by Lynn Viehl ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2012
Well crafted.
The second entry in the Youngbloods series continues 15-year-old Cat’s romance with Jesse, her forbidden, almost-a-vampire heartthrob.
Jesse and his parents have become undead, but Jesse won’t become an actual vampire unless he drinks human blood, something he intends never to do. Cat isn’t completely human herself. She’s a reluctant member of the Van Helsing family of legendary vampire hunters and has special powers, as do her brothers, who act as her strict guardians. Cat’s family lives on a horse farm that’s struggling to survive, while Cat gets a job cataloguing a collection of occult books. Jesse assists her, and they learn astounding facts about the library’s owner. Meanwhile, girls who look like Cat begin to disappear from the town. Viehl smoothly brings readers up-to-date even as she keeps momentum going with this new story. Cat, with her love of horses, rebellious spirit and paranormal ability to control felines, stands out as a spunky heroine. Mystery builds as the missing-girls plot heats up, leading to the exciting climax. An affecting subplot about a difficult horse weaves in as a thread that holds it all together. Paranormal-romance fans can get everything they want here, and others will find an exciting story.
Well crafted. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: July 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7387-2646-5
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Flux
Review Posted Online: May 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
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More by Lynn Viehl
BOOK REVIEW
by Lynn Viehl
by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2024
A boarding school mystery that tackles fresh topics but struggles to knit together multiple complex narratives.
A mystery upends a London girl’s attempts to heal her grief-stricken life.
Recently orphaned Sade Hussein, a wealthy Nigerian British Muslim 16-year-old, was home-schooled before she entered the Alfred Nobel Academy, an international boarding school. There she meets Elizabeth Wang, her roommate and “house sibling,” a role describing those assigned to help new students acclimate. Sade soon becomes familiar with the school cliques, including the infamous—and beautiful—Unholy Trinity, comprising Persephone Stuart, Julliette de Silva, and queen bee April Owens (who used to room with Elizabeth). Sade’s new friendship with her roommate is abruptly interrupted when Elizabeth goes missing, and the Unholy Trinity approach Sade, curious about what might have happened. Meanwhile, Sade is investigating with Basil dos Santos, Elizabeth’s best friend, when a music box belonging to the missing girl mysteriously appears on Elizabeth’s bed. When attractive playboy athlete Jude Ripley shows an unwanted interest in Sade, one of her new friendships is negatively affected. Along with dealing with a missing roommate and complicated social dynamics, Sade, who struggles with panic attacks and night terrors, is haunted by a ghost girl, who visits her in regular nightmares and begs her for help. The very large cast, the uneven pacing and characterization, and the presence of several complicated storylines slow down the flow of this ambitious story. The characters are broadly diverse in ethnicity and nationality.
A boarding school mystery that tackles fresh topics but struggles to knit together multiple complex narratives. (content warning) (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781250800848
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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SEEN & HEARD
by Natasha Preston ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 2023
A flawed but entertaining Halloween thriller.
Penny’s sleepy little farming town hasn’t been the same since it was terrorized by a masked killer who claimed five teenage victims last Halloween.
That killer just happened to be the father of her ex-boyfriend, Nash, and afterward, Penny’s parents forced her to break up with Nash. This October, everyone is on edge. Nash and his sister, Grace, are local outcasts, and when Penny finds another classmate’s dead body while shopping for Halloween costumes in a party supply store, the proverbial pitchforks come out. As the body count rises, the townspeople quickly blame Nash and Grace. To take the heat off Nash, for whom Penny still has feelings, the two team up to try to figure out the killer’s identity. But when it becomes apparent that the killer is targeting Penny, their mission becomes a matter of life or death. Suspenseful chases and mysterious sightings interspersed with an occasional dead body keep the pacing fast and consistent. The setting is reminiscent of Scream’s Woodsboro, and Preston makes good use of spooky Halloween decorations. The character development is light, and readers will quickly become frustrated with the many poor choices Penny makes. The abrupt ending may irritate some, but slasher fans will nevertheless enjoy trying to figure out who the menacing person hiding behind a mask is. Penny and Nash are cued white; Penny’s friends include some racial and religious diversity.
A flawed but entertaining Halloween thriller. (Thriller. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780593481516
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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