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Gingerbread Bones
Not yet published
Expected 4 Aug 26They're being hunted…
When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.
Then she meets Mack Gray. Tattooed, unreadable, and―among a cast of kids already branded as trouble―he’s the one she’s sure is dangerous.
One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.
But the kids are not alone.
Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows―watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.
It’s playing.
And in this game, there seems to be only one ending: no one gets out alive.
Hansel and Gretel meets Five Survive in this pulse-pounding YA paranormal thriller romance.
When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.
Then she meets Mack Gray. Tattooed, unreadable, and―among a cast of kids already branded as trouble―he’s the one she’s sure is dangerous.
One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.
But the kids are not alone.
Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows―watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.
It’s playing.
And in this game, there seems to be only one ending: no one gets out alive.
Hansel and Gretel meets Five Survive in this pulse-pounding YA paranormal thriller romance.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 2, 2026
About the author
Lindsay Lovise
7 books249 followersLindsay writes historical and paranormal romances with brave heroines, as well as creepy YA books. Although she earned degrees in English and teaching, she always knew she wanted to write stories about love.
When she’s not writing, Lindsay is reading, drinking coffee, and avoiding laundry. She currently lives in New York, but was born and raised in Maine where the winters make for perfect reading weather.
To keep in the know, sign up for Lovise Letters at lindsaylovise.com.
When she’s not writing, Lindsay is reading, drinking coffee, and avoiding laundry. She currently lives in New York, but was born and raised in Maine where the winters make for perfect reading weather.
To keep in the know, sign up for Lovise Letters at lindsaylovise.com.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 10, 2025
Thank you so much, Entangled, for letting me read an arc of this book. To start, I usually don’t read YA books because I find it hard to relate to young characters in their teens.
In this story, we follow a group of teenagers who are cast on a reality show similar to Survivor, but for delinquent kids. They are tasked with surviving in the woods for 8 days when something goes terribly wrong and they begin getting hunted down by a supernatural force.
What I enjoyed:
The horror aspect of the book was enjoyable. The author did a great job describing the gore and horror. The pacing was good, and I liked some of the characters and their backstories. I’m always down a dark retelling of a fairytale and this story was creative and original.
What I didn’t enjoy:
I found the story to be filled with plot holes. Everything involving the reality TV show was just covered in plot holes because it wasn’t realistic. No TV show would ever leave a group of teens alone in the woods without any means to survive. I wasn’t a big fan of our main character, Georgie. She wasn’t very relatable to me. Also, the twist at the end was kind of dumb and didn’t make much sense.
In this story, we follow a group of teenagers who are cast on a reality show similar to Survivor, but for delinquent kids. They are tasked with surviving in the woods for 8 days when something goes terribly wrong and they begin getting hunted down by a supernatural force.
What I enjoyed:
The horror aspect of the book was enjoyable. The author did a great job describing the gore and horror. The pacing was good, and I liked some of the characters and their backstories. I’m always down a dark retelling of a fairytale and this story was creative and original.
What I didn’t enjoy:
I found the story to be filled with plot holes. Everything involving the reality TV show was just covered in plot holes because it wasn’t realistic. No TV show would ever leave a group of teens alone in the woods without any means to survive. I wasn’t a big fan of our main character, Georgie. She wasn’t very relatable to me. Also, the twist at the end was kind of dumb and didn’t make much sense.
May 5, 2026
I absolutely loved this! It was just what I needed to read right now. Ironically I don’t typically like retellings and I had no idea that this was one until it dawned on me on me on page 50 and boy did it deliver.
Now, would a production company take this type of risk? Well she you read about the scary teen rehab programs and see the lengths that some networks go for content (Ahem, I’m looking at you TLC) it isn’t too far out there to believe to be honest. So I don’t let that pull me out of the story.
Speaking of the story, it had me flipping pages so fast as I couldn’t get enough and needed to know what was going to go down. Now for me personally, I foresaw what was to come, twists and all but I don’t actually think it was predictable. It is just my brand of neurospiciness that figures out 95% of thrillers. For me I lived watching how it unfolded.
There are so made good slasher novels coming out right now and this one can easily join the list.
Thank you so much to Mayhem books for the physical ARC of this!
Now, would a production company take this type of risk? Well she you read about the scary teen rehab programs and see the lengths that some networks go for content (Ahem, I’m looking at you TLC) it isn’t too far out there to believe to be honest. So I don’t let that pull me out of the story.
Speaking of the story, it had me flipping pages so fast as I couldn’t get enough and needed to know what was going to go down. Now for me personally, I foresaw what was to come, twists and all but I don’t actually think it was predictable. It is just my brand of neurospiciness that figures out 95% of thrillers. For me I lived watching how it unfolded.
There are so made good slasher novels coming out right now and this one can easily join the list.
Thank you so much to Mayhem books for the physical ARC of this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled: Mayhem Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Gingerbread Bones” by Lindsay Lovise is basically Hansel and Gretel if you mixed it with reality TV, influencer parents, survival horror, and a very hungry witch who absolutely does not believe in second chances. This is definitely an upper YA story.
And honestly? It’s weird in the best way.
The setup is already chaotic: Georgie and her troublemaking younger brother get dragged into their awful influencer stepmother’s newest reality show, which is basically “Survivor for troubled teens” except somehow even less ethical. They’re dumped in the woods with a bunch of other teenagers, barely any supplies, and cameras meant to capture all their suffering for views. Right away, the book makes it clear that the adults in charge are the real villains long before the supernatural stuff even starts.
And wow, Georgie’s stepmother is awful. Truly one of those characters you love to hate. She exploits her kids for content, manipulates everyone around her, and somehow keeps finding new ways to be worse. The little snippets of her social media posts throughout the book were such a good touch because they really showed how fake and performative her whole online persona is while everything is actively falling apart behind the scenes.
Georgie herself is a solid main character. She’s mostly just trying to survive long enough to get money and freedom away from her stepmother, which honestly makes her very easy to root for. Some of her inner thoughts can feel a little cliché, but overall she works well, especially because her relationship with her brother adds a lot of emotional weight. Their sibling bond is probably one of the strongest parts of the book; it feels real, messy, protective, and never gets overshadowed by the horror.
And the horror definitely delivers. At first it feels like a survival thriller with kids stuck in the woods, no rescue coming, group tensions rising, but then things start getting weird. Candy shows up in the forest. Body parts move where they shouldn’t. The woods feel alive. There’s this constant feeling of being watched, and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that something supernatural is messing with them.
And yes, there is absolutely a witch.
Not just any witch but a witch who seems to be specifically targeting “bad” kids and turning the whole thing into some kind of twisted morality game where the punishment is being eaten. The book gets surprisingly graphic with the gore too, which I appreciated. As said earlier, this is definitely older YA horror, not a soft spooky fairytale vibe.
The retelling elements are done really well, especially once the story starts leaning harder into the Grimm inspiration. By the time the teens reach the gingerbread house, it feels genuinely unsettling instead of cute. I never thought candy could feel threatening, but apparently it can.
There’s also a found family vibe with the group of teens slowly learning to trust each other, which helps balance all the murder and trauma. The romance, though, I could’ve taken or left it. It’s not bad, but in a book where everyone is actively trying not to die, it sometimes feels like there just wasn’t room for it.
I did have some issues with the reality show premise because legally, absolutely none of this should be allowed. Like, none. The amount of negligence here is almost comical, and you definitely have to suspend disbelief for the entire setup to work.
There’s also one character who is so relentlessly terrible that every chapter with him felt like emotional damage, and his late attempt at redemption didn’t really work for me.
But the twists? Surprisingly strong. There’s a really good reveal involving the witch, Georgie’s family, and the stepmother’s connection to the past that actually made the whole story hit harder. It ties the fairy tale retelling together in a way that feels clever instead of forced.
And the ending is great; there is a big chaotic final showdown, everyone teaming up, using the original Hansel and Gretel story almost like a survival guide, and finally getting revenge where revenge is very deserved.
The extended epilogue was also a nice touch because after all that trauma, it was nice to actually see the aftermath instead of just ending at the climax.
Overall, “Gingerbread Bones” is fast-paced, creepy, messy, and a lot darker than the title makes it sound. If you like fairy tale horror, survival thrillers, evil stepmothers, and stories where candy somehow becomes terrifying, this one is a really fun ride.
“Gingerbread Bones” by Lindsay Lovise is basically Hansel and Gretel if you mixed it with reality TV, influencer parents, survival horror, and a very hungry witch who absolutely does not believe in second chances. This is definitely an upper YA story.
And honestly? It’s weird in the best way.
The setup is already chaotic: Georgie and her troublemaking younger brother get dragged into their awful influencer stepmother’s newest reality show, which is basically “Survivor for troubled teens” except somehow even less ethical. They’re dumped in the woods with a bunch of other teenagers, barely any supplies, and cameras meant to capture all their suffering for views. Right away, the book makes it clear that the adults in charge are the real villains long before the supernatural stuff even starts.
And wow, Georgie’s stepmother is awful. Truly one of those characters you love to hate. She exploits her kids for content, manipulates everyone around her, and somehow keeps finding new ways to be worse. The little snippets of her social media posts throughout the book were such a good touch because they really showed how fake and performative her whole online persona is while everything is actively falling apart behind the scenes.
Georgie herself is a solid main character. She’s mostly just trying to survive long enough to get money and freedom away from her stepmother, which honestly makes her very easy to root for. Some of her inner thoughts can feel a little cliché, but overall she works well, especially because her relationship with her brother adds a lot of emotional weight. Their sibling bond is probably one of the strongest parts of the book; it feels real, messy, protective, and never gets overshadowed by the horror.
And the horror definitely delivers. At first it feels like a survival thriller with kids stuck in the woods, no rescue coming, group tensions rising, but then things start getting weird. Candy shows up in the forest. Body parts move where they shouldn’t. The woods feel alive. There’s this constant feeling of being watched, and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that something supernatural is messing with them.
And yes, there is absolutely a witch.
Not just any witch but a witch who seems to be specifically targeting “bad” kids and turning the whole thing into some kind of twisted morality game where the punishment is being eaten. The book gets surprisingly graphic with the gore too, which I appreciated. As said earlier, this is definitely older YA horror, not a soft spooky fairytale vibe.
The retelling elements are done really well, especially once the story starts leaning harder into the Grimm inspiration. By the time the teens reach the gingerbread house, it feels genuinely unsettling instead of cute. I never thought candy could feel threatening, but apparently it can.
There’s also a found family vibe with the group of teens slowly learning to trust each other, which helps balance all the murder and trauma. The romance, though, I could’ve taken or left it. It’s not bad, but in a book where everyone is actively trying not to die, it sometimes feels like there just wasn’t room for it.
I did have some issues with the reality show premise because legally, absolutely none of this should be allowed. Like, none. The amount of negligence here is almost comical, and you definitely have to suspend disbelief for the entire setup to work.
There’s also one character who is so relentlessly terrible that every chapter with him felt like emotional damage, and his late attempt at redemption didn’t really work for me.
But the twists? Surprisingly strong. There’s a really good reveal involving the witch, Georgie’s family, and the stepmother’s connection to the past that actually made the whole story hit harder. It ties the fairy tale retelling together in a way that feels clever instead of forced.
And the ending is great; there is a big chaotic final showdown, everyone teaming up, using the original Hansel and Gretel story almost like a survival guide, and finally getting revenge where revenge is very deserved.
The extended epilogue was also a nice touch because after all that trauma, it was nice to actually see the aftermath instead of just ending at the climax.
Overall, “Gingerbread Bones” is fast-paced, creepy, messy, and a lot darker than the title makes it sound. If you like fairy tale horror, survival thrillers, evil stepmothers, and stories where candy somehow becomes terrifying, this one is a really fun ride.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Gingerbread Bones by Lindsay Lovise
4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0.5/5
Cursing: min
Format/Source: paperback from Mayhem Books and Entangled Publishing
Genres/Tropes: Horror, paranormal, fairy tale retelling, thriller, romance, twisty
Audience: YA
Setting: Maine
Characters: Georgie, Hamish, Ashley, Maisie, Paxton, Walker, Evan, Mack, Ava, Talia, Madison, Alicia
👍 short chapters, suspense, well-developed characters, Yellowjackets x Grimm x Survivor vibes, unique storyline, twists
👎 cursing
Description:
They're being hunted…
When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.
Then she meets Mack Gray. Tattooed, unreadable, and―among a cast of kids already branded as trouble―he’s the one she’s sure is dangerous.
One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.
But the kids are not alone.
Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows―watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.
It’s playing.
And in this game, there seems to be only one ending: no one gets out alive.
I enjoyed this novel, especially the Grimm fairy tale retelling, well-developed characters, and unique storyline. Great blend of Yellowjackets, Grimm, and Survivor. I recommend this book to all who love YA horror with a touchof romance.
#bookstagram #booklovers #horrorbooks #fairytaleretelling #hanselandgretel
4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 0.5/5
Cursing: min
Format/Source: paperback from Mayhem Books and Entangled Publishing
Genres/Tropes: Horror, paranormal, fairy tale retelling, thriller, romance, twisty
Audience: YA
Setting: Maine
Characters: Georgie, Hamish, Ashley, Maisie, Paxton, Walker, Evan, Mack, Ava, Talia, Madison, Alicia
👍 short chapters, suspense, well-developed characters, Yellowjackets x Grimm x Survivor vibes, unique storyline, twists
👎 cursing
Description:
They're being hunted…
When sixteen-year-old Georgie and her troublemaking brother are shipped off to the wilderness for their stepmother’s newest reality show, Georgie is convinced it’ll be the worst experience of her life. Two weeks. No phones. Hiking. Camping. Cameras catching every humiliating second.
Then she meets Mack Gray. Tattooed, unreadable, and―among a cast of kids already branded as trouble―he’s the one she’s sure is dangerous.
One night, the counselors are chanting affirmations around the fire. By morning, they’re gone.
But the kids are not alone.
Georgie can feel it, stalking them from the shadows―watching, waiting, picking them off one by one. Whatever it is, it isn’t just hunting.
It’s playing.
And in this game, there seems to be only one ending: no one gets out alive.
I enjoyed this novel, especially the Grimm fairy tale retelling, well-developed characters, and unique storyline. Great blend of Yellowjackets, Grimm, and Survivor. I recommend this book to all who love YA horror with a touchof romance.
#bookstagram #booklovers #horrorbooks #fairytaleretelling #hanselandgretel
May 6, 2026
Releases On August 4th
What To Expect:
- ya horror/thriller
- survival game
- trapped in the wilderness
- paranormal threat
- forced proximity
- deadly reality show
- based on hansel and gretel
5⭐️
holy. crap. i have no words
this book was so much fun to read and so incredibly hard to put down.
i have been in the mood to read a thriller/spookier book lately and this one definitely hit. it maybe ya but it had me gasping at times 😅 my jaw dropped more than i'd like to admit.
there were a few characters i didnt like but i mean everyone has that. and i am pretty sure these certain two characters were written to annoy you 😂 i wont say who, i think i will wait for you to figure that out when you guys read this when it comes out 🤷🏻♀️
georgie my girl, i loved her. after everything she's been through she was so strong and never gave up. i definitely admired her for that. i'm torn between mack and hamish as my second favorites. i just really liked both of their characters.
there is so much more that i want to say but i dont want to spoil it for anyone! so when this book comes out on August 4th, yall need to get it.
thank you so much entangled publishing and mayhem books for sending me a copy of this book
What To Expect:
- ya horror/thriller
- survival game
- trapped in the wilderness
- paranormal threat
- forced proximity
- deadly reality show
- based on hansel and gretel
5⭐️
holy. crap. i have no words
this book was so much fun to read and so incredibly hard to put down.
i have been in the mood to read a thriller/spookier book lately and this one definitely hit. it maybe ya but it had me gasping at times 😅 my jaw dropped more than i'd like to admit.
there were a few characters i didnt like but i mean everyone has that. and i am pretty sure these certain two characters were written to annoy you 😂 i wont say who, i think i will wait for you to figure that out when you guys read this when it comes out 🤷🏻♀️
georgie my girl, i loved her. after everything she's been through she was so strong and never gave up. i definitely admired her for that. i'm torn between mack and hamish as my second favorites. i just really liked both of their characters.
there is so much more that i want to say but i dont want to spoil it for anyone! so when this book comes out on August 4th, yall need to get it.
thank you so much entangled publishing and mayhem books for sending me a copy of this book
May 14, 2026
This one was so great! It was a touch long but I really enjoyed it. “Troubled” teens sent off to film a reality show (really at the forcing of all their awful parents) to get their acts together as they survive in the Maine wilderness goes horribly wrong when people start disappearing.
Gingerbread Bones is a creepy ya thriller/horror that gives Grimm/The Brother’s Grimm vibes (iykyk). I’m trying to avoid spoilers so there’s not a lot I can say lol. I thought the online snippets of news reports, emails, texts, and social media at the beginning of each chapter was a great was to keep the reader slightly informed about what was going on in the real world (or sometimes the past) while still being immersed in Georgie and crews nightmare in the forest.
This has all the hallmarks of classic great ya thrillers. You’ve got the main plot, a side plot of some romance, some truly twisted adults, and a full cast of well developed characters, some you love and some you love to hate lol.
Gingerbread Bones is a creepy ya thriller/horror that gives Grimm/The Brother’s Grimm vibes (iykyk). I’m trying to avoid spoilers so there’s not a lot I can say lol. I thought the online snippets of news reports, emails, texts, and social media at the beginning of each chapter was a great was to keep the reader slightly informed about what was going on in the real world (or sometimes the past) while still being immersed in Georgie and crews nightmare in the forest.
This has all the hallmarks of classic great ya thrillers. You’ve got the main plot, a side plot of some romance, some truly twisted adults, and a full cast of well developed characters, some you love and some you love to hate lol.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Georgie and her brother Hansel get shipped off by their stepmother to be part of a troubled teen wilderness reality show. The idea is that the teens will have to work together and learn better ways to control themselves. After trekking 3 days in the woods, they finally make camp, only to wake up with the adults gone in what looks like an attack. The gang must figure out a way to survive and escape, all while being hunted by something sinister.
This story was bonkers and I could not look away. Watching the kids try to survive had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the dash of romance added into this thriller, it is pretty light since it is a YA. If you enjoy slasher type YA Thrillers you should give this a try.
This story was bonkers and I could not look away. Watching the kids try to survive had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the dash of romance added into this thriller, it is pretty light since it is a YA. If you enjoy slasher type YA Thrillers you should give this a try.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This author really nailed the dark, atmospheric horror of this book. It started off very strong and the development of the group of teens throughout the story was done well. I do think over time some internal dialogue and plot points started to become repetitive. I see where the author was going with the twist but ultimately I just don't think it worked for me. However, I do think this was a fun take on the Hansel & Gretel tale and the horror aspect was done really well. I think this book could've benefited from a few scenes being shortened to keep the plot tighter though.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was sooooo good. Thank you Entangled Publishing for the ARC (8/4/2026 release date)
A Hansel and gretel retelling, which i didn't figure out until 60% through im ashamed to admit. But I went in to the book blind!
It had me hooked! I finished 70% of the book in one sitting and am not afraid to admit i was a bit freaked out when it was time to bed and had to turn off all fhe lights before going to my room.
The twists I never saw coming! And I loved it and hated it at the same time which once you read fhe book you'll understand.
Its perfect for a spooky season read. Releases 8/4/2026!!!!
A Hansel and gretel retelling, which i didn't figure out until 60% through im ashamed to admit. But I went in to the book blind!
It had me hooked! I finished 70% of the book in one sitting and am not afraid to admit i was a bit freaked out when it was time to bed and had to turn off all fhe lights before going to my room.
The twists I never saw coming! And I loved it and hated it at the same time which once you read fhe book you'll understand.
Its perfect for a spooky season read. Releases 8/4/2026!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Gingerbread Bones
By Lindsey Lovise
Pub Date: Aug 04 2026
This book is like Friday the 13rh if it were a reality TV show. Delinquent teenagers choose to be part of reality TV show instead of facing incarceration.
This is an interesting concept that was well executed. Thank you to NetGalley and Mayhem Books for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.
By Lindsey Lovise
Pub Date: Aug 04 2026
This book is like Friday the 13rh if it were a reality TV show. Delinquent teenagers choose to be part of reality TV show instead of facing incarceration.
This is an interesting concept that was well executed. Thank you to NetGalley and Mayhem Books for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was not what I expected at all but I absolutely loved it.
Very creepy in places.
I love YA books and this is now up there as one of my favourites.
Very well written
Loved all the characters
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review
Very creepy in places.
I love YA books and this is now up there as one of my favourites.
Very well written
Loved all the characters
Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews