The Brindlewatch Quintet Series by S.M. Beiko

Even the best intentions can bring down a mountain…Sent away for the summer, the Ivyweather sisters were promised a family vacation by their wealthy, indifferent parents. Two at-odds opposites — Constance an anxious society sweetheart and Ivory an adventure-struck rebel — the sisters aren’t sure what to make of the dangerously decayed town of Quixx and its creeping fog that never seems to lift... moreEven the best intentions can bring down a mountain…Sent away for the summer, the Ivyweather sisters were promised a family vacation by their wealthy, indifferent parents. Two at-odds opposites — Constance an anxious society sweetheart and Ivory an adventure-struck rebel — the sisters aren’t sure what to make of the dangerously decayed town of Quixx and its creeping fog that never seems to lift.When Ivory disappears after a spat with her sister, Constance tracks her to the mountain, where the Ivyweathers learn the town’s hushed talk of monsters is more than just a rumor. There, the sisters meet Derrek, a dapper and talented astronomer who also happens to be a spider-like creature with a scientific mind, the best of intentions, and a tragic past. Together, they all must find a way to lift the dangerous fog that has ensnared the town and return Quixx’s long-lost stars. But they soon discover that something far more monstrous than beasts lurks in Quixx, and it’s poised to crush this sleepy mountain town, along with the dreams of those in it.Death and discarded memories haunt every corner of Quixx, but kinship, romance, and family — the one we choose — are at the heart of this cautiously optimistic, unabashedly queer modern monster story. less

The Door in Lake Mallion brings readers into a world of magic, monsters, and the folks who love them, telling a story of dazzling performers, glowing mushroom cities, and the power of shining our light for everyone to seeDunstan has had big ambitions his entire life — bigger than the small lakeside town of Knockum — imagining himself heading a chorus line with a leading man he hasn’t quite cast yet... moreThe Door in Lake Mallion brings readers into a world of magic, monsters, and the folks who love them, telling a story of dazzling performers, glowing mushroom cities, and the power of shining our light for everyone to seeDunstan has had big ambitions his entire life — bigger than the small lakeside town of Knockum — imagining himself heading a chorus line with a leading man he hasn’t quite cast yet. But on his way out of town for good, a gang of his classmates capture him and send him to the bottom of nearby Lake Mallion, rumored to harbor a magical door in its depths.Before Dunstan drowns, the door opens. On the other side is the Geodom of Jet and the reptilian Prince Ven, who is on the run — from his past, his destiny, and the stories people tell about him. Now Ven has a chance to tell a different story, and he’ll use Dunstan to pen the script.But the door has been keeping a dangerous secret that not even the lakebed can contain, and both worlds hang in the balance. Will the final curtain reveal that not all lights are meant to shine? less