Sadie Riviera is trying her best to be invisible at her new school. She knows any single sign that she has made a friend means that the ghost that has haunted her all her life will get angry. The last time that happened her best friend Anna didn't survive. But when the counselor and her worried father get involved she must join an afterschool club to seem normal. This leads her to meet Charlotte an over-friendly girl who loves comics. Sadie starts to slip and the usual lights start flickering and doors get slammed. She tries her best to dodge Charlotte and in doing so she meets Mal. Sadie finds that she can talk to Mal about her troubles and she surprisingly believes her. Mal seems to be the solution to her ghost problems as they disappear when she's around. But Mal has a bit of a jealous streak too. Sadie finds that the pranks Mal wants to do together become increasingly cruel. Sadie starts to pull away but Mal won't let her go that easily.
It Happened to Anna was so much fun with a fast-paced storyline that'll keep you on the edge of your seat! It was obvious what was going on with Sadie's new friend Mal but I think there was a reason it was written that way. You could see the pranks getting worse and worse. And Mal becoming more and more jealous. She was slowly revealing her true nature so by the end she looked monstrous. The vivid nightmares added in were truly terrifying! I think young horror lovers will love this one.
I also wanted to point out Sadie's father who didn't show up that much in the story but when he did you could tell how much he loved her. I couldn't imagine having to support your daughter whose friend just died but he was always there for her. I always like pointing out healthy parent-child relationships in middle grade.
It Happened to Anna was a winner in my book. This was a twisted tale of peer pressure and friendship gone wrong. It's a perfectly spooky cautionary tale reminding readers to choose your friends wisely!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for providing me with a copy of It Happened to Anna in exchange for an honest review. It Happened to Anna will be published on August 6th, 2024.
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