How the Light Gets In

Gr 7 Up–Callie Ryan has given up on everything since her sister died a year ago. She quit the swim team, stopped caring about school, and spends the majority of her free time smoking pot to forget everything that led to Chloe’s death. Callie’s parents finally give her an ultimatum: she can go to a camp for troubled teens or return to her aunt Lucy’s seaside Victorian B&B, where her sister died. As soon as Callie arrives at the house, strange things occur. Doors close on their own, items that belonged to Chloe start appearing, and Callie swears she hears her voice. Meanwhile, Callie can’t help but be charmed by Lucy’s yard boy, Tucker. When she sees her sister’s ghost and speaks with her, Callie only hopes she can be forgiven for the part she played in Chloe’s death. There are many plot threads here: the history of the Victorian home Lucy is remodeling, Chloe and Callie’s relationship, the events that led up to Chloe’s death, and Tucker’s secrets. Most of these story lines are woven together and believable. There are references to weed and alcohol, as well as to sex, throughout the book.