Haley Casey

This Halloween, after all the spooky October books I read, I've found myself craving a YA or MG horror novel rooted in non-Western mythology in my QM. I would love to see under-explored creatures and folklore brought to life—and the more atmospheric, the better! #MSWL

Whoever said they were Kaz and Inej coded was SPOT. ON. If they have this energy (adult or YA), I want to see it #MSWL

Bring me myth, fairytale, and classic retellings!

Bring me vibes!

Bring me:

Locked-room YA thrillers
Rivals-to-lovers tension-filled romcoms
Unbearably clever YA heroes
Romantasy with characters to die for
An MG novel full of magical creatures
Heists
Female friendships

#MSWL

...YA, to start! Across genres, joyful, diverse, heartfelt YA novels with compelling plots and characters stood out to me last year, and I would love more on my list! Think ELATSOE, YEAR OF THE REAPER, YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN, LITTLE THIEVES, THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL #MSWL

… deep MG with a strong message; sweeping YA fantasy; women’s fiction with characters I’d kill for; banter-filled contemporary romance; and meaningful and well-written nonfiction for any age. They’ll fill in some gaps on my list! #MSWL

I cannot and do not have enough stories about tight-knit female friends. I don't care what they're doing or what genre they're in as long as they're together, rejecting all the expectations put on young women, and refusing to be separated. #MSWL
twitter.com/Haley_J_Casey/…

Please, somebody, send me a rollicking multi-POV adventure for YA and MG! I want a journey, a heist, a cast of characters who each bring a unique voice and talent to the table! Make it dark, or make it break conventional tropes, but send it my way! #MSWL
twitter.com/Haley_J_Casey/…

Also, bring me the opposite: dark, suspenseful, unsettling, atmospheric (YA) mystery and horror. Make it creepy and intense and full of wonderful characterization, and keep me guessing. I'm talking HOUSE OF HOLLOW, ACE OF SPADES, TRULY DEVIOUS, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE... #MSWL

RN, I'm craving a YA/Adult romance with a male love interest who OOZES charm and charisma. Nothing else, just those vibes of being irresistible af and leaning into it. Please give me your Henry Montagues, Ian Flannerys, Jesper Faheys, and yes, even Jace Waylands. #MSWL

The next HELLO GIRLS remains on the top of my #MSWL, but as I consider endless, emotional, meaningful platonic love and the types of female friendships that are ride or die in the way my own have been—especially as teens, in high school, in YA—let's add BOOKSMART as an example.

There’s not room to hype all of the interesting and underrated YA NF out there, but I’m open to anything. Comps include AMERICANIZED: REBEL WITHOUT A GREEN CARD; THE BELOVED WORLD OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR; BONNIE AND CLYDE: THE MAKING OF A LEGEND; GIRL CODE; #NOTYOURPRINCESS; and SHOUT

Karen McManus is the current YA mystery gold standard, and I’d love a comp to any of her titles. But I’d also love a creepier THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE; a manuscript as twisty as DANGEROUS GIRLS; or a straight-up horror, like WILDER GIRLS. Give me tension and action!

My hands-down favorite YA dystopian is SCYTHE, so come at me with your clever takes on the future of death and society! I also want to see Gen-Z characters taking on a broken society in the way only they can. Give me the next CREWEL, THE GRACE YEAR, or ACROSS A STAR-SWEPT SEA.

I remain open to everything that’s on my CMALit.com page, but I’m REALLY hoping to fall in love with a few YA manuscripts. I want to hear from authors with brand-new ideas for the market! Without being able to anticipate those myself, though, here are some thoughts:

Today's #MSWL is a heist story. Young adult (like SIX OF CROWS) or adult (like MONEY HEIST), or even MG (for which I can't think of an example)—I want to see the mastermind behind the planning, the action, the drama, the romance that blossoms with danger around every turn!