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It Happened to Anna
This spine-tingling ghost story follows a tween girl who’s being literally haunted by loneliness until a new friendship upends her life. From the bestselling author of the Paola Santiago series!
"Absolutely haunting!"—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of Mine
A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Sadie Rivera has been haunted all her life by a vengeful ghost—a ghost that doesn’t want her to make any friends. The moment she tries? Cue exploding lightbulbs, chilling gusts of wind, and slamming doors.
Last year, Sadie got fed up. Last year, she made a best friend, Anna. So when the ghost caused an accident that killed her best friend, Sadie knew it was all her fault.
Which is why she’s not going to make any friends this year at her new school. At least until mysterious cool girl Mal shows up, and the ghost doesn’t bother her for once. But Mal wants Sadie all to herself—and she’ll do anything to make sure it stays that way.
"Absolutely haunting!"—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of Mine
A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Sadie Rivera has been haunted all her life by a vengeful ghost—a ghost that doesn’t want her to make any friends. The moment she tries? Cue exploding lightbulbs, chilling gusts of wind, and slamming doors.
Last year, Sadie got fed up. Last year, she made a best friend, Anna. So when the ghost caused an accident that killed her best friend, Sadie knew it was all her fault.
Which is why she’s not going to make any friends this year at her new school. At least until mysterious cool girl Mal shows up, and the ghost doesn’t bother her for once. But Mal wants Sadie all to herself—and she’ll do anything to make sure it stays that way.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2024
19 people are currently reading
577 people want to read
About the author
Tehlor Kay Mejia
21 books1,181 followersTEHLOR KAY MEJIA (he/him) is a bestselling and award winning author of books for all ages.
His debut young adult novel, WE SET THE DARK ON FIRE, received six starred reviews, as well as the Oregon Spirit Book Award for debut fiction, and the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award runner up honor for debut speculative fiction. It has been featured on Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and O by Oprah Magazine’s best books lists, and was a 2019 book of the year selection by Kirkus and School Library Journal.
Tehlor’s debut middle grade novel, PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE RIVER OF TEARS, was published by the Rick Riordan Presents imprint at Disney/Hyperion. It received four starred reviews, and was named Amazon’s best book of 2020 in the 9-12 age range.
Tehlor strives to create stories which showcase the importance of community, radical inclusion, and abolitionist values. He lives with his child, wife, and two dogs in his home state of Oregon, and is active on Instagram @tehlorkay.
His debut young adult novel, WE SET THE DARK ON FIRE, received six starred reviews, as well as the Oregon Spirit Book Award for debut fiction, and the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award runner up honor for debut speculative fiction. It has been featured on Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and O by Oprah Magazine’s best books lists, and was a 2019 book of the year selection by Kirkus and School Library Journal.
Tehlor’s debut middle grade novel, PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE RIVER OF TEARS, was published by the Rick Riordan Presents imprint at Disney/Hyperion. It received four starred reviews, and was named Amazon’s best book of 2020 in the 9-12 age range.
Tehlor strives to create stories which showcase the importance of community, radical inclusion, and abolitionist values. He lives with his child, wife, and two dogs in his home state of Oregon, and is active on Instagram @tehlorkay.
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June 24, 2025
#️⃣3️⃣0️⃣7️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 ⛈️⚡🚨
Date : 📢 Sunday, June 22, 2025 🍙⚔️
Word Count📃: k Words 🏕️
──★ ˙💥🪨💣🪨💥 ̟ ⋆✮˚.*⋆
ദ്ദി ≽^⎚˕⎚^≼ .ᐟ My 45th read in "Explosive Impactful Reads June"
1️⃣🌟, so tell me....... WHAT THE FUCK EXACTLY HAPPENED TO ANNA 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
There's this ✨spirit of loneliness shsh ish✨ and then there's Charlotte it's so many characters to choose from and have so many potential but all of it just went by to the point where nothing happens.
WOW SHOCKER 😮😮😮 NOTHING HAPPENS, THATS LIKE ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED WITH THIS AUTHOR NOW OH PLEASE 😭😭
Theres toxicity, theres gaslighting and of course....BULLYING 😭😭😭😭😭 PLS TEHLOR CAN U STOP WITH THE EXACT SAME SHI YOU DO IN EVERY BOOK, THERE'S LIKE ZERO ORIGINALITY IN HERE, 😓😓😓 THE EXACT SAME THEMES HAPPEN ON EVERY SINGLE BOOK I READ OF YA I DEIYINGGG IT'S SO SIMILAR WITH ALL THE OTHER BOOKS YOU WROTE ALREADY.
Oh and Sadie is like one of the most confusing characters ever, she's o hypocritical in everything, she want friends but dont, she's clingy but not really???? She push people away but once again not really???? But all of it is for the importance of friendship and ✨boundaries✨ and ✨dont bully✨ which im already sick of since Tehlor writes that on every book. Be more original than recycling your own books, i can't even differenciate it by how similar everything is.
Date : 📢 Sunday, June 22, 2025 🍙⚔️
Word Count📃: k Words 🏕️
──★ ˙💥🪨💣🪨💥 ̟ ⋆✮˚.*⋆
ദ്ദി ≽^⎚˕⎚^≼ .ᐟ My 45th read in "Explosive Impactful Reads June"
1️⃣🌟, so tell me....... WHAT THE FUCK EXACTLY HAPPENED TO ANNA 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
There's this ✨spirit of loneliness shsh ish✨ and then there's Charlotte it's so many characters to choose from and have so many potential but all of it just went by to the point where nothing happens.
WOW SHOCKER 😮😮😮 NOTHING HAPPENS, THATS LIKE ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED WITH THIS AUTHOR NOW OH PLEASE 😭😭
Theres toxicity, theres gaslighting and of course....BULLYING 😭😭😭😭😭 PLS TEHLOR CAN U STOP WITH THE EXACT SAME SHI YOU DO IN EVERY BOOK, THERE'S LIKE ZERO ORIGINALITY IN HERE, 😓😓😓 THE EXACT SAME THEMES HAPPEN ON EVERY SINGLE BOOK I READ OF YA I DEIYINGGG IT'S SO SIMILAR WITH ALL THE OTHER BOOKS YOU WROTE ALREADY.
Oh and Sadie is like one of the most confusing characters ever, she's o hypocritical in everything, she want friends but dont, she's clingy but not really???? She push people away but once again not really???? But all of it is for the importance of friendship and ✨boundaries✨ and ✨dont bully✨ which im already sick of since Tehlor writes that on every book. Be more original than recycling your own books, i can't even differenciate it by how similar everything is.
February 21, 2025
If there were ever a field guide for middle schoolers on recognizing toxicity and gaslighting in relationships, 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 by Tehlor Kay Mejia would be it. This book is a mix of ghost story and coming-of-age lesson, wrapped in themes of acceptance, boundaries, and navigating friendships. But while I appreciate what this book was trying to do, I found myself struggling to enjoy it, not because it was poorly written, but because of how frustrating the relationships in the story were.
The biggest issue I had was with the so-called “friendship” between Sadie and Mal. Their dynamic was built on manipulation and guilt, which made it exhausting to read. Mal had a way of making Sadie feel responsible for her emotions and actions, creating a relationship that felt more like control than companionship. Maybe that was intentional. Maybe Mejia wants young readers to recognize unhealthy relationships in their own lives and learn how to set boundaries. If that’s the case, then the book certainly accomplished that, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating to read.
I’ve always said that children’s books have a lot to teach us, no matter how old we are. Because they’re written for young and impressionable audiences, their messages tend to be more straightforward, and sometimes adults need those reminders just as much as children do. That’s one of the reasons I love middle-grade books, especially middle-grade horror books. Beyond the supernatural elements, they often focus on themes of bravery, resilience, and self-discovery. But while 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 touched on those things, it was overshadowed by how oblivious the main character was to everything happening around her.
I ended up giving this book 3 stars for a few reasons. First, the twist was predictable. It didn’t have the impact I was hoping for, and because I saw it coming, it made the buildup feel less satisfying. Second, while the toxicity in the story was probably intentional, it made for a frustrating reading experience. It’s one thing to show an unhealthy relationship, but when the main character doesn’t fully grasp what’s happening until the very 𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔 last pages even though the signs were crystal clear, it feels like a lot of the message gets lost along the way (especially when you’re screaming, “𝘞𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘚𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘦! 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥!” 95% of the book). And then there was the ending: it felt rushed, like the author was trying to tie up loose ends without really giving it the weight/explanation it needed.
Sadie herself was also a confusing character. She wanted friends, but at the same time, she pushed people away (okay, that part was understandable given the trauma she experienced with her best friend, Anna). But, out of nowhere, she clung to the first girl who didn’t seem to upset the ghost tied to her, despite Mal practically holding up 10 red flags in front of her face. I wanted to root for Sadie, but it was hard when she kept making choices that felt so obviously bad. I get that people don’t always see toxicity when they’re in the middle of it, but at some point, you’d think she’d pick up on the warning signs especially after four of her peers got hurt because of Mal’s pranks.
*ponders* I can’t help but wonder if Mejia was practically screaming “Mal is bad news” just through her name. I mean, 𝙈𝙖𝙡 literally means “bad” in Latin — something I learned from the real MVP of education, River Tam from 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲.
For a while, I actually thought the ghost was Sadie’s twin who had died in the womb, which would have made a lot of sense as to why it attached itself to her at such a young age. That theory would have given the story a stronger emotional weight, including as to why her mother left, but the actual reason for the haunting felt random and didn’t fully add up, even with the explanation given. It wasn’t bad, but it lacked the depth I was hoping for.
Overall, 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 was a fast and easy read, but it didn’t have much of a scare factor. Again, I appreciate what the book was trying to accomplish, and I think it could be valuable for young readers learning to navigate friendships and boundaries. But as a horror story, it left me feeling a little underwhelmed.
(Thank you, Delacorte Press, for gifting me a finished copy of this book!)
The biggest issue I had was with the so-called “friendship” between Sadie and Mal. Their dynamic was built on manipulation and guilt, which made it exhausting to read. Mal had a way of making Sadie feel responsible for her emotions and actions, creating a relationship that felt more like control than companionship. Maybe that was intentional. Maybe Mejia wants young readers to recognize unhealthy relationships in their own lives and learn how to set boundaries. If that’s the case, then the book certainly accomplished that, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating to read.
I’ve always said that children’s books have a lot to teach us, no matter how old we are. Because they’re written for young and impressionable audiences, their messages tend to be more straightforward, and sometimes adults need those reminders just as much as children do. That’s one of the reasons I love middle-grade books, especially middle-grade horror books. Beyond the supernatural elements, they often focus on themes of bravery, resilience, and self-discovery. But while 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 touched on those things, it was overshadowed by how oblivious the main character was to everything happening around her.
I ended up giving this book 3 stars for a few reasons. First, the twist was predictable. It didn’t have the impact I was hoping for, and because I saw it coming, it made the buildup feel less satisfying. Second, while the toxicity in the story was probably intentional, it made for a frustrating reading experience. It’s one thing to show an unhealthy relationship, but when the main character doesn’t fully grasp what’s happening until the very 𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔 last pages even though the signs were crystal clear, it feels like a lot of the message gets lost along the way (especially when you’re screaming, “𝘞𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱, 𝘚𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘦! 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥!” 95% of the book). And then there was the ending: it felt rushed, like the author was trying to tie up loose ends without really giving it the weight/explanation it needed.
Sadie herself was also a confusing character. She wanted friends, but at the same time, she pushed people away (okay, that part was understandable given the trauma she experienced with her best friend, Anna). But, out of nowhere, she clung to the first girl who didn’t seem to upset the ghost tied to her, despite Mal practically holding up 10 red flags in front of her face. I wanted to root for Sadie, but it was hard when she kept making choices that felt so obviously bad. I get that people don’t always see toxicity when they’re in the middle of it, but at some point, you’d think she’d pick up on the warning signs especially after four of her peers got hurt because of Mal’s pranks.
*ponders* I can’t help but wonder if Mejia was practically screaming “Mal is bad news” just through her name. I mean, 𝙈𝙖𝙡 literally means “bad” in Latin — something I learned from the real MVP of education, River Tam from 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲.
For a while, I actually thought the ghost was Sadie’s twin who had died in the womb, which would have made a lot of sense as to why it attached itself to her at such a young age. That theory would have given the story a stronger emotional weight, including as to why her mother left, but the actual reason for the haunting felt random and didn’t fully add up, even with the explanation given. It wasn’t bad, but it lacked the depth I was hoping for.
Overall, 𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 was a fast and easy read, but it didn’t have much of a scare factor. Again, I appreciate what the book was trying to accomplish, and I think it could be valuable for young readers learning to navigate friendships and boundaries. But as a horror story, it left me feeling a little underwhelmed.
(Thank you, Delacorte Press, for gifting me a finished copy of this book!)
September 29, 2024
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.
October 22, 2024
Zelf ken ik auteur Tehlor Kay Mejia al van haar Young Adult boeken, en ik was dan ook blij verrast toen ik zag dat het nieuwste boek in de Horrorland serie door haar is geschreven.
In ‘Jij bent van mij’ speelt vriendschap een grote rol. En wat is er nu enger dan een wraakzuchtige geest om je heen hebben die belet dat je nieuwe vrienden maakt, of überhaupt vrienden hebt?
In dit nieuwe griezelige boek, volgen we het verhaal van Sadie. Sadie wordt achtervolgd door een boosaardige aanwezigheid die ervoor zorgt dat ze op geen enkele manier vrienden kan maken.
De enige keus die Sadie dus heeft, is andere kinderen ontlopen. En dat is erg eenzaam kan ik je vertellen.
Dan ontmoet ze op een dag een meisje die een reeks gebeurtenissen in gang zet waar Sadie nooit van had durven dromen. Komt alles dan toch goed en kan Sadie eindelijk vrienden maken?
Net als in haar Young Adult boeken, richt Tehlor zich ook in dit jeugdboek op vriendschappen en relaties. Ik heb dit altijd al een kracht gevonden van Tehlor, omdat ze relaties enorm weet te verdiepen en het zo weet te verwoorden dat het voor lezers herkenbaar en voelbaar is.
Dit doet ze ook prachtig in dit jeugdboek. En dat ook nog eens met een griezelig tintje.
Tehlor schrijft vlot en beeldend en zonder eromheen te draaien, laat ze de jeugdige lezer kennismaken met wat vriendschap inhoudt, maar ook wat een toxic vriendschap is.
Want blijf je jezelf, of verander je jezelf voor een ander?
Vriendschap in combinatie met paranormale gebeurtenissen maken dit verhaal nagelbijtend spannend.
Sadie is naar mijn mening als hoofdpersonage absoluut goed uitgewerkt en doordat Tehlor nog niet alles meteen prijsgeeft, vraag je jezelf gedurende het verhaal af wat er in het verleden van Sadie is gebeurt.
En waar komt die wraakzuchtige aanwezigheid toch vandaan?
Spanning gegarandeerd als je het mij vraagt!
(Jeugdige) lezers zullen zich absoluut herkennen in Sadie en wat mij betreft leren we, dankzij de vader van Sadie en een school maatschappelijk werkster, ook belangrijke lessen waar het gaat om vriendschappen en jezelf mogen zijn.
Tehlor werkt in het verhaal toe naar een spannend plot en ontknoping en het einde wist mij ook nog eens te ontroeren.
Conclusie
Tehlor Kay Mejia schrijft gave Young Adult boeken vol diversiteit.
Met dit spannende en griezelige jeugdboek laat ze zien dat ze ook de jongere lezers weet te bereiken.
Een spannend verhaal, interessante en herkenbare personages en een goed plot met wijze lessen.
‘Jij bent van mij‘ is een geweldige aanvulling op deze Horrorland serie en van mij mag Tehlor zeker nog zo’n gaaf jeugdboek schrijven!
In ‘Jij bent van mij’ speelt vriendschap een grote rol. En wat is er nu enger dan een wraakzuchtige geest om je heen hebben die belet dat je nieuwe vrienden maakt, of überhaupt vrienden hebt?
In dit nieuwe griezelige boek, volgen we het verhaal van Sadie. Sadie wordt achtervolgd door een boosaardige aanwezigheid die ervoor zorgt dat ze op geen enkele manier vrienden kan maken.
De enige keus die Sadie dus heeft, is andere kinderen ontlopen. En dat is erg eenzaam kan ik je vertellen.
Dan ontmoet ze op een dag een meisje die een reeks gebeurtenissen in gang zet waar Sadie nooit van had durven dromen. Komt alles dan toch goed en kan Sadie eindelijk vrienden maken?
Net als in haar Young Adult boeken, richt Tehlor zich ook in dit jeugdboek op vriendschappen en relaties. Ik heb dit altijd al een kracht gevonden van Tehlor, omdat ze relaties enorm weet te verdiepen en het zo weet te verwoorden dat het voor lezers herkenbaar en voelbaar is.
Dit doet ze ook prachtig in dit jeugdboek. En dat ook nog eens met een griezelig tintje.
Tehlor schrijft vlot en beeldend en zonder eromheen te draaien, laat ze de jeugdige lezer kennismaken met wat vriendschap inhoudt, maar ook wat een toxic vriendschap is.
Want blijf je jezelf, of verander je jezelf voor een ander?
Vriendschap in combinatie met paranormale gebeurtenissen maken dit verhaal nagelbijtend spannend.
Sadie is naar mijn mening als hoofdpersonage absoluut goed uitgewerkt en doordat Tehlor nog niet alles meteen prijsgeeft, vraag je jezelf gedurende het verhaal af wat er in het verleden van Sadie is gebeurt.
En waar komt die wraakzuchtige aanwezigheid toch vandaan?
Spanning gegarandeerd als je het mij vraagt!
(Jeugdige) lezers zullen zich absoluut herkennen in Sadie en wat mij betreft leren we, dankzij de vader van Sadie en een school maatschappelijk werkster, ook belangrijke lessen waar het gaat om vriendschappen en jezelf mogen zijn.
Tehlor werkt in het verhaal toe naar een spannend plot en ontknoping en het einde wist mij ook nog eens te ontroeren.
Conclusie
Tehlor Kay Mejia schrijft gave Young Adult boeken vol diversiteit.
Met dit spannende en griezelige jeugdboek laat ze zien dat ze ook de jongere lezers weet te bereiken.
Een spannend verhaal, interessante en herkenbare personages en een goed plot met wijze lessen.
‘Jij bent van mij‘ is een geweldige aanvulling op deze Horrorland serie en van mij mag Tehlor zeker nog zo’n gaaf jeugdboek schrijven!
August 4, 2024
It Happened to Anna is a book that touches a lot on toxic relationships and friendships, grief and social isolation. It is a middle grade so I did find the twist to be pretty predictable, but I think the foreshadowing would be great for middle grade readers. I like that it gives a very realistic look at how toxic friendships develop and I think for adult readers it can easily reflect an abusive relationship or grooming. There was some age-appropriate violence and self-harm that gave stakes to the story.
Our main character is depressed and understandably so as she has lost her mother and for her entire life has been isolated from friends due to the haunting. Even with a supportive system, she struggles to see how isolated she is becoming and the negative choices that she is making. I did like that the book tackles bullying and peer pressure in a way that I think is very current and speaks to some of the "prank" trends that are increasingly popular on social media.
I recommend if you enjoy middle grade horror!
Our main character is depressed and understandably so as she has lost her mother and for her entire life has been isolated from friends due to the haunting. Even with a supportive system, she struggles to see how isolated she is becoming and the negative choices that she is making. I did like that the book tackles bullying and peer pressure in a way that I think is very current and speaks to some of the "prank" trends that are increasingly popular on social media.
I recommend if you enjoy middle grade horror!
August 11, 2025
I totally forgot to rate it! I was going to give it 3 stars, but I had to take into consideration many aspects of the book, the target audience and what it intended to convey.
It was a great read, and I definitely think this could be a great start for younger people to get into horror and at the same time get a good message from the story.
It is interesting, the atmosphere is intriguing, but not too dense for a younger audience.
It was a great read, and I definitely think this could be a great start for younger people to get into horror and at the same time get a good message from the story.
It is interesting, the atmosphere is intriguing, but not too dense for a younger audience.
August 16, 2024
Mary Downing Hahn meets Vera Brosgol's "Anya's ghost". I thought this was an age appropriate spooky/horror novel that tackles a lot of tough topics: parental abandonment, grief, mental health, and most importantly toxic relationships. I really liked how horror was used as a metaphor. I found the pacing to be fast paced.
September 9, 2024
One of the scariest MG books I’ve ever read!
👻
Sadie Rivera has been tormented by a vengeful ghost her entire life – a ghost determined to keep her isolated. Whenever Sadie tries to make friends, supernatural chaos ensues. Last year Sadie defied the ghost and befriended Anna, only to face a tragic accident that took Anna‘s life, leaving Sadie feeling responsible and guilty. Determined to avoid more heartbreak, Sadie vows to stay friendless at her new school. That is, until she meets that enigmatic Mal. But Mal has her own agenda and is willing to go to great links to keep Sadie all to herself.
👻
Whoa! @tehlorkaymejia blew me away with this one. This is probably one of the spookiest MG books I���ve ever read and know it’s going to be a hit when I get it in my middle school library! I’ll be booktalking this one for spooky month! Thanks Libro.fm for the audiobook.
CW: suicide ideation, death of a child, depression, parental abandonment, isolation, peer pressure/bullying, grief, toxic relationships
👻
Sadie Rivera has been tormented by a vengeful ghost her entire life – a ghost determined to keep her isolated. Whenever Sadie tries to make friends, supernatural chaos ensues. Last year Sadie defied the ghost and befriended Anna, only to face a tragic accident that took Anna‘s life, leaving Sadie feeling responsible and guilty. Determined to avoid more heartbreak, Sadie vows to stay friendless at her new school. That is, until she meets that enigmatic Mal. But Mal has her own agenda and is willing to go to great links to keep Sadie all to herself.
👻
Whoa! @tehlorkaymejia blew me away with this one. This is probably one of the spookiest MG books I���ve ever read and know it’s going to be a hit when I get it in my middle school library! I’ll be booktalking this one for spooky month! Thanks Libro.fm for the audiobook.
CW: suicide ideation, death of a child, depression, parental abandonment, isolation, peer pressure/bullying, grief, toxic relationships
April 23, 2024
*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sadie has been haunted her entire life. Her ghost doesn't want her to get close to anyone and even killed her best friend Anna. But Sadie can't tell anyone until she does. But is that friendship really what she wants?
I really liked this book. It was a very fast read that touched on very interesting subjects. I like how it was horror but also spoke of everyday life stuff. I liked the take on friendship and how it's not always what we signed up for. I found Sadie to be a very interesting main character and I loved getting to know her throughout this book. I did see the main twist coming a mile away but I didn't mind. I felt for Sadie from beginning to end and would definitely recommend this to a lot of people, no matter their age.
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sadie has been haunted her entire life. Her ghost doesn't want her to get close to anyone and even killed her best friend Anna. But Sadie can't tell anyone until she does. But is that friendship really what she wants?
I really liked this book. It was a very fast read that touched on very interesting subjects. I like how it was horror but also spoke of everyday life stuff. I liked the take on friendship and how it's not always what we signed up for. I found Sadie to be a very interesting main character and I loved getting to know her throughout this book. I did see the main twist coming a mile away but I didn't mind. I felt for Sadie from beginning to end and would definitely recommend this to a lot of people, no matter their age.
August 5, 2024
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
It Happened to Anna is a story about friendship, loneliness, and alienation. About friends we choose, the power of these choices, and what happens when they disappear. When the person we chose isn't the right one. Friendships and friend breakups are like earthquakes. And for middle grade readers, nothing is more devastating than when your person, your rock, your best friend, crumbles. But even more so when someone who loves us doesn't have our best intentions in mind. It Happened to Anna uses a supernatural lens to talk about toxic friendships.
It Happened to Anna is a story about friendship, loneliness, and alienation. About friends we choose, the power of these choices, and what happens when they disappear. When the person we chose isn't the right one. Friendships and friend breakups are like earthquakes. And for middle grade readers, nothing is more devastating than when your person, your rock, your best friend, crumbles. But even more so when someone who loves us doesn't have our best intentions in mind. It Happened to Anna uses a supernatural lens to talk about toxic friendships.
June 30, 2025
Funnily enough, the only book of this author’s that I somewhat enjoyed. Sadie has been haunted by a ghost her whole life, a jealous one who doesn’t want her to have any friends. It has a fun storyline and I think, considering the age range it’s written for, touches on important concepts for younger kids, of bullying, coercion, peer pressure and much more. You can’t really blame Sadie for her actions, considering how miserable she’s been her whole life because of her situation and I can only imagine what a lifeline Mal must have felt like.
August 4, 2024
This was such a great YA ghost story. It's like one of those ghost stories we would have told during sleepovers.
I will say that my heart kinda broke for Mal. Poor thing had a horrible life, and then her ending... it was just sad.
I really enjoyed this one, even though I was getting annoyed that Sadie hadn't figured out who her friend was. But I realized that she made up excuses because ultimately, she, too, was afraid to lose her friend.
I will say that my heart kinda broke for Mal. Poor thing had a horrible life, and then her ending... it was just sad.
I really enjoyed this one, even though I was getting annoyed that Sadie hadn't figured out who her friend was. But I realized that she made up excuses because ultimately, she, too, was afraid to lose her friend.
August 28, 2025
The concept of this book was great; it definitely gives Halloween vibes. However, I would not say this book is YA, it’s probably younger than that: middle-age.
I believe the main character is in 3rd Grade, I think? However, there pranks they pull are quite harsh for 3rd Graders, so I’m not sure.
This book would be creepy for someone in the right age good, but I guessed the ending at the beginning, which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much.
I believe the main character is in 3rd Grade, I think? However, there pranks they pull are quite harsh for 3rd Graders, so I’m not sure.
This book would be creepy for someone in the right age good, but I guessed the ending at the beginning, which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much.
Read
July 29, 2024Listened to this one for work, so leaving unrated. But I absolutely loved it — felt like a throwback to an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?
I am a sucker for ghost stories where the ghostly kid starts out like Casper, but then things get sinister. The stakes feel high enough here, but not over the top scares for the age group. I’m into it!
I am a sucker for ghost stories where the ghostly kid starts out like Casper, but then things get sinister. The stakes feel high enough here, but not over the top scares for the age group. I’m into it!
September 2, 2024
This is a great, unique story with a steady plot line; students are going to love a story about a jealous ghost that is an actual ghost. The cover matches the creepiness of the story so I better buy multiple copies. 4.5 stars.
February 10, 2025
Well written middle grade spooky story that brings up many issues kids face with friends.
February 13, 2025
Very good and scary. Kept me on my toes. Wasn't able to guess the ending.
August 7, 2024
Sadie Riviera is trying her best to be invisible at her new school. She knows any single sign that she has made a friend means that the ghost that has haunted her all her life will get angry. The last time that happened her best friend Anna didn't survive. But when the counselor and her worried father get involved she must join an afterschool club to seem normal. This leads her to meet Charlotte an over-friendly girl who loves comics. Sadie starts to slip and the usual lights start flickering and doors get slammed. She tries her best to dodge Charlotte and in doing so she meets Mal. Sadie finds that she can talk to Mal about her troubles and she surprisingly believes her. Mal seems to be the solution to her ghost problems as they disappear when she's around. But Mal has a bit of a jealous streak too. Sadie finds that the pranks Mal wants to do together become increasingly cruel. Sadie starts to pull away but Mal won't let her go that easily.
It Happened to Anna was so much fun with a fast-paced storyline that'll keep you on the edge of your seat! It was obvious what was going on with Sadie's new friend Mal but I think there was a reason it was written that way. You could see the pranks getting worse and worse. And Mal becoming more and more jealous. She was slowly revealing her true nature so by the end she looked monstrous. The vivid nightmares added in were truly terrifying! I think young horror lovers will love this one.
I also wanted to point out Sadie's father who didn't show up that much in the story but when he did you could tell how much he loved her. I couldn't imagine having to support your daughter whose friend just died but he was always there for her. I always like pointing out healthy parent-child relationships in middle grade.
It Happened to Anna was a winner in my book. This was a twisted tale of peer pressure and friendship gone wrong. It's a perfectly spooky cautionary tale reminding readers to choose your friends wisely!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of It Happened to Anna in exchange for an honest review.
It Happened to Anna was so much fun with a fast-paced storyline that'll keep you on the edge of your seat! It was obvious what was going on with Sadie's new friend Mal but I think there was a reason it was written that way. You could see the pranks getting worse and worse. And Mal becoming more and more jealous. She was slowly revealing her true nature so by the end she looked monstrous. The vivid nightmares added in were truly terrifying! I think young horror lovers will love this one.
I also wanted to point out Sadie's father who didn't show up that much in the story but when he did you could tell how much he loved her. I couldn't imagine having to support your daughter whose friend just died but he was always there for her. I always like pointing out healthy parent-child relationships in middle grade.
It Happened to Anna was a winner in my book. This was a twisted tale of peer pressure and friendship gone wrong. It's a perfectly spooky cautionary tale reminding readers to choose your friends wisely!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of It Happened to Anna in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2024
A great book for teens about toxic friendships, standing up for yourself, and finding your identity… just with spooky elements added. I loved this book so much. Younger me would’ve ate this up but I know a ton of super lucky girls who will be able to read this book and feel inspired.
February 20, 2024
Thank you @randomhousekids for this gifted copy to read to read without the obligation to review but it is so good that my 👧🏻 reviewed it.
👧🏻 review: I don’t know where to start, but this book is seriously worth reading it. It is not for the faintest heart but if you love paranormal and horror books, any middle-graders will appreciate this one. I read this in one sitting and it absolutely blew my mind. It felt like reading RL Stine’s books (which I was very obsessed with when I was younger) and KR Alexander combined together. I don’t really believe in otherworldly beings but this book can be a bit convincing! If you love scary, ghoulish and dark magic books, this is it!!!
👧🏻 review: I don’t know where to start, but this book is seriously worth reading it. It is not for the faintest heart but if you love paranormal and horror books, any middle-graders will appreciate this one. I read this in one sitting and it absolutely blew my mind. It felt like reading RL Stine’s books (which I was very obsessed with when I was younger) and KR Alexander combined together. I don’t really believe in otherworldly beings but this book can be a bit convincing! If you love scary, ghoulish and dark magic books, this is it!!!
September 8, 2024
This book was sooooo obvious. Plus it was just awful. And i didn't like it. So yeah.
April 9, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sadie has been plagued by a jealous, vengeful ghost since she was a young child in Arizona. Her mother left years ago, and she and her father have moved back to his hometown in Idaho after the ghost caused the death of her best friend, Anna. Now, she is treading carefully, keeping to herself, and not making the mistake of befriending anyone else and incurring the ghost's wrath. When Charlotte, and exuberant graphic novel fan, talks to her, the lights flicker menacingly, and when Sadie attends the graphic novel club and talks to some of the members, further electric problems cause the club to let out early. While she's waiting for her father, she is approached by Mal, a waif like student with white blonde hair. Mal won't give up talking to her, so Sadie finally tells her the truth about the ghost... and Mal believes her. Not only that, but talking to Mal doesn't seem to rile up any evil forces. Relieved to finally have a friend, Sadie goes along with any activity Mal wants to do, like hanging out in the cemetery. Mal has an odd life; her overprotective, hard working parents insist that a nanny picks her up for lunch, she's not allowed to participate in any groups, but she is given the freedome to hang out after school. When Mal wants to pull some pranks like locking Ryder in the bathroom and shutting off the lights, dumping red Kool Aid "blood" on Marty's locker, or filling a back pack with worms and dirt, Sadie goes along with it even though the pranks make her uncomfortable. Mal even coerces Sadie into scratching an "M" into her ankle while Mal scratches an "S" into her own. When Mal wants to catch a rat and put it in Kelsey's desk (Sadie suspects that Mal knows Kelsey has been nice to her), Sadie helps, but regrets it at the last minute and lets the teacher know before Kelsey opens her desk. Sadie is so distraught that she stays home from school for several days, and when she returns, she finds out that Kelsey's cat was killed and left on the family's porch. When she talks to Mal, she denies any involvement and is nicer to Sadie. Sadie has been having nightmares about Anna and other students in distress, so she's relieved that her one friendship is still strong. When Mal wants to go out at midnight to an abandoned well, this doesn't seem like a great plan, and when Sadie tries to back out because she has also been invited to Charlotte's birthday party, Mal is not happy but says it's okay. When Sadie's father gets a call that Charlotte is missing, Sadie knows exactly where Charlotte is. She runs away, and finds Mal and Charlotte at the well. Mal seems intent on killing Charlotte, but Sadie manages to rescue her. Creepy secrets emerge, and Sadie, who has suffered for years, resigns herself to her own death. Will the ghost be victorious after all?
Strengths: Mejia does an excellent job at dialing right in to middle grade fears. What's worse than having no friends? Having a vengeful ghost stalking you and threatening anyone who wants to BE your friend, of course. Not only that, but we've got the added tension of a friend who is pressuring Sadie to do things that she knows is wrong. Mal is elusive, and there are clues all along about her true nature that savvy readers will pick up, but the suspense is well developed and keeps the story very taut. We don't see a whole lot of Sadie's father, even though he is involved in talking to her teachers, getting her counseling, and wanting to know her whereabouts... sometimes. This seems very realistic. Charlotte is a great character, and she is very understanding about Sadie's situation, continuing to be friendly while not pushing her, and being a fantastic friend in the end. There are just enough classmates and staff members to round out the story, including Charlotte's friend Corey, who is nonbinary, and the counselor Mrs. Fitz, who gives Sadie good advice without asking too many questions. I enjoyed this one a lot, and am not surprised that Ms. Mejia found this too scary to work on at night!
Weaknesses: While I liked the explanation of why the mother left, I could have used more information about how exactly the ghost became attached to Sadie and also what happened to Anna. The explanation was there, but could have been a little clearer, and maybe have been delivered a little earlier in the story. It's a hard thing to balance; explanations and murderous ghosts!
What I really think: Definitely purchasing two copies, and this will be an enormous hit with fans of Dawson's Mine, Ford's The Lonely Ghost, and Currie's The Girl in White. Murderous ghosts really are the sweet spot for middle grade horror, and working in friend drama is definitely brilliant!
Sadie has been plagued by a jealous, vengeful ghost since she was a young child in Arizona. Her mother left years ago, and she and her father have moved back to his hometown in Idaho after the ghost caused the death of her best friend, Anna. Now, she is treading carefully, keeping to herself, and not making the mistake of befriending anyone else and incurring the ghost's wrath. When Charlotte, and exuberant graphic novel fan, talks to her, the lights flicker menacingly, and when Sadie attends the graphic novel club and talks to some of the members, further electric problems cause the club to let out early. While she's waiting for her father, she is approached by Mal, a waif like student with white blonde hair. Mal won't give up talking to her, so Sadie finally tells her the truth about the ghost... and Mal believes her. Not only that, but talking to Mal doesn't seem to rile up any evil forces. Relieved to finally have a friend, Sadie goes along with any activity Mal wants to do, like hanging out in the cemetery. Mal has an odd life; her overprotective, hard working parents insist that a nanny picks her up for lunch, she's not allowed to participate in any groups, but she is given the freedome to hang out after school. When Mal wants to pull some pranks like locking Ryder in the bathroom and shutting off the lights, dumping red Kool Aid "blood" on Marty's locker, or filling a back pack with worms and dirt, Sadie goes along with it even though the pranks make her uncomfortable. Mal even coerces Sadie into scratching an "M" into her ankle while Mal scratches an "S" into her own. When Mal wants to catch a rat and put it in Kelsey's desk (Sadie suspects that Mal knows Kelsey has been nice to her), Sadie helps, but regrets it at the last minute and lets the teacher know before Kelsey opens her desk. Sadie is so distraught that she stays home from school for several days, and when she returns, she finds out that Kelsey's cat was killed and left on the family's porch. When she talks to Mal, she denies any involvement and is nicer to Sadie. Sadie has been having nightmares about Anna and other students in distress, so she's relieved that her one friendship is still strong. When Mal wants to go out at midnight to an abandoned well, this doesn't seem like a great plan, and when Sadie tries to back out because she has also been invited to Charlotte's birthday party, Mal is not happy but says it's okay. When Sadie's father gets a call that Charlotte is missing, Sadie knows exactly where Charlotte is. She runs away, and finds Mal and Charlotte at the well. Mal seems intent on killing Charlotte, but Sadie manages to rescue her. Creepy secrets emerge, and Sadie, who has suffered for years, resigns herself to her own death. Will the ghost be victorious after all?
Strengths: Mejia does an excellent job at dialing right in to middle grade fears. What's worse than having no friends? Having a vengeful ghost stalking you and threatening anyone who wants to BE your friend, of course. Not only that, but we've got the added tension of a friend who is pressuring Sadie to do things that she knows is wrong. Mal is elusive, and there are clues all along about her true nature that savvy readers will pick up, but the suspense is well developed and keeps the story very taut. We don't see a whole lot of Sadie's father, even though he is involved in talking to her teachers, getting her counseling, and wanting to know her whereabouts... sometimes. This seems very realistic. Charlotte is a great character, and she is very understanding about Sadie's situation, continuing to be friendly while not pushing her, and being a fantastic friend in the end. There are just enough classmates and staff members to round out the story, including Charlotte's friend Corey, who is nonbinary, and the counselor Mrs. Fitz, who gives Sadie good advice without asking too many questions. I enjoyed this one a lot, and am not surprised that Ms. Mejia found this too scary to work on at night!
Weaknesses: While I liked the explanation of why the mother left, I could have used more information about how exactly the ghost became attached to Sadie and also what happened to Anna. The explanation was there, but could have been a little clearer, and maybe have been delivered a little earlier in the story. It's a hard thing to balance; explanations and murderous ghosts!
What I really think: Definitely purchasing two copies, and this will be an enormous hit with fans of Dawson's Mine, Ford's The Lonely Ghost, and Currie's The Girl in White. Murderous ghosts really are the sweet spot for middle grade horror, and working in friend drama is definitely brilliant!
Read
January 5, 2025disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC of this - the narrator Kyla Garcia did a great job & had fun with it.
This is about Sadie, a seventh grader (12 years old) who lost her best friend Anna last year, and Sadie is convinced the ghost who has followed her around her entire life killed Anna. With this knowledge, Sadie is fully uninterested in making any new friends because she refuses to put anyone else in danger. However, her teacher, principal, and dad get together to tell her, "You need to stop isolating and put in effort to make friends." In order to get them off her back, she joins Graphic Novel Club, where she reads graphic novels after school and makes a new friend, Charlotte.
Then, this cool, mysterious, pale girl named Mal shows up (I fully recognize "mal" means "bad," just humor me kthx) and becomes Sadie's new best friend. Mal's parents are incredibly overprotective and overbearing, not allowing her to join after-school activities or clubs, or to really go anywhere besides school. Sadie does everything she can to make Mal happy, because she recognizes that she is Mal's only friend.
I didn't read the author's note at the beginning, so Mal's questionable character was a surprise for me, oops! I read it after the fact and was like, 'ohhhhh, I probably would've been suspicious from the beginning if I knew this.' However, I'm kind of glad that I didn't, just because I got to be present with Sadie's journey of peeling back her concerns about Mal, little by little.
It of course was also deeply painful and uncomfortable to read about Sadie, a child, in so much pain that she pretzeled herself to fit whatever made Mal happy. The constant fear, stress, anxiety, and constant brainstorming of how to keep Mal happy and not upset her.. It genuinely made me see red and made my stomach curl. Sadie fervently and assiduously did anything and everything to ensure Mal's satisfaction, completely ignoring her own body's pleas and cries for help. No one enjoys reading about that. I genuinely want kids to be able to BE KIDS WITHOUT ABANDON! To enjoy the fullness of life unabashedly as they (and everyone) deserve.
However, that's my ideal world, and it's not the current truth of what kids confront today. I appreciated that Tehlor Kay Mejia illustrated the very real dangers of toxic friendships, of bullying, of manipulative, emotionally abusive friendships. Tehlor highlighted the importance of finding your voice, naming your needs, drawing boundaries, and standing up for what is right, even if it is terrifying and haunts your dreams at some point.
Wow, yet another middle grade story that blew me away with its commentaries on hope, courage, strength, and finding hope after tragedy. I continue to be so impressed by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and will read anything they write!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death and Abandonment
Thank you to PRH Audio for the ALC of this - the narrator Kyla Garcia did a great job & had fun with it.
This is about Sadie, a seventh grader (12 years old) who lost her best friend Anna last year, and Sadie is convinced the ghost who has followed her around her entire life killed Anna. With this knowledge, Sadie is fully uninterested in making any new friends because she refuses to put anyone else in danger. However, her teacher, principal, and dad get together to tell her, "You need to stop isolating and put in effort to make friends." In order to get them off her back, she joins Graphic Novel Club, where she reads graphic novels after school and makes a new friend, Charlotte.
Then, this cool, mysterious, pale girl named Mal shows up (I fully recognize "mal" means "bad," just humor me kthx) and becomes Sadie's new best friend. Mal's parents are incredibly overprotective and overbearing, not allowing her to join after-school activities or clubs, or to really go anywhere besides school. Sadie does everything she can to make Mal happy, because she recognizes that she is Mal's only friend.
I didn't read the author's note at the beginning, so Mal's questionable character was a surprise for me, oops! I read it after the fact and was like, 'ohhhhh, I probably would've been suspicious from the beginning if I knew this.' However, I'm kind of glad that I didn't, just because I got to be present with Sadie's journey of peeling back her concerns about Mal, little by little.
It of course was also deeply painful and uncomfortable to read about Sadie, a child, in so much pain that she pretzeled herself to fit whatever made Mal happy. The constant fear, stress, anxiety, and constant brainstorming of how to keep Mal happy and not upset her.. It genuinely made me see red and made my stomach curl. Sadie fervently and assiduously did anything and everything to ensure Mal's satisfaction, completely ignoring her own body's pleas and cries for help. No one enjoys reading about that. I genuinely want kids to be able to BE KIDS WITHOUT ABANDON! To enjoy the fullness of life unabashedly as they (and everyone) deserve.
However, that's my ideal world, and it's not the current truth of what kids confront today. I appreciated that Tehlor Kay Mejia illustrated the very real dangers of toxic friendships, of bullying, of manipulative, emotionally abusive friendships. Tehlor highlighted the importance of finding your voice, naming your needs, drawing boundaries, and standing up for what is right, even if it is terrifying and haunts your dreams at some point.
Wow, yet another middle grade story that blew me away with its commentaries on hope, courage, strength, and finding hope after tragedy. I continue to be so impressed by Tehlor Kay Mejia, and will read anything they write!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death and Abandonment
May 24, 2024
I'm going to start this review with a quick word about myself: I don't read a lot of juvenile books. As someone closer to 30 than I am to 20, I left that stage of my life behind some time ago and have absolutely no desire to repeat it. That said, I am also a librarian now. I deal with people of all ages every day and part of my job requires me to read widely so I can make suggestions to anyone that comes through my door.
With that in mind, I'm still a horror girl at heart so a lot of my juvenile choices are going to lean horror/mystery/thriller where I can get it. It Happened to Anna filled into that exact space for me.
In this book, a middle schooler named Sadie struggles with a secret - she has been haunted by a ghost her entire life, and that ghost has never let her make friends. The specter will break glass, turn out lights, and cause all kinds of mayhem every time Sadie even speaks to a new person. Last year, the ghost even caused the death of her best friend, Anna. But Mal, a girl at her new school, seems to be the one exception to the rule - when she is around, the ghost keeps quiet. But Mal has her own agenda, and Sadie quickly finds that her ghost might not be the only one with a jealous streak.
This book was a good time. It is written for the middle-grade audience, making it a quick read that doesn't require a ton of brain power or a dictionary to get through (I'm looking at you, Sanderson). The characters feel authentically like middle schoolers, especially in their desire to take on the world's evils alone. I loved the relationship between Sadie and her dad specifically because it feels so much like a usual relationship between a 11-14-year-old and their parent - love, but also the desire to distance themselves. Respect, but also that feeling of, "They just don't understand". I remember feeling that way when I was a kid, and I'm sure many children reading this will empathize with Sadie, too.
I will admit that I guessed the twist pretty early on. Even though I knew what was happening, though, I loved the way the story built upon itself and how the stakes just got higher and higher as the relationship between Sadie and Mal escalated.
The biggest strength of the book, for me, was the conclusion. Often with middle-grade titles, I find the "big showdown" at the end of the book to be messy and confusing. There's often a lot happening at once and the action gets chaotic. In this book, though, the small number of characters involved in the climax helped to streamline it and make it believable. On top of that, the character growth that we get to see in Sadie by the end is a treat and hopefully will help young readers that may be putting themselves under a lot of pressure to see that holding up the universe doesn't have to be a solo project.
Thanks very much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a DRC of this title.
With that in mind, I'm still a horror girl at heart so a lot of my juvenile choices are going to lean horror/mystery/thriller where I can get it. It Happened to Anna filled into that exact space for me.
In this book, a middle schooler named Sadie struggles with a secret - she has been haunted by a ghost her entire life, and that ghost has never let her make friends. The specter will break glass, turn out lights, and cause all kinds of mayhem every time Sadie even speaks to a new person. Last year, the ghost even caused the death of her best friend, Anna. But Mal, a girl at her new school, seems to be the one exception to the rule - when she is around, the ghost keeps quiet. But Mal has her own agenda, and Sadie quickly finds that her ghost might not be the only one with a jealous streak.
This book was a good time. It is written for the middle-grade audience, making it a quick read that doesn't require a ton of brain power or a dictionary to get through (I'm looking at you, Sanderson). The characters feel authentically like middle schoolers, especially in their desire to take on the world's evils alone. I loved the relationship between Sadie and her dad specifically because it feels so much like a usual relationship between a 11-14-year-old and their parent - love, but also the desire to distance themselves. Respect, but also that feeling of, "They just don't understand". I remember feeling that way when I was a kid, and I'm sure many children reading this will empathize with Sadie, too.
I will admit that I guessed the twist pretty early on. Even though I knew what was happening, though, I loved the way the story built upon itself and how the stakes just got higher and higher as the relationship between Sadie and Mal escalated.
The biggest strength of the book, for me, was the conclusion. Often with middle-grade titles, I find the "big showdown" at the end of the book to be messy and confusing. There's often a lot happening at once and the action gets chaotic. In this book, though, the small number of characters involved in the climax helped to streamline it and make it believable. On top of that, the character growth that we get to see in Sadie by the end is a treat and hopefully will help young readers that may be putting themselves under a lot of pressure to see that holding up the universe doesn't have to be a solo project.
Thanks very much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a DRC of this title.
August 8, 2024
Sadie has been haunted by a ghost her whole life. When her best friend Anna dies, she's traumatized. Sadie fears the ghost had something to do with the death of Anna. When Sadie moves to a new school, she's afraid of being friendly as the ghost shows its displeasure by causing issues. She fears that what happened to Anna might happen to anyone else who she gets close to. Then Sadie meets a new girl named Mal. Around Mal, she doesn't feel the ghost's presence. Sadie opens up and is excited to finally have a new friend. Then Mal wants to play pranks and shows her displeasure if Sadie is friendly to anyone at her new school. Sadie doesn't want to displease her new friend, even when the pranks no longer seem so funny.
What worked: Spooky tale of a middle schooler who fears opening up to anyone in case that person receives the wrath of a ghost that's haunted her since a child.
Sadie's anxiety is shown in realistic detail especially whenever she senses the malevolent presence of the ghost. She clams up and avoids eye contact with everyone, including one girl who tries to be a friend.
This book covers such topics as grief and social isolation. Sadie's father wants the best for her but fears her isolation from others. Sadie's trauma is shown by her anxiety to the point of getting physically ill. All the while she's looking over her shoulder in fear the ghost will show its displeasure.
The audiobook version brings chills whenever Mal comes up with a new prank. The first one is innocent enough, but they grow more troubling. The narrator's reading brings life to this novel and I felt Sadie's pain of losing her best friend Anna, the fear that she might be responsible for someone else getting hurt, and finally, the loneliness of isolating herself from others.
The climax of the novel has a twisty reveal. I liked how Sadie grows as a character to the very end in which she decides whether or not to have the courage to confront the very malicious spirit and stop it before it hurts others.
Perfect for younger readers who want a haunting ghost tale that isn't too gruesome. This paranormal shows the power of friendship and dealing with grief.
Orginally posted at: https://www.yabookscentral.com/it-hap...
What worked: Spooky tale of a middle schooler who fears opening up to anyone in case that person receives the wrath of a ghost that's haunted her since a child.
Sadie's anxiety is shown in realistic detail especially whenever she senses the malevolent presence of the ghost. She clams up and avoids eye contact with everyone, including one girl who tries to be a friend.
This book covers such topics as grief and social isolation. Sadie's father wants the best for her but fears her isolation from others. Sadie's trauma is shown by her anxiety to the point of getting physically ill. All the while she's looking over her shoulder in fear the ghost will show its displeasure.
The audiobook version brings chills whenever Mal comes up with a new prank. The first one is innocent enough, but they grow more troubling. The narrator's reading brings life to this novel and I felt Sadie's pain of losing her best friend Anna, the fear that she might be responsible for someone else getting hurt, and finally, the loneliness of isolating herself from others.
The climax of the novel has a twisty reveal. I liked how Sadie grows as a character to the very end in which she decides whether or not to have the courage to confront the very malicious spirit and stop it before it hurts others.
Perfect for younger readers who want a haunting ghost tale that isn't too gruesome. This paranormal shows the power of friendship and dealing with grief.
Orginally posted at: https://www.yabookscentral.com/it-hap...
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March 20, 2024Thank you to NetGalley for approving my request for the eARC, I couldn't wait to read it.
This book grabbed my attention right away - spooky in the best way, where you feel just a bit uneasy through the whole story, but not so creeped out that you can't sleep.
The story follows Sadie, who is the new girl and school and feels invisible -- which is the goal all along. She wouldn't want anyone to notice her, or, heaven forbid, try to befriend her. If they did, they might also fall victim to the jealous ghost that killed her former best friend. Her plan of living a life reserved to the shadows is foiled by her well meaning father and school counselor 'volunteer' her to join the graphic novel club.
Sadie will eventually cross paths with Mal, a jealous and overbearing friend that both bullies and encourages Sadie to bully others - pulling a series of progressively cringey pranks on her classmates.
While there are some predictable plot lines, it is nothing outside of the expectation of what you want from a horror novel. There was a scene or two where I wasn't convinced of Sadie's decision making or thought process, but it wasn't enough for me to rate the book anything less than a 4.5.
There is so much that the author does well - I had to remind myself that Sadie was actually bullying her classmates, but I was inside her head so much while she rationalized her actions that I nearly forgot that making your classmates squeal isn't exactly a credit to humanity. I felt that many could identify with having a friend that you get enraptured by so quickly that you are blinded to their toxic behavior, until it is so late in the game you don't feel you can do much about it.
Mejia does an amazing job of capturing the mind of an anxious and uncertain tweenager. I haven't read this author before, but I'm sure to read more of their work after being introduced with this piece.
For fans of: The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura,
This book grabbed my attention right away - spooky in the best way, where you feel just a bit uneasy through the whole story, but not so creeped out that you can't sleep.
The story follows Sadie, who is the new girl and school and feels invisible -- which is the goal all along. She wouldn't want anyone to notice her, or, heaven forbid, try to befriend her. If they did, they might also fall victim to the jealous ghost that killed her former best friend. Her plan of living a life reserved to the shadows is foiled by her well meaning father and school counselor 'volunteer' her to join the graphic novel club.
Sadie will eventually cross paths with Mal, a jealous and overbearing friend that both bullies and encourages Sadie to bully others - pulling a series of progressively cringey pranks on her classmates.
While there are some predictable plot lines, it is nothing outside of the expectation of what you want from a horror novel. There was a scene or two where I wasn't convinced of Sadie's decision making or thought process, but it wasn't enough for me to rate the book anything less than a 4.5.
There is so much that the author does well - I had to remind myself that Sadie was actually bullying her classmates, but I was inside her head so much while she rationalized her actions that I nearly forgot that making your classmates squeal isn't exactly a credit to humanity. I felt that many could identify with having a friend that you get enraptured by so quickly that you are blinded to their toxic behavior, until it is so late in the game you don't feel you can do much about it.
Mejia does an amazing job of capturing the mind of an anxious and uncertain tweenager. I haven't read this author before, but I'm sure to read more of their work after being introduced with this piece.
For fans of: The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura,
September 9, 2024
Trigger Warnings: Parental abandonment, grief, mental health, toxic relationship, bullying
Sadie Rivera has been haunted all her life by a ghost who doesn’t allow her to make friends. The moment she tries, light bulbs begin exploding, chilly gusts of wind blow through even closed hallways, and accidents begin to happen. Last year, Anna finally made a best friend, Anna. So when the ghost caused an accident that killed her, Sadie knew it was her fault. Which is why she’s keeping to herself at this new school in Idaho. At least until she meets the mysterious cool girl Mal and the ghost doesn’t bother her for once. But Mal wants Sadie all to herself and she’ll do anything to make sure that happens.
I really, really enjoyed Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire duology and was super excited when I heard about their middle grade horror novel.
I believe Mejia’s did a wonderful job at catching the loneliness and depression that Sadie was in due to the ghost haunting her, and how much she craved the connection of friendship. Mejia uses a supernatural lens to talk about toxic friendships; what it looks like, what it feels like, and what one can do if they find themselves in one. I was very proud of Sadie when she (finally) began to figure out what was happening and that how she was being treated was not right.
Overall, this was a great middle grade horror read - scary, but nothing super crazy for the age group. It brings up a lot of conversation around social skills and friendships and what ultimately, at the end of the day, is a healthy one for each person.
Sadie Rivera has been haunted all her life by a ghost who doesn’t allow her to make friends. The moment she tries, light bulbs begin exploding, chilly gusts of wind blow through even closed hallways, and accidents begin to happen. Last year, Anna finally made a best friend, Anna. So when the ghost caused an accident that killed her, Sadie knew it was her fault. Which is why she’s keeping to herself at this new school in Idaho. At least until she meets the mysterious cool girl Mal and the ghost doesn’t bother her for once. But Mal wants Sadie all to herself and she’ll do anything to make sure that happens.
I really, really enjoyed Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire duology and was super excited when I heard about their middle grade horror novel.
I believe Mejia’s did a wonderful job at catching the loneliness and depression that Sadie was in due to the ghost haunting her, and how much she craved the connection of friendship. Mejia uses a supernatural lens to talk about toxic friendships; what it looks like, what it feels like, and what one can do if they find themselves in one. I was very proud of Sadie when she (finally) began to figure out what was happening and that how she was being treated was not right.
Overall, this was a great middle grade horror read - scary, but nothing super crazy for the age group. It brings up a lot of conversation around social skills and friendships and what ultimately, at the end of the day, is a healthy one for each person.
October 29, 2024
Voor de echte griezelfanaten is er een nieuw deel verschenen in de serie Horrorland van Kluitman! Deze serie is geschreven voor kinderen vanaf 10 jaar, waarbij je natuurlijk wel zelf de inschatting moet maken in hoeverre de lezer toe is aan dit type verhalen.
In 'Jij bent van mij' leer je Sadie kennen, een meisje dat nogal op zichzelf is en moeite heeft met het aangaan van vriendschappen. De reden wordt al snel duidelijk, al sinds Sadie zich kan herinneren is ze niet alleen. Ze wordt omgeven door een geest, een nogal dwingende entiteit die haar het leven bijna onmogelijk maakt. De geest lijkt haar volledig voor zichzelf te willen, wanneer ze hier niet aan toegeeft zijn de mensen in haar omgeving zich niet langer zeker van hun leven. Wanneer Sadie probeert om een nieuwe vriendschap aan te gaan met een leerling van haar nieuwe school lijkt het echter lange tijd goed te gaan. Nadeel van de vriendschap is dat Sadie wordt gestimuleerd om flauwe grappen uit te halen met andere kinderen. Waardoor ze zich steeds ongelukkiger gaat voelen, nu niet vanwege een dwingende geest, maar vanwege een dwingende vriendschap. Wat zal er gebeuren wanneer Sadie zich los gaat maken en haar eigen weg besluit te kiezen?
Een superspannende pageturner, dit deel is absoluut 1 van de meest spannende delen tot nu toe! Belangrijke aantekening bij het boek is dat er een verhaallijn in voorkomt met een zelfdoding. Iets wat goed is om te weten wanneer je dit boek aanraadt of wanneer je leerling/kind dit boek leest.
In 'Jij bent van mij' leer je Sadie kennen, een meisje dat nogal op zichzelf is en moeite heeft met het aangaan van vriendschappen. De reden wordt al snel duidelijk, al sinds Sadie zich kan herinneren is ze niet alleen. Ze wordt omgeven door een geest, een nogal dwingende entiteit die haar het leven bijna onmogelijk maakt. De geest lijkt haar volledig voor zichzelf te willen, wanneer ze hier niet aan toegeeft zijn de mensen in haar omgeving zich niet langer zeker van hun leven. Wanneer Sadie probeert om een nieuwe vriendschap aan te gaan met een leerling van haar nieuwe school lijkt het echter lange tijd goed te gaan. Nadeel van de vriendschap is dat Sadie wordt gestimuleerd om flauwe grappen uit te halen met andere kinderen. Waardoor ze zich steeds ongelukkiger gaat voelen, nu niet vanwege een dwingende geest, maar vanwege een dwingende vriendschap. Wat zal er gebeuren wanneer Sadie zich los gaat maken en haar eigen weg besluit te kiezen?
Een superspannende pageturner, dit deel is absoluut 1 van de meest spannende delen tot nu toe! Belangrijke aantekening bij het boek is dat er een verhaallijn in voorkomt met een zelfdoding. Iets wat goed is om te weten wanneer je dit boek aanraadt of wanneer je leerling/kind dit boek leest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2024
A well-paced and age-appropriate middle-grade novel about friendship and discovering your boundaries.
Thank you to LibroFM and Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC!
I think this was such a perfect middle-grade horror. Nothing was too scary and the core of the story was about figuring out what true friendship feels like. Sadie had to work to figure out what her boundaries were when it became more and more apparent that Mal's friendship didn't feel right. In figuring out her boundaries, she realized the value she had for herself as well as the beauty in healthy friendships. She felt free when she was able to protect herself.
My only gripe is that I would have loved to see her mom come back into the picture. After finding out why she left, I felt like there was a great opportunity for a redemptive moment or even just an inkling that she would come back into Sadie's life. Like maybe a little phone call or something that would have given the reader a little hope.
This is a great book for middle-grade readers. It showcases a bad friendship in a realistic way (even though the bad friend isn't necessarily realistic) and that it can be a journey to get out of it but it can be done. It emphasizes the importance of healthy friendships through the friends that desire Sadie's friendship without asking for any sacrifice from her. But most importantly, it demonstrates that boundaries are hard but very necessary for happiness.
Thank you to LibroFM and Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC!
I think this was such a perfect middle-grade horror. Nothing was too scary and the core of the story was about figuring out what true friendship feels like. Sadie had to work to figure out what her boundaries were when it became more and more apparent that Mal's friendship didn't feel right. In figuring out her boundaries, she realized the value she had for herself as well as the beauty in healthy friendships. She felt free when she was able to protect herself.
My only gripe is that I would have loved to see her mom come back into the picture. After finding out why she left, I felt like there was a great opportunity for a redemptive moment or even just an inkling that she would come back into Sadie's life. Like maybe a little phone call or something that would have given the reader a little hope.
This is a great book for middle-grade readers. It showcases a bad friendship in a realistic way (even though the bad friend isn't necessarily realistic) and that it can be a journey to get out of it but it can be done. It emphasizes the importance of healthy friendships through the friends that desire Sadie's friendship without asking for any sacrifice from her. But most importantly, it demonstrates that boundaries are hard but very necessary for happiness.
July 17, 2024
There wasn't ever a time in Sadie Rivera's life she didn't know she was haunted. The jealous ghost caused the death of her best friend, Anna, and now Sadie has to move to a new state, start a new school and is determined to not make any friends because she doesn't want anyone else to get hurt or killed by the ghost. Per her therapist and her father, Saide joins the Graphic Novel Club led by happy, kind Charlotte, but Sadie keeps herself as seperate as possible, spending her time in the club reading. Then Mal shows up, dark, brooding, but the ghost doesn't seem to care when Mal is around. No flickering lights, no cold spots, no minor accidents so Sadie decides to be Mal's best friend. Things don't go well. Mal is jealous and wants to keep Sadie from making other friends, including manipulating Sadie to pull crueler and crueler pranks on the kind class mates around her. Haunting, creepy, and filled with hnts of the ghost and the haunting to entice readers of scary stories. The book also tackles serious issues like anxiety, depression, parental abandonment, peer pressure and toxic friendships in a way that weaves itself into the ghost story.
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