
A parent would reach for this book when their teen is beginning to explore their queer identity and craves stories where LGBTQ plus characters are the heroes of high stakes adventures rather than just coming out narratives. This collection features two supernatural mysteries set in the nostalgic 1980s and 1990s, following girls who encounter ghosts and eerie small town legends. While the spine tingling plots provide plenty of thrills, the core of the book focuses on finding one's tribe and the bravery required to trust your own perception when others doubt you. It is a fantastic choice for readers who love a vintage aesthetic and want to see themselves reflected in the spooky, atmospheric stories they enjoy. The emotional landscape deals with belonging and the unique loneliness of feeling different, making it an empowering read for high schoolers.
Sweet, age-appropriate lesbian romance and attraction.
Ghostly sightings, creepy dolls, and atmospheric tension.
This book includes depictions of arson (property damage), psychological gaslighting from a community, and mild horror elements involving spirits and dolls. There are also themes of family secrets and past trauma.
A 14-year-old who feels like an outlier in their small town and loves vintage aesthetics. This reader likely enjoys urban legends and needs to see that their intuition and identity are valid even when authority figures are dismissive.
This book can be read cold. Parents may want to be aware of the horror elements (creepy dolls and hauntings) if their child is particularly sensitive to spooky imagery, but the tone remains within the standard YA thriller range. A parent hears their teen expressing frustration that they aren't being heard or believed, or perhaps the teen has developed a specific interest in 80s and 90s nostalgia and ghost stories.
Younger teens (13-14) will focus on the excitement of the mystery and the atmospheric "spookiness." Older teens (16-18) will likely resonate more with the historical context of being queer in the 80s and 90s and the deeper nuances of the characters' relationships.
This collection stands out by placing lesbian protagonists in classic, trope-heavy supernatural mysteries without making their identity the "problem" to be solved. It successfully blends queer joy with the thriller genre while maintaining a distinct historical setting.
This collection contains two supernatural mysteries. In the first, set in 1986, Rebecca and a free-spirited girl named Tiffany deal with a series of suspicious fires and property damage that the town blames on Rebecca, though she suspects a haunted antique doll. The second, set in 1994, follows Sylvie as she visits her father's childhood home for Christmas. Alongside a local girl named Celeste, she investigates the house's dark history and communicates with spirits to uncover family secrets.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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