Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

December 1, 2018
By day, they're just high school seniors from Jackson, Tennessee.Come 11:00 on Saturday nights, Josie (aka Rayne Ravenscroft) and Delia (aka Delilah Darkwood) are hosts of Midnite Matinee, a public access cable show that bookends cult horror films with eccentric entertainment--a skeleton costume dance party, a Frankenstein puppet reading fan mail. Middle-class Josie doesn't love horror movies, but she's a natural in front of the camera and wants to pursue a career in television. Her parents urge her to attend school in Knoxville, where she can intern with the Food Network, but that would mean leaving the show--and Delia. Meanwhile, Delia, living in a trailer with a struggling, depressed single mother (the portrayal of mental illness, including a positive attitude toward antidepressants, is very welcome), considers herself firmly mediocre. Being on camera frightens her--but the old movies are her last link with her father, who took off when she was 7. Delia's desperate to reconnect. When a PI discovers that her father might be in Florida, near the ShiverCon convention where famed host Jack Devine might help them garner a wider audience, they take a road trip. Zentner (GoodbyeDays, 2017, etc.) nails his teen characters, their longings, and their motivations, and the first chapters are downright hilarious. Over-the-top Devine lessens the overall impact of a story that still closes well. Despite the diversity of the actual setting, all characters follow a white default. Short of brilliant, but only just. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Gr 9 Up-Friday nights are booked for best friends Josie and Delia. The two high school seniors record their public access TV show about old terrible horror movies. After graduation, Josie wants a career in the TV industry while Delia simply wants things to remain the same. She's planning to upgrade their TV show in hopes that Josie will decide to stay and not leave her, like her father did. Delia sets up a meeting at a horror convention in Florida. Little does she know, the whole future of the TV show rides on this convention. Zentner has crafted a book filled with tension about relationships and the future. Promises, secrets, and betrayals fuel the relationships in this narrative. The girls have a deep bond and showcase their affection toward each other with witty comments, random questions, and sassy attitudes. While the friendship between them remains at the forefront, sideplots include Josie beginning a romantic relationship and Delia confronting her long-lost father. Secondary characters are fleshed out and add depth. This work tackles mental health, depression, abandonment, and chasing your dreams. VERDICT This is a quirky fun, read that will give teens all the feels. A good selection where contemporary fiction centering friendships is popular.-Jennifer Rummel, Cragin Library, Colchester, CT