Fantastic Finds

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs. -Plot summary borrowed from Good Reads

This was a great atmospheric, creepy read. The author does a fantastic job of establishing the rust-belt, something's-not-quite-right feel of Gentry, and puts some great new twists on fairy lore. I also love when a book seems tied to a certain time of year, and this book just felt so Octobery to me. It makes you want to pull up your collar and rush home, looking over your shoulder at shadows. Mackie is an especially likable protagonist who never lets his angst get too Emo, and his quest to find his crush's baby sister is gripping. I'd definitely recommend this one.


(For other dark fae fiction, you might also want to check out Tithe by Holly Black, or The Good Neighbors graphic novel trilogy by the same author. )