Title: Gingerbread Bones
Author: Lindsay Lovise
Publication Date: August 4, 2026
Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books
Format Read: Kindle e-ARC
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA
Content Warnings: Graphic child death, gore, and vomit • Moderate panic attacks/disorders and death of a parent • Minor animal death
With a title like Gingerbread Bones, I knew this story was going to be sweet… sickly sweet. (See what I did there?) That’s what first caught my attention when I was asked to review it. The synopsis also mentions teens being sent to participate in their stepmother’s survivalist reality show. I love shows like these, so I thought that aspect would be fun as well. I was absolutely right.
Georgie and Hamish are sent by their parenting “expert” influencer stepmother to the remote Maine wilderness to participate in a reality show she helped create about reforming troubled teens by teaching them to work together and survive under unusual circumstances. Unsurprisingly, neither is excited about the prospect. Once there, it initially seems to be little more than a group of unhappy teens complaining about everything. Then there’s Mack. He seems older, ripped, and heavily tattooed. Georgie is certain he’s the only one who’s truly dangerous. Before long, events force the group to split in two, and overnight, the remaining adult disappears. Even worse, something seems to be hunting them, toying with them almost like a cat with a mouse, in this delightfully suspenseful spin on Hansel & Gretel.
The story is narrated entirely by Georgie in the first person. “Troubled” is a good word to describe her, although her reasons are completely understandable. She is an exceptionally well-rounded character, but early on she embodies the frustrating self-centeredness that often comes with being a teenager: everything is the worst, and this experience is surely going to ruin her life. She demonstrates considerable inner fortitude and grows exponentially before all is said and done. That growth made the opening feel a touch slower than the rest of the novel, even though the pacing itself never truly drags. Once Georgie begins to change, the story flies. The other characters we spend time with are also well developed, including the true villain. Don’t get me wrong, the villain is unquestionably evil, but they didn’t begin that way.
This story explores several themes in an immersive way, the most central of which is how the pursuit of perfection is insatiable. No matter how much you have, it’s never enough because true perfection doesn’t exist. Two of the other standout themes are self-worth versus external validation and appearance versus reality. The novel also explores choice, agency, and coercion, asking what real choice actually looks like.
Lovise’s writing is atmospheric, cinematic, and relatively fast-paced. The scenes in Gingerbread Bones unfold vividly, almost like watching a horror film. The forest, eerie setting, and ever-present gingerbread scent create a pervasive sense of dread. It feels haunted from the moment the characters arrive at the campsite. The novel is also highly suspenseful and emotionally resonant. Beneath the horror, it thoughtfully explores grief, family, self-worth, and longing. My heart ached for Georgie, Hamish, and Mack.
Gingerbread Bones surprised me. I enjoyed it even more than I expected I would. I’ve not explored this genre much before, but this book is perfect for readers who enjoy YA survival horror, modern fairy tale retellings, supernatural suspense, and stories that blend pulse-pounding tension with thoughtful themes.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓— a haunting fairy tale nightmare
Click here to learn more about Gingerbread Bones and Lindsay Lovise.
Let’s Discuss:
What’s more dangerous: a monster in the woods or the belief that you’ll only be enough when you’re perfect?
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I read a digital copy made available by Entangled: Mayhem Books through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.