A few short months ago, Maggie Quinn defeated the seriously evil demon that was trying to take over her senior prom. Now Maggie's back in Hell Week, and she can't even crack the staff of the Bedivere College newspaper. What gives? But Maggie's luck suddenly changes when she goes undercover as a pledge to Sigma Alpha Xi, the campus' most popular - and most secretive - sorority. Her Phantom Pledge articles are a hit, and that's not the only place where Maggie's life has taken a turn for the lucky. It's not long before Maggie starts to question whether there's something supernaturally lucky about the Sigma Alpha Xis - even beyond their abnormally perfect hair.In Highway to Hell, which will be released in April 2009, Maggie and Lisa take off on a totally demon-free roadtrip. They're going to spend Spring Break on the beach at Cabo San Lucas - ironically, of course. But thanks to a middle of the night encounter with a dead cow in the middle of a deserted Texas highway, the girls are stuck in a tiny town with some very unusual characters. (Luckily, one of those characters is a devastatingly gorgeous real-live cowboy.) Things quickly take a totally unsurprising turn for the supernatural, and once again Maggie is hot on the trail of some unusual demonic activity. After making inquiries at the only bar in town about what animal could have gruesomely killed the cow that totaled their jeep, Maggie and Lisa are becoming more and more sure that the mythical chupacabra is very real - and very nasty.The second and third books in the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil series stay true to the super-sarcastic, laugh-out-loud funny voice of Prom Dates From Hell. But now Maggie's well past her early skepticism. She's accepted that there are demons hanging out in her neighborhood, and that as the local psychic investigative journalist with a spellcasting best friend and a love interest who studies supernatural mythology, she's the one who's going to have to deal with all the evil beasties that pop up in her area. And as Maggie acknowledges her psychic powers and begins to learn how to use them, they no longer feel like a tacked-on plot point - they're an integral part of both books.These books start to dig further into the how and why of the demons and magic that are popping up around Maggie Quinn, and the mix of folklore, religion, and superstition are a strength of Clement-Moore's. Maggie's boyfriend brings the theoretical knowledge, and her sorcerer friend Lisa brings the practical application. It's Maggie who pulls it all together, using both her natural curiosity and her psychic Spidey-sense. Highway to Hell brings some traditional brujas into the picture, as well as the intriguing addition of a priest-in-training to their crew of demon-battlers. The young priest is a great foil for Lisa the sometimes-evil sorceror, and he also has his run-ins with Maggie, whose relationship with religion is pretty well summed up in Hell Week:"Facing Evil with a capital E makes a convincing argument that somewhere, in some shape or form, there was Good with a capital G, too, and I wanted no mistake about which side I was on.I'm not saying team Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is the only team in the G league, but it's what I defaulted to when I needed to get my spiritual ducks in a row. Even so, I'm not exactly what you would call a reverent traditionalist.'Okay, God.' I stared up at the dark ceiling. 'Maybe you could throw me a bone here. I'm going in circles and could really use a signpost.' I paused, trying to sound at least a little supplicant. 'So. . . anytime you're ready, that would be great.'"-Hell Week, page 166The question of where God falls in all this mix of magic and mayhem is a welcome addition to the world of the books, and I hope that the priest character will be back in future Maggie Quinn adventures.With their fast-paced action, sharp tongues, and quick wit, Maggie and her friends are a great match for any teenage Buffy fans in your life. They potentially have some appeal to readers of the Twilight books - but you might want to make it clear that if Maggie Quinn runs into a vampire in her biology class, that vampire's going to have a stake through his heart sooner than he can say "I'm madly in love with you!" The teen-friendly covers make these books a pretty easy sell, but it's the bitingly funny characters and their smart take on some implausible situations that will keep readers coming back. As Maggie puts it, "'Yes, we're in over our heads... Maybe there's someone in the world who actually understands how all this works, who's fully equipped with the armor of righteousness and the flamethrower or smiting or whatever else is in the arsenal of Team Good. But unless they're hiding behind a mesquite tree somewhere, me, my freaky brain, my sorcerous friend, and my paladin boyfriend are all that stands between Hell and Texas'" (Highway to Hell, page 293). ( )

Maggie Quinn goes undercover to expose the inanity of Greek life and ends up drawn into a sorority whose success is demonically fueled. Fast paced, witty and charming. ( )

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Maggie wants to be a reporter for the college newspaper. When the professor turns her down because she's just a lowly freshman, she goes undercover for a behind-the-scenes look at sororities and Rush.

Soon, she's making friends and enemies among the other pledges and asking questions that could seem suspicious. When Maggie finally decides on one house, she comes to realize that there's more to the sisterhood than meets the eye.

When the leaders of the sorority make it clear that they like her power, Maggie realizes that there's something supernatural going on behind closed doors. Maggie's curiosity leads her into trouble time and time again, especially now that there are secrets spilling.

Can Maggie figure out what's going on and stop it before people get hurt, or will her undercover act be blown wide open?

HELL WEEK picks up shortly after PROM DATES FROM HELL. Maggie gets her Nancy Drew on and the suspense adds great tension to the novel. Add in a dash of romance and it's the perfect teen book. ( )

I think the second book in the Maggie Quinn series is better than the first. I love Maggie's snarky humor and quick comebacks. The one liners are things you want to remember to try yourself sometimes. I think this read is geared towards older teens as there are sexual situations and some alcohol references, but nothing serious. I think the cover perfectly pictures Maggie. I can't wait for the next one in this series. Watching Maggie grow is wonderful!

Posted by Mary at 3:41 PM
Labels: 2009 Book Challenge, 2009 Book Challenge Young Adult
2 comments:
Wrighty said...
So glad to hear you liked this one! I got it recently from the library but haven't had the chance to read it yet. Now I look forward to it even more. Great review!

August 29, 2009 12:02 AM
Mary said...
Thank you Wrighty (love the name) Gah! Looking back at this review, I broke every rule of English 101 and started every sentance with the same word. I am going to have to work on that LOL!

August 29, 2009 12:02 PM
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I haven't read Prom Dates from Hell, Rosemary Clement-Moore's first book in this series, but that didn't make this book any less enjoyable. Although I probably missed some references to the events in the first book, I never felt lost or confused reading Hell Week on its own. I liked the way the author made me feel a part of Maggie's experience with college and rush (flashback!) and dealing with her growing psychic ability.

I wasn't clear on the on-again, off-again relationship with the boyfriend--seemed a little contrived--but I liked how Maggie took on the challenge of fighting the big bad and how she was able to call on her friends and family for back up. And if the ending was not as strong as the beginning, I could forgive that because the overall read was so enjoyable. ( )