Chelsea Hensley

Mystery

I’m hungry for fun mysteries and inventive capers that have a good sense of humor (though I’m not one for gross-out humor) and plucky protagonists. I’d love to see some interesting settings and things that delve into history or mythology or any other curious realms of knowledge.

Think: Brianna Mcdonald’s Pepper’s Rules for Secret Sleuthing, Varian Johnson’s The Parker Inheritance

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

I’m looking for immersive, magical fantasy packed with adventure, rich worldbuilding, and determined protagonists. I love things that have a classic feel and a modern voice, reads that would make perfect readalouds for kids and their parents. I love clever, quirky plots, and would love to see potential series as well as sweeping standalones.

Think: Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Erin Entrada Kelly’s Lalani and the Distant Sea, B.B Alston’s Amari and the Night Brothers

Young Adult

Mysteries/Thrillers/Suspense

I’m very eager to build up this part of my list and am looking for layered, tricky stories loaded with twists, turns, and red herrings. I’d love to see some confident projects with intense protagonists who aren’t very concerned with being liked, and mysteries that could become series. I love stories with complicated teenage girls, revenge arcs, puzzles, and games.

Think: Jumata Emill’s The Black Queen, Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Inheritance Games, Brittany Cavallaro’s Charlotte Holmes series, Holly Jackson, Courtney Summers, Showtime’s Yellowjackets

Horror

I prefer suspenseful, atmospheric horror to jump scares, but I’d love to see some things that evoke the teen slasher trend (I’d love a project with a great POC Final Girl). I’m always game for witches, vampires, and other paranormal creatures though I would like fresh takes on their legends and see their darker, scarier aspects to be a bigger focus. I like haunted houses, dangerous forests, and horror that’s used to bring about previously unavailable justice.

Think: Rory Power’s Wilder Girls, Rose Szabo’s What Big Teeth, Showtime’s Yellowjackets, Jamison Shea’s I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

Realistic

I’d love to see things that are heartfelt and emotional but ultimately hopeful and optimistic. I’d love to see more contemporary reads that could be a series as well as retellings for a YA audience, and I’m also interested in seeing some fun historical stories. I love a gimmick in this area whether it be a high-concept spin, a list, or some other shenanigan. I’m especially interested in fresh, diverse viewpoints in this area and am looking for works that are body-positive, sex-positive, and affirming. A very specific wishlist item I have for this area is a coming-of-age about a teen soccer phenom who goes pro (like Melanie Barcenas, Alyssa Thompson, Chloe Ricketts and Olivia Moultrie).

Think: Amalie Howard’s Queen Bee, Leah Johnson’s You Should See Me In A Crown, Anything that could be comped to Jenny Han or Robin Benway, Netflix’s The Half of It

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

I’m looking for fresh fantasy of all subgenres, with high, personal stakes and dynamic characters. I’m also into retellings (and not just of other fantasies, I’d love to see fantastical spins on realistic classics, too), historical with supernatural twists, and near-future sci-fi with a deep emotional core (or far-flung sci-fi that feels grounded). This is my favorite genre ever, but it’s also one that’s very challenging to break into at this time so it’s essential that it can stand apart from the crowd.

Think: Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn, Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights, Joan He’s The Ones We Left Behind, Xiran Zhao’s Iron Widow

Adult

Horror

I’m looking for atmospheric, slow burn horror full of creeping dread and suspense but grounded in human emotion. I like haunted houses, sentient forests, paranormal creatures, ghosts, and horror narratives that bring about previously unavailable justice. I’d love to see things that are weird, take cues from classic horror (if you could write a book in black and white somehow, I’d be into that). One wild wishlist item I have would be a Frankenstein retelling but with Frankenstein as the hot, ridiculous, twentysomething scientist he is.

Think: Alexis Henderson’s Year of the Witching, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, Rachel Harrison’s The Return, Stephen Graham Jones’s My Heart is A Chainsaw, Bethany C. Morrow’s Cherish Farrah

Mysteries/Thrillers/Suspense

This is a huge want for me right now. I’m looking for high stakes and a propulsive plot. I’m not interested in anything with members of law enforcement as the main character (please do not send me anything with the ring of retired marine combats terrorists/drug cartel/sex traffickers in any context, thank you), but amateur sleuths, private detectives and absolutely anybody else are all great. I’d love to see some quirky mysteries (though I am not looking for cozies), intelligent heists, things that are dark and twisty, domestic thrillers with diverse casts, locked room and closed circle mysteries, and I love a good whodunnit with an Agatha Christie-esque ensemble.

Think:

Tana French’s The Witch Elm, Erin E. Adams’ Jackal, Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock series, Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, Lev A.C Rosen’s Lavender House, Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building or Rian Johnson’s Knives Out

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Though I love a potential series, I’m also very interested in standalones. I’d love to see some “of manners” stories, lush retellings with supernatural and speculative twists, and dark contemporary fantasy. When it comes to sci-fi, I’m more drawn to things grounded in ours or near-future worlds and that have a quicker pace. Bonus points if it’s more optimistic than not. In this area I’d really love to see a magic school fantasy from a different viewpoint whether it be post-grad or even from the perspective of the staff.

Think: Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House, Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones, Micaiah Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds, Anything by Naomi Novik

Romance

This year I am looking for select romance. I’m very choosy in this area and for now I’m only looking for romantic comedies (I must be laughing…like A LOT). I’m looking for projects that are fun, diverse, body-positive and sex positive. All spice levels are good. I’d love to see a soccer romcom!

Think: Anything by Talia Hibbert but especially The Brown Sisters trilogy, Bolu Babalola’s Honey & Spice, Meryl Wilsner’s Mistakes Were Made, projects that evoke the whimsy and romance (but also chaotic fun) of kdramas like Crash Landing On You and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

Nonfiction

I’m also finally open now to select adult nonfiction. I’m interested in the areas of women’s sports (particularly women’s soccer), pop culture and media criticism, astrology, and tarot (including tarot decks). I’m only interested in takes that are intersectional, affirming and socially-conscious from writers who are experts in their fields, have fun and interesting platforms and something interesting to say.

Think: Caitlin Murray’s The National Team, Chani Nicholas’s You Were Born For This, Maureen Ryan’s Burn it Down. When it comes to tarot decks, some of my favorites are The Modern Witch Tarot, Mystic Mondays Tarot, and The Tarot of the Divine.