Guest post written by Under a Carnivore Sky author Brianna Jett
Brianna Jett is a former professional journalist and recent graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. Under a Carnivore Sky is her debut novel in verse.
About Under a Carnivore Sky: Sixteen-year-old Lili is tasked with hunting the monster that’s slowly killing her dad—and every adult in town. Desperate, she teams up with a boy from town to uncover the secrets in the carnivorous swamp that keeps them all trapped. But what they find changes everything she thought she knew about the town, her father, the monster—and even herself. The story takes place over the length of a hot summer and is perfect for anyone who wants to read botanical fantasy with a splash of horror. Released May 12th 2026.
Nothing says summer quite like a reading list full ghosts, monsters, and magic. My favorite fantasy and horror stories are the ones that inspire us to see the world a little differently—and novels in verse do that best. There’s something about poetry that delightfully demands a shift in perspective. Here are five speculative YA novels in verse to add a little magic and mayhem to your summer reading list.
The Leaving Room by Amber McBride
A finalist for the 2025 National Book Awards for Young People’s Literature, The Leaving Room is about young love, grief, and the stories we tell ourselves. The novel follows the story of Gospel, a Keeper of a Leaving Room, where all young people pass through when they die. Gospel’s job is to help those souls move on. But when an unexpected door opens and Melodee arrives, she starts to wonder if maybe Keepers can fall in love. Put this book on your list if you want to be swept away by gorgeous poetry—and inspiring love.
I Am the Swarm, Hayley Chewins
Every woman in Nell’s family has a different kind of magic. Her mom wakes up a different age every day. When her older sister bleeds, magic flows out of her body. But Nell’s magic feels more like a curse. Every time she has an intense emotion, insects appear. Imagine wasps that appear with her rage, moths with disappointment, and ladybugs with joy. As it gets harder and harder to suppress her emotions, Nell has to decide how far she’s willing to go to bury her feelings and keep the bugs at bay. Add this book to your summer reading for deep emotion and breath-taking magic.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by RM Romero
Soon after Ilana is sent to live with her aunt in Prague, she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery—haunted by a kind ghost named Benjamin. As Ilana works to restore his gravestone, he shows her the hidden side of the city, where ghosts roam and magic lurks. But when she meets a dangerous man with no shadow, she decides to do whatever it takes to save Benjamin—who she loves—even if it means she might never see him again. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a perfect summer read if you’re looking for rich setting, deep history, and tender-hearted ghosts.
Hekate: The Witch by Nikita Gill
Hekate: The Witch is a retelling of the Greek myth of Hekate—the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy. Fleeing danger, young Hekate is taken to the Underworld to be raised by Hades. She grows up alone in the land of the dead, searching for a place to belong. But when she finally finds her powers and becomes the Goddess of the legend, the other gods and goddesses are terrified of her. When war breaks out, threatening everything and everyone, she’s the only one who can stop it. Add this to your reading list if you love retellings and settings where things can be both terrible and beautiful.
Doe by Rebecca Barrow
Doe is a horror novel in verse that comes out in just a few weeks, on June 23rd. The novel follows Maris, who will do anything to keep her position as captain of her high school’s cheer team. While sleeping, she encounters a terrible beast in the shape of a massive deer. Doe promises a way to beat her rival and keep her spot as captain. But for Maris to win, someone will have to die. Read Doe this summer if you love supernatural horror that will linger long after you finish the book.
