(2) YA After the death of Eva Sylvan's beloved father (about which she feels lingering guilt), she and her half-sister, Rhonda, move from New York to the (fictional) small town of Madrona, Washington, and into a spooky, decrepit house willed to Eva by a great-aunt she never met. When people in Madrona learn that Eva and Rhonda are Sylvans, most seem to view them with fear (with the exception of a few new friends). And Eva becomes terrified that she might really be as monstrous a witch as people believed her great-aunt was when her dreams about the inhabitants of the town cause them to fall into comas--including Rhonda. Eva must rely on her own wits and bravery to reach back into memories that have been hidden away and solve a years-old mystery about her family, the town, and a tragedy that involved two Madrona residents when they were children. This is a compelling combination of gothic YA fiction and psychological thriller. The magical elements of astral projection and battling shadows in dreams feel human and intimate rather than fantastical. A vibrant cast of characters populates Madrona, and Paasch clearly understands grief, guilt, and what moves the teenage heart.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023