12 must-read YA book releases to spring into this April
By Lacy Baugher
April 2021 release: The Mary Shelley Club – Goldy Moldavsky
A twisty YA thriller that’s described as one part Scream and one part Gossip Girl, The Mary Shelley Club follows the story of a girl named Rachel Chavez who experiences a traumatic event and throws herself into horror movies in the hopes that she can numb herself to fear.
When she discovers a secret club at her new school – the titular Mary Shelley Club – that sets up pranks that are themed with horror tropes, she’s pretty sure she’s found her new best friends. But that’s exactly when things start to go horribly wrong.
The official synopsis describes the story in more detail.
"New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends. April 2021 release:To her surprise, however, the prank attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a secret club of students with one objective: come up with the scariest prank to orchestrate real fear. But as the pranks escalate, the competition turns cutthroat and takes on a life of its own. When the tables are turned and someone targets the club itself, Rachel must track down the real-life monster in their midst . . . even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past."
The Mary Shelley Club is available on April 13.