Possess [Hardcover]

Gretchen McNeil (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 23, 2011

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her over-protective mom, by Matt Quinn, the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, the voices are demons—and Bridget possesses the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. Literally.

Terrified to tell her friends or family about this new power, Bridget confides in San Francisco’s senior exorcist, Monsignor Renault. The monsignor enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession, but just as she is starting to come to terms with her freakish new role, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. And when one of her oldest friends is killed, Bridget realizes she’s in deeper than she ever thought possible. Now she must unlock the secret to the demons’ plan before someone else close to her winds up dead—or worse, the human vessel for a demon king.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A fantastic YA debut …. the humor and occasional twists will keep fans of the genre hooked and wanting to finish this book in one sitting.” (School Library Journal )

“McNeil strikes a fine balance between outright scares and sarcastic humor…[a] light, entertaining read.” (ALA Booklist )

“With demons, secrets, and a butt-kicking heroine, POSSESS is a whole lotta dark and twisted fun!” (Kimberly Derting, author of the Body Finder series )

“A dark, unique, and intelligent novel with frightening twists around every corner that left me breathless.” (Courtney Allison Moulton, author of ANGELFIRE )

About the Author

Gretchen McNeil is a former coloratura soprano and was the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys, and she currently sings with the L.A.-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She is a founding member of vlog group the YARebels—where she can be seen as "Monday"—and is an active member of the Enchanted Inkpot, a group blog of YA and middle-grade fantasy writers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray (August 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062060716
• ISBN-13: 978-0062060716
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #552,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gretchen McNeil is an opera singer, writer and clown. Her YA horror POSSESS about a teen exorcist debuted with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins in 2011. Her follow up TEN - YA horror/suspense about ten teens trapped on a remote island with a serial killer - was released September 18, 2012, and her third novel 3:59 - sci fi doppelganger horror about two girls who are the same girl in parallel dimensions who decide to switch places - is scheduled for Fall 2013. Gretchen's new YA contemporary series Don't Get Mad (Revenge meets The Breakfast Club) about four very different girls who form a secret society where they get revenge on bullies and mean girls begins Fall 2014 with GET EVEN, followed by the sequel GET DIRTY in 2015, also with Balzer + Bray.

Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys and she sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. Gretchen blogs with The Enchanted Inkpot and is a founding member of the vlog group the YARebels where she can be seen as "Monday." She is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Addiction Reviews August 24, 2011

By flamingo1325 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The Short Version:
Creepy, twisted and engaging, Possess puts a brilliant new spin on the Nephilim and the good vs. evil battle. With a witty and sarcastic main character, a well developed supporting cast, and some fantastically described scenes that hold nothing back, this one will grab readers from page one and not let go. Strongly paced plot and a well put together mystery make this a book for fans across many genres.

The Extended Version:
Bridget is sassy and intelligent, vivid in nature with plenty of humorous one-liners and an outward toughness that harbors a softer inside. Unafraid to show fear, and doubting herself even at seemingly important times, yet never simply giving up, Bridget is a very well developed character that readers will want to root for. She goes through tremendous character growth, not just in relationship to her new abilities but with her family and friends as well, pulling in a very realistic element to the book overall.

Matt is classically charming and attractive, yet endearingly devoted and sweet, particularly to Bridget. Perceptive about some things but very boyishly oblivious in regards to others, he adds a lot to not only Bridget's development but the plot as well without taking the spotlight. Determined and far from self-centered, Matt makes for a perfect love interest far beyond a melting smile.

The rest of the cast is developed enough for their purpose, with the reader seeing more insight into some characters than others. One factor, however, that really makes this book stand out is the way McNeil toys with reader's opinions of characters throughout the book. Centered on two specific characters, both readers and Bridget have to figure out who to trust. With both options, from the reader's side, being the predictable stereotype with valid reasons against both, McNeil has smoothly weaved a potent mystery playing heavily on trust.

The plot itself has a steady pace, kicking up the action not only when Bridget is performing a banishment but in regards to the building mystery as well. With plenty of gentler moments to let not only the readers but Bridget have a break, yet never letting these last too long, McNeil will keep readers engaged and intrigued throughout. Giving enough clues to allow the reader to make some predictions, yet not being mundane and predictable overall, this one throws some new elements and twists.

McNeil's writing has a smooth flow, written in third person but keeping a focus on Bridget and never mind jumping. From Bridget's natural wit to her sarcastic come backs, the voice is bold and noticeable. The descriptions are fantastic, bringing alive not only the places but the events that Bridget finds herself in. Never going too far to bore readers or pull them out of the storyline, the description is just enough to be basically perfect.

Not only is this one a supernatural, wading deep into the world of demons, but it's a mystery as well and McNeil has blended these two elements perfectly. Holding very strong roots into realism and a contemporary setting that any reader can understand, imagine, and insert themselves into, Possess is a book that a range of fans will enjoy. With the new story line, intriguing and fleshed out characters, and creeptastic scenes, Possess is a stellar debut with plenty to offer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, unique & captivating! December 6, 2011

By Safari Poet

Format:Hardcover

I'd describe Possess as Buffy the Exorcist. The Exorcist part is obvious and the reason I think of Buffy is because like her, Bridget was always fated to this battle against demons and other forces of darkness. Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides, teaches and trains her. Bridget has San Francisco's Monsignor Renault and keeps her extracurricular activities a secret while going about her everyday life.

Possess isn't like anything I've ever read - which is very refreshing to say. Bridget is definitely not the shy type that wants to be rescued. She's a tough, independent and enjoys the feeling of power her ability gives her while fearing what having it makes her at the same time.

I really enjoyed the fact Bridget was the one being pursed by Matt, her former childhood friend who recently moved back to San Francisco and has taken on the role of protector for both her and younger brother Sammy. Unlike Bridget with her combat boots and friends she can count on one hand, Matt is very popular. It was obviously Matt liked her and despite sarcastic remarks and giving him the cold shoulder that Bridget liked him too. I always root for the childhood friends that now have the possibility of being more.

Possess< is a dark, unique and captivating fast-paced story. I enjoyed the unsettling feeling I got reading it. The vivid descriptions helped me picture every scene effortlessly in my mind and the unpredictable plot kept me in a constant state of suspense that only increased from page to page. The first thought I had when I turn the last page was that I want more of this world Gretchen McNeil created. I really hope this isn't the last I hear of Bridget and Matt.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great start, if a little flawed October 15, 2011

By Ashleigh VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Growing up is hard enough as it is after the murder of her father a year ago, but Bridget Liu has an extra problem on top of that: she's an exorcist that can hear demons. A warning given to her by a demon during her first exorcism sets her on edge; could the demons be lying as Monsignor Renault has taught her they do or are they really trying to get a message across? More messages, all along the lines that something is coming and she must beware, lead her to a horrible discovery: someone is going to attempt to summon the demon king Amaymon and someone close to Bridget may becomes his vessel.

While I loved Bridget and her sense of humor (and that she was POC because we need more great POC heroines--winkwinkwinknudgenudgenudge), I wasn't keen on any of the other characters, particularly Matt and Alexa. Matt didn't quite win my approval as Bridget's love interest; I thought he was a little condescending and pushy. Possess showed such promise and this is why is made me very sad that Alexa's character had to be that of a stereotype mean girl and she had to be shamed for having sex and enjoying it. She will no doubt play a bigger role in the sequel (tentatively scheduled for fall 2013) and I can only hope she will be given more depth then.

The exorcism element of the novel was fantastic and McNeil wrote some very good and very, very creepy scenes. If only some of the scenes I wrote could turn out as well as the scene in the doll shop! The mythology got more right than most angel/demon/etc. books currently published and popular. A few things were off about it, though, and I'll excuse those for the sake of creative license. Liberties get taken sometimes.(And Kira darling, if you ever read this: The book gives credit to Semyaza as leader of the Watchers. For serious. It's a one-line thing, but it's better than some books do, right?)

The book positively flew by thanks to great pacing, smooth writing, and how overall enjoyable it was despite the little issues I had with it. I devoured large chunks of the book in single sittings and had the book finished in about three days. There were a few plot-related stumbles that really through me out of the groove, though. One was a plot point about another character that was brought up around halfway through the book, completely forgotten about, and only brought up again in the final chapter. Then Matt and Bridget are searching her house for the key to stopping Amaymon from coming and what do they have? A makeout break! Just as bad as the sex breaks of adult books but with fewer pages consumed and less sex (usually).

Now that all the set-up work is done and readers are familiar with the mythology of the world, I look forward to seeing where the sequel can take us. Definitely recommended (unless shaming girls for having sex makes you spazz out in the bad way, in which case proceed with caution)!