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A review by thereadingraccoon
It Happened to Anna by Tehlor Kay Mejia
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It Happened to Anna is a middle-grade paranormal horror about a tween girl who has been haunted by a possessive ghost her entire life.
After the death of her friend Anna the year prior, Sadie is starting over in a new town and school. Just talking to other students in the library causes the lights to go out, and Sadie worries that she’ll never be able to have a friend again after her ghost caused the accident that killed Anna. But mysterious Mal is not afraid of the consequences and wants to be Sadie’s friend despite the risks. Plus, when they’re together, the ghost is unusually quiet. However, Mal begins pushing Sadie to participate in increasingly disturbing pranks on other students, and the stress of hurting people and the fear of getting caught start to overwhelm her.
This is a moderately spooky and entertaining read about a cursed girl navigating middle school friendships. I saw the twist coming from a mile away, but for a younger crowd, this would be a creepy read that isn’t too violent or gory—though there is a scene with a rat carcass and a mention of the death of a pet cat. It also touches on bullying behaviors and toxic friendships.
🎧 Audiobook notes: The audiobook was narrated by Sara Matsui-Colby who brings a youthful energy to the voice of Sadie.
3.5 stars
An advanced listening copy (ALC) was provided by LibroFm for review purposes.
After the death of her friend Anna the year prior, Sadie is starting over in a new town and school. Just talking to other students in the library causes the lights to go out, and Sadie worries that she’ll never be able to have a friend again after her ghost caused the accident that killed Anna. But mysterious Mal is not afraid of the consequences and wants to be Sadie’s friend despite the risks. Plus, when they’re together, the ghost is unusually quiet. However, Mal begins pushing Sadie to participate in increasingly disturbing pranks on other students, and the stress of hurting people and the fear of getting caught start to overwhelm her.
This is a moderately spooky and entertaining read about a cursed girl navigating middle school friendships. I saw the twist coming from a mile away, but for a younger crowd, this would be a creepy read that isn’t too violent or gory—though there is a scene with a rat carcass and a mention of the death of a pet cat. It also touches on bullying behaviors and toxic friendships.
🎧 Audiobook notes: The audiobook was narrated by Sara Matsui-Colby who brings a youthful energy to the voice of Sadie.
3.5 stars
An advanced listening copy (ALC) was provided by LibroFm for review purposes.