Sunshine Griffith develops her paranormal powers under the watchful guidance of her estranged father in this sequel to The Haunting of Sunshine Girl (2015). Only a few days have gone by since Sunshine met her birth father, Aidan. Sunshine hasn't told her adoptive mother, Kat, yet, and with good reason: Sunshine is a luiseach, a creature that looks human but actually spends its time communing with the dead and warding off evil spirits. Aidan believes Sunshine is a particularly special luiseach, one that can help unite her people under one banner and fight off a mysterious darkness. But first, she must be trained, and to do that, she must leave her adopted home behind. The chills and thrills found in this episode's predecessor have been switched out for mythology and worldbuilding, a different flavor that is frankly a bit of a letdown. The author is at her best when she exploits her premise for scares and bumps in the night, but she hamstrings herself hanging the spooky doings upon a "chosen one" narrative. A superfluous love triangle among Sunshine, her friend Nolan, and sexy new guy Lucio feels like nothing more than padding. Sunshine's back story involving a troubled mother is much more engaging than the romance subplot, as is her developing relationship with the father she believed to have abandoned her. A mixed-bag sequel that misplaces what made its predecessor so special. (Paranormal suspense. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 8 Up-If teens gobbled up the fast-paced, thrilling events surrounding Sunshine Griffith and her mother, Kat, in The Haunting of Sunshine Girl (Weinstein, 2015), they're sure to enjoy the new twists and turns of this latest series installment. Sunshine, her powers fully awakened, has to deal not only with spirits now following her everywhere but the dire need to hone such overwhelming abilities. For that, she needs the help of a mentor, Aidan, who also happens to be her birth father. From the comfort she gets from her friend and confidante Nolan to the thrill she gets from a young man in Mexico named Lucio to the endless frustration and questions she has for her father, Sunshine has her work cut out for her. McKenzie continues to write in an authentic teen voice that sucks readers in until the end. Fans ready to graduate from R.L. Stine's "Goosebumps" (Scholastic) or those looking for a mix of Carolyn Keene's "Nancy Drew" and DC Comic's "Scooby Doo" will find just what they need in this paranormal series. -VERDICT Teens who enjoyed the previous volume or the author's YouTube channel will dive into this latest entry of ghost mischief.-Julie Zimmerman, Brooklyn Public Library © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this sequel to The Haunting of Sunshine Girl (2015), Sunshine and her adoptive mother are still coming to terms with Sunshine's paranormal powers as a luiseach a spirit guide. When the spirits of those who died as a result of a multiple-car accident overwhelm Sunshine, nearly stopping her heart, Aidan offers to help her at his luiseach training campus deep in the Mexican jungle. Once they arrive, Sunshine is drawn to Lucio, another luiseach-in-training, despite feeling a strong allegiance to Nolan back home. Through Aidan's lessons, it is clear that Sunshine's powers are unique. She doesn't just help humans transition to the afterlife; her empathy allows her to feel connections to their whole lived experience, a power that proves both dangerous and useful when Helena, her estranged birth mother, draws close in her sinister hunt for Sunshine. Sunshine continues to be a likable protagonist who strives to grow into herself and her unusual role in life. A cliff-hanger ending will have fans clamoring for the third installment.--Booth, Heather Copyright 2016 Booklist