REVENGE OF THE EVIL LIBRARIAN

In the sequel to Evil Librarian, and the lightest book of this bunch, Michelle Knudsen delivers a story filled with romance, drama, and, of course, demons. Last year, Cynthia “Cyn” Rothschild saved her best friend, Annie, from becoming the child bride of an evil demon librarian, Mr. Gabriel. This year, Cyn is off to theater camp with her new boyfriend, Ryan Halsey, to enjoy a summer free of demons and secrets (never mind the one she’s still keeping from Ryan).

But summer camp isn’t quite as relaxing as Cyn thought— not only is her boyfriend’s best friend a very attractive, tall, beautiful blonde named Jules, but the student writer working on Jules’s show is a devilishly charming demon. Worse, Cyn’s secret comes back to haunt her, and soon she fears she might not have seen the last of Mr. Gabriel.

The first-person narrative takes an irreverent, playful tone perfect for the genre. Knudsen also does a superb job of summarizing the first book in the first chapter of Revenge of the Evil Librarian, making it easy to keep track of the expansive cast of characters and follow along with the plot. Peter, the charming demon, is a nice addition, giving Cyn something to worry about other than Jules. Knudsen also does a good job presenting multi-dimensional characters and evolving relationships. For instance, Cyn and her boyfriend tackle jealousy and deceit, and while both make mistakes, it’s obvious that no character is wholly good or wholly evil—demons excluded.

Revenge of the Evil Librarian deftly weaves multiple plots about relationships, plays, and demons into a charming tale with a likeable and charismatic narrator. The book hits all the right young adult notes, and the fantasy elements are intriguing and often humorous, but not overpowering.

Michelle Knudsen, Candlewick Press, Softcover $17.99 (320pp) 978-0-7636-8828-8