Gr 6-9 A compelling look at the aftermath of bullying, from the bully's perspective. Sam Proctor thought it was funny the first time he posted a hateful comment on Morgan Mallen's social media page. It was just a game, after all, and superpopular Athena Luiken said it was his turn to play. Even after Sam befriends Morgan and starts hanging with her outside of school, he continues to post anonymous trash on her page. When Morgan jumps off of a water tower and kills herself, Sam is forced to confront his actions and wonder if a bully can every truly be forgiven. Told through journal entries, Preller's latest novel expertly captures the protagonist's voice, complete with all of its sarcasm, indifference, and, at the same time, genuine remorse. Readers will relate to the teen, who's less a bully than an average guy who gives in to peer pressure and inaction. This fast-paced story will spark discussion on cyberbullying, depression, and how to deal with tragic events. However, the ending introduces an element of magical realism that dampens the impact of an otherwise persuasive realistic tale. VERDICT While the conclusion falls short of the strong setup, this book stands alongside other well-crafted titles on bullying, such as Dori Hillestad Butler's The Truth About Truman School (Albert Whitman, 2008) and Preller's Bystander (Feiwel &; Friends, 2009). Kimberly Ventrella, Southwest Oklahoma City Library

Griffin follows up Masque of the Red Death (2012) and Dance of the Red Death (2013) with another Poe-daptation. This time the tale is told from the perspective of Madeline, who suffers from the same curious malady as others of her bloodline: "fits" of catatonia brought on by the house itself; it becomes jealous when Ushers become close to others. Doctors, including the young Dr. Winston, have taken up residence in the manse to study the aristocratic illness, while Madeline's twin brother, Roderick, bounces between school and home, struggling to forge a life of his own but always being pulled back. There is little mystery here: the house is evil from the get-go, and the falling battle axes and skittering ghosts provide little in the way of scares. Neither is there much plot: Poe's short story doesn't offer much, and the thrills (good ones, too) don't begin until the final fourth. What the book does have, however, is atmosphere iffin excels at depicting chilly Victorian decay in a way that makes real the dour Usher curse.