All Her Ghosts

In this moody paranormal romance by Prith (the Uncivil Wars series), a living teen from a society where ghosts mingle among humans confronts dark truths about herself and the world around her. Seventeen-year-old Persephone’s brilliant but distant mother spends most of her time sequestered in a basement lab, offering little explanation for the family’s constant relocating. As Persephone navigates adolescence, she must also contend with the lingering fallout of the Ghost War, a conflict, brought about by humans’ experimenting with ghost magic, that’s considered by many to be a conspiracy theory. Following the conclusion of the event 17 years ago, spirits roam freely, capable of killing with a single touch. For reasons Persephone can’t explain, they are drawn to her, shadowing her steps while ignoring everyone else. On her first day at yet another new school, she meets classmate Sebastian, and their connection is immediate and disquietingly familiar. The discovery that neither teen has a heartbeat upends Persephone’s understanding of herself and exposes the scope of her mother’s long-held secrets. Teaming up with Sebastian, she sets out to untangle the truth of her origins before the ghosts turn their sights toward her loved ones. Though occasionally weighed down by dense prose, it’s an angsty blend of supernatural intrigue and star-crossed romance that considers probing questions of identity, betrayal, and loss. Main characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. (July)