Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Release Date: Sept. 18, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Pages: 304
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound Description: Goodreads
And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Tween Jessica was often spotted with a book in her hand, and the chances were quite high that it was written by R.L. Stine.  He was one of the very first authors to adorn my Always Buy list, and I blew through every Fear Street book I could get my hands on (though I never did get into Goosebumps). So, when I started Ten by Gretchen McNeil, I was immediately reminded of those Fear Street stories—their creepiness, their set-ups, their unputdownability.  The highest praise I can give Ten is that, in all the very best ways, it made me feel 13 again.  Also, it’s a wickedly creeptacular bonanza of suspense, romance, humor, and just the right amount of gore.

Loosely based on the infamous novel And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, Ten begins with Meg and Minnie on their way to spend the weekend at a friend’s mansion on the almost entirely isolated Henry Island.  It’s February, it’s Washington State, and it’s storming like a mofo.  They arrive at White Rock House to find that their hostess missed the last ferry onto the island, and Meg’s (and Minnie’s!) crush T.J. is one of the other 8 guests.  The weekend takes a strange turn after the discovery of a cryptic DVD that ends with the threat, “Vengeance is mine!”  Of course, that’s when the bodies start piling up.  Meg doesn’t trust a soul, and it might be what comes back to get her in the end.

This is not only a love letter to those Fear Street books of my youth; it’s also very reminiscent of the horror movies of the 90s like Scream.  Part of it is the fact that the main characters are teenagers, but also, it’s got that same kind of what’s-lurking-around-the-corner suspense.  There is something spine-chilling going on at White Rock House that gave me The Wiggins even more than McNeil’s first novel Possess.  I think it’s because there’s nothing supernatural at work here, nor does there need to be.  It’s terrifying to imagine a “normal” person becoming so hateful that they plot the elaborate murders of 10 people.  That is just brilliant.  And the deaths themselves?  Even better.  Each death is catered to the character specifically, and the reveals as to the reason behind the specific death add another level of creepy. 

McNeil develops just enough of each character (with the exception of protagonist Meg) so that you’re constantly guessing as to the identity of the murderer, and Meg only stays innocent because you get the story from her point of view.  Meg establishes herself as a lone wolf writer from the very beginning, so I love that she picks up on clues that the others don’t notice.  Also, for a book where characters are dropping left and right, there’s a surprising amount of relationship building and development.  There are secret romances, furtive glances, and every Meg and T.J. scene is a little slice of happy, especially around all this horror.

If you’re nostalgic for those slasher flicks from back in the day or just looking for something to give you the best kind of scare, I’d highly recommend Ten.  It’s got a little bit of everything, plus a lot of thrills and chills.  It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a VERY BRIGHT SUNNY DAY when there’s absolutely no darkness.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Release Date: Aug. 23
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Source: Purchased
Pages: 379
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

I do not watch horror films if I can help it.  In fact, one of the only horror flicks I’ve ever made it through was The Exorcist and it terrified me like a little girl who is terrified of exorcisms.  So, as I read the summary of Possess, I thought to myself, “What would possibly possess me to read a horror novel that sounds like the YA version of The Exorcist?” (You see what I did there?)  In spite of my fears, I devoured Gretchen McNeil’s delightfully dark and twisty tale as fast as I could.  Possess was creepy as all get out, but it was also sweet, hilarious, and entirely entertaining.

Bridget has the ability to hear and speak to demons as well as the power to send them packing from wherever they happen to be squatting.  She somehow manages to come across as fierce and snarky while handling something that’s completely otherworldly, and that’s a big reason why I couldn’t put this book down.  In many ways, Bridget reminded me of Buffy Summers—a teenage girl who wants nothing more than to be utterly ordinary but cannot help that she is all things extraordinary.  Oh, and she’s a quipping machine which is also quite Buffy-like (or rather Joss Whedon-like).

The plot barrels forward at a perfect pace, rarely ever giving you a chance to catch your breath whether you’re holding it in fear, gasping with laughter, or sighing with romance.  Like I said, I’m pretty much terrified by the entire idea of exorcisms, and this played into all of those fears, as well as a few more.  At one point, Bridget has to exorcise an antique doll store, where the evil spirits have possessed the dolls to move and stare and speak in demonic voices.  In other words, they are my nightmares.  Aside from the scary scary dolls, there’s also the murder mystery to figure out.  I couldn’t help thinking of Veronica Mars during much of this search, most especially when she questions alleged murderer of her father and super insane guy Milton Undermeyer.

Bridget’s relationship with Matt is a nice, subtle distraction from all the demonology.  It’s clear from the moment he appears that Matt is all about the Bridge, but it is so much fun to watch Bridget realize her own feelings.  Also, any boy who can confidently rock a purple tie, grey waistcoat and a matching grey fedora to a school dance instead of a suit is a-ok to me.  Though Matt’s is my favorite, all of the relationships in this book felt so authentic.  I loved any interaction we got with little brother Sammy, who could simultaneously seem younger and older than his proper age of 8 at any given moment, as well as best friend Hector.  I haven’t heard a talk of any more books after this, but I certainly wouldn’t mind more time with these characters.

If you’re looking for a fast, well-paced, creepy fun story with a snarky heroine, I would definitely recommend Possess.  Even with all of the things that made my scaredy-cat heart weep, I will read anything else Gretchen McNeil throws my way.  Just, no more dolls.  Please.