March 26, 2007
Beyond the amusing title, this book has an equally compelling premise: smart-mouthed Maggie Quinn tries to ignore her psychic powers, but begins to be disturbed by dark dreams. Then strange events happen in real life, too, such as Maggie seeing a dark shadow in the pool just before a friend slips on the school's diving board, nearly drowning. Slowly, with the help of a cute college boy who knows a lot about the occult, she begins to piece together what is haunting her classmates—and her—and who will be the next victim. But even she is surprised by who is behind the spell, finally figuring it out in an outrageous scene on prom night. There is a lot to like in this story that takes on magic, romance and even clique politics. The book occasionally shifts from lighthearted fun into some true darkness, such as when Maggie's best friend reveals that she had been date-raped by the school's most popular guy. In the end, readers will appreciate the lesson Maggie learns about listening to her gut, and will likely laugh when she bravely shouts at the shadowy evil spirit, "I hope you enjoyed your leave, Smokey, because your pass is about to be revoked." Ages 14-up.
March 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-Under normal circumstances, Maggie Quinn would want nothing to do with the vicious, elite clique at her high school. But when the jocks and their girlfriends start falling prey to a series of situations ranging from embarrassing to potentially fatal, not to mention reeking of sulfur, the school newspaper reporter can't ignore the story. In addition to being a Nancy Drew wannabe, Maggie has inherited her grandmother's sixth sense, as evidenced by the demon appearing in her dreams. Although she is initially reluctant to believe that anything supernatural is going on, her partnership with a paranormal-studies college student who is in one of her father's classes eventually leads her to a salt-throwing showdown with the demon and his minions at her senior prom. Maggie's transformation into a butt-kicking demon hunter is well drawn as is the budding romance with her partner. The pair launch into a routine set of investigations to reveal a weak backstory accounting for the origins of the demon that will not compel readers to suspend disbelief. The main draw of this book, however, is Maggie's sarcastic tone, which is dripping with wit on nearly every page. Sharp writing and a satirical portrayal of the high school social scene make this an enjoyable read in the vein of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer.""Emily Rodriguez, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL"
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.