Title: The Summoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Summary: Chloe could see ghosts since she was a little kid. Now she’s 15, living with her Aunt and being raised by her absent father and housemaid. When she sees a ghost in school and fights with a teacher, she’s sent to the Lyle House–an institute for teens with ‘mental illnesses’. But Chloe quickly realizes that there’s nothing mentally ill about these kids. But when you’re forced to take ‘medicine’ everyday, blocked from outside contact, and staying in the room next to the girl who hates your guts, it’s just better to go with the flow. Or at least, Chloe though. As her stay gets longer and her ‘condition’ worsens, she finds herself making new allies in unlikely places in order to find out the secret behind the Lyle house.
Who will like this book?: With the undead and magic themed books starting to take control of the bestseller lists, this is a nice mystery story that takes a different path. It’s a more laid-back read, but you can’t be squeamish about dying things or blood or be too paranoid. It’s also a bit harsh on people who are schizophrenic, pyromaniacs, or have other such ‘mental’ illnesses. Vampires are mentioned only twice.
If you like this, you should try: The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers, the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson, Deep Secret by Dianna Wynne Jones, and the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix.
Recommended by: ZZ, resident of Fairfield and avid reader.