Black River
Thank you so much Toppling Stacks Tours for gifting me the ebook of Black River. All opinions expressed are my own.
Black River by Ruby Jean Cottle
This is a YA book, and great for youger fans who loved Twilight. This is the first book of the series and at the end we are left with a bunch of unanswered questions.
This is an urban paranormal fantasy with high school kids, so we do see a lot of the typical cliques and issues that arise in addition to our mystery that slowly starts to unfold. Weird things start happening to our Dusty our FMC regarding time, food doesn’t taste good anymore, and she starts having a weird craving/draw toards blood…and so does the hot show off biking riding Eli.
I felt oddly connected to our FMC with her loving to read and enjoying her alone time…except for the blood lust LOL. Our girl falls for the new guy Will instantly, but leaves him for most of the book when she see’s Eli suffering from the same thing she is.
Book Description
JUST ONE TASTE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.
All seventeen-year-old Dusty wants is to escape into books and the Adirondack wilderness that surrounds her small town. But in the dead of night, strange things have been happening in Black River.
Animals are being ravaged by something unnatural. And Dusty wakes up one day with dirt on her feet, changed and starving. When new kid Will arrives, Dusty feels an attraction unlike anything she’s felt before. She wants him . . . or she wants his blood. As Dusty realizes she’s transforming into something she can’t control, she reluctantly turns to the only person she somehow knows will understand: the annoyingly attractive Eli Blake.
Together, Dusty and Eli must uncover the mystery of their town and their new, insatiable desires. Have they become vampires or some other kind of monster?
Whatever they are, they’re not the only ones.
An irresistible blend of suspense and romance, this paranormal small town mystery is perfect for fans of Stephanie Meyers and Tigest Girma.
Black River was traditionally published on June 9, 2026.
Check out Black River on Goodreads
Favorite Black River quotes:
“Paying close attention, were you?” “You don’t really make it easy to ignore you,”
“I can’t stop thinking about her. I’ve never stopped thinking about her. It’s too depressing here, pretending all the time. The house used to be full. Now most of the time it’s just me and Opi. I feel like shit every day. I miss her. I hate her. And I know it’s not your fault, but I just wanted to forget. I needed to forget. To get away just for a minute.”
“He’s my problem,” “Dusty would never have run off like that. Anyone who would make her—” “I can’t imagine anyone making Dusty do anything she didn’t want to,” “You didn’t see them when we found them.” “Sister hates me. Noted,” “It doesn’t help that you used her full name.”
“Girl, if you can’t be swept away by Eli Blake for some crazy, wilderness romance experience, then there is literally no point to anything.” “But you will have to spill the tea, eventually, you know that right?” “I know,” “But I’m gonna drip feed it to you.”
“Speaking of drama, what about you? Anyone caught your eye since you started here?” “Not yet.” “Got it,” “Mysterious type.”
Tropes
- Urban Paranormal Fantasy
- Dual POV
- Fake Dating
- Mystery
- Vampires
- Small Mountain Town Vibes
- Grief
- Cliffhanger
Where to buy
About the Author
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Ruby studied Art History before beginning her career in magazines and fashion.
After a winding career path that focused on creative direction in digital media, content creation and branding, plus a move to New York – all the while navigating undiagnosed endometriosis – Ruby finally came back to her first love: writing.
Ruby loves to explore the natural world through storytelling, with a focus on romance, the paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi. Her debut novel, Black River, was originally published in Australia in 2025, and book II of the duology, White Mountain, will be released in 2026.
Ruby lives in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales with her husband, dog, and their two sons.
Author Links:
Have you read Black River or is it on your TBR? Let me know in the comments below.
