It Happened To Anna by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Three out of Five Magical Coffee Cups
Sadie has had a ghost that has followed her around as long as she can remember. The ghost had always been a little possessive of her, but Sadie didn’t think anything bad would happen. She decides to make a friend, Anna. The ghost doesn’t like this one bit! Sadie realizes that she has to end the friendship to protect Anna. But it’s too late. Anna dies in an accident, and Sadie knows it’s her fault- well, the ghost’s fault. Sadie decides she can never have another friend. It’s too dangerous. Every time she starts to get a little too close to someone, things start to happen. Lights will go out, and she will get a feeling that someone or something is watching her. It’s better for everyone to just be alone. But her dad and her new school counselor have different plans. They want her to join the Graphic Novel Club after school. Honestly, I would enjoy that. If Sadie can pretend to make some friends, then her dad will leave her alone and stop trying to make her go to therapy. What is she going to say? “I can’t make friends because a ghost will kill them?” That won’t go over well.
One day after school, Sadie meets Mal. Mal not only believes Sadie when she says a ghost is haunting her, but she still wants to be her friend. The craziest thing? Nothing bad happens when Mal is around. Does the Ghost approve of Mal? Is there something about Mal that keeps the ghost away?
Mal and Sadie hang out after school most days. Mal wants to be best friends. Like, ‘no one else is needed’ kind of best friend. It’s weird. It feels very abusive. Mal always questions Sadie on who she spoke to or who she even made eye contact with! It is super intense.
Mal is trying to isolate Sadie from everyone else. Mal starts to get Sadie to pull mean spirited pranks on kids in her school. The victims are always people that Sadie has interacted with at some point. Basically, Mal is a bad influence to be around. But as long as Sadie has a friend that the ghost hasn’t tried to kill, Sadie is fine. What’s a few pranks if it means she gets a friend?
But who is Mal really?
Wild book.
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