Evil Librarian

June 30, 2014
Knudsen (The Princess of Trelian) jumps from picture books and middle-grade fiction to YA with this self-aware supernatural dramedy, which sees an ordinary teenage girl caught up in a war between various evil factions, with the souls of her schoolmates at stake. It starts when Cyn Rothchild’s best friend Annie inexplicably falls in love with the new school librarian, John Gabriel. Cyn’s no stranger to unrequited love—she has a thing for the handsome Ryan Halsey, even if she’s too awkward to talk to him—but Annie is acting downright weird. Before long, Cyn learns that Gabriel is a demon out to acquire the power needed to take the throne back home, and her immunity to his influence makes her a wild card. She teams up with Ryan to save Annie and everyone else from an infernal fate. The writing is clever, the tone wry, and the stakes high, with surprises that keep the plot unpredictable. Cyn’s internal monologue provides plenty of amusement, especially when her hormones threaten to overpower her common sense. It’s an entertaining tale with room for future installments. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

July 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-If Louise Rennison and Christopher Moore had a bibliographic love child it would be this cheekily narrated supernatural offering. Cyn is initially thrilled when her teasing BFF Annie finally shows signs of infatuation, until she discovers the object of Annie's affections is the new school librarian. Mr. Gabriel's attention to Annie unsettles Cyn and readers alike. At first suspecting the creepy Gabriel is a manipulative and inappropriate authority figure (awful enough), Cyn learns that he's a horned and winged demon. He wants brainwashed Annie for his human consort, when he returns to his realm to fight for the throne with the life essence he's poached from her classmates. Musical theater crush, Ryan in tow, Cyn fights to save her best friend; enlisting help from the ill-fated, the duped, and the demonic, all while struggling to keep her hormones in check and trying to create a kick-ass barber chair for the school's production of Sweeney Todd. The protagonist is the most developed character, leaving the others sadly stock. But, her narrative voice and the novel's dialogue make it worth the read. Occasional swearing, a dash of romance, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments round out Knudsen's enjoyable comedic tale, reminiscent of the original "Buffy" film.-Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
The spirit of Buffy is alive and kicking in this bloody debut for teens from an author better known for her children's books (The Princess of Trelian, 2012, etc.). Cyn is a backstage genius with an unrequited crush of epic proportions on popular, talented Ryan, the sort of boy who seems to move "in slow motion like some stupid sequence in a bad summer movie." She's got a best friend, she enjoys a healthy relationship with her own carnal desires, and she's snarky and smart and generally the kind of heroine everyone wants. Which is handy, since the hot new librarian is a demon in search of souls to suck as well as a child bride-and he's got his sights set on Cyn's best friend. Luckily, Cyn has a sort of natural demon immunity. And, it turns out, she's got support from Ryan, so she takes on the evil librarian-and then the demonic new principal and a host of other demons, too. Bloodshed and creepy rituals abound, but the horror is always campy and carefully undercut by the entirely realistic, slightly silly nonprogression of Cyn and Ryan's romance (when they finally kiss, it's cathartic for all). Snappily narrated, tightly plotted and generally just right. Forget paranormal romance; this horror-humor-romance pastiche is where those in search of hot nonhumans should set their sights. (Humorous horror. 13 & up)

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January 1, 2015
Cynthia is an ordinary sixteen-year-old. She has a BFF, Annie; a crush on musical theater prodigy, Ryan; and a job tech-directing the school's Sweeney Todd production. But ordinariness goes to hell--literally--when new librarian Mr. Gabriel seems to be mesmerizing students. A Buffy-esque blend of supernatural-baddie confrontation, school story, and dark comedy, with a sweet romance thrown in for good measure.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2014
Cynthia Rothschild is an ordinary sixteen-year-old having an ordinary junior year. She has a BFF, Annie; a head-over-heels crush on musical theater prodigy Ryan Halsey; and a dream job tech-directing the school's Sweeney Todd production. But ordinariness goes to hell -- literally -- when new librarian Mr. Gabriel seems to be mesmerizing Annie and other students. Then Cyn and Ryan catch Mr. G. unmasked, demonic wings and fangs in full force. What follows is a Buffy-esque blend of supernatural-baddie confrontation, school story, and dark comedy, with a sweet, if unsurprising, romance thrown in for good measure. Together Cyn and Ryan research demon-kind, recruit allies, prepare for a showdown with Mr. G. and co., and put on a damn fine musical production. Cyn's innate psychological resistance to demonic powers (the unexplained origin of this resistance, along with a few other loose ends, may hint at a sequel) certainly comes in handy; but, smart, problem-solving, and loyal, she makes an engaging heroine either way. The first-person narration ranges from self-deprecating wit to breathless, punctuation-free anxiety during suspenseful moments, emphasizing Cyn's terror -- and her determination to save those she loves despite her fear. An excellent choice for fans of Cynthia Leitich Smith's Tantalize series or Larbalestier and Brennan's Team Human (rev. 7/12). katie bircher

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)