YOU'VE GOTH MY HEART

Nothing is scarier for a gay goth teen than an unexpected romance.

When Gray receives a text from an unknown number, he quickly bonds with the anonymous person over music. They text throughout the summer, opening up about everything except their true identities. Gray wonders if the exchange may be a ploy from his closeted ex to win him back—or could the texter be the serial killer who’s connected to the missing local gay teens? As their correspondence grows increasingly flirtatious, the boys decide to reveal themselves over FaceTime on Halloween. Gray and his pagan, “eldergoth” moms have a winning streak in the local Halloween house-decorating contest; Gray plans to take this year to the next level and impress his secret paramour. He’s got competition, though, from new classmate Malcolm, a cute but condescending goth, who’s famous online for his drag persona, Amanda Lash. Rosen deftly weaves romance, a touch of spookiness, and morbid humor into a story that’s filled with heart and hope but acknowledges the challenges of being different from society’s norms. Fun fashion details, the cozy autumnal setting, and a delightful group of talented friends add to the charm and appeal. The missing teens subplot adds a dash of danger and intrigue, although Gray is mostly confident in his non-serial killer explanation for what’s going on. The leads present white (Malcolm’s family is “Jewish but barely”), and there’s some racial diversity in the supporting cast.

An enticing mashup of dark humor and light romance.