Olive Oakes and the Haunted Carousel by Kalynn Bayron

This new spooky mystery series by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Goosebumps.

Olive Oakes loves a good mystery. She keeps a notebook with her at all times, ready to jot down observations about anything that seems out of the ordinary. Along with her cousin Eli, Olive is always looking to follow the clues.

When Olive and her family visit a town called Whispering Woods, she uncovers a strange backstory to the traveling carnival that comes through the area once a year. With rumors of missing kids and ghost sightings, it's the perfect opportunity for Olive to investigate! The people of Whispering Woods are very secretive, but Olive is ready to solve the mystery of the haunted carousel.

Kindle Edition, 151 pages

Expected publication April 7, 2026

 Bloomsbury Children's Books

3.5/5 stars

I first discovered Kalynn Bayron when I read This Poison Heart, which I loved.  This, her latest, releases today is a middle grade story.

Olive Oakes and her sidekick Eli are a fun pair.  One free spirited and the other caution, making a great pairing for a fun read, which this was.  It was also a fast read coming in at 150 pages.  The start of a brand new series follows Olive and Eli who like to solve mysteries.  There was the right amount of mystery with some ghostly vibes, unreliable characters and some spooky situations.  It had that haunted feel without being too scary.  The mystery itself was unique, I was picking up clues just as Olive and Eli were.

All in all an enjoyable read, looking forward to seeing what Olive and Eli are up to next.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Children's Book for a digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

Cinderella is dead, but Snow White fights on . . .

New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron makes her highly anticipated return to the realm of fairy tales with this thrilling twist on the classic story of Snow White.Princess Eve was raised with one to destroy the Knight, an evil sorcerer who terrorizes Queens Bridge with his wicked magic. Her own unique magic--the ability to conjure weapons from nature--makes her a worthy adversary. Far too many of subjects of Queens Bridge have been devastated by the Knight's trickery.As she approaches her seventeenth birthday, Eve is ready to battle. But her mother, Queen Regina, has been acting bizarrely, talking to a strange mirror alone every night. Then a young man claiming to be the Knight's messenger appears and shares a shocking truth about Eve's past. Unsure of who to trust or what to do next, Eve must find the courage to do what she's always fight. But will it be enough to save her family and her queendom?

Kindle Edition, 349 pages

Published June 25, 2024

 by Bloomsbury YA

4/5 stars

My first Kalynn Bayron book was This Poison Heart, which I loved.  This her new book is a loosely based retelling of Snow White.

Sleep Like Death was an entertaining read.  I was sucked in right away with a character I could root for, Eve is brave, devoted to her family and kingdom.  The world building was interesting and unexpected (really one can't always know what to expect in a fantasy read).  There might have been hints to her previous Cinderella retelling but not enough to leave me confused, but enough to bump it up on my tbr.  Though it took a bit to feel the Snow White vibe, the build up was action packed, heartbreaking and unique.

Kalynn Bayron is a talented author, her books are fun, engaging and entertaining.  An author I recommend for those that like YA fantasy without the spice but can handle some death and violence.

My thanks to Bloomsbury YA (via Netgalley) for the digital ARC in exchange for a honest review.

 

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

Darkness blooms in bestselling author Kalynn Bayron's new contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deadly power.

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.

When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined--it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri's unique family lineage.

When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

From the bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead comes another inspiring and deeply compelling story about a young woman with the power to conquer the dark forces descending around her.

Hardcover, 370 pages

Published January 1, 2021 

by Bloomsbury

5/5 stars

I finished reading The Poison Heart this morning and I miss Bri already. I got those vibes at about the half way mark that told there would be a sequel, thankfully it releases this June (preordered already). 

I connect with Bri right away, a teen with no friends, who craves friends and just being a regular teen. But she isn’t a regular teen given the special connection she has with plants. A unique concept that has anything that grows in soil responding to her emotions.

Moving away to a house she inherited is the fresh start she craves, as does her parents. With so many secrets hiding in this place it feels like home until it doesn’t.

The Poison Heart is a story of finding one’s self, of fitting in and finding you knitch. It’s a well written story that drew me right in with vivid descriptions, interesting characters, some Greek mythology and those supernatural elements. Definitely will be recommending this one.

This book was part of my 2022 reading off my shelf challenge (#10) and obtained from Owlcrate (July 2021 box)