Girl of Nightmares

Starred review from July 1, 2012
A satisfying conclusion to ghostly Anna's terrifying story comes with more heart-thumping suspense and clever quips as Cas tries to save her from an undeserved, dreadful fate. In the outstanding Anna Dressed in Blood (2011), the ghost, Anna, saved Cas, the ghost-killer, by dragging the voodoo monster, Obeahman, down into Hell. Now she's back, asking Cas to rescue her, and he's determined to do it despite all advice to the contrary. This sequel takes Cas and his friends to Britain and a secret cult that wants Cas' athame, the magical knife that kills ghosts. There he meets Jestine, who believes she should be the next athame warrior, although unlike Cas, she wants to kill ghosts whether or not they're dangerous to humans. She joins Cas for the final showdown against the Obeahman, who ate both Cas' cat and his father and now holds Anna hostage. Blake provides enough background explanation to bring new readers into the story, but for full appreciation readers should start with book one. This new author has a serious talent for action but also for delicious dry humor ("I've sort of been slacking off in my voodoo studies. I've got trigonometry, you know?"). The exciting conclusion leaves the coast clear for a whole series starring Cas or for something entirely different, whatever the author wishes. Either way, Stephen King ought to start looking over his shoulder. Pulse-pounding thrills leavened with laughter. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)

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November 1, 2012

Gr 10 Up-Fans of Blake's excellent Anna Dressed in Blood (Tor, 2011) will not be disappointed by this sequel. High school junior Cas is a ghost killer who has been saved by Anna, a ghost, through a great self-sacrifice. But now Cas has visions of Anna being tortured, and he decides that it is his duty to save her in return. In the process, he encounters other would-be ghost killers who don't necessarily share his ethics with regard to only killing ghosts who harm humans. Blake is aware of her debt to previous horror/humor hybrids in pop culture, even naming a character Will Rosenberg (as in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer). But her talent for creating a truly scary story laced with laugh-out-loud humor makes this series (assuming there are further installments) a rare treat.Hayden Bass, Seattle Public Library, WA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2012
Grades 8-12 Avenging ghost girlfriend Anna sacrificed herself to save Cas and his friends, but now she's stuck in hell, tormented by the Obeahman. With visions of Anna haunting him, Cas decides he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back. So begins a trip to England, where he meets attractive Jestine, a ghost killer trained to take Cas' place. This satisfying sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood (2011) believably advances the story while introducing a new clan of ghost killers with decidedly different philosophies on how to lay the dead to rest. Blake excels in creepy, atmospheric landscapes, and her description of the Suicide Forest will make neck hairs rise.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)