Saint Juniper's Folly

Title:

Author:

Summary:

For Jaime, returning to the Vermont town of Saint Juniper means returning to a past he's spent eight years trying to forget. After shuttling between foster homes, he hopes to make something out of this fresh start. But every gossip in town already knows his business, and with reminders of his past everywhere, he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods--Saint Juniper's Folly--and does not return. For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. He knows there's more out there, but he's scared to go find it. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped--as in physically trapped--inside. For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. She tries to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mom, an accomplished witch, suddenly died. But without someone to guide her, she's floundering. Then a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling about a haunted house and a trapped boy. He needs a witch. The Folly and its ghosts will draw these three teenagers together. But can they each face their demons to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly's shadows? --Provided by publisher.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

299 pages ; 21 cm

Genre:

Paranormal fiction.

Subject Term:

Haunted houses -- Fiction.

Mexican Americans -- Fiction.

Transgender people -- Fiction.

Witches -- Fiction.

Gay teenagers -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9781682635773

Publication Information:

Atlanta, Georgia : Peachtree Teen, an imprint of Peachtree Publishing Company Inc., [2023]

Call Number:

YA CRESPO

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003671321	New Young Adult	CRESPO	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Cemetery Boys meets The Haunting of Bly Manor in this spellbinding queer paranormal romance!

"A slow, ominous creep of a book." - New York Times bestselling author Aiden Thomas, Cemetery Boys and The Sunbearer Trials

For Jaime, returning to Saint Juniper means returning to a past he's spent eight years trying to forget. But every gossip in town already knows his business, so he seeks out solitude into the nearby woods-Saint Juniper's Folly-and does not return.

For Theo, Saint Juniper means being stuck. His senior year is going to be like all the rest, dull and claustrophobic. That is until he wanders into the Folly and stumbles on a haunted house with an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped-as in physically trapped-inside.

For Taylor, Saint Juniper is a mystery. She struggles to practice the magic her dad banned from the house after her mom, an accomplished witch, suddenly died. Then a wide-eyed teenager barges into her life, rambling about a haunted house and a trapped boy. He needs a witch.

The Folly and its ghosts will draw these three teenagers together. But can they each face their demons to forge a bond strong enough to escape the Folly's shadows?

Alex Crespo's queer haunted house mystery is equal parts spine-tingling thrills, a celebration of found family, and must-read for paranormal romance fans.

Author Notes

Born and raised by the Great Lakes, Alex Crespo writes about queer love, magic, and all the ways they intersect. When not writing, you can find him making art or daydreaming about Mothman. He currently lives in Chicago with an endless anime watchlist and his black cat Hex. Saint Juniper's Folly is his debut novel. Find him on Instragram, Twitter, and TikTok @byalexcrespo.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Jamie has spent years bouncing between foster homes. When he is finally taken in by his mom's friend Michelle, the one caveat is that he has to move back to his hometown: Saint Juniper, VT. He's not happy about that, or about much of anything. When he feels called to the woods between Saint Juniper and the adjacent nearby town, he finds an old, abandoned house. After entering, he discovers that he is inexplicably trapped within the house and is being kept there by supernatural means. Jamie is found by Theo, a kind-hearted, somewhat shy, do-gooder who stumbles upon the house. Both boys are out of their depth when it comes to ghost busting, so Theo tries to find information in a local apothecary shop, where he meets Taylor, a young witch trained by her recently deceased mother. The trio form a tight bond hanging out each day and doing deep-dive research on the specter-ridden home. The attraction between Jamie and Theo deepens. This sweet, supernatural love story features a trio of likable protagonists with each chapter alternating among their perspectives. Theo, the most grounded and skeptical, often serves as readers' proxy into the story; his struggle as he begins to resolve his romantic feelings for the sarcastic Jamie also draws readers into the romantic subplot. Taylor, whose presence helps drive the story, is also interesting with particular attention paid to her strained relationship with her father, who does not want her to engage in witchcraft. VERDICT A recommended first purchase for teen collections looking to expand their supernatural fiction and LGBTQIA+ titles.--Ryan P. Donovan

Publisher's Weekly Review

Two teenagers team up to save a boy trapped in a haunted house in this eerie paranormal mystery, Crespo's debut. After eight years away, a new foster home placement brings 17-year-old Jaime Alvarez-Shephard, who is Mexican American and transgender, back to his quaint hometown of Saint Juniper, Vt. When neighborhood gossip surrounding his past proves too much to bear, he escapes into the nearby woods, called the Folly, where he enters a solitary Victorian house--and is forbidden to leave by the resident ghost. That's where he's found days later by white-cued rising senior Theo Miller, who feels compelled to save Jaime despite his abrasive nature. Theo's desperation leads him to a local occult shop, and Puerto Rican witch Taylor Rivera Bishop, 18, who is eager to carry on her recently deceased mother's magical legacy, despite being prohibited from practicing magic by her grieving father. Friendship grows among the teens as they strive to free Jaime without being implicated for his disappearance. Centering themes of found family and identity, Crespo depicts Theo's unfolding understanding of his sexuality with sensitivity and realism, and his strengthening romance with Jaime sparkles with anticipatory tension and affable banter. Ages 14--up. Agent: Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron Literary. (May)