Boys with Sharp Teeth coming April 8th, 2025 from Roaring Brook Press; 400 pages
Content Warning: Death, violence, mentions of suicide, self-harm, drug-abuse
About the Author: “Jenni Howell is an American dark academia and thriller author whose books feature characters that pluck themselves out of their pages and into your mind, eerie mysteries, and swoon-worthy romances that are almost never a good idea. Fans of The Raven Cycle and Atlas Six will find themselves at home in her words. Her debut, Boys With Sharp Teeth, combines a gothic boarding school thriller with lush character work and a pulse-racing toxic romance…or two. Boys comes out in Winter 2025 from Macmillan’s Roaring Brook Press with a second untitled novel to follow in 2026. Before she was an author, Jenni dabbled in language study, archaeology, playacting Attila the Hun for captive but still feral sixth graders whoop wait ahem teaching middle and high school, and casual espionage. Now, she runs rampant with her own crew of homeschooled minions and scribbles for you” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Jenni Howell on the following platforms:
Boys with Sharp Teeth is set within the gates of Huntsworth Academy, the enigmatic boarding school that caters to the wealthy elite. When Marin finds her cousin Sam’s dead body on school property, everyone is quick to dismiss it as an accidental overdose, but Marin isn’t convinced. To find out what really happened to Sam, Marin hatches a risky plan: she will enter the school as Jamie Vane, track down the three students who could be responsible for her cousin’s murder—Henry, Adrian, and Baz—and get a confession to avenge Sam’s death. But during a party held unexpectedly in Sam’s honor, Jamie discovers a hidden side to the three students buried in philosophy studies and covered mirrors. Through it all, the truth seems impossible and the lies seem unending.
Jenni Howell’s novel combines demanding revenge, taunting lies, and enthralling characters. The first thing that I really enjoyed about this novel was the writing. It was evocative and compelling, and I found myself slowing down to really appreciate how well this book was crafted. There is a blend of psychological thriller and complex philosophy that fits into the dark academia aesthetic perfectly. I also really liked the characters. Jamie, the narrator, craves the truth behind the murder that changed everything for her. She had moments that made me shake my head but even more that made me root for her. Baz is tender, and I really wanted to protect her. Henry and Adrian are two sides of the same coin, and they kept me constantly questioning who they really were. However, I will acknowledge that while the book is marketed as a romance story with vampires, that is not really how I would define this story. The paranormal aspect centers around mirrors, and I enjoyed how it kept me guessing about what was happening, but there weren’t any vampires. While there were moments that could be considered romantic, the story more so showcased begrudging tensions with Adrian and reluctant games with Henry. Though this might be considered a drawback, I think this fits perfectly within the narrative. Boys with Sharp Teeth was a rollercoaster that I couldn’t put down, and it fit every aspect of dark academia that I could hope for.
Boys with Sharp Teeth releases on April 8th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Hannah Goerndt, Pine Reads Review Writer