Lauren Blackwood Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Lauren Blackwood is a Jamaican American author of young adult fantasy novels that writes from her home in Virginia.
Writing is something that Blackwood always loved to do and in fact, she still has the elementary school picture book that earned her an A in class. Even though she read a lot as a child she does not remember what really got her into reading stories.

However, the book that got her to start taking writing seriously was Amelia Atwater-RhodesFrog and toad. She also liked Laini Taylor’s Smoke and Bone Girl which is one of her all time favorite works.

When she is not writing her novels, she usually works a part time job as a violinist and physical therapist assistant as she has never been able to settle on just one career. “Within These Wicked Walls,” which would become a New York Times bestselling title, is her debut novel.

The inspiration for “In These Wicked Walls” came from two totally separate thoughts. As a fan of the Bronte Sisters, Lauren was looking at “Jane Eyre,” and asked herself why the house was not haunted. She had previously gotten into Ethiopian folklore, since she always loved to go down the Google rabbit hole.
Blackwood had one day found a journal discussing the evil eye and boom she had the idea for her story. But writing was not as easy as she thought it would be as the action scenes were particularly brutal. The way she got over it was to pretend she was choreographing a movie, and this worked like gangbusters.
Once she was done writing, she embarked on her journey towards publishing that was just as brutal. However, she had been in charge of writing multiple projects over the years which had prepared her well. Lauren had met KB Wager, the incredibly brilliant author when she attended the marginalized writers mentorship program.

It was KB who helped her change her approach to writing and by 2019 she finally managed to snag an agent and published her book in 2021.

Lauren Blackwood’s novel is a fantasy reimagining of one of the best classic works by Charlotte Bronte. The story is set in a haunted house which seems to have its own will. The lead in the novel is an exorcist and debterra named Andromeda, who knows how to remove the curse of the evil eye from cursed homes.
It is not an easy job and she usually leaves a trail of dead bodies in most of these jobs. But she has never backed out of any and intends to help Magnus Rochester who wants her to work on his decrepit estate.

Andromeda thought it would be an in and out job but what actually awaits her is more terrifying than anything she ever had to deal with. There is a malevolent force within the castle walls and she cannot leave the house even though staying means she may be playing Russian Roulette with death.
The evil which has taken over the castle will not let go and the longer she lingers the more likely she is to die.

It is a brilliant retelling of Jane Eyre into something much more graphic as Lauren Blackwood brings together a magic systema and excellent world building to draw in its readers.