Scorch Book Review

Author: Gina Damico. Release date: 2012. Publisher: Graphia. ISBN: 9780547624570.

Annotation: Now that Zara has stolen her power to Damn, Lex has become an outcast in Croak, with the townspeople all convinced that she is responsible for the murderous rampage that Zara is now on. With Croak no longer safe, Lex and her friends must travel to the DeMyse, the Las Vegas of the Grimsphere, to escape Zara and learn more about a mysterious book that might put an end to Zara’s killing spree.    

Personal thoughts: I absolutely loved Croak, so I was super excited to pick up the sequel and continue with the fun and laughs. Unfortunately, I didn’t experience very many of either when I was reading Scorch. The storyline was very bleak, and I felt like everything whimsical and enjoyable about Croak just wasn’t present. I still like the characters and think that there is potential for the author to improve, but Scorch was a bit of a sophomore slump for me.  

Plot summary: After Zara stole her power to Damn souls to an eternity of torment, Lex has become an outcast in Croak. The townspeople don’t seem to understand that Zara killed Lex’s sister, Cordy, to get to her and that she never meant for her power to transfer to Zara; they only know that Zara is on a murderous rampage and that Lex is responsible. Determined to put a stop to Zara’s killing spree, Lex, her friends, and Uncle Mort begin to research the Wrong Book, a mysterious text that is held in an impenetrable cabin in the woods surrounding Croak that holds the key to some of the Grimsphere’s most elusive secrets. The only problem? Zara wants the Wrong Book for herself and begins Damning innocent people around the country, convinced that Lex has the book in her possession and is hiding it from her. With the townspeople getting more and more hostile and the threat of an attack from Zara looming, Lex and her friends decide to travel to DeMyse, the Las Vegas of the Grimsphere. There they hope to learn more about the Wrong Book and stay safe long enough to figure out if the information it contains can put an end to Zara’s reign of terror.

Review: Picking up where the first book left off, Scorch, the second installment in Gina Damico’s Croak series, proves to be a decent sequel to what was a stellar beginning in the previous novel. While the author does a lot to expand the world she created in Croak, introducing new characters, backstories and locations, a lot of what made Croak such an enjoyable novel is, unfortunately, absent. The dry humor that permeated the first book is almost completely gone, replaced with a storyline full of tension as Lex and her life in the quirky town of Croak crumble. The plot is far more serious in Scorch, with Zara, the surprise antagonist in Croak, going around the country murdering innocent people. The town of Croak itself, which played a big part in the first novel, is also replaced by various new locations, such as DeMyse, a shallow, Las Vegas-esque city run by an over-the-top mayor. Some of the relationships begun in Croak are expanded, particularly that between Lex and her boyfriend Driggs, but the majority of the novel is dedicated to Lex’s life getting worse and worse as Zara wreaks havoc on the Grimsphere. Overall, Scorch is not nearly as fun as Croak, but the series still has lots of potential, especially since the author does a good job of world-building and creating a storyline that can carry through to another novel. Hopefully the third novel, Rogue, can continue the series in a positive direction when it is released September 10, 2013.

Genre:  Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Croak by Gina Damico, Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Revenants series by Amy Plum, Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.    

Themes:  Grim reapers, the afterlife, murder, revenge, death, danger, secrets.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive review from Kirkus and School Library Journal.

Series Information: Second installment in Croak series. First installment, Croak, released in 2012. Third installment, Rogue, set to be released September 10, 2013.  

Discussion questions:

-        Do you agree with Zara using her powers to Damn criminals, even if it wasn’t their time to die? Why or why not?

-         Why do you think Lex became an outcast in Croak after Zara stole her powers?

-        Do you think Cordy is happy in the Afterlife? Why or why not?

-         Why do you think Zara wants the Wrong Book so much?

-       Do you agree with the decision Leroy made to keep DeMyse safe? Why or why not?

-         How would you explain what happened to Driggs at the end of the novel?

-          What would you like to see happen in the third novel, Rogue?

Croak Book Review

 Author: Gina Damico. Release date: 2012. Publisher:  Graphia. ISBN: 9780547608327.

Annotation: After spending the last two years constantly getting in trouble at school for fighting, stealing, and cursing, sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby’s parents decide to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer. Upset that she has to spend the next three months on a farm, Lex is surprised when, after arriving in the small town of Croak, she learns that her uncle is actually a Grim Reaper, and he is recruiting her for one unusual summer job.  

Personal thoughts: It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a book that I loved as much as Croak from start to finish. Gina Damico’s writing style really resonated with me because she is able to accomplish a lot without being cliché, melodramatic, or attempting to manipulate the reader into feeling a certain way. She simple wrote a good, entertaining and original story with a solid plot and likable characters: a definite recipe for success! Even though I didn’t like her at first, I am now a huge Lex fan and can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel, Scorch. I highly recommend this book to teens, adults, or anyone who simply wants something that is breezily paced and enjoyable.    

Plot summary: For the past two years, sixteen-year-old Lexington “Lex” Bartleby has made it her personal mission to punch, bite, scratch or generally injure her classmates. She used to be a straight-A student and have more friends than just her twin sister, Cordy, but for some reason she has been overcome by an inexplicable rage that makes her lash out at everyone, even her loving parents. Fed up with her bad attitude (and potty mouth), her parents decide to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer. Lex is, of course, beyond angry, but soon finds herself on a bus travelling north to the small town of Croak. After she arrives and meets her motorcycle riding, crazy-haired but strangely likable uncle, she soon realizes that Croak isn’t your average farming town. It’s actually home to the eastern seaboard’s population of Grim Reapers, people who travel instantaneously from place to place, extracting the souls from those who have died and transporting them to the afterlife. Uncle Mort informs Lex that her rage is a normal reaction that arises from those who have the natural ability to be Grims, and that she will be spending the summer reaping along with the other Juniors, teenagers who call Croak home. At first, Lex is excited about her new life in Croak. She gets along well with the other Juniors and even likes her partner in reaping, a guy just a few years older than her named Driggs. But not everything is happy-go-lucky in Croak: it seems that a rogue Grim has been travelling under the radar and killing people who weren’t ready to die. When it appears that this murderer is now targeting other Grims, Lex, Driggs and Uncle Mort must find out who it is before it’s too late.

Review: Funny and original, it is difficult for fans of the young adult genre not to instantly fall in love with Croak, the first novel in a witty new series for teens by Gina Damico. From start to finish, Croak is well-written, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. One of the most unusual (and ultimately satisfying) parts of the story is that, in the beginning, the reader isn’t compelled to like Lex. She is foul-mouthed, rude, violent, and just plain irritating. She has no reason to be as angry as she is, and, like her parents and sweet twin sister, the reader hopes that Uncle Mort will (literally) knock some sense into her. After she arrives in Croak, however, and begins working as a Grim, she begins to transform into someone readers can root for. This transformation isn’t forced, but is one of the best parts of the story. In addition to this, there are loads of other things readers will love about Croak. The town itself is interesting, with all of the shops having morbid names and equally morbid owners. The mechanics of the Grim system of collecting and transporting souls from those who have died is also very original and not confusing, something that often happens when novels for teens get a bit too scientific in their descriptions of how paranormal things actually work. Supporting characters like Lex’s lovable Uncle Mort, her wise-cracking partner, Driggs, and her other new friends in Croak add a great deal to the story as well. Overall, a fast-paced and fun start to a series that is easy to recommend to both teen and adult readers alike. The sequel, Scorch, was released in September 2012.

Genre:  Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading level: Grade 8+

Similar titles: Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Revenants series by Amy Plum, Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.

Themes:  Grim Reapers, the afterlife, death, anger, friendship, murder, mystery.   

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, Bulletin and Booklist.

Series Information: First novel in Croak series. Second novel, Scorch, released in September 2012. Third novel set to be in 2013.        

Discussion questions:

-         Why do you think Lex was such a bully at her school? Do you think that bullies often have a “rage” like the one Lex described?

-       Were you surprised to learn Uncle Mort’s actual profession and the true nature of the town of Croak? Do you think Lex was?

-      What did you think of the author’s description of the afterlife? Do you think it’s okay to read books like Croak even if your personal or religious beliefs conflict with the story? Why or why not?

-      Who was your favorite character in the novel? Why?

-         Why do you think the residents of Croak were so distrustful of Lex? Do you think their opinions changed over time?

-       What would you like to see happen in the sequel, Scorch?