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In the Messenger family, special skills, or "gifts," are revealed to girls on their fifteenth birthday. Evie Messenger's mother has the power to heal, and her aunt Odie has established a successful cooking empire by creating and selling boxed baking mixes. Evie awakens the morning of her fifteenth birthday dying to know what her gift is, until her mother and aunt start acting strangely, and the lines between this life, memory, and the afterlife start to blur. Evie's gift, as she soon discovers, is an unwanted ability to speak to the dead. The one ray of sunlight in her life is Buddy, the handsome older boy who lives nearby, but even he has a secret. Melancholy and sweet, this coming-of-age tale deals in love, loss, and memories, blending together romance, mystery, and the supernatural for a haunting read. Recommended for fans of mild romance, lingering ghost stories, and reluctant heroines.
Horn BookIn Evie's family, turning fifteen awakens a "Gift" meant to help others. Evie is horrified that her Gift is the ability to see and converse with ghosts, particularly when the ghost who won't leave her alone turns out to be intimately connected to her life. Williams manipulates ghost-story expectations to deliver an atmospheric, contemplative tale of friendship, compassion, and purpose.
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)Williams-s engaging, supernatural-tinged novel opens in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Evie Messenger-s 15th birthday-the day that Messenger women are traditionally bestowed with a special skill that determines their life path. When no new ability presents itself, Evie assumes that the -Messenger Gift- has skipped a generation. After a few days, though, she realizes that Tommie-the intrusive girl who has dogged her ever since her birthday party-is a ghost, and that Evie isn-t just able to communicate with spirits but is expected to help them cross over. Being a teenager is difficult enough without having to tackle the dead-s unresolved issues, too. Can Evie strike a balance, or will her gift render normal life impossible? Relatable characters and a down-to-earth narrative carry Williams-s story to a pat yet emotionally gratifying conclusion. The plot is slight, but clever twists and efficient worldbuilding keep the pace swift, and Williams (
Gr 6-9 Evie Messenger's 15th birthday is the catalyst for this paranormal coming-of-age story. Throughout the generations, the Messengers have each received a "gift" for helping others. They don't know what their gift will be until their 15th birthday. Unexpectedly, Evie discovers that she can see, hear, and communicate with the dead. In addition to the usual complications possessing paranormal talents in the mortal world brings, Evie's first experience is even more complex, as the first ghost she sees is Tommie, the deceased daughter of her new stepfather. To make matters more confusing, Tommie also happens to be the former girlfriend of Evie's current crush, Buddy. Luckily, the teen is surrounded by a loving extended family who help her cope. Although this book is set in the present day, the genteel, classic tone hints at a bygone era without seeming dated. All of the characters are fully formed, including the adults, who are often one-dimensional in YA. The Southern setting and manners add to the overall charm. There are no great surprises or twists, the romance between Evie and Buddy is tame, and the ending will likely be expected by readers, but none of that mars this sweet offering. VERDICT A gentle tale with lots of heart that should find an audience with all but the most cynical readers. Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT
Voice of Youth AdvocatesOn her fifteenth birthday, Evie Messenger is supposed to follow in the footsteps of her family's women and acquire a supernatural ability. Her aunt Odie, who receives otherworldly recipes, takes her to see a psychic, who is unnerved by what he sees and tells her she does not have a gift. The appearance of Tommie, who Evie eventually realizes is a ghost, proves otherwise. Evie must find the truth about the new powers she has acquired, while also exploring first love with handsome neighborhood boy Buddy, whom she cannot seem to resist kissing, and who happens to be Tommie's former boyfriend. Tommie also happens to be Evie's stepfather's daughter. Tommie's presence threatens to upend Evie's entire life.Several elements show promise, including a strong heroine and an adorable love story, but savvy readers will guess every secret before the reveals. Revelations about Evie's family fizzle out or prove nonevents. The level of Tommie's past devotion to her beloved Buddy is odd, given the age when they last saw one another, and feels crammed into the plot. Several chapters consist of a single word or sentence, which becomes annoying. Given that Williams has also written such books as Never Said (Blink, 2005) and The Chosen One (Macmillan, 2009/VOYA June 2009), readers may expect more from this title.Matthew Weaver.NONFICTION
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Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
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1
The Gift.
Fifteen.
Fifteen.
I awoke with a gasp, sitting straight up.
Aunt Odie sat in the rocker Momma used to sit in (and rock me) after I was born. Where Momma sat for a bit after Baby Lucy was born (before she bought my sister her own rocker to take with her later on down the road, when she grows up some). Momma's a planner.
My aunt shifted herself around. Like she was uncomfortable. "Morning, Evie," she said, not even bothering to whisper. She stared off in a corner and smoked an unfiltered, roll-your-own cigarette. Something she never does unless she's not at home. Can't at her place. Mustn't. Against the law.
"Aunt Odie," I said, stretching my toes toward her, lifting my fingertips to the ceiling. "You're spreading secondhand smoke to me, the birthday girl."
"I know that." She grinned, stubbed the butt out in an ashtray that rested on her belly, shifted again. "Get on outta bed. We got big things to do today. Miles to go before we eat."
The curtains behind her moved in a breeze that couldn't be there, seeing the windows were shut.
I blinked at the almost sun that peered into my room.
Let out a sigh.
Stretched again.
In just three days, I would start tenth grade, and I didn't think I could stand it. Not the excitement. Not the scary parts.
Aunt Odie kept not looking at me, like she was mustering courage. Something tapped at the back of my skull.
"Ugh," I said. "You know I got school coming up."
My aunt gave me a somber look. Bits of the sun touched at her hair, making the gray look silver.
August 25 always arrives too quick--my birthday or not. The start of school.
Again.
Every year.
No matter what.
Except Saturdays and Sundays.
Of course.
"Yes sirree, buddy," Aunt Odie said. "You heading on back means I'll be losing my best worker."
I couldn't speak. I wanted to say, I'm ready. But all that came out was the "I'm." What I wanted to say was, I'm ready to go with you on my birthday adventure but not to high school. What I wanted to say was, Why do I have to grow up so fast?
I flopped back, turned over, and buried my face into the cool side of the pillow.
Sure, I wanted to go on off to another year of high school. What teenager doesn't, right?
We're supposed to want to start a new adventure.
I swallowed back a big old gob of spit. I didn't want to go too.
I felt uneasy all the way to the core.
To the center.
Blech. An institution of higher learning. Good if I wanted to head to college. Except this also meant--
No more freedom.
No more sweet Baby Lucy.
No more sleep as long as I wanted.
I rolled onto my back. Stared at the ceiling.
And no more running off with Aunt Odie before the sun got itself all the way up. It was sad.
Sad.
Aunt Odie let out a rumble of a laugh. "Quit your whining," she said, though I hadn't uttered a word.
I squinched my eyebrows at her.
"We got us plans," she said. "Your momma said we could head out on our little trip as long as I got you back to the house by the time Baby Lucy wakes up. So hurry on up, girly. The Cadillac's all cooled off on the inside. Breakfast sandwiches waiting in tinfoil. Big jug of sweet tea. It's time for us to git."
I rubbed at my eyes.
"Happy birthday, Evie," Aunt Odie said, just like a best friend would. Her voice all honey.
"Why, thank you," I said, and thought to bow, but bowing is not that easy when you're lying in bed.
With a grunt, my aunt pushed herself out of the chair and set it to rocking. The curtains waved and rippled. She caught the ashtray before it slipped to the floor. Pinched the cigarette out all the way. "Number fifteen. The most important celebration ever in a Messenger's life. Not including marriage, births, and deaths."
"Yes, ma'am," I said, and waited for her to leave so I could get dressed.
Excerpted from Messenger by Carol Lynch Williams
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
From PEN Award–winning author Carol Lynch Williams comes a “haunting read” (Booklist) in this coming-of-age tale about a girl who can talk to the dead—even if she would rather not.
Evie Messenger knows that her family is different from other families. But it isn’t until her fifteenth birthday that the Messenger gift is revealed to her. Evie has the family’s gift—a special power. Soon she realizes she is able to see and talk to the dead—ghosts—often with no idea who the person was. Or as Evie says: “I see Dead People. It’s a Messenger gift.” That doesn’t necessarily mean she wants the Messenger gift. So Evie tries to ignore it but soon she finds she cannot. Can Evie find a way to live her life without letting her power take over?And what if the dead person is someone close to Evie’s family?