Saint Juniper's Folly is about a teen boy, Jaime, trapped in a haunted house who is found by another teen boy, Theo, who despite their immediate butting heads insists he'll help Jaime get out no matter what. The two are joined by Taylor, a young witch in an adjacent town who has been forced to keep practicing her magic secret even from her father due to her complicated family life. Together, forming fast, lifelong bonds, the three work through their own histories, traumas, and doubts to help Jaime escape--and in turn, help each other in more ways than any of them could have ever anticipated.
Jaime, Theo, and Taylor are an incredible trio. Their immediate connections and friendships shined very brightly and felt so incredibly genuine. The romance between Jaime and Theo that developed was so heartachingly sweet and felt so natural. I was yelling at my pages for the two to address their feelings, to make moves, and the reader is so well rewarded. Jaime and Theo need each other on such a deep level and watching that play out was breathtaking. As a person in my 20s, this meant so much to me, and I know it will mean so much to young teens who are terrified what being themselves and being in tune with their sexualities in a small town could mean for them. This book says there is hope--you will get out, you will make it, and you deserve a life all your own as your truest self.
Taylor's own story of living with a grief she'll never be free of, and coming to terms with her family's deep history in the area was so poignant and I teared up for her in the final chapters of the book. The way she and Jaime bonded through their histories as Latino/a kids in a rural, dominantly white area where everyone knows everyone's business and always, always looks at the two of them funny--the two needed each other, too.
Alex Crespo's debut is a phenomenal, hopeful read, one that will stitch your heart back up as much as it wrenches it.

What a terrific debut from author Alex Crespo!

Saint Juniper's Folly follows three young teens - Jamie, the foster kid returning home who then finds himself trapped in an old, haunted house; Theo, a senior in high school who is trying to figure out his place and future; and Taylor, still grieving her lost mother while trying to find out her family's history and connection to witchcraft, despite her father's wishes.

I really loved the three POVs and going back and forth between them all. They all kept the story moving very steadily and it helped to amp up the tension in how Taylor and Theo would get Jamie out of the house. While this book has supernatural and witchy elements, I also think it was a well-written look at teens finding their place in the world and finding that circle of true friends.

I also love the early banter and snark between Jamie and Theo and how their friendship grew over the course of this book. Also, is it just me, or did anyone else get demi vibes from Theo and his attraction to Jamie? These two were so cute and sweet together, with some very soft and tender moments too. And I love how they had each others backs to the very end.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree for the e-arc!

Alex Crespo's debut is a must read for any and all paranormal/fantasy readers! The found family aspect of the story caught my attention from moment one; it was very akin to the vibes Cemetery Boys gave, and I found myself continuing to go back to read as much as I could.

The relationship that bloomed between Jaime and Theo was so sweet, plus the fact that these three characters now had people in their corner. They all grew and changed alongside one another and it was wonderful to read each individual point of view.

Excited to see what Alex comes up with next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

Saint Juniper's Folly focuses on three different teens who's lives became intertwined. Jaime is a foster kid who wants a fresh start and comes back to his hometown of Saint Juniper to live with a family friend. Taylor is a witch who's grieving the recent loss of her mother. Taylor's mother was also a witch and after she passed, her father refused to let her practice or learn anything else about witchcraft. Theo has spent his whole life trying to be perfect and live up to the expectations his parents' have set for him. When Theo is out one night, he hears a cry coming from the woods which is how he stumbles upon this abandoned house with Jaime stuck inside. Wanting to help free Jaime from the house, Theo tries to find someone with knowledge about the supernatural and finds Taylor. Together, the three of them try to find a way to free Jaime from the house.

I loved the way that the characters interacted with each other, especially Theo and Jaime. I thought that the two of them were absolutely adorable. I also liked how atmospheric this book was. While there are several different themes that can be found throughout the book, I appreciated the themes of belonging and friendship the most. I loved this book. This was a fantastic debut from Alex and I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have in store.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

This book had a little of everything some romance, supernatural elements, magic, with dysfunctional families and issues. Oddly it's categorized as horror. But it's not scary. So if you're looking for that. Maybe try something else. I did like the plot progression and character development. I also felt it didn't resolve the issues too easily or completely. Which felt more realistic to actual life .

It was so good! I love the setting and the premise, of a boy trapped in a haunted house and another boy (blessedly golden retriever to the other boy black cat) stumbled into it and to his rescue. Add a chaotic witchy girl into the mix, and this trio was in a WILD ride. I love how the story flowed, and I love this trio with my whole heart.

The premise of Saint Juniper's Folly really caught my attention, and the amazing writing kept me reading straight through. When the story starts, we are introduced to 3 teenagers in turn. Jaime is a foster kid who has just come back to the town he was born in. Taylor works in the family store, Avalon Apothecary, but things aren't the same with her dad since her mom died. Theo, who works at the library and has spent his life trying to be perfect. The story is both ghost story and coming of age story. The three teenagers meet by chance and their lives become inter tangled as they try to help Jaime get free of the haunted house that has him trapped.

I loved the relationship that developed between the three and the adorable romance was touching. The emotions of each of the teenagers are treated respectfully, and as they built trust within their group, they all exposed some deep genuine feelings. At the end of the book, they clearly know themselves better and have made positive growth.

While this is a YA Horror, the atmosphere, anxiety, and tension grew as the story reached the climax. I think the author created a satisfying ending and brought the threads of the story together nicely with out it being too neat. I am looking forward to what Alex Crespo writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I simply adored this book! It had my heart right from the offset with its eerie use of setting as character, and I quickly became attached to the three distinct narrators of whom it was hard to pick a favourite. It slowed down a little around the middle where the investigation seemed to lack true purpose, but I found those calmer moments gave us time to breathe and gave space for the relationships between characters to evolve naturally. Speaking of which, the main pairing were so sweet and I was utterly obsessed with watching their romance bloom on the page. Overall, an entirely enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early. I really loved this book. A wonderful and fun YA fantasy with magic and ghosts and scary ordeal of growing up. The book has multiple POV’s and each of the main characters felt real. They each had distinct personalities and motivations in the story that made sense for their plot and how the characters overlapped. From start to finish it was quick paced and very enjoyable. The only thing that kept it from a 5 star for me, was that a few plot points felt a bit rushed in the beginning. The timing of certain things taking place was vague until the push at the end. And I felt some of the very early character building and bonding could have been drawn out longer. But all that to say, even without all that, I had a great time with this one.

The quiet town of Saint Juniper. Bordered by an eerie valley that keeps many secrets. It's also where three teens formed an unlikely friendship, after a supernatural event swept them together.

Jaime- Born in Saint Juniper but has been under the foster system for years, after his mom ditched him. Moving about over four state lines, Jamie returns to Saint Juniper to be under the care of his mom's friend. He got trapped one day, while traipsing through the woods in the valley. Trapped in a haunted house, with an angry female ghost and no way of getting out.

Theo- Town's darling. Feels a little smothered by all the eyes keeping watch on him and the expectations he has to upkeep. Can't wait to get out of town but still unsure if his future is supposed to go that way. Got pulled into the valley while driving one day and somehow ended up finding Jamie and the house.

Taylor- A bruja of sorts, taking after her dead mom, whose maternal sides are all descendants of witches. After Mom's untimely death, Taylor's dad totally bans all forms of magic, eventhough they own an occult shop. Taylor comes into the picture to help Jamie while at the same time having a hunch, doing this might bring her closure on her mom's death.

This for me was like 20% supernatural and 80% a coming of age story on an unlikely bond formed, life fears, expectations, family, generational trauma, race issues and raw emotions. I actually loved this and it has become one of those books that has my heart. It was sooo endearing and i loved how these 3 teens just came together and gelled so well. Becoming a warm and safe found family circle that they never knew they needed. I loved how they could so easily open up to each other and i loved their conversations, on the feelings of neglect, on wanting to be seen by their parents, to be accepted and wanted, uncertainties of their future. Crespo's writing is simply succinct in tugging your hearts in all the fuzzy ways. While also being able to build this eerie and spookish vibe at the haunting parts.

It was a good revelation towards the end that made the story come full circle and there was some good witchcrafting stuff that went on making for a sinister end. I enjoyed this immensely; the plot, story, the writing. Definitely will look out for future works by Crespo. This YA queer horror-mystery will be released early June. Thank you to netgalley and peachtreeteen for approving this e-ARC.

Good book overall. I wish there had been more eerie stuff as it was really well written. :) Great queer, spooky story.

Well written - will recommend for our Library

This is a queer romance based witch story and I absolutely loved it! This book was spooky with just the right amount of suspense. It also has a nice twist to it that I did not see coming so if you enjoy a teen thriller this one is perfect.

I would also recommend this one to anyone who enjoys multiple POV's. There are three in here, one for each main character, and the diversity of the characters made it really easy to keep track. While the characters were all so different and had so vastly different experiences it was also nice to see how much they related to one another as well. As time went on too, each of the characters experienced growth and a bit of closure was which was super sweet.

If you're looking for a light-hearted and easy, spooky book I'd suggest giving this one a try!

A rather cozy read for a book I expected to be a tad spookier (especially because the spooky scenes were actually pretty immaculate!). I thought the characters gave off sort of similar vibes, so the POV changes remained often confusing for me. It's more typically YA than I thought it'd be, but I still enjoyed myself!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This review and opinions are my own and are uninfluenced.

Saint Junipers Folly was a read that made me feel those sorts of CW network soft horror vibes, I wouldn't say anything that scary occurred, but there were elements of hauntings and magic which built suspense in the story culminating in the climax.

I enjoyed this read, although not as a horror book, but more on a reflection of feelings of 'otherness' that come from experiencing your cultural identity, or a lack of connection thereof, themes of coming to terms with your sexual identity, of social isolation and finding support networks who accept all the complicated facets of an individual.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 stars

First thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the arc copy of this ebook. This in no way alters my thoughts or opinions.

As much as I wanted to like this book I just couldn't finish it. I found myself lost and confused at parts. The description of this book drew me in, but unfortunately the book its self couldn't hold my attention.

It sometimes takes me a little while to figure out exactly how I feel about a book. Not so with this one. By halfway in, I knew I absolutely loved it and the second half did not disappoint. The one thing I will say is that calling it horror isn’t quite right; it’s a ghost story but that’s really secondary, and there’s nothing I found more than mildly spooky. But it was still a phenomenal ghost story. I loved the way Taylor’s story tied in and I loved Jaime and Theo’s relationship as well as the friendship between all three characters. Basically the book opens with Theo finding Jaime mysteriously trapped in a house in the woods, and Taylor is off doing her own thing. But soon they get brought together to solve not just Jaime’s imprisonment, but the story behind the house. Like I said, the friendship between the three of them was so fun to read. The book also did a great job of addressing racism and homophobia and how they impact the characters’ lives without feeling heavy-handed or traumatic to read about. It came up in ways that felt honest and natural. The one thing I wish had been explored more fully was the characters’ relationships with their family (or in Taylor’s case, her friend Anna). There was a lot of conflict and tension set up throughout the book with Theo’s parents, Jaime’s foster parent, and Anna that I don’t really feel like was ever resolved or addressed in a satisfactory way. But other than that, I feel like the book did an excellent job of balancing several different stories and elements; if anything, I would just love to see more of the characters. And, lest it not be clear enough, let me say again: I adored Theo and Jaime’s relationship. It felt natural and sweet and honest and just made me really happy. Overall, just an excellent, low-level-spooky ghost story.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this so much. More than I expected, really. Alex Crespo’s debut is full of love, magic, friendship, & hope.

The story revolves around 3 very different teenagers. Jaime is a foster kid who has just come back to his hometown of Saint Juniper to live with a friend of his mom’s. He has no friends or sense of belonging. Taylor is a girl who’s just lost her Mother. She has witchcraft in her blood and yearns to know magic and spells like her mother did, even though her father forbids it. Theo is a local boy who has lived his whole life trying to be perfect. He does everything his parents wish of him in hopes of preserving their good image. After Theo hears a call for help in the woods, he does to investigate. Seeing Jaime trapped in an old abandoned haunted house with no way to leave, Taylor & Theo both try to hatch a plan using Taylor’s untapped witchcraft.

I loved the interactions between Theo & Jaime. They were so stinking cute together. I saw this was compared to Cemetery Boys & while I didn’t see the vibes all the way throughout, the way the two boys were with each other reminded me of Yadriel & Julian.

We also get themes of the isolation of small town living, racism, coming out of the closet, & feeling like you want to belong/want to know your full potential. While flawed, everyone was written in a way you understand their struggles.

For a debut book, this was incredibly beautiful & well written. I was captivated by the characters and magic. I look forward to more projects by Alex in the future.

I wanted to like this. It sounded interesting enough. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. None of the characters grabbed me to keep me invested.
Still this will be loved by others.
On a good note I love the cover it really sells the book.

Rating: 2.5
I don't have any strong feelings about this book. The pacing felt off and I was bored and didn't care, throughout most of it.

I honestly don't have much to say. The writing is so bland, boring, and has so many info-dumps that it takes an entire page or two between conversations carried out by the characters, none of which I cared about. I'm irritated at the lack of feeling I have towards this book despite having read all of it, but even more at how little impact this book will leave on me in the long run.