A Very Geeky Exorcism

 



Expected Publication: October 2nd, 2012
Poltergeeks
By: Sean Cummings
Strange Chemistry
ISBN-13: 9781908844101

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Review

 

   Julie Richardson is a witch in training who thinks that her Mom is overprotective.  But her reasons become apparent when Julie and her best friend Marcus try to do a routine exorcism for what they think is a poltergeist and all Hell breaks loose.  It turns out that it is a malevolent spirit, raised by another witch for unknown purposes.  But it seems to be targeting Julie and her Mom for some serious hurt.  Then Julie's Mom becomes a victim of the Endless Night spell, which takes away her soul and puts her in a coma.  Now it's up to Julie to learn the family secrets that have been kept from her, truly claim her powers and save her Mom from the verge of death.  Oh yeah and get rid of the malevolent spririt, which happens to be a famous and deadly witch hunter who has been dead for centuries!  Can Julie save her Mom with the help of Marcus and spirit helper Betty before its too late?  This book had a good start.  I think one of my favorite parts is when Julie traps the spirit in the teddy bear.  It made me laugh! :)  The sarcastic wit of both Julie and her friend Marcus are a refreshing change from most of the bland YA best friend duos I've had the misfortune to read about.  But a lot of the time dialogue felt very stilted and forced to me.  Also, Julie's relationship with her Mom seemed almost like an afterthought that suddenly became the main focus of the novel!  At first it's a routine exorcism and it turns into a discovery of family secrets, betrayl and destiny.  I enjoyed the family secrets, the betrayl was very trite and predictable and the destiny was mostly forgettable and unclear.  I was very annoyed by the romantic angst that Julie went through with Marcus for the last 2/3 of the book.  It was unnecessary and overall added nothing to the book, except for a half-baked explanation for the betrayl at the end.  I liked that the whole thing was a set-up by a con-woman who wanted to settle an old acount.  That was a nice touch.  Overall, an decent debut novel and a cute addition to the YA paranormal genre.  But I doubt I'll be reading the sequel if there is one.

 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is October 2nd, 2012.*

Be Gone From My Sight

Published: September 6th, 2011
Vanish
By: Sophie Jordan
HarperTeen
ISBN-13: 9780061935107


An impossible romance.
Bitter rivalries.
Deadly choices.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

Review

   At the end of Firelight, Jacinda and her family were headed home to stand judgement for leaving the pride.  Cassian had found them and separated Jacinda from Will, a boy she had come to love unknowing of the fact that he was a hunter.  By being with him she betrayed all of her kind in the worst way.  Upon arrival back home, Tamra finally manifests as a full blown Draki and Jacinda is greeted with hostility by everyone she used to love.  Will she choose to stay and be with Cassian like he's always wanted or run away with Will when he comes looking for her?  And what will the cost be when she makes her decision?  Jacinda truly annoyed me in this book.  It was like reading Twilight with dragons and hunters, instead of vampires and werewolves (which actually, they were shapeshifters STEPHANIE MEYER!!!).  I also really had no sympathy for her Mother, who was kind of useless in the first book and completely useless in this one.  I would have liked to read more about Tamra's unexpected changes and how she felt about finally belonging in a world that had rejected her for so long.  That would have been an interesting book.....but NO, I got to read about Jacinda and how she couldn't make up her mind which boy she wanted.  So she just tortured them both for the entire book!  I am truly sick and tired of love triangles as they are horrible and neither boy ever comes out looking like a winner, because they're both wasting time on a stupid girl who takes them both for granted.  The plot in this book was mostly filler, as it had to set the stage for the final book in the trilogy.  Which, by the way, I will not be reading!!!  I do not recommend this book if you value your time in any way whatsoever.

VERDICT:  1/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*