 |
| Bloomsbury Publishing |
Aimee and Alan have unusual pasts and secrets they prefer to keep hidden. Aimee’s deceased mother struggled with mental illness and hallucinations, and Aimee thinks it could be hereditary. After all, she sees a shadowy river man where there isn’t one. And then there was that time she and her best friend Courtney tried to conjure a spirit with a Ouija board . . . Alan is Courtney’s cousin. His family moved to Maine when Courtney’s father went missing. It’s not just Alan’s dark good looks that make him attractive. He is also totally in touch with a kind of spiritual mysticism from his Native American heritage. And it’s not long before Aimee has broken up with her boyfriend . . . But it’s not Aimee or Alan who is truly haunted – it’s Courtney. In a desperate plea to find her father, Courtney invites a demonic presence into her life. Together, Aimee and Alan must exorcise the ghost, before it devours Courtney – and everything around her. Bloomsbury Publishing
Blogger copy received at Book Expo America without expectation of review.
Authors:
The writing team of Carrie Jones (Need, Captivate, Entice) and Steven E. Wedel (several prior publications) were hooked up by fellow author Melissa Marr (There is a big club, I knew it!) at a speed dating event at a conference in Oklahoma. Apparently, according tot the interview at the back of the book Steven tied Carrie up (taking away from the YA aspect here) and forced her to write the book. In turn she stole food from him.
There seems to be a spate of books placed in Maine this year. In particular a bunch of YA Paranormal. Living here I Have to wonder why: Stephen King lives here as does Richard Russo, as do Carrie Jones, Elizabeth Miles, and Lauren Oliver wrote Delirium while staying here. I tend to have unrealistic hopes that books placed here will help our desperately poor economy by bringing tourists.
This book is really well-written. The team split up the characters and each chapter switches point of view between our male and female main characters. They are reasonably well-defined teens and the dialogue is believable.
The set-up for the mythology in the story is well-handled. The boogie man may be an ancient import or a spirit angered by early settlers not properly respecting the land. Alan is part Navajo and is trying to respectfully practice Native American ways. It comes off as mostly uncontrived. Alan seems to truly believe what he says and so it sounds real enough. It may be diluted and simplified.
The feelings the teens have for each other seem real enough.
The story moves quickly but isn't rushed. The writers do an admirable job describing the effects of an evil spirit affecting a town and the weather. The placement of the town in Maine and what it is like is pretty good. One issue is that there are no other mixed race kids in the town, but in northern coastal Maine that may not be entirely true. At least they would be known better as the aboriginal people of the region have a large presence. And Carrie lives quite near the largest museum in the area with a focus on Native Americans. I liked the realism of the poverty and the mix of working people in the town. The story was interesting and had exciting action but the end game was more or less predictable from the second chapter. There are a few loose ends.
This is a good book. Some suggestion of sexuality; a bit more than Twilight. Also peyote possession and implied ritualistic use. It wouldn't make me rush right out to do it. I recommend it for older teens and adults.
Trailer:
Amazon:
| Reading level: Ages 12 and up Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; 1 edition (September 13, 2011) Kindle Edition: 500 KB Print Length: 321 pages Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1408818272 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (September 13, 2011) Sold by: Amazon Digital Services |
