Thirst by Darren Simpson is a chilling horror story written for young adults (12+). Simpson wastes no time, plunging the reader straight into the action with gripping, atmospheric storytelling. We quickly encounter a mysterious figure who lures a young boy to his death – but is it a ghost, the bogeyman, or something far darker? From there, Simpson leads us on a tense journey through the myths and traditions of Maimsbury, a village steeped in curious customs and sinister secrets. At the heart of the story are Gorse and Faye, two teenagers who must confront danger, unravel family legacies, and face the terrifying question: who—or what—is the real monster? This is an edge-of-your-seat tale that will keep readers turning pages late into the night, and maybe even checking under the bed before they sleep. Perfect for teens who enjoy dark suspense, folklore, and horror with heart.

I genuinely couldn't put this gory, suspenseful folk horror down. The writing is tense, emotional, evocative and tightly crafted. I can see my older readers (12+) being enthralled by this perfectly pitched teen horror.

I’ve got in the habit of sticking the names of some of my favourite authors into the search bar on the Waterstones website every so often to check on whether or not they’ve got any new titles coming up. Very often, this prove to be a fruitless task but every so often, I strike gold and so it was with this new read from Darren Simpson. Having loved his middle grades The Memory Thieves and Furthermoor, when I discovered that he had written this YA title and then read the blurb I think it fair to say I was very excited. Originally labelled as a 2026 release, when I then found out that it was publishing earlier than that and then saw that proofs could be requested, there was never any doubt as to whether or not I would try to beg a copy and so when it arrived, it obviously not so much went straight to the top of the pile as bypassed it completely. Utterly creepy throughout, quite shocking in parts and written with enormous flair, this is a story that is most definitely not for the faint-hearted and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Like those who live in any rural village, the residents of Maimsbury are glad to welcome the return of spring but for them it doesn’t just bring the promise of longer, warmer days but also their annual Yeldthanc – the festival held to thank the river Yeelde for its generosity towards them. As he carries out his assigned role and supervises the local children in their preparations, teenager Gorse gazes over at his childhood friend Tansy, wondering just when his feelings for her changed, and once all is ready, those assembled process to the river where a ram is sacrificed within its waters in return for its giving another year’s blessings – a ritual that makes Gorse feels distinctly uncomfortable. With the ceremony over, the celebrations get into full swing and Gorse and Tansy slope off to spend time together, but they soon stumble across a sign that things are not as they usually are following a sacrifice – something that the village elders attribute to it being a Brim Year, assuring Gorse that the river is telling them that this year its gifts will be particularly generous. But before long, Gorse learns that this is far from the truth and that rather than giving, the river not only wants to take but it wants to take far more than just the offered ram… When they initially visit Maimsbury, many readers’ minds will automatically conjure an image of a stereotypical chocolate box village filled with smiling residents gathering for their celebrations – all is well and it’s hard to imagine a happier scene – which makes the contrast all the sharper when things start to unravel, as they very quickly do. Even if you are someone who eats meat – and many of us are – the sacrifice of the ram is something that will make many readers uncomfortable, as it does Gorse, but I feel duty bound to say that the scene is not gratuitous and is vital to the plot which only gets darker from that point onwards. Where we have the advantage over Gorse – having read the book’s blurb – in knowing that things are about to get distinctly unpleasant in the village, his gradual discovery of just how much those who live around him are prepared to tolerate in order to live comfortable lives forces us to ask how far we ourselves would go if we were in a similar position. This is especially true later on in the book where it is clear that those who are aware of what is going on but are not prepared to stand up against it are just as guilty as those who are physically involved in sating the Yeelde’s thirst for life, and also that not everyone is acting through a perceived sense of necessity but rather through a warped desire for power. Not a read for the squeamish or those who are more sensitive, this is a great story and a thought-provoking book that will be gobbled up by teenaged readers. My enormous thanks go to publisher Pushkin Press for my advance proof. Thirst publishes September 11th.

Thirst is a completely unique and totally captivating YA folk horror tale for those who love to imagine what might happen if nature has too much power. Deliciously magical, it follows the stories of Gorse and Faye – two teens who strive to do what’s best for their families while trying to make sense of tradition and ancient belief. Gorse lives in the village of Maimsbury. Each spring, villagers come together to celebrate the River Yeelde, giving thanks for all it’s given to them over the past year. In order to strengthen the river – and their crops going forward – they believe they must offer a sacrifice to the river. A ram is led into the waters by the Yeldthanc Queen – chosen from the young women of the village. Gorse enjoys the Yeldthanc celebrations, not realising the darker side of the ritual. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the strength of the Yeelde – and the more benefits to the land and village. Some years, a ram isn’t enough and the river reaches out for a sacrifice of its own choosing. Faye has lived a very different life. Growing up some distance from Maimsbury, she isn’t aware of the people’s traditions. Since her father died on Dauntley’s Farm, her mother has struggled to make ends meet. Faye and her little brother have been hungry and their harvest has suffered. Faye decides to disguise herself as a boy and set off to find a job to help her family. When she meets people from Maimsbury on the road, her fortunes change forever. Thirst is an emotional story of love, loss and sacrifice. The malevolant magic of the river and the people’s drive to protect their own raise intensely thought-provoking questions about the value of life, the treatment of strangers and the power of relationships. This is not a story for the faint hearted. Teens who are looking for a slightly gruesome story that does not shy away from the terror supernatural forces in nature can incite will adore getting lost in this incredible world.

Told primarily from the perspective of a teenage boy, Gorse, living in the bountiful rural village of Maimsbury, 'Thirst' is an intriguing entry into folk horror for the young adult audience. Maimsbury's close-knit community comes together to celebrate the seasons and harvests in festivals that echo Celtic tradition, including to give offerings to the River Yeelde which they honour as their protector and giver of fortune. However, when something goes awry Gorse uncovers a devastating secret held by generations of villagers, leading him to choose between what he holds dear and what he believes to be right: a Trolley Problem asking readers what they would do themselves when both actions have deep consequences. Simpson weaves several thought-provoking rhymes and song verses throughout the narrative which builds the world and its steeped tradition well. His detailed descriptions of natural (and supernatural) phenomenon inspire the imagination and successfully managed to unsettle even an adult reader at times. However, some of his word choices seem out of place for YA book — "eiderdown", "sibilant din", "burble" — that will surely break the flow as readers pause to look up their definitions. The overall style of writing feels disjointed at times, as if the book was about to be graded by a really stern teacher who demands at least 5 metaphors or similes per chapter. Though I did find the historical reveal to be unique, that it was told all at once through a large chunk of dialogue half way through the book was a bit bland. I suspect the author felt it necessary so the latter half of the novel could shift to be more action-oriented, but it was disappointing given how well the seeds were sown in the first half. The introduction of a comically evil villain to defeat just further undermined the complex moral dilemma, and of course, in true YA fashion, we don't have to care about what happens to him because he was mean :( Overall, 'Thirst' competently discusses themes of sacrifice, love, and grief through vibrant language and strong character relationships. Teenagers looking for a darker take on fantasy and supernatural forces will likely be enthralled. Thank you kindly to NetGalley and Pushkin Children's Books for providing me with an early ARC.