Supernaturally

December 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-In this sequel to Paranormalcy (HarperCollins, 2010), Evie, 16, leaves the International Paranormal Containment Agency, hoping for a normal life. She dreams of attending Georgetown upon graduation and has a steady boyfriend, Lend. However, she lives in a tiny apartment and works part time as a waitress, and finds her life boring. When asked to do small missions for the agency, Evie readily accepts. These missions, however, are neither simple nor safe, and it looks like there's about to be a battle in the faerie world. Vampires, slyphs, fossgrims, and faeries are attempting to kill her, and she doesn't know why. A new friend, Jack, and a faerie ex-boyfriend, Reth, add to the danger she faces and strain her relationship with Lend. Evie does not know whom to trust or believe. In her search for answers, she discovers things about her past that add to her confusion. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion with the teen learning that there is good and bad in all creatures. She also discovers that there are many paths one can follow to reach a desired goal. Twists and turns abound in this novel, and readers are sure to be drawn in with each new revelation about Evie and her friends.-Lana Miles, Jackson Elementary School, Rosenberg, TX

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2011

Having escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency in Paranormalcy (2010), Evie finds that her unusual powers, history and, in particular, a shape-shifter boyfriend make being a normal girl utterly impossible.

Her romance with Lend is developing, but she does find the regular high-school routine a little dull. Evie's ability to see through the glamours of the beings that inhabit the spirit world inevitably shakes things up, though. When a mysterious new guy, Jack, shows up with the ability to navigate the faerie realm, Evie's off on another hair-raising adventure. Despite her distrust of IPCA, Evie knows that she can help in its battle against the faeries' machinations--after all, she knows how dangerous the fae can be from personal experience--so she allows herself to be sucked back in. Readers can safely assume that Jack will be competing against Lend for Evie's affections, but he proves to be a far more complex character under his blithe surface than they may initially think. Characters and plot will make more sense to readers who are familiar with the story than to newcomers, but it's a goofy, amusing ride for anyone. As in the previous book, Evie's voice is the best part of the story, as she balances her supernatural abilities against typical teen concerns and obsessions.

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