To Break a Covenant

August 15, 2021
Some have tried, but in the end, no one leaves the Basin. Clem and her best friend, Nina, live in the haunted town of Moon Basin, known for its accidents and murders that are linked to the now-abandoned coal mine--closed after a deadly explosion. From their friendship, which began in a graveyard following Clem's father's funeral, to Clem's saying she liked girls, nothing has changed between them--until now. Nina is looking at colleges, but Clem, whose financial status has plummeted since her father's death and her surgeon mother's life-altering injuries, can't afford it. Besides, she fears what happens to those who try to leave town, like Nina's missing mother. Along with their friend Lisey, the group shows new girl Piper around town. Piper's engineer father is inspecting the mine for stability, giving the girls access to a tour that any ghost hunter would envy. Soon after, however, things turn sour, as Piper's father starts acting strangely, and Clem is plagued with nightmares. The story builds in atmosphere with its dark and well-written imagery that invites readers into the mysterious setting. The story's exposition is cleverly supported through transcripts of unused footage from ghost-hunting shows. Most characters defaults to White; Piper is cued as Black. A coming-of-age story wrapped in a spooky atmosphere. (Paranormal. 14-18)

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August 1, 2021
Grades 7-10 After Moon Basin's mining disaster, supernatural events have plagued the town, but they're mostly a quirky fact of life for best friends and residents Clem, Nina, and Lisey. A decided shift in the town's atmosphere coincides with the arrival of their new friend, Piper, and her father, Carlisle Wharton, who has been hired to assess the mine's stability. The mine's sinister effects quickly begin leaching into the minds of Mr. Wharton and the girls, who accompany him on a subterranean tour. But when Mr. Wharton fails to come home one night, they must decide whether to risk their lives by going back into the mine to find him. Debut author Ames intercuts the main narrative with transcripts from the various ghost-hunting shows that have come to Moon Basin to drive up the mystery of what is going on. Clem narrates, bringing many coming-of-age themes into the mix, from realizing she's queer to not knowing if she wants to attend college, and fierce female friendship emerges as a formidable defense against the mine's insidious evil.

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September 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up- No one ever leaves Moon Basin, where an ongoing coal mine fire keeps raining ash on Old Town. The mine affects residents and visitors, calling them in like a demented siren and generating strange events that draw in paranormal shows. Clem, Nina, and Lisey live in New Town, built right next to Old Town. The summer of their senior year, they meet Piper and her dad, who was hired to assess the coal mine for potential collapse. They join her and her dad on a trip into the mine, against their better judgement. They find themselves haunted by strange dreams and experiences afterwards. Circumstances require them to return to the mine where they realize something has entered their psyches. They can either flee or fight it. Clem tells their story, and is open about being a lesbian. Transcripts of tapes and interviews from various ghost hunting shows are interspersed throughout and provide more history and perspective on Moon Basin, its residents, and visitors. Nina is Latinx, Piper African American, and Lisey is described as pale and waiflike. The residents are described as white and working class. The community of Moon Basin is united in its fear of the mine; they are its hostages. VERDICT A good first purchase for fans of subtly paced horror or Shirley Jackson.-Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Lib., WA

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