A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.
Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan La Sala.
"A searing and poignant portrait of queer identity wrapped in an unflinching tale of terror." —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight
"Modern horror at its best." —Bram Stoker Award Nominee Sarah HenningIt's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep.
Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives—until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they’re haunted, something begins to shift inside them.
They remember who they are.
Who they want to love.
And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.
This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world.
★ "Alongside supernatural terrors, Parker sets light on true worldly horrors within the work: the perpetuation of compulsive heterosexuality ideals by religious zealots and the disregard of young people’s identities at the hands of their parents."
—Booklist (starred review)"A searing and poignant
portrait of queer identity wrapped in an unflinching tale of terror."
—Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight
"A taut and expertly plotted mystery that puts queer kids at the center. Natalie C. Parker is at the top of her game."
—Zoraida Córdova, USA Today bestselling author of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina
"Beautifully unsettling and eerie, Natalie C. Parker’s
Come Out, Come Out, lures you into a dark wood where frightful delights leave behind poignant social commentary about identity, queerness, survival, and hope for young readers. You won’t be able to escape its grip."
—Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author
"Parker has crafted the new standard in young adult horror. This book manages to be intimate and bombastic, terrifying and tender, timeless and vital. A jaw-dropping, unforgettable journey!"
—Mark Oshiro, #1 NYT Bestselling author of Into The Light
"A creepy, atmospheric horror packed with explorations on sexuality, identity, and self-acceptance. It's rare to read a book where you feel both wildly unsettled and deeply seen and loved. It's like horror with a hug."
—Rebecca Coffindaffer, author of Crownchasers "A story of queer survival, and what it takes to be yourself. Chilling, frightening, and needed."
—Mason Deaver, bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best and Okay, Cupid"Perfectly haunting and queer, this story is deeply felt and pulls on the threads of three storylines in a small town that eventually connect to reveal the power of finding one’s true self through found family, friendship, and a horrific truth that refuses to let go."
—Britney S. Lewis, award-winning and acclaimed author of The Undead Truth of Us and The Dark Place"COME OUT, COME OUT is both fresh and classic, suffocatingly personal while being intensely relatable. Natalie C. Parker has crafted a tale that explores the horrors of heteronormative social structures pushed on queer teens as intricately as it delves into the terrors of a lost sense of self. Modern horror at its best."
—Bram Stoker Award Nominee Sarah Henning "COME OUT, COME OUT perfectly captures the horror of being forced into an identity that doesn’t fit, and the strength it takes to break free and live on your own terms. Haunting, heart-wrenching, and absolutely unforgettable."
—Tracy Banghart, author of the Grace and Fury series
"Dark and terrifying, twisted and yet beautifully hopeful, COME OUT, COME OUT shines a light on the evils of identity erasure for the queer community, and reminds us that sometimes, the monsters at home are every bit as dangerous as the ones who lurk in the woods."
—Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten and #murdertrending
"Full of mind-bending twists, heart-rending relationships, and a creeping realization that monsters come in many forms. Natalie C. Parker wields creepy atmospheres like a fine art and takes queer horror to another level. Warning: do not read this book in the woods like I did. You’ll be looking over your shoulder forever!"
—Tess Sharpe, author of The Girls I’ve Been
"Full of terrors both supernatural and all too real, COME OUT, COME OUT is a timely look at the true horrors of self-erasure, as well as a powerful meditation on acceptance and seizing hold of your own agency. Come for the scares, stay for the heart. I loved this book!"
—Erin A. Craig, #1 NYT bestselling author of HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS
"Come Out, Come Out is absolutely riveting—equal parts tender and terrifying, brimming with hope while packed with spine-tingling scares (supernatural and otherwise). Fern and Jaq’s journey to reclaiming their true selves is deeply felt and deftly written, full of moments that will make you swoon, shriek, cry, and cheer in turn. Parker succeeds at crafting a story that is both a powerful affirmation of queer identity and a thrilling ghost story that will stick with me for a very long time."
—Kate Alice Marshall, bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods and Rules for Vanishing
