SHADOWED SUMMER

Iris and Collette, best friends with plans to get out of their sleepy little Louisiana town as soon as they can drive, find themselves faced with some unexpected challenges in the summer of their 15th year. Although they have created and collected “spells” for as long as they can remember, neither of them is prepared for the bona fide supernatural experience of a real ghost. It haunts Iris, pursuing her until she, with some help from Collette, solves the town’s most significant mystery—the disappearance of Elijah Landry, a boy who vanished from his bedroom one night, leaving drops of blood behind on his pillow. The tension strains Iris and Collette’s friendship, as does the presence of Collette’s first love interest, Ben Duvall, which introduces jealousy from every direction. While teen readers will appreciate the suspenseful plot and the tragic story of what happened to Elijah, they may well be put off by main characters who seem either incredibly naïve or a couple of years shy of their supposed 14. (Horror. 12 & up