Revenge of the Evil Librarian

November 15, 2016
Take one part humor, add an equal part horror, and spice with teenage drama (musical and romantical) for a (slightly grim) laugh. After the events of Evil Librarian (2014), Cyn thought all would be smooth sailing. But she's still got problems: boyfriend Ryan has a very possessive best girl friend at musical-theater camp. Oh, and Cyn hasn't told him that she promised the demoness two more visits. And that's just the start. The (adorable) teen author of Cyn's show is a demon, even if he is the nice kind--and he may have accidentally led Mr. Gabriel, who isn't dead after all, right to Cyn. Campers and counselors start to disappear, Mr. Gabriel's many-legged brother is lurking around, and they still want Cyn's friend as their child bride. What's a "super-roach" (demon-resistant human) to do? Snarky and witty, filled with some steamy dreams, bloody battles, and plenty of musical-theater references, this may not be quite as fizzy as the first book--but it's still a hell of a ride. Levelheaded, confident, ambitious, highhanded Cyn may be imperfect, but she's also perfectly believable. Even the love quadrangle manages to be unexpected and not without flashes of humor. One secondary character is described as dark-skinned, which, combined with the absence of ethnic cues, points to Cyn and Ryan as being white. Campy, from the setting to the humor to the horror, and all the better for it. (Humorous horror. 13 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2017
In Evil Librarian (rev. 11/14), high-school junior Cyn and her crush Ryan saved Cyn's best friend from Mr. Gabriel (a demon masquerading as the new school librarian), put on a killer production of Sweeney Todd, and became a couple. Now Cyn just wants to enjoy the best summer ever at drama camp with Ryan. It's not quite that easy: Cyn doesn't know anyone besides Ryan; and Ryan seems to know never-before-mentioned just-a-friend Jules really well. Cyn is excited to design sets for an original musical written by fellow camper Peter, who turns out to be very cute and a demon, both factors that exacerbate growing insecurities and resentments between Cyn and Ryan. What was supposed to be a demon-free summer soon features one not-evil demon, two definitely-evil demons (including the resurrected Mr. Gabriel), cameos by a demon-wannabe human and a demoness of unclear motives, and a quick trip to the demon world to fulfill a previous bargain. Cyn spends a somewhat unnecessary chapter recapping the first book, then picks up the pace with plenty of supernatural action, funny overreactions, snarky banter, and kissing. That the good guys will win and Cyn and Ryan will work it out are never really in question, but the novel nevertheless builds to a satisfying conclusion with just enough loose ends to make readers eager for what awaits Cyn in her senior year. katie bircher

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)