The Corpse Queen follows Molly Green, an orphan who is sent off to live with a mysterious Aunt. Molly must now help her Aunt, "The Corpse Queen", steal bodies while attempting to solve her best friend Kitty's murder.

There's not much wrong with this one, but there was not that much that I loved either. I thought our characters were okay, and I found myself nervous for Molly as well as rooting for her. I also found the murder mystery component interesting. This was definitely the most compelling aspect of the novel, but I thought the revealed killer lacked nuance. I also found the ending to be very confusing- I wish the author spelled out what happened instead of alluding to these big reveals.

Overall, this kept me engaged, and it was a good palette cleanser. I haven't read many books like The Corpse Queen before and found it a good addition to the young adult horror space.

I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.
The premise was interesting and it really kept me interested. At time I didn’t love the characters but I was too curious about the story to care.

Overall it was good and a quick read.

One of the most intricate, unique YA books I've read in years. Just the right amount of creep-factor with plenty of heart (no pun intended) and a smattering of romance. I've been recommending this to anyone looking for girls in STEM.

This was not at all what I was expecting, in the best way. It did lag a bit and i wish that the pacing issue had been fixed before publication. But the ideas are great. The prose was good. This is like, 19th century setting so fans of Divine Rivals might enjoy it. It is a compelling work that delves into women's agency and the harm of oversexualizing women, which was unexpected given the synopsis. It did a good job.

I started out with high expectations for this book but it ended up being a slog to get through. It dragged quite a bit in the middle, and I had to push myself to finish.

This story is a fun and twisting tale with intriguing characters and a peak into the gruesome study of anatomy and human cadaveric dissection in the 19th Century. It also provides an interesting commentary on women's bodies and how in life and death they are sexualized and sensationalized. I can't wait to read the author's next book!
Full review on my YouTube channel.

The beginning of this book sucked me in with Kitty but after reading farther, my attention dwindled. I found I did not enjoy the story as much as I wanted

Thank you PenguinTeen for the earc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very interesting read. Heather Herrman did an amazing job with the atmosphere and character development. I loved the detail and description of the time period. Was I expecting a more creepiness or disturbing parts throughout the book, yes I did. But overall it was a unique read. I recommend you read.

Review in Goodreads.

Gave it the ole college try, but I'm not connecting with this story. I was intrigued by the concept and the setting (love a good historical) before reading, but I don't feel like it's that well-researched, like to the point where it's kind of giving "generic historical" vibes and could be anywhere. Molly could be any number of generic orphans with a dead orphan best friend with a secret. I kept being strongly reminded of a Mindy McGinnis's novel about a girl in an insane asylum, but even while I didn't love that book, her writing oozes with personality. The characters nor the writing of this book were compelling enough to keep my attention. The gruesome bits are quite visceral but without anything else supporting it, I just felt more grossed out than creeped out or excited scared.

**I was given a review copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinon.**

Was a really stellar fantasy. Loved the Authors world building, and definitely appreciated the fact that she didn't got off the rails with the names, and spelling of said names.

I started this one and just couldn't get in to it. Maybe it's me? Maybe it was the way it was written (as in it just didn't appeal to *me*) but I may come back to it but for now I'm DNF-ing and moving to something else that grabs my attention.

I think there is something to be said for being a mood reader and having something just not *hit* you right. It has nothing to do with the writer or the book even (sometimes) but I think this one just didn't catch me at a great time.

Still, if you like twisty reads, grave robbing, and history - this could be for you!

My rating: I'm giving it a 3 at the moment but could change it at any time if I come back to it :)

The female characters in this book were definitely one we see in the movies. There are so many inclusive elements in this story which I loved. As a mother of a non-binary child this gave me so much joy to see that there are books that carry such important factors. I enjoyed the setting of the story and the worldbuilding. The character development was spectacular.

“Tonight it’s just us devils, and we’ve got all of hell to ourselves.”

First of all, thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this truly bloodcurdling book. The Corpse Queen is set in Philadelphia, 1855, and follows Molly Green, a 17-year-old orphan who’s recently accepted that her prospects are few. This makes it especially surprising when Molly’s “aunt” sends for her. After arriving at the towering manner that is her aunt’s house, Molly confirms Ava is her aunt, as well as an incredibly wealthy woman who has built an empire off robbing graves. During her time spent with her aunt Ava, Molly finds herself getting more and more entwined in this mysterious new world. She also starts to wonder if her dream of becoming a surgeon will be a possibility, even as a lady. But when the bodies of missing girls start appearing around the city, Molly starts uncovering things she didn’t know about the killer, and also about herself. To make things even more interesting, a truly charismatic boy helps her steal the bodies. This book had my heart racing like no other book I’ve read. I found myself telling all of my friends about this book. Lately, I’ve read some incredible suspense books but this is the only one that’s given me the spooky-fall feeling. From corpses to serial killers and some found family, this book has everything you could hope for. I loved every second of it and overall it was a really fun, haunting read, and I can’t wait to read whatever Heather puts out next.

Even if you aren't a fan of historical fantasy, it's easy to fall in love with this book. I couldn't put it down

First, I loved the premise of this book. It was a little bit of a slow burn for me and I thought it would be more macabre.. it is atmospheric which I also enjoy . Great writing and pacing and character development . A good all around story that I’d recommend .

I loved every it! It was dark and creepy and I had never read a book like this before. I avoid the dark and gloomy but I'm so glad I picked this one up! Highly recommend

This book was so spooky and fun and I enjoyed it so much. Perfect read for fall or winter. The characters and plot are so complex and entertaining.

Straight off the bat this book gave me total Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes! This is dark historical fiction thriller with a feminist plot. In 1850 Philadelphia Molly is hired to buy dead bodies for the local male students to practice surgical procedures on. Molly soon becomes bored just procuring the bodies and wants to become a doctor herself. This was an intriguing spin on the traditional historical fiction genre.
.I really enjoyed Molly’s character and the development she made throughout the story. The setting was very atmospheric and I felt as if I was right there in the carriage “stealing” bodies with Molly. It was a bit slow in some places so I did find myself skimming parts. This was actually a three and a half star read for me.

I don't know what it was about this book but I DNF it. I'm not sure if it was just the wrong time to be reading it but I tried a few times and couldn't get into it :( I'm sorry 🥺 I truly do not think it was the book, I think it was just me. Everything about this book screamed READ ME IT'S FOR YOU, but I think sometimes we get into a mental headspace where something just doesn't hit right. Nothing wrong at ALL with the writing or the plot, I just couldn't get myself to pick this up.

This had a lot of potential, but sadly another DNF. It was just so unbearably boring to me. I tried, I tried so hard but It took my a week to make it 20% through and I just didn't care about the characters or the plot or any of it. So sorry!