FICTION

What Stalks Among Us

HarperCollins/Clarion. Sept. 2023. 400p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063251816.
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Gr 9 Up–When Sadie and Logan decide to skip the annual AP Physics trip to an amusement park, Sadie feels an ominous pull. When they happen upon a corn maze, it seems like their day of ditching will just involve a quirky side quest through something Sadie knows her way around, until they find their first dead body, and that dead body is one of them. Now Sadie and Logan must figure out why they are trapped in this corn maze and why they keep dying, before they die for good. This is an incredibly engaging read that immediately jumps into Sadie and Logan being stuck and does a good job of not confusing readers as the time loops and dead bodies in the corn maze add up. Each chapter leaves on just a bit of a cliff-hanger. Sadie’s inner monologue and how she works through her ADHD and previous trauma, such as an abusive relationship mirror true life experiences that make this part of the plot relatable to readers and interestingly parallels the horror aspect. Quick and sometimes snarky dialogue give moments of levity throughout, making this not too scary but great for teens looking for darker reads.
VERDICT A horrific read sure to hook many with its sinister setting, sickening mystery, strong friendship, and teen introspection.

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