  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 08/01/2017 *Starred Review* For generations, the Redding family has enjoyed uncommonly good luck. Wealthy, successful, and charismatic, the family has it made, right down to popular 12-year-old Prue, who miraculously recovered from a severe heart condition. Her twin brother, Prosper, though, is unextraordinary—the only normal Redding in centuries. Of course, Prosper never thought that the family’s luck was anything other than, well, luck, and maybe the result of the machinations of his intense, overbearing grandmother (“It wasn’t that me and Prue hated our grandmother. It was just that we thought she might be the Devil in a dress suit”). So Prosper is just as surprised as anyone to learn that he has a 4,000-year-old demon living inside him—and that the demon, Alastor, is responsible for the Reddings’ luck. Prosper’s many-greats-grandfather broke the contract with Alastor, and now Alastor is out for revenge. Now Prosper’s rushing to break the curse with the help of his long-lost uncle and witch-in-training cousin, while Alastor, who has some demonic problems of his own, keeps trying to trick him into a contract. Bracken’s (Passenger, 2016) new middle-grade offering is an infectious, entertaining series starter. Hapless, dry Prosper is at hilarious odds with his demanding, old-fashioned demon companion, and the thrilling plot twists will keep even the most savvy readers guessing. Clever, occasionally frightening, and always fun, this will hook plenty. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 09/01/2017 Gr 5–9—A long time ago, during the Salem witch trials, Honor Redding promised a fiend named Alastor the eternal servitude of everyone in his line in exchange for unimaginable wealth. Instead, Honor outwitted the fiend and reneged on the deal. Now Prosper Redding, Honor's modern-day descendant, is possessed by Alastor, and it's up to the teen and his family to vanquish the demon. With the help of some "black sheep" in the family, Prosper must figure out a way to break the curse. Alastor, however, has other ideas. Can the young man survive his family curse long enough to break it? Unique and humorous, the plot is filled with fantastical mystery and paranormal elements. The main characters, including the villain, are likable and flawed. The author's smooth transitions and delightful writing style will draw readers into the story with ease. This is a must-read for fans of Bracken and paranormal mysteries. VERDICT A first purchase for middle school audiences.—Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Library Services - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
 |