ALA Booklist

High school can feel like hell some days, especially when you see the new librarian's ritual summoning circle, or spot his giant wingspan unfurl during study hall. Initially, Cynthia and Annie have no idea that the fantastically hot Mr. Gabriel, their new high-school librarian, is actually a minor demon planning to soul-suck their school into submission to conquer a demon throne. When Annie is targeted by Mr. Gabriel to be his human consort, it's up to Cyn to save the day. Cyn must carve time for reconnaissance and research around her busy school schedule, and, at the same time, she struggles to stay focused around her own crush, a dreamy fellow thespian who is starring in their school production of Sweeney Todd. The only thing buying time for the teens before a fiery death is the musical, which, unsurprisingly, is a favorite among demons. 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.

School Library Journal (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 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

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

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.)

Horn Book

Cynthia is an ordinary sixteen-year-old. She has a BFF, Annie; a crush on musical theater prodigy, Ryan; and a job tech-directing the school's Sweeney Todd production. But ordinariness goes to hell--literally--when new librarian Mr. Gabriel seems to be mesmerizing students. A Buffy-esque blend of supernatural-baddie confrontation, school story, and dark comedy, with a sweet romance thrown in for good measure.