Dead of Summer

Stephen King meets Holly Jackson by way of We Were Liars in this action-packed story of queer horror from the acclaimed author of The Honeys! Two days before... Ollie Veltman is finally coming home to the quaint island of Anchor's Mercy after a year away while his mom battled cancer. It should be a celebration -- his mom is cancer free, and she's determined to have the best summer ever -- but Ollie's (now ex) best friends think he abandoned them, and he's returning with a lot questions. Because for a place that's perfect on the outside, a secret rots inside. A secret that could explain his mom's illness, and the illness of so many other locals. Ollie's desperate search for the truth turns life or death when a storm descends upon the island. In its wake, a long-sunken horror rises . . . Three weeks after... Ollie is being held in isolation aboard a military hospital ship in the harbor. They say he's a survivor, but they only know half the story. The truth is more dangerous than Ollie ever believed, and he suspects his saviors aren't here to save anyone. Only Ollie can stop what comes next, but that means getting back to Anchor's Mercy before it vanishes below the waves, taking with it everyone he has ever loved. Praise for The Honeys "A dark and redolent tale of familial bonds, grief, and a secretive summer camp tucked away in the heart of forests vast and dizzyingly wild. The Honeys creeped me out and I loved every moment of it." -- Erin A. Craig, New York Timesbestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrow "Novel after novel, La Sala proves himself to be a powerhouse in the YA space worthy of all the flowers that come his way. With crisp prose, a hauntingly stellar cast, and a main character we can't help but root for, The Honeys is a perfect successor for fans of Midsommar and Hereditary chomping at the bit for their next great obsession. Just, watch out for the bees." -- Kosoko Jackson, author of Yesterday Is History "The queer horror hive has a new queen! In The Honeys, La Sala pulls readers into a darkly poetic, razor-sharp satire of gender binaries -- and the binary of good and evil. A grim, beautiful exploration of the human body, its horrific surprises as well as its transcendent power." -- Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers ★"La Sala gives real-life fears a supernatural twist, cleverly using folk horror and psychological-thriller elements to heighten Mars' understandable tension and infuse this idyllic location with dread.... The eerily ambivalent conclusion is pure horror gold." -- Booklist (starred review) ★ "La Sala's slow plot reveal is gripping, and the narrative's lush prose crafts both deliciously creepy horror scenes and a nuanced, self-assured protagonist consumed by grief and longing for acceptance." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) ★ "This layered, complex, and at times truly disturbing novel creates an ever-heightening level of suspense, ratcheting up to an explosive conclusion that readers will not see coming but will find imminently believable and completely unforgettable. A sparkling and powerful exploration of grief, gender roles, and escaping the strong grip of expectations..." -- School Library Journal (starred review) "La Sala delivers a sharply observed, imaginative tale of grief, destruction, and the transcendent nature of the reinvention that follows the aftermath of death.... As rich and complex as dark amber honey." -- Kirkus Reviews Praise for BeholderSchool Library Journal Best Book "Unnerving, intricate, and glittering with La Sala's trademark wit. You'll be scared of your own reflection after this one." -- Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls and Burn Our Bodies Down "Beholder takes readers through a glass darkly, and into a spellbinding, spine-tingling world no one but Ryan la Sala could have dreamed up." -- Caleb R