The 13th Sign

Jalen is only 13, but she’s already got a “shock lock”: a streak of hair turned pure white from stress. Having survived a near-fatal illness and the disappearance of her father, Jalen figures she’s seen enough tragedy, but now her beloved grandmother is hospitalized with breast cancer. Since they always visited a hokey New Orleans fortune-teller on Jalen’s birthday, Jalen honors the tradition. The horoscope is worthless, but a locked book she finds in the shop proves otherwise, as Jalen unwittingly summons the 13th sign of the zodiac—Ophiuchus, the snake. Jalen has one day to send Ophiuchus back to prevent permanent, dramatic changes to the world, and she must battle through every sign in the zodiac to do it. Everyone in Jalen’s world has been altered along with their horoscope signs, and most of the new faces she encounters are out to kill her, so it’s not surprising that emotional connections can be hard to find in this book. Tubb’s (Selling Hope) adventure is pulse-pounding, however, and it’s refreshing to have a resourceful heroine who doesn’t happen to have superpowers or ninja training. Ages 10–14. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Jan.)