Starred Review It's 1987, and 12-year-olds Cori, Maz, and Sam are dealing with the havoc adolescence can wreak on childhood friendships; Maz and Cori are ready for a wider social circle and more mature activities, while Sam wants things to stay the same. When Sam goes missing after a string of encounters with an off-putting pinball machine, grief and guilt set Cori and Maz on different paths. Six years later, the two are thrown back together when Sam reappears, still 12 years old, with a wild and terrifying story of where he's been. Torn between excitement to see their friend and a sinking realization that something is not right with this new/old Sam, Cori and Maz set out to figure out what happened with Sam and that pinball machine. In this well-crafted homage to narratives like It and Stranger Things, Farizan nails the uneasiness of shifting adolescent relationships. The cozy, domestic atmosphere gives both the interpersonal and horror elements a nostalgic feel, throwing some of the scarier scenes into high relief. A fumbling queer romance and the pitch-perfect late-October setting create a bittersweet tone that makes this book a great choice for stalwart horror fans and newcomers to the genre.

Farizan's latest explores friendship, identity, and a horrifying, body-snatching pinball machine.It's 1993, and former friends Cori and Maz haven't spoken in years. After their friend Sam mysteriously disappeared 6 years ago on Halloween, they had a falling-out. Now, popular Cori struggles with hiding her queer identity and her horror obsession. Meanwhile, Persian American cross-country team co-captain Maz, one of the few non-White kids at their prep school, has been drinking too much and doesn't fully open up to any of his friends. One day, the unimaginable happens: Sam reappears, and he's still 12. He says he was sucked into some other dimension through a pinball machine. Maz believes him and is thrilled to have his friend back, but when they bring Cori into the fold, she's dubious. After some strange and terrifying happenings, Maz has to admit that maybe there is something not quite right about their returned friend. Fast-paced and exhilarating, this story consists of short, first-person chapters that shift between the lead characters and jump from their present to the past around the time of Sam's disappearance. Specific pop-culture and brand references flesh out the setting. Coming-of-age horror tales with a group of young people facing evil have been done many times before; this reads like a thoughtful homage that puts its own fresh spin on these beloved tropes.Entertaining supernatural thrills and an insightful take on growing up. (Horror. 12-18)

Farizan recalls Jumanji’s eerie atmosphere in this nostalgic, supernatural thriller, set in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Maz, Cori, and Sam, all 12, used to do everything together, until Sam disappeared on Halloween night in 1987. Now it’s 1993, and Maz and Cori haven’t spoken since Sam’s funeral, where the two had a falling-out; Cori believes Sam is dead, but Maz is convinced he was sucked into their beloved pinball machine. A serendipitous run-in at the mall puts Cori and Maz back on each other’s radar. Closeted lesbian Cori is now a homecoming queen nominee, while track team captain Maz struggles with an alcohol dependency. Maz is elated when he visits the neighborhood the trio grew up in and finds Sam, still 12, standing in front of his old house, but Cori is suspicious of Sam’s sudden reappearance. Maz and Cori attempt to hide him from prying eyes, but when people and animals turn up petrified throughout the community, the duo realizes that his still-12-year-old body is the least of their concerns. In this nostalgic, fast-paced adventure told through three alternating perspectives, Farizan (Here to Stay) skillfully blends lighthearted comedy with grotesque horror. Maz is Iranian; Cori and Sam cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House. (Aug.)