The Queen of Junk Island

From debut author Alexandra Mae Jones comes a compelling, nuanced exploration of bi identity and body image with a ghostly backdrop—perfect for fans of Nina Lacour.

Still reeling from a recent trauma, sixteen-year-old Dell is relieved when her mum suggests a stay at the family cabin. But the much-needed escape quickly turns into a disaster. The lake and woods are awash in trash left by a previous tenant. Worse, Dell's mum has invited her boyfriend's daughter to stay with them. Confident, irreverent Ivy presses all of Dell's buttons, somehow making Dell's shame and self-consciousness feel even more acute. Yet Dell is drawn to Ivy in a way she doesn't fully understand.

As Dell uncovers secrets in the wreckage of her family's past—secrets hinted at through troubling dreams and strange apparitions—Ivy leads her toward thrilling, if confusing, revelations about her sexuality and identity.

Set during a humid summer in the mid-2000s, The Queen of Junk Island simmers with the intensity of a teenage girl navigating the suffocating expectations of everyone around her.