Dead Is So Last Year

June 1, 2009
Gr 7 Up-In this follow-up to "Dead Is the New Black" (2008) and "Dead Is a State of Mind" (2009, both Harcourt), Daisy Giordano and her sisters have just returned to Nightshade from Italy, leaving their mother behind to work on a mysterious case. All three girls have secured summer jobs. Daisy works the early-morning shift at Slim's, Poppy puts in her time at the Snack Shack, and Rose tediously toils for Dr. Franken at a research lab. The psychic siblings quickly find themselves in the middle of a multi-front mystery between a young and dangerous pack of Werewolves running loose on the streets at night and an invasion of some sweet-toothed doppelgangers whose mission is to wreak havoc and destroy the reputations of the citizens of Nightshade. To complicate things, Daisy's dad has returned to town, and the teens are left on their own to determine if he's the real deal or a "DoppelDad." Perez's latest tale does not disappoint as her upbeat writing consistently rings true throughout. While every plot thread isn't neatly tied up, readers are left with the impression that Nightshade is full of intrigue. Point reluctant readers who devour this title to other quick, supernatural reads like Brian James's "Zombie Blondes" (Feiwel & Friends, 2008) or Rachel Caine's "Morganville Vampires" series (Signet)."Adrienne L. Strock, Maricopa County Library District, AZ"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.