The Taking of Jake Livingston

The Taking of Jake Livingston is a compelling YA social thriller that blends supernatural horror with sharp commentary on race, identity, and mental health. Protagonist Jake Livingston, a Black and gay teen, grapples with his ability to see ghosts, the subtle and overt racism at his elite prep school, and the exhilarating new experience of first love. The narrative intensifies when Jake becomes the target of Sawyer Doon, a vengeful ghost with a violent past, forcing Jake into a fight for his life. This book is ideal for mature young adult readers (ages 12-18) who appreciate suspenseful stories with depth, exploring themes of belonging, resilience, and confronting systemic injustice alongside paranormal thrills. Parents should be aware of prominent themes of racism, violence (implied and direct from the ghost), and mental health issues.

Sixteen-year-old Jake Livingston sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep. Both are a living nightmare he wishes he could wake up from. But things at St. Clair start looking up with the arrival of another Black student—the handsome Allister—and for the first time, romance is on the horizon for Jake. Unfortunately, life as a medium is getting worse. Though most ghosts are harmless and Jake is always happy to help them move on to the next place, Sawyer Doon wants much more from Jake. In life, Sawyer was a troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school before taking his own life. Now he's a powerful, vengeful ghost and he has plans for Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about dead world goes out the window as Sawyer begins to haunt him. High school soon becomes a different kind of survival game—one Jake is not sure he can win.