An eerie, fast-paced paranormal horror story that will give any young reader the shivers.

 

We’re following Jake Livingston, a teenage boy who can see dead people. But while seeing death loops all over the place is bad, it’s his struggle to fit in that hurts worse. He’s one of the few Black kids at his prep school - and on top of micro aggressions and bullying, he’s grappling internally with his queer identity. And when the ghost of a school shooter manages to escape his loop on a quest for vengeance … Jake becomes his prime target for possession. 

 

The atmosphere of this novel was absolutely haunting. Between literal ghosts & ghouls and the day-to-day terror of existing as a young queer Black person in a predominantly white institution, there was never a slow moment. 

 

The story is written in alternating perspectives: we get tossed into the past of the teenage school shooter through his diary entries. While Sawyer is difficult to empathize with, the book does a thoughtful job of highlighting the circumstances (abuse at home, rage, struggles with depression and suicidal tendencies, etc.) that lead up to the moment of a school shooting.

 

The horror was captivating, but also a bit confusing. This is a short read, and we’re dropped right into Jake’s world without much explanation for how the paranormal elements actually work. The “rules” weren’t clear and between astral projecting and ecto-mist travels and creatures that sometimes have physicality and sometimes don’t, it was a little hard to keep up and visualize the scenes of intense action. However … the creatures and the gore and all that scary imagery was definitely well-written!

 

While this book covers a lot of dark & tough topics, the smaller romance subplot was very charming. Jake has a sweet arc and while there is a lot left unresolved, it’s great to see his confidence bloom and new friendships and relationships start to form.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this book! While I wished for a bit more clarity around the paranormal worldbuilding, I felt like it was a strong debut and a devourable read.

 

CW: gun violence, school shooting, sexual assault (attempted), racism, homophobia, child abuse, domestic abuse, death, suicide, murder, violence, blood, gore, bullying, animal cruelty (bugs)