Day’s YA: THEY CALL HER REGRET

THEY CALL HER REGRET by Channelle Desamours

9781250337702
2/17/2026
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Simone Washington loves horror. Every year, she throws the ultimate Halloween party for all of her classmates, going all out to spook and scare them all. Not only is party planning something she enjoys, but it’s also a way for her to escape from her trauma and the secrets of her past—memories that she never wants to face head on. This year, she’s found the ultimate spot in town for her to host a small, invite-only party birthday party, a few weeks before Halloween—a cabin by a lake hidden in the woods, and surrounded by eerie local lore of the ghost of a witch named Regret, who supposedly haunts it. It’s going to be the event of the season, and will be the perfect lead up to her big Halloween bash. But when the overnight stay takes a sharp turn from creepy dolls and scary stories by the fire to the tragic death of Simone’s best friend, Kira, the dark secrets Simone desperately tries to avoid all float to the surface. 

In moments of sheer panic following Kira’s death, and given the questionable circumstances of it all, the infamous Regret appears to Simone and offers her a deal: Regret will restore Kira’s life in exchange for the loss of another, and on top of that, Simone has fourteen days to figure out how to release Regret from the bonds of a curse that keeps her tied to the lake. If she is successful, Kira will live, and all of Simone’s regrets and secrets will be erased. But if she fails, Kira will die again—and this time, Simone will undoubtedly be the one to kill her. With the help of her ex-best friend (and former crush), Cory, and some creepy countdown reminders, Simone must unravel the truth behind Regret’s life and death, and break the curse to free her.

THEY CALL HER REGRET is Channelle Desamours’ sophomore novel following NEEDY LITTLE THINGS, and she has absolutely done it again! This is a young adult horror novel that is so much more than just horror. It’s thrilling and supernatural, but it’s also a coming of age story, and an exploration of grief and how we hold onto guilt and regrets. You’ve got haunted dolls, a murky lake, and plenty of jump scares, but also an emotional punch. Channelle’s writing is beautiful and tells the story seamlessly, and the characters were layered and real. They all made smart choices at times and horrible mistakes at others, their actions could be both questionable yet still understandable, and their internal struggles felt immensely raw and painful. Watching Simone and Cory (the sweetest, kindest, and most considerate friend and love interest!) rebuild their relationship all while processing their shared trauma and guilt was incredibly heartwarming, yet still heartbreaking. I even felt connected to the complicated emotions of Regret, from the life she had once lived, to the trapped existence she was now condemned to.

With high stakes and an anxiety-inducing countdown, I truly could not put this book down—it completely captured my attention. Every twist and turn shocked me, but every piece to the puzzle of Regret’s story fit together perfectly as Simone and Cory dug deeper and deeper into her past. THEY CALL HER REGRET is the perfect fast-paced page-turner, and it has every ingredient that makes speculative thrillers so irresistible: an eerie setting, high-stakes tension, and supernatural twists. Fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Ryan Douglass, and Kosoko Jackson will love this one.

Happy reading!
<3 Margo

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