Rising From the Depths Below

Expected Publication:  January 16th, 2015
Hellhole
By: Gina Damico
HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13:  9780544307100

A devil is a bad influence...

There was a time when geeky, squeaky-clean Max Kilgore would never lie or steal or even think about murder.

Then he accidentally unearths a devil, and Max's choices are no longer his own.  The big red guy has a penchant for couch-surfing and junk food -- and you should never underestimate evil on a sugar high.  With the help of Lore, a former goth girl who knows a thing or two about the dark side, Max is racing against the clock to get rid of the houseguest from hell before time -- and all the Flamin' Hot Cheetos this side of the fiery abyss -- run out.

Review

     Dark humor is something I tend to enjoy as a reader, and Gina Damico's sense of humor tends to run that vein.  I enjoyed her first novel, Croak, and was disappointed not to enjoy the two subsequent sequels nearly as much.  But this was supposed to be a stand-alone novel, so my grabby hands and my sense of faith both made an appearance!  I have somewhat mixed feelings on this book though.  I enjoyed it overall, but wasn't in love with it by the end.  It's definitely not a re-read for me personally.  This is a story about Max Kilgore, a shy, skinny geek kid obsessed with dinosaurs (paleontology).  The only things that he has in life besides his job at the convenience store, paleontology club, and videos games is his best friend Audie - and his Mom, who is in desperate need of a new heart and unable to help with anything.  Max is barely able to keep them afloat and the bills are coming due.  Then he does something stupid, and steals an ugly cat knick-knack from work.  A devil named Burg is summoned and shoves his way into every aspect of Max's life, making it worse and worse.  With the help of a (possible) demon worshipping girl named Lore, can they send Burg back to Hell before anyone gets hurt?

     What to say about Max?  He's barely coherent around other human beings, can't tell a lie to save his life and has a tendency to ramble.  Except for the one petty theft, he's basically a good person.  He just has no filter and needs some socialization - and more friends than just Audie.  Lore seems pretty stand-offish and downright bitchy at first, but as I got to know her better I liked her.  The trailer-trash parents who didn't care, unlikely job at a craft store, and her own checkered past made her the perfect accomplice for Max in getting rid of his devil infestation.  Then there's Burg (a.k.a. Burgandy Cluttermuck), one of many devils, and a complete asshole.  He loves video games, junk food of any kind and reality television.  He wants Max to acquire him a house and refuses to leave till then.  My favorite parts involved him turning into a Llyod Dobler look-alike so he could romance Max's mom and the scene where he gets Max drunk, with a running commentary on a fashion t.v. show!  It got slightly off-focus and confused for awhile in terms of plot, but wrapped up nicely near the end.  I just really hope this stays a single novel.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys some humor, pop culture references and fluffy reading.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

**I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication date is January 16th, 2015.**

Reaching Out, Possessing You

Published:  January 1st, 2013
The Dead and Buried
By: Kim Harrington
Scholastic Point
ISBN-13:  9780545333023

A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.

Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.

Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?

Review

 

     Jade and her family have finally moved into a nice house in the city and she's excited to be going to school with people other than the same ones she's always known.  But nothing really prepares her for the fact that their new house is the most notorious in town and for good reason: the former queen bee of her new school, Kayla, died there only a few months ago!  Oh yeah, and she's haunting the place too and won't move on until Jade solves her murder.  And Kayla's not afraid to be vicious and cruel to get what she wants, including possessing Jade's little brother and threatening to kill him.  But with so many people crushed under Kayla's wrecking ball combination of personality and actions, which one of them actually killed her?  With the help of Kayla's ex-boyfriend Donovan, investigating all of her former friends is still a daunting task.  But will the discovery of her secret diary crack the case?  And can Jade save her family from destruction when the truth is finally uncovered once and for all?

     I love a good ghost story and it seems like they're a somewhat rare species in the YA genre lately.  Usually authors go for the shiny, more monsterish paranormal beings.  But I liked the old-school decision on the part of this author to go with a ghost.  Jade as a main character would come across as kind of bland to some I suppose, but I thought she was strong and refused to let herself be bullied by other people into doing things she didn't want, or think were right.  Case in point, her 'friendship' with Faye and also with Kane.  She went along with them, but only to a certain point and then she cut them off and did the right thing.  I loved Jade's sweet interactions with Donovan, and the underlying darkness at first because of the possibility of his involvement with Kayla's death.  A nice touch on the part of the author was making Jade unique, with her gemstone hobby and I liked the fact that her Dad and Stepmom weren't the normal deadbeat/asshole YA parents that inhabit about 90% of all YA novels.  They loved her, even the Stepmom Marie, no matter whether they always got along or agreed with each other.  The whole possession thing freaked me the HELL OUT.  Seriously, could you imagine a ghost taking over your body, let alone the body of someone you love?  Enough nightmare material to last a lifetime.  The avoidance of  love triangle definitely worked in favor of me liking this book.  Super sick and tired of anything even remotely resembling a love triangle.  No more please, writers of the world!  Just no more, my brain begs of you.  

     Kayla's diary entries and the unraveling of her bitchy drama in life just did nothing at all to make me like her.  And after finding out why her killer actually shoved her down the stairs, I kind of sided with the killer a little bit.  The resolution of the mystery wasn't entirely predicatable at first, but I wasn't surprised either, especially with how entirely OBVIOUS it is that the person set up to be the killer couldn't be, unless Harrington was a really lazy and bad writer.  The effort throughout dissuaded me from that thought pretty quickly.  I did like the reactions of her parents when they finally believed her about Kayla haunting the house.  I feel like the scene was supposed to be scary, but it kind of made me laugh out loud.  Overall a fun, quick read and a decent ghost story.  The mystery is basic but not completely cliché, and I would recommend it to those who enjoy ghost stories and a don't mind a bit of sweet romance thrown in, or normal family issues, etc.  I found it refreshing for a change.   

 

VERDICT:  3.75/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**