Cry — Alisa Valdes

When sixteen-year-old Grace Martinez, a goth filmmaker in Austin, Texas, is struck by lightning, her crush Blake Abrams miraculously brings her back to life with CPR. Afterwards, the girl discovers she can communicate with ghosts. Among these spectral visitors is a troubled Muslim teen named Mohammad, who appears to her with a noose around his neck. Did he hang himself?! As she recovers from her brush with death, the girl struggles with her friends’ incredulity about her new ability, evolving relationship with Blake, clueless father and obnoxious stepmother. Meanwhile, haunted by her mother’s suicide, Grace delves deeper into the mystery of Mohammad’s passing, trying to decipher the ghost’s messages—sent via song lyrics from the 80s! Along the way, Grace discovers a treasure trove of secrets about her own family as well as those of Mohammad and other friends. Against the backdrop of conservative Texas state politics and social filmmaking, Grace learns that her ancestral spirit guide is none other than La Llorona, the fabled Hispanic demon woman! New York Times bestselling novelist Alisa Valdés (previously published as Alisa Valdés-Rodríguez) pens a suspenseful novel for teens narrated by a quick-witted and articulate young woman dealing with issues all young people can relate to, including friendship, family and the power of belonging.