Lumara

Ever since 17-year-old Talia was scammed out of her savings by a Mystic healer who failed to cure her of the same congenital heart condition that killed her mother, she’s spoken out against the magical society that coexists alongside nonmagical people. Then her boyfriend Nathaniel invites her to a family wedding, and reveals that he’s from a Mystic community based on a hidden, private island called Lumara. Upset but willing to put her anger aside, Talia plans to use this rare glimpse into the secretive Mystic world to her advantage by asking Nathaniel’s mother for help with her heart condition. Once on Lumara, however, Talia is haunted by visions of a ghost boy, and when she’s accused of cursing the wedding party, she contends with angry Mystics while trying to prove her innocence. And when she discovers a terrible truth that links her family to Nathaniel’s, she realizes that if she doesn’t break the curse, more innocent lives may be lost, including her own. In this unpredictable magical mystery, Landers (Blastaway) conjures an intriguing, alluring magical society against a supernatural backdrop to examine the power of grief, the toll of revenge, and the cost of generational secrets. Ages 12–up. Agent: Nicole Resciniti, Seymour Agency. (Dec.)