Jillian Cade: (Fake) Paranormal Investigator

What do you get when a cynical high school junior meets a super-cute new student who believes in everything she doesn’t? An almost romance, it turns out, as Jillian Cade—whose business card says paranormal investigator, but who always adds the “fake” under her breath—meets Sky Ramsey, a fan of Jillian’s absentee father, a paranormal expert. When ever-skeptical Jillian looks into a missing-person case that she thinks is about infidelity and Sky believes is a classic case of a succubus creating a new love slave, the trail leads her into a hidden world of prophecy, superpowers, succubi, ancient traditions, and information about her family that upends everything she knows about the world and herself. Debut author Klein’s writing and characters have attitude to spare, but there’s a lot going on—serious danger, new familial and romantic relationships, and life-changing revelations—not all of which is given time to resonate. Klein seems to be paving the way for a sequel, but it comes at the cost of rushing through this story’s events and emotions. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lisa Gallagher, DeFiore and Company. (Sept.)