Title: The Holy Grail of Eris

Author: Kujira Tokiwa

US Publisher: Yen Press

Status: Ongoing

Age Relevance: Middle School and Up

How Essential Is It?: Must Have

Curricular Connections?: Independent Reading

Reader’s Advisory Tags: Mystery, Ghosts, Romance, Pretend Engagement, Slow Burn, Revenge

Manga: Yes! Review coming.

Content Warnings: Discussions of murder, executions, illicit drug trade

Publisher Synopsis:

Never neglect to read the fine print

As a viscount’s daughter, Constance Grail is an ordinary girl whose only notable trait is sincerity, leaving her with no real options when someone steals her fiance and falsely accuses her of petty theft at a ball. While Connie awaits her undeserved punishment, a ghost appears to offer a bargain. The spirit is none other than Scarlett Castiel, a noblewoman once praised for her beauty, lineage, and undeniable charisma—and executed some ten years earlier for her wicked deeds. When Connie accepts this proposal, she is possessed by the infamous spirit who instantly turns the tide on her tormenter, thus saving the hapless girl from her miserable fate. It’s never wise striking a deal without knowing exactly what you’ve committed to, though…or you might find yourself bound to a ghost dead set on revenge against her own enemies!

I have a confession: I love this series. The combination of the earnest and sincere Connie and the delightfully wicked (but how wicked is she really?) Scarlett makes for such a wonderful read. At its heart, The Holy Grail of Eris is a mystery series. Scarlett intends to find out who set her up to be executed, and Connie is pulled along in her wake. The supernatural elements and the rapid pace of the plot are really what sell this series. There’s also a bit of romance, but really, the mystery and the larger intrigue it spells out is really what makes for an engaging read.

This is a series which will be engaging to readers from middle school to adulthood. It has a lot of similarities to YA mysteries such as the Sally Lockhart or the Enola Holmes series, with a supernatural twist. I highly recommend it for its strong female leads and engaging mystery.