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Teach Me to Prey
Not yet published
Expected 8 Dec 26
One heart for another. One life for another. And only her soul to pay.
Two years ago, Tara Corbane made a deal with a demon. Before each lunar eclipse, she must make a trade—a lover's heart offered as sacrifice to save her sister's. And with each offering, Tara fears she's becoming more and more like Thorn, the twisted but tantalizing demon she's sworn to hate.
Thirty days before the next eclipse, Tara heads to New Orleans, where her newest target awaits. But Rian Connach, the handsome heir to a real estate empire, is nothing like the others. He's single, for starters, and isn't out for love but vengeance. He's hot on the trail of the serial killer he blames for the death of his girlfriend. Whose heart was ripped out by none other than Tara herself.
As the eclipse draws near, Tara finds herself trapped in a game of cat-and-mouse. To save her own skin, she teams up with the broken and beguiling boy hunting her, all the while fighting her feelings for the demon whose secrets threaten everything she's ever believed about him, and herself. With Rian getting closer and closer to learning the truth, and Thorn warning of the gruesome consequences to come if Tara doesn't fulfill their bargain, time is running out to answer the ultimate question.
Is Tara the predator, or the prey?
Two years ago, Tara Corbane made a deal with a demon. Before each lunar eclipse, she must make a trade—a lover's heart offered as sacrifice to save her sister's. And with each offering, Tara fears she's becoming more and more like Thorn, the twisted but tantalizing demon she's sworn to hate.
Thirty days before the next eclipse, Tara heads to New Orleans, where her newest target awaits. But Rian Connach, the handsome heir to a real estate empire, is nothing like the others. He's single, for starters, and isn't out for love but vengeance. He's hot on the trail of the serial killer he blames for the death of his girlfriend. Whose heart was ripped out by none other than Tara herself.
As the eclipse draws near, Tara finds herself trapped in a game of cat-and-mouse. To save her own skin, she teams up with the broken and beguiling boy hunting her, all the while fighting her feelings for the demon whose secrets threaten everything she's ever believed about him, and herself. With Rian getting closer and closer to learning the truth, and Thorn warning of the gruesome consequences to come if Tara doesn't fulfill their bargain, time is running out to answer the ultimate question.
Is Tara the predator, or the prey?
- GenresFantasyParanormal
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication December 8, 2026
8 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Jenni Howell
3 books280 followersVisit my website to sign up for my newsletter and find trigger warnings for all published novels.
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Jenni Howell is an American dark academia and thriller author whose books feature characters that pluck themselves out of their pages and into your mind, eerie mysteries, and swoon-worthy romances that are almost never a good idea. Fans of The Raven Cycle and Atlas Six will find themselves at home in her words.
Her debut, Boys With Sharp Teeth, combines a gothic boarding school thriller with lush character work and a pulse-racing toxic romance...or two. BWST comes out in Winter 2025 from Macmillan's Roaring Brook Press with a second untitled novel to follow in 2026.
Jenni wants every book to be worthy of clutching to your chest, crying over, and maybe even throwing across the room. She enjoys leaving readers wondering if anyone will live happily ever after--yet trusting that they'll enjoy every moment of the dark descent. When she's not writing, Jenni can be found frolicking in shark-print overalls, vibrating from way too many americanos, buying random books from the non-fiction section, and generally being a joyful menace to society.
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Jenni Howell is an American dark academia and thriller author whose books feature characters that pluck themselves out of their pages and into your mind, eerie mysteries, and swoon-worthy romances that are almost never a good idea. Fans of The Raven Cycle and Atlas Six will find themselves at home in her words.
Her debut, Boys With Sharp Teeth, combines a gothic boarding school thriller with lush character work and a pulse-racing toxic romance...or two. BWST comes out in Winter 2025 from Macmillan's Roaring Brook Press with a second untitled novel to follow in 2026.
Jenni wants every book to be worthy of clutching to your chest, crying over, and maybe even throwing across the room. She enjoys leaving readers wondering if anyone will live happily ever after--yet trusting that they'll enjoy every moment of the dark descent. When she's not writing, Jenni can be found frolicking in shark-print overalls, vibrating from way too many americanos, buying random books from the non-fiction section, and generally being a joyful menace to society.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 25, 2026
Updated April 24:
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am not being compensated in any way.
This book was a masterpiece in writing, truly. From the plotting/pacing to the characterizations to the actual writing, I ADORED this book. It’s the first book in a while that has truly captured my interest, heart, and mind, and boy am I glad I stumbled across it on NetGalley.
Tara, while at times a bit one-dimensional and flat, was finally a protagonist I encountered that I could intimately relate to in her reasoning for things. She thought like me, and that likeness really endeared her to me.
So many plot twists that I didn’t see coming, which, for me, is extremely rare. It’s a good book if it can pull one over on me!!
I loved Thorn. Point blank.
I was pleasantly surprised at the ending for multiple reasons. First, this book was apparently the authors first ever HEA, which I’m so thankful for. Further, it did not entirely go the way I was predicting, which is another bonus.
April 24 evening update: The more I think about this book, the more I think the plot of it swept me away and distracted me. I really do think that Tara could’ve used a lot more characterization, as well as Thorn and Rian to be honest. And Lorrie. I feel like we still don’t know a lot about them by the end of the book. Despite that, I felt extremely invested in their relationships. And to be fair, I also forgot how young these characters are - must consider how the brain thinks pre-frontal lobe development. Lord knows my brain was so smooth at that point and time 🤣
I felt like Rian was really made out to be the villain in the last few chapters, and I do feel like some of that felt quite abrupt since we weren’t often let in to see his side of things. I feel like Tara killing him and then her and Thorn immediately moving on to live their most ideal romantic life was crazy. Where was all of the guilt and regret and horror that Tara felt throughout the whole book? Is it because it’s finally in self-defense/defense of her love? I don’t know.
Obviously, all of this is an afterthought to my initial review when I first finished the book last night/this morning (at 1 AM), so maybe I was also slightly sleep deprived. That being said. I still think it’s a phenomenal book, and still definitely at least a four star read for me. However, I hesitate to give it that five stars across the board. It’s definitely a back and forth one for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am not being compensated in any way.
This book was a masterpiece in writing, truly. From the plotting/pacing to the characterizations to the actual writing, I ADORED this book. It’s the first book in a while that has truly captured my interest, heart, and mind, and boy am I glad I stumbled across it on NetGalley.
Tara, while at times a bit one-dimensional and flat, was finally a protagonist I encountered that I could intimately relate to in her reasoning for things. She thought like me, and that likeness really endeared her to me.
So many plot twists that I didn’t see coming, which, for me, is extremely rare. It’s a good book if it can pull one over on me!!
I loved Thorn. Point blank.
I was pleasantly surprised at the ending for multiple reasons. First, this book was apparently the authors first ever HEA, which I’m so thankful for. Further, it did not entirely go the way I was predicting, which is another bonus.
April 24 evening update: The more I think about this book, the more I think the plot of it swept me away and distracted me. I really do think that Tara could’ve used a lot more characterization, as well as Thorn and Rian to be honest. And Lorrie. I feel like we still don’t know a lot about them by the end of the book. Despite that, I felt extremely invested in their relationships. And to be fair, I also forgot how young these characters are - must consider how the brain thinks pre-frontal lobe development. Lord knows my brain was so smooth at that point and time 🤣
I felt like Rian was really made out to be the villain in the last few chapters, and I do feel like some of that felt quite abrupt since we weren’t often let in to see his side of things. I feel like Tara killing him and then her and Thorn immediately moving on to live their most ideal romantic life was crazy. Where was all of the guilt and regret and horror that Tara felt throughout the whole book? Is it because it’s finally in self-defense/defense of her love? I don’t know.
Obviously, all of this is an afterthought to my initial review when I first finished the book last night/this morning (at 1 AM), so maybe I was also slightly sleep deprived. That being said. I still think it’s a phenomenal book, and still definitely at least a four star read for me. However, I hesitate to give it that five stars across the board. It’s definitely a back and forth one for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 15, 2026The curse of knowing the arc is sitting in your inbox but not having a single spare minute in your day to read
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Arc from Netgalley.
I really enjoyed this book. This was dark, hopeful, and twisted at the same time. I really enjoyed the development of the characters throughout the book. I loved how each character has chapters in their own perspectives. I feel like that built a bigger picture of what was happening and allowed for the understanding of each characters’ motivations and why they are doing the things they are doing. Tara and Rian mesh together so well and I loved their interactions because they made the story feel like so much more. I loved Tara and Thorn together. This story is so beautifully written that it feels like I am in New Orleans with Tara. I was fully not expecting the ending, but I really enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
I really enjoyed this book. This was dark, hopeful, and twisted at the same time. I really enjoyed the development of the characters throughout the book. I loved how each character has chapters in their own perspectives. I feel like that built a bigger picture of what was happening and allowed for the understanding of each characters’ motivations and why they are doing the things they are doing. Tara and Rian mesh together so well and I loved their interactions because they made the story feel like so much more. I loved Tara and Thorn together. This story is so beautifully written that it feels like I am in New Orleans with Tara. I was fully not expecting the ending, but I really enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Current rating: 3-3.25 stars
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I did enjoy the polarizing Boys With Sharp Teeth by the same author a lot more than this one :( I think this will find its audience, tho!
Starting with what I did like, I found this to be very readable, and the writing kept me engaged throughout. The start of the book was also quite strong and easily drew me in, but things soon went downhill imo.
The characters weren't very fleshed out, which made me care much less about them than I had hoped. The actual romance and ending also felt quite abrupt, which was disappointing, and even though the epilogue was cute, it didn't feel earned. Some parts also didn't rlly make sense idk
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I did enjoy the polarizing Boys With Sharp Teeth by the same author a lot more than this one :( I think this will find its audience, tho!
Starting with what I did like, I found this to be very readable, and the writing kept me engaged throughout. The start of the book was also quite strong and easily drew me in, but things soon went downhill imo.
The characters weren't very fleshed out, which made me care much less about them than I had hoped. The actual romance and ending also felt quite abrupt, which was disappointing, and even though the epilogue was cute, it didn't feel earned. Some parts also didn't rlly make sense idk
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
March 26, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan for the ARC of this book!
Deals with dreams always tend to end up messy. Tara is willing to do anything to save her sick sister, even risk a deal with a demon. What she doesn’t expect is the payment for her sisters health… ripping out hearts from unsuspecting victims. When Tara goes to New Orleans for one final heart, she finds out her sister is actually cured, and she no longer needs to murder anyone. But deals with demons are messy, remember, and she learns she can’t just skip out on the final request without consequences.
I really enjoyed BwST and had a feeling that I would also enjoy this new book by Jenni. This was hopeful, dark, twisted, and fun. I enjoyed the development of the characters- getting in the head of Tara, Rain, and Thorn built a bigger picture than I thought I was going to get. I honestly wasn’t expecting the ending, as in BwST, it wasn’t a “happy” ending - so I expected something similar here. Overall very good, I can’t wait for others to be able to read this!
Deals with dreams always tend to end up messy. Tara is willing to do anything to save her sick sister, even risk a deal with a demon. What she doesn’t expect is the payment for her sisters health… ripping out hearts from unsuspecting victims. When Tara goes to New Orleans for one final heart, she finds out her sister is actually cured, and she no longer needs to murder anyone. But deals with demons are messy, remember, and she learns she can’t just skip out on the final request without consequences.
I really enjoyed BwST and had a feeling that I would also enjoy this new book by Jenni. This was hopeful, dark, twisted, and fun. I enjoyed the development of the characters- getting in the head of Tara, Rain, and Thorn built a bigger picture than I thought I was going to get. I honestly wasn’t expecting the ending, as in BwST, it wasn’t a “happy” ending - so I expected something similar here. Overall very good, I can’t wait for others to be able to read this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! This is my fair and honest review.
WARNING: Toward the end of this review, there will be more spoilery content.
This is going to be a long one! I could write a whole paper about this book.
Tara is a soft, gentle, and loving teenage girl who wants her dying sister to live. She is also a serial killer. 2 years ago, Tara made a deal with a demon. The deal is this: a heart for a heart. On each eclipse, Tara must rip out a person’s heart and give it to her demon. When this is done, Tara’s sister is strengthened, and her heart continues beating.
Rian is a man in pain from the pressure of his abusive father and the loss of his murdered girlfriend. He is also Tara’s next target. His main goals are to avenge his girlfriend and to prove himself to his father. Fresh out of university, Rian heads to Louisiana to help with his father’s hotel business and, more importantly, hunt down his girlfriend’s killer.
As Tara and Rian grow closer, Tara must decide if she will rip out Rian’s heart or if she will break her deal.
If you like murder, dark romance, serial killers, paranormal/supernatural elements, mystery, and deals made with demons, I would recommend this book!
Trigger warnings include:
- Murder
- Verbal abuse from a parent
- Abuse from a romantic partner
- Sexual harassment/assault (in my opinion)
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
The first quarter of this book was SO good. It was a really strong start, which can be hard to achieve. I loved the beautiful imagery and was extremely curious about these characters. The premise itself was very compelling. A girl having to grapple with the horrible things she has done to save her sister while also learning what it means to love and be loved? Hell yeah. A demon who hides his intentions while also seeming to care for the girl he has made a deal with? Yes please.
There were many things I really liked. The relationship and communication between Tara and Thorn are unique. It was a very cool and well-executed idea. The way they interacted added so much to the story and to Tara and Thorn’s characters. I loved the concept of a girl who wants so badly not to be evil but struggles because she cannot forgive herself for what she’s done. So many elements of this story were super intriguing. There was even a moment toward the end of the book that genuinely made me cry.
At the beginning of this book, I was expecting it to be a 4.5-star read for me. Unfortunately, after the first quarter, it slowly went down the further I read.
It’s hard to talk about this without giving spoilers, but I will do my best. At the end of this review, I will provide more details about an issue that bothered me.
The romance in this book felt a bit unnatural and off-putting. It was one of the bigger things that dragged my rating down. Especially toward the end, I felt like I got whiplash from how quickly things were switching up. I also really disliked Rian, which made the romance a bit less fun for me.
Another big thing was some of the writing choices. For the most part, I really liked Howell’s writing style. There is a lot of beauty and rawness in it. But there’s also a lot of inconsistency. Sometimes the logic of situations just isn’t correct, and that bugged me a bit. Like someone gets so injured that they can't move, but then the next moment they're climbing over seats to the back of a car. Another example is Tara wondering what it would feel like if she and Thorn were to touch, but a little later, she thinks back to a time when he caught her and held her against him. Another is when two characters talk about how they can’t afford tickets to travel to see Tara’s sister, but immediately after that, they start making plans to travel the country for a few weeks. These moments of inconsistency and broken logic became more common later in the story, and it took me out of those scenes because they didn’t feel believable. There were many times when something would happen, and I would think “Wait, how could this happen this way when the described scene doesn’t allow it?” I’m trying to explain while being vague, I’m sorry haha. I might just be picky, those things might not bother everyone. They bugged me, though.
I also felt conflicted about the ending. It was a different vibe from the rest of the book. I won’t spoil it, but while I was satisfied with many aspects of it, it felt like something you’d see in the show Once Upon a Time. In fact, there are quite a few aspects of this book that made me think of Once Upon a Time as I was reading, for better or worse.
The best character in this book is absolutely Lorrie, and she kept me going. She was so kind to Tara and was a genuine friend to her. She was a girl’s girl and stuck with Tara and supported her through the most insane things. She was feisty and bold, and I just adored her. I want a whole book about Lorrie!
This sounded like a book that would be right up my alley, and many parts of it were. But some of the choices made broke the immersion and made me deeply uncomfortable. This might work better for someone who loves dark romance and enjoys male characters that are a bit toxic. I enjoy toxic characters sometimes (like Edward from Twilight, for example), but some of the characters in this book went a bit too far for me.
I’m going to put some more detailed thoughts here that might be more spoilery, but I still tried not to spoil the plot.
WARNING: Toward the end of this review, there will be more spoilery content.
This is going to be a long one! I could write a whole paper about this book.
Tara is a soft, gentle, and loving teenage girl who wants her dying sister to live. She is also a serial killer. 2 years ago, Tara made a deal with a demon. The deal is this: a heart for a heart. On each eclipse, Tara must rip out a person’s heart and give it to her demon. When this is done, Tara’s sister is strengthened, and her heart continues beating.
Rian is a man in pain from the pressure of his abusive father and the loss of his murdered girlfriend. He is also Tara’s next target. His main goals are to avenge his girlfriend and to prove himself to his father. Fresh out of university, Rian heads to Louisiana to help with his father’s hotel business and, more importantly, hunt down his girlfriend’s killer.
As Tara and Rian grow closer, Tara must decide if she will rip out Rian’s heart or if she will break her deal.
If you like murder, dark romance, serial killers, paranormal/supernatural elements, mystery, and deals made with demons, I would recommend this book!
Trigger warnings include:
- Murder
- Verbal abuse from a parent
- Abuse from a romantic partner
- Sexual harassment/assault (in my opinion)
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts
The first quarter of this book was SO good. It was a really strong start, which can be hard to achieve. I loved the beautiful imagery and was extremely curious about these characters. The premise itself was very compelling. A girl having to grapple with the horrible things she has done to save her sister while also learning what it means to love and be loved? Hell yeah. A demon who hides his intentions while also seeming to care for the girl he has made a deal with? Yes please.
There were many things I really liked. The relationship and communication between Tara and Thorn are unique. It was a very cool and well-executed idea. The way they interacted added so much to the story and to Tara and Thorn’s characters. I loved the concept of a girl who wants so badly not to be evil but struggles because she cannot forgive herself for what she’s done. So many elements of this story were super intriguing. There was even a moment toward the end of the book that genuinely made me cry.
At the beginning of this book, I was expecting it to be a 4.5-star read for me. Unfortunately, after the first quarter, it slowly went down the further I read.
It’s hard to talk about this without giving spoilers, but I will do my best. At the end of this review, I will provide more details about an issue that bothered me.
The romance in this book felt a bit unnatural and off-putting. It was one of the bigger things that dragged my rating down. Especially toward the end, I felt like I got whiplash from how quickly things were switching up. I also really disliked Rian, which made the romance a bit less fun for me.
Another big thing was some of the writing choices. For the most part, I really liked Howell’s writing style. There is a lot of beauty and rawness in it. But there’s also a lot of inconsistency. Sometimes the logic of situations just isn’t correct, and that bugged me a bit. Like someone gets so injured that they can't move, but then the next moment they're climbing over seats to the back of a car. Another example is Tara wondering what it would feel like if she and Thorn were to touch, but a little later, she thinks back to a time when he caught her and held her against him. Another is when two characters talk about how they can’t afford tickets to travel to see Tara’s sister, but immediately after that, they start making plans to travel the country for a few weeks. These moments of inconsistency and broken logic became more common later in the story, and it took me out of those scenes because they didn’t feel believable. There were many times when something would happen, and I would think “Wait, how could this happen this way when the described scene doesn’t allow it?” I’m trying to explain while being vague, I’m sorry haha. I might just be picky, those things might not bother everyone. They bugged me, though.
I also felt conflicted about the ending. It was a different vibe from the rest of the book. I won’t spoil it, but while I was satisfied with many aspects of it, it felt like something you’d see in the show Once Upon a Time. In fact, there are quite a few aspects of this book that made me think of Once Upon a Time as I was reading, for better or worse.
The best character in this book is absolutely Lorrie, and she kept me going. She was so kind to Tara and was a genuine friend to her. She was a girl’s girl and stuck with Tara and supported her through the most insane things. She was feisty and bold, and I just adored her. I want a whole book about Lorrie!
This sounded like a book that would be right up my alley, and many parts of it were. But some of the choices made broke the immersion and made me deeply uncomfortable. This might work better for someone who loves dark romance and enjoys male characters that are a bit toxic. I enjoy toxic characters sometimes (like Edward from Twilight, for example), but some of the characters in this book went a bit too far for me.
I’m going to put some more detailed thoughts here that might be more spoilery, but I still tried not to spoil the plot.
March 18, 2026
Thank you so much to Jenni Howell, NetGalley, and Roaring Brook Press for access to this Advanced Reader Copy. This is my honest and unbiased review.
——
”Minding my peace is the first thing I can do to prove that I’m not the one they want. A girl like me would never. A girl like me; he’d be dead already.”
——
Despite being sworn to a demon who is ever standing in the nearest set of shadows, Tara Corbane is a gentle girl of soft yellow dresses, friendship bracelets, and thoughts so large she chokes to free them from her body. And she also rips out hearts. Literally. In exchange for her sister’s life, Tara acts as a nearly prolific serial killer, tearing hearts from chests and feeding them to her demon, Thorn. In pursuit of her next heart, Tara encounters Rian, a boy with a heart nearly as broken as her own who is desperate to solve the case of his girlfriend’s murder. Pushed to assist Rian in his plight, Tara encounters two problems. One: Rian’s heart is the one she is sworn to tear out next. And two: the serial killer who took Rian’s girlfriend from him is no other than Tara herself.
——
There is no better way to describe this book than to say that it kept me up at night. Not because it frightened me, but because I couldn’t bear to put it down until my eyes were shutting of their own volition. Jenni has written a remarkable piece here, one that will undoubtedly linger in my nightmares and daydreams for months to come.
Teach Me to Prey is a story of how quickly love can become a wretched thing. Tara’s love for her sister, Rian’s love for his lost girlfriend, and Thorn’s love for….well, I won’t divulge that delicious morsel just yet. Love is a ruinous thing in this story, driving wedges between people who could fit so well together if they found a way to let go of hope. But the way the characters cling to hope and continue to choose it even when all is lost is what makes their stories so poignant. Tara, Rian, and Thorn are miserable and selfish little creatures, but that is exactly what makes them so painfully human.
Tara is an ode to the soft girls in the universe. Those who dare to want and dream even with scraped and bruised knees. She is fragile but wrought of iron, and I immediately fell for her sharp tongue and shy nature. She’s a villain, but not. A cherub, but a devil. The contrasts make her story unforgettable and also make her so painfully easy to root for. Rian, too, roguish and desperate to just be enough, was a breath of fresh air. As much as he wants to be a knight in shining armor, he is deeply flawed and determined to a fault to get what he wants. Tara and Rian mesh together so perfectly and yet in such an ominous ways that it makes their story feel centuries old rather than just a few chapters. I could wax poetic about Thorn, too, charming and brutal, but I fear I wouldn’t stop. He could tell me to bark at a passerby and I’m afraid that I would, at the least, deeply consider it.
This story is beautifully written and set deep in the picturesque but haunting Bayou of New Orleans. Jenni’s prose lands you effortlessly in the heat and humidity and charm that sets the scene for a full cast of characters that you’ll be taught to pray for until the very last page. I was so anxious about how some of the scenes would end that I shed a few tears. I hope you will too.
But what better praise is there for a book than to say that it mortally wounded me? C’est magnifique, Jenni! I’d give all the stars in the sky if I could, but we’ll have to settle for just these five golden ones.
——
”Minding my peace is the first thing I can do to prove that I’m not the one they want. A girl like me would never. A girl like me; he’d be dead already.”
——
Despite being sworn to a demon who is ever standing in the nearest set of shadows, Tara Corbane is a gentle girl of soft yellow dresses, friendship bracelets, and thoughts so large she chokes to free them from her body. And she also rips out hearts. Literally. In exchange for her sister’s life, Tara acts as a nearly prolific serial killer, tearing hearts from chests and feeding them to her demon, Thorn. In pursuit of her next heart, Tara encounters Rian, a boy with a heart nearly as broken as her own who is desperate to solve the case of his girlfriend’s murder. Pushed to assist Rian in his plight, Tara encounters two problems. One: Rian’s heart is the one she is sworn to tear out next. And two: the serial killer who took Rian’s girlfriend from him is no other than Tara herself.
——
There is no better way to describe this book than to say that it kept me up at night. Not because it frightened me, but because I couldn’t bear to put it down until my eyes were shutting of their own volition. Jenni has written a remarkable piece here, one that will undoubtedly linger in my nightmares and daydreams for months to come.
Teach Me to Prey is a story of how quickly love can become a wretched thing. Tara’s love for her sister, Rian’s love for his lost girlfriend, and Thorn’s love for….well, I won’t divulge that delicious morsel just yet. Love is a ruinous thing in this story, driving wedges between people who could fit so well together if they found a way to let go of hope. But the way the characters cling to hope and continue to choose it even when all is lost is what makes their stories so poignant. Tara, Rian, and Thorn are miserable and selfish little creatures, but that is exactly what makes them so painfully human.
Tara is an ode to the soft girls in the universe. Those who dare to want and dream even with scraped and bruised knees. She is fragile but wrought of iron, and I immediately fell for her sharp tongue and shy nature. She’s a villain, but not. A cherub, but a devil. The contrasts make her story unforgettable and also make her so painfully easy to root for. Rian, too, roguish and desperate to just be enough, was a breath of fresh air. As much as he wants to be a knight in shining armor, he is deeply flawed and determined to a fault to get what he wants. Tara and Rian mesh together so perfectly and yet in such an ominous ways that it makes their story feel centuries old rather than just a few chapters. I could wax poetic about Thorn, too, charming and brutal, but I fear I wouldn’t stop. He could tell me to bark at a passerby and I’m afraid that I would, at the least, deeply consider it.
This story is beautifully written and set deep in the picturesque but haunting Bayou of New Orleans. Jenni’s prose lands you effortlessly in the heat and humidity and charm that sets the scene for a full cast of characters that you’ll be taught to pray for until the very last page. I was so anxious about how some of the scenes would end that I shed a few tears. I hope you will too.
But what better praise is there for a book than to say that it mortally wounded me? C’est magnifique, Jenni! I’d give all the stars in the sky if I could, but we’ll have to settle for just these five golden ones.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review!
this book grabbed me by the throat on page one and did not let go until i was fully unhinged.
tara corbane made a deal with a demon to keep her sister alive. every lunar eclipse she has to tear out a lover's heart with her bare hands and feed it to Thorn, the demon she's bound to. she's a teenage serial killer running out of time, running out of excuses, and running straight toward the one target she absolutely cannot afford to feel something for. because Rian Connach isn't just her next mark — he's actively hunting the killer who murdered his girlfriend. which is her. she has to make him trust her so she can destroy him. he has to get close to her so he can find the truth. the tension in that setup alone could power a small city.
and then there's Thorn.
i need to talk about the demon love interest for a second because the way Howell writes him — tantalizing and twisted and tender in all the wrong places — is the kind of character work that lives in your bones. the push and pull between Tara and Thorn isn't just romantic tension, it's an existential crisis wearing the mask of desire. she hates what he's made her. she's terrified she's becoming him. and the worst part is that he might be the only one who actually sees her. that's the kind of moral complexity i want to roll around in like a cat in a sunbeam.
this is enemies to lovers done right — not the cutesy "we bicker and then kiss" version but the real, jagged, stomach-dropping version where the stakes are life and death and the feelings are the most dangerous weapon in the room. Tara is a protagonist who makes terrible choices for understandable reasons and never once asks you to forgive her for them. she's sympathetic without being sanitized. she's a killer who loves her sister enough to keep killing. that's devastating.
the New Orleans setting drips atmosphere. the pacing is relentless — thirty days to the eclipse and you feel every single one of them ticking down. and the psychological thriller elements are genuinely thrilling in a way that doesn't sacrifice character interiority for plot mechanics. every twist earns its place because it comes from who these people are, not just what's happening to them.
this is my bread and butter. demons, yearning, true enemies to lovers, moral ambiguity so thick you could choke on it, and the kind of character-driven complexity that makes you sit in silence after the last page because you need to process what just happened to your entire emotional infrastructure.
Jenni Howell understood the assignment and then burned the assignment and made me eat the ashes. five stars. unhinged recommendation.
this book grabbed me by the throat on page one and did not let go until i was fully unhinged.
tara corbane made a deal with a demon to keep her sister alive. every lunar eclipse she has to tear out a lover's heart with her bare hands and feed it to Thorn, the demon she's bound to. she's a teenage serial killer running out of time, running out of excuses, and running straight toward the one target she absolutely cannot afford to feel something for. because Rian Connach isn't just her next mark — he's actively hunting the killer who murdered his girlfriend. which is her. she has to make him trust her so she can destroy him. he has to get close to her so he can find the truth. the tension in that setup alone could power a small city.
and then there's Thorn.
i need to talk about the demon love interest for a second because the way Howell writes him — tantalizing and twisted and tender in all the wrong places — is the kind of character work that lives in your bones. the push and pull between Tara and Thorn isn't just romantic tension, it's an existential crisis wearing the mask of desire. she hates what he's made her. she's terrified she's becoming him. and the worst part is that he might be the only one who actually sees her. that's the kind of moral complexity i want to roll around in like a cat in a sunbeam.
this is enemies to lovers done right — not the cutesy "we bicker and then kiss" version but the real, jagged, stomach-dropping version where the stakes are life and death and the feelings are the most dangerous weapon in the room. Tara is a protagonist who makes terrible choices for understandable reasons and never once asks you to forgive her for them. she's sympathetic without being sanitized. she's a killer who loves her sister enough to keep killing. that's devastating.
the New Orleans setting drips atmosphere. the pacing is relentless — thirty days to the eclipse and you feel every single one of them ticking down. and the psychological thriller elements are genuinely thrilling in a way that doesn't sacrifice character interiority for plot mechanics. every twist earns its place because it comes from who these people are, not just what's happening to them.
this is my bread and butter. demons, yearning, true enemies to lovers, moral ambiguity so thick you could choke on it, and the kind of character-driven complexity that makes you sit in silence after the last page because you need to process what just happened to your entire emotional infrastructure.
Jenni Howell understood the assignment and then burned the assignment and made me eat the ashes. five stars. unhinged recommendation.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book kept me on the edge of my seat, well into the night. I legit could not put it down. I loved every bit of this story. Jenni Howell, what the actual heck?!
Jenni has an incredible way of creating characters who do awful things, and making you love them for it. These imperfect characters are so absolutely perfect, that even when they're at their worst, you are still rooting for them to come out on top—no matter the cost. And this ties in so well with the heart (pun intended) of this plot.
Tara, Rian, and Thorn are all motivated by love, in various ways. Which is what made this story so freaking interesting. Tara is forced to be a serial killer to save her sister. Thorn has Tara target lovers to steal their hearts. And Rian is determined to find the serial killer who murdered his girlfriend at all costs. The deeper they get, the more their stories end up weaving together, completely binding their fates to one another.
My favorite part about Jenni's writing is that you literally have NO idea what will happen next. It's terrifying because you come to love these characters so much, and they're in a literal constant state of danger. The stakes are so high for all three characters, which made me feel so invested in every move they all made. There is no way for ALL characters to win, and that creates such amazing tension.
There are multiple narrators, and what I love most about that is that you are able to see just how unreliable EACH of them are. There are demon influenced hallucinations, internal monologues, and history revealed from each perspective, and none of the characters (except maybe Thorn) have the full story. It makes the reader question what ACTUALLY is happening, and where the truths are, which makes the twist at the end even better.
AND THAT ENDING. My gosh, I did not see it coming. It was absolutely freaking perfect.
If you're looking for a dark, twisty, different kind of love story with demons, bargains, and so much tension and anticipation you LITERALLY cannot put the book down... this is 100% the book for you.
Jenni has an incredible way of creating characters who do awful things, and making you love them for it. These imperfect characters are so absolutely perfect, that even when they're at their worst, you are still rooting for them to come out on top—no matter the cost. And this ties in so well with the heart (pun intended) of this plot.
Tara, Rian, and Thorn are all motivated by love, in various ways. Which is what made this story so freaking interesting. Tara is forced to be a serial killer to save her sister. Thorn has Tara target lovers to steal their hearts. And Rian is determined to find the serial killer who murdered his girlfriend at all costs. The deeper they get, the more their stories end up weaving together, completely binding their fates to one another.
My favorite part about Jenni's writing is that you literally have NO idea what will happen next. It's terrifying because you come to love these characters so much, and they're in a literal constant state of danger. The stakes are so high for all three characters, which made me feel so invested in every move they all made. There is no way for ALL characters to win, and that creates such amazing tension.
There are multiple narrators, and what I love most about that is that you are able to see just how unreliable EACH of them are. There are demon influenced hallucinations, internal monologues, and history revealed from each perspective, and none of the characters (except maybe Thorn) have the full story. It makes the reader question what ACTUALLY is happening, and where the truths are, which makes the twist at the end even better.
AND THAT ENDING. My gosh, I did not see it coming. It was absolutely freaking perfect.
If you're looking for a dark, twisty, different kind of love story with demons, bargains, and so much tension and anticipation you LITERALLY cannot put the book down... this is 100% the book for you.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Can love truly redeem you, or is it just another way to be damned? 🥀🖤
THE LOWDOWN (No Spoilers!):Teach Me To Prey by Jenni Howell is a haunting journey into a world of demonic deals set against the backdrop of New Orleans. This book is a slow, beautiful descent into a spiraling sequence of events that stem from Tara trying to save someone she loves. 🕯️📜
OVERALL VIBE 🌑This book is dark, mysterious, and utterly haunting. The atmosphere is so thick you can practically feel the shadows creeping off the page. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that kept me on my toes with every twist—I never knew which way the story would turn next, and I loved every second of the unpredictability. The constant shifts between psychological thriller and supernatural horror kept me on my toes until the last page.
CHARACTERS 🗡️My heart absolutely bled for Rian and Tara. Their pain felt so real, and their connection was magnetic. But we have to talk about Thorn. 😈 This demon pulled my emotions in a million different directions—one minute I was wary, the next I was completely captivated. The character depth here is top-tier; no one is purely "good," and that’s what makes them so compelling.
CONCLUSION ⛓️Jenni Howell has crafted a masterpiece of "sinister secrets." It’s a gut-wrenching exploration of sacrifice that will rip your heart out (literally and figuratively). If you want a book that is as alluring as it is dangerous, run—don't walk—to get this. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
THE LOWDOWN (No Spoilers!):Teach Me To Prey by Jenni Howell is a haunting journey into a world of demonic deals set against the backdrop of New Orleans. This book is a slow, beautiful descent into a spiraling sequence of events that stem from Tara trying to save someone she loves. 🕯️📜
OVERALL VIBE 🌑This book is dark, mysterious, and utterly haunting. The atmosphere is so thick you can practically feel the shadows creeping off the page. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that kept me on my toes with every twist—I never knew which way the story would turn next, and I loved every second of the unpredictability. The constant shifts between psychological thriller and supernatural horror kept me on my toes until the last page.
CHARACTERS 🗡️My heart absolutely bled for Rian and Tara. Their pain felt so real, and their connection was magnetic. But we have to talk about Thorn. 😈 This demon pulled my emotions in a million different directions—one minute I was wary, the next I was completely captivated. The character depth here is top-tier; no one is purely "good," and that’s what makes them so compelling.
CONCLUSION ⛓️Jenni Howell has crafted a masterpiece of "sinister secrets." It’s a gut-wrenching exploration of sacrifice that will rip your heart out (literally and figuratively). If you want a book that is as alluring as it is dangerous, run—don't walk—to get this. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
April 24, 2026
I am definitely going to be in the minority here, I think. There was a lot of potential here. The concept hooked me from the get a go. A cursed girl sacrificing herself to save someone she cares about and binding herself to a demon in the process? Sold. Teaming up with a boy determined to find the killer of his love? Absolutely.
It the beginning I would even go as far as to say that it all worked for me. The New Orleans backdrop was perfect for this type of seedy and dark story. I really enjoyed Rian and Tara's perspectives as well. They each had unique and relatable voices that instantly drew me to them. It wasn't until maybe the 75% mark that I really began to struggle
The middle was a bit slow for me I will admit. I liked the direction the romance was going and was invested in the story enough that I was willing to look past it to some degree. However, the plot did a total 180 near the end and it absolutely lost me there.
For one, I was struggling to follow what was even going on. This shocked me because I liked the writing, but for some reason, it wasn't working for me. I chocked it up to the descriptions and the chaos of the end. Another thing is that there were a couple of plot twists and character developments that, for me, felt like they came out of left field. This could just be a me thing, but the plot seemed to be heading in a totally different direction than it ended up going with no clues hinting at that. I enjoy plot twists, but not when they are done poorly and make no sense. I was so frustrated that I started skimming the every end.
I do feel like this type of novel will work for a lot of people, but I, unfortunately, am not one of them. I you liked Howell's other novel, I think this will be a hit for you!!
Thank you you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the e-ARC in an exchange for an honest review!!
It the beginning I would even go as far as to say that it all worked for me. The New Orleans backdrop was perfect for this type of seedy and dark story. I really enjoyed Rian and Tara's perspectives as well. They each had unique and relatable voices that instantly drew me to them. It wasn't until maybe the 75% mark that I really began to struggle
The middle was a bit slow for me I will admit. I liked the direction the romance was going and was invested in the story enough that I was willing to look past it to some degree. However, the plot did a total 180 near the end and it absolutely lost me there.
For one, I was struggling to follow what was even going on. This shocked me because I liked the writing, but for some reason, it wasn't working for me. I chocked it up to the descriptions and the chaos of the end. Another thing is that there were a couple of plot twists and character developments that, for me, felt like they came out of left field. This could just be a me thing, but the plot seemed to be heading in a totally different direction than it ended up going with no clues hinting at that. I enjoy plot twists, but not when they are done poorly and make no sense. I was so frustrated that I started skimming the every end.
I do feel like this type of novel will work for a lot of people, but I, unfortunately, am not one of them. I you liked Howell's other novel, I think this will be a hit for you!!
Thank you you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the e-ARC in an exchange for an honest review!!
April 24, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
I am enamored with this book. Who must I beg for a physical ARC or early finished copy? I can’t wait until December to get a trophy for my shelves! I want to smell the pages when I dive back into this story again and again and again!
I love relationships crafted in horror. The toxic tangle of love and obsession that Tara finds herself in with both Rian and Thorn gripped me by the throat. Thorn needs Tara to survive, and Rian needs her for his redemption…or so both men believe. The reality of their desires for her goes much deeper, and I can’t wait for this story to reach a wider audience so we can all scream about it together. New Orleans is a perfect setting for Tara’s last kill: hot, humid, with air as oppressive as her demon’s desire to damn her soul. The heat ratchets up everyone’s emotions, and when the powder keg finally explodes, you’ll jump out of your seat and scream. (I definitely did.)
Honorable shoutout to Lorrie, who is the best ride-or-die gal any unwilling serial killer could ask for. I would kill for a sequel/spin-off of her running her restaurant and hunting demons.
Teach Me to Prey is a great recommendation for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue that may be looking for a slightly more twisted tale with the same lush storytelling. I’m very glad I already ordered Boys with Sharp Teeth before I finished this read; I’m now a Jenni Howell fan for life.
I am enamored with this book. Who must I beg for a physical ARC or early finished copy? I can’t wait until December to get a trophy for my shelves! I want to smell the pages when I dive back into this story again and again and again!
I love relationships crafted in horror. The toxic tangle of love and obsession that Tara finds herself in with both Rian and Thorn gripped me by the throat. Thorn needs Tara to survive, and Rian needs her for his redemption…or so both men believe. The reality of their desires for her goes much deeper, and I can’t wait for this story to reach a wider audience so we can all scream about it together. New Orleans is a perfect setting for Tara’s last kill: hot, humid, with air as oppressive as her demon’s desire to damn her soul. The heat ratchets up everyone’s emotions, and when the powder keg finally explodes, you’ll jump out of your seat and scream. (I definitely did.)
Honorable shoutout to Lorrie, who is the best ride-or-die gal any unwilling serial killer could ask for. I would kill for a sequel/spin-off of her running her restaurant and hunting demons.
Teach Me to Prey is a great recommendation for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue that may be looking for a slightly more twisted tale with the same lush storytelling. I’m very glad I already ordered Boys with Sharp Teeth before I finished this read; I’m now a Jenni Howell fan for life.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC of Teach Me To Prey by Jenni Howell.
Rating: 5/5
-paranormal/ Supernatural
-Demons and bargains
-NOLA
-romance
I haven’t had a chance to read the author’s other work Boys With Sharp Teeth, but I’ve heard such good things. Teach Me To Prey sounded so good with an interesting concept I am glad I discovered this author. Now I have to read her other works. I absolutely loved this. I love the dynamic between Thorn and Tara. Tara and Rian’s dynamic was interesting but I had this gut feeling. The end was still unexpected though but in the best way. And it takes place in NOLA! I love the little nod to Lestat. As an Anne Rice fan, that made me smile. NOLA has such a dark, atmospheric supernatural vibe to it, and history so the setting really works for the story. When the publish date hits I’ll add a more thorough review with possible spoilers. But I want to wait till then.
Definitely preorder this book! I know I am going to. I really hope there’s an Owlcrate edition. I am also going to recommend it to our Librarian at work who is in charge of ordering this genre. Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Can’t wait to get a physical copy when it releases.
Rating: 5/5
-paranormal/ Supernatural
-Demons and bargains
-NOLA
-romance
I haven’t had a chance to read the author’s other work Boys With Sharp Teeth, but I’ve heard such good things. Teach Me To Prey sounded so good with an interesting concept I am glad I discovered this author. Now I have to read her other works. I absolutely loved this. I love the dynamic between Thorn and Tara. Tara and Rian’s dynamic was interesting but I had this gut feeling. The end was still unexpected though but in the best way. And it takes place in NOLA! I love the little nod to Lestat. As an Anne Rice fan, that made me smile. NOLA has such a dark, atmospheric supernatural vibe to it, and history so the setting really works for the story. When the publish date hits I’ll add a more thorough review with possible spoilers. But I want to wait till then.
Definitely preorder this book! I know I am going to. I really hope there’s an Owlcrate edition. I am also going to recommend it to our Librarian at work who is in charge of ordering this genre. Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Can’t wait to get a physical copy when it releases.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc of "Teach Me to Prey." One of my students (who is also on NetGalley) recommended this book to me, so I requested it. Honestly, I am not into fantasy (really at all), but the writing style of this book actually made me like fantasy. I knew from the first page that this was not my typical genre...but I also knew I wanted to keep reading.
Howell's writing style, plus the desire to discuss this novel with my middle school student, was a good combination to finish my first fantasy/romance read in quite a long time. Let's start with the cover art - it's absolutely beautiful, and I love the word play in the title and use of the word "prey" when one would typically expect to see "pray" in this phrase.
The character development, writing, and relationships were a 5-star for me. My middle school students will love this book, and while the content isn't appropriate for teaching as a whole-class novel, I envision many of them choosing to read (and loving!) it during independent reading time. I could even see myself pulling out lines to use as a mentor text for writing craft and syntax. The plot was engaging, even if it isn't the typical type of book I choose. Kudos to Howell! I just may read more books by this author.
Howell's writing style, plus the desire to discuss this novel with my middle school student, was a good combination to finish my first fantasy/romance read in quite a long time. Let's start with the cover art - it's absolutely beautiful, and I love the word play in the title and use of the word "prey" when one would typically expect to see "pray" in this phrase.
The character development, writing, and relationships were a 5-star for me. My middle school students will love this book, and while the content isn't appropriate for teaching as a whole-class novel, I envision many of them choosing to read (and loving!) it during independent reading time. I could even see myself pulling out lines to use as a mentor text for writing craft and syntax. The plot was engaging, even if it isn't the typical type of book I choose. Kudos to Howell! I just may read more books by this author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jenni has done it again. After Boys with Sharp Teeth landed firmly in my Top 5 reads of 2025, I wasn’t sure how she could top it—but she absolutely has. I was honored to be part of the cover reveal team for this beauty, and after being gifted an ARC, I can safely say: Clear your schedule. I started this book and didn't look up until I realized it was 4:00 AM.
At its core, this is a haunting exploration of a singular question: How far will you go for those you love? What begins as a desperate deal with a devil turns into a messy, high-stakes spiral that will leave you breathless.
Jenni’s greatest strength is her character work. She writes people in a way that makes you desperate to know them, even when they scare you. The narrative is as dark and twisted as it is hopeful, creating a tension that pulls you in and refuses to let go. And just when you think you’ve figured out the trajectory of the story—think again.
Be prepared to be left gasping. Jenni crafts endings that leave your imagination running wild and your heart thirsting for more. You might just lose your heart to this story, but trust me, it’s worth it.
At its core, this is a haunting exploration of a singular question: How far will you go for those you love? What begins as a desperate deal with a devil turns into a messy, high-stakes spiral that will leave you breathless.
Jenni’s greatest strength is her character work. She writes people in a way that makes you desperate to know them, even when they scare you. The narrative is as dark and twisted as it is hopeful, creating a tension that pulls you in and refuses to let go. And just when you think you’ve figured out the trajectory of the story—think again.
Be prepared to be left gasping. Jenni crafts endings that leave your imagination running wild and your heart thirsting for more. You might just lose your heart to this story, but trust me, it’s worth it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🫀"The demon smiles at me.
Slowly, its lips form one word.
𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒."🫀
.
.
.
.
🫀ARC Review🫀
• First of all, I am beyond honored to have been an ARC reader for, the extremely talented, Jenni Howell's first book "Boys With Sharp Teeth", and now this masterpiece.
• Sigh... I AM UNWELL! 🫠 To say that I loved this book would be a complete understatement. I absolutely adored every dark moment of it. I nearly highlighted the entire book and kept wanting to share every single page in my story for all to see. 😩
• This has been my favorite read of 2026, and I don't think anything else is going to top it. Hell, it may be one of my top favorites from here on out. I can't wait to have this book as a trophy sitting on my shelf. 🥹🥰
•I've never begged anyone to read a book but that's about to change... 😌
If you love:
❤️🔥 MAJOR YEARNING
🤝Deals with demons
💌Poetic writing
🗣️Multiple POV
🧠Communication by telepathy
🔪Soft girl serial killer x demon boy
🫰🏻Real enemies to lovers
💔MMCs that give off Jacks vibes from Once Upon A Broken Heart
PLEEEEEEASE do yourself a favor and read this one!! 🥹😈🫀
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this eARC. 💖
Slowly, its lips form one word.
𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒."🫀
.
.
.
.
🫀ARC Review🫀
• First of all, I am beyond honored to have been an ARC reader for, the extremely talented, Jenni Howell's first book "Boys With Sharp Teeth", and now this masterpiece.
• Sigh... I AM UNWELL! 🫠 To say that I loved this book would be a complete understatement. I absolutely adored every dark moment of it. I nearly highlighted the entire book and kept wanting to share every single page in my story for all to see. 😩
• This has been my favorite read of 2026, and I don't think anything else is going to top it. Hell, it may be one of my top favorites from here on out. I can't wait to have this book as a trophy sitting on my shelf. 🥹🥰
•I've never begged anyone to read a book but that's about to change... 😌
If you love:
❤️🔥 MAJOR YEARNING
🤝Deals with demons
💌Poetic writing
🗣️Multiple POV
🧠Communication by telepathy
🔪Soft girl serial killer x demon boy
🫰🏻Real enemies to lovers
💔MMCs that give off Jacks vibes from Once Upon A Broken Heart
PLEEEEEEASE do yourself a favor and read this one!! 🥹😈🫀
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this eARC. 💖
April 27, 2026
I received an advance reader copy of Teach Me To Prey from Macmillan Publishing, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read and review it.
Teach Me To Prey is a haunting, tender story about the demons we take on in exchange for love, the quiet persistence of hope, and whether love asks something of you in return.
What stayed with me most was the types of love depicted in female friendships. There’s a raw honesty in how the girls move through the world together, protect, misunderstand, and ultimately shape one another. The scene that moved me the most was the bond formed when one girl combed the other’s hair. The book doesn’t shy away from how girls are perceived and constrained within a patriarchal society, and those themes feel woven in to the story.
The New Orleans setting is beautiful, with an atmosphere that feels like a dangerous and lush thin place filled with history, beauty & despair, but I found myself wishing for even more of it. The glimpses we get are vivid, and I wanted to linger there longer.
Teach Me To Prey is a haunting, tender story about the demons we take on in exchange for love, the quiet persistence of hope, and whether love asks something of you in return.
What stayed with me most was the types of love depicted in female friendships. There’s a raw honesty in how the girls move through the world together, protect, misunderstand, and ultimately shape one another. The scene that moved me the most was the bond formed when one girl combed the other’s hair. The book doesn’t shy away from how girls are perceived and constrained within a patriarchal society, and those themes feel woven in to the story.
The New Orleans setting is beautiful, with an atmosphere that feels like a dangerous and lush thin place filled with history, beauty & despair, but I found myself wishing for even more of it. The glimpses we get are vivid, and I wanted to linger there longer.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
Teach Me to Prey creates a story that feels both intimate and unsettling. Jenni Howell builds the narrative with a steady sense of unease, layering in emotional stakes, moral complexity, and the kind of small town dynamics that make every interaction feel loaded. The plot giving readers a mix of suspense, character depth, and atmospheric storytelling. It’s the kind of book that leans into the darker side of human nature while still grounding the story in relationships and the desire for justice.
Readers who enjoy mysteries rooted in character motivations, secrets, and slow building tension will find a lot to appreciate here. Howell’s writing is engaging and immersive, and the story offers a compelling blend of drama and suspense without relying on shock value or graphic content.
Teach Me to Prey creates a story that feels both intimate and unsettling. Jenni Howell builds the narrative with a steady sense of unease, layering in emotional stakes, moral complexity, and the kind of small town dynamics that make every interaction feel loaded. The plot giving readers a mix of suspense, character depth, and atmospheric storytelling. It’s the kind of book that leans into the darker side of human nature while still grounding the story in relationships and the desire for justice.
Readers who enjoy mysteries rooted in character motivations, secrets, and slow building tension will find a lot to appreciate here. Howell’s writing is engaging and immersive, and the story offers a compelling blend of drama and suspense without relying on shock value or graphic content.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have received an advanced copy of Teach Me To Prey from the author, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Roaring Book Press! 🫶
Did I finish Teach Me To Prey or did Teach Me To Prey finish me?! 😳😱🤯🙊 This book took me on the craziest ride and I loved every single second of it. I can’t even begin to count how many lines I highlighted while reading because I did so pretty much on every page of this masterpiece! 🫶
This story is dark, atmospheric, and hooked me in from the very first line. I could not put this down and if you love Once Upon A Broken Heart’s vibes and mixed that with Hannibal’s vibes that is this book in a nutshell. Don’t even get me started with the enemies to lovers vibes in this one because that is chef’s kiss! 🤭🔥
If you love dark psychological thrillers then be sure to add this to your TBR immediately! 🫶
Did I finish Teach Me To Prey or did Teach Me To Prey finish me?! 😳😱🤯🙊 This book took me on the craziest ride and I loved every single second of it. I can’t even begin to count how many lines I highlighted while reading because I did so pretty much on every page of this masterpiece! 🫶
This story is dark, atmospheric, and hooked me in from the very first line. I could not put this down and if you love Once Upon A Broken Heart’s vibes and mixed that with Hannibal’s vibes that is this book in a nutshell. Don’t even get me started with the enemies to lovers vibes in this one because that is chef’s kiss! 🤭🔥
If you love dark psychological thrillers then be sure to add this to your TBR immediately! 🫶
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5
What would you do if the only way to save your sister was to make a deal with a demon? Tara has bound herself to Thorne to save her little sister from heart failure. The cost? She has to steal other people's hearts, but there's a catch. It has to be the heart of someone in love, so a broken heart is left in the wake. She is on her FINAL task, when the boy she meets, Rian, already knows about her. Well, he knows about the killer and is hunting "him" down. As Tara continues to tip-toe between the truth and lies with Rian, they become incredibly close, just as Thorne wants.
I felt this had a slow to medium pace. I loved the character development, especially with Thorne. I did find the ending to be predictable shortly into the book. Overall, it was a good read.
What would you do if the only way to save your sister was to make a deal with a demon? Tara has bound herself to Thorne to save her little sister from heart failure. The cost? She has to steal other people's hearts, but there's a catch. It has to be the heart of someone in love, so a broken heart is left in the wake. She is on her FINAL task, when the boy she meets, Rian, already knows about her. Well, he knows about the killer and is hunting "him" down. As Tara continues to tip-toe between the truth and lies with Rian, they become incredibly close, just as Thorne wants.
I felt this had a slow to medium pace. I loved the character development, especially with Thorne. I did find the ending to be predictable shortly into the book. Overall, it was a good read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book left me changed. A phenomenal, sumptuous read so wildly decadent I had to reread every scene just to savor it.
Then the character work absolutely took my breath away. Jenni Howell built the characters up so she could just absolutely WRECK them in the most spectacular ways and forge something new from the peices.
Then the ending hit and it was both surprising and, in retrospect, absolutely inevitable. Flawless. 10/10 no notes. I will definitely reread this when I get my preorder and I suspect this is one of the rare books where knowing the ending makes it even better the second time.
Then the character work absolutely took my breath away. Jenni Howell built the characters up so she could just absolutely WRECK them in the most spectacular ways and forge something new from the peices.
Then the ending hit and it was both surprising and, in retrospect, absolutely inevitable. Flawless. 10/10 no notes. I will definitely reread this when I get my preorder and I suspect this is one of the rare books where knowing the ending makes it even better the second time.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The love between sisters is a powerful bond. One so strong that Tera defies morality and strikes a deal with a demon named Thorn to save her little sister. In exchange for her sisters heart, Thorn asks for the heart of another. Her quest to save her sister might just mean losing her own heart.
Teach Me To Prey is phenomenal! It's dark but hopeful, twisted and poetic, but somehow just perfect. Rians slow slip into madness, Taras struggle with her deal, and Thorns ultimate ending made the book hard to put down.
This is a book to savor not to speed read, the vibes are just that good.
*ARC review
Teach Me To Prey is phenomenal! It's dark but hopeful, twisted and poetic, but somehow just perfect. Rians slow slip into madness, Taras struggle with her deal, and Thorns ultimate ending made the book hard to put down.
This is a book to savor not to speed read, the vibes are just that good.
*ARC review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Teach Me To Prey by Jenni Howell is a dark and haunting YA romantasy set in New Orleans, filled with demonic deals, mystery, and emotional twists. The story follows Tara as she tries to save someone she loves, leading her into a dangerous spiral of supernatural horror and psychological tension. The atmosphere is rich and eerie, keeping readers hooked with its unpredictable plot. Rian, Tara, and especially Thorn are deeply emotional and complex characters, making it impossible not to feel connected to them. Overall, the book is a heartbreaking and captivating story about love, sacrifice, and destruction, making it a perfect 5-star read for fans of dark fantasy romance.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I snagged this book as an ARC read through NetGalley.
The artwork cover is 👌🏻
I love reading but suck at reviews but I’ll do my best.
The story follows Tara, a girl who made a deal with a demon to save her sister. Tara is required to take the heart of a lover that the demon, Thorn, chooses for her, unfortunately the last one she kills, has a boyfriend who witnessed the aftermath.
Thorn picks Rian, the victim’s boyfriend, as the next choice, and in effort to fix her choices, Tara tries to convince Rian to change his investigation so as to save him.
Story takes place in New Orleans, where all the super naturals are believed and the place is haunted.
The artwork cover is 👌🏻
I love reading but suck at reviews but I’ll do my best.
The story follows Tara, a girl who made a deal with a demon to save her sister. Tara is required to take the heart of a lover that the demon, Thorn, chooses for her, unfortunately the last one she kills, has a boyfriend who witnessed the aftermath.
Thorn picks Rian, the victim’s boyfriend, as the next choice, and in effort to fix her choices, Tara tries to convince Rian to change his investigation so as to save him.
Story takes place in New Orleans, where all the super naturals are believed and the place is haunted.
April 29, 2026
Teach me to Prey by Jenni Howell
This book hits you and it hits you hard! I felt like the story took my feet out from under me and I was scrambling wanting to read more and more! The true horror was I got this arc in the middle of finals and could only slip away for a chapter every few hours!
You will be dragged down into this twisted story that gives you alllllll of the feels! You will be caught in a cat and mouse game that will truly test whether you are the hunter or the hunted while reading this story! I was on the edge of my seat with every single chapter!
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book hits you and it hits you hard! I felt like the story took my feet out from under me and I was scrambling wanting to read more and more! The true horror was I got this arc in the middle of finals and could only slip away for a chapter every few hours!
You will be dragged down into this twisted story that gives you alllllll of the feels! You will be caught in a cat and mouse game that will truly test whether you are the hunter or the hunted while reading this story! I was on the edge of my seat with every single chapter!
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved Howell's first book so knew I'd love this one too! Although I'm not usually a horror fan, the concept is fascinating by itself so I raced through it. Tara has one month to earn her seventh bracelet but that means saving her sister's life by ending another! That's all you need; go in blind and keep the lights on!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Want to Read
February 2, 2026Now that's an insane cover!!! So excited!!
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