Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/01/2024 Gr 7 Up—An atmospheric horror novel imbued with Taiwanese and Chinese mythology. Sixteen-year-old Ruby Chen bears the weight of heavy parental expectations. On top of this, she has always been haunted by spirits. Her world changes when one attacks her in Vancouver's Chinatown neighborhood, and she is rescued by a boy named Shen who has a tiger tattoo. He, along with his friend Delia, introduces her to a world of deities she has never believed in. Even so, she has to trust her new friends in order to save her sister who is acting unusually. Lin excels at creating dread with every page without resorting to cheap scares. Initially, the book appears to be a simple possession narrative, but really, its themes are multitudinous. Her story is about managing relationships with family and friends which comes with their own horrors. Simultaneously, Ruby also wrestles with identity questions that many children of diaspora communities know too well. Readers' fear while reading is heightened by having such a whip-smart protagonist. Her actions make sense, and readers are with her every page. All of the main characters are Taiwanese. This is sophisticated horror for both fans and non-fans of the genre alike. VERDICT A superb addition to horror collections that will also satisfy fans of mythology, too.—Wilsinia Ocasio - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 10/01/2024 Lin (A Magic Steeped in Poison, 2022) makes her horror debut with this standout novel following Ruby Chen, a girl driven to perfection and overburdened with the duties and responsibilities of being the oldest daughter in a Taiwanese Canadian family. Ruby takes on the difficult task of trying to keep her more laid-back sister, Tina, on an academically oriented track that won’t displease their parents, but that gets more complicated when Tina is captured by a group of ghouls and returns a completely different person, seemingly under a demonic spell. What’s more, Vancouver’s Chinatown seems to contain a gate to the underworld, and sinister wishes made at a temple there begin to threaten the community. Alongside the scary events, readers will encounter thoughtful underlying themes exploring the complicated dynamics between siblings, within families, and among the wider community. In an adventure that explores both inner and outer demons, Lin’s spine-tingling Chinese-folklore-inspired novel will appeal to readers looking for scares grounded in realistic emotions. Well-known for her stirring fantasies, Lin proves with this novel that she has true promise as a horror author. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.