Scritch Scratch

 

by Lindsay Currie

Claire's got problems. Her best friend has a new best friend, her big brother is a jerk, and her dad is trying to make ends meet by writing books about ghosts and giving ghost tours in a giant bus that takes tourists around Chicago. She hates that ghost bus. But when his assistant gets sick, he needs Claire to help pass out flyers and keep an eye on the tourists. On the bus, she catches a glimpse of a boy in old-fashioned clothes, soaking wet with haunting eyes. When she looks again, he's gone. Then strange things start happening at her house, like bathtubs overflowing and dresser drawers full of water. It's clear she's being haunted, but what does the ghost want from her? And why has he chosen Claire?

Long Lost

by Jacqueline West

I just kept coming back to this wonderful middle grade mystery! 

Fiona's sister Arden is a very talented figure skater. Arden's whole life, their parents have driven two hours to take her to intense practices and competitions, all in the hopes that she might have an Olympic and professional skating career. When their parents can't take the driving anymore, they uproot the whole family and move to Lost Lake, where the training center is. Fiona couldn't be less interested in Arden's skating, and is righteously indignant that she has to leave her present (friends, school) for Arden's future.

While the rest of the family goes to skate practice their first summer in Lost Lake, Fiona goes to the library. She finds a book with an enticing green cover, and gets involved in the story. One of the things I love about this book is that we (the readers) get to read the book as Fiona reads it, and we can see why she becomes so obsessed with it. When she realizes she can't take it home because she doesn't have  a library card yet, she hides it, but the next day the book is gone. The librarian is all shifty when she asks about it, and the creepy little blond boy who's always in the library too seems to know something. 

Where is the book? What's it really about? Will we, the readers, ever get to finish it along with Fiona?

 

Me (Moth)

by Amber McBride

This is a beautifully written novel in verse about a girl, Moth, and a boy, Sani, who find each other in a very trying time in each of their lives. Moth has just lost her entire family in a terrible car accident where she is the only survivor. Sani is a musician who wants to go to Juilliard. He has the talent, but not the confidence. The two end up on an emotional road trip, both trying to find themselves. My only complaint about this novel is that is bogs down in the middle a little. The writing is lovely, but it's a bit too frilly for my liking, so much so that I almost quit. Something compelled me to keep reading, though, and I'm glad that I did. The ending gave me about three rounds of goosebumps, and was really satisfying. This is a book lovers book, and I'm glad I gave it a chance. 

 

When

by Victoria Laurie

Maddie has been able to see numbers on peoples' foreheads since she can remember, but until her father was killed in a police shootout, it didn't click to her or anyone else what those numbers meant. She's able to see the date people die, but she can't seem to do anything to change the outcome. Several years later, her devastated mom is an alcoholic, and has Maddie do "readings" for paying clients. She predicts the death of a client's son, and when that actually happens, the client calls the police. This leads Maddie on a nail-biting hunt for the killer. 

I loved how when a new character was introduced, the author would put the death date in parenthesis after their name. It was interesting to think about what it would be like to have a skill/talent/curse like this. 

 

Scary Stories for Young Foxes: The City

by Christian McKay Heidicker

I'm so sad this series is over! All the magic of the first book, with lots of wonderful new characters to love, and lots of references to our old friends, Mia and Uly. Just like the first, much of the suspense of this book comes from trying to guess who the storyteller is. This one was a wonderful and emotional reveal at the end that I won't soon forget.