What do you think?
The Gravewood #1
The Gravewood
IS IT LOVE . . . OR IS IT BLOODLUST?
Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood – a deadly forest that’s cut her town off from the world. With resources dwindling, she’s forced to ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she’ll be left in silence.
Her only hope is Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of the vampires who rule the Gravewood. Their deal is simple: she gives him her blood, he brings her batteries. No lines crossed. Nothing personal.
Until Shea’s best friend is lured into the Gravewood, and her brother Asher Thorley returns from the frontlines, willing to expose Shea’s darkest secrets to get his sister back.
Ever the opportunist, Lysander offers a new bargain: if Asher kills his vampire rival, he’ll help find the missing girl. And if Shea agrees to Turn, he’ll cure her ailing mother.
But every deal pulls her closer to Lysander – and to becoming a monster herself.
Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood – a deadly forest that’s cut her town off from the world. With resources dwindling, she’s forced to ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she’ll be left in silence.
Her only hope is Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of the vampires who rule the Gravewood. Their deal is simple: she gives him her blood, he brings her batteries. No lines crossed. Nothing personal.
Until Shea’s best friend is lured into the Gravewood, and her brother Asher Thorley returns from the frontlines, willing to expose Shea’s darkest secrets to get his sister back.
Ever the opportunist, Lysander offers a new bargain: if Asher kills his vampire rival, he’ll help find the missing girl. And if Shea agrees to Turn, he’ll cure her ailing mother.
But every deal pulls her closer to Lysander – and to becoming a monster herself.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,111 reviews
August 14, 2026
"The great hall of Mercy Ridge floods with runaways, led in from the cold like pigs to slaughter."The apocalypse has come and gone, leaving the straggles of society to pick up the pieces.
Shea Parker's town is surrounded by the poisonous Gravewood Forest - if you so much as eat a contaminated berry, then the rot will cause you to turn.
"Decisions, decisions. In or out. Live or die. Mercy Boy or carrion."
Though whether you become a vampire or a mindless creature is unpredictable. Shea's mother was not so lucky.
Oliver Lysander is one such rot-turned vampire, who struck a deal with the enigmatic Shea - her blood in exchange for an ever-dwindling supply of hearing aid batteries.
But their precarious deal soon becomes more, so much bloody more...
SOOOO...I'll lay out my deepest, darkest secret for you: I am a recovering Twihard. (please, hold your pitchforks).
Ergo, I see a vampire book, I snatch it quicker than a vamp burns in sunlight.
Ultimately, there were some elements that I really, really liked...and some that brought it down for me.
I liked the twist on vampires in this one - there's the whole deliberate-turning aspect but also a chance you could turn by accident if you ingest something rot-infested. So the vamps had some zombie elements - especially the ones that didn't take to the turn well.
I liked the way the author unveiled snippets of society in this one - little details here and there that really fleshed out the world for me.
And the chemistry was pretty decent too.
That being said...oh LAWD were the teenagers being teenagers in this one.
The characters themselves weren't too bad but when they interacted or made decisions, I just kept rolling my eyes. I really could have loved this one...but it got so bogged down by dumb decisions, irrational anger, and a distinct lack of logic and/or reasoning.
I feel like I liked the world building enough to go in for book 2, but I honestly don't know if I can handle the characters for another round.
September 28, 2025
I haven't become this excited for a series since probably legendborn. I'm obsessed, this is perfect. If you liked the chemistry between the main characters of legendborn this book is perfect for you, run to get it the second it's available I'm dead serious.
I have a soft spot for vampire stories(must be the obsession with twilight when I was 13), particularly the dark ones, and let me tell you this delivered.
In this world vampires are treated more like zombies, it's an infection and they are killed because of that. Our main character, Shea, makes a deal with a powerful vampire exchanging blood for batteries for her hearing aids. One of her childhood friends, back from a time in the hunting force, is looking for his sister who disappeared and he blames Lys, said powerful vampire. We go from there, I don't want to say too much.
This book has the only type of love triangle that I believe in, when the two male leads also have some tension between them. Lys calls Asher “sunshine” like CMON THEY'RE FLIRTING. I was living for the dynamic between the three of them and every interaction had me giggling. But don't be fooled, this is dark and sometimes a little gruesome, in other words: a perfect vampire story.
I don't know how I'm supposed to wait for book two now, I need it NOW.
Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC!
I have a soft spot for vampire stories(must be the obsession with twilight when I was 13), particularly the dark ones, and let me tell you this delivered.
In this world vampires are treated more like zombies, it's an infection and they are killed because of that. Our main character, Shea, makes a deal with a powerful vampire exchanging blood for batteries for her hearing aids. One of her childhood friends, back from a time in the hunting force, is looking for his sister who disappeared and he blames Lys, said powerful vampire. We go from there, I don't want to say too much.
This book has the only type of love triangle that I believe in, when the two male leads also have some tension between them. Lys calls Asher “sunshine” like CMON THEY'RE FLIRTING. I was living for the dynamic between the three of them and every interaction had me giggling. But don't be fooled, this is dark and sometimes a little gruesome, in other words: a perfect vampire story.
I don't know how I'm supposed to wait for book two now, I need it NOW.
Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for this ARC!
July 22, 2026
This was fun! Nothing groundbreaking but I enjoyed it!
September 25, 2025
Well, friends—here we are again. Another book of mine is slowly finding its way into the hands of early readers. Over the course of my last three books we've explored the dark side of campus, the dark side of childhood, and the dark side of girlhood.
In The Gravewood, we're going to be venturing into the dark side of the forest.
Some moments inside the Gravewood are heavy. As such, I wanted to share potential trigger warnings for those of you who may be looking.
I know there are some readers who view content warnings as spoilers, and so if that's you I encourage you to scroll no further.
Otherwise, please read on:
-Child abuse
-Abandonment
-Fictionalized substance addiction
-Domestic abuse
-Allusions to self-harm
-Ableism
-Bullying
-Paranormal horror elements
-Blood and gore depiction
-Pandemic / plague / contagion depiction
In The Gravewood, we're going to be venturing into the dark side of the forest.
Some moments inside the Gravewood are heavy. As such, I wanted to share potential trigger warnings for those of you who may be looking.
I know there are some readers who view content warnings as spoilers, and so if that's you I encourage you to scroll no further.
Otherwise, please read on:
-Child abuse
-Abandonment
-Fictionalized substance addiction
-Domestic abuse
-Allusions to self-harm
-Ableism
-Bullying
-Paranormal horror elements
-Blood and gore depiction
-Pandemic / plague / contagion depiction
June 28, 2026
4.25 🌟 “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳.“
a post apocalyptic YA romantasy with vampires? uhh yeah 🙂↕️ this felt like such a throwback to the YA paranormal i grew up on and i devoured it 👏🏻
i thought this had such an interesting world. The Gravewood, the hollows and rot, the mystery + horror that surrounds it had me hooked to the story.
i really like 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙖. her character feels real and relatable in this dark world. like yes mistakes were made and lessons have been learned and thats okay!! i just can’t help but feel for her. ily queen ❤️🔥
𝙇𝙮𝙨 🤭😜 one thing about me is i love me a sarcastic morally grey vampire hehe oh and he quotes Shakespeare like yes absolutely!!
that ending. i was on the edge of my seat the whole damn time. what the fuck!!! that last line ugh… book 2 when Kelly!! i’m begging youuuuu
“𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯. 𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯?”
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🌜🥀🩸🦻🏻🔋🏍️ ꒱ ˎˊ˗
a post apocalyptic YA romantasy with vampires? uhh yeah 🙂↕️ this felt like such a throwback to the YA paranormal i grew up on and i devoured it 👏🏻
i thought this had such an interesting world. The Gravewood, the hollows and rot, the mystery + horror that surrounds it had me hooked to the story.
i really like 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙖. her character feels real and relatable in this dark world. like yes mistakes were made and lessons have been learned and thats okay!! i just can’t help but feel for her. ily queen ❤️🔥
𝙇𝙮𝙨 🤭😜 one thing about me is i love me a sarcastic morally grey vampire hehe oh and he quotes Shakespeare like yes absolutely!!
that ending. i was on the edge of my seat the whole damn time. what the fuck!!! that last line ugh… book 2 when Kelly!! i’m begging youuuuu
“𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯. 𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯?”
˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🌜🥀🩸🦻🏻🔋🏍️ ꒱ ˎˊ˗
March 19, 2026
A beautifully written and executed YA vampire romance that has more depth to it than you’d expect from the genre. The post-apocalyptic setting is incredibly unique and well thought out. Kelly’s prose, and her ability to capture every moment so vividly, created an atmospheric read that grounded me in the present but could also briefly whisk me away to the past, eliciting feelings of nostalgia for life from before. This is a slower paced read, especially towards the middle of the book, but as a whole, I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend.
Thank you Scholastic for the arc!
Thank you Scholastic for the arc!
May 13, 2026
2.5/5
I am very conflicted about it.
I do like the idea of the “rot”and its post apocalyptic world but it just wasn’t fleshed out to its full potential. Generally, the key moments in the book felt so underwhelming that the rather slow build up just wasn’t worth it.
The middle of the book to the lead up of the finale up was more talking than anything; they lodge somewhere, Asher, Lysander and Shea have little shifts in dynamics, they get in the car and move on. It gets so repetitive that you really start to forget what happened a chapter before.
Lysander’s back story and motives were consciously vague to build intrigue, but it had the opposite effect of me not getting invested enough.
Paris Keeling was just not menacing enough. The mere snippets of flashbacks of Lysander and his father were lacking in depth. So his death was not satisfying and also felt rushed.
The morally grey scientist trying to find a cure was fun, Asher’s betrayal (but not really) was unexpected.
The characters were entertaining enough to keep going but I don’t think it was impactful enough for me to remember about them in the future.
I am very conflicted about it.
I do like the idea of the “rot”and its post apocalyptic world but it just wasn’t fleshed out to its full potential. Generally, the key moments in the book felt so underwhelming that the rather slow build up just wasn’t worth it.
The middle of the book to the lead up of the finale up was more talking than anything; they lodge somewhere, Asher, Lysander and Shea have little shifts in dynamics, they get in the car and move on. It gets so repetitive that you really start to forget what happened a chapter before.
Lysander’s back story and motives were consciously vague to build intrigue, but it had the opposite effect of me not getting invested enough.
Paris Keeling was just not menacing enough. The mere snippets of flashbacks of Lysander and his father were lacking in depth. So his death was not satisfying and also felt rushed.
The morally grey scientist trying to find a cure was fun, Asher’s betrayal (but not really) was unexpected.
The characters were entertaining enough to keep going but I don’t think it was impactful enough for me to remember about them in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2026
thank you to Scholastic and NetGalley for the arc.
this is like a bad crossover of twilight meets the forest of hands and teeth. the world itself makes very little sense, with way too much going on and very little explanation for any of it. the characters are painfully cliche YA fare: a tough talking golden boy and a brooding bad boy (complete with motorcycle). the angst positively oozes out of every single oliver lysander chapter. my guy, it's okay to be emo from time to time, but you're doing way too much. we get it, darkness is your old friend and it's not your everyday darkness. it's... advanced darkness.
naturally to round it all out, we have the female lead, a Sad Girl who is pined after fiercely by Thing One and Thing Two, for no discernible reason other than Meyer's Law, which states that two blandly generic "hot guys" must both want an equally bland girl; especially if one of them is a vampire.
so much of this felt repetitive. a lot of arguing among characters about the same things over and over. lots of lys biting shea and thinking about biting shea. and there are entirely too many instances of someone noting that lys isn't like the other boys, he's like a god. he's a myth. he's a devil. did i mention he's a god? well if i didn't don't worry, in the next chapter lys will also remind you that he's like a god. he'll also chronically compare himself to other mythical figures like midas and perseus. he's emo and pretentious as fuck, what a catch.
aside from all of that, this book was just really boring. it's basically lys being his "i only shop at hot topic" self, obsessing over shea, shea jonesing for another vampire bite because she's basically an addict at this point, and then a meandering road trip to a big vampire party to face down lys's arch nemesis. this doesn't feel like something that needed to be broken up into a duology given that little of interest happens in this first book, so i think i'll be passing on the sequel.
this is like a bad crossover of twilight meets the forest of hands and teeth. the world itself makes very little sense, with way too much going on and very little explanation for any of it. the characters are painfully cliche YA fare: a tough talking golden boy and a brooding bad boy (complete with motorcycle). the angst positively oozes out of every single oliver lysander chapter. my guy, it's okay to be emo from time to time, but you're doing way too much. we get it, darkness is your old friend and it's not your everyday darkness. it's... advanced darkness.
naturally to round it all out, we have the female lead, a Sad Girl who is pined after fiercely by Thing One and Thing Two, for no discernible reason other than Meyer's Law, which states that two blandly generic "hot guys" must both want an equally bland girl; especially if one of them is a vampire.
so much of this felt repetitive. a lot of arguing among characters about the same things over and over. lots of lys biting shea and thinking about biting shea. and there are entirely too many instances of someone noting that lys isn't like the other boys, he's like a god. he's a myth. he's a devil. did i mention he's a god? well if i didn't don't worry, in the next chapter lys will also remind you that he's like a god. he'll also chronically compare himself to other mythical figures like midas and perseus. he's emo and pretentious as fuck, what a catch.
aside from all of that, this book was just really boring. it's basically lys being his "i only shop at hot topic" self, obsessing over shea, shea jonesing for another vampire bite because she's basically an addict at this point, and then a meandering road trip to a big vampire party to face down lys's arch nemesis. this doesn't feel like something that needed to be broken up into a duology given that little of interest happens in this first book, so i think i'll be passing on the sequel.
April 15, 2026
Grouchy and don’t feel much like heavily dissecting this book today.
It was fine. Second time I’ve read this author. Not sure I’ll continue reading. The prose at times was gorgeous, at other times it was overmuch.
Deducting a star because the FMC and MMC literally don’t even kiss each other the entire book and just because it’s YA doesn’t mean I need to be blue balled
It was fine. Second time I’ve read this author. Not sure I’ll continue reading. The prose at times was gorgeous, at other times it was overmuch.
Deducting a star because the FMC and MMC literally don’t even kiss each other the entire book and just because it’s YA doesn’t mean I need to be blue balled
April 27, 2025
oh my fucking god OH my FUCKING god oh god oh my god
Currently Reading
March 7, 2026I feel like I'm reconnecting with my teen roots by reading a YA Vampire book 🙂↔️
_______________
Thank you to Scholastic Press for the ARC.
_______________
Thank you to Scholastic Press for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
it's giving "2026s Twilight"
SHUTUP THIS WAS DELICIOUS OMG
What am I meant to do with my life now? I finished The Gravewood (or more like it finished me 😭 ) and it's honestly top tier love triangle story of my dreams, this generations Twilight, I am utterly obsessed with it, in my top books of *all time* the worldbuilding was vivid with a refreshing spin on vampire lore with some good ol dystopian thrown in, we LOVE dual pov 😌 the tension and yearning was *aggresive chefs kiss* I cannot wait for more in this series
SHUTUP THIS WAS DELICIOUS OMG
What am I meant to do with my life now? I finished The Gravewood (or more like it finished me 😭 ) and it's honestly top tier love triangle story of my dreams, this generations Twilight, I am utterly obsessed with it, in my top books of *all time* the worldbuilding was vivid with a refreshing spin on vampire lore with some good ol dystopian thrown in, we LOVE dual pov 😌 the tension and yearning was *aggresive chefs kiss* I cannot wait for more in this series
May 11, 2026
this was honestly the most fun i've had while reading in SO long. if you like dystopia & vampires - do yourself a favour and add this to your tbr!
thanks scholastic canada for the gifted copy
thanks scholastic canada for the gifted copy
June 19, 2026
⭐⭐
I was really excited to pick up The Gravewood. The premise sounded right up my alley, and I loved the dark atmosphere and creepy forest vibes. Unfortunately, it just didn't come together for me.
I spent most of the book feeling confused. It felt like I had started in the middle of a series because there wasn't enough explanation about the world, the characters, or how everything worked. I kept waiting for things to click, but they never really did.
I also had a hard time connecting with the characters. I wanted to care about them and the romance, but I never felt emotionally invested. By the time the story started picking up, it was too late for me.
Overall, there were some interesting ideas, but this one just wasn't for me. I wanted to love it, but I finished feeling more confused than satisfied. ⭐⭐
I was really excited to pick up The Gravewood. The premise sounded right up my alley, and I loved the dark atmosphere and creepy forest vibes. Unfortunately, it just didn't come together for me.
I spent most of the book feeling confused. It felt like I had started in the middle of a series because there wasn't enough explanation about the world, the characters, or how everything worked. I kept waiting for things to click, but they never really did.
I also had a hard time connecting with the characters. I wanted to care about them and the romance, but I never felt emotionally invested. By the time the story started picking up, it was too late for me.
Overall, there were some interesting ideas, but this one just wasn't for me. I wanted to love it, but I finished feeling more confused than satisfied. ⭐⭐
April 8, 2026
every character in this book was committed to being as messy as possible and it was highly enjoyable to read about.
love is, essentially, a series of chemical reactions in the brain. it has often been compared to an addiction. what happens when you can’t separate one from the other? when both love and addiction are chemical, when both produce feelings of intense intoxication and obsession, how do you know what is real?
in other words, what happens when you develop a codependent attachment with the vampire you feed your blood to?
I am in love with everything Lysander says and would read 10 books of his fuckery. a clinically insane vampire who quotes Shakespeare? #needthat
Asher tho…u piss me off 😤
I have doubts about this getting a happy ending but I am gonna be here for the ride regardless
love is, essentially, a series of chemical reactions in the brain. it has often been compared to an addiction. what happens when you can’t separate one from the other? when both love and addiction are chemical, when both produce feelings of intense intoxication and obsession, how do you know what is real?
in other words, what happens when you develop a codependent attachment with the vampire you feed your blood to?
I am in love with everything Lysander says and would read 10 books of his fuckery. a clinically insane vampire who quotes Shakespeare? #needthat
Asher tho…u piss me off 😤
I have doubts about this getting a happy ending but I am gonna be here for the ride regardless
April 24, 2026
My first encounter with Kelly Andrew’s writing was The Whispering Dark. I summarized my experience with that book as confusion, where I didn’t know if I missed important facts in the beginning or if we were meant to be told things along the way.
Unfortunately, this book is built up exactly the same way, and I didn’t enjoy it at all this time around. We are dumped in the middle of the story, and while this can be an effective way of having a quick pacing from the start, the reader must be informed how we got to the starting point some way.
I felt like this never happened here and the reader was left in the dark on pretty much everything. How does the mythology around the vampire’s work? How did Shea conclude that she must come to a deal with Lysander? What happened to her mother? What is the Rot and where did it come from? What is so special about the Gravewood and how does it affect the town? What are the foundations of these relationships? These are just a couple of questions that felt pretty much ignored.
It felt like being thrown straight into a sequel and I was left confused and annoyed. Because of this, I had a hard time caring about the story and the characters. I started skimming pretty early on and will not continue the series.
Unfortunately, this book is built up exactly the same way, and I didn’t enjoy it at all this time around. We are dumped in the middle of the story, and while this can be an effective way of having a quick pacing from the start, the reader must be informed how we got to the starting point some way.
I felt like this never happened here and the reader was left in the dark on pretty much everything. How does the mythology around the vampire’s work? How did Shea conclude that she must come to a deal with Lysander? What happened to her mother? What is the Rot and where did it come from? What is so special about the Gravewood and how does it affect the town? What are the foundations of these relationships? These are just a couple of questions that felt pretty much ignored.
It felt like being thrown straight into a sequel and I was left confused and annoyed. Because of this, I had a hard time caring about the story and the characters. I started skimming pretty early on and will not continue the series.
September 11, 2026
Ummmmm… this was OK! I’m obsessed with vampires….! But I was expecting something haunting, spooky, and gothic, and I just didn’t get that at all. And calling this a love triangle? I don’t know about that either. 🤷♀️
September 25, 2025
YEP!!!! YEP!!!!!! THIS ONE IS *IT*!!!!!!!!!! That man YEARNS
--
GRAVEWOOD BRAINROT (ha) INCOMING. WELCOME TO MY NEW OBSESSION.
HANDS DOWN my absolute favorite Kelly Andrew book! The premise for this is sooo delicious, and boy, did it deliver. Dystopian vampires--say less. Tortured emo vamp boy HORRENDOUSLY down bad for the girl--SAY LESS. SLOW BURN YEARN-FEST--I SAID SAY LESS! (I apologize for the amount of caps lock this review is about to unlock in me)
First of all, I loved the worldbuilding of this! A really refreshing blend of vamp-contagion with some extra monstrous-ness that made me devour 80% in one sitting. PLUS DUAL POV THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. Shea Parker, I ADORE YOU. I loved her strength, her fear, her longing. Her realism in this dark world while still seeing shards of hope; it's so easy to root for her even when she's being stubborn and getting herself nearly killed 24/7. Oliver Lysander, you absolute yearner. YOU SMITTEN FOOL. I love him soooooo much. His chapters kinda carved a hole in my chest, they were so thrilling and GOD, I cannot stress enough how GONE he is for Shea. AND IT'S GLORIOUS. This might be the most I've ever highlighted on my Kindle because I would constantly highlight a whole page and take a moment to be like, christ I hope the ending of this book doesn't break me because this is SO GOOD. And if you're looking for a slowwwww burn, you've got it here. I'm in shambles over these two.
Aside from the impeccable romance, this book HITS on other relationships as well. Shea/her parents, Shea/Asher, Shea/Poppy (I LOVE POPPY), Lys/Asher, Shea/Camellia, Poppy/Camellia, Lys/Paris ... I could truly go on about nearly every character interaction because they all are so fascinating and complex. I incorrectly thought this was a standalone going in, but MAN am I excited to see more of these characters and this world. I'm writing this review the morning after (I was up til 2AM buzzing around my room) and I'm honestly STILL buzzing.
This is IT. The vampire book of 2026, calling it now.
--
GRAVEWOOD BRAINROT (ha) INCOMING. WELCOME TO MY NEW OBSESSION.
HANDS DOWN my absolute favorite Kelly Andrew book! The premise for this is sooo delicious, and boy, did it deliver. Dystopian vampires--say less. Tortured emo vamp boy HORRENDOUSLY down bad for the girl--SAY LESS. SLOW BURN YEARN-FEST--I SAID SAY LESS! (I apologize for the amount of caps lock this review is about to unlock in me)
First of all, I loved the worldbuilding of this! A really refreshing blend of vamp-contagion with some extra monstrous-ness that made me devour 80% in one sitting. PLUS DUAL POV THIS IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. Shea Parker, I ADORE YOU. I loved her strength, her fear, her longing. Her realism in this dark world while still seeing shards of hope; it's so easy to root for her even when she's being stubborn and getting herself nearly killed 24/7. Oliver Lysander, you absolute yearner. YOU SMITTEN FOOL. I love him soooooo much. His chapters kinda carved a hole in my chest, they were so thrilling and GOD, I cannot stress enough how GONE he is for Shea. AND IT'S GLORIOUS. This might be the most I've ever highlighted on my Kindle because I would constantly highlight a whole page and take a moment to be like, christ I hope the ending of this book doesn't break me because this is SO GOOD. And if you're looking for a slowwwww burn, you've got it here. I'm in shambles over these two.
Aside from the impeccable romance, this book HITS on other relationships as well. Shea/her parents, Shea/Asher, Shea/Poppy (I LOVE POPPY), Lys/Asher, Shea/Camellia, Poppy/Camellia, Lys/Paris ... I could truly go on about nearly every character interaction because they all are so fascinating and complex. I incorrectly thought this was a standalone going in, but MAN am I excited to see more of these characters and this world. I'm writing this review the morning after (I was up til 2AM buzzing around my room) and I'm honestly STILL buzzing.
This is IT. The vampire book of 2026, calling it now.
August 31, 2026
✩ 2 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Vampires
➼ Love Triangle
➼ He Falls First & Harder
➼ Gothic Vibes
➼ Disability Rep
➼ Paranormal Romance
➼ Narrated by Andrew Eiden & Elizabeth Robbins
➼ Third Person POV
I finished this book and still felt like I had no clue what was going on. Sometimes I feel this way with high fantasy when the world building is very complex, but in this case, it was mainly because the author just didn’t give enough detail. The pacing was very slow and I needed more backstory between the two MC’s to better understand their connection. The stakes were pretty high, but I struggled to care about any of it. I also felt like the more modern setting felt out of place. Maybe it’s just a me thing, but anytime something from our current world was mention, it really through me off.
I honestly really struggle with books with “gothic vibes” in general, so perhaps other readers will enjoy this more. Sorry to say that I won’t be continuing this series.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read:
Slowly chipping away at my Fairyloot reads… ⛏️
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
What to Expect:
➼ Vampires
➼ Love Triangle
➼ He Falls First & Harder
➼ Gothic Vibes
➼ Disability Rep
➼ Paranormal Romance
➼ Narrated by Andrew Eiden & Elizabeth Robbins
➼ Third Person POV
I finished this book and still felt like I had no clue what was going on. Sometimes I feel this way with high fantasy when the world building is very complex, but in this case, it was mainly because the author just didn’t give enough detail. The pacing was very slow and I needed more backstory between the two MC’s to better understand their connection. The stakes were pretty high, but I struggled to care about any of it. I also felt like the more modern setting felt out of place. Maybe it’s just a me thing, but anytime something from our current world was mention, it really through me off.
I honestly really struggle with books with “gothic vibes” in general, so perhaps other readers will enjoy this more. Sorry to say that I won’t be continuing this series.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read:
Slowly chipping away at my Fairyloot reads… ⛏️
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
March 18, 2026
LYSANDER !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pls bite me
(Proper review to come - thank you NetGalley for the arc!)
Pls bite me
(Proper review to come - thank you NetGalley for the arc!)
January 13, 2026
Me? Loving a book Kelly writes? TYPICALLLLLL (in Schmidt’s voice),,
Eight months later, almost to the day, and I am finally sitting down to review this gorgeous book.
As ever, this story, these characters, have left such an impression on me that it would be impossible to shake them even if I were inclined to, which I am not :D
Kelly took all my favourite things: sentient spaces, haunted woods, vampirism (and we are absolutely going to discuss this particular brand of it), road trips and animal companions (albeit feral ones), yearning, an analysis of grief and loss and sacrifice. Kelly's writing is ever haunting, and always exorcising. There's a resilient, almost spiteful hope in the way she writes her characters and their arcs, it doesn't make me feel light and like I can do anything but it is cathartic in a vindicating, grit-your-teeth sort of way that, to me, feels harder to come by. It feels harder-earned, and even if they only escape the big bad by the skin of their teeth, it's an invaluable thing even more so for how they had to bite the leather and bleed for it (pun unintended hehe).
"He thinks that maybe he is cursed to forever grasp at scraps. Scraps of daylight. Scraps of flavor. Scraps of boyhood, sucked from the veins of a girl who will only ever give him scraps of her affection."
The plot was so good, I loved the road-trip of it all, the way each location they stopped at had a purpose; characters who added one thing or another to the developing plot, the stakes, the character relationships, it felt like piecing a puzzle, the tension pulling taught every time you had to marinate in the new information while they drove to the next stop. Sometimes that looked like a burst dam (beach scene and "I don't care if you're his, as long as you're also mine" I'm looking at you, I'm SICK with all the conflicted feelings that conversation forced to the surface), and sometimes it looked like dragging the lake of all of poor Lysander's repressed trauma. There being a timeline was also a really clever way to make me *anxious* the entire time which we love. The active involvement of the big bad in the main events, the way it ruptured the streamlining of the journey, giving Shea an out but simultaneously forcing Lysander's hand and therefore landing us in the deepest of conundrums-- loved it so much, it felt like there was an all-seeing presence throughout everything, a constant pressure pushing down and muddying the decisions being made, the floundering of the characters who don't have the full picture set. I did figure out who he was, I don't think the mystery of it was the main point though, and that paired with my keen eye for anything daddy issues (and the resulting self-flagellation and bitterness), I was pleased to see it play out that way.
The main dynamic was something of genius, so elegantly executed that I was once again, gagged and gooped. The bite being as much sustenance for the vampire as it is drug for the bitten will never not hit, and I knew the moment I started reading that this was going to be the source of much yelling and throwing up on my part. The ANGST, the inner-turmoil, the jagged holes this pokes in any budding romance (if we put aside the elephant in the room i.e., the emotional constipation of all parties involved), the truly devastating state this lands us in with SheaLys, oh what a way to go.
They really never had a bad track:
"Maybe you think about me all the time, but I think about this all the time. This spot- right here. I can see your pulse. I can hear your pulse. It's in my head even when you're not in the room. It's making me fucking crazy." Eloquently followed up by a simple by effective "So bite me." EATS.
"Your trust in me is synthetic." GAGGED (also him wanting to drink until the aching stops, excuse me while I actually fall to my knees).
"I don't know [if it's real or if it's the venom in her blood]"
"I don't know either [...] and it's making me sick." IM UNWELLLLLLLLLL
"There's no denying that Shea had become an exposed nerve." - WHO EVEN THINKS OF THAT (shuddering as I think of the nerve pain preceding my root canal, Lys you have my sympathies bc YIKES).
It's yet another show of skill on Kelly's part to foundation their relationship on a biological dependency, and push it like a focaccia loaf in a too-big pan to the point of utter desperation where the lines blur. Because, logically, why would anyone trust their affections, it's very clearly a result of the blood and the venom. But then, put that in a high-stakes, forced-proximity weeks-long race against insurmountable stakes, why wouldn't we believe that organic feelings arise; even if it's just the lust or the trust, both of which are characteristic of these conditions, we (me) still believe that Lysander is wrong and she really doesn't hate him (the bar is in hell lmao they need to lock in). It makes for such an intense reading experience, I'm just as desperate for them to believe their feelings as I am for them to dissipate when the feedings stop. Expecting the worst, convincing myself, looking for scraps of proof that it's real and not the venom. Alas, eight months later and I'm still stuck on this one. Maybe it's both, maybe it's love, but that would be too easy. It has to be a secret third thing.
Lys-playing at boyhood-ander we (me) think of you so fondly!! It's always a surprise picking up one of Kelly's books and seeing which character will most speak to me and this time it was the tortured vampire because of course it was going to be. A boy so deeply hurt, so determined to amputate himself from his feelings and yet so irrevocably and persistently ruled by them, who calls himself the devil and creates a patchwork family of other boys, but only the ones desperate enough to seek him out, so that they only ever have him to turn to- I'm sick. "He has never been able to help himself from mimicking his prey," and "his own army." It seems like his personal mission to reach rock bottom and keep digging just to prove that he can, and once dragged out of the shadows of his kingdom and into the contrast of other characters, that mission deflates from something intimidating and grand to something devastatingly pitiful. It's so impressive how we see the made-monster and the hurt little boy living in the same insatiable body, neither relenting but neither winning either. It holds him hostage in this state of "He didn't know if he wanted to sink his teeth into her throat or press his mouth to her pulse- forget her name and drain her dry, or kiss her until he forgets his own."
The constant, opposing inner tug-of-war is evident in everything he does, says, the way he looks at Shea, the way he deals with Asher, Poppy etc. The way he thinks of himself, and the way he digs his heels into realities that hurt just to prove something to anyone. To not hurt, to not show that he can be hurt. Likewise, in moments that probably take him by surprise, his '"Tell me what to do," he begs. "Tell me how to fix this."' his desperate draw to the one girl he cannot trust feels anything but contempt for him. How disgusted he feels to the point of literal starvation, at the synthetic affection she has for him, because poor baby just wants to be loved fr someone give him a hug rn. I truly cannot wait for Hollow King, Lys is up there with one of the most intricately designed characters I've had the pleasure of reading about, giving him a POV was a public service. That boy is as far from human as anyone in this book, and yet he feels the most human because of it.
"It's the most he can give her—a jagged confession. He can hardly tell her the truth-that she's already destroyed him. His heart feels as though its clawing out of his chest to get to her.
It will, before the end." - what did he do to deserve this, what did EYE do?? I'm ill. This constant talking about 'the end' from the very start with him saying he's not willing to let big bad get him, I was holding my breath the entire time.
Shea my love, what a force she is! From the very first page, she completely endeared herself to me.
It feels like, for most of this book, she doesn't have much of a choice in what she does and what happens to her. Going into the forest , accepting the invite and running off at the end, needing batteries in the first place, allowing Asher to come with her (that villain!) etc etc. There is a constant external pressure pushing her one way or the other. The same can be said for Lys but with Shea it feels more pronounced, what with her nostalgia re Asher, her missing friend, her mother, there's so much pushing her to this decision. "She drags her dead father's reputation behind her like a ball and chain. She rattles his memory like a Dickensian ghost."
Lys is in survival mode undoubtedly, but with Shea it feels like each time she is starting to unpack her feelings and wants, something happens that prematurely cuts her off in favour of the next decision that has to be made. It made for such an interesting character exploration, where, being in her head, we know who she is and what matters to her, know her mind as well as she does: seeing the misalignment of want and action. And even when she does say what she wants, she's shut down and told that it's just the venom. This all being said, she is incredibly adaptable, taking each shift and turn in stride and continuing to go where she knows she needs to be, and I adore her for it. I anticipate we're going to see a lot of this stuff currently being pushed down coming up in Hollow King, need her to get his (literally everyone but especially Asher) ass! It didn't feel like she was a victim or being swept up or helpless,though, only that she was trying to gather her wits and we will see the result of that in book2 (need it now).
She really is just a girl trying to hold the last scrap of her family together with no superpower to speak of (my favourite MCs are the seemingly unremarkable ones who make painfully human decisions in the face of supernatural odds). Her deafness being the reason she needs to strike a deal, to bargain part of herself and maybe lose part of herself in the process, is also the reason she alone can traverse the woods without hearing the whispers. It's a twisted sort of transaction, and the way that part of her continues to shape the way she experiences and reacts to people and a world that is often unequipped or unwilling to accommodate her, is such an important part of the story, as much as the vampires or the collapse of everything is. Naturally, it was written brilliantly, as everything else in this book is, welcoming the reader into the experience but being uncompromising in depicting how isolating it can be.
Asher, that Riley-coded graduate from the Matt Donovan school of dumbassery with a masters in treachery and a phD in 'when I catch you', you will never be forgiven by me.
"Nothing would be easier than this. Having her in parasitic swallows, in desperate half measures." - I have nothing to say this just needed to be put here because it made me sick.
My only qualm I think was that the climactic ending felt over and done really quickly, which, could be intentional, but it felt like a lot of build-up for a really swift unravelling. I have a feeling it's going to come down to it being a duology and being limited to a certain word count/page count and it didn't take anything away from the story :P
This has nothing to do with the book but I'm gonna mention it- I tried to reread on audio but my god I couldn't do it with the male narrator. Was so aggressively not a fan of what he was doing with his voice; a personal taste issue for sure but the sounds I was hearing and the words I was reading were not matching up, a shame :( (might give it another go when I reread for book2 bc I want to not miss a thing, so my opinion may soften but for now, nOPE).
These two are also extremely Bad Omens coded it's delicious.
Eight months later, almost to the day, and I am finally sitting down to review this gorgeous book.
As ever, this story, these characters, have left such an impression on me that it would be impossible to shake them even if I were inclined to, which I am not :D
Kelly took all my favourite things: sentient spaces, haunted woods, vampirism (and we are absolutely going to discuss this particular brand of it), road trips and animal companions (albeit feral ones), yearning, an analysis of grief and loss and sacrifice. Kelly's writing is ever haunting, and always exorcising. There's a resilient, almost spiteful hope in the way she writes her characters and their arcs, it doesn't make me feel light and like I can do anything but it is cathartic in a vindicating, grit-your-teeth sort of way that, to me, feels harder to come by. It feels harder-earned, and even if they only escape the big bad by the skin of their teeth, it's an invaluable thing even more so for how they had to bite the leather and bleed for it (pun unintended hehe).
"He thinks that maybe he is cursed to forever grasp at scraps. Scraps of daylight. Scraps of flavor. Scraps of boyhood, sucked from the veins of a girl who will only ever give him scraps of her affection."
The plot was so good, I loved the road-trip of it all, the way each location they stopped at had a purpose; characters who added one thing or another to the developing plot, the stakes, the character relationships, it felt like piecing a puzzle, the tension pulling taught every time you had to marinate in the new information while they drove to the next stop. Sometimes that looked like a burst dam (beach scene and "I don't care if you're his, as long as you're also mine" I'm looking at you, I'm SICK with all the conflicted feelings that conversation forced to the surface), and sometimes it looked like dragging the lake of all of poor Lysander's repressed trauma. There being a timeline was also a really clever way to make me *anxious* the entire time which we love. The active involvement of the big bad in the main events, the way it ruptured the streamlining of the journey, giving Shea an out but simultaneously forcing Lysander's hand and therefore landing us in the deepest of conundrums-- loved it so much, it felt like there was an all-seeing presence throughout everything, a constant pressure pushing down and muddying the decisions being made, the floundering of the characters who don't have the full picture set. I did figure out who he was, I don't think the mystery of it was the main point though, and that paired with my keen eye for anything daddy issues (and the resulting self-flagellation and bitterness), I was pleased to see it play out that way.
The main dynamic was something of genius, so elegantly executed that I was once again, gagged and gooped. The bite being as much sustenance for the vampire as it is drug for the bitten will never not hit, and I knew the moment I started reading that this was going to be the source of much yelling and throwing up on my part. The ANGST, the inner-turmoil, the jagged holes this pokes in any budding romance (if we put aside the elephant in the room i.e., the emotional constipation of all parties involved), the truly devastating state this lands us in with SheaLys, oh what a way to go.
They really never had a bad track:
"Maybe you think about me all the time, but I think about this all the time. This spot- right here. I can see your pulse. I can hear your pulse. It's in my head even when you're not in the room. It's making me fucking crazy." Eloquently followed up by a simple by effective "So bite me." EATS.
"Your trust in me is synthetic." GAGGED (also him wanting to drink until the aching stops, excuse me while I actually fall to my knees).
"I don't know [if it's real or if it's the venom in her blood]"
"I don't know either [...] and it's making me sick." IM UNWELLLLLLLLLL
"There's no denying that Shea had become an exposed nerve." - WHO EVEN THINKS OF THAT (shuddering as I think of the nerve pain preceding my root canal, Lys you have my sympathies bc YIKES).
It's yet another show of skill on Kelly's part to foundation their relationship on a biological dependency, and push it like a focaccia loaf in a too-big pan to the point of utter desperation where the lines blur. Because, logically, why would anyone trust their affections, it's very clearly a result of the blood and the venom. But then, put that in a high-stakes, forced-proximity weeks-long race against insurmountable stakes, why wouldn't we believe that organic feelings arise; even if it's just the lust or the trust, both of which are characteristic of these conditions, we (me) still believe that Lysander is wrong and she really doesn't hate him (the bar is in hell lmao they need to lock in). It makes for such an intense reading experience, I'm just as desperate for them to believe their feelings as I am for them to dissipate when the feedings stop. Expecting the worst, convincing myself, looking for scraps of proof that it's real and not the venom. Alas, eight months later and I'm still stuck on this one. Maybe it's both, maybe it's love, but that would be too easy. It has to be a secret third thing.
Lys-playing at boyhood-ander we (me) think of you so fondly!! It's always a surprise picking up one of Kelly's books and seeing which character will most speak to me and this time it was the tortured vampire because of course it was going to be. A boy so deeply hurt, so determined to amputate himself from his feelings and yet so irrevocably and persistently ruled by them, who calls himself the devil and creates a patchwork family of other boys, but only the ones desperate enough to seek him out, so that they only ever have him to turn to- I'm sick. "He has never been able to help himself from mimicking his prey," and "his own army." It seems like his personal mission to reach rock bottom and keep digging just to prove that he can, and once dragged out of the shadows of his kingdom and into the contrast of other characters, that mission deflates from something intimidating and grand to something devastatingly pitiful. It's so impressive how we see the made-monster and the hurt little boy living in the same insatiable body, neither relenting but neither winning either. It holds him hostage in this state of "He didn't know if he wanted to sink his teeth into her throat or press his mouth to her pulse- forget her name and drain her dry, or kiss her until he forgets his own."
The constant, opposing inner tug-of-war is evident in everything he does, says, the way he looks at Shea, the way he deals with Asher, Poppy etc. The way he thinks of himself, and the way he digs his heels into realities that hurt just to prove something to anyone. To not hurt, to not show that he can be hurt. Likewise, in moments that probably take him by surprise, his '"Tell me what to do," he begs. "Tell me how to fix this."' his desperate draw to the one girl he cannot trust feels anything but contempt for him. How disgusted he feels to the point of literal starvation, at the synthetic affection she has for him, because poor baby just wants to be loved fr someone give him a hug rn. I truly cannot wait for Hollow King, Lys is up there with one of the most intricately designed characters I've had the pleasure of reading about, giving him a POV was a public service. That boy is as far from human as anyone in this book, and yet he feels the most human because of it.
"It's the most he can give her—a jagged confession. He can hardly tell her the truth-that she's already destroyed him. His heart feels as though its clawing out of his chest to get to her.
It will, before the end." - what did he do to deserve this, what did EYE do?? I'm ill. This constant talking about 'the end' from the very start with him saying he's not willing to let big bad get him, I was holding my breath the entire time.
Shea my love, what a force she is! From the very first page, she completely endeared herself to me.
It feels like, for most of this book, she doesn't have much of a choice in what she does and what happens to her. Going into the forest , accepting the invite and running off at the end, needing batteries in the first place, allowing Asher to come with her (that villain!) etc etc. There is a constant external pressure pushing her one way or the other. The same can be said for Lys but with Shea it feels more pronounced, what with her nostalgia re Asher, her missing friend, her mother, there's so much pushing her to this decision. "She drags her dead father's reputation behind her like a ball and chain. She rattles his memory like a Dickensian ghost."
Lys is in survival mode undoubtedly, but with Shea it feels like each time she is starting to unpack her feelings and wants, something happens that prematurely cuts her off in favour of the next decision that has to be made. It made for such an interesting character exploration, where, being in her head, we know who she is and what matters to her, know her mind as well as she does: seeing the misalignment of want and action. And even when she does say what she wants, she's shut down and told that it's just the venom. This all being said, she is incredibly adaptable, taking each shift and turn in stride and continuing to go where she knows she needs to be, and I adore her for it. I anticipate we're going to see a lot of this stuff currently being pushed down coming up in Hollow King, need her to get his (literally everyone but especially Asher) ass! It didn't feel like she was a victim or being swept up or helpless,though, only that she was trying to gather her wits and we will see the result of that in book2 (need it now).
She really is just a girl trying to hold the last scrap of her family together with no superpower to speak of (my favourite MCs are the seemingly unremarkable ones who make painfully human decisions in the face of supernatural odds). Her deafness being the reason she needs to strike a deal, to bargain part of herself and maybe lose part of herself in the process, is also the reason she alone can traverse the woods without hearing the whispers. It's a twisted sort of transaction, and the way that part of her continues to shape the way she experiences and reacts to people and a world that is often unequipped or unwilling to accommodate her, is such an important part of the story, as much as the vampires or the collapse of everything is. Naturally, it was written brilliantly, as everything else in this book is, welcoming the reader into the experience but being uncompromising in depicting how isolating it can be.
Asher, that Riley-coded graduate from the Matt Donovan school of dumbassery with a masters in treachery and a phD in 'when I catch you', you will never be forgiven by me.
"Nothing would be easier than this. Having her in parasitic swallows, in desperate half measures." - I have nothing to say this just needed to be put here because it made me sick.
My only qualm I think was that the climactic ending felt over and done really quickly, which, could be intentional, but it felt like a lot of build-up for a really swift unravelling. I have a feeling it's going to come down to it being a duology and being limited to a certain word count/page count and it didn't take anything away from the story :P
This has nothing to do with the book but I'm gonna mention it- I tried to reread on audio but my god I couldn't do it with the male narrator. Was so aggressively not a fan of what he was doing with his voice; a personal taste issue for sure but the sounds I was hearing and the words I was reading were not matching up, a shame :( (might give it another go when I reread for book2 bc I want to not miss a thing, so my opinion may soften but for now, nOPE).
These two are also extremely Bad Omens coded it's delicious.
April 15, 2026
More vampires! More vampires! I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! I knew that I was going to really enjoy the prose and romance in this book because of having read Kelly Andrew’s Your Blood, My Bones before (and boy am I sucker for a borderline toxic, symbiotic relationship). Plus, I’ll never grow out of my vampire phase, so it was basically a shoo-in. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Shea and Lys, and, to my surprise, actually enjoyed that it was dual perspective. Honestly the Shea/Lys/Asher triangle was very reminiscent of Twilight to me with the “who is best for her humanity” kind of angle, but with a slightly more polyamorous feel? Whatever it is, I can’t wait to read more of it! Take me back to my roots, Kelly!!
I couldn’t end the review without including a few of my favorite quotes from the book so minor spoilers ahead!
“Sometimes, in his worst moments, he wishes she’d stop coming to see him— wishes she’d vanish without a trace. Nothing at all would be easier than this. Having her in parasitic swallows, in desperate half measures. Thinking of her in the daytime.”
“It’s ugly this thing between them. The hunger. The secrecy. The way she likes how he looks with her blood on his teeth.”
“‘My mom used to read that to me. The boy in the story loved that rabbit so much, its fur wore thin and its stitching came loose. There’s a line in the book about what it takes to be real. It’s not about how you’re made. It’s about how you’re loved— so much that it rubs you raw’… Threadbare, he’d called her. He’d said it all wrong, that night at Mercy Ridge. He’s always saying everything wrong.”
I couldn’t end the review without including a few of my favorite quotes from the book so minor spoilers ahead!
“Sometimes, in his worst moments, he wishes she’d stop coming to see him— wishes she’d vanish without a trace. Nothing at all would be easier than this. Having her in parasitic swallows, in desperate half measures. Thinking of her in the daytime.”
“It’s ugly this thing between them. The hunger. The secrecy. The way she likes how he looks with her blood on his teeth.”
“‘My mom used to read that to me. The boy in the story loved that rabbit so much, its fur wore thin and its stitching came loose. There’s a line in the book about what it takes to be real. It’s not about how you’re made. It’s about how you’re loved— so much that it rubs you raw’… Threadbare, he’d called her. He’d said it all wrong, that night at Mercy Ridge. He’s always saying everything wrong.”
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026DNF @44%/ 171 pages
ITS GONNA BE A NO FROM ME
Every character in this book is serving NOTHING BURGER personalities and the author is trying way too hard to make these characters morally grey and ‘hardcore’ hard pass on such a beautiful edition SIGHHHH
ITS GONNA BE A NO FROM ME
Every character in this book is serving NOTHING BURGER personalities and the author is trying way too hard to make these characters morally grey and ‘hardcore’ hard pass on such a beautiful edition SIGHHHH
July 29, 2026
3.75. In this post apocalyptic world, Shea is deaf and in need of batteries for her hearing aids. Unable to walk into a store to purchase batteries, she makes a deal with Lysander. Her blood for his assistance. When her best friend is lured into The Gravewood, a wooded area overrun with vampires, she doesn’t return and Shea must go in after her. The search for her friend turns into so much more and nobody is safe!
The writing was so atmospheric, I could picture how The Gravewood would look and feel. I loved our main characters and appreciate the romance in a well done YA romantasy so much. The banter is always so fun. The world wasn’t perfect and I had questions about the way things worked, but the vibes were there and I’m curious to see if any questions are answered in book two!
The writing was so atmospheric, I could picture how The Gravewood would look and feel. I loved our main characters and appreciate the romance in a well done YA romantasy so much. The banter is always so fun. The world wasn’t perfect and I had questions about the way things worked, but the vibes were there and I’m curious to see if any questions are answered in book two!
February 21, 2026
2.5 stars
Im very thankful for the opportunity from Wayward to read this e-arc book. I was excited to read this one, however it just didn’t really deliver for me.
It felt like half the story was missing and I was jumping in to a sequel rather than the first book of a duology. There was no set up, no background, very limited world building. There was no explanation of the different areas, about the rot, what are mercy boys, what is the wood watch, how this actually all came about.
The beginning of the book we are introduced to Lys and Shea meeting for the first time - don’t know how and don’t know anything further than that. It jumps to 6 months later and she’s meeting him sporadically to let him feed on her in exchange for hearing aid batteries. Again, no background to their meeting, the deal, the build up of their “relationship”.
My other issue was the pacing and lack of anything happening. Spent the majority of the book with them just travelling about. And nothing happens. Little bits of conversation here and there. Felt like it was always just skimming the surface. There was no depth.
Unfortunately because there was no depth to the story there was also no depth to the characters. And because we had no build up to whatever is going on between Lys and Shea I just didn’t feel any connection there. There’s also a bit of a love triangle going on - I’m sure that will be explored more in book 2.
The story did pick up in the last 15% so a slight redemption. Sadly The Gravewood just wasn’t for me but I was determined to get to the end to see what happened.
Thank you again for the opportunity to read this arc!
Im very thankful for the opportunity from Wayward to read this e-arc book. I was excited to read this one, however it just didn’t really deliver for me.
It felt like half the story was missing and I was jumping in to a sequel rather than the first book of a duology. There was no set up, no background, very limited world building. There was no explanation of the different areas, about the rot, what are mercy boys, what is the wood watch, how this actually all came about.
The beginning of the book we are introduced to Lys and Shea meeting for the first time - don’t know how and don’t know anything further than that. It jumps to 6 months later and she’s meeting him sporadically to let him feed on her in exchange for hearing aid batteries. Again, no background to their meeting, the deal, the build up of their “relationship”.
My other issue was the pacing and lack of anything happening. Spent the majority of the book with them just travelling about. And nothing happens. Little bits of conversation here and there. Felt like it was always just skimming the surface. There was no depth.
Unfortunately because there was no depth to the story there was also no depth to the characters. And because we had no build up to whatever is going on between Lys and Shea I just didn’t feel any connection there. There’s also a bit of a love triangle going on - I’m sure that will be explored more in book 2.
The story did pick up in the last 15% so a slight redemption. Sadly The Gravewood just wasn’t for me but I was determined to get to the end to see what happened.
Thank you again for the opportunity to read this arc!
February 19, 2026
The way Kelly Andrew writes was so unexpected, it blew my mind. I could feel the cold from the forest in the book seeping through my bones.
This is a post apocalyptic YA novel that follows Shea, a 17 year old girl trying to navigate her life while surviving in a small town next to the Gravewood forest, home of the famous Gravewood devil. Except, she’s well acquainted with said devil.
Lys, the devil in question, formed his own little kingdom in the cursed forest that’s affected by rot. Did I mention the trees have teeth? That’s because of the Rot which infects both nature and humans - some turn into vampires, other turn into a hybrid more similar to zombies. I really enjoyed this particular take on the concept of those creatures.
The plot is fast paced and engaging, but my absolute favorite thing is the atmospheric writing that’s so haunting. It was an absolute pleasure just going through this book and its characters. I was convinced this was a standalone and I’m both gland and upset it isn’t. Glad because I am nowhere near ready to move away from either the plot or the characters, sad because I have to wait for the next release.
Arc provided by NetGalley, thank you so much to both them and the publishers!
This is a post apocalyptic YA novel that follows Shea, a 17 year old girl trying to navigate her life while surviving in a small town next to the Gravewood forest, home of the famous Gravewood devil. Except, she’s well acquainted with said devil.
Lys, the devil in question, formed his own little kingdom in the cursed forest that’s affected by rot. Did I mention the trees have teeth? That’s because of the Rot which infects both nature and humans - some turn into vampires, other turn into a hybrid more similar to zombies. I really enjoyed this particular take on the concept of those creatures.
The plot is fast paced and engaging, but my absolute favorite thing is the atmospheric writing that’s so haunting. It was an absolute pleasure just going through this book and its characters. I was convinced this was a standalone and I’m both gland and upset it isn’t. Glad because I am nowhere near ready to move away from either the plot or the characters, sad because I have to wait for the next release.
Arc provided by NetGalley, thank you so much to both them and the publishers!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5⭐
I absolutely loved every single thing about this book, I couldn't put it down once I started. The Gravewood was dark and gritty with its dystopian vibes and it was so atmospheric. I could visualise every single detail within the world and especially the haunted forest that Kelly had created where the vampires are treated more like zombies, an infection and they are killed because of it.
I got the same type of feelings reading this book as I did when I read Legendborn and the chemistry between the main characters from that series, the dynamic between all three characters in The Gravewood is amazing and I loved the banter between them but especially between Lysander our vampire MMC and Asher the childhood friend who reappears in Shae the FMCs life after his sister goes missing. The way there is this tension between Lys and Asher is written so exceptionally well, I mean he calls Asher ''Sunshine''
This is also one of those books where the love triangle kind of works as not only does Lys and Asher have this tension and angst but it's also there between Shae and both Asher and Lys. For me though it's the yearning between Shae and Lys and it is utter perfection, what starts as a mutual bargain turns into the type of yearning love that haunts you. Especially from Lys side reading his POV and the way he feels about Shae got me so much.
This book is sometimes gruesome and dark but for me it was the perfect vampire story, I cannot wait for book two!
Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy ahead of publication. All opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved every single thing about this book, I couldn't put it down once I started. The Gravewood was dark and gritty with its dystopian vibes and it was so atmospheric. I could visualise every single detail within the world and especially the haunted forest that Kelly had created where the vampires are treated more like zombies, an infection and they are killed because of it.
I got the same type of feelings reading this book as I did when I read Legendborn and the chemistry between the main characters from that series, the dynamic between all three characters in The Gravewood is amazing and I loved the banter between them but especially between Lysander our vampire MMC and Asher the childhood friend who reappears in Shae the FMCs life after his sister goes missing. The way there is this tension between Lys and Asher is written so exceptionally well, I mean he calls Asher ''Sunshine''
This is also one of those books where the love triangle kind of works as not only does Lys and Asher have this tension and angst but it's also there between Shae and both Asher and Lys. For me though it's the yearning between Shae and Lys and it is utter perfection, what starts as a mutual bargain turns into the type of yearning love that haunts you. Especially from Lys side reading his POV and the way he feels about Shae got me so much.
This book is sometimes gruesome and dark but for me it was the perfect vampire story, I cannot wait for book two!
Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy ahead of publication. All opinions are my own.
November 2, 2025
My obsession with vampires and romance started many moons ago with the tension between Louis and Lestat and had me buying up every vampire book I could get my hands on as a youth. Now well into middle age, I admit, vampires are still my favorite fantasy storyline.
So, when The Gravewood became available on NetGalley for review, my fingers buzzed over to the request button quickly. Being actually chosen to review, had me giddy!
I went in almost completely blind and came out with this book on my top 5 reads of the year.
It has it all:
Post apocalyptical setting with dystopian vibes
Haunted forrest
Vampires AND Vampire Hunters
Yearning between two characters that will make you feel like your dying- but in the best way.
I seriously cannot thank NetGalley and Scholastic Press enough for the chance to read this, due out April of 2026. With that much time between now and the release, theres almost NO WAY I not do a re-read. And I wish and pray this gets some sort of excellent deluxe release with sprayed edges. Fingers crossed!
So, when The Gravewood became available on NetGalley for review, my fingers buzzed over to the request button quickly. Being actually chosen to review, had me giddy!
I went in almost completely blind and came out with this book on my top 5 reads of the year.
It has it all:
Post apocalyptical setting with dystopian vibes
Haunted forrest
Vampires AND Vampire Hunters
Yearning between two characters that will make you feel like your dying- but in the best way.
I seriously cannot thank NetGalley and Scholastic Press enough for the chance to read this, due out April of 2026. With that much time between now and the release, theres almost NO WAY I not do a re-read. And I wish and pray this gets some sort of excellent deluxe release with sprayed edges. Fingers crossed!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5 big fat stars for this masterpiece. I am genuinely blown away by how much I enjoyed this book.
Let’s start with the prose. IMMACULATE. Absolutely gorgeous. Almost poetic. I felt smarter reading this book. There were some words I’d never even heard before. Everything just worked so perfectly, so seamlessly. The QUALITY was impeccable.
The characters? Love em. Absolutely adore. Lys? That boy is a Yearner with a capital Y. Absolutely hideously, sickeningly in love with Shea. Every moment he spent with her, it was so obvious. Every word he said, everything he did, every choice he made. He couldn’t have been wearing a bigger sign that said ‘I’m in love with Shea.’ I was CRAVING this tension, this yearning, this pining. Absolutely foaming at the mouth for it and I have been fed so heartily. Shea herself? Excellent. She’s strong, but not ostentatiously so. She’s not stabby, she’s not headstrong or independent to the point where it’s just irritating. She’s a normal girl, with a disability, in love with a cute boy and trying her best to survive in a post apocalyptic world.
Which brings me to the setting. I dunno about anyone else but I fuckin loved it. I’m struggling to find anything I disliked about this book actually. This review is very positive. Anyway, the way the world was written was so vividly atmospheric that I could picture it so easily. It reminded me a bit of the State of Decay games actually. That kind of urban fantasy blended with gothic spooky vampiric vibes? Gorgeous. I felt like I was there. The writing was so fucking good at making me feel that.
And the plot? God help me, I loved that too. The world building isn’t too crazy, very easy to grasp. It’s Earth, it’s the future, there’s vampires now. Cool. We meet a cute one. Cool. He’s obsessed with her from the get go?? Say less!! They have to run away and do a cheeky little road trip with her best friend’s brother (who’s a hot soldier now) and her other bestie, and there’s a steamy love triangle that makes the whole book feel like a tension-filled daydream?? Give it to me nowwwwwww. I cannot put into words how much I LOVE when books give us adequate time with the characters without much else happening. That is what I read books for: characters and their relationships and their growth.
In summary?? Mwah. Chef’s kiss. I am overjoyed that 1) this book exists. 2) I got to read it early. 3) this is the first book I’ve been accepted for on Netgalley 🥹 and 4) that this is fairyloot’s YA book for April so I have a beautiful shelf trophy coming 😭 STUNNING!!! I can’t recommend this enough. It single-pagedly cured me of my worst reading slump since I started reading again.
Oh fuck, and that ending?? I need book 2 immediately 😩
Let’s start with the prose. IMMACULATE. Absolutely gorgeous. Almost poetic. I felt smarter reading this book. There were some words I’d never even heard before. Everything just worked so perfectly, so seamlessly. The QUALITY was impeccable.
The characters? Love em. Absolutely adore. Lys? That boy is a Yearner with a capital Y. Absolutely hideously, sickeningly in love with Shea. Every moment he spent with her, it was so obvious. Every word he said, everything he did, every choice he made. He couldn’t have been wearing a bigger sign that said ‘I’m in love with Shea.’ I was CRAVING this tension, this yearning, this pining. Absolutely foaming at the mouth for it and I have been fed so heartily. Shea herself? Excellent. She’s strong, but not ostentatiously so. She’s not stabby, she’s not headstrong or independent to the point where it’s just irritating. She’s a normal girl, with a disability, in love with a cute boy and trying her best to survive in a post apocalyptic world.
Which brings me to the setting. I dunno about anyone else but I fuckin loved it. I’m struggling to find anything I disliked about this book actually. This review is very positive. Anyway, the way the world was written was so vividly atmospheric that I could picture it so easily. It reminded me a bit of the State of Decay games actually. That kind of urban fantasy blended with gothic spooky vampiric vibes? Gorgeous. I felt like I was there. The writing was so fucking good at making me feel that.
And the plot? God help me, I loved that too. The world building isn’t too crazy, very easy to grasp. It’s Earth, it’s the future, there’s vampires now. Cool. We meet a cute one. Cool. He’s obsessed with her from the get go?? Say less!! They have to run away and do a cheeky little road trip with her best friend’s brother (who’s a hot soldier now) and her other bestie, and there’s a steamy love triangle that makes the whole book feel like a tension-filled daydream?? Give it to me nowwwwwww. I cannot put into words how much I LOVE when books give us adequate time with the characters without much else happening. That is what I read books for: characters and their relationships and their growth.
In summary?? Mwah. Chef’s kiss. I am overjoyed that 1) this book exists. 2) I got to read it early. 3) this is the first book I’ve been accepted for on Netgalley 🥹 and 4) that this is fairyloot’s YA book for April so I have a beautiful shelf trophy coming 😭 STUNNING!!! I can’t recommend this enough. It single-pagedly cured me of my worst reading slump since I started reading again.
Oh fuck, and that ending?? I need book 2 immediately 😩
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