A Bad Day for Voodoo

July 9, 2012
Humor and horror collide in Strand's (Fangboy) YA debut. After an unusual chain of circumstances culminates with a magically-supercharged voodoo doll being made of high school sophomore Tyler Churchill, Tyler, his girlfriend, and his borderline sociopathic best friend embark on a dramatic journey across town to deactivate the doll before it maims or kills him. Naturally, everything goes wrong, as the doll passes from the hands of carjackers to a Rottweiler, a larcenous taxi driver, and more. Tyler and friends must outwit numerous dangers as the night grows increasingly bloody and bizarre, bringing with it zombies, cannibals, voodoo priestesses, and the cops. A snarky and self-aware tone, casual descriptions of mayhem, and narrative tricks (during an "Intermission" readers are encouraged to "Take a break and read The Hunger Games again") contribute to the lunatic atmosphere of this free-wheeling dark comedy that starts off running and doesn't stop until all plausibility is exhausted. Sam Raimi fans should eat it up. Ages 12âup. Agent: Stephanie Kip Rostan, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

May 1, 2012
When Tyler's jerky sophomore-history teacher falsely accuses him of cheating, his somewhat psycho best friend Adam pays to have a voodoo doll made of their teacher. Despite Tyler's initial disbelief that the doll could be real, the two try it out the following day. Tyler sticks the doll's leg with a pin, and his teacher's leg flies off, spurting blood everywhere. The paramedics take him away. The two boys proceed to freak out--Adam much more so than Tyler, because then he has a voodoo doll made in Tyler's image to blackmail him from spilling their story to the cops. All of this happens in the first 45 pages, and what ensues is a ridiculously stupid chase to rescue the doll from car-stealing thugs, a Rottweiler and a host of other bizarre and mildly humorous characters before Tyler meets an untimely demise. Strand's best selling point is his ability to create authentic teen voices and craft wacky plot twists that baffle and surprise readers. The novel's assets stop there, however. The characterizations are shaky. The plotting is haphazard and dissonant, and the author occasionally inserts his own commentary into the novel at various points, advising readers to "take a break and read the Hunger Games again." Readers might do well to take his advice. (Thriller. 12 & up)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 7 Up-"Life and my classroom share a common trait: no second chances," says Tyler Churchill's 10th-grade history teacher, after he accuses the teen of cheating on a test. A few days later, Tyler receives a voodoo doll of the mean teacher from his friend Adam. Though initially Tyler insists that he doesn't believe in voodoo, when (at Adam's urging) he curiously pokes the doll's leg in class, Mr. Click's leg severs from his body and flies across the room, spurting blood. After the man dies from a broken neck (the doll's neck gets bent while Adam and Tyler are fighting), Tyler believes he's a murderer. Adam, a little deranged and afraid that Tyler will report him to the police for his part in the crime, orders a voodoo doll of Tyler and the twisted violence and real hilarity kick off. Adam, Tyler, and Tyler's girlfriend encounter challenge after challenge as they try to return the doll of Tyler to the shop. Their adventures include a ride with a crazy cab driver and an epic undertaking to retrieve the stolen doll from gangsters. A FAQ section playfully sets the stage for Tyler's first-person narration. Though the teen's frequent digressions somewhat distract from the action, fans of Strand's other novels of outrageous circumstance-Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) (Mundania Press, 2003) and Wolf Hunt (Amazon, 2011)-will not be disappointed. A delightfully ludicrous read.-Jamie-Lee Schombs, Library Journal

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