Vesper

January 3, 2011
Middle-grade author Sampson's (Monster Slayer) quick-paced YA debut, first in the Deviants series, gives werewolves an SF twist. Emily Webb is 16 when her subdued good-girl geek life takes an unexpected turn. On the night a classmate is murdered, Emily gets a strange urge to crawl out her bedroom window and get wild. That impulse is just the beginning: following nightly seizures, Emily's timid personality turns aggressive: she steals her stepsister's clubbing clothes for her late-night romps, and her physical abilities are way above the norm. In the space of a few days, Emily's out-of-control nocturnal behavior and her drive to track the source of a musky, masculine scent lead to her ostracization and alienation. Worse, another schoolmate is attacked, and Emily may be next. Sampson lets Emily's story unfold with small reveals, and intriguing details build this into a cohesive page-turner. Although very little of the mystery is resolved, enticing hints of a deeper backstory, combined with a cliffhanger ending, should leave readers eager for the next book. Ages 12–up.

June 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-Geeky, introverted Emily Webb is terrified yet excited by the sudden onset of nighttime transformations that turn her into a bolder, more daring version of herself-a version with increased physical prowess, a taste for adventure, and on the scent of a boy who smells just right. When the nighttime changes fade, Emily is left shocked by her behavior; daytime Emily would never make a move on a cute cop, publicly lick another girl's boyfriend on the face, binge drink, or steal her best friend's car. The power and self-confidence that come with the change is alluring, but as the danger ous behavior of her nighttime persona escalates and the transformations become more wolfish, daytime Emily becomes determined to find out the cause and if it is affecting to other teens in town. The first-person narration gives the plot an immediacy that pulls readers in, and her self-deprecating observations are both charming and reflective of so many girls with low self-esteem. The story is framed by an interrogation-style interview that leaves room for additional books in a series and adds a layer of menace to the unfolding mystery. While the paranormal transformations will tempt fans of the genre and make a good hook for readers, it's Emily's transformation into a confident young woman who is more comfortable in her skin and willing to stick up for herself and others that makes this book a strong addition to most collections.-Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2011
Shy Emily's sudden personality shift (and her eventual change into a wolf) leads to discovery of other teens with strange powers, all genetically engineered and in danger from the company who created them. Emily's nighttime mental and physical transformations help her gain agency as her daytime self. Entertainingly suspenseful and witty (if not always logical), the novel offers a rare female werewolf protagonist.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2011
Grades 8-11 This smart and good-humored addition to the current werewolf wave, the first in the Deviants series, should tickle the fancy of girls who like their genre reading spicy without being crude. Emily Webb, 16, is a geek very aware of the glamorous crowd at school, and even more conscious of her uncomfortably curvaceous body. When the class other Emily is murdered, Emily W.s relatively quiet existence gets left behind. Those familiar with contemporary werewolf plotting will recognize Emily W.'s shape-shifting well before she does but will nevertheless enjoy the ride as she sleuths the other Emilys death, gets on the literal scent track of an unidentified but highly attractive boy, and creates havoc at parties she once never considered attending. Intercut between these high-action chapters are scenes from Emily W.s interrogation by what is clearly an evil force. This conceit proves an effective and unusual way of alerting readers to the potential of Emily W.s werewolf world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

December 15, 2010

A shy, dorky 16-year-old transforms into a wild party girl at night in this effective supernatural thriller. How can a girl who hides in a hoodie all day suddenly change into a lusty seductress, prowling the party-and-club scene at night? How can clumsy Emily easily jump from a second-story window to the ground—in high heels? Emily struggles through the day to cope with her sudden transformations then at night eludes her best friend, assigned to guard her, and ignores being grounded. More mystery emerges when Emily transforms even further—into a wolf. She learns then that whoever murdered one of her classmates seems to be after her, too. Sampson delivers an almost believable scenario through Emily's chatty first-person narration. Meanwhile, other mysteries pop up as the story progresses, leaving readers with an ending that calls for a sequel—on order, as this is the first in the Deviants series. Emily's attractive personality, drab on the surface but with emerging panache, easily holds readers' attention, especially during her feral nighttime prowls. Intriguing. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)