Cavalier House Books

Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown

LGBTQ+, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Psychological, Romance, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult Fiction

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This title was a page turner for sure! I found myself rooting for “Nate,” despite the obvious moral reasons that I shouldn’t, and was terribly attached by the end of the book. With such an unexpectedly bittersweet ending, I highly recommend this title for any YA horror lovers!

Better the Devil by Erik J. Brown, (List Price: $19.99, Storytide, 9780063338326, January 2026)

Reviewed by Eden, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Final Cut by Olivia Worley

Horror, Psychological, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult Fiction

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I LOVE Louisiana-set stories when the author knows things about Louisiana, and I especially love them when the author is from Louisiana. This YA thriller is wonderfully done from setting to plot. Oliva does a wonderful job at the misdirection, and I truly had no clue who the murderer was until it was revealed. This is a top-tier YA thriller that anyone should pick up!

Final Cut by Olivia Worley, (List Price: $21, Wednesday Books, 9781250392985, October 2025)

Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Gilded in Vengeance by Lyssa Mia Smith

Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult Fiction

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Gilded in Vengeance has such a lovable cast of characters that I couldn’t help but get attached. Jack’s unwavering loyalty paired with Emmy’s guarded heart made for a very interesting dynamic. The plotline was done wonderfully, enforcing the idea that sometimes growing for yourself and those you care about is the most powerful form of revenge — While still exacting revenge on those deserving. Have you ever read a book with such a perfectly done plot twist that you’re angry you didn’t notice it sooner? No? Well, read this book and join the club!

Gilded in Vengeance by Lyssa Mia Smith, (List Price: $19.99, Storytide, 9780063239623, November 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Ghost Circus by Adrienne Kress, Jade Zhang (Illus.)

Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror, Juvenile Fiction, Paranormal

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Ghost Circus has beautiful illustrations! I loved the characters in the Circus and I hope we see more of the creepy girl and find out more about her and her memories! I am also super excited her friend Casey gets to come back and see her more and they can uncover more of the mystery of the creepy girl!

Ghost Circus by Adrienne Kress, Jade Zhang (Illus.), (List Price: $24.99, Union Square Kids, 9781454948285, August 2025)

Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance

Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Thrillers & Suspense, Wizards & Witches, Young Adult Fiction

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Witchcraft, ghosts, cults, and romance! I was stressed out at every turn, worried about this teen friend group’s safety and sanity.

A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance, (List Price: $19.99, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 9780593856338, August 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert

Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance

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Jennifer K. Lambert’s world is beautiful! The imagery, world-building, and character development are wonderful. I loved this world! It has everything: magic, madness, love, war, and enemies to lovers—AHH! Oneira is so relatable in her desire to be alone, yet people keep showing up! She and Stearanos are on opposite sides of a war. When the great sorcerer Oneria decides to retire, she also chooses to steal a book from her old enemy, Stearanos, whom she has never met. This act sets off a chain of events where Stearanos and her begin to mess with each other. The little taunts, the great chemistry, and the fact that he fell first and harder make this a fantastic romance!

Never the Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert, (List Price: $32.99, Bramble, 9781250360342, July 2025)

Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase

Comics & Graphic Novels, Manga, Young Adult Fiction

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This story was delightful from start to finish. It isn’t very often that I’ve seen trans representation from the very beginning, non-passing stages. I was immediately enamored with the casualty of exploration and the support between friends. 10/10 recommendation!

I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase, (List Price: $12.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593902929, July 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales

LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult Fiction

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Forbidden romance? Multi-class relationship? AND it’s Sapphic?! I knew from the get-go that I would LOVE this book. While I obviously found the relationship between Danni and Rose endearing, Nobody in Particular also offered an unexpectedly heartwarming exploration of grief and the pressures of expectation.

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales, (List Price: $21, Wednesday Books, 9781250352491, June 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman

Fantasy, Ghost Stories, Historical, Medieval, Young Adult Fiction

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This might be a hot take, but I love when queer representation is handled so casually. As a queer person myself, I enjoy seeing the signs and knowing that their identity is a simple fact of their character. This title was truly one unfortunate event after another, mixed in with extensive character lore and world-building. Dragons, a plague, a spy. And, of course, the ghosts.

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman, (List Price: $20.99, Random House Books for Young Readers, 9780593813720, June 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

Bestsellers, Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction

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I can’t believe how incredible this story is, and that is saying something because I had EXTREMELY high expectations. This is, dare I say, one of the best vampire novels of all time. It’s Carmilla, it’s Pride and Prejudice, it’s Jennifer’s body, it’s that scene from Twilight where Rosalie gets her revenge, it’s everything good that has ever been written, but with Schwabs incomparable magic touch. With phenomenal storylines and a host of characters that are so gorgeously romantic, viciously selfish, and utterly lonely, this was just a masterpiece to put my eyes to.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab, (List Price: $29.99, Tor Books, 9781250320520, June 2025)

Reviewed by Shelby Barnett, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Adult Fiction, Family Life, Fiction

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THIS is what reading is all about! Literary genius. Striking, evocative, and intense. It’s like it knocked the wind out of me for the 24 hours it took me to read it. For fans of The Notebook, The Unmaking of June Farrow, and Kristin Hannah. This book didn’t just break my heart, it shattered it. A piece for Beth’s lost son, another for her grieving husband, and one more for the life she might have had with Gabriel. It’s rare to find a book that captures the full depth of human emotion the way this one does.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, (List Price: $28.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781668078181, March 2025)

Reviewed by Shelby Barnett, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Old Soul by Susan Barker

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Horror

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I am not the most familiar with the conventions of horror novels, so they always seem to startle and surprise me when I make my way to one! Old Soul is everything you could desire from the genre: spooky and thrilling, gory and macabre, the mystery at its core kept me reading into the night even as I burrowed under the covers (for protection, ya know). I need you to read this one so we can talk about it!

Old Soul by Susan Barker, (List Price: $29, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593718292, January 2025)

Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach

Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction

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I love a good cooking duel and this was great! The artwork was adorable and I loved the found family aspect of this!

Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach, (List Price: $24.99, little bee books, 9781499815030, October 2024)

Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf

Supernatural, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult Fiction

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Both horror and mystery, this book gave me chills and made me question how we define “monster.” It combines supernatural and real-life horror to tell a story about trauma, protection, and the bonds of girls. I was constantly trying to piece together how all the screamers were connected if the past had any impact on the current, and if the terrors inside St. Bernadette’s were real. Hanna Alkaf’s use of multi-perspective drove the story in a way that I really enjoyed. The girls felt real and I related strongly to Rachel and her constant drive to be a perfect daughter. I also loved that the book was set in Malaysia. It’s not an area I’m familiar with, so I enjoyed researching some of the phrases and other cultural references. For anyone who has an interest in mass hysteria events, old buildings full of secrets, or the ways in which trauma impacts protection, The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s is the perfect fit.

The Hysterical Girls of St. Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf, (List Price: $19.99, Salaam Reads, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534494589, September 2024)

Reviewed by Ashley White, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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That Librarian by Amanda Jones

Activism & Social Justice, Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Education, Inclusive Education, Memoirs, Social Activists

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Reviewing That Librarian is a tad unfair because I have worked with Amanda Jones for years, but that being said, I genuinely did not know how bad things had been for her, and this memoir is an urgent call for decorum as much as it is one against censorship. But first, let’s backtrack. This is a memoir and a call to action. Jones is a librarian in the Deep South whose argument at a public library meeting in favor of following standard library procedure in reporting possible content issues within the library was used as a cudgel to attack librarians and educators who wanted to maintain library norms. They were threatened and abused in both public and private. Jones and other librarians within my parish had their characters relentlessly attacked online by groups ostensibly acting to protect childhood innocence. That Librarian not only chronicles these online shenanigans but Jones’ career and journey to award-winning librarianship, as well as the toll these character assassinations took on her personally and professionally. Jones moves through her own political education as well as religious conviction as she engages the legal system in an ongoing defamation case against the folks who repeatedly insist she is actively working to groom children sexually despite all evidence to the contrary. Amanda Jones’ story is one filled with humor and heart (and a healthy dose of snark) that will enlighten and infuriate you, but don’t worry, she ends her story with two messages: ways in which you can work to fight censorship in your own community and the mantra “don’t let anyone dull your sparkle.“ That Librarian is a powerful, truth-telling memoir that is strongly of the moment, and it absolutely deserves your time and attention.

That Librarian by Amanda Jones, (List Price: $29.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639733538, August 2024)

Reviewed by Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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