VESPER

A shy, dorky 16-year-old transforms into a wild party girl at night in this effective supernatural thriller. How can a girl who hides in a hoodie all day suddenly change into a lusty seductress, prowling the party-and-club scene at night? How can clumsy Emily easily jump from a second-story window to the ground—in high heels? Emily struggles through the day to cope with her sudden transformations then at night eludes her best friend, assigned to guard her, and ignores being grounded. More mystery emerges when Emily transforms even further—into a wolf. She learns then that whoever murdered one of her classmates seems to be after her, too. Sampson delivers an almost believable scenario through Emily’s chatty first-person narration. Meanwhile, other mysteries pop up as the story progresses, leaving readers with an ending that calls for a sequel—on order, as this is the first in the Deviants series. Emily’s attractive personality, drab on the surface but with emerging panache, easily holds readers’ attention, especially during her feral nighttime prowls. Intriguing. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)