Gravebooks

Alex is being held hostage by a witch in his dreams, and the only way out is by completing his unfinished scary stories. This follow-up to White's Nightbooks (2018) takes place one year later, when Alex and Yasmin think they've seen the last of Natacha, the evil witch who held them captive in her New York City apartment. But when Alex finds himself in a strange graveyard during a nightmare, he's faced with Natacha once again. She's come to demand more scary stories from him, this time from the remains of his unfinished tales, each of which is buried beneath a different tombstone. After completing a story, a plant emerges from the earth; the more original the writing, the more unusual the flower it produces. Eventually, Alex realizes that there is a more sinister creature lurking in his dreams, one eager to possess the flowers and even more dangerous than Natacha. The book opens with a recap of the previous volume, but readers new to the series will be missing a few pieces, as White includes few returning character descriptions and little background context for Alex and Yasmin's friendship. Nevertheless, they will appreciate the incredible concept behind this nightmarish setting. Alex's embedded short stories are interesting and inventive; the novel is chilling but not outright terrifying or gory. The courage, trust, and creativity of the book's lead duo add depth and heighten reader investment. A refreshing, imaginative take on supernatural evildoers. (Horror. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.