*Junior Library Guild Selection  *YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults *A YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers Yellowjackets  meets  One of Us Is Lying  in this masterful survival thriller from  New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst. "Formidably scary, Durst's survival/horror story is the stuff of late-night campfire legends. With three deftly drawn, powerful girls at the center, reading felt like I had found a crew of clever, loyal best friends, even as I stayed up long into the night, trembling with dread." — E. Lockhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired—her worst-case scenarios never actually come true. Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge—and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana. When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, some thing, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows. Something that refuses to let them leave. Gr 7 Up—Claire, Revya, and Mariana are strangers on their way to summer camp on a remote Maine island. When their boat driver drops them off, he directs them half a mile up a path to the titular Lake House, assures them that they'll be greeted by the camp director, and leaves. When the girls reach the camp, they find to their horror, that the house has recently burned down. It's still smoking, and there are no signs of life. A run back to the dock reveals that the boat is long gone. There's no cell service, very little food, and they soon discover that whatever happened wasn't an accident, which means they could be in danger. Part survival tale, part horror story, part coming-of-age journey—this book has a lot going for it. The action starts immediately and doesn't let up. The cast of characters is diverse and multi-faceted—Mariana is gifted at fixing cars and tinkering with machines, and Revya has a background in MMA fighting. There is LGBTQIA+ representation (Mariana is bisexual) and mental health struggles (Claire lives with anxiety). Readers will enjoy watching these complex characters grow and change when confronted with unimaginable challenges. A plot twist takes the story in an unexpected direction, with plenty of nail-biting and chills-inducing moments. VERDICT Recommended. Horror/thrillers are always in high demand in the library, and good ones are hard to find. The throwback cover and the description alone will be enough to get this one circulating.—Mandy Laferriere "Featuring a richly diverse cast, vividly imagined worldbuilding, and passionate storytelling, Durst's middle grade fantasy is a feast for the senses."  - Publishers Weekly (starred review) Praise for Sarah Beth Durst's Queen of Sorrow Trilogy: "Mythopoeic Award-winner Durst launches her Queens of Renthia series with a stellar and imaginative tale."  - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Durst presents a thrilling beginning to a sweeping series about searching for sovereignty and truth in order to save one's land."  - School Library Journal (starred review) "The threats are chilling, and the landscape haunting, even in quiet, safe moments. In Daleina, readers will find a strong young woman whose intense self-doubt and unconventional approach to dealing with the spirits makes her a character well worth cheering. Known for YA novels like  The Girl Who Could Not Dream , Durst dives into adult fantasy with thrilling results."  - Shelf Awareness, starred review "The thrilling and sometimes melancholy finale of Durst's Queens of Renthia trilogy... The well-crafted denouement wraps up the entire adventure perfectly."  - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The Queens of Renthia series (which began with  The Queen of Blood ) concludes with an earth-shattering conflict between three determined queens, two countries, and a multitude of bloodthirsty spirits."  - Booklist (starred review) “Nail-biting and atmospheric, The Lake House explores how secrets keep people apart—and the power of female friendships. Reyva, Mariana, and especially Claire are characters you can’t stop rooting for, even as every obstacle they surmount is replaced by a bigger one. I read it every time I had a spare second, and a lot of times when I didn’t.” - April Henry, New York Times bestselling author Fans of the televisions shows The Wilds or Yellowjackets will relish this thriller about friendship and the sheer power of teenage girls to overcome any odds.   - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Truly tense. Fans of the genre will find plenty of familiar beats and sequences, with some twists along the way to keep them guessing." - Booklist Praise for The Girl Who Could Not Dream: ?"Readers will not want to stop reading this quirky, fast-paced adventure until reaching its satisfactory, heartwar