainly set the mood for summerween or fall when you're wanting something to cozy up to on a dark and stormy night to get your heart rate up a little. the romance was also pretty sexy... both of them 🤭 (love triangle haters, look away)
my only critique is the second romance was a hard juggle, mostly bc it comes to close on the heels of the first. i'd have suggestions, but there'd be too many spoilers. i will always love me some bisexual rep tho <3
“To being afraid and doing it, anyway.”
an honest arc review ✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉‧ ♡*.✧
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
”𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒃𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔.”
i wanted to like this book so bad, but at the end of the day.. it was kinda all over the place to be honest. i keep trying to give theater focused books a chance, but maybe i need to accept that they aren’t really for me.
this book was ambitious with everything it was trying to do, which led to a rather messy execution. the romances and the love triangle felt bland and thrown together to me as well. Ezra was ironically the one character that had any depth, so while I can see why certain choices were made with his character, it left me unsatisfied and i felt a little bad for him.. can’t lie.
i appreciate the bi rep, but Mallory and Saskia felt even less convincing than Mallory and Ezra. when a story focuses around tragedy, I have to care about the characters to be affected by what’s going on. the horror elements also involved tropes I’m not the biggest fan of either, so while i don’t think this was a bad book.. i could tell pretty early on that it wouldn’t impress me much.
⇢ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Dutton for the arc, all opinions are my own.
i wanted to like this book so bad, but at the end of the day.. it was kinda all over the place to be honest. i keep trying to give theater focused books a chance, but maybe i need to accept that they aren’t really for me.
this book was ambitious with everything it was trying to do, which led to a rather messy execution. the romances and the love triangle felt bland and thrown together to me as well. Ezra was ironically the one character that had any depth, so while I can see why certain choices were made with his character, it left me unsatisfied and i felt a little bad for him.. can’t lie.
i appreciate the bi rep, but Mallory and Saskia felt even less convincing than Mallory and Ezra. when a story focuses around tragedy, I have to care about the characters to be affected by what’s going on. the horror elements also involved tropes I’m not the biggest fan of either, so while i don’t think this was a bad book.. i could tell pretty early on that it wouldn’t impress me much.
⇢ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Dutton for the arc, all opinions are my own.
September 24, 2026
this was hella hot. 😩
September 21, 2026
rtc 🕸️🫀
── .✦ pre read
i mean ... read the blurb. need i say more?
── .✦ pre read
i mean ... read the blurb. need i say more?
August 20, 2026
What was in this book? No seriously because I was hooked 😲 this was the dark academia horror romance mystery of my dreams, im very picky when it comes to love triangles mmkay but this was 🤌 this was atmopsheric and had me feeling like I was in a dimly lit haunted university with the ghosts of past residents lingering and lurking, I SWEAR I COULD SMELL IT AND FEEL THE DUST IN THE AIR N STUFF, it was so eerie and several parts gave me goosebumps, if you're a fan of emotional reads with lots of trauma 🥲 horror, gloom and doom, and men who wear rings (🙏) add this to your summerween/halloween reading list!
August 10, 2026
thanks to netgalley + publisher for the ARC
an extremely lackluster romantasy wearing a gothic horror jacket that could have been a very middling YA instead of a pretty bad adult novel
shallow character work, not one but two instant relationships, plot progression happening only via multiple paragraphs of dialogue info dumping… yikes!
a lot of asides about feminism and misogyny in this that feel completely out of place as misogyny is not woven into the overall plot DNA in any real tangible way - i guess if you can’t figure out how to make your incoherent plot fun to read you can always go on a dumbed down #girlboss rant every few pages and distract readers? idk
also. our MC is born in 1980 and is a college freshman of 19… making this set in 1999… and yet characters are constantly texting and saying either words or brand names that are very much 2020s. sure! i guess! whatever u want to do queen
an extremely lackluster romantasy wearing a gothic horror jacket that could have been a very middling YA instead of a pretty bad adult novel
shallow character work, not one but two instant relationships, plot progression happening only via multiple paragraphs of dialogue info dumping… yikes!
a lot of asides about feminism and misogyny in this that feel completely out of place as misogyny is not woven into the overall plot DNA in any real tangible way - i guess if you can’t figure out how to make your incoherent plot fun to read you can always go on a dumbed down #girlboss rant every few pages and distract readers? idk
also. our MC is born in 1980 and is a college freshman of 19… making this set in 1999… and yet characters are constantly texting and saying either words or brand names that are very much 2020s. sure! i guess! whatever u want to do queen
September 10, 2026
veryyy spooky & had incredible gothic vibes!
February 20, 2026
Before going in, all I knew was: theatre plays, vampires?curses? ghosts? and dreamy love interests. That alone sold me because I already trust De’s writing — and yep, I was absolutely right. This book was incredibly addictive.
Every chapter ends with something insane that makes you go wtf… okay fine, one more chapter, and somehow the stakes keep escalating until you reach the end completely speechless. I was so hooked and immersed in the storytelling that putting the book down felt impossible. If I hadn’t been on holiday, I genuinely would’ve locked myself in my room and finished this in one sitting.
The atmosphere is one of this book’s biggest strengths, its eerie, theatrical, and layered with supernatural tension. De’s prose is achingly beautiful, the kind that makes you understand every character’s motivations even when you know they’re walking straight red flags. I found myself agreeing with decisions I normally wouldn’t, simply because the writing pulls you so deeply into the characters’ emotional worlds.
Ezra is easily one of the most compelling characters here; complex, secretive, and frustratingly magnetic. It’s established early on that he’s hiding things (not a spoiler), yet every time he deflects or dodges questions, you still want to believe him. He leaves you with more questions than answers, and that ambiguity only makes him more fascinating. Saskia is another standout; pretty, badass, and wrapped in mystery. The blurb reveals very little about them, and discovering their character organically was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. And then there’s Mallory, our main character, who truly goes through an emotional whirlwind. She may trust and fall a little quickly, but honestly, I understood her. The tension, the vulnerability, and the emotional circumstances surrounding her choices made them feel believable. Plus, if you witnessed the charm and intensity of these love interests firsthand, you’d probably fold too. I kept telling myself nah, couldn’t be me, only to immediately go okay wait… that was smooth.
The horror elements create vivid, cinematic imagery that feels almost tangible. With my horror media brain, I kept paralleling moments to The Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Lights Out, Black Swan, and Abigail; haunting, psychological, and beautifully unsettling. Emotionally, the story takes you through Mallory’s desperation, the slow unraveling of her situation, and the overwhelming mysteries she faces while trying to hold onto her sanity.
I buddy-read this, and we were constantly spiraling - forming theories, second-guessing everything, and still being surprised by how the story unfolded. The plot feels fresh and intriguing, encouraging you to surrender to the narrative rather than overthinking it. Between Ezra’s charm, the ominous atmosphere surrounding Mallory, and the secrets lurking within Shore College, there’s always something pulling your attention forward. So pick a thematic playlist, sit back, and let the book consume you ;)
I would absolutely love to see this adapted into a movie, it would translate so well with the visuals, atmosphere and the dialoguessss ahhhh!!! i’ve been completely obsessed with this book, and honestly, I don’t think that feeling is leaving anytime soon.
Thank you so much to Dutton Books and De Elizabeth's team for the e-arc Netgalley copy! <3
Every chapter ends with something insane that makes you go wtf… okay fine, one more chapter, and somehow the stakes keep escalating until you reach the end completely speechless. I was so hooked and immersed in the storytelling that putting the book down felt impossible. If I hadn’t been on holiday, I genuinely would’ve locked myself in my room and finished this in one sitting.
The atmosphere is one of this book’s biggest strengths, its eerie, theatrical, and layered with supernatural tension. De’s prose is achingly beautiful, the kind that makes you understand every character’s motivations even when you know they’re walking straight red flags. I found myself agreeing with decisions I normally wouldn’t, simply because the writing pulls you so deeply into the characters’ emotional worlds.
Ezra is easily one of the most compelling characters here; complex, secretive, and frustratingly magnetic. It’s established early on that he’s hiding things (not a spoiler), yet every time he deflects or dodges questions, you still want to believe him. He leaves you with more questions than answers, and that ambiguity only makes him more fascinating. Saskia is another standout; pretty, badass, and wrapped in mystery. The blurb reveals very little about them, and discovering their character organically was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. And then there’s Mallory, our main character, who truly goes through an emotional whirlwind. She may trust and fall a little quickly, but honestly, I understood her. The tension, the vulnerability, and the emotional circumstances surrounding her choices made them feel believable. Plus, if you witnessed the charm and intensity of these love interests firsthand, you’d probably fold too. I kept telling myself nah, couldn’t be me, only to immediately go okay wait… that was smooth.
The horror elements create vivid, cinematic imagery that feels almost tangible. With my horror media brain, I kept paralleling moments to The Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Lights Out, Black Swan, and Abigail; haunting, psychological, and beautifully unsettling. Emotionally, the story takes you through Mallory’s desperation, the slow unraveling of her situation, and the overwhelming mysteries she faces while trying to hold onto her sanity.
I buddy-read this, and we were constantly spiraling - forming theories, second-guessing everything, and still being surprised by how the story unfolded. The plot feels fresh and intriguing, encouraging you to surrender to the narrative rather than overthinking it. Between Ezra’s charm, the ominous atmosphere surrounding Mallory, and the secrets lurking within Shore College, there’s always something pulling your attention forward. So pick a thematic playlist, sit back, and let the book consume you ;)
I would absolutely love to see this adapted into a movie, it would translate so well with the visuals, atmosphere and the dialoguessss ahhhh!!! i’ve been completely obsessed with this book, and honestly, I don’t think that feeling is leaving anytime soon.
Thank you so much to Dutton Books and De Elizabeth's team for the e-arc Netgalley copy! <3
September 26, 2026
The hottest thing your boyfriend can do is commit murder and fraud so you can be happy with you girlfriend
August 28, 2026
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING!!!!! Finished it in basically one sitting I am obsessed
September 2, 2026
“What haunts you doesn’t define you.”
There is something about queer horror + gothic vibes that simply works for me.
I really loved the first quarter of this book. The atmosphere was immaculate. It gave me The Ring, Gothika and Phantom of the Opera vibes. I was very much sat for it all.
Mallory and Ezra’s chemistry was chemistry-ing! I really loved their dynamic in the beginning. Ezra’s mysterious “nobody understands and loves me” energy was kinda doing it for me ngl. 🫦
”To being afraid, and doing it anyway.”
Somewhere around the middle of the book it started to lose me a little bit. I genuinely thought this was going to be a 3 star reading for me. It got to a point where it just felt a bit repetitive. But thankfully things picked up again toward the end and I really liked where the story went.
I do have some thoughts about the romance tho.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the insta-love between Mallory and Ezra. Things moved very VERY fast. I can tolerate it when the chemistry is convincing enough, and theirs was definitely there, but I would’ve preferred a little more time for their relationship to develop.
“Would you sin for me?”
But Mallory and Saskia? Girl… I wanted to root for the sapphic romance so badly! HELLO BISEXUAL REPRESENTATION WE LOVE TO SEE IT!
Unfortunately these two had about as much chemistry as water and oil.
And while we’re airing grievances: Mallory was a horrible friend to Arden. There. I said it. Someone had to.
Despite my complaints I still really enjoyed this book overall. It’s atmospheric, creepy and a perfect stormy night vibe. Plus, any book that manages to combine gothic horror and queer characters is already speaking my language.
A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
There is something about queer horror + gothic vibes that simply works for me.
I really loved the first quarter of this book. The atmosphere was immaculate. It gave me The Ring, Gothika and Phantom of the Opera vibes. I was very much sat for it all.
Mallory and Ezra’s chemistry was chemistry-ing! I really loved their dynamic in the beginning. Ezra’s mysterious “nobody understands and loves me” energy was kinda doing it for me ngl. 🫦
”To being afraid, and doing it anyway.”
Somewhere around the middle of the book it started to lose me a little bit. I genuinely thought this was going to be a 3 star reading for me. It got to a point where it just felt a bit repetitive. But thankfully things picked up again toward the end and I really liked where the story went.
I do have some thoughts about the romance tho.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the insta-love between Mallory and Ezra. Things moved very VERY fast. I can tolerate it when the chemistry is convincing enough, and theirs was definitely there, but I would’ve preferred a little more time for their relationship to develop.
“Would you sin for me?”
But Mallory and Saskia? Girl… I wanted to root for the sapphic romance so badly! HELLO BISEXUAL REPRESENTATION WE LOVE TO SEE IT!
Unfortunately these two had about as much chemistry as water and oil.
And while we’re airing grievances: Mallory was a horrible friend to Arden. There. I said it. Someone had to.
Despite my complaints I still really enjoyed this book overall. It’s atmospheric, creepy and a perfect stormy night vibe. Plus, any book that manages to combine gothic horror and queer characters is already speaking my language.
A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
August 3, 2026
07/31/2026-08/03/2026
Thank you so much Dutton for the gifted digital widget of “She Haunts me Still” by De Elizabeth 🐦⬛
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming August 11th, 2026)
Do you know when you read something and it just keeps unraveling and anytime it does it just hurts more and more? ❤️🩹
This one. This one constantly gave me chills.
You’d never guess which heart break was next (be it friends, family, lovers, life etc…) 💔
This was a gorgeous and GOREgeous read 😉
I felt like I was reading under the ghost light the entire time! 🔦
Thank you so much Dutton for the gifted digital widget of “She Haunts me Still” by De Elizabeth 🐦⬛
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming August 11th, 2026)
Do you know when you read something and it just keeps unraveling and anytime it does it just hurts more and more? ❤️🩹
This one. This one constantly gave me chills.
You’d never guess which heart break was next (be it friends, family, lovers, life etc…) 💔
This was a gorgeous and GOREgeous read 😉
I felt like I was reading under the ghost light the entire time! 🔦
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Current rating: 4.5 stars
I didn't expect to be able to finish She Haunts Me Still as quickly as I did?? This book kept me up all night, and since it was already so late, I figured it would be fitting to finish this book at 3:33 AM.
SHMS was packed with complex characters, twists + reveals, horror, and deliciously dark theatre vibes, all of which kept me turning the pages, excited to see how my notes app theories held up. Somehow, I managed to figure almost everything out, but I still wouldn't say this book was predictable! While sleep-deprived, I started drawing fun parallels to different pieces of media: horror films, plays, musicals, etc. The Point of No Return from The Phantom of the Opera was playing in my head at one point, iykyk!!
Loved the characters, starting with our main character Mallory! I was rooting for her throughout and really felt for her and her situation.
I'll admit that I did want to dive in to stop her from trusting some ppl so quickly, but she learned and grew from it. And to be fair, Ezra and Saskia were both very intriguing. I won't say much about those two because it's definitely more fun to go in blind and discover these characters and all the mysteries for yourself. I will say that I was very satisfied with the ending!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I didn't expect to be able to finish She Haunts Me Still as quickly as I did?? This book kept me up all night, and since it was already so late, I figured it would be fitting to finish this book at 3:33 AM.
SHMS was packed with complex characters, twists + reveals, horror, and deliciously dark theatre vibes, all of which kept me turning the pages, excited to see how my notes app theories held up. Somehow, I managed to figure almost everything out, but I still wouldn't say this book was predictable! While sleep-deprived, I started drawing fun parallels to different pieces of media: horror films, plays, musicals, etc. The Point of No Return from The Phantom of the Opera was playing in my head at one point, iykyk!!
Loved the characters, starting with our main character Mallory! I was rooting for her throughout and really felt for her and her situation.
I'll admit that I did want to dive in to stop her from trusting some ppl so quickly, but she learned and grew from it. And to be fair, Ezra and Saskia were both very intriguing. I won't say much about those two because it's definitely more fun to go in blind and discover these characters and all the mysteries for yourself. I will say that I was very satisfied with the ending!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 17, 2026
4⭐️ This book was deliciously dark and had me in my feels. Depression girlies get it.
“Because it’s always been you. You’re my ghost, Jules”.
“Because it’s always been you. You’re my ghost, Jules”.
August 12, 2026
In "She Haunts me still" we follow 19 year old Mallory as she gets an invitation to join the same prestigious college that her mother attended, the same college that holds many secrets and may be the key to unlocking the answer to all of Mal's questions: Who killed her mother and why? And who is the ghost that continues to haunt Mallory till this day?
This book was one of my most anticipated releases this year. All I needed to hear was "Ghosts. Gothic Atmosphere. Sapphic Romance" and I said "SOLD!". The book had a very promising start. The writing started strong and it painted the eerie tale of a girl being haunted by the ghosts of her past so well but then... The first love interest entered the scene and everything went downhill from there! Ezra was annoying and would make these little remarks that sounded slightly misogynistic and the romance between them blossomed within the FIRST 100 PAGES! I'm on page 80 and they're already looking at each other all lustful. Even if I didn't hate Ezra so much, where is the yearning?!
After that, I feel like the writing also took a nosedive. It started off as this strong tale with words woven together so well and then all of a sudden, it all got dismantled and it felt like I was reading a YA novel. Mallory acted so immature and would make the stupidest decisions that would have me wanting to chuck my phone at the wall, and then the sapphic love interest is brought in and... that romance also happened way too fast! Between Ezra who I absolutely hated, Mallory who kept pissing me off with her stupid decisions (Like, girl your 19 and in college not 13! Grow up!), the romance that happened WAY to quickly and the writing that began to feel juvenile, my enjoyment definitely dwindled quickly. The only thing that held it together was the plot but that in of itself wasn't enough to distract me from everything else and for that I'm going to give this 2 stars... I was hoping this would be five stars, I'm so sad it wasn't...
This book was one of my most anticipated releases this year. All I needed to hear was "Ghosts. Gothic Atmosphere. Sapphic Romance" and I said "SOLD!". The book had a very promising start. The writing started strong and it painted the eerie tale of a girl being haunted by the ghosts of her past so well but then... The first love interest entered the scene and everything went downhill from there! Ezra was annoying and would make these little remarks that sounded slightly misogynistic and the romance between them blossomed within the FIRST 100 PAGES! I'm on page 80 and they're already looking at each other all lustful. Even if I didn't hate Ezra so much, where is the yearning?!
After that, I feel like the writing also took a nosedive. It started off as this strong tale with words woven together so well and then all of a sudden, it all got dismantled and it felt like I was reading a YA novel. Mallory acted so immature and would make the stupidest decisions that would have me wanting to chuck my phone at the wall, and then the sapphic love interest is brought in and... that romance also happened way too fast! Between Ezra who I absolutely hated, Mallory who kept pissing me off with her stupid decisions (Like, girl your 19 and in college not 13! Grow up!), the romance that happened WAY to quickly and the writing that began to feel juvenile, my enjoyment definitely dwindled quickly. The only thing that held it together was the plot but that in of itself wasn't enough to distract me from everything else and for that I'm going to give this 2 stars... I was hoping this would be five stars, I'm so sad it wasn't...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
➵ 4.75 ⭐️
HOW FUCKING DARE YOU 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Years of therapy, De, YEARS. Brace yourself for that bill.
De's debut was great but her sophomore book is even better.
She Haunts Me Still was dark and, unironically, haunting; heartwrenching and devastating, and I'm still trying to get over that ending.
This is one of those books I'm always gonna be upset about, literally cannot even read some quotes from it now without bursting into tears, and no one warned me!!! 😭😭😭😭
This book deserves all the stars just for the mind-fuck. There was so much going on and in every other chapter I was questioning my sanity alongside Mallory's.
There were so many things I loved about this story—from the gothic atmosphere and theatrical themes to the horror elements and the haunting feeling of falling in love.
My favorite thing about it though was Ezra and the plotline that connected him to Mallory. He was so complex and compelling, I'm absolutely obsessed with him, and I know he had his issues but the romance between him and Mallory in the first part of the book was my fav.
I really liked Saskia as a supporting character especially with the way she was the voice of reason in several scenes, but can't say I cared much about her as a love interest. Compared to the relationship between Ezra and Mallory which develops in 200 pages, Saskia is barely in the book before the mid point, and she becomes a factor after the 200th page at which point it takes about 60 pages for her and Mallory to get together and even though there is a reason for it, I feel like we barely get to know Saskia the whole time. It's always Mallory who is sharing things with her so it was difficult to get attached to her.
And Mallory, our poor haunted girl went through so much. From generational curses and seeing things that weren't there, not knowing who and what to trust, to finally letting herself be seen and falling in love. I was rooting for her the whole time and I'm happy where she ended up.
The theater setting and the Romeo and Juliet play as a backdrop acted almost like its own character, dripping with tension and psychological discomfort. I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, literally wasn't sure if the whole thing will end in tragedy. De wrote the horror elements so vividly and creepy, I'm not one to ever really get creeped out this a lot of scenes in this book gave me the creeps.
As I said in the beginning of this review, I don't think I'll ever forgive De for everything she put me through in SHMS (and in some cases twice!!!!!) but this is one of those stories that will haunt me.
eternal gratitude to De Elizabeth, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
HOW FUCKING DARE YOU 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
"𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂," 𝗘𝘇𝗿𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 "𝗜'𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲."
"I would kiss you." His gaze falters to her lips. "I'd kiss you until there was nothing left."
Years of therapy, De, YEARS. Brace yourself for that bill.
De's debut was great but her sophomore book is even better.
She Haunts Me Still was dark and, unironically, haunting; heartwrenching and devastating, and I'm still trying to get over that ending.
This is one of those books I'm always gonna be upset about, literally cannot even read some quotes from it now without bursting into tears, and no one warned me!!! 😭😭😭😭
This book deserves all the stars just for the mind-fuck. There was so much going on and in every other chapter I was questioning my sanity alongside Mallory's.
There were so many things I loved about this story—from the gothic atmosphere and theatrical themes to the horror elements and the haunting feeling of falling in love.
"You're haunted?" Ezra leans close enough that she can nearly taste his next words. "I'm possessed."
My favorite thing about it though was Ezra and the plotline that connected him to Mallory. He was so complex and compelling, I'm absolutely obsessed with him, and I know he had his issues but the romance between him and Mallory in the first part of the book was my fav.
I really liked Saskia as a supporting character especially with the way she was the voice of reason in several scenes, but can't say I cared much about her as a love interest. Compared to the relationship between Ezra and Mallory which develops in 200 pages, Saskia is barely in the book before the mid point, and she becomes a factor after the 200th page at which point it takes about 60 pages for her and Mallory to get together and even though there is a reason for it, I feel like we barely get to know Saskia the whole time. It's always Mallory who is sharing things with her so it was difficult to get attached to her.
And Mallory, our poor haunted girl went through so much. From generational curses and seeing things that weren't there, not knowing who and what to trust, to finally letting herself be seen and falling in love. I was rooting for her the whole time and I'm happy where she ended up.
The theater setting and the Romeo and Juliet play as a backdrop acted almost like its own character, dripping with tension and psychological discomfort. I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, literally wasn't sure if the whole thing will end in tragedy. De wrote the horror elements so vividly and creepy, I'm not one to ever really get creeped out this a lot of scenes in this book gave me the creeps.
As I said in the beginning of this review, I don't think I'll ever forgive De for everything she put me through in SHMS (and in some cases twice!!!!!) but this is one of those stories that will haunt me.
"I hate you," she breathes into his mouth.
"Show me how much," he says roughly.
eternal gratitude to De Elizabeth, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
July 10, 2026
First of all, thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
I wanted to love this book alright, I really did. The concept and the lore was intriguing with a perfect theater related setting.
Instead, what I felt the most was annoyance.
This should had been a YA, the biggest weakness of the book is the lack of nuance in characterizations, creating sample, irritating cast of characters and the excessive amount of exposition, which is actually killing the horror suspense.
An another thing, I have noticed which annoyed me greatly is the constant anachronism throughout the book. The story is supposed to set in the 90’s but reads like something from the current times. One word that absolutely threw me off was “headcanon”. After doing a quick research I was saddened to see that I was right. Authors should do a bit more research when not choosing an absolutely contemporary time.
I actually learned a great deal concerning the vampire crisis of New England, of which I previously had no idea about. I wish the book would have inserted more details or flashbacks from the time Lily was alive.
I wanted to love this book alright, I really did. The concept and the lore was intriguing with a perfect theater related setting.
Instead, what I felt the most was annoyance.
This should had been a YA, the biggest weakness of the book is the lack of nuance in characterizations, creating sample, irritating cast of characters and the excessive amount of exposition, which is actually killing the horror suspense.
An another thing, I have noticed which annoyed me greatly is the constant anachronism throughout the book. The story is supposed to set in the 90’s but reads like something from the current times. One word that absolutely threw me off was “headcanon”. After doing a quick research I was saddened to see that I was right. Authors should do a bit more research when not choosing an absolutely contemporary time.
I actually learned a great deal concerning the vampire crisis of New England, of which I previously had no idea about. I wish the book would have inserted more details or flashbacks from the time Lily was alive.
August 17, 2026
It took me an embarrassingly long time to finish this book because apparently I fell straight into a reading slump. 😭 But I’m finally done!
Thank you so much to Edelweiss and Penguin Random House for the eARC.
This book was very different from what I usually read, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was, quite literally, hauntingly beautiful. The atmosphere was easily one of my favourite things about it. The dark curses, vampire lore, eerie setting and gothic feel all worked together beautifully, and the writing itself was easy to get into while still creating that haunting atmosphere.
The plot was also incredibly packed. There was ALWAYS something happening, often several things at once, and the story rarely gave you a chance to breathe. In the beginning, I actually loved that about it because it made me feel completely immersed in the world. There was always another secret to uncover or another question to answer, and that kept me turning the pages.
The mystery was probably the biggest reason I stayed hooked. Interestingly, I found the mystery itself more compelling than the eventual reveal. The answers weren’t necessarily as exciting as I expected them to be, but the questions were SO good. I constantly wanted to know what was happening to Mallory, what was going on with Ezra and, most importantly, WHAT EXACTLY WAS EZRA? 😭
Because genuinely, at one point I was like, is this man a vampire? A wolf? A crow? WHAT IS HE?
That curiosity carried me through a lot of the book.
Unfortunately, somewhere around the 60 to 70% mark, I started losing that excitement. The story had built up so much mystery and tension that I was expecting the payoff to be huge, but once some of the major reveals started happening, I found myself less invested in where everything was going. The plot that had felt so tightly wound earlier began to lose some of its momentum for me.
And then we got to the ending.
I’m sorry, but… that’s it? 😭
After everything the book had built up around the curse, I wanted the resolution to feel much bigger and more satisfying. Instead, the curse is essentially lifted and I was left wanting something more. The story started with such a strong sense of mystery and possibility that the ending felt surprisingly underwhelming in comparison.
The romance was another weak point for me. I really didn’t think the love triangle was handled particularly well. Mallory’s feelings seemed to shift between Ezra and Saskia quite abruptly, and I struggled to understand the emotional progression behind those changes. There were moments where she seemed completely done with Ezra after realising how much he lied and how many red flags he was carrying, only for her attention to suddenly shift towards Saskia. Then the dynamic would change again. Because of how quickly these feelings developed and changed, I never became invested in the romance in the way I wanted to.
As for Mallory herself, I liked her, but I don’t think she left as strong an impression on me as I wanted her to. What made her compelling was largely everything that happened to her rather than who she was independently of those events. Her situation was fascinating, her circumstances were genuinely tragic, and I enjoyed following everything she went through, but I never felt like I got to know Mallory deeply enough as a person. I can like her without necessarily feeling like she’s a character I’ll remember for a long time.
The theatre aspect was another thing I wish the book had explored more. These characters are theatre students, yet we barely get to see them actually doing theatre. Performances are relatively rare, and when Mallory does perform, something usually happens because of her visions and everything going on with her. Meanwhile, so much of the story focuses on Mallory and Ezra meeting secretly and trying to figure out what is happening to her.
At one point, I genuinely wondered how Mallory had not been kicked out of the play yet because GIRL, HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GOING TO MESS UP? 😭
But beyond the logistics, I just wanted more theatre. I wanted to understand why it mattered so much to Mallory and what it represented to her. The Romeo and Juliet element especially felt like it could have been much more meaningful. I liked the concept and the aesthetic connection, but I never felt that deeper emotional connection between the play, Mallory, the tragedy and the curse.
And I think that was ultimately my biggest issue with the book: there was simply too much going on.
The curses, the vampire lore, the mystery, the romance, the love triangle, the theatre, Romeo and Juliet, the secrets, the visions, the character relationships… there were so many interesting ideas here, but I don’t think enough time was spent developing each of them. A lot of things felt like they had the potential to be something much deeper, but the story kept moving before I could really form that connection.
Despite all of that, I did enjoy reading this. The atmosphere, writing and mystery were strong enough to keep me invested for most of the book, and I genuinely think the concept had so much potential. I just wish the story had slowed down in certain places and allowed its strongest elements to breathe.
I had fun with this book. I liked it, I enjoyed the experience, and I would still recommend it to someone who loves dark, atmospheric fantasy with curses, mysteries and gothic vibes.
I just kept thinking about how much MORE this could have been.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Did I enjoy it? Definitely.
Do I think it reached its full potential? Sadly, no. 🖤
Thank you so much to Edelweiss and Penguin Random House for the eARC.
This book was very different from what I usually read, but I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was, quite literally, hauntingly beautiful. The atmosphere was easily one of my favourite things about it. The dark curses, vampire lore, eerie setting and gothic feel all worked together beautifully, and the writing itself was easy to get into while still creating that haunting atmosphere.
The plot was also incredibly packed. There was ALWAYS something happening, often several things at once, and the story rarely gave you a chance to breathe. In the beginning, I actually loved that about it because it made me feel completely immersed in the world. There was always another secret to uncover or another question to answer, and that kept me turning the pages.
The mystery was probably the biggest reason I stayed hooked. Interestingly, I found the mystery itself more compelling than the eventual reveal. The answers weren’t necessarily as exciting as I expected them to be, but the questions were SO good. I constantly wanted to know what was happening to Mallory, what was going on with Ezra and, most importantly, WHAT EXACTLY WAS EZRA? 😭
Because genuinely, at one point I was like, is this man a vampire? A wolf? A crow? WHAT IS HE?
That curiosity carried me through a lot of the book.
Unfortunately, somewhere around the 60 to 70% mark, I started losing that excitement. The story had built up so much mystery and tension that I was expecting the payoff to be huge, but once some of the major reveals started happening, I found myself less invested in where everything was going. The plot that had felt so tightly wound earlier began to lose some of its momentum for me.
And then we got to the ending.
I’m sorry, but… that’s it? 😭
After everything the book had built up around the curse, I wanted the resolution to feel much bigger and more satisfying. Instead, the curse is essentially lifted and I was left wanting something more. The story started with such a strong sense of mystery and possibility that the ending felt surprisingly underwhelming in comparison.
The romance was another weak point for me. I really didn’t think the love triangle was handled particularly well. Mallory’s feelings seemed to shift between Ezra and Saskia quite abruptly, and I struggled to understand the emotional progression behind those changes. There were moments where she seemed completely done with Ezra after realising how much he lied and how many red flags he was carrying, only for her attention to suddenly shift towards Saskia. Then the dynamic would change again. Because of how quickly these feelings developed and changed, I never became invested in the romance in the way I wanted to.
As for Mallory herself, I liked her, but I don’t think she left as strong an impression on me as I wanted her to. What made her compelling was largely everything that happened to her rather than who she was independently of those events. Her situation was fascinating, her circumstances were genuinely tragic, and I enjoyed following everything she went through, but I never felt like I got to know Mallory deeply enough as a person. I can like her without necessarily feeling like she’s a character I’ll remember for a long time.
The theatre aspect was another thing I wish the book had explored more. These characters are theatre students, yet we barely get to see them actually doing theatre. Performances are relatively rare, and when Mallory does perform, something usually happens because of her visions and everything going on with her. Meanwhile, so much of the story focuses on Mallory and Ezra meeting secretly and trying to figure out what is happening to her.
At one point, I genuinely wondered how Mallory had not been kicked out of the play yet because GIRL, HOW MANY TIMES ARE YOU GOING TO MESS UP? 😭
But beyond the logistics, I just wanted more theatre. I wanted to understand why it mattered so much to Mallory and what it represented to her. The Romeo and Juliet element especially felt like it could have been much more meaningful. I liked the concept and the aesthetic connection, but I never felt that deeper emotional connection between the play, Mallory, the tragedy and the curse.
And I think that was ultimately my biggest issue with the book: there was simply too much going on.
The curses, the vampire lore, the mystery, the romance, the love triangle, the theatre, Romeo and Juliet, the secrets, the visions, the character relationships… there were so many interesting ideas here, but I don’t think enough time was spent developing each of them. A lot of things felt like they had the potential to be something much deeper, but the story kept moving before I could really form that connection.
Despite all of that, I did enjoy reading this. The atmosphere, writing and mystery were strong enough to keep me invested for most of the book, and I genuinely think the concept had so much potential. I just wish the story had slowed down in certain places and allowed its strongest elements to breathe.
I had fun with this book. I liked it, I enjoyed the experience, and I would still recommend it to someone who loves dark, atmospheric fantasy with curses, mysteries and gothic vibes.
I just kept thinking about how much MORE this could have been.
Would I recommend it? Yes.
Did I enjoy it? Definitely.
Do I think it reached its full potential? Sadly, no. 🖤
September 12, 2026
mallory pissed me off tbh
August 13, 2026
This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a book. Inject it into my veins!!
February 19, 2026
I don’t even know how to act normal about this book. It’s very rare that I give something 6 stars, but this??? This is one of those rare occasions. I could not put it down. I inhaled it. Binge read it. Neglected responsibilities for it. And now that I’ve finished I’m genuinely unwell. I’m grieving the story. I’m grieving the characters. I miss them already.The book is about Mallory Webb who survives a deeply traumatic childhood and heads to a liberal arts university in Rhode Island (a former sanitarium which is already creepy) to start fresh as a theater major at her mother’s alma mater. She lands the lead in Romeo and Juliet, which should feel like a dream but instead the blood soaked wraith connected to her mother’s death resurfaces. Armed only with cryptic symbols in her mom’s old college notebook Mallory starts digging for answers on campus before history repeats itself.She teams up with Ezra Pierce the fourth year directing the play and there is chemistry. But Ezra is keeping secrets especially about Saskia Garin Mallory’s mysterious understudy whose past eerily mirrors her own. As if that’s not enough an ancient bloodthirsty evil tied to the New England vampire panic resurfaces to collect on a centuries old bargain. Mallory, Ezra, and Saskia have to unravel how their histories are tangled together and face the consequences of their own star crossed love story.You’re telling me this is a queer horror inspired by the New England vampire panic paired with theater kid drama, tragic romance, and generational trauma? I was ALL up in that. The vibes are dark academia meets gothic horror. It’s romantic and horrifying. I am going to be feral when I get my hands on a physical copy because this is going straight to my favorites shelf. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I love horror. If this sounds even remotely like your thing, read it. Just be prepared to finish it and sit there staring at the wall for a while after. Because I did.
September 8, 2026
2.5⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley for the digital advance reader copy.
Alright, I can’t put this off forever so here we go.
First and foremost, I thought the premise had a lot of potential and it was extremely under-utilized. It seemed that for most of the book the only time the theatre portion was even referenced was in the many times Mallory whined about not knowing her lines and “omg I’m going to lose my starring role in the play 🥀💔🤯”. For those unaware this is also a HORROR novel with literal ghosts and murders going on, but yes the possibility of not being Juliet in Romeo and Juliet is truly the biggest concern here.
Second of all, this book felt very YA. Mallory is so immature and makes the dumbest, least rational decisions I have ever seen. The only non-YA part was the many sex scenes. Which brings me to certain portions of the book feeling like the author was preaching to the reader. There are not one, but two insta-love/lust romances in the story and Mallory seems more focused on hooking up with her classmates than not getting her heart carved out of her chest, so how does the author counter criticism? Mallory having inner monologues about how people would shame her for having sex with these characters because she’s a woman. Girl I’m shaming you because you’re busy making heart eyes while a cult breathes down your neck.
It’s also glossed over that Mallory may be the shittiest friend I’ve seen in a book in awhile. I won’t elaborate for spoilers sake, but goddamn.
Also the time period seems like it’s late 90s/early 2000s since Mallory is born in 1980 I believe, but there’s multiple instances where the dialogue felt way more modern day.
Lastly, characters felt very surface level and no one seemed to have much personality or any sort of meaningful development. Instead of driving the story, it felt like they were all just being pulled along with the current.
This book really brought the passionate hater in me to the surface, so I guess props for making me feel something?
Thanks to Netgalley for the digital advance reader copy.
Alright, I can’t put this off forever so here we go.
First and foremost, I thought the premise had a lot of potential and it was extremely under-utilized. It seemed that for most of the book the only time the theatre portion was even referenced was in the many times Mallory whined about not knowing her lines and “omg I’m going to lose my starring role in the play 🥀💔🤯”. For those unaware this is also a HORROR novel with literal ghosts and murders going on, but yes the possibility of not being Juliet in Romeo and Juliet is truly the biggest concern here.
Second of all, this book felt very YA. Mallory is so immature and makes the dumbest, least rational decisions I have ever seen. The only non-YA part was the many sex scenes. Which brings me to certain portions of the book feeling like the author was preaching to the reader. There are not one, but two insta-love/lust romances in the story and Mallory seems more focused on hooking up with her classmates than not getting her heart carved out of her chest, so how does the author counter criticism? Mallory having inner monologues about how people would shame her for having sex with these characters because she’s a woman. Girl I’m shaming you because you’re busy making heart eyes while a cult breathes down your neck.
It’s also glossed over that Mallory may be the shittiest friend I’ve seen in a book in awhile. I won’t elaborate for spoilers sake, but goddamn.
Also the time period seems like it’s late 90s/early 2000s since Mallory is born in 1980 I believe, but there’s multiple instances where the dialogue felt way more modern day.
Lastly, characters felt very surface level and no one seemed to have much personality or any sort of meaningful development. Instead of driving the story, it felt like they were all just being pulled along with the current.
This book really brought the passionate hater in me to the surface, so I guess props for making me feel something?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2026
Thank you so much to Dutton for the eARC!
She Haunts Me Still was such an atmospheric, haunting read, and I’m really glad I stuck with it.
I’ll be honest—I was pretty skeptical at the beginning because I was also really confused. The story throws you straight into the mystery with very little backstory, and for a while I felt like I was scrambling to figure out what was happening. But as the story unfolded, everything slowly started clicking into place, and I found myself becoming more and more invested in the mystery.
The atmosphere was easily my favorite part. This book is haunting, tragic, and full of grief. You can feel Mallory’s and Ezra’s trauma bleeding through the pages, and the eerie setting made everything feel even more unsettling. I loved watching the mystery slowly unravel and trying to piece everything together alongside the characters.
That said…I still wanted more.
The pacing felt a little rushed at times. I never fully connected with Ezra and Mallory’s relationship, and I also wanted more development between Mallory and Saskia. Their relationships didn’t hit me emotionally as much as I hoped they would. Looking back after finishing the book, I understand why some of that was intentional, but I still would’ve loved more time with these characters.
The ending pulled so many pieces together, and I really enjoyed the big reveal. I just wish a few more questions had been answered before the story wrapped up. I was left wanting a little more closure and a little more time to sit with everything that happened.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The haunting atmosphere, tragic mystery, emotional themes, and slow unraveling of the truth kept me turning the pages. While I wish some relationships had been more developed and a few lingering questions had been answered, this was still a compelling, eerie story that I’m glad I picked up. If you love gothic horror, ghostly mysteries, tragic love stories, and dark academia vibes, I think this one is well worth reading.
She Haunts Me Still was such an atmospheric, haunting read, and I’m really glad I stuck with it.
I’ll be honest—I was pretty skeptical at the beginning because I was also really confused. The story throws you straight into the mystery with very little backstory, and for a while I felt like I was scrambling to figure out what was happening. But as the story unfolded, everything slowly started clicking into place, and I found myself becoming more and more invested in the mystery.
The atmosphere was easily my favorite part. This book is haunting, tragic, and full of grief. You can feel Mallory’s and Ezra’s trauma bleeding through the pages, and the eerie setting made everything feel even more unsettling. I loved watching the mystery slowly unravel and trying to piece everything together alongside the characters.
That said…I still wanted more.
The pacing felt a little rushed at times. I never fully connected with Ezra and Mallory’s relationship, and I also wanted more development between Mallory and Saskia. Their relationships didn’t hit me emotionally as much as I hoped they would. Looking back after finishing the book, I understand why some of that was intentional, but I still would’ve loved more time with these characters.
The ending pulled so many pieces together, and I really enjoyed the big reveal. I just wish a few more questions had been answered before the story wrapped up. I was left wanting a little more closure and a little more time to sit with everything that happened.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The haunting atmosphere, tragic mystery, emotional themes, and slow unraveling of the truth kept me turning the pages. While I wish some relationships had been more developed and a few lingering questions had been answered, this was still a compelling, eerie story that I’m glad I picked up. If you love gothic horror, ghostly mysteries, tragic love stories, and dark academia vibes, I think this one is well worth reading.
August 16, 2026
What an absolutely gorgeous book! It’s definitely horror with the ghostly hauntings, evil entities and vampire elements, but it’s also such a beautiful romance.
I loved Mallory and Saskia so much. The yearning between them and the way they supported each other just felt really genuine and lovely to read.
And my poor Ezra! Such a well written morally grey character, I was obsessed with him.
I also loved the theatre setting and the Romeo and Juliet references. It added this constant sense that things might not end well, like that feeling of star crossed lovers and inevitable tragedy. I’m such a sucker for books set around theatre and this was such a good take on it.
Overall, such a great gothic read and perfect if you’re in the mood for something autumnal!
Thank you Bedford Square Publishers and Novel Tours for sending me an ARC!
I loved Mallory and Saskia so much. The yearning between them and the way they supported each other just felt really genuine and lovely to read.
And my poor Ezra! Such a well written morally grey character, I was obsessed with him.
I also loved the theatre setting and the Romeo and Juliet references. It added this constant sense that things might not end well, like that feeling of star crossed lovers and inevitable tragedy. I’m such a sucker for books set around theatre and this was such a good take on it.
Overall, such a great gothic read and perfect if you’re in the mood for something autumnal!
Thank you Bedford Square Publishers and Novel Tours for sending me an ARC!
July 23, 2026
𓏲࣪◜4 stars ♡ᵎ
Hello?
That was so good queer horror books *always* get me.
This book simply had everything. A great writing style, an interesting story, complex characters, fantastic plot twists and overall just a fantastic atmosphere. I had an incredibly good time reading it (even though it broke my heart a little). What does bother me a bit however was the pace of the romance between the characters. In my opinion, it all happened too fast though that’s likely just because i’m not a big fan of insta love so it might just be my personal take.
- still a huge thank you to Bedford Square Publishers for sending me the e arc in exchange for an honest review. -
Hello?
That was so good queer horror books *always* get me.
This book simply had everything. A great writing style, an interesting story, complex characters, fantastic plot twists and overall just a fantastic atmosphere. I had an incredibly good time reading it (even though it broke my heart a little). What does bother me a bit however was the pace of the romance between the characters. In my opinion, it all happened too fast though that’s likely just because i’m not a big fan of insta love so it might just be my personal take.
- still a huge thank you to Bedford Square Publishers for sending me the e arc in exchange for an honest review. -
August 19, 2026
I love books with great atmosphere and a spooky academic setting, and those aspects of this book were great. The romances however were a bit spotty to me. I felt like Mallory’s connection to Ezra had much more substance than her relationship with Saskia. You got to see them connect more before the romance happened, which I feel like we didn’t not get so much on Saskias end. Their relationship felt more like insta love. Which, not my favorite. But I did find the lore aspects of the New England Vampire Panic very interesting, as I had never heard much about it before this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
July 6, 2026🕯️🥀 She Haunts Me Still 🥀🕯️
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Gothic Horror
• Haunted University
• Ghosts
• Queer Romance
• Ancient Curse
• Dark Academia
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 11, 2026
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Gothic Horror
• Haunted University
• Ghosts
• Queer Romance
• Ancient Curse
• Dark Academia
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: August 11, 2026
Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
August 20, 2026
She Haunts Me Still took me by surprise. While I did look at the blurb before starting this book, I did not expect that it would lean this heavily towards horror and be this dark and scary at times. As someone who tries to avoid any content that involves ghosts and hauntings in particular (I am a scaredy cat, after all), I wasn’t sure if I should continue reading, especially once there were even more (frightening) supernatural beings introduced 🫠
However, the story kept my interest, and just like Mallory, I wanted to know what was going on and to uncover all of the secrets that were kept by the people close to her. The three characters - Mallory, Ezra and Saskia - were all fascinating in their own right, and made all the more intriguing because of their interpersonal relationships. At one point, I did think that the switch up between the three characters was a little sudden, and made Mallory seem fickle.
Another major theme in this book is the theater, with the main characters all being involved in the college theater and an upcoming performance of Romeo & Juliet. Mallory, in particular, claims that the theater is the one place where she feels alive and unburdened. For me, this aspect of the book was not really necessary, as it did not really add anything to the actual story, except give the characters a setting and reason to meet and be in each other’s vicinity. But I did not find that it was annoying or getting in the way of the story either.
Once all the secrets were unraveled, the high stakes conclusion of the story felt appropriate and right for the characters involved. I am glad that I decided to push through after my initial scare (and after that ending, I am certain I can sleep peacefully again).
However, the story kept my interest, and just like Mallory, I wanted to know what was going on and to uncover all of the secrets that were kept by the people close to her. The three characters - Mallory, Ezra and Saskia - were all fascinating in their own right, and made all the more intriguing because of their interpersonal relationships. At one point, I did think that the switch up between the three characters was a little sudden, and made Mallory seem fickle.
Another major theme in this book is the theater, with the main characters all being involved in the college theater and an upcoming performance of Romeo & Juliet. Mallory, in particular, claims that the theater is the one place where she feels alive and unburdened. For me, this aspect of the book was not really necessary, as it did not really add anything to the actual story, except give the characters a setting and reason to meet and be in each other’s vicinity. But I did not find that it was annoying or getting in the way of the story either.
Once all the secrets were unraveled, the high stakes conclusion of the story felt appropriate and right for the characters involved. I am glad that I decided to push through after my initial scare (and after that ending, I am certain I can sleep peacefully again).
August 12, 2026
Okay so I saw that stunning art the author posted on Threads and my brain immediately went “yes please, thruple endgame incoming.” I hyped myself up so hard for some messy, haunted polycule drama only to disappoint myself with my own expectations, classic me.
Mallory rolls into an old sanitarium-turned-college trying to escape her ghost-story childhood, lands Juliet, and the bad luck begins with the blood-soaked wraith tied to her mom’s death popping up again. Ezra, the fourth-year director with the rings and the secrets, has that instant chemistry with her. Their connection? It’s giving “21 questions montage” rushed into a handful of charged scenes. Not quite a full love triangle because that Ezra link felt more like setup than slow-burn payoff.
Saskia tho… her and Mallory? That’s where the real spark lives. The New England vampire panic lore was creepy and fun, but didn’t feel fully fleshed.
Strengths: atmospheric, bi rep done right, rage and grief woven in nicely.
Flaw: the romance pacing needed another draft or two. I wanted more slow unraveling, not montage.
Still worth the read if you like your theater kids cursed and messy.
Mallory rolls into an old sanitarium-turned-college trying to escape her ghost-story childhood, lands Juliet, and the bad luck begins with the blood-soaked wraith tied to her mom’s death popping up again. Ezra, the fourth-year director with the rings and the secrets, has that instant chemistry with her. Their connection? It’s giving “21 questions montage” rushed into a handful of charged scenes. Not quite a full love triangle because that Ezra link felt more like setup than slow-burn payoff.
Saskia tho… her and Mallory? That’s where the real spark lives. The New England vampire panic lore was creepy and fun, but didn’t feel fully fleshed.
Strengths: atmospheric, bi rep done right, rage and grief woven in nicely.
Flaw: the romance pacing needed another draft or two. I wanted more slow unraveling, not montage.
Still worth the read if you like your theater kids cursed and messy.
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