Water in Her Veins

Gr 9 Up–It has always been Lola and her mother against the world—that is, untilher mother abruptly marries the highly irritating Kurt. Forced to uproot from the only home Lola has ever known in Michigan, the trio looks for a fresh start in Claret Creek, CO, known for its magical healing waters. Moving into her inherited late father’s childhood home, Lola begins experiencing haunting visions not belonging to her, some over a hundred years old. Living with her unknown and debilitating illness, Lola becomes determined to find answers to these visions as she also desperately tries to connect to her father’s roots. She soon learns this close-knit and mysterious town has an abundance of secrets, one potentially linking her heritage to a demonic witch. Eerily thrilling, Schuren’s novel has readers on their toes, constantly questioning who can be trusted. Romantic elements are present but not overwhelmingly so, pairing well with those not wanting to read the romance often depicted in YA novels. The looming social issues of misogyny and chronic illnesses drive the progression of Lola’s discoveries, showing readers how these factors control the narrative. Lola's race is not stated; there is some diversity in the secondary cast.