The Dolls

Gr 9 Up—Eveny Cheval's life is turned upside down when she and her Aunt Bea move away from their New York home just before her 17th birthday. Eveny hasn't set foot in Carrefour, Louisiana since her mother's suicide 14 years earlier. Returning now, she is stunned by the stately old houses and the pristine gardens. Even her new classmates are flawlessly beautiful—so much so that most people call them the Dolls. Drawn in by Peregrine Marceau and Chloe St. Pierre, Eveny is soon at the center of the decadence that is the Dolls's world. But beneath the wealth and charm, Carrefour is hiding a secret, one that leads to murder and dark turths about Eveny and her past. Atmospheric writing and genuine chills enhance this story that is populated with familiar mean girls, gorgeous boys, and a generally clever narrator. Sullivan capitalizes on the Southern setting here to spine-tingling effect as the story moves in a surprising direction involving voodoo magic and sinister forces at work around Carrefour. Sure to be popular with fans of the "Vampire Academy" (Razorbill), "Hex Hall" (Hyperion), "Caster Chronicles" (Little, Brown) or "Pretty Little Liars" (HarperCollins) series.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library