Horror Debut Equal Parts "The Sixth Sense" & "The Hate U Give"

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lizzyh Avatar

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As a huge fan of YA horror, I'm psyched to see the genre expanding beyond mostly white authors writing about straight white (mostly female) characters. In Douglass's forthcoming novel debut, Jake is one of the only Black students at a Catholic high school outside Atlanta. Like Starr in "The Hate U Give," Jake has to alter himself to fit into the culture of the all-white school; unlike Starr, Jake does this by making himself disappear. And it's best to try to disappear at home too, with his brother and mother fighting all the time. And did I mention that Jake can see dead people caught in their glitching death loops? All of this setup happens quickly, starting on page one, where we are also introduced to a sociopathic (but also somewhat sympathetic) teen named Sawyer, who the reader knows has committed violent atrocities at a nearby school. Jake and Sawyer's stories already seem connected (they both feel that they have "not much worth" to society), but I am curious to see how the tales will intertwine further. (And you're telling me that there's a queer love story too? I can't wait!) An original take on a haunting premise that I think a lot of teen are going to enjoy. Love the cover too.