Diabolical

March 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Lucifer is up to his evil tricks again. This time he is corrupting the souls of innocents under the guise of a reputable boarding school in Vermont. When Miranda, a redeemed vampire in Penultimate (limbo/weigh station for ascending souls) discovers that her friend Lucy has enrolled at the evil Scholomance Academy, she asks her love and former guardian angel, Zachary, to investigate. He enlists the help of his friend Kieren, a werewolf, and his girlfriend Quincie, a vampire. Along with the other students at the academy they quickly find themselves up against pure sadistic evil. Told from the alternating points of view of the four main characters, this captivating story combines action, suspense, and romance with just the right touch of humor to keep it entertaining. A great finish to an original and satisfying series.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2011
A werewolf, a guardian angel and a former vampire princess take turns narrating the fourth in this smart, playful series that began with Tantalize (2007). Miranda renounced her blood-sucking ways in 2009's Eternal and has since been stuck in limbo at a hotel called the Penultimate somewhere between Earth and Heaven. From there, she keeps tabs on her best friend, Lucy, and is dismayed to see her arrive at Scholomance Preparatory Academy, a boarding school in rural Vermont that may be a place of great evil. She sends word to her soul mate, the guardian angel Zachary, who sets out with werewolf/human hybrid Kieren and his girlfriend Quincie to investigate the matter. A blend of romance, action and horror, this distinguishes itself from the crowd of paranormal teen fare with the employ of plenty of camp and a healthy dose of dry humor, as in this passage where Zachary attempts to prove his angel status to Lucy: " 'Demons have scaly, dragonlike, clawed wings,' I counter. 'Not gleaming, white, eagle-like...pretty wings.' That sounded lame. Luminous is the word Quincie uses. I should have said that." However, the pacing of this installment drags in places, particularly in the sections narrated by Miranda, so far in remove from the main event. This flaw aside, fans of the first three will thrill to this latest. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

January 1, 2012
It's a considerable challenge for a series not to lose steam by the fourth book, but this one runs full force on the fires of hell and the sword power of heaven. Glorious, golden guardian angel Zachary teams up with sexy wolf-boy Kieren to make a daring rescue at the mysterious Scholomance Academy. Finding themselves locked in, Zachary and Kieren join forces with an eclectic group of students to face down their demonic instructor, an axe-wielding caretaker, and the very hounds of hell. The ultimate showdown is a Harry Potter-worthy battle between good and evil -- but with a welcome dose of devilish humor. Zachary's beloved Miranda, the first wholly redeemed vampire, watches helplessly from heaven's way station. She intercedes in the only way possible -- by filing the appropriate form lifted from the office of Archangel Michael. Smith recalls her entire cast of uniquely imagined supernaturals and expertly weaves their stories into this fourth book. This installment is a model for incorporating just enough details from previous books to bring readers up to speed, but those already invested in the characters will be the most satisfied. Demonically inspired by Stoker's Dracula and divinely imagined into the present day, the series blends supernatural adventure with real adolescent preoccupations, from homework to hormones. No spoilers here...but happily ever after was never so literal. lauren adams

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2012
In this fourth entry, angel Zachary and wolf-boy Kieren join forces with an eclectic group of students at Scholomance Academy to face down their demonic instructor and the very hounds of hell. Smith recalls her entire cast of uniquely imagined supernaturals and expertly weaves their stories into this installment, incorporating just enough details from previous books to bring readers up to speed.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)