Gateway Reviews

ARTIFACTS OF AN EX When Chloe Chang gets a box from her boyfriend in the mail, she thinks it's going to be some grand romantic gesture. Not a break-up box. But it turns out long distance isn't his thing, and now that she's moved across the country, he's on to greener pastures. Devastated and alone except for her family in a new city, Chloe turns to her only means of expression: art curating. There just so happens to be a new venue up the street looking to feature some teen art, and she's got a great idea: a collection of breakup boxes, all those artifacts left behind when a relationship goes south. She's got the perfect name for it, too: Heartifacts. Opening night doesn't quite go off with the bang Chloe hoped. The exhibit is just picking up steam when she spots someone illegally filming and rushes in to stop him. So enters Daniel Kwak, young wannabe teen director who has big ideas for her exhibit--and a big crus...

CAUGHT IN A BAD FAUXMANCE Devin Baez just wants to enjoy one last Christmas at Lake Andreas before they sell the family cabin. But a run-in with their longtime lakeside rivals, the Seo-Cookes, changes everything. The Winter Games have always been competitive between their families, but the Baez family didn't plan to compete this year. Not until a bet was made. If they win, the Seo-Cookes will pay off the mortgage on the cabin so they can keep it in the family. If they lose, well, the Seo-Cookes need some space on the lake for their new boat launch. With the stakes higher than ever, Devin would do anything to get the upperhand. So when Julian Seo-Cooke finds himself in need of a fake boyfriend, Devin jumps on the opportunity. There's no better way to sneak behind enemy lines and maybe, finally prove that the Seo-Cookes play dirty. THOUGHTS This book was exactly w...

THE REVENGE GAME Alyson is a hopeless romantic, emphasis on hopeless. She's tricked herself before into thinking a guy might be into her. So when she meets Brenton, she knows to be wary. But this connection isn't just in her head, and Brenton is willing to prove it. When he swoops in to save her from an unwanted sexual encounter at a party, she knows they're meant to be. It's a fairytale romance, the kind she's always wanted, and she--they--couldn't be happier. Until Alyson finds out about the King's Cup. An age-old competition at Sullivan-Steward Boarding School, most of her male classmates seem to be in on it. The object: proving who has the most sexual prowess, one "encounter" at a time. Naturally, this puts Alyson on edge. Is her relationship with Brenton real, or it is all some elaborate ruse? Alyson doesn't know, but she and the other girls aren't just going to sit back and wait to find ou...

ALL THESE SUNKEN SOULS Ghosts and ghouls, angels and demons, slashers and their victims: hold onto your fingers and toes as you jump into this terrifying horror anthology. From Victorian manors with a taste for blood to tooth fairy hijinks and inescapable asylums, these ten twisted tales demand you leave the lights on long after you've finished reading. THOUGHTS This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year... and also one of my most disappointing reads. Don't get me wrong. There are some great stories in this anthology. But a lot of them just weren't to my taste, and that made this collection a bit of a slog to get through. PROS Horrific Some of these tales are absolutely horrific, in the best way possible. What else could you ask for from a horror anthology? Splashing blood, shambling zombies, and more: this book re...

CHECK & MATE Mallory Greenleaf gave up chess years ago. But when her best friend begs her to join an amateur chess team for an upcoming charity event, she can't really say no. Not for a one-off, one-day even that she can immediately forget about. But when Mal's first match turns out to be against reigning Chess World Champion, "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer, everything changes. Because Mal actually wins. Suddenly, everybody wants to know who Mallory Greenleaf is, but Mal doesn't want anybody to know about her. She especially doesn't want her family to know she's back in the chess world, not after what happened with her dad. But when she loses her job (and her means of supporting her mom and sisters), she has to take the chess fellowship an elite chess club in NYC has offered. Even if that means competing. It's not like she'll ever reach a rank that anybody will care about. Except somebody does care. Someb...

BY ANY OTHER NAME London, 1593: Will Hughes has a problem. Well, he's got a few. For one, he earns his keep on the stage as a boy actor, and London's playhouses have been shut down due to the plague. And two, he's not just used to playing a part on the stage. "Will" isn't even his real. Son of traitors, he can't let his true identity get out, or he risks losing more than just his head. But he needs a job, and when his former mentor and famous playwright Christopher Marlowe reaches out, Will jumps on the opportunity. But a pub dinner with Marlowe goes awry when Marlowe is stabbed and killed right in front of Will. This is no accident. Marlowe was a spy for the queen, and his murderers knew exactly what they were doing. Suddenly in more danger than he's ever been in before, Will finds himself at the mercy of a young lord who knows what Will's tangled up in. One who might be willing to help... for a price. ...

THE FOREST DEMANDS ITS DUE Douglas Jones isn't the usual Regent Academy student. He isn't superstitious. He isn't rich. He isn't straight and white. And unlike the other students, Douglas doesn't want any of the perks and privileges that come with graduating from such an elite establishment. He's just keeping his head down to survive. Until a student is killed, and Douglas is one of the witnesses. Until he tries to bring it up the next day, and nobody knows what--or who--he is talking about. Nobody remembers such a student existing, except for the groundkeeper's son Everett. But Douglas knows what he saw. In an effort to uncover the truth, Douglas steps out of line. He steps off the path, both figuratively and literally. Because the forest behind Regent Academy is calling to him, and he knows the truth lies in there. And he's right. Because deep in the forest slumbers a vengeful creature that wants blood. ...