Brown Girl Ghosted

Sixteen-year-old Violet Choudhury has a huge secret. During the day she's part of her Midwestern town's cheer squad and at night she's visited by the Aiedeo, Indian supernatural warrior queens. These queens are her ancestors who are given the task to get Violet ready for a huge battle. Violet though wants nothing to do with any of them. She just wants to blend in and be 'normal'. Then her former BFF, and town Mean girl,Naomi is found dead after a sex tape surfaces. The Aiedeo show up and give Violet the task to find Naomi's murderer by using her supernatural powers. Now it's up to Violet to complete this task or end up dead like Naomi.

What worked: This is an engaging diverse paranormal story with catchy phrases and pop culture references throughout. I felt Violet was like an Indian Buffy, who is trying to fit in her mostly white town, but running against racism which at times is subtle to downright in her face. The twist in this story is Violet sees dead people and is tasked with learning how to use her so-called supernatural powers in order to help humanity. All the while she just wants to do well in school and blend in.

The dialogue is fast-paced and funny at times. The relationships Violet has include Meryl, the tough girl with a sensitive side and cute guy Austin, who she's been crushing on since middle school. Her nanny is close to her with her own secret.

This world is at times really action-pack with her one task turning her into a bhoot- a lost spirit-who will end up dead if she doesn't find Naomi's killer in time. The Aiedeo seem hardcore and harsh with how they treat Violet. And Lukas? Think a harsher Giles, who watches Violet, yet can't intervene. I wanted to know more on how the Aiedeo could turn a human into a spirit. Like where is her body during all of this?

Add to all this the town's gossip mill which preys on the vulnerabilities of those in high school. There's sensitive topics that include rape and cyber-bullying.

Engaging paranormal with a kick-butt protagonist who not only has to deal with the supernatural and her destiny, but the racism in her Midwestern town.