Simon and Schuster, 2008
ISBN: 9781416935896
Available: Pre-order (June,2008)
Jesse has grown up in the foster care system, never knowing his real parents. Unfairly seized by Homeland Security, he is released to the Mindells, a foster family living in the town of Longview. As Jesse begins to settle into his new community, Honor Clarke moves to town, dealing with the death of her father in a freak accident. Jesse feels a mysterious connection with Honor. He suspects that Honor is behind a number of strange occurrences, including a rogue pig interrupting a funeral, a student suddenly being attacked by a wasp, and an unexplainable illness contracted by Jesse’s friend. It is up to Jesse to find out what is going on and put a stop to the bizarre events. Demon Queen is a very high quality, well written bit of young adult occult horror. The plotting is well done, and Lewis does an excellent job of making Jesse a likable and sympathetic protagonist. The characters have depth and are interesting, avoiding the stereotypes that often populate y/a literature. As an added bonus, the book may appeal to both male and female readers. Highly recommended for public and school libraries.
Contains: minor gore, references to the occult and witchcraft, animal mutilation and killing