Man, was this a delightfully fun read! I read this in chunks but it was difficult putting it down! Saint Juniper’s Folly revolves around three main character POVs: Jaime is the gossip of the town as soon as he steps into Saint Juniper due to being in and out of foster homes but his return is filled with the hope of a new beginning. However, he goes into the woods for some solitude and mysteriously does not return. Theo is an A-type upcoming senior who feels trapped by the expectations he’s held by in all aspects of his life. It isn’t until he wanders into the Folly and finds a haunted house with a boy trapped inside that he begins to branch out and ask who *he* wants to be. Taylor is an aspiring witch thanks to her mother opening the world of magic to her as a child. Unfortunately, she died suddenly when Taylor was young leading to magic being banned by her father and leaving Taylor with no one to help her. It isn’t until Theo appears in her life asking for a witch to help a boy trapped in a haunted house. Secrets are uncovered as these three work together to escape the Folly’s shadows.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of this book as it weaved together a haunted house mystery, a budding lgbtqia+ romance, and the sweetest found family! Each of our main characters had distinct voices that were easy to decern from and none felt like they were lacking story-wise. Each character provides their own bits and pieces to this story's mystery and allows us to learn alongside them. Jaime was a stubborn, snarky character that blossomed as he let his walls down which led to some really beautiful, and sentimental moments between all of them. Theo felt like the rock of the group despite his shaky hold on his own life and that’s why I related the most with him. And Taylor had so much grief right underneath the surface but thankfully by the end of the book, she felt more supported and able to process the grief she was holding on to the tightest. I think the book's pacing was perfect as no places ever felt drawn out or unimportant. Everything was written in a very easy-to-read manner that enabled us to truly connect with each character's struggles with themselves and the people around them. All conflicts and situations felt age appropriate with nothing sticking out as absurdly unrealistic. One of my favorite things was comparing these characters from their beginning and end selves because of how different they are in the best possible ways. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to pick up a quick read that will leave you with a warm feeling in your heart.

I think the only issue I had with this book was the almost comical lack of adult interaction with these kids especially since this goes on for a few months. It never took me out of it nor did it negatively affect my experience but I felt like pointing it out.

Nevertheless, I am truly very grateful to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for being given the chance to provide my honest thoughts and opinions on this book!

Loved, loved, loved this book!

Firstly, the name of Saint Juniper as a town is just an amazing choice! It has such an eerie vibe which carries straight through!

Secondly, I loved Jaime, Theo and Taylor's characters. I felt like they had just enough distinguishable elements between them that it made it all the more compelling to read the story of this house in Saint Juniper and the terrifying misadventure that Jaime fell into, and the story of how the ghost in the house came to be.

Thirdly, I really loved that underlying all of this cosy horror was the ordinary problems that teenagers go through, which I felt added a necessary layer to the broader plot, emphasising Theo and Taylor's continuous struggle and progress in trying to free Jaime from the ghost's torment, as well as Jaime's desperation to get out of dodge ASAP.

Finally, I think at the heart of this story was the relationship between the three protagonists. I could go on and on about how Theo and Jaime's love story was so soft and adorable, but I also loved the found family trope coming to life between the three of them, allowing the three of them each to have an ally in dealing with their problems, be it unresolved trauma around a parent's death, indecision about their future or worrya about their present situation!

Would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone looking for a spooky vibe!

this was a really nice and light queer gothic book that went down a treat, so much so that i finished it in a single sitting.

i really liked that i was guessing a bit whether taylor was like really supernatural or more like a hedge witch, but i loved that our other two mc's let her in unquestioningly, took her seriously even if they didn't believe in magic at the time, and really formed the basis for a nice group dynamic.

i felt the changing of the pov's between them helped bring a nice depth to the story and allowed each of them their space to grow into their own character arcs. i also wish i could say it felt unrealistic about how immediately the two of them jumped to help, but if i was in the situation i would do exactly the same.

what i didn't love about this book was the pacing of the connection between our three leads, and also some of the side characters. there were a few too many connecting moments that were told in third person "she filled him in about this or that" sort of way. it definitely could have been 50 or even 100 pages longer, just to get a bit deeper connection between each person and then resolution of some of the side plots like [ michelle and theo's parents (hide spoiler)].

[ i also would have liked to see taylor descend a little more into evil before she did the blood magic spell with a bit more of a hint of how much this would ruin them, but i am very glad they lived and that this all had a happy ending, because they really did deserve it. (hide spoiler)]

very much a recommended book for a quick and easy read. (less)

Really captivating! I've loved the background and the characters. So eerie ! The tension builds up in some mom nuts,got me in the tip of my chair. Would totally recommend it if you want a chilling read and relatable characters !

i have mixed feelings about this book. it started off so slowly that i heavily debated on dnfing it within the first 5%. however i decided to stick it out, and im really glad i did.
i love the idea of the haunted house. i will say, this book is not scary at all. it’s barely a thriller, nothing of real nervousness really happens at all. however, it’s still an interesting combination of teenagers trying to figure themselves, each other, and the world out. they’re trying to navigate through a situation where they have no anchor in, and they figure themselves out along the way.
i would also die for theo and jamie. they’re so SOFT and i just want to protect them forever.
my only real complaint is how slow it is in its world building, and the fact that every adult is somehow a goosebumps villain (i kid you not, there’s a goosebumps reference in this). like not every adult needs to be the worst person in the world in a YA novel, please.
i’ll end this with a quote that almost made me cry: “the same person who was so busy lighting our relationship on fire for warmth i never noticed he was asking me to sit in the sun with him” (because me too, kid. me too)

thanks for the arc! i’m so excited for this book to come out so i can see the pretty cover irl.

I read this book in one day, and I could not put it down. It was a quick read, but a really good one, and there were so many different elements that I loved, and although the book was a fast read, I felt attached to the characters from the start, and the plot and the character development worked inseparably together, with the plot driving the characters and the characters driving the plot. I also really loved that despite the book involving queer characters in small-town Vermont at the forefront, there was no subplot involving homophobia on the two main characters, which happens too often in books. Although I know that would have made it probably more realistic, I read for escapism for a reason, and sometimes it’s nice to live without homophobia. I also loved how the characters who were both half-Latine were not considered any less hispanic because they were mixed, as feeling outcast from cultures because you’re mixed is an experience that hits hard for me on a personal level.
Also haunted houses are very cool and gay people in the haunted house makes it better.

Alex Crespo just created one of my favorite new reads of 2023! This book is described as Cemetery Boys meets The Haunting of Bly Manor and that's such an accurate description. I think one of my favorite things about this novel besides the promised romance of course was the magic system. The magic system was almost just an understood component of this novel and I feel like that can be hit or miss with readers. However, Crespo NAILED IT! I found myself loving the magic of this world. It felt both natural with nods to history and culture and I think that's such a fun part of this story.

I mentioned the romance above, but going back, this romance is great! It's surrounded by an amazing found family trope. I absolutely think this book will make readers of all ages smile and fight alongside our characters towards this amazing conclusion.

Check this book out if you love some found family and romance themes with some fun magic systems. I hope that this book will have a nice sequel.

This is a great haunted house story, with a good message about how you fit into the world and how you can stand up for yourself. It’s a great celebration of found family, and delightful queer representation.

This book wasn't really scary, so people who see that it's categorized as a horror novel may be disappointed. But people who read the description and expect a book about three new friends who come together to solve a mystery, work through their personal issues, and unravel the way that family trauma has embedded itself into a haunted house on the outskirts of a small town will not be disappointed. This book hit it out of the park in that regard.

It follows Jaime, a teen in the foster system; Theo, a library volunteer who is unsure about his future; and Taylor, a witch whose grieving father owns an occult store. When Jaime finds himself trapped inside of a mysterious old house in the woods, Theo and Taylor come together to use the library's records and Taylor's deceased mother's grimoire to help get him out before it's too late.

This book was atmospheric and mysterious and although I wouldn't call it a horror novel, it definitely had some creepy moments. It was a fast read with interesting characters, touching moments, and an adorable romance. There were a few times when it was slightly difficult to distinguish which character's point of view the chapter was in if I set the book down mid-chapter and came back to it, but each character had a very distinct backstory and personality, so I will admit that was probably just a me-problem.

I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see what Alex Crespo writes next.

Thanks Peachtree Teen and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I won’t lie, this book wasn’t entirely what I was expecting. I expected this to be much spookier than it was, which was a little bit disappointing.

However, I did end up loving this book for what it was. The characters are all lovely and interesting and multi-layered, and I really loved the way this trio worked together.

I also loved the romance between Jaime and Theo. They were utterly adorable and the way it unfolded was so precious.

This was a quick read, and I did feel as though some parts could have been a little more fleshed out, but overall it was enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Let me start by saying this is definitely closer to a 3.5 star read for me, and I think it's a really good YA debut. Saint Juniper's Folly is about three teenagers—Jaime, Theo, and Taylor—who get caught up in a Creepy House that's trapped Jaime inside. Jaime has been bounced around different foster homes and is looking for a fresh start, Theo has lived in Saint Juniper his whole life and feels like he's missing out on something, and Taylor is practicing witchcraft in secret and wants to know more about her mom's death, even if her dad would prefer her to forget she's a witch entirely.

Saint Juniper's Folly started off very strong, where Theo accidentally discovers Jaime has been trapped in Saint Juniper's Folly (the house) shortly after his return to town. Searching for ways to get him out, he ends up meeting Taylor, whose family opened and runs an apothecary in the next town over. It's very easy to feel for these kids and their struggles—feeling very abandoned, the stress of high-pressure parents, and being kept from learning about your heritage—and on that front, I think Crespo does a very good job. The house is also sufficiently creepy—there's a ghost haunting Jaime, who is unable to leave for supernatural reasons. The pacing of this novel is quite smooth as well (it takes place over a summer) and the relationships developed nicely, especially in the ways teens seem to latch onto each other. Though I'm not usually a fan of the first person, I think the narrative structure here works pretty well.

Still, there are times where I kind of struggled to separate Jaime and Theo's voices, and I think I was expecting more horror than this was—this is definitely more a mystery, maybe a cozy mystery? (either way, great Halloween vibes, people should definitely read this in October). I thought the ending wrapped up a little too nicely and the adults could've been a little more nuanced (which might be a preference thing! I personally don't like when the adults in YA are comically absent/villainous/good, even though I know that's how teens can filter them). I'm not entirely sure I bought into the romance by the end (which—without getting into spoilers—I thought did develop nicely, but once a certain point was reach felt like it sped way up) though this is also probably a matter of preference and I think most teens will resonate with it, especially ones who live in small towns. So while that wasn't a home run for me, I think there's an audience who will really love it.

Overall very good, and I did quite like it, and my main complaint is I wish it was a smidgen longer so it could develop a bit more. Definitely is worth a read!

This was an interesting read, and probably the best YA novel I´ve read in a while... Though, I gave it a 3, not more, so that also says something of my past readings.
Look, here´s the thing. What I liked about this story was mainly two things: The first was the narration. I´m not really a fan of books where several characters narrate, but this one was nice enough. The second was the slow paced romance, I really appreciated the focus of the story was more the paranormal mystery thing.
However, there´s also a few things that I didn´t appreciate that much:
- All adults in this novel were absent or villains. ALL OF THEM. It´s cliché, but mostly annoying.
- There was some decisions (especially the ones that had to do with Jaime trapped in that house) that didn´t make sense at all. What do I mean with this? Well, to put it bluntly; since the beginning it gave me the impression that although a teen was trapped inside a haunted house with a maybe dangerous ghost & no food, there was no hurry for getting him out.
Like, everyone was so chilled about the whole thing. And if they did stuff to try get him out, those plans that could be done in hours or days at most dragged for months. To the point that when in the novel there was a deadline set saying Jaime needed to be back home because of the Social Services stuff, I thought, Oh, that´s it, he´s gonna be trapped there 2 months.
I means, it´s ridiculous. You wouldn´t leave a kid that long trapped and never think to call the police (or any adult at all) for thinking they´d be useless.
- This gets me to que question, was it intentional the paranormal / horror thing was so light? I think it was, and that´s okay. I just wished the plot made more sense story wise.

5⭐️
I adored this book so so so much and will be buying it so I can annotate it. I always find that writing reviews for books I loved is difficult haha. The plot to this book was wonderful. Although I could kinda guess the direction it was going in, the ending was still a surprise. The world building was perfect, there wasn’t anything I didn’t understand, nor was there unnecessary info dumps.
This book is dual pov, which again, is something I love. I thought all the characters were developed well and I was rooting for them all. I’d say the book was medium-fast paced, which is what I prefer.
This book is more cozy, spooky vibes than it is a horror thriller, so just keep that in mind. Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who loves Young Adult novels.
Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree Teen, and Alex Crespo for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had a lot of fun with Saint Juniper's Folly - it's definitely going to be a book I recommend around Halloween time to anyone looking for something fun, with a hint of something spooky. While I do wish this book had leaned a little more into the horror, making it feel like there was real stakes besides just a boy stuck in a run down house with a passive aggresive ghost, I can't deny that I did enjoy this for what it was.

Saint Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo is a captivating debut that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. This queer haunted house mystery follows the intertwined lives of three teenagers: Jaime, Theo, and Taylor, as they explore the Folly and its ghosts.

Jaime, who has spent the last eight years trying to forget his past, returns to the Vermont town of Saint Juniper in hopes of a fresh start. Meanwhile, Theo is stuck in Saint Juniper, feeling like he's missing out on something more. Taylor, trying to practice magic in secret, is lost without the guidance of her late mother. When the three teenagers come together and explore the Folly, they discover a haunted house and an acerbic yet handsome boy trapped inside.

Crespo does a fantastic job of creating a spooky atmosphere and building tension throughout the novel. The characters are well-developed and their relationships with each other are complex and realistic. The romance is sweet and adds an extra layer of depth to the story.

Saint Juniper's Folly is a perfect blend of spine-tingling thrills and heartwarming moments. It's a celebration of found family and the power of friendship, and a must-read for paranormal romance fans. Crespo's writing is engaging and immersive, and I can't wait to see what they write next.

Jaime has felt alone and lost his whole life and is looking for a fresh start when he returns to his hometown of Saint Juniper. But when he becomes trapped in a mysterious house with a malevolent spirit in the woods he must rely on new friends to help him escape.

Queer love, magic and mystery? Yes please. This was a super fun read that I could not put down. The characters were lovable and seeing their relationships develop and grow as they try to unravel the mystery added to the emotional impact and tension. While there were some pacing issues in the beginning, once the characters come together it has a nice flow. This is the type of summer mystery I loved when I was younger but with the representation I wish would have been there. Looking forward to more for this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book surprised me in a good way. I loved all of the characters, their flaws and the growth they saw throughout the novel. Theo and Jamie's slow burn is adorable and when I can't stop smiling during a confession, you know it's good. Taylor is witch goals and I love how she doesn't back down. Fantastic story.

This is not just a ghost story. This is a story about generational trauma, finding yourself, and friendship. This book was beautiful and meant for anyone who is trying to find some light in the darkness we call now.

5/5

Saint Juniper's Folly is my favorite book of 2023 so far! This is an amazing debut; Crespo's writing style is lovely, and I'm eager to check out anything else he writes.

Be sure to check this one out if you like the found family trope! Jaime, Theo, and Taylor each feel disconnected from their families, but their friendship helps fill that void and they bring out the best in each other. My favorite thing about this book was the group dynamics between Jaime, Theo, and Taylor. The romance between Jaime & Theo is lovely, and their friendship with Taylor is great too. I don't like romances that are too rushed, but this one was paced pretty well and VERY sweet.

I also loved the way Crespo depicts life in a small town, especially as a queer teenager. The desire to escape, combined with the love you can only have for your hometown (and don't notice until you've left it), is very relatable.

I sometimes write reviews that are far lengthier than necessary. This one will be brief because I feel like it doesn't even need me to hype it up; the description alone should be enough to reel readers in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The mishmash of horror and contemporary, the representation, the three equally interesting POVs--it was all fantastic. I think this is perfect for anyone who wants a contemporary with cozy spooky vibes.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.