Summer Thrills: 3 Dark, Twisty YA Reads You Can’t Miss This Season
- Kim Bartosch
- Jun 19
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Summer isn’t just for beach reads—it’s also the perfect time to dive into darker waters. Whether you’re craving revenge in 19th-century Paris, a horror-thriller that’ll haunt your next hike, or a clever mystery with a touch of tarot, this season’s YA offerings do not disappoint. Toppling Stacks Tours sponsors this Book Tour, Summer Thrilling Reads.
I kicked off my summer thrills with The Protégée by Erica Ridley—a gripping tale of fashion, fury, and fatal ambition (check out my full review here). Next on my list are two more must-reads to add to your TBR list.
🧟♀️ Kill Creatures by Rory Power
Genre: YA Horror | Pub Date: June 3, 2025 Representation: LGBTQIA+, Sapphic, Lesbian (mc), Bisexual, Pansexual
Book Buy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Nan’s three best friends vanished into Saltcedar Canyon last summer. On the anniversary of their disappearance, one returns—alive. But Nan knows the truth: she’s the one who killed them. From the queen of eerie atmosphere and slow-burn dread, Rory Power delivers a dark tale of grief, memory manipulation, and murder.
Why it’s a must-read:
A chilling, twist-filled story told by an unreliable narrator.
Rich with emotional tension and horror elements that hit deep.
LGBTQIA+ representation and complicated friendships make it emotionally resonant.
Critics call it a “YA thriller master class”—it’s already being hailed as one of the best YA horror books of the year.
If you liked Wilder Girls, this will be your new obsession.
🃏 Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala
Genre: YA Mystery | Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Representation: Filipino/Latinx/APIDA, Queer themes
Book Buy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Danika Dizon does tarot readings for classmates between classes, a side hustle powered by her P.I. mom and mystery-author dad. But when a client goes missing after being dealt the Death card, Danika dives headfirst into her first real case. What she uncovers is darker than she expected.
Why it’s a must-read:
Combines teen sleuthing with supernatural flair.
Features a strong, funny, and culturally grounded protagonist.
Balances mystery, sisterhood, and identity with a smart, engaging plot.
For fans of Veronica Mars, Enola Holmes, and Gen Z girl detectives everywhere.
This one’s ideal for mystery lovers who like a little mysticism in their suspense.
🧵 The Protégée by Erica Ridley
Genre: YA Historical Horror | Pub Date: June 10, 2025
Book Buy Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Set in 19th-century Paris, The Protégée follows Angélique, a working-class girl who claws her way up from tragedy and poverty to vie for a coveted position in a world of couture and cruelty. But behind her dream of fashion success is a simmering thirst for vengeance—and nothing, not even arsenic, is off the table.
Why it’s a must-read:
You called it “a deadly and deliciously sharp historical thriller”—and it lives up to that praise.
The setting is richly atmospheric, giving readers a gritty glimpse into the labor behind the glamour.
Angélique’s journey is equal parts revenge and ambition, making her a morally complex, unforgettable heroine.
Erica Ridley doesn’t shy away from dark themes like child labor, poverty, and power imbalance, wrapping them in a suspenseful narrative filled with twists.
Your review perfectly captured the essence of this story: a slow-burn suspense with a heroine who won’t just survive—she’ll conquer.
Read my full review here.
🌙 Final Thoughts
Whether you’re into revenge in velvet corsets, sapphic horror under a blood moon, or teen sleuths decoding the unknown, this summer’s YA thriller lineup has something deliciously dark for every reader. I’m currently making my way through Kill Creatures and eagerly awaiting Death in the Cards. Stay tuned for full reviews coming soon!
📚 Which of these thrillers is on your TBR? Let’s chat in the comments!
Meet the authors:
Rory Power lives in Rhode Island. She has an MA in prose fiction from the University of East Anglia, and is the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls, Burn Our Bodies Down, Kill Creatures, and The Windup Garden duology.
P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She is the author of the multi-award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and the forthcoming YA novel DEATH IN THE CARDS (May 13, 2025). She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture.
Find her on Facebook and Instagram: @MPMtheWriter
Check out her website: www.miapmanansala.com
Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of of witty, feel-good historical romance novels, including THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?
In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
Two other popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England.
When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found eating couscous in Morocco, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.
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