The Hex Girls: A Rogue Thorn by Lily Meade

The Hex Girls: A Rogue Thorn by Lily Meade

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Format: eBook (Personal Library, Bookshop.org)

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

As a lifelong fan of Scooby Doo, it was exciting to hear that the Hex Girls were getting their own novel in Lily Meade’s sophomore release The Hex Girls: A Rogue Thorn. The book had the trademarks of a typical Scoobyverse story with a mystery at the heart. It also features a subplot with a sapphic romance between Thorn and Velma. 

It was nice to see how much Scooby substance the book had, as well as the elements of nostalgia it invoked. Daphne’s fashion, Fred’s love of traps, Velma’s intelligence and Shaggy’s deep love of food and loyalty to his friends are all featured in the story. It also showcased the very deep relationship between each of the Hex Girls (which I feel like has only been explored on a surface level in previous cartoons/movies).  Velma and Thorn’s relationship was an interesting component of the story (have I mentioned I want someone to flirt with me by threatening to buy me more books haha), but it wasn’t what kept me invested in the read. I did want to note that the author does depict some of the characters to be of particular racial backgrounds (Thorn describes herself as a “Black goth” and Velma mentions having an abuela/seems to be depicted as a Latina) but it does not take away anything from the original version of the characters.  

My only complaint was that Scooby did not say a single word in the entire book. I know it’s a Hex Girls novel primarily, but for Scooby to not talk and act more like a standard dog than anything, it was a missed opportunity and a bit of a pull out my hair moment in frustration as a reader. 

Overall, a great read and I think most Scooby fans will enjoy this book. It is a bit darker, as there is death in the story but I think it’s a good fit for young adult readers and above. I’m excited to see more of the author’s work in the future, and hope we get more Scooby books in particular. 

REVIEW All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Montlake
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens wasn't even on my radar until I saw a recommendation for it from author Katee Robert, and I'm so glad I picked it up on a whim from Kindle Unlimited. I completely devoured it in a day. Switching between Dara Brown and Sean Bassett's narrration along with the ebook made me so excited. And I was not expecting that ending.

Decades ago, 48 beings from outer space (in the form of children) landed on Earth. With fantastical powers, some of them developed into what we would consider heroes and some of them became supervillains. Some never picked a side. Roland (previously Pyro and later Wyvern) decides he wants to become a hero after much negotiations and needs a PR team to help make it happen. Enter Vanessa and her team. Both Roland and Vanessa are drawn together by feelings they can't explain, and once they finally do get together strange things start to happen. I'm a big fan of the superhero genre, and I was so excited by this author's take on things. Also, as previously mentioned, I was not expecting how things played out at the end and I all but screeched while reading it. I know Monika and Taranis have a book coming up in November 2025 (All Superheroes Need Photo Opps) but I really hope as many characters as possible in the series get their HEA because they were all amazing. I'm also very excited to hopefully learn more about some of the other beings who fell to Earth, as we haven't even touched on most of the 48.

Overall, a fantastic read and a fantastic story. I highly recommend this book to adult romance readers who like diverse reads with elements of superheroes and the paranormal.