Vesper: A Deviants Novel [Hardcover]

Jeff Sampson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 25, 2011 | Series: Deviants (Book 1)

Emily Webb is a geek.And she’s happy that way. Content hidingunder hoodies and curling up to watch oldhorror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girlwho sneaks out for midnight parties. Andshe’s definitely not the kind of girl who startsfights or flirts with other girls’ boyfriends.Until one night Emily finds herself doingexactly that . . . the same night one of herclassmates—also named Emily—is foundmysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know whyshe’s doing any of this. By day, she’s the sameold boring Emily, but by night, she turnsinto a thrill seeker. With every nightfall,Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just herpersonality that changes. Her body can dothings it never could before: Emily is nowstrong, fast, and utterly fearless. And soonEmily realizes that she’s not just comingout of her shell . . . there’s something muchbigger going on. Is she bewitched by the soulof the other, murdered Emily? Or is EmilyWebb becoming something else entirely—something not human?

As Emily hunts for answers, she finds outthat she’s not the only one this is happeningto—some of her classmates are changingas well. Who is turning these teens intomonsters—and how many people will theykill to get what they want?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This smart and good-humored addition to the current werewolf wave, the first in the Deviants series, should tickle the fancy of girls who like their genre reading spicy without being crude. Emily Webb, 16, is a geek very aware of the glamorous crowd at school, and even more conscious of her uncomfortably curvaceous body. When the class’ other Emily is murdered, Emily W.’s relatively quiet existence gets left behind. Those familiar with contemporary werewolf plotting will recognize Emily W.'s shape-shifting well before she does but will nevertheless enjoy the ride as she sleuths the other Emily’s death, gets on the literal scent track of an unidentified but highly attractive boy, and creates havoc at parties she once never considered attending. Intercut between these high-action chapters are scenes from Emily W.’s interrogation by what is clearly an evil force. This conceit proves an effective and unusual way of alerting readers to the potential of Emily W.’s werewolf world. Grades 8-11. --Francisca Goldsmith

Review

“While the paranormal transformations will tempt fans of the genre and make a good hook for readers, it’s Emily’s transformation into a confident young woman who is more comfortable in her skin and willing to stick up for herself and others that makes this book a strong addition.” (School Library Journal )

“Will have readers clamoring for the next book.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

“Emily’s attractive personality, drab on the surface but with emerging panache, easily holds readers’ attention, especially during her feral nighttime prowls. Intriguing.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Should leave readers eager for the next book.” (Publishers Weekly )

“A smart and good-humored addition to the current werewolf wave.” (Booklist )

“Addictive and suprising. I couldn’t wait for night to fall to see what Emily would do next!” (Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series )

“Jeff Sampson’s debut delivers the goods-it’s exciting, witty, and impossible to put down. The best kind of page-turner.” (Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the GONE series )

“Emily is smart, funny, fierce, and just generally kicks ass. The otherworldly mysteries she uncovers will keep you guessing all the way to the final page.” (K.A. Applegate, author of Animorphs and Remnants )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray (January 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061992763
• ISBN-13: 978-0061992766
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,735,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My name's Jeff. By day I'm a young adult author. By night, I'm a pop culture fiend. Read more about me and my books--including brand new release Vesper: A Deviants Novel--at jeffsampsonbooks.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars exactly what is up with all the YA trilogies? January 3, 2012

By Mara E.

Format:Paperback

So Emily Webb is a normal girl. And by normal I mean she has a geeky love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and is a social pariah, unnoticed by all except her best friend and fellow pariah, Megan. Emily's idea of a good time is sequestering herself in her room and watching DVDs, so it comes as a surprise to everyone when she starts roving the streets at night, wearing "clubbing clothes" and acting like a cast member of Jersey Shore.

People, meet "Nighttime Emily." Don't know what's up with her? Don't worry, because neither does actual Emily. By day, she hides in sweatshirts. By night, she surfs the roofs of speeding cars, binge drinks and licks boys, and appears to have no idea where confidence crosses the line into "You need help. Seriously, psych wards are way more lovely than they used to be."

This transformation happens three times with little attempt to kick the plot forward in the meantime. By two-thirds of the way in, it finally dawns on Emily to ask some serious questions instead of pondering whether or not she should like new Nighttime Emily because apparently it's common knowledge that popular teenagers are rebellious delinquents with no social mores or fashion sense, and Nighttime Emily embodies all of these things! Being popular in high school these days must be really different than I remember. By the point the plot wakes up I was already skimming through the book, searching for answers that...surprise!...are no where to be found. Oh, YA. Your trilogies have become so irksome.

Plot comes along in this guy who's out to kill people like Emily, who just so happen to be werewolves. There's no actual explanation given for that one, but I'm going to assume it was some genetic experiment gone awry. The book ends at what should have been the middle of the story, with Emily breaking out of the lab that caused her condition. Don't worry! How she got there is not shown, nor is the breaking out, because all of that is left to us to assume through a transcript of her time in custody that breaks in the story every so often to analyze Emily's account (aka the book).

The twist on the werewolf story is interesting enough, but the book takes far too long to get going. The high school dynamic is irritating at best, since it insists on displaying the old popular cliques versus embittered loners stereotype. I found myself amused that Emily wanted to keep being Nighttime Emily, if only for her explanation to Megan that she's just started "growing up." Yes, God knows all adults act like sociopaths on a bender all the time. That's just what happens when you remove high school and add legal access to liquor.

I want to keep reading the series for the genetic experimentation plot, but the story just isn't there to keep me hooked. I'll pass on the rest.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting new spin December 11, 2011

By ODell @ Book Twirps

Format:Hardcover

Emily Webb is a self-professed geek. She's perfectly happy not existing at school; hiding behind her glasses and frumpy clothes, occasionally hanging out with her one and only friend, Megan. Emily isn't interested in boys, mainly because she's convinced they wouldn't like her back anyway, and is perfectly content hanging out at home watching old horror movies. Or at least, she was. Lately something has come over Emily. It all started the night one of her classmates, "the other Emily" was murdered, shot by a stranger not far from her home. That very night Emily got this sudden urge to dress up in her stepsister's clothing and climb out of her second-story bedroom window, searching for adventure. Suddenly Emily finds herself living two separate lives: Daytime Emily who is shy and withdrawn and nighttime Emily who dresses provocatively, jumps out of her window and takes no crap from anyone. At first she believes she may be possessed by the other Emily's spirit, but when she transforms into a wolf, she realizes that what's happening to her is even more bizarre than being possessed. When another student is shot after a party that Emily attends, she gets a feeling that someone is deliberately hunting down and shooting kids from her school, kids who may be like her, and she could be next.

I'd never heard of this book before, and when I received Havoc, the second book in the series for review, I decided I should probably read the first book. When I read that the book was about werewolves, I was a little hesitant because I'm kind of tired of werewolves. I'm glad I gave the book a chance, though. These werewolves are genetically engineered, giving the tired werewolf tale a fresh spin. I really enjoyed the story. The characters are all engaging, there was a lot of action and it is well-written. I particularly liked the segments interspersed throughout the book where Emily is obviously being interviewed by one of her "makers", as she relates to him the story of her transformation. It gives the reader insight into the overall plot without weighing it down, or making it too long. While the book leaves a lot of unanswered questions, I'm assuming these will all be answered in future installments. It's a good read, and I can't wait to read Havoc.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Relatively unique spin on a common YA theme December 8, 2010

By S. McCullough TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Vesper: A Deviants Novel was unlike any other YA book I have read all year. While it is unique, its not a perfect book although it is enjoyable and a very quick read, engaging read. Its the story of Emily Webb who learns that another girl in her class named Emily C has been murdered under strange circumstances. Then Emily starts to change in the evening into something different. She is normal a self described 'geeky' girl and now at night she turns into someone fearless, someone stronger, someone much more provocative. Emily is horrified when she wakes up the next mornings and remembers the crazy things she has done. Then more changes begin to happen...

As the book starts, Emily W is being interrogated but we don't know by whom or why. This continues in spots throughout the book...leaving the reader to wonder how Emily gets to this point.

I don't know why I didn't like this book more than I did. It seemed like it was lacking a little something to make it really stand out. Emily and her friend Megan are enjoyable characters and the story moves quickly from action to action. The biggest negative is that we are left with a lot of new tantalizing threads that are to follow in the next book. For instance at the end of the book we learn there are others with Emily when she is captured and interrogated. We don't know who some of them are or how they came to be with Emily.

Some parents might not like the descriptions of Nighttime (or WILD Emily) but Real Emily is always horrified by her actions. I do think that alcohol was treated extremely casually in this story which may be realistic, but parents should know its mentioned frequently.