Be Not Afraid

Gr 7–10—Ever since her mother's suicide a year ago, Marin has had a unique ability: she can see the pain of others as brightly colored shapes. This can be overwhelming in crowds, so Marin spends most of her days at her Catholic high school wearing darkly shaded sunglasses and keeping a low profile. The spotlight is focused on her, however, when during mass a classmate has what appears to be a seizure and then lasers in on Marin, whispering, "You…It's You." Marin can see a black shape inside the girl like no pain she has ever seen before. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the two girls have dabbled in the occult, and they later call on the local priest to perform an amateur exorcism. The Catholic imagery is strong, but not overwhelming. Fantastic cover art will draw in readers and the inclusion of a tame romantic interest in the classmate's older brother will hold their attention. Recommended for fans of the author and Katherine Howe's Conversion (Putnam) and Danielle Vega's The Merciless (Penguin, both 2014).—Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL