Evil Librarian (Evil Librarian Series #1)

by Michelle Knudsen Narrated by Emily Foster

Overview

He's young. He's hot. He's also evil. He's...the librarian.

When Cynthia Rothschild's best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He's really young and super cute and thinks Annie would make an excellent library monitor. But after meeting Mr. Gabriel, Cyn realizes something isn't quite right. Maybe it's the creepy look in the librarian's eyes, or the weird feeling Cyn gets whenever she's around him. Before long Cyn realizes that Mr. Gabriel is, in fact...a demon. Now, in addition to saving the school musical from technical disaster and trying not to make a fool of herself with her own hopeless crush, Cyn has to save her best friend from the clutches of the evil librarian, who also seems to be slowly sucking the life force out of the entire student body! From best-selling author Michelle Knudsen, here is the perfect novel for teens who like their horror served up with a bit of romance, plenty of humor, and some pretty hot guys (of both the good and evil variety).

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

06/30/2014
Knudsen (The Princess of Trelian) jumps from picture books and middle-grade fiction to YA with this self-aware supernatural dramedy, which sees an ordinary teenage girl caught up in a war between various evil factions, with the souls of her schoolmates at stake. It starts when Cyn Rothchild’s best friend Annie inexplicably falls in love with the new school librarian, John Gabriel. Cyn’s no stranger to unrequited love—she has a thing for the handsome Ryan Halsey, even if she’s too awkward to talk to him—but Annie is acting downright weird. Before long, Cyn learns that Gabriel is a demon out to acquire the power needed to take the throne back home, and her immunity to his influence makes her a wild card. She teams up with Ryan to save Annie and everyone else from an infernal fate. The writing is clever, the tone wry, and the stakes high, with surprises that keep the plot unpredictable. Cyn’s internal monologue provides plenty of amusement, especially when her hormones threaten to overpower her common sense. It’s an entertaining tale with room for future installments. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

It’s all terrifically entertaining from start to finish, with Cyn’s wry voice narrating her transformation from musical theater–loving, crush-having teen to musical theater–loving, crush-having teen who can also kick some demon butt. The plot is particularly well done here, with several encounters with Mr. Gabriel and other demons providing moments of both horror and humor and eventually culminating in the final demon/human battle.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

[A] self-aware supernatural dramedy... The writing is clever, the tone wry, and the stakes high, with surprises that keep the plot unpredictable. Cyn’s internal monologue provides plenty of amusement, especially when her hormones threaten to overpower her common sense. It’s an entertaining tale with room for future installments.
—Publishers Weekly

Snappily narrated, tightly plotted and generally just right. Forget paranormal romance; this horror-humor-romance pastiche is where those in search of hot nonhumans should set their sights.
—Kirkus Reviews

Hysterical! Smart and funny, with a little drama, a little romance, and just the right touch of evil.
—Stephenie Meyer, author of the bestselling Twilight Saga

There’s plenty to like here: a budding will-they-won’t-they romance, demonic possession, musical theater references, and more. Knudsen keeps the terror well-tempered with plenty of hilarious situational comedy and touches of the absurd.
—Booklist Online

If Louise Rennison and Christopher Moore had a bibliographic love child it would be this cheekily narrated supernatural offering. ... [Cyn's] narrative voice and the novel’s dialogue make it worth the read. Occasional swearing, a dash of romance, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments round out Knudsen’s enjoyable comedic tale, reminiscent of the original “Buffy” film.
—School Library Journal

Smart, problem-solving, and loyal, [Cyn] makes an engaging heroine... The first-person narration ranges from self-deprecating wit to breathless, punctuation-free anxiety during suspenseful moments, emphasizing Cyn’s terror—and her determination to save those she loves despite her fear. An excellent choice for fans of Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Tantalize series or Larbalestier and Brennan’s Team Human.
—Horn Book

Knudsen's snarky wit portrays the high school atmosphere to a T, and it is suspenseful enough to keep readers up late turning the pages.
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

School Library Journal - Audio

03/01/2015
Gr 9 Up—Many high school students may think they have encountered an evil librarian, but they've never met one who turns students into zombies and murders the school principal. Cyn Rothschild would ordinarily have been too busy orchestrating the set construction for the school's musical, Sweeney Todd, to get involved with the evil librarian, Mr. Gabriel. But her best friend, Annie, has quite a crush on him. When Cyn and her own heartthrob (and star of Sweeney Todd), Ryan, discover the librarian covered in blood and sporting horns and bat wings, they feel responsible for stopping the murder and mayhem. As Annie slips completely under the control of the librarian, Cyn and Ryan visit an occult shop to learn more about demons, and how to counteract their influence on people. Unfortunately, Cyn and Ryan fail at their first attempt to eradicate Mr. Gabriel, and more demons show up at school. Throughout, Cyn's first-person narrative demonstrates passion, intelligence, and empathy. Her common sense and comprehension of the gravity of their situation overrule her desire to be closer to Ryan. Romantic tension builds as Cyn and Ryan struggle over how to fight the demons. Narrator Emily Foster distinguishes each character's voice enough to advance the story seamlessly. VERDICT This mixture of fantasy and teen romance is fast-paced and will prove satisfying to any horror-loving imagination.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine Coll. Prep., San Jose, CA

School Library Journal

07/01/2014
Gr 8 Up—If Louise Rennison and Christopher Moore had a bibliographic love child it would be this cheekily narrated supernatural offering. Cyn is initially thrilled when her teasing BFF Annie finally shows signs of infatuation, until she discovers the object of Annie's affections is the new school librarian. Mr. Gabriel's attention to Annie unsettles Cyn and readers alike. At first suspecting the creepy Gabriel is a manipulative and inappropriate authority figure (awful enough), Cyn learns that he's a horned and winged demon. He wants brainwashed Annie for his human consort, when he returns to his realm to fight for the throne with the life essence he's poached from her classmates. Musical theater crush, Ryan in tow, Cyn fights to save her best friend; enlisting help from the ill-fated, the duped, and the demonic, all while struggling to keep her hormones in check and trying to create a kick-ass barber chair for the school's production of Sweeney Todd. The protagonist is the most developed character, leaving the others sadly stock. But, her narrative voice and the novel's dialogue make it worth the read. Occasional swearing, a dash of romance, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments round out Knudsen's enjoyable comedic tale, reminiscent of the original "Buffy" film.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

NOVEMBER 2014 - AudioFile

Narrator Emily Foster's blend of pragmatism and emotionality embodies teenaged protagonist Cynthia Rothschild as she fights the demon librarian who is menacing her school and seducing her best friend. The everyday triumphs and struggles of a group of high school students create verisimilitude for listeners as a supernatural battle builds around them. Foster uses this same humanizing power in her characterizations, which endear audiences to Cynthia while making the demons intriguing and unnerving. Foster's high voice, almost rushed pace, and earnest intonation work well for Cynthia and her friends. She reserves a vocal boisterousness and silken determination for Cynthia's demon enemies. This is a great listen for YA listeners who favor romance and humor in their thrillers. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2014-07-01
The spirit of Buffy is alive and kicking in this bloody debut for teens from an author better known for her children's books (The Princess of Trelian, 2012, etc.). Cyn is a backstage genius with an unrequited crush of epic proportions on popular, talented Ryan, the sort of boy who seems to move "in slow motion like some stupid sequence in a bad summer movie." She's got a best friend, she enjoys a healthy relationship with her own carnal desires, and she's snarky and smart and generally the kind of heroine everyone wants. Which is handy, since the hot new librarian is a demon in search of souls to suck as well as a child bride—and he's got his sights set on Cyn's best friend. Luckily, Cyn has a sort of natural demon immunity. And, it turns out, she's got support from Ryan, so she takes on the evil librarian—and then the demonic new principal and a host of other demons, too. Bloodshed and creepy rituals abound, but the horror is always campy and carefully undercut by the entirely realistic, slightly silly nonprogression of Cyn and Ryan's romance (when they finally kiss, it's cathartic for all). Snappily narrated, tightly plotted and generally just right. Forget paranormal romance; this horror-humor-romance pastiche is where those in search of hot nonhumans should set their sights. (Humorous horror. 13 & up)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172359682
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	09/09/2014
Series:	Evil Librarian Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

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