A standout trilogy opener
A girl makes a deal with the devil—or something awfully similar—in this Faustian suspense tale.
Seventeen-year-old Edie, the unattractive, nerdy daughter of brilliant physicists and the constant victim of popular bullies in her private high school, finally decides to commit suicide to escape her tormentors. An amazingly handsome young man named Kian stops her and offers her a deal: She will receive three favors over five years if she agrees to stay alive and later provide three favors to his employer. She takes the deal and asks first for beauty. Kian molds her face and body until she is truly beautiful. When she returns to her high school seeking revenge, however, Edie watches in horror as her former tormentors begin to suffer horribly. Meanwhile, a ghastly trio of ghosts threatens her, and she begins to understand that she has become a pawn in a supernatural game. She’s also fallen hard for Kian, but she can’t be sure he isn’t merely doing the bidding of his awful employer. Aguirre has confidence in her audience, never dumbing down her prose while always keeping her readers guessing. Edie makes an impressive heroine as she not only fights the increasingly dreadful baddies, but matures as a person, lifting the book beyond easy thrills. The story has a freshness and intelligence that puts it at the top of the genre.
A standout trilogy opener . (Horror. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-250-02464-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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