Amie Stuart ~ On the Back Porch

So I wake up Saturday morning to an email from Mik, reminding me that there’s a book signing today for a friend of Candace Havens.  Candace told us all about Rosemary’s book at the last meeting and asked us to come.  So we went, after a mad dash through TGI Fridays (and leaving the Ohio/Xavier game just as that three point shot went off and time ran out = overtime).  And we got to meet Rosemary Clement Moore, who is just cute as a bug, but I digress.  My child acted like a complete ASS in front of Mik and I still can’t believe I didn’t snatch his ass up like a three year old.  Sad too, Mik’s 5 YO was better than my 13 YO.  Brat.

Anyway so I come home with this book and I start reading and watching basketball (HELLO it’s March Madness BABY).  Oh. My.  God.  I want Candace to be my personal book shopper from now on.  Prom Dates From Hell is the BEST BOOK!

Maggie Quinn, Girl reporter. Honors student, newspaper staffer, yearbook photographer. Six weeks from graduation and all she wants to do is get out of Avalon High in one piece. Fate seems to have different plans for her.

High school may be a natural breeding ground for evil, but the scent of fire and brimstone is still a little out of the ordinary. It’s the distinct smell of sulfur that makes Maggie suspect that something’s a bit off. And when realTwilight Zone stuff starts happening to the school’s ruling clique—the athletic elite and the head cheerleader and her minions, all of whom happen to be named Jessica—Maggie realizes it’s up to her to get in touch with her inner Nancy Drew and ferret out who unleashed the ancient evil before all hell breaks loose.

Maggie has always suspected that prom is the work of the devil, but it looks like her attendance will be mandatory. Sometimes a girl’s got to do some pretty undesirable things if she wants to save her town from soul-crushing demons from hell and the cheerleading squad.

BTW Ignore the Library Journal review up at Amazon.  Maybe I was just having too much fun, but I didn’t figure out the final twist until the end.  Maggie does do a bit of ass kicking but not in an unbelievable way and she also gets her ass kicked to boot.  She’s a super fun character to read with a great first person voice, and I’m a sucky reviewer but this is just a great fun YA read that didn’t feel like it was just for young’uns

And to top off my day A & M AND North Carolina (along with UT) are advancing to the Sweet Sixteen!

I’ll be sending out a newsletter today or tomorrow and I’m giving away an autographed copy of Sandy Blair’s A Thief in a Kilt!  (Yes, after the book signing I wish I’d gotten Rosemary to sign an extra copy for me!).  I’ve also got an interview with Steph Tyler whose first book goes on sale in April! And some coverflats to give away….so stay tuned!