Falling in love can be complicated. But falling in love with a boy who may have committed a gruesome murder? Absolutely torturous. When Cade Muñoz's stepdad wrangles him into spending his summer working on a ranch, Cade only expects three months of blisters and mud. But as he becomes closer with the beautiful Henry Tyler, heir to the Tyler ranch, Cade's summer just might take a turn for the better. That is, if he can ignore Henry's temperamental father and the dark rumors that surround their family's homestead. From the author and artist who created the beloved graphic novel Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy (2019) comes this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. This delivers a contemporary retelling of a classic story to a new generation of teen readers. Terciero artfully utilizes the horror genre as a metaphor for the young queer experience in modern-day Texas. Indigo's maroon monochromatic artwork throughout matches Terciero's tone, evoking a satirically ominous feel. Perfect for teens searching for acceptance a cowboy or two.

Stranded on a ranch for the summer, a teen gets swept up in an unexpected romance with a boy from a family haunted by rumors.With bills piling up, 16-year-old Mexican American Cade Muñoz has no choice but to spend his summer shoveling horse poop with stepfather Dale at Dale's old Army buddy's ranch. Far away from his favorite escape-the movie theater in Abilene-Cade feels more alone than ever until he meets handsome, charming ranch owner's son Henry Tyler, a White boy who shares Cade's passion for horror movies. Although Henry seems perfect at first, he's so secretive that Cade can't ignore the disturbing rumors that death follows in his shadow and that his father killed Henry's mother for her family's money. As he digs for the truth, Cade starts to worry that his own life may end like a horror film. This queer coming-of-age graphic novel reimagines Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey in contemporary rural Texas. A sepia color palette and black gutters during nighttime scenes heighten the moody, horror-inspired ambience. Both Cade and Henry grapple with family relationships, coming out, and accepting their identities. Grief, trauma, fear, and loneliness create tension within their romance. Despite the homophobia and racism around them, they find support from friends and family. Exchanges in Spanish among Cade, his mom, and Abuela are seamlessly woven into the story. Cade's stepfather and stepsister are Black.An emotional coming-of-age romance that is darkly and dramatically imagined. (author's note) (Graphic fiction. 13-18)

Gr 6 Up— A creative retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey , this graphic novel follows queer Latinx teen Cade Mu&1;oz as he is forced to spend his summer working at a ranch in rural Texas to help support his family. Cade dreads being away from his only oasis, the movie theater in his hometown of Abilene. However, he finds an instant connection with the ranch owner's son, Henry Tyler, who shares his interest in horror movies. The two begin spending time away from the ranch in the evenings, and Cade begins to develop feelings for Henry. But amid their newfound romance, he still can't help but wonder about the dark rumors surrounding the Tyler family. Will his summer come to resemble the horror movies he loves so much? Terciero captures the experience of growing up queer in rural America. Cade faces homophobia, ignorance, and racism, and both he and Henry question how to come out to their families. Henry's struggles with grief, depression, and suicidal ideation are handled with compassion. Pages drawn entirely in sepia tones contribute to the eerie tone of the story. Overall, this is a great read whether readers are familiar with the source material or not. VERDICT A heartfelt romance that captures the experience of growing up queer in rural America, this is recommended for all graphic novel collections.— Jillian Girardeau