The Verdant Cage by Jess Lourey
Dystopian young adult thrillers are so back! I was immediately hooked when I started this one, and the ending was even more shocking! This village is already somewhat secluded, and you can sense that when you’re reading this, but you don’t know the full extent of what’s to come, making the revelation even more shocking – in the best way possible. Rose is someone who follows the rules because she knows what it’s like to lose someone you love. Because she’s someone who follows every strict rule imaginable, her peers grow to resent her and exclude her from things. As she grows up, she relies heavily on her family, especially her twin brother, and becomes a strong and resilient character. Yes, there’s a love interest, but it wasn’t the main focus of this novel (which I loved!!!) because it demonstrates how strong a character Rose is and has to be in order to uncover the lies and treachery that have been brewing in the community. The lore that goes into this community is absolutely unmatched. There are 45 houses that each contribute something specific to the community, whether it be leather goods, baked goods, healing practices, and so on. Members of a certain age eventually get assigned someone to marry, and one of the individuals goes into their spouse’s house to learn their practices, where they will also be expected to contribute to societal expectations regarding their family. And this information isn’t thrust upon the reader but gradually becomes available, making it seem much more realistic and easier to understand. The more you read, the more you’ll start to wonder what is real and who you can trust. I truly was on the edge of my seat the whole time because I had so many theories, but when the truth came out, I was so shocked!!! I never would’ve expected that!
The Verdant Cage by Jess, (List Price: $22.99, Entangled: Mayhem Books, 9781682816455, April 2026)
Reviewed by Itzy Morales, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina
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“I really enjoyed writing from Beth’s perspective. When I first read Little Women, I didn’t much like Beth. Honestly, she freaked me out. I couldn’t understand how she could accept her own untimely end with such ease. I wanted to shake her and say, “Aren’t you going to fight? Don’t you want to live?” Of course, she did. Writing Beth Is Dead helped me understand that Beth March never wanted to die, but she wasn’t given a choice, and she faced the unimaginable with bravery and strength..”
