Gr 10 Up-Triple layers of protective clothing, padded furniture, knives locked away, and the gas turned off. It's October, the accident season for Cara's family, but all her mother's precautions will not be enough to protect them from the cuts, bruises, broken bones, or worse. Cara's sprained wrist and her sister Alice's concussion are minor compared to previous years, though Bea's tarot cards indicate that this will be one of the worst accident seasons yet. Cara has just discovered that her elusive former friend, Elsie, mysteriously appears in every photo in her scrapbook, past and present. Unfortunately, Elsie has disappeared from her usual spot in the school library and, other than Cara's best friend Bea and her ex-stepbrother Sam, no one seems to know who she is. As the last week of October commences, finding Elsie takes on a sense of urgency for Cara, who senses she may somehow be connected to the yearly turmoil in her family's lives. With Halloween fast approaching, all the horror of accident seasons past begins coming back to haunt them, and the lies and secrets that each family member has locked away gradually come to light. Similar in style to Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic (Putnam, 1995), Fowley-Doyle's stunning debut novel weaves the temporal and the spiritual into a seamless reality, rich in emotional impact. Devastating loss and abuse are balanced by romance, teen hijinks, and spine-tingling discoveries. Provocative content adds to the intensity and will keep readers riveted. VERDICT This thought-provoking narrative will cast its spell over older teens and adults alike.— Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA

A fall down the stairs, a splinter, a car crash. This is how every October goes for Cara; her older sister, Alice; their mom; and her ex-stepbrother, Sam. It's the accident season, when they slip down the stairs, catch elbows on door jambs, or snag their limbs on loose nails. Their preparations have become unwieldy ey swaddle themselves in extra layers despite the weather, hide kitchen knives away, keep the oven off indefinitely. Still, this accident season is shaping up to be a bad one. Cara is sure that a classmate is following her, but can't seem to get a bead on the girl's whereabouts. Alice is fighting with her charismatic boyfriend, Nick, one minute and glued to his side the next. And Sam is just sad all the time. Beautifully crafted and atmospheric, the magic realism of this book gradually peels away to expose secrets and reveal unexpected truths. Readers will be swept away by Fowley-Doyle's lyrical writing and entrancing premise in this tale of forbidden love and magic.

Every October, seventeen-year-old Cara's family inexplicably experiences accidents. This year is supposed to be the worst, but not in the way everyone expects. Along with the usual bumps and bruises, family secrets are uncovered, and Cara finally learns the tragic origins of her family's curse. Set in Ireland, magic and reality twist together in a poignant debut about secrets, ghosts, and love.