A Texas teen learns that her new school houses a secret society that trains students with special abilities in this debut YA novel.

Phoebe Douse—pronounced “like Zeus, but with a D”—loses her beloved grandmother Naan. Shortly before her death, Naan assures her granddaughter that Phoebe has great (but still unknown) abilities. Phoebe guesses she may have precognition, but once schoolmates hear this tidbit, she becomes an outcast, from middle school all the way to high school. So when she receives admittance to The Murray School in Scotland, despite not even applying, Phoebe is all too happy to accept. It’s a typical school except that a handful of students have abilities, such as knowing what others are thinking. A couple of the teachers, too, are unusual. Dr. Braithwaite teaches chemistry but focuses on strange concoctions like Bobalgong and Totosol. As it turns out, the Secret Society for Special Abilities and Artefacts invites gifted students to The Murray School for potential training. Phoebe is indeed precognitive and capable of even more. But then so was Cara, a former student who inexplicably vanished. Phoebe; her roommate, Zoe Houlihan; and other new friends delve into the Cara mystery and uncover a few of the school’s dark secrets. Though the different special abilities are all familiar (for example, channeling spirits), the gradual reveal of each student’s skill is a treat. Nevertheless, Phoebe, the ever humble and appealing protagonist, has the best ability. As she doesn’t fully understand it, she, like readers, is surprised by certain things she can do. In this fantasy tale, Samuels sets a leisurely pace and thoroughly develops the characters. This enhances the mystery, as it often involves trusting or distrusting fellow students and faculty members. The author rounds out her tale with increasing suspense (disappearances within Phoebe’s small group of pals) and a continually evolving backstory starting decades earlier and including Naan and the secret society’s genesis. As this is a series launch, the novel ends with copious material for sequels.

A slow but delightful fantasy with a likable and powerful young heroine.

A teenager with supernatural abilities uncovers secrets and threats at a Scotland school in this second installment of a YA paranormal series.

Having discovered a secret society at The Murray School, Phoebe Douse may know too much. She tries fleeing Britain for her Texas home, but she finds herself the target of rogue members of the society, called S3A2. She manages to stay alive with assistance from her clairvoyance, a couple of schoolmates, and the Fadrix, a mysterious orb that communicates with her via helpful but somewhat cryptic advice. She and her friend Renaud Bertrand ultimately deem it safest to head back to the school. Things are quiet for a spell until a menace whom Phoebe faced before becomes a threat once again, notwithstanding his imprisonment. Meanwhile, a missing student returns with nary an explanation and, surprisingly, hinders the romantic feelings Phoebe may be harboring for Renaud. Phoebe already knows that her cherished grandmother Naan had a strong tie to S3A2. But the teen fears that an unexpected familial connection could put her or her friends in further danger. As this story starts right after the events of the first installment, the opening is exhilarating. Strangers are after Phoebe, who summons a coded message, leading to clues in a safe-deposit box. The book subsequently slows down back at The Murray School, but perils, like kidnappers on campus, are constant. Samuels’ concise prose establishes the titular hero as a resilient girl who, despite her remarkable powers, doesn’t rely solely on supernatural abilities. This leads to an effective cliffhanger, which should have readers hankering for the final volume in the trilogy. Crisp black-and-white illustrations by the author open each chapter, though some boast so much detail that it’s disappointing they don’t have their own full pages.

A thoroughly absorbing plot makes this an exceptional paranormal sequel.