Save Me

Gr 8 Up—When two mysterious boys enter Cara's life, introducing an intense friendship and a forbidden romance, everything else begins to unravel. Cara is attacked by one of the beloved whales she works with at her after-school job, her best friend drops her cold, and she is beginning to suspect that all the strange behavior that's sweeping through her small coastal town is more sinister than she originally thought. The devil has come to town, and it's up to Cara and her new crew to set things right. The anxiety and dread that infuse the narrative from page one is carried throughout, and this ominous mood is the book's strongest feature. The author handles the taboo nature of Cara's new relationship (he's her student teacher) with a careful, chaste hand, but this practiced cautiousness leaves the romance a bit deflated and stiff. Readers will stay several steps ahead of the demonic plot line, and may not be given enough information about the characters to understand their motivations and reactions. However, angst, longing, and witchcraft abound. This title is quick read for super-fans of paranormal romance.—Beth McIntyre, Madison Public Library, WI