Possessions by Nancy Holder

Lindsay is hoping for a fresh start, to get out of San Diego, where everyone remembers when she had her breakdown, and get away to boarding school, even if it is a boarding school as creepy as Marlwood Academy. But Lindsay is happier, and even manages to make a great new friend, Julie. Then, the school's most popular girl, Mandy starts acting super creepy. Rumors abound, but it's becoming more and more clear to Lindsay that something else is at work...something darker and more dangerous than just a houseful of mean girls.

For fans of YA supernatural stories, Possessions is a great read. It contains all the perfect elements: a mysterious force, a creepy atmosphere, a scary-mean girl with power, and a hot guy. Lindsay is a good main character; she's played the popular game and has gotten burned, she's still grieving over the death of her mother, but she plans of making the most of her second chance and thankfully does her absolute best to not get caught up in the popularity drama. She's compassionate and concerned for others as well, which is what helps drive the plot. Though Holder isn't really specific about what Lindsay's breakdown entailed, she does a good job at slowly revealing Lindsay's past, which is another element that motivated readers to continue with the book.

Possessions is a spooky read, and though some of the creepier scenes are cut off right before anything majorly scary happens, or may fall short of expectations, their complexity and the open ending will keep readers looking forward to a sequel to discover what happens to Lindsay and the girls of Marlwood Academy.

Cover Comments: I am not a fan of this cover. I like the purple in it, and the girl looking over her shoulder, but I don't think the background image or the text and layout of the images really work well together. It has a very slapped together feel, as if someone inexperienced had Photoshopped the images together.