BOOKS

Black Bird of the Gallows

309p. Entangled Teen. Sept. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781633758155.
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Gr 7 Up—Angie feels an instant attraction to her new neighbor Reece when she meets him at the bus stop. But there's something unsettling about the boy he's with, whose face seems to change in front of Angie's eyes. As Angie gets to know Reece better, she learns that he's not the typical boy-next-door but someone, or something, caught up in ancient dark magic. Meanwhile, the face-changing boy is capable of death and destruction and has played a part in the downfall of Angie's now-dead mother. This is a paranormal teen romance with familiar themes. Angie sits with the band geeks and is bullied by the cool girl, but has a secret life as a DJ in a popular club. She and Reece fall in love, but his cursed, half-human existence means their romance appears doomed. In a massive environmental disaster, Angie saves the cool girl, who confesses that she is secretly jealous of Angie. There's some violence, swearing, and sexual references but nothing is particularly graphic.
VERDICT While there are some rather predictable tropes, the author has created an interesting world of mythical and paranormal creatures that will appeal to avid fans of the genre.

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