Every now and then, you start reading a book so riveting, so all-encompassing, that somehow you structure your entire day around it. That’s what happened to me from the very first page of Brianna Jett’s upcoming YA novel in verse Under a Carnivore Sky. Once I started it, I became so enthralled that I finished it in one day— very early in one sitting, if I hadn’t had to physically put the book down to drive home…where I picked it right back up and continued reading.

Lili has lived her entire life in Saltview, a small town on the edge of a swamp known for a monster. The monster takes small pieces of the townsfolk, some more than others. Lili is an outsider, as her family legacy is to hunt the monster. Rumors swirl about her mother, making the townsfolk further distrust Lili. Until Caleb, a boy about her age, arrives wanting help. Wanting to help, in exchange for help. Caleb wants out of Saltview. Lili wants to save her father, who has lost more to the monster than anyone else in town.

This stunning novel in verse is lyrical. Jett expertly balances the poetic elements with a gripping plot and stunning descriptions. The stakes are sky high, as Lili is hunting a monster in a carnivorous swamp while her father seems to shrink day by day. Yet tension is steadily built and released via flashbacks and new information that offers additional context.

Lili, Caleb, and every single townsperson is impeccably developed. Even the swamp monster and Saltview itself are distinct characters. Visceral details and vivid imagery root readers in each scene in a way that is at times haunting-- and at times haunted.

Teachers, this would make an excellent classroom text. In addition to the poetic language, verse formatting, and high quality writing, the swamp and monster allegory makes for excellent dissection. While the carnivorous swamp may sound on the verge of horror, the text is entirely approachable for even the biggest of scaredy-cats (and I am speaking for myself here, too!). Lili's narration, the monster mystery, and the coming of age universality invites rigorous classroom discussion.

Under a Carnivore Sky has a broad appeal-- it is approachable, engaging, and utterly irresistible.

Unputdownable and unforgettable, Lili’s story is sure to stay with you.

Under a Carnivore Sky will be available May 12, 2026. It's now available for pre-order from your favorite bookseller.

Gratitude to the author, Page Street YA, and NetGalley for a digital ARC such that I could provide my honest opinions.

Unputdownable. I read this in two short sittings because I simply couldn’t stop turning the pages. Under a Carnivore Sky is haunting in the most beautiful way.

From the beginning, I needed to understand why the monster was devouring the adults of Saltview—and what it ultimately meant for Lili. That mystery pulled me through the story at a relentless pace.

It’s even more impressive that the novel is written in verse. The format adds such an eerie, lyrical quality to the storytelling and perfectly suits the atmosphere of the swamp.

The world of Saltview feels rich and alive, from the haunting landscape of the marsh to the deep familial ties at the heart of the story. And the relationship between Lili and Caleb adds a quiet emotional anchor that makes the stakes feel even more real.

This is the kind of story that lingers long after the final page. Beautifully done.

What a melodic story, filled with emotion and character.

Written in verse, it took me a bit to get into a comfy reading speed; however, the beauty of being written in verse is that emotions ooze and settle, ebb and flow naturally as the breaks in lines and spacing cause the reader to pause and digest what the main character Lili is thinking or feeling. Instead of settling for a plot that is focused on Lili's attempts to kill the monster overshadowing her town of Saltview, the book instead chooses to reflect upon the unique circumstances of the town and its inhabitants, slowly peeling back layers until the truth is fully revealed.

Lili herself is rich and dynamic, a teenager struggling to find herself and her place within the bounds of what she knows. Flawed and imperfect, I was right beside her as she explored the swamp and her feelings on several of the other characters of the town. The soft, almost whisper-like relationship that grows while spending time with Caleb was beautiful.

I went into this book thinking the verse-style of writing was going to make this a fast but unremarkable read. How wrong I was. It is a fast, steady read but leaves you sitting and thinking about your own circumstances and thoughts long after the final page is over.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Brianna Jett, and the publisher Page Street YA for an eARC to read and review.

I loved this in that slightly obsessive way where I didn’t want to leave the world at all.

The vibe is dark, lush, and a bit eerie, like everything is alive and quietly watching you. It has that slow, creeping atmosphere that just wraps around you the deeper you get into it, and I was completely pulled in. I love when a book feels a little bit strange and unsettling but also really beautiful, and this nailed that.

It just has this hypnotic quality to it that made it so easy to get lost in. I didn’t want it to end. If you love darker, moody reads that feel a bit haunting, a bit weird, and very immersive, this one is so worth it. Easy five stars from me!

This story is unique, tragic and hopeful. I'm not usually a fan of novels in verse. But for this story that format really works. The story and characters grab you by the hand and don't let go.

What a beautiful read.

This is a story that is quite gruesome in a way at the surface, but means so much more deep down. We follow Lili as she is coming of age in this little town called Saltview, that is overtaken by a swamp. Dwelling inside that swamp is a monster that is slowly taking pieces of Saltview's inhabitants.

It took me a little while to get used to it being written in verse, but I ended up loving it so much. The writing was exquisite, the storytelling was lush and vivid and I just could not put it down.

I'm not entirely sure why but it gave me such a nostalgic feeling. Is it strange that I wanted to actually step inside Saltview myself? It really felt like I was growing along with Lili, discovering things with her. She was imperfect and flawed, a typical teenager which I found really refreshing. Her gently budding relationship with Caleb I absolutely loved.

The ending was beautiful, it was really open but full of hope. I did shed a tear thinking about Caleb and hoping that the two of them somehow manage to find one another.