Vacations from Hell

August 1, 2009
Gr 9 Up-The all-star lineup of authors of these supernatural tales will attract readers, but none of the selections truly surprise. The settings range from the French countryside to a Jamaican villa and the protagonists include a vampire, a witch, and a couple of normal girls whose vacations turn into nightmares. The most winning entry is Maureen Johnston's "The Law of Suspects," in which two sisters are exposed to a story that turns its listeners into killers. It succeeds more as a black comedy of errors than as a chilling horror story. Bray's "Nowhere is Safe" is refreshing because the narrator is male and the characters don't fit the blond-haired, blue-eyed mold. But the author makes such a to-do about her characters' Haitian, Japanese, and Jewish identities that it feels sort of like an after-school special, and the Slavic village's sacrifice ritual is neither funny nor particularly scary. Overall, this is a good beach read for some, but the collection won't attract a diverse audience."Emily R. Brown, Providence Public Library, RI"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
Grades 8-11 This collection of supernatural short stories by five popular young adult authors is a fun summer treat. Maureen Johnsons odd tale, a departure from the authors usual witty fiction, is about two sisters visiting family in the French countryside, where they encounter locals who tell a story that causes anyone who hears it to commit murder. Sarah Mlynowski offers a clever twist on the ubiquitous vampire story, while Claudia Grays light tale about two witches feuding over a hot teenage boy has a predictable, but justifiable ending. The standout stories, however, come from Libba Bray and Cassandra Clare. In Brays Nowhere is Safe, a group of backpackers sidestep the tourist-trap route in favor of a haunted Eastern European village, evoking a Blair Witch Project level of horror. And readers will particularly favor Clares sexy story of forbidden lust between step-siblings on vacation in Jamaica, with a beautiful neighbor out to steal mens souls. Much delightful fare for fans to savor while waiting for these authors to publish their next big hits.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)