Dead Is the New Black (Dead Is Series #1)

From the Publisher

2011 Popular Paperbacks Titles Award An ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

"Fans who mourn the loss of TV's Veronica Mars are in for a treat as Perez delivers a wise-cracking, boy-lusting, determined sleuth of a high school protagonist . . . this quick, lighter-than-air spoof of the undead, cheerleaders and popularity is pure pleasure."—Publishers Weekly

"Witty and humorous . . . provides romance, mystery, friendship, adventure, and the supernatural all rolled up in a fast-paced, plot-twisting story."—School Library Journal

"Starts off with a sweet bang—lots of plot lines are set in place, and the characters are well drawn and a bit off the beaten track."—VOYA, (4Q4P) paperback series roundup

Publishers Weekly

Fans who mourn the loss of TV's Veronica Mars are in for a treat as Perez (Unexpected Development) delivers a wise-cracking, boy-lusting, determined sleuth of a high school protagonist named Daisy Giordano. Daisy comes from a crime-solving family of female psychics-Mom gets premonitions, sister Rose can listen in on people's thoughts and sister Poppy has the gift of telekinesis. To Daisy's chagrin, she's the only "normal" in the family-a nonpsychic. She doesn't let this unfortunate genetic deficiency stop her from investigating the mysterious deaths of high school girls around Nightshade, Daisy's wacky hometown, especially when sleuthing gets her face time with Ryan Mendez, Daisy's hottie crush and son of the town police chief. With a suspect cheerleading coach and an even more suspect cheerleading captain-beautiful Samantha "the Divine" Devereaux, who shows up for school pale and dragging a coffin everywhere-this quick, lighter-than-air spoof of the undead, cheerleaders and popularity is pure pleasure. Teens will be glad to know two sequels are already in the pipeline. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)

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Children's Literature - Cassidy Barnette

Daisy Giordano lives in Nightshade with her mother and two sisters, Rose and Poppy. Everyone in her family possesses psychic abilities except her, which makes her feel as though she does not belong. Daisy has very few friends at school, but one friend in particular, Ryan, belongs to the popular group. Their friendship results from their parents' working together—Ryan's father is the chief of police, and Daisy's mother helps him with cases using her psychic abilities. One evening, Daisy's mom asks Rose for help on a case involving a young girl. Daisy, who longs to be accepted by her family, decides to try to solve the case first. With Ryan's help, Daisy can see the body, and she begins her search for the killer. Samantha, the most popular girl in school, and who suddenly begins to wear all black and an ankh pendant, becomes her first suspect because many of the girls who perform on the cheerleading squad with Samantha are becoming sick. This leads Miss Foster, the cheerleading coach, to ask Daisy if she will join the squad. Once Daisy makes the squad, she and Samantha develop a friendship while she and Ryan develop a romantic relationship. Daisy remains skeptical of their intentions and maintains an emotional wall around herself. Daisy soon discovers that the secret town committee, populated by witches, vampires, and werewolves, believes a vampire in the town is sucking souls. After Ryan finds a picture of Miss Foster in an old news article, Daisy realizes that Miss Foster, too, is a vampire. By the end of the story, Daisy develops psychic and telekinetic powers, which she uses to save all the young girls in the town. Throughout the novel, the author creates not only three-dimensional but also dynamic characters. In addition, she does an excellent job of creating believable adolescent characters with believable adolescent problems. Also, the novel is an interesting mystery with many plot twists that hold the reader's attention. Reviewer: Cassidy Barnette

Jessica Kerner

Daisy Gordano, a Nightshade High School junior, is the only "normal" member of a family full of psychics. Her mother often contributes her unique abilities to help solve crimes with the town sheriff. One day, her mother enlists the help of Daisy's older sister to investigate a young girl's death. Meanwhile Samantha, head cheerleader and Queen Bee of Nightshade, returns from summer vacation with a less-than-fashionable makeover — one that includes pale, ghostly skin, lots of black clothing, and a peculiar charm around her neck. Soon girls start dropping like flies, and vampire rumors begin to surface. Nightshade is a breeding ground for supernatural happenings and strange behavior, so it comes as no surprise. Daisy begins snooping around with a little help from her friend Ryan. As she succeeds in solving the mystery, Daisy learns a few new things about herself and those around her. Aside from discovering a few budding talents, Daisy realizes the importance of getting to know people and giving second chances. Reviewer: Jessica Kerner

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up

Nightshade, CA, is downright strange and full of the unexpected. When the girl-to-be, cheerleader Samantha Devereaux, begins the school year with a completely new look, Daisy Giordano gets suspicious. The fact that Samantha appears dead doesn't seem to bother anyone, and before long looking dead becomes the rage. Being dead takes on a whole new meaning when a girl is mysterious attacked and turns up in the morgue, and other cheerleaders are stricken with seizures. Daisy and her psychic sisters get to work investigating the goings-on and learn that the culprit is really a vampire, and Daisy is determined to get to the bottom of things. This is the witty and humorous first installment in a series; it provides romance, mystery, friendship, adventure, and the supernatural all rolled up in a fast-paced, plot-twisting story. Readers will identify with Daisy and her struggle to accept and appreciate who she really is and what she has to offer. The slapstick humor and tough attitudes mixed with the occult make this an entertaining choice for teen libraries.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY