Title: Saint Juniper’s Folly
Author: Alex Crespo
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Publication date: June 6, 2023
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Summary
Return to the tiny Vermont town of Saint Juniper wasn’t Jamie’s first choice. He’s been trying to escape his past for eight years, going from foster home to foster home. But maybe this could be a fresh start. However, it’s clear that everyone already knows his business, so Jamie runs to the forest and isn’t seen again.
On the other hand, Theo can’t wait to get out of Saint Juniper. He feels stuck, ready to be done with senior year. When he stumbles upon a haunted house in the Folly with Jamie stuck instead, he realizes this might be his chance. Enter Taylor, who has been trying to unravel Saint Juniper’s mystery with magic. Will the three of them be able to work together and figure out how to get Jamie out?
Review: Saint Juniper’s Folly
Thanks to Peachtree Teen for an advanced copy of Saint Juniper’s Folly by Alex Crespo to review! Alex Crespo is new on the YA scene, but I was excited to jump into this one. The premise sounds fascinating, and always here for a good LGBTQ mystery with ghosts. The blurb also compares this to Cemetery Boys, and I’d say it definitely has some of the same vibes.
Sometimes when a book has multiple narrators, the development of the characters can feel unbalanced and the voices can blur together. I didn’t feel that way with this book; Jamie, Theo, and Taylor all had distinct voices and fully developed personalities. As a trio, they also had great chemsitry, as well as the chance to explore their own pasts and how it affected their presents. There’s some great character work in this book, and I loved it.
The romance between Jamie and Theo definitely took center stage for me. Jamie is already sure of himself, but Theo is coming to accept who he is. They have some great conversations, and there’s a lot that teens will relate to there. Despite the relationship, Taylor doesn’t take a back seat, working through things with her father and working through her mother’s death. Each story is woven together so nicely, and it makes the novel work excellently as a whole.
There were a few bumpy parts with the passage of time, but all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this haunted house mystery. And I can’t wait to see what Alex Crespo does next!
4.5/5 stars