Black River: Volume 1
By (Author) Ruby Jean Cottle
Simon & Schuster Australia
Simon & Schuster Australia
26th August 2025
Australia
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Romance and love stories
Paperback
432
Width 153mm, Height 234mm
A mystical new YA series that blends fantasy, sci-fi and romance.
All seventeen-year-old Dusty wants is to escape into books and the wilderness that surrounds her mountain home. What she doesnt know is that theres something waiting for her in the shadows of the forest.
One morning, Dusty wakes up with dirt on her feet. Then she realises that her body and senses are changing. And after a chance encounter with quiet and mysterious Will, she feels an attraction unlike anything shes experienced before. It isnt just an emotional connection making her heart beat fasterits a thirst.
But Dusty isnt the only person experiencing strange events in Black River. Darker forces are at play, and Dusty must uncover the mysteryor risk losing everything and everyone she loves
Theres something haunting about Black River the kind of story with chilling twists, a slow-burn romance, and just the right amount of bite. It pulls you into its eerie depths and doesn't let you go Black River is dark, intoxicating, and impossible to put down. More please! -- Courtney Peppernell, author of Pillow Thoughts
Ruby Jean Cottle is a writer from Sydney, Australia. Growing up, Ruby spent childhood summers in upstate New York, where her passion for writing blossomed as her imagination ran wild in the mountains and forests far from her home. After studying art history at university, Ruby found herself on a winding career path in fashion, digital media and creative direction. After becoming a mother, she decided to return to her first love: writing stories.