Possession

In this uneven follow-up to 2015's Diary of a Haunting, fictitious editor Verano returns with further "documentation" of the supernatural. Laetitia, a 15-year-old African-American girl, blogged publicly about hair, makeup, and her quest to become a diva, until a mysterious illness stole her singing voice. Now her posts are set to private, and they chronicle the nightmares, hallucinations, and strange phenomena that have since plagued her. Meanwhile, across town, police officers stand trial for the murder of a young black man. Race riots seem imminent, and despite her own troubles, Laetitia can't help but obsess over the media coverage. A "lightly edited" version of Laetitia's journal forms the bulk of the tale, while chat logs and official reports fill in the gaps and editor's notes add context. Laetitia's narrative rings true when she's reflecting on matters of identity, faith, and justice, but she never fully sells her fear, sapping the story of tension and drive. The paranormal element is cleverly conceived but imperfectly executed, resulting in a successful coming-of-age story but an underwhelming horror novel. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. (Aug.)