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Bludeye Beach
Edie Grayson, average teenager, visits her estranged father in his hometown Bludeye Beach. While there, she makes friends, meets cute local Milo Vance, and accidentally uncovers the dark undertow of the town. Even worse, her new friends might somehow be involved. After a near deadly encounter, Edie flees Bludeye Beach to never return … or so she thinks.
Ten years later, her father's in trouble. Edie has spent the last decade trying to convince herself that what she saw couldn't possibly be real, and finds herself back in Bludeye Beach. Her friends and her crush Milo are still in town, and her feelings are stronger than ever. But can she uncover the truth of Bludeye Beach before its secrets swallow them whole?
Ten years later, her father's in trouble. Edie has spent the last decade trying to convince herself that what she saw couldn't possibly be real, and finds herself back in Bludeye Beach. Her friends and her crush Milo are still in town, and her feelings are stronger than ever. But can she uncover the truth of Bludeye Beach before its secrets swallow them whole?
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 9, 2026
*Review based on ARC received from publisher*
By the time I'd finished the first couple of chapters my first thoughts were 'this is Buffy meets Scooby Doo'. Whilst there are no chatty Great Danes there's plenty of spooky monsters, some of them more human than cryptid. The chapter entitled 'Once More With Feeling' really cemented the Buffy vibes.
There are a lot of characters in this book, and more seem to spring out of the earth on every chapter but Gheist is skilful in making sure none of them get lost in the mix and the main character of Edie keeps a strong voice and isn't overshadowed by others. It's also makes me glad there will be more books as some of the characters *cough* Teddy and Viola*cough* deserve their own stories.
By the time I'd finished the first couple of chapters my first thoughts were 'this is Buffy meets Scooby Doo'. Whilst there are no chatty Great Danes there's plenty of spooky monsters, some of them more human than cryptid. The chapter entitled 'Once More With Feeling' really cemented the Buffy vibes.
There are a lot of characters in this book, and more seem to spring out of the earth on every chapter but Gheist is skilful in making sure none of them get lost in the mix and the main character of Edie keeps a strong voice and isn't overshadowed by others. It's also makes me glad there will be more books as some of the characters *cough* Teddy and Viola*cough* deserve their own stories.
January 17, 2026
*Review based on ARC from publisher*
What's better than a summer spent in an idyllic, seaside town? Reconnecting with family, nurturing new relationships, discovering one's place in the world, finding where your heart truly belongs…not to mention those golden sands and the beautiful blue-green tides (the same hue as the eyes of the charming small-town boy, *wink, wink*).
Of course, there's always something lurking beneath still waters.
Bludeye Beach is a sweet coming-of-age story with a perfectly timed jump to adulthood and all of the challenges that come with it—righting old wrongs, coming to terms with your past, and accepting that things aren't always as they seem. The endearing and relatable cast of characters will have you fully invested. I was rooting for this crew until the end.
Plus, pervasive, small-town supernatural folklore? What's not to love (and fear)? ;)
What's better than a summer spent in an idyllic, seaside town? Reconnecting with family, nurturing new relationships, discovering one's place in the world, finding where your heart truly belongs…not to mention those golden sands and the beautiful blue-green tides (the same hue as the eyes of the charming small-town boy, *wink, wink*).
Of course, there's always something lurking beneath still waters.
Bludeye Beach is a sweet coming-of-age story with a perfectly timed jump to adulthood and all of the challenges that come with it—righting old wrongs, coming to terms with your past, and accepting that things aren't always as they seem. The endearing and relatable cast of characters will have you fully invested. I was rooting for this crew until the end.
Plus, pervasive, small-town supernatural folklore? What's not to love (and fear)? ;)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
*This review is based on an ARC from the publisher.*
Bludeye Beach is a fun, thrilling, and heartfelt debut set in a quirky small town that's far more than meets the eye. Fans of Stranger Things, Gravity Falls, The X-Files, and Stardew Valley will eat this right up!
The book follows the endearingly awkward and easily spooked Edie Grayson as she seeks to reconnect with her estranged father in a small coastal town rich with strange supernatural lore. Making new friends and new discoveries around town, she can't seem to escape tales of dangers in the woods and impossible monsters. But those are all just stories, right?
... Right?
Unfortunately, Edie's too clever not to notice the very real strange occurrences in town, or that her new friends are somehow involved. Even the quietly compassionate Milo Vance, who's unlike anyone she's ever met, seems to be keeping secrets from her. Getting to the truth will require facing her fears, but like Edie's grandma always said:
If you're scared, do it scared.
I really can't say enough good things about this book. The setting and lore of Bludeye Beach are immediately compelling with an energetic pacing that will make it hard to put the book down. But the most magical elements are the characters themselves. I felt a powerful connection with Edie and would lay my life on the line for any of those feisty teens, especially as they grow up to find life ever more complicated. And that's not even counting the fantastic cast of colorful characters around town who each have their own stories to tell. What we learn in this book is just the tip of the iceberg that the town of Bludeye Beach represents, leaving plenty more to explore as the series progresses while satisfying your curiosity just enough for now. But the emotional core of the story is just as important as the mysteries that need solving, and there is no shortage of heart.
So take a chance, pack your bags, and visit Bludeye Beach! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll scream, and if you're very, very lucky, you'll never meet the Grave Hound. 👀
Bludeye Beach is a fun, thrilling, and heartfelt debut set in a quirky small town that's far more than meets the eye. Fans of Stranger Things, Gravity Falls, The X-Files, and Stardew Valley will eat this right up!
The book follows the endearingly awkward and easily spooked Edie Grayson as she seeks to reconnect with her estranged father in a small coastal town rich with strange supernatural lore. Making new friends and new discoveries around town, she can't seem to escape tales of dangers in the woods and impossible monsters. But those are all just stories, right?
... Right?
Unfortunately, Edie's too clever not to notice the very real strange occurrences in town, or that her new friends are somehow involved. Even the quietly compassionate Milo Vance, who's unlike anyone she's ever met, seems to be keeping secrets from her. Getting to the truth will require facing her fears, but like Edie's grandma always said:
If you're scared, do it scared.
I really can't say enough good things about this book. The setting and lore of Bludeye Beach are immediately compelling with an energetic pacing that will make it hard to put the book down. But the most magical elements are the characters themselves. I felt a powerful connection with Edie and would lay my life on the line for any of those feisty teens, especially as they grow up to find life ever more complicated. And that's not even counting the fantastic cast of colorful characters around town who each have their own stories to tell. What we learn in this book is just the tip of the iceberg that the town of Bludeye Beach represents, leaving plenty more to explore as the series progresses while satisfying your curiosity just enough for now. But the emotional core of the story is just as important as the mysteries that need solving, and there is no shortage of heart.
So take a chance, pack your bags, and visit Bludeye Beach! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll scream, and if you're very, very lucky, you'll never meet the Grave Hound. 👀
Review of advance copy
ARC reader here!
Before we start - a note on the origins of this book. This book is the first release from Hook & Quill Press which is a collective of indie authors who started their own independent press. So if you are looking to support independent authors and start-up publishing house, this checks both boxes. This is also book one in a four book planned series.
Now on to the good stuff.
The general premise of this book is that the tourist town of Bludeye Beach just happens to be the home to various cryptid creatures. Some are your familiar favorites (werewolves) and some are original creations (Little Green Legs). However, every once and a while some poor tourist gets eaten (whoops).
Edie, our FMC spends her summer at Bludeye visiting her estranged father when she is fifteen years old. During this time we are tested to a fun little lower YA adventure filled with self discoveries (her first crush), family bonding (her father, whom she learns is gay) new friends (a crew) and a few monsters.
The book then cuts to her ten years later when she returns to Bludeye to care for her father after an injury. The tone shifts to a more upper YA novel complete with 'will they/won't they' old flame relationship drama, supernatural powers, strange people and even more monsters. In the end Edie and her new/old friends must band together to unravel the mysteries of the town and maybe save some lives along the way.
So, if you are looking for a beach town, feel good, YA adventure filled with mysterious creatures without all the accompanying smut jump scares that seems to prevail in the paranormal YA market place. This may be for you.
Before we start - a note on the origins of this book. This book is the first release from Hook & Quill Press which is a collective of indie authors who started their own independent press. So if you are looking to support independent authors and start-up publishing house, this checks both boxes. This is also book one in a four book planned series.
Now on to the good stuff.
The general premise of this book is that the tourist town of Bludeye Beach just happens to be the home to various cryptid creatures. Some are your familiar favorites (werewolves) and some are original creations (Little Green Legs). However, every once and a while some poor tourist gets eaten (whoops).
Edie, our FMC spends her summer at Bludeye visiting her estranged father when she is fifteen years old. During this time we are tested to a fun little lower YA adventure filled with self discoveries (her first crush), family bonding (her father, whom she learns is gay) new friends (a crew) and a few monsters.
The book then cuts to her ten years later when she returns to Bludeye to care for her father after an injury. The tone shifts to a more upper YA novel complete with 'will they/won't they' old flame relationship drama, supernatural powers, strange people and even more monsters. In the end Edie and her new/old friends must band together to unravel the mysteries of the town and maybe save some lives along the way.
So, if you are looking for a beach town, feel good, YA adventure filled with mysterious creatures without all the accompanying smut jump scares that seems to prevail in the paranormal YA market place. This may be for you.
February 27, 2026
Sometimes you want a book that goes down easy but has some stickiness to it. Bludeye Beach is a horror story set in an idyllic seaside town about a 15 year old girl, Edie, who is staying with her father, who she doesn't know well, and begins making friends with some local teens. It's a story of finding your place and making new friends -- who seem to be keeping some secrets. Possibly in regards to the weird stuff that's been going down around down.
To book starts off with a decidedly YA feel, which I wasn't sure about at first, but the tone quickly settled in to a satisfying fast and easy pace that worked well with the content. The story does jump 10 years, so in the second half the kids are in their 20s. The romance is very sweet and they dynamics between the friends is well developed.
Now, I am a horror wimp, so I need to know how intense the horror is, and what kind, before I'll commit. This is monsters lurking in the woods type horrors. The prologue is very illustrative of the type and intensity of the book, so if you're okay with the prologue, the rest of the book should be just fine.
I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book and it was a pleasure to get to read this first release from Hook & Quill press, and new indie press who I think will be doing interesting things! An author and a press to keep an eye on.
To book starts off with a decidedly YA feel, which I wasn't sure about at first, but the tone quickly settled in to a satisfying fast and easy pace that worked well with the content. The story does jump 10 years, so in the second half the kids are in their 20s. The romance is very sweet and they dynamics between the friends is well developed.
Now, I am a horror wimp, so I need to know how intense the horror is, and what kind, before I'll commit. This is monsters lurking in the woods type horrors. The prologue is very illustrative of the type and intensity of the book, so if you're okay with the prologue, the rest of the book should be just fine.
I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book and it was a pleasure to get to read this first release from Hook & Quill press, and new indie press who I think will be doing interesting things! An author and a press to keep an eye on.
January 22, 2026
I snagged this book on day one after someone on social media said it was for people who loved cryptids and The X-Files! It was a fun read, especially in the first half, though it got away from me at times in Act 2B. There is a time skip, and I in-general do not always want to stick with things after a time skip if I’ve gotten attached to a younger version of a character. The characters do have strong, easily distinguished personalities, and the story features cozy cryptid vibes and a slow and not-that-steamy romance (my favorite kind).
As a note for the publisher, since this is from a start-up indie house and I want them to succeed—I feel like the cover worked against it a bit (I’ve worked as a designer and typesetter in local publishing, and sometimes great artists and great writers aren’t necessarily great cover designers for a market). The sample available on Amazon persuaded me to buy anyway!
As a note for the publisher, since this is from a start-up indie house and I want them to succeed—I feel like the cover worked against it a bit (I’ve worked as a designer and typesetter in local publishing, and sometimes great artists and great writers aren’t necessarily great cover designers for a market). The sample available on Amazon persuaded me to buy anyway!
April 18, 2026
I've been avidly following the Hook & Quill gang on Bluesky and immediately went to purchase a copy of this, their debut publication, when it was available. I was already familiar with the germ of the plot and the main characters thanks to the Bluesky writing community, so I recommended it to my book club and we all dove right in.
We collectively agreed it was a fun read (and various book clubbers picked up on the Scooby Doo/Buffy vibes). We liked the characters--Teddy was a major favorite--and the overall small-town horrors plot. There were some moments where it felt like the editing process missed something and we were all texting one another going "Did you get X?" / "No I didn't catch X" / "I'm confused too." I also felt the two acts were slightly unbalanced, with the first half going on a bit too long and the second act unspooling in a mad rush.
All in all, quite an engaging debut and I think the book club is all on board for the next installment.
We collectively agreed it was a fun read (and various book clubbers picked up on the Scooby Doo/Buffy vibes). We liked the characters--Teddy was a major favorite--and the overall small-town horrors plot. There were some moments where it felt like the editing process missed something and we were all texting one another going "Did you get X?" / "No I didn't catch X" / "I'm confused too." I also felt the two acts were slightly unbalanced, with the first half going on a bit too long and the second act unspooling in a mad rush.
All in all, quite an engaging debut and I think the book club is all on board for the next installment.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a fun read! There are wonderful characters to root for, like Edie the sweet but anxious main character who is trying to figure her life out and her dad, Teddy, who loves showtunes and just wants to connect with his daughter. But beneath all the normal angst of trying to make friends in a new place and figure your life out, there is this simmering undercurrent of spooky mystery. While I was screaming for Edie and Milo to get together already, I was also dying to know what was really going on in Bludeye Beach.
Sweet, thrilling, romantic, and inspiring! This book has Buffy the Vampire Slayer (but without the chosen one) vibes and I'm here for it.
You won't be disappointed.
Sweet, thrilling, romantic, and inspiring! This book has Buffy the Vampire Slayer (but without the chosen one) vibes and I'm here for it.
You won't be disappointed.
January 2, 2026
I'm very happy I got to finish out 2025 with an ARC of this novel. It is a wonderful location-as-character book, centered around the titular Bludeye Beach and the layers of mysteries surrounding it, with the (human) characters placed front and center. The way it explores local folklore was especially fun to me, leaving the question "That can't be real...right?" just hanging the way it does.
But the characters are what the novel lives by. Each person is fully realized, with their own lives, struggles, quirks; and the way they play off of each other is so natural. Between them and the island, I am so, so happy there are more books to come. I want to learn this island and see how these people grow and develop as it goes on.
But the characters are what the novel lives by. Each person is fully realized, with their own lives, struggles, quirks; and the way they play off of each other is so natural. Between them and the island, I am so, so happy there are more books to come. I want to learn this island and see how these people grow and develop as it goes on.
April 15, 2026
I don't know how a book about tourists dying en masse made me feel nostalgic for a place i've never been but i'm in love with Bludeye Beach, the town, the beach bash, the woods, all of it.
Edie was an amazing main character and through her i became SO attached to the rest of the cast, especially her dad. Also viola was such a treat?? She was so much more than the typical "friend/love interest's younger sibling," she had so much character and brought so much to the story. And then Milo. MILO. i had butterflies. real wiggling giggling and kicking-my-feet butterflies. T.T <3
Edie was an amazing main character and through her i became SO attached to the rest of the cast, especially her dad. Also viola was such a treat?? She was so much more than the typical "friend/love interest's younger sibling," she had so much character and brought so much to the story. And then Milo. MILO. i had butterflies. real wiggling giggling and kicking-my-feet butterflies. T.T <3
March 25, 2026
I had the immense pleasure of beta reading Bludeye Beach in 2025. Gheist does a fantastic job of balancing creeping horror, a diverse cast of characters, both external and emotional stakes, and slow burn romance. In fact, the pacing of the romance treaded the line for me in a delicate way; if it had taken any longer, it would’ve felt too slow. All the characters are believable and realistic, even when contrasting their younger and older selves. Overall, Bludeye Beach is a fun and refreshing read that leaves you simultaneously satisfied and wanting more.
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