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Bad Graces
Yellowjackets meets House of Hollow in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s gripping and magical YA thriller following a group of young women as they face the stress of harsh elements, a mysterious monster, and an unraveling of secrets after their yacht is wrecked off the coast of North America.
Liv Whitlock knows she doesn’t belong there. But after years of stumbling between foster homes, often due to her own self-destructive tendencies, Liv desperately needs to change the trajectory of her life … so she steals her perfect sister’s identity.
Liv starts to rewrite her story, winning a prestigious internship on a movie set filming in Alaska, and finds herself on a luxury yacht alongside pop star Paris Grace, actress sisters Effie and Miri Knight, Olympic gymnast Rosalind Torres, and social media influencer Celia Jones. Liv tries to find common ground with her famous companions, but just as the group starts to bond, a violent storm wrecks their vessel, stranding them on an island in the North Pacific Ocean.
Among the threats of starvation and exposure, they learn there is a predator lurking in the forest, unlike anything they’ve seen before—until they begin to see it in themselves. Every injury they suffer on the island causes inexplicable changes in their bodies. With little hope for rescue and only each other as their final tether to humanity, can the girls endure the ominous forces at work on the island? Or will they lose themselves to their darker natures?
Liv Whitlock knows she doesn’t belong there. But after years of stumbling between foster homes, often due to her own self-destructive tendencies, Liv desperately needs to change the trajectory of her life … so she steals her perfect sister’s identity.
Liv starts to rewrite her story, winning a prestigious internship on a movie set filming in Alaska, and finds herself on a luxury yacht alongside pop star Paris Grace, actress sisters Effie and Miri Knight, Olympic gymnast Rosalind Torres, and social media influencer Celia Jones. Liv tries to find common ground with her famous companions, but just as the group starts to bond, a violent storm wrecks their vessel, stranding them on an island in the North Pacific Ocean.
Among the threats of starvation and exposure, they learn there is a predator lurking in the forest, unlike anything they’ve seen before—until they begin to see it in themselves. Every injury they suffer on the island causes inexplicable changes in their bodies. With little hope for rescue and only each other as their final tether to humanity, can the girls endure the ominous forces at work on the island? Or will they lose themselves to their darker natures?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2024
About the author
Kyrie McCauley
5 books279 followersKyrie McCauley spent her childhood climbing trees in dresses and reading books during class. She is the author of If These Wings Could Fly, recipient of the 2021 William C. Morris Award.
Kyrie holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and has worked in advocacy and development for non-profit organizations. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry.
Kyrie holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and has worked in advocacy and development for non-profit organizations. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 26, 2024
Award-winning YA author Kyrie McCauley combines coming-of-age narrative with a queer love story. Her gripping, sensitively told piece brings in elements of mythic fantasy and gothic horror to explore the ways in which teenage girls might unite to support each other in getting past earlier traumatic experiences. McCauley builds on aspects of her own life here, as well as the advocacy work that grew out of her interest in gendered violence. On the surface the plot’s fairly familiar, six teenage girls are shipwrecked on a remote Pacific Island, cut off from the outside world and forced to fend for themselves. But they’re not alone, something or someone is watching them. Something not quite human.
McCauley cleverly incorporates references to similar narratives from Yellowjackets, to Lost, and The Lord of the Flies but her perspective’s far more optimistic, often unusually nuanced. Her central character Liv has endured a succession of disastrous foster placements; eventually reaching the Millers who quickly bond with her quiet, studious twin Everley. But rebellious, obviously damaged Liv remains an outsider. Her only outlet’s poetry and writing. When she wins an internship to go to Alaska to work on a film version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Liv sees an opportunity to run away and reinvent herself. Five other girls are also part of the film’s cast and crew: pop star Paris and her girlfriend Celia an online influencer; Rosa a former Olympic gymnast; and sisters Effie and Miri up-and-coming screen stars. But partway through their journey to Alaska unforeseen events leave them washed ashore miles from civilisation.
All of the girls have been stuck in some kind of survival mode, routinely preyed on by older men and other abusive adults. But the island, an abandoned military base, with its strange sounds and sudden mystical transformations unexpectedly offers a chance to bond, to heal and move forward. McCauley’s narrative's ultimately a fluid, lyrical exploration of “found family,” fantastical yet grounded in reality - her approach and style sometimes reminded me of Mona Awad’s. Although a few of the characters are slightly under-developed, Liv's a highly convincing figure, hard not to root for. A thoughtful page-turner that reaches a satisfying conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Magpie Books for an ARC
McCauley cleverly incorporates references to similar narratives from Yellowjackets, to Lost, and The Lord of the Flies but her perspective’s far more optimistic, often unusually nuanced. Her central character Liv has endured a succession of disastrous foster placements; eventually reaching the Millers who quickly bond with her quiet, studious twin Everley. But rebellious, obviously damaged Liv remains an outsider. Her only outlet’s poetry and writing. When she wins an internship to go to Alaska to work on a film version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Liv sees an opportunity to run away and reinvent herself. Five other girls are also part of the film’s cast and crew: pop star Paris and her girlfriend Celia an online influencer; Rosa a former Olympic gymnast; and sisters Effie and Miri up-and-coming screen stars. But partway through their journey to Alaska unforeseen events leave them washed ashore miles from civilisation.
All of the girls have been stuck in some kind of survival mode, routinely preyed on by older men and other abusive adults. But the island, an abandoned military base, with its strange sounds and sudden mystical transformations unexpectedly offers a chance to bond, to heal and move forward. McCauley’s narrative's ultimately a fluid, lyrical exploration of “found family,” fantastical yet grounded in reality - her approach and style sometimes reminded me of Mona Awad’s. Although a few of the characters are slightly under-developed, Liv's a highly convincing figure, hard not to root for. A thoughtful page-turner that reaches a satisfying conclusion.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Magpie Books for an ARC
May 28, 2024
"Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises." - The Tempest, Act III, Scene II
What a fascinating nod to Shakespeare's "The Tempest". I actually didn't expect it in a YA Fantasy. And it was a pleasant surprise. Well done.
"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here." - The Tempest, Act I, Scene II
Liv Whitlock doesn't exactly fit the mold in her family. She's a quirky writer and is skeptical about everyone. She's also been in and out of foster homes due to her own self-destructive behavior. In an attempt to make a change for the better, she steals her sister's identity to enter a writing contest for an internship on a movie set for a modern adaptation of "The Tempest". She doesn't have the grades or reputation to represent herself. After winning, she travels to Alaska and finds herself on a luxury yacht with an Olympic gymnast named Rosalind, a pop star named Paris Grace, a social media influencer named Celia Jones, and actress sisters Effie and Miri Knight. Reluctantly, Liv begins to form a bond with them all and then a storm hits, wrecking their boat. Now, they are stranded on a mysterious island in the North Pacific Ocean. Besides the threat of starvation and exposure, they quickly learn of a strange predator lurking in the forest. As the young women fight for survival, they attain curious injuries which cause unique changes to their bodies. These ominous forces at work challenge the women to fight for their concept of reality and freedom.
I had NO idea this would be such a nod to "The Tempest" when I requested this book as an ARC. And once the concept of shipwrecking on a deserted island was introduced, I actually thought the storyline would segue into a modern retelling of "The Tempest". Though it did not, there were definite similarities. It was quite a magical experience to encounter the unfolding of each piece to this mystery. I really loved the ominous "Ariel"-like creature living on the island. Her character was beautifully written.
A special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Kyrie McCauley for this magical eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a fascinating nod to Shakespeare's "The Tempest". I actually didn't expect it in a YA Fantasy. And it was a pleasant surprise. Well done.
"Hell is empty, and all the devils are here." - The Tempest, Act I, Scene II
Liv Whitlock doesn't exactly fit the mold in her family. She's a quirky writer and is skeptical about everyone. She's also been in and out of foster homes due to her own self-destructive behavior. In an attempt to make a change for the better, she steals her sister's identity to enter a writing contest for an internship on a movie set for a modern adaptation of "The Tempest". She doesn't have the grades or reputation to represent herself. After winning, she travels to Alaska and finds herself on a luxury yacht with an Olympic gymnast named Rosalind, a pop star named Paris Grace, a social media influencer named Celia Jones, and actress sisters Effie and Miri Knight. Reluctantly, Liv begins to form a bond with them all and then a storm hits, wrecking their boat. Now, they are stranded on a mysterious island in the North Pacific Ocean. Besides the threat of starvation and exposure, they quickly learn of a strange predator lurking in the forest. As the young women fight for survival, they attain curious injuries which cause unique changes to their bodies. These ominous forces at work challenge the women to fight for their concept of reality and freedom.
I had NO idea this would be such a nod to "The Tempest" when I requested this book as an ARC. And once the concept of shipwrecking on a deserted island was introduced, I actually thought the storyline would segue into a modern retelling of "The Tempest". Though it did not, there were definite similarities. It was quite a magical experience to encounter the unfolding of each piece to this mystery. I really loved the ominous "Ariel"-like creature living on the island. Her character was beautifully written.
A special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Kyrie McCauley for this magical eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2024
Oh, how I devoured this book! I was hooked from the start, and it ended up taking a very different road than I expected but in the best possible way. And there is so little I can say about it without giving stuff away so... I will tread carefully and keep it brief.
It's comped as Yellowjackets meets House of Hollow, and while I don't know what the latter is, there is definitely the YJ vibe I was hoping for but another very big vibe I got was The Wilds, which um, yes please! Let's just say that the atmosphere and overall feel was a complete win, yeah? The whole book is full of mysteries and excitement and trying to survive. Main character Liv is even a mystery in her own right, as she is not who the others think she is. She is, however, a character you will definitely root for- all the girls really are, which I found refreshing. Even though some are famous and they obviously have flaws, they weren't the stereotypical "rich kids". The author did a great job of fleshing them all out and giving them their own stories.
There is a big survival element too, which I am always a fan of. The stakes are immeasurably high, and while I didn't fully understand the "why" behind some of the potentially more paranormal parts, I still loved the story so much that it didn't matter. There were twists upon twists, secrets and mysteries to unfurl, and I could not put the book down.
Bottom Line: Bad Graces feels like such a fresh take on YA Horror, and I absolutely loved every second.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
It's comped as Yellowjackets meets House of Hollow, and while I don't know what the latter is, there is definitely the YJ vibe I was hoping for but another very big vibe I got was The Wilds, which um, yes please! Let's just say that the atmosphere and overall feel was a complete win, yeah? The whole book is full of mysteries and excitement and trying to survive. Main character Liv is even a mystery in her own right, as she is not who the others think she is. She is, however, a character you will definitely root for- all the girls really are, which I found refreshing. Even though some are famous and they obviously have flaws, they weren't the stereotypical "rich kids". The author did a great job of fleshing them all out and giving them their own stories.
There is a big survival element too, which I am always a fan of. The stakes are immeasurably high, and while I didn't fully understand the "why" behind some of the potentially more paranormal parts, I still loved the story so much that it didn't matter. There were twists upon twists, secrets and mysteries to unfurl, and I could not put the book down.
Bottom Line: Bad Graces feels like such a fresh take on YA Horror, and I absolutely loved every second.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
July 10, 2024
House of Hollow fans this is one for us! I loved this book - I'd give it 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5) as it just fell short of 5 stars as I wanted a bit more out of the ending
This is a sapphic horror story following six teenage girls stranded on an island. But they aren't the only ones there and the longer they stay the more the island starts to change them...
This is a sapphic horror story following six teenage girls stranded on an island. But they aren't the only ones there and the longer they stay the more the island starts to change them...
Read
January 25, 2024digital arc from netgalley
this was so stupid godbless. three mentions of a character throwing their hair up in a messy bun within the first 15%. baby's first porcelain ivory steel etc
this was so stupid godbless. three mentions of a character throwing their hair up in a messy bun within the first 15%. baby's first porcelain ivory steel etc
June 5, 2024
4.2
*Review to come*
IT'S KYRIE MCCAULEY AND SHAKESPEARE AND MONSTER SURIVIVAL AND A COMP FOR HOUSE OF HOLLOW AHHHHH
*Review to come*
IT'S KYRIE MCCAULEY AND SHAKESPEARE AND MONSTER SURIVIVAL AND A COMP FOR HOUSE OF HOLLOW AHHHHH
May 16, 2024
As with most of the books I read, I go in blind, only knowing the genre of book. So when I first started reading this story, it felt a little too young for me and like it was going to be about a group of annoying, obnoxious, rich, famous girls. I realised it has more to it than that. The more I read, the more I really felt for the group of girls. Their characters progressed and transformed throughout the story into truly likeable people. The whole book, you see it through the main female characters' eyes and experiences, Liv. She is a strong person who has had a tough life. I don't want to go into too much detail as I feel it would take something away from the story.
However, the bulk of this book for me was how the group of females sll with big personalities bonded through trauma, building a solidity and solace amongst themselves in order to survive.
Throughout reading Bad Graces, there is a good balance between character development, plot, and love story. I like that the latter wasn't the main focus of this book. It builds the suspense where needed and gives a sense of foreboding throughout. Kyrie McCauley describes the forest beautifully. The magical and mystical element really came alive inside my mind, I could sense what the girls were feeling around them.
With the flow of this book, you could quite easily read this in one sitting. It has short chapters, which helps. It held my attention and was quite captivating in parts.
This would be a perfect story for any teens wanting to venture into a book with a bit more of an adult feel. It does tackle some heavy themes and has some gory parts in it, too.
All in all, I did really enjoy reading this book.it makes for an eerie, fascinating, and mysterious read. The only thing that niggled me was I felt the ending a little rushed and I wanted it to delve into the magical side a little more. A good solid read.
Synopsis
A group of young girls get stranded on a deserted island and try to find a way to survive. When all is not what it seems, and unusual, mysterious occurrences happen, they find themselves entwined with the island.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Collins UK and Harper Fiction for this eARC
My opinions are my own
However, the bulk of this book for me was how the group of females sll with big personalities bonded through trauma, building a solidity and solace amongst themselves in order to survive.
Throughout reading Bad Graces, there is a good balance between character development, plot, and love story. I like that the latter wasn't the main focus of this book. It builds the suspense where needed and gives a sense of foreboding throughout. Kyrie McCauley describes the forest beautifully. The magical and mystical element really came alive inside my mind, I could sense what the girls were feeling around them.
With the flow of this book, you could quite easily read this in one sitting. It has short chapters, which helps. It held my attention and was quite captivating in parts.
This would be a perfect story for any teens wanting to venture into a book with a bit more of an adult feel. It does tackle some heavy themes and has some gory parts in it, too.
All in all, I did really enjoy reading this book.it makes for an eerie, fascinating, and mysterious read. The only thing that niggled me was I felt the ending a little rushed and I wanted it to delve into the magical side a little more. A good solid read.
Synopsis
A group of young girls get stranded on a deserted island and try to find a way to survive. When all is not what it seems, and unusual, mysterious occurrences happen, they find themselves entwined with the island.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Collins UK and Harper Fiction for this eARC
My opinions are my own
May 15, 2024
4.5 stars... I'M OBSESSED
In my review of All the Dead Lie Down I said I could see the potential for Kyrie McCauley to spiral into madness even deeper and trust me... SHE DELIVERED!!
This was such a bizarrely fantastic, yet deeply tragic story. Please check for trigger warnings as this is a story about trauma and FULL of body horror. If maggots and fungi creep you out, be warned!
I almost finished this in one sitting! That's how easily readable it is, the plot moves fast and the mysterious nature of what was truly going on on this Island literally made me feel trapped alongside the girls in the story!? I HAD to know where this story was going to go.
I will say though that yes, I did see some flaws. Parts of the dialogue or descriptions made me cringe (If I remember, I'll come back and update with quotes once the book is published) I truly think Kyrie McCauley is held back by the YA label because her themes are pretty heavy and could be explored sooo much further if given the freedom to do so without having to cater to a younger audience.
And no, I'm NOT saying YA books cannot handle heavy themes and discuss trauma well (The Honeys is a perfect example) but for a story like this, with a group of girls stuck on island, I think an extra 50-100 pages or so would have been perfect to really dive into the girls' minds -maybe even a POV switch?- whilst also giving us that sense of isolation, and more time to witness their personalities change the longer they're stuck on this island? I don't know!? I still LOVED it anyway so there's that haha.
The eerie atmosphere was EVERYTHING, some of the body horror truly made me feel uneasy, I felt the pain of the girls' trauma, and I could feel the sand on the beach, the cold wind, the creepy forest, and this genuinely creeped me out! From today I'll be silently praying that Kyrie McCauley decides to write an adult novel one day...
If you're a fan of House of Salt and Sorrows + House of Hollow... I think you'll enjoy this!
*Thank you to Netgalley + HarperCollins for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
-Sarah
---> Book Blog
In my review of All the Dead Lie Down I said I could see the potential for Kyrie McCauley to spiral into madness even deeper and trust me... SHE DELIVERED!!
This was such a bizarrely fantastic, yet deeply tragic story. Please check for trigger warnings as this is a story about trauma and FULL of body horror. If maggots and fungi creep you out, be warned!
I almost finished this in one sitting! That's how easily readable it is, the plot moves fast and the mysterious nature of what was truly going on on this Island literally made me feel trapped alongside the girls in the story!? I HAD to know where this story was going to go.
I will say though that yes, I did see some flaws. Parts of the dialogue or descriptions made me cringe (If I remember, I'll come back and update with quotes once the book is published) I truly think Kyrie McCauley is held back by the YA label because her themes are pretty heavy and could be explored sooo much further if given the freedom to do so without having to cater to a younger audience.
And no, I'm NOT saying YA books cannot handle heavy themes and discuss trauma well (The Honeys is a perfect example) but for a story like this, with a group of girls stuck on island, I think an extra 50-100 pages or so would have been perfect to really dive into the girls' minds -maybe even a POV switch?- whilst also giving us that sense of isolation, and more time to witness their personalities change the longer they're stuck on this island? I don't know!? I still LOVED it anyway so there's that haha.
The eerie atmosphere was EVERYTHING, some of the body horror truly made me feel uneasy, I felt the pain of the girls' trauma, and I could feel the sand on the beach, the cold wind, the creepy forest, and this genuinely creeped me out! From today I'll be silently praying that Kyrie McCauley decides to write an adult novel one day...
If you're a fan of House of Salt and Sorrows + House of Hollow... I think you'll enjoy this!
*Thank you to Netgalley + HarperCollins for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
-Sarah
---> Book Blog
June 6, 2024
Review coming soon.
June 23, 2024
"I think that’s the wrong question, Liv. (…) The question is; can people stay the same?” she tells me. “We’re all just animals, we’re all growing, learning, adapting to our environment. I don’t think we can help it. We evolve…”
I was fully prepared to raise all my hackles in skepticism at the comps of “Yellow Jackets meets House of Hollow”. Because: of course, let’s throw in 2 of the most beloved “wilderness-set-female-lead-things we can think of, just so our book will sell, right? Let me tell you: this time, the comparison held up. In fact, I’ll do you one better: Bad Graces to me, was Yellow Jackets meets Wilder Girls, flirting with The Tempest all the way through…
The Story:
When their yacht is shipwrecked near a mysterious island off the coast of North America, a group of 5 teenage girls is thrown together into a desperate survival situation. Faced with not only the threat of the elements, but a mysterious predator lurking in the dense forests around the beach, and a strange affliction causing changes to their very own bodies, the girls must rely on each other and their own strength, in order to survive.
What I loved:
The comparison to Wilder Girls was deliberate, as Bad Graces has all the same elements I enjoyed in that book too: a survival story with an all-female cast filled with strong characters and great friendships. The “women-supporting-women”-vibes don’t get much stronger than this, and I’m all here for it. Another similar element is the exploration of trauma and it manifesting through physical changes in the girls, which happens to be another trope I love. Although I felt Wilder Girls does it a little better, I really liked the inclusion of the islands “transformations” inflicted on the girls, and their reluctant acceptance and embrace of these changes. It’s a powerful metaphor which works wonderfully as such.
It’s probably a strange compliment to give to an author, but McCauley knows how to write trauma and survival like few other YA-authors. She proved that for me in If These Wings Could Fly and All the Dead Lie Down, and affirms it here. Her characters have experienced things, but rather than gratuitously exploiting the thing itself, we see how it’s scarred the characters, and how these scars have subsequently healed over; rough and callous and sometimes less than pretty, but strong and functional.
The story itself takes a while to get started. Frankly; the first 20% or so almost felt like a different novel entirely. Once we arrive on the island however, I couldn’t put it down: atmosphere, setting, mystery and character-development all worked together to make this a gripping read.
What I didn’t love:
This book is marked clearly as YA, and so I feel a little bad for criticizing it for doing typical “YA-things”. Still, some of it was like nails on a chalkboard to me, so I’m going to mention it. I named the female friendship as a strong point, but the quick development of it (especially the way a “regular girl with a bad past” is seamlessly integrated into a clique of celebrities) feels unrealistic. The same goes for the insta-love romance, which progresses to soul-mate-level declarations in a matter of days. For the love of God, I understand that trauma-bonding is a thing, but let’s not romanticize it for the teens please…
My dislike for the main romance wasn’t helped by how insufferable I found the love-interest. Without spoilers; picture the most bratty, pretentious English Rose, who looks like a pixie but insists she isn’t cute (*stomps little foot adorably…) and quotes Shakespear unironically… It’s a no for me, sir… It didn’t help that the audio-narrator did this over-the-top posh-English-accent for her lines, and took on a strange husky voice. It was clearly going for mysterious, but landed in cringy…
Also, targeting a teen-audience doesn’t mean throwing all subtlety out the window. Teens get context and subtext; we don’t need lines like “we’ve all been teenage girls, so we know what it’s like to be prey” to be spelled out literally. That was all perfectly clear from the cast’s individual backstories. Trust your audience to have a brain and use it to piece your message together themselves.
Fans of Wilder Girls, or a good female-lead YA-survival horror novel in general: don’t sleep on this one. Despite its flaws I had a perfectly enjoyable time with it.
I was fully prepared to raise all my hackles in skepticism at the comps of “Yellow Jackets meets House of Hollow”. Because: of course, let’s throw in 2 of the most beloved “wilderness-set-female-lead-things we can think of, just so our book will sell, right? Let me tell you: this time, the comparison held up. In fact, I’ll do you one better: Bad Graces to me, was Yellow Jackets meets Wilder Girls, flirting with The Tempest all the way through…
The Story:
When their yacht is shipwrecked near a mysterious island off the coast of North America, a group of 5 teenage girls is thrown together into a desperate survival situation. Faced with not only the threat of the elements, but a mysterious predator lurking in the dense forests around the beach, and a strange affliction causing changes to their very own bodies, the girls must rely on each other and their own strength, in order to survive.
What I loved:
The comparison to Wilder Girls was deliberate, as Bad Graces has all the same elements I enjoyed in that book too: a survival story with an all-female cast filled with strong characters and great friendships. The “women-supporting-women”-vibes don’t get much stronger than this, and I’m all here for it. Another similar element is the exploration of trauma and it manifesting through physical changes in the girls, which happens to be another trope I love. Although I felt Wilder Girls does it a little better, I really liked the inclusion of the islands “transformations” inflicted on the girls, and their reluctant acceptance and embrace of these changes. It’s a powerful metaphor which works wonderfully as such.
It’s probably a strange compliment to give to an author, but McCauley knows how to write trauma and survival like few other YA-authors. She proved that for me in If These Wings Could Fly and All the Dead Lie Down, and affirms it here. Her characters have experienced things, but rather than gratuitously exploiting the thing itself, we see how it’s scarred the characters, and how these scars have subsequently healed over; rough and callous and sometimes less than pretty, but strong and functional.
The story itself takes a while to get started. Frankly; the first 20% or so almost felt like a different novel entirely. Once we arrive on the island however, I couldn’t put it down: atmosphere, setting, mystery and character-development all worked together to make this a gripping read.
What I didn’t love:
This book is marked clearly as YA, and so I feel a little bad for criticizing it for doing typical “YA-things”. Still, some of it was like nails on a chalkboard to me, so I’m going to mention it. I named the female friendship as a strong point, but the quick development of it (especially the way a “regular girl with a bad past” is seamlessly integrated into a clique of celebrities) feels unrealistic. The same goes for the insta-love romance, which progresses to soul-mate-level declarations in a matter of days. For the love of God, I understand that trauma-bonding is a thing, but let’s not romanticize it for the teens please…
My dislike for the main romance wasn’t helped by how insufferable I found the love-interest. Without spoilers; picture the most bratty, pretentious English Rose, who looks like a pixie but insists she isn’t cute (*stomps little foot adorably…) and quotes Shakespear unironically… It’s a no for me, sir… It didn’t help that the audio-narrator did this over-the-top posh-English-accent for her lines, and took on a strange husky voice. It was clearly going for mysterious, but landed in cringy…
Also, targeting a teen-audience doesn’t mean throwing all subtlety out the window. Teens get context and subtext; we don’t need lines like “we’ve all been teenage girls, so we know what it’s like to be prey” to be spelled out literally. That was all perfectly clear from the cast’s individual backstories. Trust your audience to have a brain and use it to piece your message together themselves.
Fans of Wilder Girls, or a good female-lead YA-survival horror novel in general: don’t sleep on this one. Despite its flaws I had a perfectly enjoyable time with it.
June 18, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Tegen Books, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Bad Graces on June 18, 2024.
What an eerie, thrilling book. This was a new genre for me (survival? thriller? suspense? speculative fiction?) and it was really fascinating! I loved our main six girls and the various relationships developed between them. I almost wish the book had been longer so we could've seen the relationships go through more tumult, as I would expect to happen when you're marooned on a dangerous island for months. But overall, I really loved the writing and the way the characters were fleshed out! It definitely left me feeling unsettled, and I'm curious to explore more books in this genre now!
What an eerie, thrilling book. This was a new genre for me (survival? thriller? suspense? speculative fiction?) and it was really fascinating! I loved our main six girls and the various relationships developed between them. I almost wish the book had been longer so we could've seen the relationships go through more tumult, as I would expect to happen when you're marooned on a dangerous island for months. But overall, I really loved the writing and the way the characters were fleshed out! It definitely left me feeling unsettled, and I'm curious to explore more books in this genre now!
June 23, 2024
If you liked the tv show lost then this is the book for you... and just like lost the end was super rushed. I did enjoy this though and just wish the end had been a bit drawn out.
March 8, 2024
This has been one of the best books I've read in 2024 so far! The premise and the fact that it was written by Kyrie McCauley made this an instant need-to-read for me, and the book lived up to and BEYOND my expectations. I'd say the comps are mostly accurate, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is a book about young women banding together and supporting each other through most everything, something the 'Yellowjackets' comparison made me unsure of. This is such a gorgeous book, from the writing to the character-building to the way it resolves interpersonal conflicts and human threats. The supernatural threats are another matter entirely, and this book delivered scares aplenty on its course to make some very solid feminist points. And while the climax didn't 100% make sense to me, it worked and FULLY justified the very end. I love this book. It's what I wanted Yellowjackets to be. I must have a copy once it's released.
June 20, 2024
Oooh, this was a tantalising good YA horror. It’s tense, mysterious, and it held me deeply in its grasp until its last page.
After years of struggling through foster homes Liv Whitlock wants out. Unfortunately, her history isn’t the most shining example of who she is, so when an opportunity comes along to win an internship, to be on set for a movie adaptation of ‘The Tempest’, she jumps on it, sending in her written application, but using all of her sisters personal details. The application wins, and she suddenly finds herself on a yacht, heading towards Alaska, with the director, the hottest young actresses of the moment, a famous pop star, a young Olympian, and a social media influencer. However, things take a very sharp turn when their boat hits a storm, and next thing they know, they’re waking up sputtering on a beach. As they start the fight for survival, they also begin to discover that every injury they sustain on the island is healing in an inexplicably odd way…
What I loved about this book is that there’s
the ‘typical’ horrors of what it would be like to be ship-wrecked, washed up on a small North Pacific island with minimal provisions and no way of calling to help, and then there’s that creeping, mysterious, unease as each injury heals in a different way, as they realise there’s some kind of otherworldly creature on the island, and they try to decipher what any of it means.
There’s quite a lot of body horror imagery in here, enough that it gave me the odd shivers up my spine, which I always find impressive in a YA horror.
The characters are all so well fleshed out. Their fears, wants, emotions, all heightened as a result of this situation they’ve found themselves in. This is a group of teenage girls, with very different back stories, who’ve all sustained some level of trauma in their past, thrown into pure survival mode, and having to adapt to that. It’s not always pretty, but they’re all always doing their best dealing with the circumstances they’ve been handed, while forming bonds along the way.
The key story here is about surviving trauma, what that means, and what that might look like, against a backdrop of ominous creeping horror, and it’s extremely well done.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
After years of struggling through foster homes Liv Whitlock wants out. Unfortunately, her history isn’t the most shining example of who she is, so when an opportunity comes along to win an internship, to be on set for a movie adaptation of ‘The Tempest’, she jumps on it, sending in her written application, but using all of her sisters personal details. The application wins, and she suddenly finds herself on a yacht, heading towards Alaska, with the director, the hottest young actresses of the moment, a famous pop star, a young Olympian, and a social media influencer. However, things take a very sharp turn when their boat hits a storm, and next thing they know, they’re waking up sputtering on a beach. As they start the fight for survival, they also begin to discover that every injury they sustain on the island is healing in an inexplicably odd way…
What I loved about this book is that there’s
the ‘typical’ horrors of what it would be like to be ship-wrecked, washed up on a small North Pacific island with minimal provisions and no way of calling to help, and then there’s that creeping, mysterious, unease as each injury heals in a different way, as they realise there’s some kind of otherworldly creature on the island, and they try to decipher what any of it means.
There’s quite a lot of body horror imagery in here, enough that it gave me the odd shivers up my spine, which I always find impressive in a YA horror.
The characters are all so well fleshed out. Their fears, wants, emotions, all heightened as a result of this situation they’ve found themselves in. This is a group of teenage girls, with very different back stories, who’ve all sustained some level of trauma in their past, thrown into pure survival mode, and having to adapt to that. It’s not always pretty, but they’re all always doing their best dealing with the circumstances they’ve been handed, while forming bonds along the way.
The key story here is about surviving trauma, what that means, and what that might look like, against a backdrop of ominous creeping horror, and it’s extremely well done.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
June 29, 2024
“I once read somewhere that no man is an island. But I think maybe girls are.” (35)
Sapphic, isolationist, cottage-core-esque horror, anyone?
So, I’m a little torn on this story.
On the one hand, I love the eerie, kind of folksy atmosphere created in this book. The author uses some very effectively floral and poetic phrasing throughout. We have some allusions to fey and the fair folk as well.
Also, despite this book not being very scary per se, we do have some pretty gross and disgusting scenes in this book—particularly when it comes to describing wounds and the ways in which this island “heals” the girls. It’s not super explicit but we do have a fair amount of body horror sprinkled throughout this book—and it disturbed me. The imagery very much repulsed me every time.
So, there’s that.
But, on the other hand, I don’t think that’s was a very coherent nor compelling story. I was hoping for a reimagined “Lord of the Flies” but I got this meandering jumble of inchoate, half-baked, somewhat cliché meditations on trauma for 300 pages.
While I can aesthetically appreciate the idea of healing from trauma manifesting as a physical transformation of sorts, this book by no means really closed the circle on any of its many musings on the nature of trauma.
Really, I think it’s generous to say this book is even about trauma. We never define, explore, nor really experience trauma in any meaningful way in this book. When the girls open up about their individual stories, it feels like I’m being read a boiler plate list of bad things. There’s really no gravity to any of the issues in this book.
It feels like the author just wanted to write a book about monster girls but couldn’t string together a plot—and didn’t let that deter her from moving forward with this project.
Anyway, I didn’t hate this book. It at least reads more unique than many of its contemporaries right now—i.e. thankfully it’s not another romantasy knockoff. But aside from a cool atmosphere (and an aesthetic cover) I—regretfully—must say I don’t think this book has much going for it. Maybe another reader will get more mileage than
Sapphic, isolationist, cottage-core-esque horror, anyone?
So, I’m a little torn on this story.
On the one hand, I love the eerie, kind of folksy atmosphere created in this book. The author uses some very effectively floral and poetic phrasing throughout. We have some allusions to fey and the fair folk as well.
Also, despite this book not being very scary per se, we do have some pretty gross and disgusting scenes in this book—particularly when it comes to describing wounds and the ways in which this island “heals” the girls. It’s not super explicit but we do have a fair amount of body horror sprinkled throughout this book—and it disturbed me. The imagery very much repulsed me every time.
So, there’s that.
But, on the other hand, I don’t think that’s was a very coherent nor compelling story. I was hoping for a reimagined “Lord of the Flies” but I got this meandering jumble of inchoate, half-baked, somewhat cliché meditations on trauma for 300 pages.
While I can aesthetically appreciate the idea of healing from trauma manifesting as a physical transformation of sorts, this book by no means really closed the circle on any of its many musings on the nature of trauma.
Really, I think it’s generous to say this book is even about trauma. We never define, explore, nor really experience trauma in any meaningful way in this book. When the girls open up about their individual stories, it feels like I’m being read a boiler plate list of bad things. There’s really no gravity to any of the issues in this book.
It feels like the author just wanted to write a book about monster girls but couldn’t string together a plot—and didn’t let that deter her from moving forward with this project.
Anyway, I didn’t hate this book. It at least reads more unique than many of its contemporaries right now—i.e. thankfully it’s not another romantasy knockoff. But aside from a cool atmosphere (and an aesthetic cover) I—regretfully—must say I don’t think this book has much going for it. Maybe another reader will get more mileage than
July 11, 2024
3.75 Stars
After reading All the Dead Lie Down and having my breath utterly taken away by how beautifully it was written, I added Kyrie McCauley to my list of auto-buy authors.
So, imagine my delight when I see a new book of hers pitched as Yellowjackets meets House of Hollow. And while it does fit these descriptions, it is also a mishmash of the TV show Lost, Lord of the Flies, and even a dash of People to Follow.
The problem is that I loved two of these things and hated the other three. It's very hit-or-miss for me when it comes to creepy islands trying to kill you. But with BAD GRACES, it fell almost perfectly down the middle; I didn't necessarily love it or hate it. I just feel kind of... meh upon finishing.
This book started off strong and it had no problem holding my attention, but I ultimately felt let down by how this book was divided. In short, there are four parts, which can be best summarized as follows:
(1) where the characters are introduced and the ship crashes,
(2) okay, there's something creepy going on,
(3) an actually panicked 'what is going on?, and, finally,
(4) here is a nine-month time jump in which all the mystery is solved off-page.
In other words, the atmosphere and mystery mentioned in the synopsis are built up for 274 pages (I checked), and instead of getting one big a-ha! pay-off moment, you're left with a much less satisfying: "here's what happened in the nine months off-page." That, and the solution/answer to the mystery was extremely underwhelming.
Had this book had a different ending or perhaps cut some of the suspense in place of actual, solidified answers, I might have given Kyrie McCauley another 5 stars. Sadly, however, this book fell significantly short.
After reading All the Dead Lie Down and having my breath utterly taken away by how beautifully it was written, I added Kyrie McCauley to my list of auto-buy authors.
So, imagine my delight when I see a new book of hers pitched as Yellowjackets meets House of Hollow. And while it does fit these descriptions, it is also a mishmash of the TV show Lost, Lord of the Flies, and even a dash of People to Follow.
The problem is that I loved two of these things and hated the other three. It's very hit-or-miss for me when it comes to creepy islands trying to kill you. But with BAD GRACES, it fell almost perfectly down the middle; I didn't necessarily love it or hate it. I just feel kind of... meh upon finishing.
This book started off strong and it had no problem holding my attention, but I ultimately felt let down by how this book was divided. In short, there are four parts, which can be best summarized as follows:
(1) where the characters are introduced and the ship crashes,
(2) okay, there's something creepy going on,
(3) an actually panicked 'what is going on?, and, finally,
(4) here is a nine-month time jump in which all the mystery is solved off-page.
In other words, the atmosphere and mystery mentioned in the synopsis are built up for 274 pages (I checked), and instead of getting one big a-ha! pay-off moment, you're left with a much less satisfying: "here's what happened in the nine months off-page." That, and the solution/answer to the mystery was extremely underwhelming.
Had this book had a different ending or perhaps cut some of the suspense in place of actual, solidified answers, I might have given Kyrie McCauley another 5 stars. Sadly, however, this book fell significantly short.
June 22, 2024
This is the book I needed as a teenager to open up the weird little reader in me. I would have eaten this up. The grossness was much appreciated by adult me, but there was a lot that irked me about Bad Graces. I wish the narrative had been more vague, I wish they'd each had a unique voice, I wish they'd just bloody talked to each other, teenagers are infuriating. There were some solid ideas here, but it felt a lot like plot over substance. House of Hollow is a prime example of YA Horror/Thriller done right, but this had a major disconnect from the horrifying context to the dialogue that felt too light. I would still recommend it if you're looking for a weird little YA book to drag you out of a slump.
July 9, 2024
Great writing and perfect pacing. I read it in 2 sittings--a true page-turner. But the conclusion was weak, so it lost some luster by the end.
July 11, 2024
neeeed yellowjackets back bad
June 7, 2024
It was weird to read this at the same time as The Wilderness of Girls because they were essentially opposite takes on a really similar story. Wilderness had 4 “wild” girls and 2 “normal” girls doing “normal life” - whereas Graces had 5 celebrities and 1 “normal” (but also comparatively “wild”) girl stranded in a hostile wilderness.
Where this book is really successful is with the descriptions of the island, the changes to the girls’ bodies, and the gore (of which there is little, but it’s done well enough).
Where this book doesn’t really succeed (for me) is in the timeline (consistently showing us sequential full days and then saying “oh it’s been a few weeks”) and the complete lack of chemistry between the MC and the love interest. I also feel like there was one girl too many in the main cast, because there was always one person who was kind of ignored in any given scene (usually Rosa or Celia).
{Thank you Katherine Tegan Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
Where this book is really successful is with the descriptions of the island, the changes to the girls’ bodies, and the gore (of which there is little, but it’s done well enough).
Where this book doesn’t really succeed (for me) is in the timeline (consistently showing us sequential full days and then saying “oh it’s been a few weeks”) and the complete lack of chemistry between the MC and the love interest. I also feel like there was one girl too many in the main cast, because there was always one person who was kind of ignored in any given scene (usually Rosa or Celia).
{Thank you Katherine Tegan Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
May 29, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for ARC. More of a 4.5⭐ read for me!
Bad Graces is a YA thriller with body horror elements and themes of abuse of power & grooming. Author Kyrie McCauley incorporates tension well, and yes, things get downright gory at times. And yet, despite the graphic, heavy content, this novel actually felt like a comfort to me overall, as a reader who used to be a teen girl myself. The growing ties and solidarity displayed amongst the six main characters made me feel like coming home to a longtime group of sister-friends who understood the horrors of a world that is not always kind to teenage girls. Marooned on an island with just their wits and one other, they work to stave off starvation, harsh elements, and a stalking creature that terrify them day by day.
"Maybe it's a man, and maybe it's a beast. But we're teenage girls. We've all been prey before," says one of them—a line that stuck with me throughout the novel. Because when you're preyed on—by grown men, by the media, by a society that demands and consumes all that you can offer—what's one more monster? By combining both fantastical and real-world terrors, Bad Graces succeeded in making my skin crawl.
On the surface, you have our POV character, Liv, whose struggling background, social class, and family troubles is a sharp contrast to the other more privileged girls of the group. But on the island, all the superficiality and materialism are stripped away, and you get a raw and real tale of youngsters struggling to survive with anything they've got. Secrets kept from each other are revealed, or risk distrust in a situation that could mean life or death. Some might find it "unrealistic" that there wasn't more vicious infighting among the six, but I personally enjoy it when girls aren't "catty" for cattiness' sake. When they do argue, it comes from a place of hurt borne out of misplaced good intentions, rather than calculated malice with no regret afterwards. Each character grew on me so much that I was invested in their survival. Every one of them.
McCauley also gives us not one, but TWO sapphic relationships in the story. I was expecting the typical sole (oft token) queer character in the group, but 4 out of 6? Massive kudos. I'll be thinking of this novel for days to come.
Bad Graces is a YA thriller with body horror elements and themes of abuse of power & grooming. Author Kyrie McCauley incorporates tension well, and yes, things get downright gory at times. And yet, despite the graphic, heavy content, this novel actually felt like a comfort to me overall, as a reader who used to be a teen girl myself. The growing ties and solidarity displayed amongst the six main characters made me feel like coming home to a longtime group of sister-friends who understood the horrors of a world that is not always kind to teenage girls. Marooned on an island with just their wits and one other, they work to stave off starvation, harsh elements, and a stalking creature that terrify them day by day.
"Maybe it's a man, and maybe it's a beast. But we're teenage girls. We've all been prey before," says one of them—a line that stuck with me throughout the novel. Because when you're preyed on—by grown men, by the media, by a society that demands and consumes all that you can offer—what's one more monster? By combining both fantastical and real-world terrors, Bad Graces succeeded in making my skin crawl.
On the surface, you have our POV character, Liv, whose struggling background, social class, and family troubles is a sharp contrast to the other more privileged girls of the group. But on the island, all the superficiality and materialism are stripped away, and you get a raw and real tale of youngsters struggling to survive with anything they've got. Secrets kept from each other are revealed, or risk distrust in a situation that could mean life or death. Some might find it "unrealistic" that there wasn't more vicious infighting among the six, but I personally enjoy it when girls aren't "catty" for cattiness' sake. When they do argue, it comes from a place of hurt borne out of misplaced good intentions, rather than calculated malice with no regret afterwards. Each character grew on me so much that I was invested in their survival. Every one of them.
McCauley also gives us not one, but TWO sapphic relationships in the story. I was expecting the typical sole (oft token) queer character in the group, but 4 out of 6? Massive kudos. I'll be thinking of this novel for days to come.
June 6, 2024
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
⟡
5 ☆ before the time jump, 4.5 ☆ overall
Bad Graces is eery, bizarre, tragic and beautiful all in one. There are themes of body horror and trauma but it's also so comforting somehow.
The intriguing prologue pulls you in from the first sentence and the beautiful writing and fast pace keep you hooked the rest of the way through. You could absolutely read this in one sitting, it held my attention the entire time. The authors writing is fantastic, it was so immersive and I truly felt like I was right there on that island. There are both tense and quiet scenes and both are depicted perfectly to create an amazing balance. The book has just the right amount of plot, romance and character development. The romance is probably the lightest element but it's still so well done I was really rooting for them and we get two sapphic romances!
I think the pacing was perfect throughout the book except for the ending, once we got the time jump it felt a bit rushed and not quite as immersive as before.
I absolutely loved the characters, it really felt like you were right there with them bonding and growing with them. I was so invested in all of their survival. With the Yellowjackets comparison I was worried this would be a sort of cliche but I am so happy to say it wasn't. This truly is a story of these girls bonding through the trauma they've experienced and are experiencing and surviving because of that solid bond. I loved that their wasn't forced fighting amongst them, if they fight it's because of hurt not because they're being vindictive.
The magical elements and body mutation were so fascinating. Every injury the girls suffer mutates their body in a new and unique way. This really added to the horror element (not in a scary way more in a squeamish way) and made me want to keep reading to find out more.
I loved the way the story was written about the "monster" and the way the girls learned more about her and how to coexist with her.
Bad Graces is a book about survival, with a nod to The Tempest and Greek Mythology, girlhood, trauma and feminism. If you liked A Study in Drowning, Yellowjackets or Lost this one is for you!
⟡
5 ☆ before the time jump, 4.5 ☆ overall
Bad Graces is eery, bizarre, tragic and beautiful all in one. There are themes of body horror and trauma but it's also so comforting somehow.
The intriguing prologue pulls you in from the first sentence and the beautiful writing and fast pace keep you hooked the rest of the way through. You could absolutely read this in one sitting, it held my attention the entire time. The authors writing is fantastic, it was so immersive and I truly felt like I was right there on that island. There are both tense and quiet scenes and both are depicted perfectly to create an amazing balance. The book has just the right amount of plot, romance and character development. The romance is probably the lightest element but it's still so well done I was really rooting for them and we get two sapphic romances!
I think the pacing was perfect throughout the book except for the ending, once we got the time jump it felt a bit rushed and not quite as immersive as before.
I absolutely loved the characters, it really felt like you were right there with them bonding and growing with them. I was so invested in all of their survival. With the Yellowjackets comparison I was worried this would be a sort of cliche but I am so happy to say it wasn't. This truly is a story of these girls bonding through the trauma they've experienced and are experiencing and surviving because of that solid bond. I loved that their wasn't forced fighting amongst them, if they fight it's because of hurt not because they're being vindictive.
The magical elements and body mutation were so fascinating. Every injury the girls suffer mutates their body in a new and unique way. This really added to the horror element (not in a scary way more in a squeamish way) and made me want to keep reading to find out more.
I loved the way the story was written about the "monster" and the way the girls learned more about her and how to coexist with her.
Bad Graces is a book about survival, with a nod to The Tempest and Greek Mythology, girlhood, trauma and feminism. If you liked A Study in Drowning, Yellowjackets or Lost this one is for you!
June 9, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the E-ARC!
🌊🪽🦋💀🌿
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“‘But we’re teenage girls. We’ve all been prayed on before.’”
Woohoo! Second five star of the year baby! And this was just what I needed 🤩
Something about a wild, unhinged, badass, group of lesbians running about in the woods is just such a great concept! No but seriously when has any gothic, fantasy realism, sapphic book ever been the wrong choice? Never!
We start with Violet, or Liv, who has lived her whole life going from foster home to foster home, always in the perfect shadow of her sister, Everly. Never feeling at home, Liv uses Everly’s perfect persona to steal away on a once and a life time trip to see Shakespeare’s The Tempest being filmed! But something goes horribly wrong when the ship crashes into an island full of mystery. On this island crawls unspeakable things. The girls, all six of them including Liv, go through incredible magical changes through out their time on the island. But most importantly they grow and heal through their trauma.
What I loved about this book was how the author used body horror. The body horror was used to signify growth and the characters moving on and healing.
Along with the fact that this was simply written beautifully with that classic gothic vibe that I just eat up!
No whilst this book was very good, I could still seem some of its problems. I wish we had more time to get to know the characters, as some fell a little flat for me. There was this plot with Liv and self harm, or possible abuse from a parent that never got explored and felt unneeded to not do anything with. I also felt the plot was a little too fast for me but we’re also working with only 320 pages.
Overall this was a beautiful and enchanting book full of depth and what it means to heal 🫶🏼
💙🦋🩵
You’ll love this if you like…
• Sapphic stories
• Gothic writing
• Body horror with magical realism
• Mental health rep
• A good rep of girlhood
🌊🪽🦋💀🌿
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“‘But we’re teenage girls. We’ve all been prayed on before.’”
Woohoo! Second five star of the year baby! And this was just what I needed 🤩
Something about a wild, unhinged, badass, group of lesbians running about in the woods is just such a great concept! No but seriously when has any gothic, fantasy realism, sapphic book ever been the wrong choice? Never!
We start with Violet, or Liv, who has lived her whole life going from foster home to foster home, always in the perfect shadow of her sister, Everly. Never feeling at home, Liv uses Everly’s perfect persona to steal away on a once and a life time trip to see Shakespeare’s The Tempest being filmed! But something goes horribly wrong when the ship crashes into an island full of mystery. On this island crawls unspeakable things. The girls, all six of them including Liv, go through incredible magical changes through out their time on the island. But most importantly they grow and heal through their trauma.
What I loved about this book was how the author used body horror. The body horror was used to signify growth and the characters moving on and healing.
Along with the fact that this was simply written beautifully with that classic gothic vibe that I just eat up!
No whilst this book was very good, I could still seem some of its problems. I wish we had more time to get to know the characters, as some fell a little flat for me. There was this plot with Liv and self harm, or possible abuse from a parent that never got explored and felt unneeded to not do anything with. I also felt the plot was a little too fast for me but we’re also working with only 320 pages.
Overall this was a beautiful and enchanting book full of depth and what it means to heal 🫶🏼
💙🦋🩵
You’ll love this if you like…
• Sapphic stories
• Gothic writing
• Body horror with magical realism
• Mental health rep
• A good rep of girlhood
May 21, 2024
3.75 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
A dark, eerie, YA, survivalist horror that follows the journey of a group of teenage girls that are shipwrecked upon a mysterious island that is not all that it seems. If you loved Yellowjackets then this is definitely your vibe. The opening chapter is absolutely engrossing and had me hooked from the start; in fact, I completed this in two sittings in under 24 hours. The chapters are short enough and the tension throughout meant I struggled to tear myself away from reading what happened next.
The preternatural island itself was my favourite part of the reading experience with the deeply descriptive prose of its unruly forest, enchanting waters, and otherworldly mycelium that spawns from every crevice. The girls soon discover that they're not alone on the ominous island and that the injuries they incur begin to mutate. While this is marketed as YA and reads as YA, there are some pretty descriptive moments of obscure and grotesque body horror and dark themes that run throughout the story. I just loved the whole bizarreness of it all that read almost like a fever dream/psychedelic trip throughout.
The characters begin rather two-dimensional but throughout the novel, we begin to understand them a little more. There is a light sapphic romance element but this is only lightly touched upon. However, I didn't find myself particularly overly emotionally attached to any of the characters and was far more fascinated with the growth of the mutations. This was my first Kyrie McCauley read and I'm definitely adding some of their other titles to my TBR.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
A dark, eerie, YA, survivalist horror that follows the journey of a group of teenage girls that are shipwrecked upon a mysterious island that is not all that it seems. If you loved Yellowjackets then this is definitely your vibe. The opening chapter is absolutely engrossing and had me hooked from the start; in fact, I completed this in two sittings in under 24 hours. The chapters are short enough and the tension throughout meant I struggled to tear myself away from reading what happened next.
The preternatural island itself was my favourite part of the reading experience with the deeply descriptive prose of its unruly forest, enchanting waters, and otherworldly mycelium that spawns from every crevice. The girls soon discover that they're not alone on the ominous island and that the injuries they incur begin to mutate. While this is marketed as YA and reads as YA, there are some pretty descriptive moments of obscure and grotesque body horror and dark themes that run throughout the story. I just loved the whole bizarreness of it all that read almost like a fever dream/psychedelic trip throughout.
The characters begin rather two-dimensional but throughout the novel, we begin to understand them a little more. There is a light sapphic romance element but this is only lightly touched upon. However, I didn't find myself particularly overly emotionally attached to any of the characters and was far more fascinated with the growth of the mutations. This was my first Kyrie McCauley read and I'm definitely adding some of their other titles to my TBR.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2024
"Bad Graces" is a ya survival horror written by Kyrie McCauley. A dark, eerie and bewitching novel that absorbed me completely from the very first lines. A sinister, at times disturbing story centered on a group of young girls suddenly stranded on a wild and hostile island. An ominous and isolated location, marked by unexplained phenomena and the hunting ground of a mysterious predator. A place that, slowly, with each injury they suffer, begins to mutate their very bodies. Seriously, I loved the idea behind the story! The compelling and evocative prose, fast pace and short chapters kept me glued to the pages, with no moments of boredom or heaviness. I was captivated by the insidious island with its dark forests, treacherous creaks and various sinister events that pervade it. I found it a highly atmospheric setting, vividly described and extremely effective. The story convinced me in its development, with an ending that fully satisfied me. In my opinion, the author managed to depict both the more tense moments and the quieter scenes incredibly well, creating a fantastic narration. Too bad only for the characters, the focus of the novel, who unfortunately did not convince me. I followed them with interest in their misadventures, but I don't know, they seemed rather superficial, poorly portrayed, so much so that I struggled to bond with them. In the end, however, it is a book that I enjoyed and recommend to lovers of the genre!
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
📜 Shakespeare Retellings
👭 Sapphic Romance
🍄 Body Horror
🔪 Survivalist Stories
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Liv is desperate to escape her current life and try to reinvent herself. When she discovers a writing contest for a film internship, she uses her sister’s identity to make her look more favorable. After winning the contest, she joins the director and actresses on a yacht as they head to the filming location in Alaska. During a storm, a rogue wave hits the ship, causing them to wreck on a deserted island. In the days and weeks that follow, they realize that they are not actually alone on the island and that a strange illness is forcing them to evolve.
𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
I went into this book pretty blind and I am so glad that I did. The story reminded me a lot of Wilder Girls, but was definitely unique in its own way. My one complaint is that so much happened and parts of the story felt rushed. I flew through the book very quickly and would have loved another 100 pages just to go more in depth. Overall, this was a captivating story about how far people will go to survive. 4.25/5⭐
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
📜 Shakespeare Retellings
👭 Sapphic Romance
🍄 Body Horror
🔪 Survivalist Stories
"We’re still just animals, adapting to our environment. We evolve."
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Liv is desperate to escape her current life and try to reinvent herself. When she discovers a writing contest for a film internship, she uses her sister’s identity to make her look more favorable. After winning the contest, she joins the director and actresses on a yacht as they head to the filming location in Alaska. During a storm, a rogue wave hits the ship, causing them to wreck on a deserted island. In the days and weeks that follow, they realize that they are not actually alone on the island and that a strange illness is forcing them to evolve.
𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
I went into this book pretty blind and I am so glad that I did. The story reminded me a lot of Wilder Girls, but was definitely unique in its own way. My one complaint is that so much happened and parts of the story felt rushed. I flew through the book very quickly and would have loved another 100 pages just to go more in depth. Overall, this was a captivating story about how far people will go to survive. 4.25/5⭐
May 1, 2024
Bad Graces grabs you from the very first sentence and you'll struggle not to read this fast paced novel in one sitting. For Fans of the shows The Wilds, Yellowjackets & Lost, also books/graphic novels like Wilder Girls & The Cull.
Liv earns the chance to visit a movie set alongside its stars (with a tiny bit of subterfuge), unfortunately on the way there they begin to run into troubles that start on the yacht. Mysterious reactions from the ships captain and a storm find these six stranded on an island. Shelter, food, water and injuries become the least of their concern as they discover a monster.
The island's mysteries grow as changes occur to our survivors all whilst they struggle to survive and find a way home.
Bad Graces was a riveting read, I'll admit that I'm a sucker for island survival stories in whatever format! The romances were great and I loved all the character dynamics, they were all really fleshed out characters and a lovable group. Liv's ingenious survival methods that helped the group against all odds were standout (that makeshift net!) highly recommend giving Bad Graces a read!
Liv earns the chance to visit a movie set alongside its stars (with a tiny bit of subterfuge), unfortunately on the way there they begin to run into troubles that start on the yacht. Mysterious reactions from the ships captain and a storm find these six stranded on an island. Shelter, food, water and injuries become the least of their concern as they discover a monster.
The island's mysteries grow as changes occur to our survivors all whilst they struggle to survive and find a way home.
Bad Graces was a riveting read, I'll admit that I'm a sucker for island survival stories in whatever format! The romances were great and I loved all the character dynamics, they were all really fleshed out characters and a lovable group. Liv's ingenious survival methods that helped the group against all odds were standout (that makeshift net!) highly recommend giving Bad Graces a read!
July 5, 2024
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
Bad Graces continues McCauley’s natural penchant for telling impactful stories about women in a chilling and gothic fashion.
Storytelling
I absolutely loved Bad Graces. Kyrie McCauley continues to impress me with her storytelling.
What was really astounding about this novel is that you have these six girls who, at the behest of their old-enough-to-be-their-father director, decide to take a yacht trip instead of a plane trip and then get stranded on this island.
Let’s get this straight, yes, there are mentions of grooming here and physical abuse. Liv has cigarette burns on her arm scars given to her by one of her foster parents. Then you have Effie, an actress and the oldest of the bunch who is in a sexual relationship with the director of this movie, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. No, the story doesn’t get into explicit detail regarding these moments. Still, the fact that these moments exist at all is very telling.
These girls have gone through something that has shaken them and influenced how they act in society. But without social media, the press, or anyone around, the girls must reckon with who they want to be.
It is a journey for these girls, a struggle to find their identity on this island where a monster lives, a girl whose description is reminiscent of Samara from The Ring. But what makes a monster, really? Is this girl the monster, or is everyone off the island putting the girl’s identity into boxes and forcing them to keep their true selves locked up? Are the real monsters the men and women who hide behind kind smiles and then take advantage of the young and naïve?
And with such excellent pacing, Bad Graces sucks the reader in as the girls begin to change in a way reminiscent of the film Annihilation, creating an eerie atmosphere from beginning to end.
Final Thoughts
There is so much to unpack with Bad Graces, but that goes for everything McCauley writes. Her thoughtful storytelling is so in-depth, making it an excellent book club pick. Bad Graces is chilling and gothic, but it is so wonderful to see McCauley continue to expand her range of storytelling and delve into a plethora of topics that require discourse.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
A thrilling gothic tale about six girls shipwrecked on an island determined to change them.
Bad Graces continues McCauley’s natural penchant for telling impactful stories about women in a chilling and gothic fashion.
Storytelling
I absolutely loved Bad Graces. Kyrie McCauley continues to impress me with her storytelling.
What was really astounding about this novel is that you have these six girls who, at the behest of their old-enough-to-be-their-father director, decide to take a yacht trip instead of a plane trip and then get stranded on this island.
Let’s get this straight, yes, there are mentions of grooming here and physical abuse. Liv has cigarette burns on her arm scars given to her by one of her foster parents. Then you have Effie, an actress and the oldest of the bunch who is in a sexual relationship with the director of this movie, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. No, the story doesn’t get into explicit detail regarding these moments. Still, the fact that these moments exist at all is very telling.
These girls have gone through something that has shaken them and influenced how they act in society. But without social media, the press, or anyone around, the girls must reckon with who they want to be.
It is a journey for these girls, a struggle to find their identity on this island where a monster lives, a girl whose description is reminiscent of Samara from The Ring. But what makes a monster, really? Is this girl the monster, or is everyone off the island putting the girl’s identity into boxes and forcing them to keep their true selves locked up? Are the real monsters the men and women who hide behind kind smiles and then take advantage of the young and naïve?
And with such excellent pacing, Bad Graces sucks the reader in as the girls begin to change in a way reminiscent of the film Annihilation, creating an eerie atmosphere from beginning to end.
Final Thoughts
There is so much to unpack with Bad Graces, but that goes for everything McCauley writes. Her thoughtful storytelling is so in-depth, making it an excellent book club pick. Bad Graces is chilling and gothic, but it is so wonderful to see McCauley continue to expand her range of storytelling and delve into a plethora of topics that require discourse.
See more reviews at Cyn's Workshop and follow me on Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify Podcast | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads+ | LinkedIn
June 20, 2024
This book is deep, evocative, tragic, eerie and dark. It is filled with unexpected happenings and tragic turn of events. It has everything; magical realism, mystery, suspense, tragedy, atmospheric setting and LGBTQ element. The writing is engrossing and whimsical. The unspeakable things, unthinkable happenings and plot twists kept me on edge. This is a kind of book, the less you read about it, the more you will enjoy it.
Violet and Liv didn’t had good bond. With the tragic turn of events, Liv steals Everly’s persona to see the filming of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. But unthinkable things begins to happen and somehow Liv along with other people gets stuck on an island in the North Pacific ocean as their yacht is completely destroyed. The island is not only frightening but the strange mystery is surrounding it. Everyone including Liv begin to change and heal through their trauma but what’s even more terrifying is that there is a predator and how long the girls will be able to protect themselves from portentous and frightening island?
Thanks to the Publisher and Author
Violet and Liv didn’t had good bond. With the tragic turn of events, Liv steals Everly’s persona to see the filming of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. But unthinkable things begins to happen and somehow Liv along with other people gets stuck on an island in the North Pacific ocean as their yacht is completely destroyed. The island is not only frightening but the strange mystery is surrounding it. Everyone including Liv begin to change and heal through their trauma but what’s even more terrifying is that there is a predator and how long the girls will be able to protect themselves from portentous and frightening island?
Thanks to the Publisher and Author
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