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Black Point
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Expected 28 Jul 26In an insular small town steeped in Norse traditions, a teen’s developing romance with a newcomer becomes fraught as dark secrets from the past rise to the surface in this gorgeously atmospheric mystery by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline West.
Lucia Sorenson holds on hard to the things she loves. Her tiny Wisconsin hometown clings to the bluffs above the Mississippi River, threatened by weather, time, and the creep of climate change. Her mother is pushing her to go away to college and see the world beyond their small town, but Lucia is determined to stay and to keep her grandfather’s Viking museum going.
When the Black Point Hotel, a 150-year-old landmark that’s been empty for decades, is bought by an outsider, tongues start wagging. Lucia meets the new owner’s teenage nephew, Max, and as they grow closer, she discovers there’s something thrilling about getting to know someone who hasn’t known her all her life—and maybe something more.
Then Max discovers some ominous things about Black Point hidden away in the hotel—stories of ghosts and mysterious disappearances. Lucia refuses to believe that her town is hiding a sinister past. But the river is rising, and more secrets are washing to the surface. Soon, Lucia will have to choose between the home she thought she knew and uncovering the dark truths hidden underneath.
Lucia Sorenson holds on hard to the things she loves. Her tiny Wisconsin hometown clings to the bluffs above the Mississippi River, threatened by weather, time, and the creep of climate change. Her mother is pushing her to go away to college and see the world beyond their small town, but Lucia is determined to stay and to keep her grandfather’s Viking museum going.
When the Black Point Hotel, a 150-year-old landmark that’s been empty for decades, is bought by an outsider, tongues start wagging. Lucia meets the new owner’s teenage nephew, Max, and as they grow closer, she discovers there’s something thrilling about getting to know someone who hasn’t known her all her life—and maybe something more.
Then Max discovers some ominous things about Black Point hidden away in the hotel—stories of ghosts and mysterious disappearances. Lucia refuses to believe that her town is hiding a sinister past. But the river is rising, and more secrets are washing to the surface. Soon, Lucia will have to choose between the home she thought she knew and uncovering the dark truths hidden underneath.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Black Point” by Jacqueline West feels like a classic small-town horror movie wrapped in fog, river water, Viking lore, and generational secrets. The entire book has this eerie, creeping sense of dread where you know something is deeply wrong with the town long before the main character is willing to admit it, and, honestly, that made the whole reading experience so tense and atmospheric.
The story follows Lucia, who absolutely loves her tiny Wisconsin hometown of Black Point. Unlike most YA protagonists who are desperate to escape their small town, Lucia wants to stay forever, continue her family’s legacy, and eventually run the Viking museum her grandfather oversees. Black Point is obsessed with its Norse ancestry and traditions, and Lucia fully buys into all of it at the beginning, including some of the unsettling rituals the townspeople perform.
And this book opens with a sheep sacrifice that Lucia is completely unfazed by, which immediately tells you this town is not operating on normal people logic.
The setting and atmosphere are honestly the strongest parts of the entire book. Black Point feels isolated, damp, and haunted by its own history. Between the rising river, the decaying old hotel, the ghost stories, the flood warnings, and the sense that the town itself is hiding something rotten beneath all its traditions, the whole thing gave me major The Village vibes. Jacqueline West absolutely nails that slow-building “everyone here knows something you don’t” feeling.
I also really loved the use of Neil’s journal entries throughout the story. Neil was an outsider who stayed at the Black Point Hotel decades earlier, and his perspective adds so much tension because he immediately notices things Lucia refuses to question. Through his entries, you slowly realize outsiders have a habit of disappearing around flood season, guests leave behind all their belongings at the hotel, and the town’s rituals may be hiding something much darker than simple tradition. The journal sections added such a creepy historical layer to the story.
Then there’s Max, the outsider boy helping renovate the old hotel with his aunt. I really liked the contrast between him and Lucia because Max immediately questions things that Lucia has normalized her entire life. Their relationship helps force Lucia to confront truths about her town that she’s spent years ignoring. That said, the romance itself was probably the weakest part for me. It leaned a little insta-love at times, and I wanted more development between them emotionally.
This is definitely a slower-paced book, though. The beginning takes its time building the town, history, and atmosphere before things really start escalating. Personally, I didn’t mind because the creepy vibes and folklore kept me invested, but I can understand why some may find the pacing draggy or the mystery a bit predictable. Honestly, I figured out the town’s big secret fairly early on, but I don’t think the reveal was really meant to be shocking so much as emotionally devastating for Lucia once she finally accepts the truth.
And that emotional aspect is where the book really worked for me. Lucia’s entire identity is tied to this town and its traditions, so watching her slowly realize the people she trusted and the history she romanticized are built on something horrifying was genuinely heartbreaking. The closer she gets to the truth, the heavier the sense of dread becomes.
The supernatural elements were also really well done. Ghostly presences, haunted hotel vibes, rising floodwaters, and the possibility that the town has been sacrificing outsiders for generations all gave the story this classic gothic horror energy without becoming overly graphic.
Overall, “Black Point” is a creepy, atmospheric YA horror mystery packed with folklore, cult-like traditions, supernatural undertones, and a town that would absolutely be a nightmare to vacation in. If you love slow-burn horror with isolated settings, buried secrets, morally messy townspeople, and protagonists forced to question everything they’ve ever believed, this one is definitely worth picking up.
“Black Point” by Jacqueline West feels like a classic small-town horror movie wrapped in fog, river water, Viking lore, and generational secrets. The entire book has this eerie, creeping sense of dread where you know something is deeply wrong with the town long before the main character is willing to admit it, and, honestly, that made the whole reading experience so tense and atmospheric.
The story follows Lucia, who absolutely loves her tiny Wisconsin hometown of Black Point. Unlike most YA protagonists who are desperate to escape their small town, Lucia wants to stay forever, continue her family’s legacy, and eventually run the Viking museum her grandfather oversees. Black Point is obsessed with its Norse ancestry and traditions, and Lucia fully buys into all of it at the beginning, including some of the unsettling rituals the townspeople perform.
And this book opens with a sheep sacrifice that Lucia is completely unfazed by, which immediately tells you this town is not operating on normal people logic.
The setting and atmosphere are honestly the strongest parts of the entire book. Black Point feels isolated, damp, and haunted by its own history. Between the rising river, the decaying old hotel, the ghost stories, the flood warnings, and the sense that the town itself is hiding something rotten beneath all its traditions, the whole thing gave me major The Village vibes. Jacqueline West absolutely nails that slow-building “everyone here knows something you don’t” feeling.
I also really loved the use of Neil’s journal entries throughout the story. Neil was an outsider who stayed at the Black Point Hotel decades earlier, and his perspective adds so much tension because he immediately notices things Lucia refuses to question. Through his entries, you slowly realize outsiders have a habit of disappearing around flood season, guests leave behind all their belongings at the hotel, and the town’s rituals may be hiding something much darker than simple tradition. The journal sections added such a creepy historical layer to the story.
Then there’s Max, the outsider boy helping renovate the old hotel with his aunt. I really liked the contrast between him and Lucia because Max immediately questions things that Lucia has normalized her entire life. Their relationship helps force Lucia to confront truths about her town that she’s spent years ignoring. That said, the romance itself was probably the weakest part for me. It leaned a little insta-love at times, and I wanted more development between them emotionally.
This is definitely a slower-paced book, though. The beginning takes its time building the town, history, and atmosphere before things really start escalating. Personally, I didn’t mind because the creepy vibes and folklore kept me invested, but I can understand why some may find the pacing draggy or the mystery a bit predictable. Honestly, I figured out the town’s big secret fairly early on, but I don’t think the reveal was really meant to be shocking so much as emotionally devastating for Lucia once she finally accepts the truth.
And that emotional aspect is where the book really worked for me. Lucia’s entire identity is tied to this town and its traditions, so watching her slowly realize the people she trusted and the history she romanticized are built on something horrifying was genuinely heartbreaking. The closer she gets to the truth, the heavier the sense of dread becomes.
The supernatural elements were also really well done. Ghostly presences, haunted hotel vibes, rising floodwaters, and the possibility that the town has been sacrificing outsiders for generations all gave the story this classic gothic horror energy without becoming overly graphic.
Overall, “Black Point” is a creepy, atmospheric YA horror mystery packed with folklore, cult-like traditions, supernatural undertones, and a town that would absolutely be a nightmare to vacation in. If you love slow-burn horror with isolated settings, buried secrets, morally messy townspeople, and protagonists forced to question everything they’ve ever believed, this one is definitely worth picking up.
April 4, 2026
Lucia wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and run the Viking Museum that had been in their family for generations… though some things might get into the way of her plans and the odd boy lurking in the museum was only the start of things.
This book had supernatural elements and an overall eerie atmosphere that really brought the creepy factor up a level. This definitely lived up to the creepy vibes I was hoping for. There was so much lore and disturbing history in this book and I loved it. The way the story was told was lovely. The main character clearly loved her town at the beginning, she knew a lot about it only to be met with new facts, traditions she didn’t know.
Also, the formatting of this book is so pretty. The art at the tittle pages and at the top of each chapter is really a nice touch.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Lucia
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🧍♂️👻🌊
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Murder
Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail
This book had supernatural elements and an overall eerie atmosphere that really brought the creepy factor up a level. This definitely lived up to the creepy vibes I was hoping for. There was so much lore and disturbing history in this book and I loved it. The way the story was told was lovely. The main character clearly loved her town at the beginning, she knew a lot about it only to be met with new facts, traditions she didn’t know.
Also, the formatting of this book is so pretty. The art at the tittle pages and at the top of each chapter is really a nice touch.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Lucia
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🧍♂️👻🌊
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Murder
Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail
April 27, 2026
Cult classic. If you’ve ever seen the movie The Village, that’s how I am going to describe this one. I truly enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of the town, the towns people, and the hotel itself. It truly is like a classic horror movie.
The beginning of Black Point moves fairly slow and took a bit to get into. Once you get through the slow bits, it really ramps up. I’m talking ghostly activity and jaw dropping moments you might not have seen coming.
Lucia, our main character is different than the average small town character. Instead of leaving her small town and going to college to get away from it… she’s planning to stay because she loves the town so much. She can’t see herself anywhere else, except in the museum her grandfather runs with his friends. Things are starting to get weird though, there is someone new in town.
Definitely recommend picking this one up.
The beginning of Black Point moves fairly slow and took a bit to get into. Once you get through the slow bits, it really ramps up. I’m talking ghostly activity and jaw dropping moments you might not have seen coming.
Lucia, our main character is different than the average small town character. Instead of leaving her small town and going to college to get away from it… she’s planning to stay because she loves the town so much. She can’t see herself anywhere else, except in the museum her grandfather runs with his friends. Things are starting to get weird though, there is someone new in town.
Definitely recommend picking this one up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🌊 Black Point by Jacqueline West 🌊
This was a pretty slow read overall and the pacing dragged at times. The story also felt fairly predictable and formulaic, especially once the mystery started coming together. The ending moved a little too fast and wrapped things up a bit too neatly for my taste.
Still, it was a solid 3 star read for the atmosphere alone.
What to Expect
• Small town
• Haunted hotel
• YA romance
• Dark family history
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 28, 2026
📝 Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Atheneum Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This was a pretty slow read overall and the pacing dragged at times. The story also felt fairly predictable and formulaic, especially once the mystery started coming together. The ending moved a little too fast and wrapped things up a bit too neatly for my taste.
Still, it was a solid 3 star read for the atmosphere alone.
What to Expect
• Small town
• Haunted hotel
• YA romance
• Dark family history
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 28, 2026
📝 Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Atheneum Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
The plot felt a bit predictable, but I really enjoyed Lucia's journey, loved Max's character, and found the ending very satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ahh, this was so well done! The cover alone immediately passes the creepy vibe check. This is all about history, lore, and what ties people to certain places.
Lucia is a Black Point lifer. She knows exactly what she will be doing after high school. She is going to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and run the Viking Museum, filled with generations of theirs and the other founding family's history. I like that she is so certain. She loves her town: the history and the traditions... and she has no desire to branch out because she has everything she needs.
A strange boy lurking around the museum catches her attention and she confronts him. Max is new in town. His aunt has bought the old Black Point Hotel and they are renovating it. Black Point isn't welcoming to these newcomers, but Lucia doesn't mind Max's company. As he learns more about the hotel and the surrounding town, the more concerned he is. The hotel is supposedly haunted and Max is beginning to make some really terrifying connections to this town and some tragic events, while Lucia is torn between the town she loves and the secrets that are washing in with the coming flood.
I thought the storytelling was so great. I enjoyed the history and I enjoyed the setting. The creepy/supernatural elements were eerie and gave so much gravity to the story. I loved this one.
Lucia is a Black Point lifer. She knows exactly what she will be doing after high school. She is going to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and run the Viking Museum, filled with generations of theirs and the other founding family's history. I like that she is so certain. She loves her town: the history and the traditions... and she has no desire to branch out because she has everything she needs.
A strange boy lurking around the museum catches her attention and she confronts him. Max is new in town. His aunt has bought the old Black Point Hotel and they are renovating it. Black Point isn't welcoming to these newcomers, but Lucia doesn't mind Max's company. As he learns more about the hotel and the surrounding town, the more concerned he is. The hotel is supposedly haunted and Max is beginning to make some really terrifying connections to this town and some tragic events, while Lucia is torn between the town she loves and the secrets that are washing in with the coming flood.
I thought the storytelling was so great. I enjoyed the history and I enjoyed the setting. The creepy/supernatural elements were eerie and gave so much gravity to the story. I loved this one.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews