Opening six months after the end of Sixteen Souls, we follow Charlie and Sam as they navigate their flourishing relationship while dealing with past traumas and a new threat to the ghosts of York.

these are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons). Even more so to have characters with those characteristics but that not being the main focus of the plot. Just like his queerness, his disability is not a plot-point in itself, something he has to overcome, something that makes him special or gifted, something that’s forgotten about as soon as the action gets going, or any other kind of trope, it’s simply a consistent part of who he is. Truly enjoyed the writing and the deep character development as well as all the representation in the book.

From who Charlie was, to what he was dealing with, right down to the whole concept of the ghosts that inhabit this world. Then he suddenly realises towards the end of the book that he's actually had the answers within his head the whole time and is able to lay out large sections of exposition.

These are sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and she beareth these to Jacob -- sixteen persons. Blog Tour Review - Pax and the Missing Head by David Barker In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. His growth throughout the novel was astounding, but felt natural and realistic for the events he endured and his growing emotional maturity. And, as he slowly comes to terms with his romantic feelings for Sam, the stakes become even higher as time quickly runs out!

If you are looking for a queer paranormal fantasy for the spooky season, I highly recommend reading Sixteen Souls.

I’m very excited to become part of the Scholastic family alongside so many talented authors who I’ve long admired. Druhá věc - ačkoli to, že je příběh queer, je už na anotaci, problém mám s tím, že jsem už dlouho nečetla nějakou knihu, která by působila, že tenhle prvek má v sobě zejména jen pro to, že je to teď (a teď to bude znít fakt blbě, ale co se dá dělat.

Veškeré magické prvky kloužou jen po povrchu, poměrně zmateně, jak kdyby autorka jen na oko vysvětlila, jak něco funguje a pak to raději nechala být a přesunula se jinam, aby náhodou někdo nevrtal do hloubky dané věci. Our protagonist, Charlie, one of these seers, lives in York, the oft declared most haunted city in the entire world. It combines the reality of life with a disability, with the weight of a family legacy, the burden of a family member's illness, and the struggle of just trying to survive high school. An outstanding debut, this thrilling adventure perfectly mixes spookiness with mystery, sadness with love, and is filled with gorgeous characters you won't want to say goodbye to! I also had a very very short window in which to read it between release day (Thursday) and formulating questions to send off to Rosie on the Friday.

The writing is lovely and totally immersive, meaning I absolutely ripped through the entire thing in the space of just 36 hours (elapsed time). I didn't read the synopsis before reading this because I really like to go into any kind of horror/paranormal books without knowing anything. Charlie is gay, but not out, and I thought the way that was handled with his parents was sensitive and caring. This wasn't a romance book where the author had gone 'I need to make this more interesting, let's set it in space' or a fantasy book where they'd added inexplicable kissing while the world is crashing down around them, it was just *natural*.

A deadly occultist seeks revenge, the bodies are piling up, and everyone that Charlie loves is at risk. Each have their own distinct, clear personality, and add something to the story and Charlie's journey, without becoming overbearing. It's fast paced and exciting, with the danger level increasingly significantly as the story progresses, and characters I'd grown to really care for feeling very at risk.