The Exorcism of Sofia Flores

May 1, 2016
Sofia Flores returns, this time to save her own soul, as a relentless demon, Catholic dogma, and a sinfully attractive classmate threaten to tear her apart in Vega's gruesome sequel to Merciless (2014).In the aftermath of an attempted exorcism conducted on the charismatic Brooklyn that left her three best friends dead, Latina teen Sofia wants nothing more than a fresh start. Her wish is granted when her mother dies in a freak car accident and Sofia is sent to St. Mary's, a remote Catholic boarding school where every student has something to confess. Despite quickly befriending her roommates and catching the eye of the impossibly perfect and secretive Jude, Sofia can't shake the black feelings of jealousy and desire that cling to her every interaction. When some of her darker thoughts (like wishing something awful should befall her chipper, Asian roommate, Leena) come horribly true, Sofia frantically searches for any means of salvation, terrified that Brooklyn and the past she wants so desperately to leave behind will soon reappear to claim her. Turning to a classic Stephen King-style horror plot that relies on an isolated setting as much as bloodied bodies and hellishly inventive violence, Vega's grisly second installment rips into biblical platitudes to lay bare the notions of deliverance and redemption.A departure from the Mean Girls aesthetic of the first book but a sequel still meant for only the most unflinching of readers. (Horror. 14 & up)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Sofia Flores has lost everything. After months of therapy following Riley's murder, she has finally convinced herself that Brooklyn's demonic possession was all in her head. When her mom gets into a fatal car accident, Sofia has to relocate to a Catholic boarding school. It is old, with a strict morality code. Sofia meets her new roommates, sweet Leena and bad girl Sutton. The protagonist manages to catch the eye of a hot altar boy during mass. He happens to be the same boy whom Leena fancies. As temptation clouds Sofia's judgment, she starts to believe Brooklyn's distant claim that she is indeed evil. Can she resist sinning? This pulse-pounding follow-up to Vega's Merciless focuses on Sofia as she attempts to put the horrible events of the first novel behind her. As Sofia deals with unfamiliar religious surroundings, she begins to think that she's beyond redemption. She tries to find support in friendly Sister Lauren and creepy Father Marcus but can't shake a dark sense of foreboding. With strong, well-developed supporting characters, this novel is a terrifying delight of a read. Sometimes Sofia can't help but give in to her dark side, but readers will be hard-pressed to root against her. This sequel could potentially work as a stand-alone but will be especially enjoyed by fans of the previous volume. With an intensely violent climax, this story will work well for horror readers who don't shy away from prose that may make some readers squeamish. VERDICT Hard to put down, this scary novel is a must-read for teenage fans of fright.-Ryan P. Donovan, Southborough Public Library, MA

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