Gothic readers rejoice; What Wakes the Bells is exactly what you are looking for! This young adult fantasy boasts a vivid fantasy world filled with ominous bells, luminous Saints, and a sinister city that lives and breaths alongside its citizens. The story follows Mina Strauss, a Bell Keeper, as she learns the secrets and complexities to her family’s bell-keeping legacy. Within Mina’s journey, the story deals with toxic family relationships, the effects of grief, issues of autonomy and consent, and the pressure to protect those you love. From the acme of Lyndell Hall’s bell tower to the shadowy halls of the catacombs, this Czechian myth-inspired tale will captivate you!
What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch, (List Price: $19.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250322807, March 2025)
Reviewed by Catherine Pabalate, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina