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Girl of Lore
A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.
Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.
But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.
Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.
But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2026
About the author
Melanie Dale
6 books89 followers***Melanie's debut novel, GIRL OF LORE, hits shelves April 21, 2026! Preorder it now to get the deluxe limited edition with sprayed edges and gold foil!***
Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into the fictional world of GIRL OF LORE, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series CREEPSHOW and over a decade of essays for COFFEE+CRUMBS. While she’s won no awards for literature, one time she won a Halloween costume contest and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area.
Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into the fictional world of GIRL OF LORE, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series CREEPSHOW and over a decade of essays for COFFEE+CRUMBS. While she’s won no awards for literature, one time she won a Halloween costume contest and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A teenage girl battles OCD and monsters in this Gothic horror debut from Melanie Dale.
I was pretty excited about this one. The synopsis (and that amazing cover!) had me all-in pretty quickly. As someone with OCD, I looked forward to seeing it fairly represented (as opposed to the wildly outrageous, and often harmfully wrong interpretations we frequently see in entertainment).
I enjoyed Mina and the supporting cast of characters of the Lore Club (+ Jonathan Harker), and appreciated how her struggles and healings were depicted. The story was interesting, and was a nice setup for future books set in London, Georgia. Though I called the "twist" basically from the beginning, I liked watching it unfold.
The writing, however, was a little weak. Even taking the YA genre into consideration, it lacked any sophistication, did all telling, virtually no showing, and was a little rushed and disorganized. It had the feeling of trying to shoehorn in ALL of the things the series would want to tackle, instead of letting it all naturally develop for the reader. Things wrapped up a little too neatly, without a lot of drama, and despite it being a Gothic horror YA book, it felt like it lacked stakes (pun intended) for the action and fights that took place.
Plus the main character names were just a little too on-the-nose for me, even though I can appreciate the homage to a favorite book.
All in all, a fair debut, with a lot of future potential.
Thanks to Aladdin/Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
3.5 stars
I was pretty excited about this one. The synopsis (and that amazing cover!) had me all-in pretty quickly. As someone with OCD, I looked forward to seeing it fairly represented (as opposed to the wildly outrageous, and often harmfully wrong interpretations we frequently see in entertainment).
I enjoyed Mina and the supporting cast of characters of the Lore Club (+ Jonathan Harker), and appreciated how her struggles and healings were depicted. The story was interesting, and was a nice setup for future books set in London, Georgia. Though I called the "twist" basically from the beginning, I liked watching it unfold.
The writing, however, was a little weak. Even taking the YA genre into consideration, it lacked any sophistication, did all telling, virtually no showing, and was a little rushed and disorganized. It had the feeling of trying to shoehorn in ALL of the things the series would want to tackle, instead of letting it all naturally develop for the reader. Things wrapped up a little too neatly, without a lot of drama, and despite it being a Gothic horror YA book, it felt like it lacked stakes (pun intended) for the action and fights that took place.
Plus the main character names were just a little too on-the-nose for me, even though I can appreciate the homage to a favorite book.
All in all, a fair debut, with a lot of future potential.
Thanks to Aladdin/Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
3.5 stars
April 21, 2026
I love a spooky tale, and Melanie Dale’s GIRL OF LORE managed to keep me turning pages, fearful for the characters’ safety, while also being a book that content-wise, I’m totally happy sharing with my tween and teen.
Mina Murray gets teased at her high school for being into creepy stuff and hanging around the cemetery. The intrusive thoughts that come along with her OCD definitely don’t help. But when her mom threatens to make her start working at her yoga studio, Mina decides to turn her macabre interests into a club dedicated to researching the strange and creepy past of her Georgia town. Unfortunately, she might learn more than she wants to as the legends and lore she discovers prove to be more than just stories.
I adore a Southern Gothic tale, and GIRL OF LORE populates the setting with a cast of monsters and suspicious characters (and a cute boy or two as well). The juxtaposition of Mina’s external fight to protect her town and her internal struggles with OCD and figuring out how to navigate high school were engaging and kept me turning pages. I’m excited to share this book with my older kids and hopeful that Melanie Dale gets to continue this series.
Mina Murray gets teased at her high school for being into creepy stuff and hanging around the cemetery. The intrusive thoughts that come along with her OCD definitely don’t help. But when her mom threatens to make her start working at her yoga studio, Mina decides to turn her macabre interests into a club dedicated to researching the strange and creepy past of her Georgia town. Unfortunately, she might learn more than she wants to as the legends and lore she discovers prove to be more than just stories.
I adore a Southern Gothic tale, and GIRL OF LORE populates the setting with a cast of monsters and suspicious characters (and a cute boy or two as well). The juxtaposition of Mina’s external fight to protect her town and her internal struggles with OCD and figuring out how to navigate high school were engaging and kept me turning pages. I’m excited to share this book with my older kids and hopeful that Melanie Dale gets to continue this series.
May 8, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I plowed through this book in a day. It was the perfect mix of paranormal and reality. The main character’s OCD and scrupulosity was handled very well and added to the story. The characters felt very real and there were red herrings that felt natural. A great, spooky read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Girl of Lore is about Mina, a fifteen-year-old girl who is dealing with the violent intrusive thoughts that come from her OCD. She spends her time at the graveyard where she can deal with it by drawing gruesome creatures in her sketchbook. Her interests have caused conflicts with her family because they think she’s creepy, but she’s content with that until she starts seeing and hearing things that make her feel like these monsters hadn’t just been part of her OCD the whole time.
The premise had so much potential, but this book was trying to be too much all at once. In addition to her OCD struggles and the threat of vampires in her town, Mina is in high school. That means that even though the thought of people dying and going missing is bad… what if the boy her friend likes doesn’t like her back? I found it hard to care about the plot that I had originally thought was super interesting because it was so pushed off until the last few chapters. The author had had so much opportunity to spread it out, but instead we sit through church with Mina and a football game and homecoming when they have no relevance to the huge main conflict. On its own, this was annoying but not that big of an issue. What made me drop stars is that even when things are part of the main problem, such as a classmate going missing, Mina barely thinks about it seriously when she has every ability to. There’s no search to find the classmate other than a few brief mentions, Mina doesn’t go to the police with what she knows, and she doesn’t try to find him on her own when she’s pretty sure something bad happened to him. There were so many ways the author could have expanded the main story and gave it some foreshadowing or at least direction. It just felt like too many characters and scenes competing for attention that distracted from the truly interesting parts.
If I could change one thing about this book, it would be the Lore Club. Basically, Mina lies to her mom that no, she’s not spending all her time hanging out at the graveyard by herself, it’s just her totally real school club. Mina spends several chapters establishing this club: what it should do, who would join it. Mina clearly liked researching spooky history: she was searching for books and asking people questions when the club was still just a hobby. The club was so set up and structured when it didn’t need to be. It would have been a lot more exciting if something had provoked Mina to do research on her own, people had joined her out of their own interest, and the club had formed naturally. That way, Mina befriending the others so quickly would have made more sense than them just coming along because Jackie asked them to.
There was also very little foreshadowing. Mina’s town has had some rumors about vampires, and most of the development of the plot is her just making guesses based on tiny clues and collecting vampire protection trinkets. For example, from the start, Mina gets this weird rash and she sees these three shadowy figures, but then Mina doesn’t get any more information about either at all until about 80% in when a character tells her everything when she asks them. Mina has a big lead on a way to find answers: she knows of some people who died that had had information, she regrets not finding out about them earlier, and she knows where they lived, yet she never thinks to try to find the answers she’s looking for by, like, looking in their house. It would have worked so well with the romance side plot, too, because it presumably would have been Johnathan agreeing to go with her due to reasons he reveals later. I would have been very onboard for a break-in scene instead of another argument with her sister.
Although I did like the… lore… the book had set up by the end, the journey there was drawn out and then rushed. There were a few details about the writing that were awkward and made it feel like the book was for a younger audience than the high-school setting and violence suggested. Mina’s explanations bothered me because they were so unnecessary and should have been cut down. It was too tell-y. It didn’t affect the story so I wasn’t going to mention it, but as I’m going through my notes, it just happened so frequently. Mina has to explain the origin and purpose of her sketchbook or why she loves her locker or sleepovers. There were so many jokes or scenes that had no purpose, like the whole spelling scene at brunch, whatever that thing was with Jackie and cats, or the little sister stealing makeup. I hated Lizzie by the way regardless of whether she was a realistic little sister or not. Lizzie easily could have been a background character, and I might have thought she was partially cute.
The OCD depiction was the most well done part of this book. I think it had a good role in the story where it influenced Mina’s thoughts without being the problem/solution. I think it also helped tie together all the different parts of the story, and I wish it had been brought out more. I liked the italicized: Stab! Blink, blink, blink, or Mina questioning things because she didn’t touch them the correct number of times to reassure herself. I liked the therapist, and I would even say that in a book full of distracting side plots, she could have taken up more space. My one small complaint was that the other, external italicized onomatopoeia wasn’t necessary and weakened the otherwise automatic connection to her abrupt intrusive thoughts.
I think the author should have leaned into a light supernatural story if that’s what she wanted, but the graphic descriptions of gore and death felt out of place in comparison. Personally, I would have preferred if she’d leaned into more horror and less high school, but both combined was too much.
I received this book through NetGalley.
The premise had so much potential, but this book was trying to be too much all at once. In addition to her OCD struggles and the threat of vampires in her town, Mina is in high school. That means that even though the thought of people dying and going missing is bad… what if the boy her friend likes doesn’t like her back? I found it hard to care about the plot that I had originally thought was super interesting because it was so pushed off until the last few chapters. The author had had so much opportunity to spread it out, but instead we sit through church with Mina and a football game and homecoming when they have no relevance to the huge main conflict. On its own, this was annoying but not that big of an issue. What made me drop stars is that even when things are part of the main problem, such as a classmate going missing, Mina barely thinks about it seriously when she has every ability to. There’s no search to find the classmate other than a few brief mentions, Mina doesn’t go to the police with what she knows, and she doesn’t try to find him on her own when she’s pretty sure something bad happened to him. There were so many ways the author could have expanded the main story and gave it some foreshadowing or at least direction. It just felt like too many characters and scenes competing for attention that distracted from the truly interesting parts.
If I could change one thing about this book, it would be the Lore Club. Basically, Mina lies to her mom that no, she’s not spending all her time hanging out at the graveyard by herself, it’s just her totally real school club. Mina spends several chapters establishing this club: what it should do, who would join it. Mina clearly liked researching spooky history: she was searching for books and asking people questions when the club was still just a hobby. The club was so set up and structured when it didn’t need to be. It would have been a lot more exciting if something had provoked Mina to do research on her own, people had joined her out of their own interest, and the club had formed naturally. That way, Mina befriending the others so quickly would have made more sense than them just coming along because Jackie asked them to.
There was also very little foreshadowing. Mina’s town has had some rumors about vampires, and most of the development of the plot is her just making guesses based on tiny clues and collecting vampire protection trinkets. For example, from the start, Mina gets this weird rash and she sees these three shadowy figures, but then Mina doesn’t get any more information about either at all until about 80% in when a character tells her everything when she asks them. Mina has a big lead on a way to find answers: she knows of some people who died that had had information, she regrets not finding out about them earlier, and she knows where they lived, yet she never thinks to try to find the answers she’s looking for by, like, looking in their house. It would have worked so well with the romance side plot, too, because it presumably would have been Johnathan agreeing to go with her due to reasons he reveals later. I would have been very onboard for a break-in scene instead of another argument with her sister.
Although I did like the… lore… the book had set up by the end, the journey there was drawn out and then rushed. There were a few details about the writing that were awkward and made it feel like the book was for a younger audience than the high-school setting and violence suggested. Mina’s explanations bothered me because they were so unnecessary and should have been cut down. It was too tell-y. It didn’t affect the story so I wasn’t going to mention it, but as I’m going through my notes, it just happened so frequently. Mina has to explain the origin and purpose of her sketchbook or why she loves her locker or sleepovers. There were so many jokes or scenes that had no purpose, like the whole spelling scene at brunch, whatever that thing was with Jackie and cats, or the little sister stealing makeup. I hated Lizzie by the way regardless of whether she was a realistic little sister or not. Lizzie easily could have been a background character, and I might have thought she was partially cute.
The OCD depiction was the most well done part of this book. I think it had a good role in the story where it influenced Mina’s thoughts without being the problem/solution. I think it also helped tie together all the different parts of the story, and I wish it had been brought out more. I liked the italicized: Stab! Blink, blink, blink, or Mina questioning things because she didn’t touch them the correct number of times to reassure herself. I liked the therapist, and I would even say that in a book full of distracting side plots, she could have taken up more space. My one small complaint was that the other, external italicized onomatopoeia wasn’t necessary and weakened the otherwise automatic connection to her abrupt intrusive thoughts.
I think the author should have leaned into a light supernatural story if that’s what she wanted, but the graphic descriptions of gore and death felt out of place in comparison. Personally, I would have preferred if she’d leaned into more horror and less high school, but both combined was too much.
I received this book through NetGalley.
April 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This novel follows Mina Murray as she becomes entangled in a supernatural mystery involving vampires, a hidden legacy tied to the Carfax family, and an ancient entity known as the Old One. As strange events escalate in her town, Mina must uncover the truth about her identity and her role in preventing a looming catastrophe.
The premise is compelling, blending familiar paranormal elements with a broader mythological and cosmic horror influence. The story is engaging and accessible, making it well-suited for younger YA or upper middle grade readers seeking a fast-paced, character-driven supernatural story.
However, the pacing—particularly in the final act—feels rushed. Key plot developments, emotional arcs, and character resolutions occur quickly, which limits the depth and impact of several important moments. Some conflicts, especially interpersonal ones, would have benefited from further exploration and on-page resolution.
Overall, this is an entertaining and approachable read with a strong central concept, though it would have benefited from additional development in its latter half to fully realize its emotional and narrative potential.
Plot — Good concept, rushed execution What worked: Carfax lineage reveal ✔️ Old One / Leviathan mythology ✔️ Vampire sisters + sacrifice system ✔️ What didn’t: Climax = speedrun Buddy = unsatisfying final antagonist resolution Old One = introduced big, resolved fast 👉 Verdict: Strong premise, undercooked payoff
Characters — Good ideas, shallow follow-through Mina Interesting: anxious, analytical, curious But: doesn’t fully grow keeps making the same impulsive decisions emotional arc is rushed, Jonathan I called it early: hunter / tied to her destiny ✔️ But: trope-heavy (“I liked you for you, not the mission”) relationship = fast + convenient Jackie BEST character in the book, honestly most consistent support system yet still underutilized in the final act. Quincy - Bitten → should’ve been a HUGE deal instead: “he rubs his wrist sometimes” Lizzie (the sister) 🚨 Biggest failure in character writing No: apology or accountability or real conversation for series actions that could have ruined her sister (the MC's) life Just: hug = forgiveness 👉 Verdict: Emotional arcs started… not finished
Pacing — The book’s biggest problem “slow at the beginning, then BOOM fast fast fast” structure felt like: Act 1: setup (good pace) Act 2: intrigue (okay pace) Act 3: SPRINT TO THE FINISH LINE What needed: 5–10 more chapters or longer chapters or fewer plot beats in the finale 👉 Verdict: Severe pacing imbalance
Emotional Payoff — Too neat, not earned Big issues: Sister conflict → unresolved Trauma → lightly acknowledged Death/family reveal → rushed Killing her sisters → barely processed Buddy → no real emotional confrontation Ending tone: ✨ “everything is okay now” 👉 Verdict: Emotionally shallow resolution
Romance — Predictable, underdeveloped I called it early. : ✔️ he likes her ✔️ she resists ✔️ reveal → conflict → resolution And we end with: hand kiss instead of full kiss Which is: soft YA-appropriate but also… not very impactful 👉 Verdict: Serviceable, but tropey and rushed
Ending Choices FINAL SCORE (real talk) If we’re being honest: Plot: 3.5/5 (concept carrying it) Characters: 3/5 (potential > execution) Pacing: 2/5 (major issue) Emotional payoff: 2/5 Ending: 2.5/5 🧾 Overall: 3-3.5 / 5 — “Good idea, rushed book”
the book consistently prioritizes: momentum, teen POV, and spooky encounters at the cost of: realism, pacing, balance, and emotional processing.
The book works best when it’s character-driven and grounded, not when it’s overloaded with internal spirals + unclear transitions
Mina Murray → Dracula
Jonathan Harker → Dracula
Dr. Seward → Dracula
Lanyon → Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Arthur Holmwood → Dracula
Quincey → Dracula
The book is actively reworking Dracula lore in a modern setting
Cat: named Mephistopheles (demonic figure)
Mina killing her sisters → barely processed, Quincy being bitten → resolved quickly, Jackie almost turning → brushed past, Buddy’s obsession → no real confrontation. You don’t get: grief, anger, or moral conflict it’s underdeveloped in the final act. A strong premise + rushed execution.
It was similar to the movie Monster Squad, Teenwolf TV show, The Lost Boys, Fright Night (Specifically: friend gets turned becomes antagonistic fixates on main character) Meganmind nice guy Tighten turned evil trope for Buddy. Old One = Nemeton (Teen Wolf) / Kandarian dagger vibes (Evil Dead)
This novel follows Mina Murray as she becomes entangled in a supernatural mystery involving vampires, a hidden legacy tied to the Carfax family, and an ancient entity known as the Old One. As strange events escalate in her town, Mina must uncover the truth about her identity and her role in preventing a looming catastrophe.
The premise is compelling, blending familiar paranormal elements with a broader mythological and cosmic horror influence. The story is engaging and accessible, making it well-suited for younger YA or upper middle grade readers seeking a fast-paced, character-driven supernatural story.
However, the pacing—particularly in the final act—feels rushed. Key plot developments, emotional arcs, and character resolutions occur quickly, which limits the depth and impact of several important moments. Some conflicts, especially interpersonal ones, would have benefited from further exploration and on-page resolution.
Overall, this is an entertaining and approachable read with a strong central concept, though it would have benefited from additional development in its latter half to fully realize its emotional and narrative potential.
Plot — Good concept, rushed execution What worked: Carfax lineage reveal ✔️ Old One / Leviathan mythology ✔️ Vampire sisters + sacrifice system ✔️ What didn’t: Climax = speedrun Buddy = unsatisfying final antagonist resolution Old One = introduced big, resolved fast 👉 Verdict: Strong premise, undercooked payoff
Characters — Good ideas, shallow follow-through Mina Interesting: anxious, analytical, curious But: doesn’t fully grow keeps making the same impulsive decisions emotional arc is rushed, Jonathan I called it early: hunter / tied to her destiny ✔️ But: trope-heavy (“I liked you for you, not the mission”) relationship = fast + convenient Jackie BEST character in the book, honestly most consistent support system yet still underutilized in the final act. Quincy - Bitten → should’ve been a HUGE deal instead: “he rubs his wrist sometimes” Lizzie (the sister) 🚨 Biggest failure in character writing No: apology or accountability or real conversation for series actions that could have ruined her sister (the MC's) life Just: hug = forgiveness 👉 Verdict: Emotional arcs started… not finished
Pacing — The book’s biggest problem “slow at the beginning, then BOOM fast fast fast” structure felt like: Act 1: setup (good pace) Act 2: intrigue (okay pace) Act 3: SPRINT TO THE FINISH LINE What needed: 5–10 more chapters or longer chapters or fewer plot beats in the finale 👉 Verdict: Severe pacing imbalance
Emotional Payoff — Too neat, not earned Big issues: Sister conflict → unresolved Trauma → lightly acknowledged Death/family reveal → rushed Killing her sisters → barely processed Buddy → no real emotional confrontation Ending tone: ✨ “everything is okay now” 👉 Verdict: Emotionally shallow resolution
Romance — Predictable, underdeveloped I called it early. : ✔️ he likes her ✔️ she resists ✔️ reveal → conflict → resolution And we end with: hand kiss instead of full kiss Which is: soft YA-appropriate but also… not very impactful 👉 Verdict: Serviceable, but tropey and rushed
Ending Choices FINAL SCORE (real talk) If we’re being honest: Plot: 3.5/5 (concept carrying it) Characters: 3/5 (potential > execution) Pacing: 2/5 (major issue) Emotional payoff: 2/5 Ending: 2.5/5 🧾 Overall: 3-3.5 / 5 — “Good idea, rushed book”
the book consistently prioritizes: momentum, teen POV, and spooky encounters at the cost of: realism, pacing, balance, and emotional processing.
The book works best when it’s character-driven and grounded, not when it’s overloaded with internal spirals + unclear transitions
Mina Murray → Dracula
Jonathan Harker → Dracula
Dr. Seward → Dracula
Lanyon → Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Arthur Holmwood → Dracula
Quincey → Dracula
The book is actively reworking Dracula lore in a modern setting
Cat: named Mephistopheles (demonic figure)
Mina killing her sisters → barely processed, Quincy being bitten → resolved quickly, Jackie almost turning → brushed past, Buddy’s obsession → no real confrontation. You don’t get: grief, anger, or moral conflict it’s underdeveloped in the final act. A strong premise + rushed execution.
It was similar to the movie Monster Squad, Teenwolf TV show, The Lost Boys, Fright Night (Specifically: friend gets turned becomes antagonistic fixates on main character) Meganmind nice guy Tighten turned evil trope for Buddy. Old One = Nemeton (Teen Wolf) / Kandarian dagger vibes (Evil Dead)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One of the few gothic horror novels that I've even been able to read all the way through was Bram Stoker's Dracula. Though I read it many years ago, too many to remember it as vividly as some might, I'm still familiar with it enough to recognize some of the plot points in Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale. For one thing, the main character's name is Mina and for another she's a teen living in London, but not the London you're thinking of, nope. Mina lives in London, Georgia a small town that was established 200 years ago by British colonists seeking religious freedom. But according to local legends, these early settlers brought more across the pond with them than their religious convictions.
The story is told in close third person from Mina's perspective. I was immediately drawn into Mina's narrative and her world as she experiences a strange, vivid dream as if seeing it from someone else's body. Upon waking, she has trouble holding onto the details of it, but one remnant she's left with is a strange mark on her wrist. I found Mina to be a very empathetic character right from the beginning. She suffers from OCD and her condition leads her to be drawn to things that are spooky and morbid. Her intrusive thoughts from her mental health disorder often bring about fears that she might lash out and hurt someone and are part of the reason she often likes to hang out in the local cemetery and draw gruesome scenes in her sketchbook. The cemetery is quiet, as Mina says, the dead don't demand much of anybody, and sketching out her fears soothes her and provides a way for her to cope with the exhausting mental gymnastics her condition causes. But the downside of this is that her attraction to spooky, macabre things also serves to isolate her from others her age. In fact, her only friend is her neighbor Jackie. Things change though, when in an effort to avoid having to help her adoptive mom out at her yoga studio, Mina lies and tells her she's too busy because she's starting a new club at her school. One that will be focused on delving into the strange lore and history of her town. Confessing this problem to Jackie, Mina is surprised when her best friend actually finds two other students, Arthur and Quincey who are interested in helping to create such a club. From there Mina develops her first actual friend group.
In terms of the writing, I really appreciated how Dale was able to smoothly balance a realistic portrayal of OCD, in a way that I've never really seen in fiction before, with intriguing gothic horror elements and a terrific blend of humor and wit. Mina not only is relatable because of her struggles but also in how she interacts with the cast of characters in the novel, namely her nemesis on the student council, Jonathan Harker. The banter between them was so good! I could literally quote several passages from this novel that made me laugh out loud. While the pace of the story starts off fast, delving us right into the spooky suspense, the middle of the novel does slow in pace some. There is lots of focus on Mina's OCD and there's also some time devoted to the development of her Lore of London Club. But these things were necessary to the plot as they give Mina more stakes at the end that drive her to dig into what is really going on in London. Why does there seem to be a coverup about what caused the strange sinkhole at the edge of town and about the couple who died when they car was sucked into it? Did one of London's oldest residents really die from natural causes? All of these questions not only captured Mina's attention, but mine as well, keeping me spellbound until the very end. If you like gothic vibes, nods to classic vampire lore, and complex, empathetic characters who exhibit phenomenal wit and snark, then I recommend you read Girl of Lore. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for this honest review.
The story is told in close third person from Mina's perspective. I was immediately drawn into Mina's narrative and her world as she experiences a strange, vivid dream as if seeing it from someone else's body. Upon waking, she has trouble holding onto the details of it, but one remnant she's left with is a strange mark on her wrist. I found Mina to be a very empathetic character right from the beginning. She suffers from OCD and her condition leads her to be drawn to things that are spooky and morbid. Her intrusive thoughts from her mental health disorder often bring about fears that she might lash out and hurt someone and are part of the reason she often likes to hang out in the local cemetery and draw gruesome scenes in her sketchbook. The cemetery is quiet, as Mina says, the dead don't demand much of anybody, and sketching out her fears soothes her and provides a way for her to cope with the exhausting mental gymnastics her condition causes. But the downside of this is that her attraction to spooky, macabre things also serves to isolate her from others her age. In fact, her only friend is her neighbor Jackie. Things change though, when in an effort to avoid having to help her adoptive mom out at her yoga studio, Mina lies and tells her she's too busy because she's starting a new club at her school. One that will be focused on delving into the strange lore and history of her town. Confessing this problem to Jackie, Mina is surprised when her best friend actually finds two other students, Arthur and Quincey who are interested in helping to create such a club. From there Mina develops her first actual friend group.
In terms of the writing, I really appreciated how Dale was able to smoothly balance a realistic portrayal of OCD, in a way that I've never really seen in fiction before, with intriguing gothic horror elements and a terrific blend of humor and wit. Mina not only is relatable because of her struggles but also in how she interacts with the cast of characters in the novel, namely her nemesis on the student council, Jonathan Harker. The banter between them was so good! I could literally quote several passages from this novel that made me laugh out loud. While the pace of the story starts off fast, delving us right into the spooky suspense, the middle of the novel does slow in pace some. There is lots of focus on Mina's OCD and there's also some time devoted to the development of her Lore of London Club. But these things were necessary to the plot as they give Mina more stakes at the end that drive her to dig into what is really going on in London. Why does there seem to be a coverup about what caused the strange sinkhole at the edge of town and about the couple who died when they car was sucked into it? Did one of London's oldest residents really die from natural causes? All of these questions not only captured Mina's attention, but mine as well, keeping me spellbound until the very end. If you like gothic vibes, nods to classic vampire lore, and complex, empathetic characters who exhibit phenomenal wit and snark, then I recommend you read Girl of Lore. You won't be disappointed.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for this honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Town's secrets and myths swirl with dark undertones to create a read, which is packed with danger, drama, and more.
Mina suffers from severe OCD, her mind constantly shoving everything into category, sense, and place. She fights through each day in her mental, jumbled mess, and if that wasn't bad enough, the nights bring constant nightmares. She's found a way to gain, at least, a few minutes peace by hiding in the graveyard with her sketchbook and drawing the monsters in her mind. Or those from local myths and tales, which she know don't really exist but still finds fascinating. It's also gained her the 'creepy label at school, despite her fight to come across as normal-ish. When her dreams start showing up in reality and a dead body is found drained of all blood, she begins to realize that her nightmares and the myths might hold a truth more terrifying than anything she could have imagined.
The story starts out with delicious, dark tones and lets the reader dive right into chills before pulling back just enough to bring Mina and her circumstances across with sympathy. From paranormal fears to high school drama, the tale slides back-and-forth to weave both together to keep spooks, heart, and drama flowing. It's the OCD aspect, however, which the author brings across with potency. Mina doesn't just carry the label with a few hints of the challenge, but it grips her every move and thought. The chaos in her head constantly holds a battle, which not only lays an interesting background for everything else but also raises awareness of what OCD can really mean.
While the reader dives into Mina's mind, the entire atmosphere hangs a bit on the young side. There's enough depth to keep most characters interesting, and the author has packed in a lot on the plot and subplot end, bringing in the paranormal danger, Mina's OCD, family issues, school drama, and much more. Something is always happening and shifting, to keep Mina's world anything but boring. At the same time, less can be more, and the large amount of directions means that some points get lost in the crowd and don't receive the power they could wield.
Fans of vampire, graveyards, friendship drama, dark secrets, and more will want to take a peek at this tale, and it will be interesting to see where Mina might go next.
The story starts out with delicious, dark tones and lets the reader dive right into chills before pulling back just enough to bring Mina and her circumstances across with sympathy. From paranormal fears to high school drama, the tale slides back-and-forth to weave both together to keep spooks, heart, and drama flowing. It's the OCD aspect, however, which the author brings across with potency. Mina doesn't just carry the label with a few hints of the challenge, but it grips her every move and thought. The chaos in her head constantly holds a battle, which not only lays an interesting background for everything else but also raises awareness of what OCD can really mean.
This book is placed for YA readers, but I'd slide it down just a bit to include upper middle graders and tweens. While the reader dives into Mina's mind, the entire atmosphere hangs a bit on the young side. There's enough depth to keep most characters interesting, but not as much as is often seen in teen reads. Instead, the author has packed in a lot on the plot and subplot end, bringing in the paranormal danger, Mina's OCD, family issues, school drama, and much more. Something is always happening and shifting, to keep Mina's world anything but boring. At the same time, less can be more, and the large amount of directions means that some points get lost in the crowd and don't receive the power they could wield.
Fans of vampire, graveyards, friendship drama, dark secrets, and more will want to take a peek at this tale, and it will be interesting to see where Mina might go next.
Mina suffers from severe OCD, her mind constantly shoving everything into category, sense, and place. She fights through each day in her mental, jumbled mess, and if that wasn't bad enough, the nights bring constant nightmares. She's found a way to gain, at least, a few minutes peace by hiding in the graveyard with her sketchbook and drawing the monsters in her mind. Or those from local myths and tales, which she know don't really exist but still finds fascinating. It's also gained her the 'creepy label at school, despite her fight to come across as normal-ish. When her dreams start showing up in reality and a dead body is found drained of all blood, she begins to realize that her nightmares and the myths might hold a truth more terrifying than anything she could have imagined.
The story starts out with delicious, dark tones and lets the reader dive right into chills before pulling back just enough to bring Mina and her circumstances across with sympathy. From paranormal fears to high school drama, the tale slides back-and-forth to weave both together to keep spooks, heart, and drama flowing. It's the OCD aspect, however, which the author brings across with potency. Mina doesn't just carry the label with a few hints of the challenge, but it grips her every move and thought. The chaos in her head constantly holds a battle, which not only lays an interesting background for everything else but also raises awareness of what OCD can really mean.
While the reader dives into Mina's mind, the entire atmosphere hangs a bit on the young side. There's enough depth to keep most characters interesting, and the author has packed in a lot on the plot and subplot end, bringing in the paranormal danger, Mina's OCD, family issues, school drama, and much more. Something is always happening and shifting, to keep Mina's world anything but boring. At the same time, less can be more, and the large amount of directions means that some points get lost in the crowd and don't receive the power they could wield.
Fans of vampire, graveyards, friendship drama, dark secrets, and more will want to take a peek at this tale, and it will be interesting to see where Mina might go next.
The story starts out with delicious, dark tones and lets the reader dive right into chills before pulling back just enough to bring Mina and her circumstances across with sympathy. From paranormal fears to high school drama, the tale slides back-and-forth to weave both together to keep spooks, heart, and drama flowing. It's the OCD aspect, however, which the author brings across with potency. Mina doesn't just carry the label with a few hints of the challenge, but it grips her every move and thought. The chaos in her head constantly holds a battle, which not only lays an interesting background for everything else but also raises awareness of what OCD can really mean.
This book is placed for YA readers, but I'd slide it down just a bit to include upper middle graders and tweens. While the reader dives into Mina's mind, the entire atmosphere hangs a bit on the young side. There's enough depth to keep most characters interesting, but not as much as is often seen in teen reads. Instead, the author has packed in a lot on the plot and subplot end, bringing in the paranormal danger, Mina's OCD, family issues, school drama, and much more. Something is always happening and shifting, to keep Mina's world anything but boring. At the same time, less can be more, and the large amount of directions means that some points get lost in the crowd and don't receive the power they could wield.
Fans of vampire, graveyards, friendship drama, dark secrets, and more will want to take a peek at this tale, and it will be interesting to see where Mina might go next.
March 9, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
This was...not my cup of tea, for several reasons. Still, a worthwhile contender for YA/middle grade readers.
1. While the premise was solid, I think the author is trying to do too many things at once, and the story is weighed down because of it. This book simultaneously tackles topics such as OCD, high school, vampires, sibling dynamics, small-town lore, crushes, betrayal, and a missing classmate. It's too much, and I know it's too much because we don't see enough of the missing classmate part, which is supposed to be the main thrust of the novel. There are pages that one forgets the classmate is missing. Mina, the main character, definitely seems to forget, and I think the author forgets he's missing, too. This could easily have been fixed by some tighter editing, which leads me to my next point.
2. There's a lot of telling in this book and not a lot of showing. I've read YA books that really nailed the creepy and unsettling, but this one doesn't quite manage it. It isn't as if the age group can't handle it, in general. Again, tighter editing could probably make this much better, because all the elements are there. Creepy graveyards, howling wolves, monsters, abandoned homes, dead bodies, mysterious disappearances, vampires, powerful demons, and sinkholes are significantly hair-raising, especially for YA/middle grade readers, but not if you tell me about them directly. There are some moments that shine through, so there is something to be hopeful about, but I won't share them for fear of spoiling the book.
3. Although the author expressed a deep love for Dracula by Bram Stoker, I couldn't quite figure out the justification for placing the same characters (Mina Murray/Harker, Jonathan Harker, Quincey, Arthur Holmwood...) in a different story, as teenagers. It felt a little fanfiction-y. Maybe that was the purpose, and there's no shame in fanfiction, especially something as creative as this. It just seems to me that many kids in this age group are not reading Dracula — at least not the ones I'm coming across — and therefore the references, which are everywhere, would go over their heads, rendering the effort a waste of time. One of the reasons I finished this was that I was so intrigued by the Dracula references and curious to see where it would go, but this book wouldn't have the same lure if readers hadn't read Dracula beforehand. I was also, frankly, a little confused about why the author chose to include some characters but not others, notably Lucy. This threw me off a little.
The author deserves kudos for solidly solving all the mysteries posed, though, and a really intriguing premise. It's pretty clean, which can't be said for many books in this category, and it gets a major boost in my books for that. The structure and pacing are both well done, and I can imagine that some of my students might find this enjoyable. It wasn't for me, but it could be an addition to my classroom library, adding a nice bit of variety to the shelves.
This was...not my cup of tea, for several reasons. Still, a worthwhile contender for YA/middle grade readers.
1. While the premise was solid, I think the author is trying to do too many things at once, and the story is weighed down because of it. This book simultaneously tackles topics such as OCD, high school, vampires, sibling dynamics, small-town lore, crushes, betrayal, and a missing classmate. It's too much, and I know it's too much because we don't see enough of the missing classmate part, which is supposed to be the main thrust of the novel. There are pages that one forgets the classmate is missing. Mina, the main character, definitely seems to forget, and I think the author forgets he's missing, too. This could easily have been fixed by some tighter editing, which leads me to my next point.
2. There's a lot of telling in this book and not a lot of showing. I've read YA books that really nailed the creepy and unsettling, but this one doesn't quite manage it. It isn't as if the age group can't handle it, in general. Again, tighter editing could probably make this much better, because all the elements are there. Creepy graveyards, howling wolves, monsters, abandoned homes, dead bodies, mysterious disappearances, vampires, powerful demons, and sinkholes are significantly hair-raising, especially for YA/middle grade readers, but not if you tell me about them directly. There are some moments that shine through, so there is something to be hopeful about, but I won't share them for fear of spoiling the book.
3. Although the author expressed a deep love for Dracula by Bram Stoker, I couldn't quite figure out the justification for placing the same characters (Mina Murray/Harker, Jonathan Harker, Quincey, Arthur Holmwood...) in a different story, as teenagers. It felt a little fanfiction-y. Maybe that was the purpose, and there's no shame in fanfiction, especially something as creative as this. It just seems to me that many kids in this age group are not reading Dracula — at least not the ones I'm coming across — and therefore the references, which are everywhere, would go over their heads, rendering the effort a waste of time. One of the reasons I finished this was that I was so intrigued by the Dracula references and curious to see where it would go, but this book wouldn't have the same lure if readers hadn't read Dracula beforehand. I was also, frankly, a little confused about why the author chose to include some characters but not others, notably Lucy. This threw me off a little.
The author deserves kudos for solidly solving all the mysteries posed, though, and a really intriguing premise. It's pretty clean, which can't be said for many books in this category, and it gets a major boost in my books for that. The structure and pacing are both well done, and I can imagine that some of my students might find this enjoyable. It wasn't for me, but it could be an addition to my classroom library, adding a nice bit of variety to the shelves.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was so, so, so fun! I love middle grade books that don't shy away from the real life experiences of a preteen/teen. Mina is a 15 (almost 16) year old who lives with OCD and is adopted. The way her OCD is described and navigated in this book was brilliantly handled. I could feel the exasperation, weariness, and fear that surrounds a disorder such as this. I also loved how Mina's OCD was weaved into the story, not as if she had to have it in order for the story to move forward, but as a way to prepare her for what was coming up in her life.
I loved Jackie. I loved Jonathan Harker (swoon). The nod to 'Dracula' was very fun. I never felt like we truly got to know Quincey or Arthur. However, the fact that most of the times they are in the scene they're supporting and uplifting Mina makes them pretty cool. I loved watching Mina go from alone to surrounded by friends over the course of the book. It didn't just happen to her either; she took a situation, made the best of it, and it turned out to be exactly what she needed. I want to be part of a Lore Club. When she was gifted the sweatshirt, I definitely cried. Precious.
Mina's adoption story did oftentimes feel a bit, off? But that could be because it added so much more loneliness and uncertainty to her life. Once her birth family was revealed, I didn't feel as though that was handled very well by her mother and/or those around her. It's a huge deal and wasn't treated that way. Also, a lot of writing went into talking about how Mina didn't know her actual birth date, but then when she discovers who she is, that's never concluded.
As for Mina's sister; no. I have an 11 year old and know how they act. Lizzie was monstrous. For what she did to Mina, whatever punishment she received (which we never discover) wasn't enough. "For my birthday you have to forgive me!" Excuse me, what? Mina's mother encouraged her not to hate Lizzie but she never, ever receives an apology. As for the end, it felt insincere. "You're the best sister I've ever had." I'm sorry, just because you had to kill those vampires *spoilers* and they ended up being your sisters, does not a best sister make. And Lizzie STILL never apologizes.
All in all, I loved it. The ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for my liking but it's left just open ended enough that you can be excited for more stories from London, Georgia starring Mina Murray.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
I loved Jackie. I loved Jonathan Harker (swoon). The nod to 'Dracula' was very fun. I never felt like we truly got to know Quincey or Arthur. However, the fact that most of the times they are in the scene they're supporting and uplifting Mina makes them pretty cool. I loved watching Mina go from alone to surrounded by friends over the course of the book. It didn't just happen to her either; she took a situation, made the best of it, and it turned out to be exactly what she needed. I want to be part of a Lore Club. When she was gifted the sweatshirt, I definitely cried. Precious.
Mina's adoption story did oftentimes feel a bit, off? But that could be because it added so much more loneliness and uncertainty to her life. Once her birth family was revealed, I didn't feel as though that was handled very well by her mother and/or those around her. It's a huge deal and wasn't treated that way. Also, a lot of writing went into talking about how Mina didn't know her actual birth date, but then when she discovers who she is, that's never concluded.
As for Mina's sister; no. I have an 11 year old and know how they act. Lizzie was monstrous. For what she did to Mina, whatever punishment she received (which we never discover) wasn't enough. "For my birthday you have to forgive me!" Excuse me, what? Mina's mother encouraged her not to hate Lizzie but she never, ever receives an apology. As for the end, it felt insincere. "You're the best sister I've ever had." I'm sorry, just because you had to kill those vampires *spoilers* and they ended up being your sisters, does not a best sister make. And Lizzie STILL never apologizes.
All in all, I loved it. The ending wrapped up a bit too quickly for my liking but it's left just open ended enough that you can be excited for more stories from London, Georgia starring Mina Murray.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
What worked:
Mina is the main character, and she has a variety of issues. Her psychiatrist says it’s unlikely that she’ll ever act on her thoughts of stabbing people, and her OCD is how her body maintains control. She doesn’t know how to get along with people, and she’s not sure why popular, pretty Jackie is still her friend. Mina needs Jackie’s support, but what does Mina have to offer? She hides her sketches of gory scenes, and visiting the graveyard is her favorite activity. Mina feels disturbed and confused when she “hears” a book telling her to “release me”.
Readers immediately know this will be a strange story when Mina dreams of possessing a body. The body is in a car that crashes into a sinkhole, while three shadowy figures watch from above. The next day, Mina learns that a car crashed into a sinkhole near her home. Coincidence? Animals seem to attack her, which is confusing when, later, she calms some dogs and a horse with her mind. Most people in London, Georgia, are skeptical about creatures of the night, but Mina sees evidence and hears stories that make her think something dangerous is going on. A woman wrote a book about local lore, but Mina later finds her dead, with bite marks on her neck. These events will interest readers interested in the paranormal.
The author uses a familiar point of view about vampires, making them easy to understand. These vampires don’t like sunlight and anything related to God. They can control the amount of blood they take, meaning victims can be killed or turned into vampires. Victims can be saved from turning if the vampire is killed before the victim dies. Vampires grow fangs and have heightened senses. An additional danger is added to this story when readers learn that something powerful is beginning to rise in London, and it is capable of killing all humans on earth.
What didn’t work as well:
Different sources indicate this book is for middle grade, but it’s for tweens and young adults. The characters are high school age, and the scary emotions generated by the author’s writing can get pretty intense. The book has a dark tone, especially when the topic of vampires arises.
The final verdict:
Again, this book is not for most middle-grade readers due to strong, dark emotions. However, the overall story is captivating, and I recommend that mature readers try it for themselves. It looks like a sequel will follow.
Mina is the main character, and she has a variety of issues. Her psychiatrist says it’s unlikely that she’ll ever act on her thoughts of stabbing people, and her OCD is how her body maintains control. She doesn’t know how to get along with people, and she’s not sure why popular, pretty Jackie is still her friend. Mina needs Jackie’s support, but what does Mina have to offer? She hides her sketches of gory scenes, and visiting the graveyard is her favorite activity. Mina feels disturbed and confused when she “hears” a book telling her to “release me”.
Readers immediately know this will be a strange story when Mina dreams of possessing a body. The body is in a car that crashes into a sinkhole, while three shadowy figures watch from above. The next day, Mina learns that a car crashed into a sinkhole near her home. Coincidence? Animals seem to attack her, which is confusing when, later, she calms some dogs and a horse with her mind. Most people in London, Georgia, are skeptical about creatures of the night, but Mina sees evidence and hears stories that make her think something dangerous is going on. A woman wrote a book about local lore, but Mina later finds her dead, with bite marks on her neck. These events will interest readers interested in the paranormal.
The author uses a familiar point of view about vampires, making them easy to understand. These vampires don’t like sunlight and anything related to God. They can control the amount of blood they take, meaning victims can be killed or turned into vampires. Victims can be saved from turning if the vampire is killed before the victim dies. Vampires grow fangs and have heightened senses. An additional danger is added to this story when readers learn that something powerful is beginning to rise in London, and it is capable of killing all humans on earth.
What didn’t work as well:
Different sources indicate this book is for middle grade, but it’s for tweens and young adults. The characters are high school age, and the scary emotions generated by the author’s writing can get pretty intense. The book has a dark tone, especially when the topic of vampires arises.
The final verdict:
Again, this book is not for most middle-grade readers due to strong, dark emotions. However, the overall story is captivating, and I recommend that mature readers try it for themselves. It looks like a sequel will follow.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
High school sophomore Mina and friends start a Lore Club at school, where they investigate the strange things happening around their small town in Georgia. Things like spontaneous sinkholes, mysterious disappearances, and deaths with no clear reason why the person died. They also look into the question of whether vampires are real or not.
For starters, I was very disappointed to see that while this book was compared to Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater, the writing is not at all comparable, and the content barely is. Those are authors whose books I couldn’t stop reading, yet this one I had to make myself actually get through. The “horror” (hardly) didn’t even take off until the last quarter of the book, which made the first three quarters a slog to get through.
Speaking of the writing, this reads a lot more like a children’s book than a YA. The main character does not act like a 15 yr old, the interactions with her mom are very much unnatural for YA lit–what 15 year old asks their mom if it’s okay to watch Jaws? And the more I read, the more I felt like the author is very out of touch with today’s youth and probably hasn’t read much YA to know how to write YA. The language used, the characters' mannerisms, etc. just did not feel authentic. For example, so many times I caught a word that a character spoke that was super awkward–rector, swell, nongoobery, spate to name a few–and I thought those are definitely not words I hear in the halls and classrooms of the high school I work at. Yes, books can be used as a way to build vocabulary but it needs to be done in a way where the reader doesn’t have to pause their reading because the words were cringy.
Also, I have not read Dracula so I missed all of the connections in the book. For a Dracula lover, this might be a nice fan-fiction type of book, but Dracula is not widely read these days so I’m pretty sure that would be lost on any child/teen reader.
Honestly I’m surprised at the number of positive reviews and the fact that it got published. Things should have been edited better. Maybe appropriate for upper elementary, especially considering all of the farting jokes. 1.5 stars rounded up.
For starters, I was very disappointed to see that while this book was compared to Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater, the writing is not at all comparable, and the content barely is. Those are authors whose books I couldn’t stop reading, yet this one I had to make myself actually get through. The “horror” (hardly) didn’t even take off until the last quarter of the book, which made the first three quarters a slog to get through.
Speaking of the writing, this reads a lot more like a children’s book than a YA. The main character does not act like a 15 yr old, the interactions with her mom are very much unnatural for YA lit–what 15 year old asks their mom if it’s okay to watch Jaws? And the more I read, the more I felt like the author is very out of touch with today’s youth and probably hasn’t read much YA to know how to write YA. The language used, the characters' mannerisms, etc. just did not feel authentic. For example, so many times I caught a word that a character spoke that was super awkward–rector, swell, nongoobery, spate to name a few–and I thought those are definitely not words I hear in the halls and classrooms of the high school I work at. Yes, books can be used as a way to build vocabulary but it needs to be done in a way where the reader doesn’t have to pause their reading because the words were cringy.
Also, I have not read Dracula so I missed all of the connections in the book. For a Dracula lover, this might be a nice fan-fiction type of book, but Dracula is not widely read these days so I’m pretty sure that would be lost on any child/teen reader.
Honestly I’m surprised at the number of positive reviews and the fact that it got published. Things should have been edited better. Maybe appropriate for upper elementary, especially considering all of the farting jokes. 1.5 stars rounded up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Mina is a pretty average fifteen year old who also happens to have OCD. And not the "that's so OCD" that social media has made popular, but the real kind that stuffs alarming thoughts into her head and makes her feel like she has to do everything three times to stop something bad from happening. Her place of solace is the mausoleum in the graveyard near her adoptive mother's house. This gives her the idea to start Lore Club: an extracurricular excuse to spend time with her friends exploring the history of her small hometown of London, Georgia. She's not sure if she's hoping to find evidence of real vampires, but between sinkholes and mysterious voices, something strange is happening in London.
If you are the kind of person who likes reading about high school drama with a sprinkle of authentic mental health representation, followed by some frankly bizarre horror, I would unequivocally recommend this book to you. Personally, I was a bit disappointed. In a lot of ways, this book felt like YA Dracula for people who haven't read Dracula. The twists were not particularly surprising, and the vampire hunting took backseat to awkward flirting for most of the book, leaving the ending feeling rushed as various characters tried to stuff in exposition so that the climax would make sense. I considered DNFing, but this was a NetGalley ARC, and I try not to give up on those. So, the plot and pacing and concept didn't do it for me, but I admit I really liked the characters. Mina's struggles with OCD and her invasive younger sister felt authentic and illuminating, and I loved getting a glimpse into her friend group and their adventures. There was enough of a nod to the characters of the same names in Bram Stoker's novel that I felt like I was reuniting with old friends, but Melanie Dale added new life to their teenage alter-egos, which was a fun touch.
If you are the kind of person who likes reading about high school drama with a sprinkle of authentic mental health representation, followed by some frankly bizarre horror, I would unequivocally recommend this book to you. Personally, I was a bit disappointed. In a lot of ways, this book felt like YA Dracula for people who haven't read Dracula. The twists were not particularly surprising, and the vampire hunting took backseat to awkward flirting for most of the book, leaving the ending feeling rushed as various characters tried to stuff in exposition so that the climax would make sense. I considered DNFing, but this was a NetGalley ARC, and I try not to give up on those. So, the plot and pacing and concept didn't do it for me, but I admit I really liked the characters. Mina's struggles with OCD and her invasive younger sister felt authentic and illuminating, and I loved getting a glimpse into her friend group and their adventures. There was enough of a nod to the characters of the same names in Bram Stoker's novel that I felt like I was reuniting with old friends, but Melanie Dale added new life to their teenage alter-egos, which was a fun touch.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars!
This is a standout YA fantasy/horror that blends spooky, heartfelt, and meaningful in the best way.
The writing is engaging and easy to sink into, and the characters feel relatable. Mina is a compelling main character, and I really appreciated the authentic, compassionate portrayal of OCD. It feels respectful, honest, and thoughtfully done, not exaggerated or treated like a plot device. The book explores adoption, identity, loneliness, and the ache of not fitting in during high school in a way that feels sincere and relatable. There is a strong emphasis on friendship, chosen family, and finding the people who truly understand you, which adds heart to the darker moments.
The horror elements are a highlight. Eerie folklore, eldritch creatures, creeping dread, and a charming small town that feels like it is hiding secrets all come together to create a moody, unsettling vibe. It is spooky without losing its emotional core.
I also appreciated the subtle religious references. They are present but never preachy or forced, and I did not mind them at all.
Honestly, I would have loved this book at that age, and it still held up for me as an adult. It is thoughtful, atmospheric, and full of potential for more stories in this world. I will absolutely be recommending it.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this awesome ARC!
Title: Girl of Lore
Author: Melanie Dale
Genre: YA Fantasy/Horror
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing / Aladdin
This is a standout YA fantasy/horror that blends spooky, heartfelt, and meaningful in the best way.
The writing is engaging and easy to sink into, and the characters feel relatable. Mina is a compelling main character, and I really appreciated the authentic, compassionate portrayal of OCD. It feels respectful, honest, and thoughtfully done, not exaggerated or treated like a plot device. The book explores adoption, identity, loneliness, and the ache of not fitting in during high school in a way that feels sincere and relatable. There is a strong emphasis on friendship, chosen family, and finding the people who truly understand you, which adds heart to the darker moments.
The horror elements are a highlight. Eerie folklore, eldritch creatures, creeping dread, and a charming small town that feels like it is hiding secrets all come together to create a moody, unsettling vibe. It is spooky without losing its emotional core.
I also appreciated the subtle religious references. They are present but never preachy or forced, and I did not mind them at all.
Honestly, I would have loved this book at that age, and it still held up for me as an adult. It is thoughtful, atmospheric, and full of potential for more stories in this world. I will absolutely be recommending it.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this awesome ARC!
Title: Girl of Lore
Author: Melanie Dale
Genre: YA Fantasy/Horror
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing / Aladdin
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book Girl of Lore has a premise I genuinely love; a gothic‑leaning Southern town, a lore‑obsessed heroine, and a mystery that brushes up against classic vampire mythology. There’s a lot of heart in the setup, especially in the way Mina’s OCD is woven into her daily life. It feels very thoughtful and grounded, and it gives the story an emotional center to come back to. London, Georgia has that perfect “tourist‑trap spooky” vibe layered over something darker, and the book shines most when it leans into that mood. The friendships and found‑family elements have real potential, and I enjoyed the little nods to Dracula.
Where the book didn’t fully land for me was in the execution. The pacing feels uneven with some of the plot rushing by, while others linger without quite building tension. The story tries to juggle a lot at once (mental health, supernatural mystery, school drama, family dynamics), and not all of it gets the space it needs. I really found myself wanting more of the gothic horror themes and a little less of the high-school drama, but i found the mental health depictions done very well. Despite the quirks, it’s a solid debut.
Readers who enjoy light paranormal mysteries, gentle horror, and character‑driven YA will likely find plenty to enjoy here.
Rated: 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley the publisher Aladdin/Simon & Schuster and for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Where the book didn’t fully land for me was in the execution. The pacing feels uneven with some of the plot rushing by, while others linger without quite building tension. The story tries to juggle a lot at once (mental health, supernatural mystery, school drama, family dynamics), and not all of it gets the space it needs. I really found myself wanting more of the gothic horror themes and a little less of the high-school drama, but i found the mental health depictions done very well. Despite the quirks, it’s a solid debut.
Readers who enjoy light paranormal mysteries, gentle horror, and character‑driven YA will likely find plenty to enjoy here.
Rated: 3/5
Thank you to NetGalley the publisher Aladdin/Simon & Schuster and for the opportunity to read and review this book!
April 25, 2026
The premise for this story promises a great story about a young girl who struggles with the world she's living in along with the world that she has inside her. Mina struggles with the idea that there are real monsters coming into the community and literally stealing people right under their noses, but she has to balance that with the idea that those monsters may be a creation of her mind and her advancing OCD.
The problem with the story is that while that's a wonderful premise and Mina is a great character, that's where it stops. The storytelling is a lot of telling and not showing. Even keeping in mind that this book is YA, the writing is sometimes juvenile and jumbled. For all of the terrible things that were happening, no one seems to feel an urgency to try and figure out what's going on. Even Mina doesn't tell anyone what she knows to be true (not even that she suspects, things that she actually knows would be helpful to the police/authorities). There are points where I wondered why I cared how things were going to turn out if no one else did.
I think this is a decent enough debut, it just needs more actually storytelling without the telling part -- show us what's happening as the characters discover things instead of it just being an info dump as a part of conversation. Show us why they care about what's happening to people and the town and why we should care. Who or what should we be suspicious of and why? We never really got that and then things were "solved".
The problem with the story is that while that's a wonderful premise and Mina is a great character, that's where it stops. The storytelling is a lot of telling and not showing. Even keeping in mind that this book is YA, the writing is sometimes juvenile and jumbled. For all of the terrible things that were happening, no one seems to feel an urgency to try and figure out what's going on. Even Mina doesn't tell anyone what she knows to be true (not even that she suspects, things that she actually knows would be helpful to the police/authorities). There are points where I wondered why I cared how things were going to turn out if no one else did.
I think this is a decent enough debut, it just needs more actually storytelling without the telling part -- show us what's happening as the characters discover things instead of it just being an info dump as a part of conversation. Show us why they care about what's happening to people and the town and why we should care. Who or what should we be suspicious of and why? We never really got that and then things were "solved".
April 20, 2026
ARC Review: Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale
Rating: 3.5 ⭐ | Release Date: April 21, 2026
Girl of Lore is a debut YA gothic novel that blends internal and external battles through its protagonist, Mina—a teenage girl grappling with OCD and intrusive, violent thoughts. As she works to manage the monsters in her mind, she’s also drawn into confronting very real, eerie threats within her town.
One of the strongest aspects of this novel is its portrayal of OCD. Mina’s experience feels grounded and authentic, and her journey toward understanding and healing is handled with care. It adds an emotional core to the story that stands out more than the external conflict.
That said, the book reads a bit younger than expected for YA, leaning closer to middle grade in tone and execution. The writing can feel a little on the nose at times, and the story’s conflicts tend to resolve a bit too easily and neatly. Because of this, the stakes never feel particularly high, which makes it harder to stay fully invested in the outcome.
There are some charming touches throughout—especially the subtle homage to a clearly beloved story through character names—which adds a layer of warmth and personality.
Overall, Girl of Lore is a solid debut with a meaningful and well-executed depiction of OCD, but it may leave readers wanting more depth and tension in its plot and character development.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aladdin/Simon & Schuster for the copy of this E-ARC and the opportunity to give my honest feedback.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐ | Release Date: April 21, 2026
Girl of Lore is a debut YA gothic novel that blends internal and external battles through its protagonist, Mina—a teenage girl grappling with OCD and intrusive, violent thoughts. As she works to manage the monsters in her mind, she’s also drawn into confronting very real, eerie threats within her town.
One of the strongest aspects of this novel is its portrayal of OCD. Mina’s experience feels grounded and authentic, and her journey toward understanding and healing is handled with care. It adds an emotional core to the story that stands out more than the external conflict.
That said, the book reads a bit younger than expected for YA, leaning closer to middle grade in tone and execution. The writing can feel a little on the nose at times, and the story’s conflicts tend to resolve a bit too easily and neatly. Because of this, the stakes never feel particularly high, which makes it harder to stay fully invested in the outcome.
There are some charming touches throughout—especially the subtle homage to a clearly beloved story through character names—which adds a layer of warmth and personality.
Overall, Girl of Lore is a solid debut with a meaningful and well-executed depiction of OCD, but it may leave readers wanting more depth and tension in its plot and character development.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aladdin/Simon & Schuster for the copy of this E-ARC and the opportunity to give my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Mina, our intrepid heroine, is struggling during her sophomore year. She feels that her best friend, Jackie, may be pulling away, her OCD thoughts are worse than ever, and her mom wants her to do something productive (i.e. work at her yoga studio). Mina will do anything to stop that, so she starts the Lore Club, whose objective is to explore the weird goings on in the town of London, Georgia. There are unexplained sinkholes, vampire stories, and more, so for a girl who enjoys spending time in a graveyard, it's a perfect fit. Jackie joins, as do some friends of hers, Arthur, the mayor's son, and Quincey. Also Buddy, who has a crush on Mina, but his mysterious disappearance is one of the first cases the Lore Club tackles. As the strange occurrences, and danger, pile up, Mina and her friends have to band together to solve the mystery and stay safe. This was an excellent Gothic horror story featuring teenagers. Mina feels understandably overwhelmed, as she was having a hard time during high school and feels wholly unequipped to deal with something of this magnitude, but she rises to the occasion in a believable way. It's a neat take on vampires, and, overall, an enjoyable read.
April 24, 2026
I honestly LOVED Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale! After finishing it, I immediately bought a copy for my 14-year-old to read, knowing she would enjoy Mina's adventure.
We have our FMC, Mina, who is a high school sophomore and struggles to make friends at school because of her disability. Faced with having to work at her adoptive mother's yoga studio if she doesn't take up an extracurricular activity, Mina decides to create the Lore Club. The story takes place in the very old town of London, Georgia, where the history is rich and riddled with dark secrets. When Mina and her newfound club members start to dig into this town's past, they get more than they bargained for and are met with a full-on adventure filled with mysterious friendships, plot twists, and vampires!
I loved reading elements of Bram Stoker's Dracula throughout the book! The way that Dale worked in Mina's past was beautifully done. The writing makes you feel like you're watching a teen TV show, and I was constantly left wanting to know more - this was very much a "just one more chapter" book for me!
Thank you so much Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Aladdin for gifting me this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!
We have our FMC, Mina, who is a high school sophomore and struggles to make friends at school because of her disability. Faced with having to work at her adoptive mother's yoga studio if she doesn't take up an extracurricular activity, Mina decides to create the Lore Club. The story takes place in the very old town of London, Georgia, where the history is rich and riddled with dark secrets. When Mina and her newfound club members start to dig into this town's past, they get more than they bargained for and are met with a full-on adventure filled with mysterious friendships, plot twists, and vampires!
I loved reading elements of Bram Stoker's Dracula throughout the book! The way that Dale worked in Mina's past was beautifully done. The writing makes you feel like you're watching a teen TV show, and I was constantly left wanting to know more - this was very much a "just one more chapter" book for me!
Thank you so much Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Aladdin for gifting me this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!
May 6, 2026
🖤📚What if the monsters in your sketchbook… were actually real?
Our teen book club dove into Girl of Lore and WOW this one gave us spooky vibes, small-town secrets, and a main character we couldn’t stop rooting for.
Set in the eerie and oddly charming town of London, Georgia, this story follows Mina Murray a girl who copes with her OCD by sketching all the creepy legends her town is known for. At first, it feels like classic ghost-tour folklore until things get very real. A drained body. A missing classmate. And suddenly, those fake stories don’t feel so fake anymore.
As a group, we loved how Mina’s OCD is portrayed with honesty and care it adds real depth to her character and raises the stakes in such a unique way. Her fear, bravery, and determination felt so real, especially as she’s pulled deeper into the mystery whether she wants to be or not 👀.
The plot kept us guessing, and the mix of supernatural elements with real-life struggles made this feel like more than just a spooky read. It’s about facing your fears both internal and external and figuring out what’s real, what’s myth, and what’s been hiding in plain sight all along.
If your book club loves eerie mysteries, relatable characters, and a little bit of dark magic, this one is SUCH a fun discussion pick.
Our teen book club dove into Girl of Lore and WOW this one gave us spooky vibes, small-town secrets, and a main character we couldn’t stop rooting for.
Set in the eerie and oddly charming town of London, Georgia, this story follows Mina Murray a girl who copes with her OCD by sketching all the creepy legends her town is known for. At first, it feels like classic ghost-tour folklore until things get very real. A drained body. A missing classmate. And suddenly, those fake stories don’t feel so fake anymore.
As a group, we loved how Mina’s OCD is portrayed with honesty and care it adds real depth to her character and raises the stakes in such a unique way. Her fear, bravery, and determination felt so real, especially as she’s pulled deeper into the mystery whether she wants to be or not 👀.
The plot kept us guessing, and the mix of supernatural elements with real-life struggles made this feel like more than just a spooky read. It’s about facing your fears both internal and external and figuring out what’s real, what’s myth, and what’s been hiding in plain sight all along.
If your book club loves eerie mysteries, relatable characters, and a little bit of dark magic, this one is SUCH a fun discussion pick.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Great concept but unfortunately the execution didn't work for me. For the first 70% of this book, readers are stuck in Mina's head with a lot of text dedicated towards Mina's OCD tendencies (repetition, listing out various words, intrusive thoughts of stabbing people, etc). And while this representation is important, the plot does suffer from it being such a large focal point. Not a lot happens either until that mark. The vampire part of the storyline comes in at the end and the last 30% is a rush of everything happening all at once. In one breath Mina learns her heritage and in the next suddenly knows how to defeat vampires.
I doubt most teen readers that pick this up will know all of the Dracula references. And while picking them out isn't integral to understanding the plot, being able to recognize them will allow everything to make more sense.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review.
I doubt most teen readers that pick this up will know all of the Dracula references. And while picking them out isn't integral to understanding the plot, being able to recognize them will allow everything to make more sense.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2026
Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale blends psychological realism with paranormal suspense, crafting a narrative where internal and external monsters mirror each other with precision. Set in a myth-laden small town, the story follows Mina Murray, whose lived experience with OCD becomes both a lens and a barrier as reality begins to fracture around her.
What gives the novel its edge is the interplay between mental health and myth. Dale avoids treating OCD as a background detail and instead integrates it into the structural tension of the narrative. This elevates the story beyond standard paranormal fiction into something more psychologically layered and emotionally resonant.
Overall, the book positions itself strongly within contemporary YA paranormal fiction by combining atmospheric storytelling with internal psychological stakes. It will particularly appeal to readers drawn to character-driven horror where uncertainty exists both in the environment and within the protagonist’s perception of it.
What gives the novel its edge is the interplay between mental health and myth. Dale avoids treating OCD as a background detail and instead integrates it into the structural tension of the narrative. This elevates the story beyond standard paranormal fiction into something more psychologically layered and emotionally resonant.
Overall, the book positions itself strongly within contemporary YA paranormal fiction by combining atmospheric storytelling with internal psychological stakes. It will particularly appeal to readers drawn to character-driven horror where uncertainty exists both in the environment and within the protagonist’s perception of it.
April 9, 2026
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book blends scary and hilarious with a bit of teenage angst. It’s a really fun read for a YA audience!
The plot is creepy enough; Mina is attracted to spooky and morbid things, so when things around town get a little spooky, of course she’s drawn to investigating it. And she makes some friends along the way!
This is a singular POV book, with Mina telling her story. Her character development is really good, and Dale does a great job of showcasing what OCD can be like. It’s nice to see a mental illness presented differently than what most of us think. Plus, Mina’s friends are really great at helping her out.
The writing is a bit immature in that it’s geared to YA. It’s written perfectly for that, but if you don’t generally enjoy YA writing, this may not be for you. The main characters are 15-17.
All things considered, I loved this one. It was scary, it was funny, and it was relatable. 4.5⭐️
This book blends scary and hilarious with a bit of teenage angst. It’s a really fun read for a YA audience!
The plot is creepy enough; Mina is attracted to spooky and morbid things, so when things around town get a little spooky, of course she’s drawn to investigating it. And she makes some friends along the way!
This is a singular POV book, with Mina telling her story. Her character development is really good, and Dale does a great job of showcasing what OCD can be like. It’s nice to see a mental illness presented differently than what most of us think. Plus, Mina’s friends are really great at helping her out.
The writing is a bit immature in that it’s geared to YA. It’s written perfectly for that, but if you don’t generally enjoy YA writing, this may not be for you. The main characters are 15-17.
All things considered, I loved this one. It was scary, it was funny, and it was relatable. 4.5⭐️
April 25, 2026
I LOVED this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this one (full disclosure, I do know Melanie IRL, though she didn’t ask me to read/review—she actually didn’t know I read this until I texted her—and I bought this book with my own money). But this book was so much fun. The friendship between the main character and her best friend felt so realistic and authentic, and I couldn’t help but cheer for them. The entire friend group was so fun to get to hang out and adventure with them through London, Georgia. This book is such a love letter to vampire classics, modern and older classics, like Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I also love the way the book touches on sensitive, nuanced topics like OCD and adoption. Just an all-around fun read and a thrilling adventure. I really hope Melanie writes more in this world, because I was so sad to leave it once I finished. Definitely will be re-reading this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Among the books that should NEVER have been written, girl Of Lore seems to rank high on the list if not at the absolute top.
Themes, topics, terminology, inappropriate language and jokes, as well as questionable dialogue are of most concern after a thorough read-through of this chapter book. Teachers and librarians should be on high alert for this new book by Melanie Dale. Young readers found reading a copy of Girl of Lore should be provided a referral to a school guidance counselor or family therapist.
While the characters, even young Mina herself are well constructed and thoughtfully described and provided descriptions, actions, and dialogue for, they seem to dwell in a world created by Melanie Dale that are not congruent with small town community morals and values or the constraints and pressures faced by the demographic age intended by the author for this particular book.
Themes, topics, terminology, inappropriate language and jokes, as well as questionable dialogue are of most concern after a thorough read-through of this chapter book. Teachers and librarians should be on high alert for this new book by Melanie Dale. Young readers found reading a copy of Girl of Lore should be provided a referral to a school guidance counselor or family therapist.
While the characters, even young Mina herself are well constructed and thoughtfully described and provided descriptions, actions, and dialogue for, they seem to dwell in a world created by Melanie Dale that are not congruent with small town community morals and values or the constraints and pressures faced by the demographic age intended by the author for this particular book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As someone whose favorite movie as a kid was Scooby Doo on Zombie Island this was such a fun little spooky time with lots of the same vibes that brought it to life! The book followed high school sophomore Mina who struggles with OCD and intrusive thoughts and when strange things start happening in her small southern town she begins to question what is reality and what’s being caused by her own mind. In an effort to learn more about the strange spooky things going on she creates a Lore club with her friend and makes some new friends that join her on some increasingly scary adventures to discover the truth of the town and find a missing classmate. It was fun seeing Mina and the clubs adventures and the new relationship building with another certain character.Fun YA gothic horror mystery set in southern Georgia for anyone that loves this genre! Thankful to NetGalley for the arc.
April 9, 2026
I was not expecting this to be as dark as it was for a YA book. That said, I really did enjoy most of the story. The characters were well done, and—more importantly—they actually felt appropriate for their ages, which made it much easier to settle into the mindset of the story. The plot gets a little messy in places, and the beginning kind of throws you straight into the deep end. Because of that, the pacing bogs down here and there. But I loved the club and the way this friend group came together. I definitely wasn’t expecting the reveal with Buddy or the mystery surrounding Mina and her history. I also really appreciated the inclusion of Mina’s OCD and her therapy sessions. It felt thoughtfully handled, and I love seeing that kind of representation done with real layers. Overall, this was a fun, fast little vampire story, and I’d be interested to see if the author ends up expanding this world.
April 23, 2026
Girl of Lore is an atmospheric YA paranormal novel that blends small-town mystery with psychological depth and emotional sensitivity.
Melanie Dale creates a compelling narrative centered on Mina Murray, whose experience of OCD shapes her understanding of fear, danger, and reality itself. The introduction of a potential supernatural threat adds tension and mystery, blurring the line between internal anxiety and external horror.
What stands out most is the way the story integrates mental health themes into its paranormal framework. This dual perspective gives the narrative emotional weight while maintaining suspense and intrigue.
Eerie, reflective, and character-driven, Girl of Lore is a strong read for fans of YA fantasy and paranormal fiction with psychological depth.
Melanie Dale creates a compelling narrative centered on Mina Murray, whose experience of OCD shapes her understanding of fear, danger, and reality itself. The introduction of a potential supernatural threat adds tension and mystery, blurring the line between internal anxiety and external horror.
What stands out most is the way the story integrates mental health themes into its paranormal framework. This dual perspective gives the narrative emotional weight while maintaining suspense and intrigue.
Eerie, reflective, and character-driven, Girl of Lore is a strong read for fans of YA fantasy and paranormal fiction with psychological depth.
April 23, 2026
I loved this book, even as an adult. It was written for tweens and teens (which I think some previous reviewers might have forgotten). I grew up on Nancy Drew and this so reminded me of Nancy and her friends setting out to solve mysteries. Today's generation grew up on Harry Potter and such, so their stories need to be more compelling, somewhat creepy, and hitting more issues. The author did just that. She is speaking to a generation that has many more issues to deal with, and does it in a real way with lots of fun along the way. I applaud the creativity, the depth of her characters, and the very exciting story as it unfolds. I know tweens out there that will not only love this book, but hope for many sequels to come!
November 9, 2025
This book was fun! A great pick for middle graders ... and for any adult who loves a fun, lighthearted story. If you’re into gothic lit, you’ll get a kick out of all the clever nods and hidden references the author slips in. Melanie gives Mina Murray a fresh, modern twist, reimagining her as a sharp-witted teen in London, Georgia, whose OCD becomes almost a character in its own right. Readers get an intimate, often intense look at the disorder, all while Mina battles supernatural threats. If you’re a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, the snarky humor and lovable characters will feel right at home. I’m already excited to see where this world goes next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Girl of Lore is a moody, atmospheric paranormal debut that feels like Supernatural set in a Georgia tourist trap. The story follows Mina Murray, a girl battling both real monsters and the "monster" of OCD, which is portrayed with refreshing authenticity and depth.
Melanie Dale expertly blends horror tropes with neurodivergent representation, creating a world that is both eerie and grounded. The Lore Club’s chemistry and the creative vampire mythology make it a standout for fans of middle-grade horror. While the pacing occasionally stumbles and some dialogue feels a bit stylized, the emotional stakes remain high throughout.
Melanie Dale expertly blends horror tropes with neurodivergent representation, creating a world that is both eerie and grounded. The Lore Club’s chemistry and the creative vampire mythology make it a standout for fans of middle-grade horror. While the pacing occasionally stumbles and some dialogue feels a bit stylized, the emotional stakes remain high throughout.
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