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Ellie Ellie
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27From National Book Award Longlist K. Ancrum comes a striking YA novel about the unexpected bond between a troubled girl and an otherworldly creature, for fans of Kacen Callender and Ari Tison.
Ellie is counting down the days until high school is over. Between her negligent guardian, abusive stepparents, and impoverished small town, every day is worse than the last. One night, Ellie’s reality explodes when she collides with an ancient shape shifter trapped in human form, who she finds stealing food at a gas station.
This beautiful angry creature reveals that he’s on the run from his captors after years of bondage. Seeing the same desperation in Ellie, he offers her the tools she needs to free herself, as well. As the two share their tales of subjugation, violence, and triumph, they begin to seize the life of peace they both deserve.
K. Ancrum's breathtaking new YA novel is magical, visceral, and memorable -- a must have for fans of deeply emotional reads like EVERY DAY and COMPOUND FRACTURE.
Ellie is counting down the days until high school is over. Between her negligent guardian, abusive stepparents, and impoverished small town, every day is worse than the last. One night, Ellie’s reality explodes when she collides with an ancient shape shifter trapped in human form, who she finds stealing food at a gas station.
This beautiful angry creature reveals that he’s on the run from his captors after years of bondage. Seeing the same desperation in Ellie, he offers her the tools she needs to free herself, as well. As the two share their tales of subjugation, violence, and triumph, they begin to seize the life of peace they both deserve.
K. Ancrum's breathtaking new YA novel is magical, visceral, and memorable -- a must have for fans of deeply emotional reads like EVERY DAY and COMPOUND FRACTURE.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 19, 2027
About the author
K. Ancrum
14 books2,240 followersK. Ancrum, is an author of award winning speculative contemporary YA notably THE WICKER KING, DARLING and most recently the critically acclaimed ICARUS. K. is a Chicago native passionate about diversity and representation in young adult fiction. She currently writes most of her work in the lush gardens of the Chicago Art Institute.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ELLIE ELLIE was such a beautiful, heart-rending book. I cried several times while reading it. This had elements of several of my favorite books-- TEETH by Hannah Moskowitz, STARGIRL by Jerry Spinelli, WHITE OLEANDER by Janet Fitch-- but it also stands as its own unique thing, with rich and nuanced discussions about slavery, abuse, freedom, love, kindness, compassion, agency, healing, hatred, survival, and what it means to be human.
Ellie is desperate to graduate. She lives with her caregiver, an exotic dancer with bad taste in men, and her current boyfriend is emotionally and physically abusive. When things get bad, she can run to a schoolmate's house, Faith, but they're not friends and she hates feeling like a burden. Then one day she meets Irya, a shape-shifter who always has the same thousand-yard stare in his eyes, no matter which form he takes. He can transform into any human being he's ever seen before, but his true form has been lost to him for years by greedy trappers who know that his pelt holds the secret to eternal life.
This book basically answers the question: "What would you do for eternal life?" but it's also a thoughtful meditation on all the subjects I mentioned earlier. I wanted to highlight so many lines in this book, and I cried a lot while reading it because it made me feel so many things. When I got approved for an ARC of Ancrum's other book, ADAM, MINE, I knew that I wanted to read everything from her backlist. But I think I liked this one even better. Ancrum truly is the perfect example of what YA books can be, shattering the misconception that they're lesser or toned-down.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
5 stars
Ellie is desperate to graduate. She lives with her caregiver, an exotic dancer with bad taste in men, and her current boyfriend is emotionally and physically abusive. When things get bad, she can run to a schoolmate's house, Faith, but they're not friends and she hates feeling like a burden. Then one day she meets Irya, a shape-shifter who always has the same thousand-yard stare in his eyes, no matter which form he takes. He can transform into any human being he's ever seen before, but his true form has been lost to him for years by greedy trappers who know that his pelt holds the secret to eternal life.
This book basically answers the question: "What would you do for eternal life?" but it's also a thoughtful meditation on all the subjects I mentioned earlier. I wanted to highlight so many lines in this book, and I cried a lot while reading it because it made me feel so many things. When I got approved for an ARC of Ancrum's other book, ADAM, MINE, I knew that I wanted to read everything from her backlist. But I think I liked this one even better. Ancrum truly is the perfect example of what YA books can be, shattering the misconception that they're lesser or toned-down.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy!
5 stars
September 18, 2026
I am emotional!
Dare I say that this is one of my new favorite K. Ancrum novels because, WOW.
Ellie Ellie is the story of resilience and taking back control of your own life. Ellie is navigating how to deal with her adoptive Mom’s boyfriend as they treat both her and Mona as less than. Then there’s Irya who ends up in Ellie’s circle. He’s a shapeshifter who’s dealt with his own fair share of horrible people.
I was immediately pulled in by the dynamic that Ellie and Irya had with each other. You could feel the initial distrust between the both of them but as time goes on we see them open up to each other. They’re both able to find solace together over their own shared traumas as they work to break free from their abuse.
Both of these characters had me feeling so much for them. They deserve their happiness and to live worry free. The bond these two characters end up having is everything to me.
I always love the fantastical elements that K. Ancrum adds to her story. The whole shapeshifter element with Irya was so intriguing in the way that he sort of doesn’t have a distinct identity. Plus, the lore that coincided with him was just so heartbreaking as we heard him tell his stories to Ellie.
AHHHH and those last couple of pages really tugged at my heartstrings. I will be thinking about this one for a long time and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read this. You will see me first in line at the bookstore to pick up my copy upon release.
Thank you so much to Henry & Holt Co. and Macmillan for providing me with this eARC.
Dare I say that this is one of my new favorite K. Ancrum novels because, WOW.
Ellie Ellie is the story of resilience and taking back control of your own life. Ellie is navigating how to deal with her adoptive Mom’s boyfriend as they treat both her and Mona as less than. Then there’s Irya who ends up in Ellie’s circle. He’s a shapeshifter who’s dealt with his own fair share of horrible people.
I was immediately pulled in by the dynamic that Ellie and Irya had with each other. You could feel the initial distrust between the both of them but as time goes on we see them open up to each other. They’re both able to find solace together over their own shared traumas as they work to break free from their abuse.
Both of these characters had me feeling so much for them. They deserve their happiness and to live worry free. The bond these two characters end up having is everything to me.
I always love the fantastical elements that K. Ancrum adds to her story. The whole shapeshifter element with Irya was so intriguing in the way that he sort of doesn’t have a distinct identity. Plus, the lore that coincided with him was just so heartbreaking as we heard him tell his stories to Ellie.
AHHHH and those last couple of pages really tugged at my heartstrings. I will be thinking about this one for a long time and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read this. You will see me first in line at the bookstore to pick up my copy upon release.
Thank you so much to Henry & Holt Co. and Macmillan for providing me with this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I just really love all of K. Ancrum's books, but especially the parables. They are so kind and real while discussing hard topics. I love Ellie and Irya, their relationship is unorthodox as is to be expected, but so beautiful too.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh my god I loved this. At this point, I know I'll read everything Ancrum writes. I still wasn't expecting to fall in love with this story like I did. I devoured this within 24 hours - I could not put it down. And those last few pages had me feeling every emotion under the sun. Everything about this was just !!!!
Trying to be more coherent: Ellie Ellie is a beautiful and tender story of love and survival. Ellie's character growth as she learns about her own agency is powerful and beautiful. And her journey is mirrored through Irya, the shapeshifter who has been tethered and enslaved to cruel humans over thousands of years. The abuse they face is not easy to digest but this story is infused with hope. I'm so glad this book will exist for teenagers who need it.
And it's really the dynamic between Ellie and Irya is really where this book shines for me. The way they gravitate towards one another and grow closer with their shared experiences felt organic, you could really feel that they belonged with each other. But there was an edge on their relationship that Ancrum gets just right. Irya felt ancient and non-human and yet (!) he and Ellie fit together so well.
I feel like I could endlessly praise this book, but I also really loved how gender, sexuality, race, and class were incorporated into this story. Irya's separation from the gender binary, the way Ellie's relationship with her hair changes over the story, Ellie buying different foods just to see what Irya liked. Also this is my favourite flavour of queer story.
Ancrum has perfected the art of wholesome-but-slightly-unhinged upper YA stories and I hope she does not stop.
(Hollis Brown enjoyers, this one is for you.)
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC! Will absolutely be pre-ordering this.
Trying to be more coherent: Ellie Ellie is a beautiful and tender story of love and survival. Ellie's character growth as she learns about her own agency is powerful and beautiful. And her journey is mirrored through Irya, the shapeshifter who has been tethered and enslaved to cruel humans over thousands of years. The abuse they face is not easy to digest but this story is infused with hope. I'm so glad this book will exist for teenagers who need it.
And it's really the dynamic between Ellie and Irya is really where this book shines for me. The way they gravitate towards one another and grow closer with their shared experiences felt organic, you could really feel that they belonged with each other. But there was an edge on their relationship that Ancrum gets just right. Irya felt ancient and non-human and yet (!) he and Ellie fit together so well.
I feel like I could endlessly praise this book, but I also really loved how gender, sexuality, race, and class were incorporated into this story. Irya's separation from the gender binary, the way Ellie's relationship with her hair changes over the story, Ellie buying different foods just to see what Irya liked. Also this is my favourite flavour of queer story.
Ancrum has perfected the art of wholesome-but-slightly-unhinged upper YA stories and I hope she does not stop.
(Hollis Brown enjoyers, this one is for you.)
Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC! Will absolutely be pre-ordering this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was not emotionally prepared for “Ellie Ellie” by K. Ancrum. I went in expecting a strange little supernatural YA story about a girl who meets a shapeshifter, and instead I got this incredibly tender, heartbreaking story about trauma, survival, identity, found family, and learning that you actually deserve to have a life you enjoy. Excuse me while I go stare at a wall for a while.
Before going into the review, I do want to note that there are content warnings at the beginning, including abusive parents/guardians and suicidal ideation, and I'd definitely recommend checking those before reading if those topics are difficult for you.
Ellie is counting down the days until she can finally leave her miserable little town. Her dad has died, her home life is awful, and the adults who are supposed to protect her are, well, not doing a great job at that. Ellie basically wants to disappear from her current life and start over somewhere else.
Then she meets Irya, an ancient shapeshifter who has been around for hundreds of years and has spent much of that time being treated horribly by humans. He doesn't really have a true name or even a true form, and after centuries of being controlled and mistreated, he's basically just trying to survive and figure out what it means to actually be free.
And somehow, these two lonely, hurting people find each other.
I absolutely loved Ellie and Irya's relationship. It's such an unusual connection, but that's exactly what makes it work. They aren't simply there to save each other; they genuinely teach each other how to live. Ellie gives Irya a safe person and a place where he can simply exist without being controlled, while Irya helps Ellie understand that surviving isn't the same thing as actually living.
Irya in particular broke my heart. He has lived for centuries and has experienced so much cruelty, yet somehow he hasn't completely lost his ability to appreciate little things. He can still find beauty and joy in the world, which makes his relationship with Ellie even more meaningful. He doesn't just tell her how to escape her situation; he teaches her that she deserves something better on the other side of it.
And honestly, that's what I think I loved most about this book. It's not really about the shapeshifter. It's about Ellie learning that she has a choice.
Irya shares stories about his own past and the people who controlled him, including how he survived and eventually escaped them. Those stories become lessons for Ellie as she realizes that she doesn't have to simply accept the way she's being treated. She can fight for herself. She can set boundaries. She can want more from life.
The book also does a really good job with complicated relationships. Ellie isn't surrounded by cartoonishly evil people and perfectly supportive friends. Her relationships with family and friends are messy and complicated, which makes everything feel much more realistic. Even her relationship with her guardian has layers to it, and the book doesn't pretend that difficult family relationships are always easy to categorize.
Be prepared for how this book gets emotional. There are some incredibly painful moments involving both Ellie and Irya, and I definitely wanted to give these two a giant hug. But despite all the darkness, this isn't a hopeless book. If anything, love and hope are the point. These two broken people slowly become a safe place for each other, and watching them build trust and find happiness together was genuinely beautiful.
I also really liked the way the book explores identity and autonomy. Irya has spent centuries being defined by what other people wanted him to be, while Ellie is trapped in a situation where the adults around her don't really see or respect who she is. Their journeys are different, but they're ultimately fighting for the same thing: the right to decide who they are and what their lives will look like.
Without saying any spoilers, I will say that the ending is absolutely beautiful. Many tears were shed.
Overall, “Ellie Ellie” was beautiful, weird, heartbreaking, magical, and surprisingly wholesome. This is an absolutely gorgeous story about finding your person, reclaiming your identity, and realizing that surviving is only the first step; you deserve to actually live, too.
I was not emotionally prepared for “Ellie Ellie” by K. Ancrum. I went in expecting a strange little supernatural YA story about a girl who meets a shapeshifter, and instead I got this incredibly tender, heartbreaking story about trauma, survival, identity, found family, and learning that you actually deserve to have a life you enjoy. Excuse me while I go stare at a wall for a while.
Before going into the review, I do want to note that there are content warnings at the beginning, including abusive parents/guardians and suicidal ideation, and I'd definitely recommend checking those before reading if those topics are difficult for you.
Ellie is counting down the days until she can finally leave her miserable little town. Her dad has died, her home life is awful, and the adults who are supposed to protect her are, well, not doing a great job at that. Ellie basically wants to disappear from her current life and start over somewhere else.
Then she meets Irya, an ancient shapeshifter who has been around for hundreds of years and has spent much of that time being treated horribly by humans. He doesn't really have a true name or even a true form, and after centuries of being controlled and mistreated, he's basically just trying to survive and figure out what it means to actually be free.
And somehow, these two lonely, hurting people find each other.
I absolutely loved Ellie and Irya's relationship. It's such an unusual connection, but that's exactly what makes it work. They aren't simply there to save each other; they genuinely teach each other how to live. Ellie gives Irya a safe person and a place where he can simply exist without being controlled, while Irya helps Ellie understand that surviving isn't the same thing as actually living.
Irya in particular broke my heart. He has lived for centuries and has experienced so much cruelty, yet somehow he hasn't completely lost his ability to appreciate little things. He can still find beauty and joy in the world, which makes his relationship with Ellie even more meaningful. He doesn't just tell her how to escape her situation; he teaches her that she deserves something better on the other side of it.
And honestly, that's what I think I loved most about this book. It's not really about the shapeshifter. It's about Ellie learning that she has a choice.
Irya shares stories about his own past and the people who controlled him, including how he survived and eventually escaped them. Those stories become lessons for Ellie as she realizes that she doesn't have to simply accept the way she's being treated. She can fight for herself. She can set boundaries. She can want more from life.
The book also does a really good job with complicated relationships. Ellie isn't surrounded by cartoonishly evil people and perfectly supportive friends. Her relationships with family and friends are messy and complicated, which makes everything feel much more realistic. Even her relationship with her guardian has layers to it, and the book doesn't pretend that difficult family relationships are always easy to categorize.
Be prepared for how this book gets emotional. There are some incredibly painful moments involving both Ellie and Irya, and I definitely wanted to give these two a giant hug. But despite all the darkness, this isn't a hopeless book. If anything, love and hope are the point. These two broken people slowly become a safe place for each other, and watching them build trust and find happiness together was genuinely beautiful.
I also really liked the way the book explores identity and autonomy. Irya has spent centuries being defined by what other people wanted him to be, while Ellie is trapped in a situation where the adults around her don't really see or respect who she is. Their journeys are different, but they're ultimately fighting for the same thing: the right to decide who they are and what their lives will look like.
Without saying any spoilers, I will say that the ending is absolutely beautiful. Many tears were shed.
Overall, “Ellie Ellie” was beautiful, weird, heartbreaking, magical, and surprisingly wholesome. This is an absolutely gorgeous story about finding your person, reclaiming your identity, and realizing that surviving is only the first step; you deserve to actually live, too.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5/5 stars
Have you ever encountered a story so understatedly touching that your heart feels like it's being squeezed? This book is it. It was so fantastically realistic while having magical elements. I adore how the story might seem like it was directionless at first, until we get to know more about Ellie's home life and her proximity to Irya, and him telling her about his life and him observing about hers and teaching Ellie some very important life lessons. It's about perseverance, teenage hubris, the way lonely and abused teens tend to isolate themselves and think the worst of others, and brush off things that aren't life or death matters as trivial and unimportant. It's about finding love in unexpected places, loving someone for their soul, and learning different kinds of strength and standing up for oneself.
As for the relationship aspect between Irya and Ellie, it is very unorthodox (as per K. Ancrum's specialty), but it shows us that desire can be so simple yet so complex. It's how Irya made the effort to understand and share his life with Ellie so Ellie can escape her own hellish trap. It's about Ellie learning how to coexist with other people and be more open with her feelings and trusting. They heal each other and have their journeys to be in a better place with each other, and that is beautiful beyond words.
I also just love how we were shown Ellie's complicated dynamic with other characters and giving us different complicated relationships of hers with family and friends too. It's very realistic to her situation, and how flawed yet relatable it is, and how she grew to handle them.
All my thanks to K. Ancrum for trusting me enough to give an advanced copy of the book, and I hope people will love this book as much as I do when it comes out
Have you ever encountered a story so understatedly touching that your heart feels like it's being squeezed? This book is it. It was so fantastically realistic while having magical elements. I adore how the story might seem like it was directionless at first, until we get to know more about Ellie's home life and her proximity to Irya, and him telling her about his life and him observing about hers and teaching Ellie some very important life lessons. It's about perseverance, teenage hubris, the way lonely and abused teens tend to isolate themselves and think the worst of others, and brush off things that aren't life or death matters as trivial and unimportant. It's about finding love in unexpected places, loving someone for their soul, and learning different kinds of strength and standing up for oneself.
As for the relationship aspect between Irya and Ellie, it is very unorthodox (as per K. Ancrum's specialty), but it shows us that desire can be so simple yet so complex. It's how Irya made the effort to understand and share his life with Ellie so Ellie can escape her own hellish trap. It's about Ellie learning how to coexist with other people and be more open with her feelings and trusting. They heal each other and have their journeys to be in a better place with each other, and that is beautiful beyond words.
I also just love how we were shown Ellie's complicated dynamic with other characters and giving us different complicated relationships of hers with family and friends too. It's very realistic to her situation, and how flawed yet relatable it is, and how she grew to handle them.
All my thanks to K. Ancrum for trusting me enough to give an advanced copy of the book, and I hope people will love this book as much as I do when it comes out
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh Kayla, you’ve outdone yourself once again. I felt this story deep in my chest, nestled between my ribs and settling against my heart. Ellie Ellie is raw and real and so powerful. It’s such a classic K. Ancrum story. Reading this felt like coming home after a long time away, nerve wracking and comforting all the same.
What Ancrum does so well here is her portrayal of abuse that doesn’t feel like the abuse we’ve all been trained to spot. We see recognizable abuse in the way Logan and Irya’s captors are portrayed. We know how those stories go: hard fists, long sleeves, prying eyes. But Kayla also gives us Mona. She gives us Ellie learning the complicated routine that is parenting your own parent. So many of us know how that story goes too. We’ve learned these lines and these steps, we’ve done this dance before. Seeing it done so well is a punch in the gut.
Ancrum, in this novel and every other novel of hers, has such a great way of writing community. She gives us outcasts we can see ourselves in and then she gives them a community most of us would die for. She tells us that people like us are more sought after than we realize. Ellie, Icarus, Hollis. They have people desperate to have their attention. Is it so out there to assume that it could be the same for us? And isn’t that exactly what we want the people reading these books to realize?
Kayla never ceases to amaze me. This one is so very special. Ellie Ellie comes out January 2027. Thank you so much to Henry, Holt, & Co for early access to this one. Make sure you guys check this one out next year!
What Ancrum does so well here is her portrayal of abuse that doesn’t feel like the abuse we’ve all been trained to spot. We see recognizable abuse in the way Logan and Irya’s captors are portrayed. We know how those stories go: hard fists, long sleeves, prying eyes. But Kayla also gives us Mona. She gives us Ellie learning the complicated routine that is parenting your own parent. So many of us know how that story goes too. We’ve learned these lines and these steps, we’ve done this dance before. Seeing it done so well is a punch in the gut.
Ancrum, in this novel and every other novel of hers, has such a great way of writing community. She gives us outcasts we can see ourselves in and then she gives them a community most of us would die for. She tells us that people like us are more sought after than we realize. Ellie, Icarus, Hollis. They have people desperate to have their attention. Is it so out there to assume that it could be the same for us? And isn’t that exactly what we want the people reading these books to realize?
Kayla never ceases to amaze me. This one is so very special. Ellie Ellie comes out January 2027. Thank you so much to Henry, Holt, & Co for early access to this one. Make sure you guys check this one out next year!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the pleasure of reading an early copy of this book and it was such a delight! A fascinating take on classic supernatural trope with an MC who you can’t help but adore, engaging side characters, and a some very emotional moments. Everyone who picks this up is in for a real treat!
Review of advance copy received from Author
one of my favorites of ancrum's parables, ellie ellie is a gorgeous, vicious story of identity, community, autonomy, and being seen for who you truly are, rather what the world believes you are.
full review closer to publication.
full review closer to publication.
Review of advance copy received from Author
unhinged. but also the softest. ahh, the mortifying ordeal of being known and the rewards of being loved!
Review of advance copy received from Author
this is my all-time favorite K. Ancrum book, and that says a LOT since i absolutely adore every single one of her original works.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
[gibberish noises]
Want to Read
June 20, 2026obsessed with this stunning cover, wow
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