This is my first book by this author and it kept me engaged enough to want to stay up late at night to get further in the book even tho I needed to work the next day.

I loved the dynamics of every person in this book and the love felt thru this whole action packed symphony of disaster. I didn’t know it would be a series so the ending was left on a cliff but when the second adventures of Ollie are published I will be there.

Another winner from LaSala. This is a unique zombie horror story with some great body horror imagery and a twist you won't see coming. It's also a story about grief and identity, friendship and family, art and belonging--plus a nice dose of commentary on the way those power treat queer communities. Our main characters feel very real--poor decision making and bouts of stupidity included--and the plot moves quickly. (Plenty of action to be had here!) Unfortunately, it all ends on a cliff-hanger, so be prepared to be left wanting more!

I LOVED this book! It is very much a slow burn horror with heavy focus on character arcs and interpersonal relationships, but I think this feature is what endeared me to this book. Ollie is the kind of YA protagonist you feel simultaneously empathetic for and also frustrated by because he has so much growing to do. He's the poster child for detachment and deflection as he is unable to ask for support despite dealing with immense grief himself. I loved the re-found family aspects of this story and how the outbreak of coral zombies is all it took for a broken friend group to get back together.

The horror elements were both hauntingly beautiful and gruesome. Coral is such a unique medium to explore biohazardous reanimation and the descriptions of the "zombies" are so beautiful you forget you're supposed to be scared of them! The body horror can be quite descriptive so please check content warnings.

Overall, this is the kind of Queer book I wish I had growing up because I was SOBBING by the time I got to the author's note. Anchor's Mercy is for the misfits and this misfit loved this book.

I read the sample of this when it was available and was really interested in the whole story. However it turned out to be a little disappointing. It felt a little too YA for me, the writing was simple and a little silly and childish which isn’t always the case when it comes to YA which is why I keep trying from time to time.

This one just fell flat for me.

I really did not enjoy this book. I love Holly jackson and SK but this was none of those authors mixed together. The writing was childish and silly in my opinion. I mean what mom would want their kid to call them by their first name. Just really wasn't for me im afraid.

The Dead of Summer is the first in a series I cannot wait to devour more of. Set on the fictional island of Anchor’s Mercy, just off the coast of Maine, the setting is a standout on its own. Anchor’s Mercy is inspired by Provincetown, Massachusetts—famous for its thriving queer culture and as a beloved summer destination. Having grown up on the Cape and spent time in Provincetown myself, I loved seeing a place that once normalized queerness for me reflected so vividly in this book.

But Anchor’s Mercy isn’t just idyllic—it’s sick. Residents suffer from cancer and mysterious illnesses, and after a brutal storm, a strange growth overtakes the island, transforming tourists and locals alike into grotesque, coral-encrusted creatures. Think the ending of The Substance—but swap flesh for coral and sea life, and you’re close.

This book hooked me from the first page and never once let go. It’s relentless, thrilling, and packed with both heart and horror. The explosive finale ends on a cliffhanger that’s guaranteed to haunt me until the sequel arrives.

As YA queer horror, this isn’t just scary (though it is genuinely terrifying)—it’s also tender, emotional, and unexpectedly moving. I nearly cried at points, and then laughed out loud at others (badass drag queens will do that to you).

I can’t recommend this one enough—especially for queer readers, but really for anyone in search of late-summer chills.

Ryan La Sala has written another memorable, metaphorically driven YA horror book that had me laughing, crying, and absolutely stressed.

The cast of characters was diverse and each had such a unique voice. I fell instantly in love with the island of Anchor’s Mercy, although I don’t think I’ll be vacationing there anytime soon.

This eco horror was such an interesting take on a classic horror subgenre, zombies. I’ll probably never look at the ocean, or an aquarium, the same way again.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death, zombies, cancer, body horror

+ I’ve been wanting to read a book by this author and requested this one because the premise sounded so intriguing. A quaint island? A military hospital ship? What happened on this island. Well it was not what I was expecting!

+ Ollie and his mom, Grace are back at Anchor’s Mercy – their home, after being away for a year because Grace was sick with cancer. Now she has a new outlook on life and Ollie is going along with it but there has been so much changes for him. Will his friend group, the Suds, forgive him for leaving? There are so many questions when they first arrive but I love how they do arrive in chaos and revelry – it gave me a good impression of what life was like on Anchor’s Mercy before Ollie left.

+ The story is told in the past and present, but not the far past. Ollie and his mom arrive at Anchor’s Mercy but it’s not too long until everything starts happening. Something strange is going on, strange until it turns scary and people have no clue as to what is happening, just that people are changing and turning into zombies. Expect some body horror! In the present moment, Ollie is in quarantine and we get more of the story. Some outbreak has happened, scientist want to know the cause and trying to figure that out by interviewing Ollie. This definitely kept the mystery going, because I needed to know what exactly was the outbreak.

+ As we find out more about the outbreak the reality of what the government has done to Anchor’s Mercy, a safe haven for the LGBT+ community is coming to light and it’s not good. There is a lot of action in this one, as Ollie and his friends try to stay safe. It’s a wild time and I love that singing is what can kind of get through to those infected. I loved the community of Anchor’s Mercy and I was as devastated as Ollie to see it undergo this outbreak and trauma.

~ This is young adult so expect Ollie and his friends to act like it!

~ I’m not the biggest fan of sci-fi so all the scientific parts of the coral infections or manifestations kind of went over my head.

Final Thoughts:

This one if for the young adult horror lovers! I really enjoyed the themes of family, community, and belonging. This island of Anchor’s Mercy was a safe and vibrant place for the LGBT+ and I loved it. The horror was pretty wild – people turning into zombies due to coral and the government is involved? This story is full of mystery, action, sci-fi, body horror and if that appeals to you then I think you will enjoy this one.

Queer YA horror is so good, but Ryan La Sala does it best.
Think of a zombie apocalypse, but instead of zombies they are coral people, and instead of eating flesh, they drown you, turning all the water in your body to mucus. (If you don’t like mucus, maybe skip this one.)
This story was interesting from page one. The concept of coral zombie like infection on an island was something I never would have thought about. I also loved the kind of dual timeline with the science reports/ journals and interviews compared to Ollie and his friends’ struggle to survive.
Overall great read. The island itself sounds great, queer friendly and lots of drag queens. I really enjoyed it. The overall mystery of how these coral people came to be had me hooked! I was also heartbroken, but I won’t spoil that for you. There are themes of grief tied into this book.
Ryan La Sala does it again! Can’t wait for the next one in the series!

Content warning: cancer, body horror, death of parent, loss of parent, unethical scientific studies

La Sala has done it again! Readers are warned to hold their breath for as long as possible, and I honestly don't think my body even thought about breathing the entire time I was reading. THE DEAD OF SUMMER is a scientific horror set on a small fictional island off the coast of Maine. But this novel is also about found family, fighting for your community, and how easily humans can cross an ethical line in the pursuit of knowledge. I adored all 3 Suds members and their meddling kids ways.

I LOVED the mixed media aspect and thought that the journal entries from Querent 2 along with their interviews with TS188 interspersed with Ollie's narrative really amped up the tension. It also allows for readers to immerse themselves into the plot and feel like their are scrambling to put all the pieces together along with the characters. The twist towards the end caught me off guard in the best way possible and while I expected this to end on a bit of a cliff hanger knowing it's the first book in a duology, I still wasn't ready for where the plot leaves off. I need to know what happens next!

There is a scene in the library that absolutely wrecked me, I honestly never thought I'd ever ugly sob over a Guns N' Roses song, yet here we are. Intentional or not, I appreciated the symbolism that the library was one of the final holdouts where community members could gather in the face of unimaginable horrors.

Also, how STUNNING is this cover?!

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Scholastic, and PUSH in exchange for an honest review.

The Dead of Summer was my first book by Ryan La Sala but won't be my last. This horror novel had a little bit of everything and I loved it all.

Um excuse me ! How dare Ryan La Sala end it that way! Just kidding ...kind of... I just don't want to wait for the next book. lol

The Dead of Summer focuses on Ollie who , along with his two best friends Bash and Elisa, find themselves fighting for there lives and trying to survive a deadly diseases taking over their small island. An island where the year round residents are aloways getting sick and there's multipe conspiracy theories as to why. Now people all over their small island are turning into contagious coral ridden monsters. Help doesn't seem to be coming so Ollie , Bash and Elisa decide to uncover the truth.

I loved the way the story is formatted current interview logs layered between before and after the outbreak. I absolutely LOVED Ollie, Bash and Elisa #FriendshipGoals. I loved this island which was a queer haven was resilient. All the towns people worked together and had each others back.

Overall The Dead of Summer by Ryan La Sala is a page turning Queer YA Horror filled with f=fantastic characters, buried truths, friendships, a deadly outbreak, conspiracies, a musical connection, sacrifice, and an ending that will leave you yearning for the next book!

3.5 stars
I have never read this author before. It was a good young adult LGBTQ+ horror novel. It was much longer than I expected and I think it was left open for a book 2, although I liked the open ending. There was a lot going on and quite a bit of back and forth in time. It was done in a way that you were not too confused. I’m not a beach girl, and this book proves my point. Thank you to Netgalley for the early read.

ryan la sala nails it ONCE AGAIN!!!!!

since this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, i made sure to read it well ahead of release date. thankfully, it did not disappoint!!! well-paced and well-crafted, especially with the map and mixed media elements. the heart of this story is the trio of friends and the weird island they call home. the twist at the end had me GAGGING, and i cannot wait for the sequel!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5

Positively creepy! A thrilling blend of sci-fi and horror. I enjoyed the botanical horror element it reminded me of The Last of Us and The Ruins! It was different and unique and wholly entertaining.

The story is told main from a ya point of view but also has compiled interviews and pictures as well that I enjoyed seeing. The story also does a few back and forth from the past to the present which was nice to really be in the moment everything was happening.

I enjoyed Ollie and his ragtag group of friends. They were smart, crafty, and real.

The story kept me hooked with the mystery, high stakes, and fight for your life vibes throughout. It was also emotional and I enjoyed that touch of vulnerability in the story as well.

If you’re looking for a great botanical ya horror with conspiracy theories, drag queens, teen squads to solve the mystery, corrupt scientists, clever kids, unique mysteries, survival, grief, fast-paced, thrills, and so much more then check this one out!

Ryan La Sala knows how to pack in the action! In his newest YA horror novel, we follow Ollie Veltman as he returns to Anchor's Mercy for the summer. First of all, this island is filled with drag queens and queer-affirming family; I would venture to say that being queer is the norm on the island. I loved seeing the parallels between queer history and Anchor's Mercy, such as it being a town that people visit but only certain people live on.

Ollie's return home turns into an outbreak of a new unknown illness built with coral that he and his friends are determined to survive. We follow Ollie's perspective in the timeline of the outbreak and 3 weeks later when he is interviewed by a scientist trying to uncover how the illness is spreading. Through this dual-timeline (and mixed media!), the story unfolds phenomenally! We also get a small love triangle between some of the characters.

This horror novel had the perfect balance of gross horror, drag performances, and sweet found family moments.

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ryan La Sala's take on zombies was so different, and I really loved The Dead of Summer. Can't wait for the next book because I need to know what happens to Ollie!!!

This book has EVERYTHING: botanical horror, a seaside town, drag queens, conspiracies, teen squads with their own nicknames, and absolute unabashed heartbreak.

I tore through The Dead of Summer, and I’m embarrassed now that I haven’t already read The Honeys since I’ve owned it for ages now. Ryan La Sala has skyrocketed to the top of my TBR with this read.

The characters are flawed, strong, tender, and so very relatable. The trio of Ollie, Elisa, and Bash are a perfect balance, and I can see why Suds stick together, even when they’re breaking apart. To have a group of friends like this is something special, and it was a delight to read on the page. I will note that they felt younger than their quoted ages - 16 would have been a perfect age for these characters, but they are technically leaving HS.

The colorful characters in Anchor’s Mercy really help decorate this story in a meaningful way. You can feel how much love La Sala poured into this town, this safe space and sanctuary, based on the author’s own life experiences. Anchor’s Mercy itself is, in a way, its own character.

And also this is HORROR? Botanical horror? The sea coming to drown everyone you love?? The creeping dread was excellently depicted while also being chock full of tense action. And yet the moments of levity scattered throughout kept this from being a heavy horror - perfect for the YA label this book carries.

The interspersed interview / scientist notebook chapters were so perfectly placed to give the crumbs of information and insight into the conspiracy. I also loved how most things weren’t described twice - if it’s gone over in an interview, Ollie’s POV would pick up after that. It was a well-written handoff. I was DEEP into my highlights and notes during those chapters, trying to find all the hints the characters were leaving for each other (and the reader).

Pfaff is a reliable villain, and I hate her, but a little more complexity in her story or behavior may have given her more depth - which I think would have been an interesting contrast to the creeping horror.

The eARC copy I received is clearly not the finished copy, and the formatting was often awkward or weird (the interview notes chapters had blank pages on-screen, which I assume will be ON page in the final draft) - so I might need a physical copy just to see how it all looks in the finished product! Also I LOVED the early insert of the bachelorette party photo / instagram post, and I think it was a missed opportunity to not have more of this!

I don’t know what it is about horror that is almost guaranteed to make me cry, but cry I did. Five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for an advance reader copy of this book so that I could leave an honest review.

Ollie and his Grace are returning home to the island of Anchors Mercy after about of year of being on the mainland dealing with Gracie’s cancer treatments. Ollie meets a cute vacationer named Sam on the ferry ride over and things seem to be going great - until they weren’t.

There’s this weird med ship docked in the water as soon as he gets off the boat and not a whole day after arriving home shit hits the fan. There are goopy zombie people all over the island.

I’m a huge Ryan la Sala fan so reading this wasn’t an option for me. La Sala always has these weird out of the box things happening in his books and this one was no exception.

The island of Anchors Mercy itself sounds amazing. It’s an island run by drag queens and other queer folks. There’s karaoke brunches, unique buildings and all kinds of stuff. Until the zombies happened.

I didn’t realize this was only the first book before I started reading it (not that that would have stopped me) but it does end on a big cliffhanger so be prepared!

Thank you NetGalley and PUSH for this arc in return for an honest review.

Ryan La Sala has quickly become one of those authors that I need to read the second he puts out a new book. Ever since I read his book The Honeys, I've been hooked on his writing so when I found out he was coming out with a new one about a virus-y type of infection set in a beach town, I was sold. I was just as excited when I was able to snag an advanced copy of this upcoming book (thanks Scholastic <3).

This book has everything you could want in a sci-fi YA thriller. Right from the beginning I was hooked when I saw the map for the island of Anchor's Mercy where the book takes place. There's conspiracies, drag queens, action, infected people, and ocean life. I also appreciate the fact that La Sala shies away from the typical queer romance trope so many YA books are inclined to do (not that I'm against that because I love those just as much), but rather he writes about crazy thing happening to people that just so happen to be queer and the fact that they are isn't the entire purpose of the book. As someone who is queer myself, I like to see that every once in a while.

Overall the book was really well executed and it gave me vibes of "The Last of Us", "AHS: Doubt-Feature (Red-Tide)", and A Quiet Place" all set in a Provincetown-inspired beach town. I cannot wait for the second book in this duology to come out.