Undead Girl Gang

March 15, 2018
When Fairmount Academy is rocked by three apparent suicides in the span of a week, it is up to one young Wiccan to conjure up the truth.Mila Flores dwells on the fringes of Fairmount society: Mexican-American, overweight, and Wiccan, she does not fit the school's mold for social climbers. The one saving grace has been her friendship with fellow outcast Riley, the white daughter of local funeral home owners--until Riley is found drowned, the third apparent suicide in a row. Mila is sure that Riley would not have killed herself, and when a mysterious grimoire lands on her doorstep complete with a spell to raise the dead, she is sure she has found her answer. Despite the warnings of white, middle-aged lesbian Toby, the local Wiccan shop owner and her would-be mentor, Mila proceeds with the spell, which inevitably goes wrong. Mila must then confront her own fallibility and poor judgment. Toby serves as a valuable corrective for Mila's mistaken approach to the Wiccan religion; take the depiction of neo-pagan spellwork here with a healthy dose of protective salt. Superlative pacing and writing that flows well make this title stand out.A well-paced undead romp that would be even more enjoyable without the ties to a specific faith. (Horror. 13-18)

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April 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-Camila "Mila" Flores's best friend, Riley, has just died. The police ruled it a suicide, but Mila knows that Riley would not kill herself. While at the abandoned house that she and Riley used to practice witchcraft, a grimoire that contains a spell that can raise the dead is delivered. Mila decides to use the spell to discover the truth. However, instead of bringing only Riley back, she inadvertently brings back two other girls with her-June and Dayton, who also seemingly committed suicide just a day before Riley. This undead girl gang can't remember how they died, let alone if they committed suicide or were murdered, but they have seven days to figure it out before they die again for good. Mila struggles with the consequences of what she has done, especially when Xander, Riley's older brother and the boy she's been in love with for years, seems to be reciprocating her feelings. The girls cast spells and haunt their past lives in an effort to uncover what happened. With time running out and a coven of witches after them, the truth is revealed with frightening consequences. This book abounds in clichés, such as the mean popular girl who repents and the misunderstood protagonist, and it sits uncomfortably between not being funny enough to be irreverent or scary enough to be horror. While it touches on issues of self-esteem related to bullying, weight, and race, none of these threads are developed beyond a superficial level. VERDICT For large collections only.-Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL

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