Dead Dads, Dark Forests, and a Doberman Who Sees Ghosts: Free YA for Late October

by Elizabeth Mowery

Adeline Bigsby loses someone, moves somewhere she hates, and then finds a locked gate leading into the forest behind her house. It's a Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal winner sitting at about 4.5 with over 100 ratings. One reader called it a wholesome escape they finished in a single lazy Sunday, and another praised the descriptive writing. Good for anyone who wants a gentle portal-fantasy kind of read.

“A magical escape This was a great, little, wholesome escape from reality, and I was able to polish it all off on a lazy Sunday. I love the troubled, young lead and all of her adventures to a magical world, not so far away. The setting was wonderfully described, and the characters are...”

by Brady J. Sadler

This is 1997 nostalgia with a heavy metal pulse. Relic Meyers is starting high school and forming a band, and he's still living in the shadow of his dad, a semi-famous metal drummer who vanished. Then a horror documentary crew rolls into town. It has no written reviews yet, but 66 ratings averaging around 4.3 is a solid sign. I'm curious about this one, especially if you grew up on band posters and cassette tapes.

by Abigail Manning

Three Halloween retellings of The Invisible Man, Pinocchio, and Dracula, all set in the kingdom of Umbria around the Silver Shadow Ball. Readers mention gender-bent characters, hidden identities, and enemies to lovers, plus a rotating set of narrators in Garnet, Aethera, and Ebony. It holds a 4.5 across 52 ratings. If you like fairy tale remixes more than straight horror, start here.

“༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°..ೃ࿔*:･༄˖° 🍂~Genres~🍂 Fantasy/Retelling/Romance/Gender bent/Hidden identity/Enemies to lovers/Anthology... kinda A Shadowy Retelling of The Invisible Man, Pinocchio, and Dracula... 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 🫥~Characters~🫥 (Aethera "Talia") FMC I really lik”

by Jill Hedgecock

A girl adopts a rescue Doberman to help her cope with her father's death, and the dog turns out to see ghosts. That's the hook, and honestly it's a good one. It sits at about 4.25 with 55 ratings, though nobody has left a written review yet. Pick it up if you want suspense with twists and a dog who will probably make you tear up.

by C Xavier

Shep is the mage's errand boy, an orphan who sweeps floors and collects herbs while the baron's son learns to throw fire. Three tests say he has no magic, and then goblins overrun the dungeon. I always root for the overlooked kid, and with a 4.4 from 37 ratings, early readers seem to like him too. It's book one of The Aelindros Sequence, so it's a good starting point for fantasy readers who like an underdog.

by Kelly King

Emillie Cooper wakes up in the dirt of Oak Creek with no memory, a moon that burns in her blood, and a pack that treats her like a ghost. The blurb sets up a living prophecy and a fated mate who's supposed to destroy her. It's at 4.18 with 45 ratings. This is a paranormal romance and leans hard into the genre, so it's not for everyone, but fans of fated mates will know what they're getting.