This is the third Ancrum book (plus a short story) I've read and there's definitely a nicheness to her writing because I haven't yet found takers in my student population for reading them- and this one feels similar in many ways to the others. The mix of dark and personal mixed with a historical and rich background make them complex. And that intricacy is lost of readers.

This one is likely the most accessible because Hollis lives in an annoying dead end town. His only saving grace is the friendship of two girls. And when he's essentially possessed by the spirit soul of Walt, who has an ax to grind, does there shift to a romantically questionable relationship... with the soul/self.

The writing is crisp and abrupt in ways that make it spicy and adventurous and the kind of bitter angst that works so well, however the overall story might be more of a headscratcher. Think [book:Every Day|13262783] meets [book:Bruiser|1931915] meets [book:Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe|12000020].

Content warning: bodily possession, physical violence

So I'm not entirely sure how to rate this one. If this was in Adult fiction, it would be a solid 5 star read. But given some of the very mature and intimate content within the pages I don't know how I feel about this being published as a YA (and I say that as a Teen Services Librarian). I'm glad I've read it personally (because I really enjoyed it), but also professionally because now that I know some of the content... which the synopsis does not allude to, I'll be better prepared when talking to teen patrons about this. It's definitely not for younger teen readers.

Ancrum's prose is stunning at times and everything involved with Walt possessing Hollis is powerful and fascinating. Overall, this was a very interesting concept and engaging reading experience. I loved the fierce friendship between Hollis, Annie, and Yulia.

Andrew Gibson does a great job with the audiobook narration.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, HarperAudio Children’s, and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.