Chloe’s Book Club devours three dark, spooky stories for a special October edition

A fierce, flawed and incredibly complex heroine battles her own inner demons—and an actual monster
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is a feminist retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein—but in this version, we see the horror unfold through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Lavenza. As her narration flips from frightening flashbacks to eerie accounts of her current condition, Elizabeth tells a story that simmers with dark details and untold truths—until a catastrophic conclusion reveals the horrors she’d been hinting at all along.
It all started when Elizabeth was five: poor and abused, covered in bruises and haunted by hunger. But then, by some miracle, she is taken away to the Frankenstein household, where she finds a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. She has only one task: to serve as the special companion of Victor, the family’s troubled eldest child.
Elizabeth soon discover that Victor is brilliant, moody, odd—and extremely dangerous. But she knows he is the key to her survival, and soon they form an unbreakable connection that will only take Elizabeth deeper into his dark world as they grow older alongside each other.
But behind Elizabeth’s beautiful blue eyes and sweet smile is the cold, calculating, and clever heart of a girl who has already survived too much evil in life to succumb to it now.
She’s determined to save herself—and her soul—at any cost.
My chilling commentary:
Guys, I loved this book for so many reasons. It is disturbing and dreary and dramatic in all the best ways—and this is the season to be scared, right?
But first I’ll start off by saying I haven’t read the original Frankenstein—and if you haven’t either, don’t worry. Although it would be interesting to compare and contrast the two works, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein was an irresistible standalone story—and I’m sure that those who have read the classic will appreciate the twists and turns author Kiersten White wove into her own unique tale.
In the beginning of the book, White shares a two-part dedication: first to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, “whose creation still electrifies our imaginations two hundred years later.” (It’s the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein, ICYMI, which makes this the perfect time to read this book *and* the original.)
And then she continues: “And for everyone made to feel like a side character in their own story.” YES. TO. THIS. I absolutely loved that in White’s retelling, Elizabeth Lavenza transcends “supporting character” status and illuminates the story with her own perspective. Whenever I read some of my favorite classics—which are often driven by male characters and narrators—I find myself wondering what all the women in the story are really thinking. I love that White not only created a larger space for Elizabeth to inhabit, but was also able to shed new light on Victor by revealing him through her own adoring—but also discerning—eyes.
White’s storytelling was beautiful and sad and soft. She navigates all her subject matter (from the complexities of female friendships to the gnawing violence of abusive relationships) with equal grace and delicacy. In Elizabeth, she created this incredibly flawed character who made all these *horrible* (yes, HORRIBLE!) decisions and yet I loved her, and understood her, from the moment I stepped into that carriage with her on page three.
When we first meet Elizabeth, she’s embarking on a hunt to bring Victor home. Lost to himself in a strange city, he’s on the verge of self-destruction and death when Elizabeth finds him in a dark, decaying laboratory hidden among broken buildings and charnel houses.
It’s at this turn in the novel that tragedy and horror really take hold. It was disturbing. I was scared to find out what would happen, but I couldn’t stop reading. (No, really—there were nights when I wanted to go to bed…and I was creeped out and tired…but I had to keep turning the pages.) Like Elizabeth, I was on a mission to understand the madness—and I’ll never forget the message I eventually uncovered.

The story of a phantom-filled, centuries-old city and what one outsider will do to protect it—and save herself
To say that Cassidy’s parents in City of Ghosts have a strange job would be an understatement: They’re ghost hunters. And when they land a gig hosting a ghost-hunting TV show in Edinburgh, Scotland, Cass is forced to leave her life behind and join them in the super haunted city.
Well, she must leave *most* of her life behind. Along for the ride is her best friend, Jacob, who just so happens to be a ghost himself. That’s right, Cass can talk to ghosts. It all started when she drowned and briefly crossed the fine line between life and death. Ever since, Cass can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead…AND EVEN WALK THROUGH IT.
When Cass arrives in Edinburgh—a stunningly beautiful city filled with graveyards, castles, and secret passageways—she meets another girl who can *also* communicate with spirits. (What were the chances?)
Lara informs Cass that the power they possess isn’t just for fun. Their role as “in-betweeners” is to ensure that spirits make their way to the afterlife—and stay there—instead of lurking in the human world.
Cass is stunned. If she didn’t know the most important thing about her power…what else could she be in the dark about? When the mysterious and ominous Raven in Red envelops the city, Cass realizes she’s in more danger than she ever imagined—and at risk of getting stuck in the afterlife for good.
My chilling commentary:
After reading this book, I have a lot of questions.
1. Why can’t *I* talk to ghosts?
2. Why aren’t my parents ghost hunters?
3. I kind of want to be a ghost for Halloween.
Okay, that last one isn’t a question. It’s more of a statement, really. But it’s still true. Excuse me while I go find a sheet and a pair of scissors…
City of Ghosts is spooky in all the right ways. It has plenty of paranormal moments (actually, the entire book is a paranormal moment). And the plot twists — like the showdown between Cass and the Raven in Red—are nothing short of intense.
One of the most amazing things about this book is the setting: Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s a place I’ve visited not once, not twice, but three (!!!) times—and I’ve fallen more in love with it during each visit.
But even if I hadn’t been so familiar with the city, the author’s descriptions perfectly capture its moody and medieval vibes. As Cass explored this new place, I could picture myself there—carefully tiptoeing across cobblestone streets, shivering in one of the frequent downpours, wandering the gardens of a castle straight from a fairytale. In a word, it’s epic.
I also adored the main character, Cass. She was deeply caring and bold, and stopped at almost nothing to protect the ones she loves—especially Jacob. The fact that she was a photographer made her even cooler. I was so intrigued reading about the process she goes through when she’s shooting and developing film. Honestly, it made me want to pick up a camera myself—not my iPhone, but an *actual* camera.
Altogether, this fast-paced, freaky novel is the perfect mix of scary, sharp, and sweet—and I’ve officially decided I will read *any* novel narrated by Cass.

*This* is what it’s like to stand up and raise your voice.
At its core, The Iron Flower is about pushing past prejudice. In the first installment of the series, The Black Witch, Elloren Gardner confronted the ugliness of her upbringing and broke free of the awful world she was born into.
But now, the Gardnerians—her people—are threatening to conquer the Western Realm of Erthia. When Elloren realizes she’ll lose everything and everyone she loves if they make good on their threats, she marks herself as a member of the realm-wide resistance. But because of her own grandmother’s murderous past —Carnissa was the last Black Witch and a leader in the previous Realm War—Elloren must prove herself to her new allies at every turn.
Complicating things even more? The Gardnerian forces are led by Commander Lukas Grey, who’s desperate to tie himself to Elloren in a magical marriage. As Lukas and his army make their way to Verpax University, she finds herself in a full-on battle against the takeover—and quite a few other things, like a dangerous budding romance and the potential of her unexpected powers.
Powers her own family was convinced her she didn’t possess. Powers she’ll finally awaken.
My chilling commentary:
As you can probably tell by now, I devour fantasy novels.
I jump at any opportunity to get lost in an out-of-this-world book, and the universe author Laurie Forest builds in the Black Witch Chronicles is massive and complex and layered. Thanks to The Black Witch, I already had a lay of the land and a sense of the many different types of characters I’d encounter. But somehow, Forest illustrates things even more intensely across the 600 pages of its sequel.
Yes, this book is huge. But between renegades and rebels—including the very human (read: flawed) and humbled Elloren—I found myself speeding through it. It was interesting to watch her grow and find her voice and finally use it to protect those she cares about. And as a person who has always advocated for acceptance, love, and tolerance, I was glad to see the book condemn prejudice and injustice—two ugly things that are, unfortunately, very real and present in our everyday lives. (And even when we’re reading books about monsters and spirits and magic, there’s still nothing scarier than hatred.)
And, of course, let’s not ignore that YA fantasy cornerstone: a love triangle. There’s the burning chemistry between Elloren and Lukas…and then, of course, there’s the hot-and-cold tension building between Elloren and Yvan. (I can’t wait to hear who you guys were rooting for.)
I’ll end by saying this: THAT PLOT TWIST! No spoilers, but I can’t believe I’ll have to wait so long for the third book to find out what happens next.
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