Boys with Sharp Teeth

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Jenni Howell for the ARC.

I wanted to love this book. The title and artwork immediately drew me in, promising dark academia with an eerie, supernatural edge. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story kicks off, becomes quickly farfetched, then drags painfully slow only to rush through the ending.

The idea of the main character, Jamie, sneaking into an elite boarding school under a false identity, determined to uncover the truth about her cousin Sam’s suspicious death sounded very promising. But plot holes like an enormous tuition check passing unquestioned, dyeing her hair to successfully mask her identity, and no family members wondering where she went made it hard to stay immersed. The world outside the central characters barely exists, making the setting feel hollow rather than atmospheric. Jamie’s growing romantic tension and inner turmoil overshadows the mystery, pushing Sam’s death into the background. Instead of a gripping investigation, the story leans too heavily into manufactured drama, diluting the stakes and making the last-minute supernatural elements feel even more out of place.

Overall, while the concept intrigued me, the uneven pacing and lack of depth in both the mystery and world-building left me underwhelmed. There is an audience for this out there - but it’s not for me.

This book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review.

Audiobook review. I am writing this through watery lashes and the highest hopes for MORE gripping my heart. The vice grip this haunting book had on me is not one I’d ever really experienced before. It held me by the throat as I simultaneously devoured it while telling myself to slow down so I could savor it. I wanted to unravel the mystery as soon as possible but never wanted it to end. It was agony and frustration and yearning and rapture. The prose was absolutely stunning and titillating in a way that was SO intellectually stimulating. The characters and their struggles burrowed so deep into my heart that I fear I will never be the same again. Jennifer Pickens, the audiobook narrator, did a phenomenal job with bringing this story to life. The details from the whispers to the emotions were so vivid and the transitions, pacing, cadence, and tone were on point. The fact that this was a debut author is incredible and it makes me feel like luckiest ARC reader out there. Jenni Howell has made an instant fan in me and I genuinely recommend this book to all who would listen. It is my top read for the year and will forever be in my favorites. Complementary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.

was not prepared for how thoroughly bad this is