There is something evil up Bergamot Holler, and it’s been targeting the Hall family for generations. 

Patty Hall is fifteen years old. She loves stargazing, science fiction, and all things related to space exploration. This leaves her perfectly prepared for the wrong problem. 

Patty is afraid her mother will send her to a care facility if she tells her what she’s seen. If she doesn’t figure things out soon, she’s going to join her father in the Hall family cemetery plot.

Patty has to come to grips with her own physical handicap, survive the wilderness, and face an ancient evil all alone if she’s going to survive.

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Patty Hall is your typical 1970’s American teenager. She lives in some backwoods town on a big farm with her mom and step-dad and has a brother in Vietnam.

“Watergate, blah, blah, blah. President Ford, blah, blah, blah. Patty Hearst; God, why did her name have to be Patty? –Will O’ the Wisp (Kindle Locations 165-166).”

Well, she’s got braces on her legs that she hates and it makes her insecure, which is totally, totally normal. She also uses them to her advantage when the need calls for it. Also normal. What might make her a little abnormal is the fact that glowing orbs of goo that live around a particular area of the Burgamot river near her home are trying to kill her!

Okay, so it doesn’t sound very threatening.

I mean, the book cover looks sort of peaceful, doesn’t it? 

But let me tell you … nothing about the weird glowing lights in the swamp is what it seems. These gooey, quasi-nonthreatening orbs (called Will O’ Wisps) actually invade people’s bodies and slowly drown them! On dry land!

I have to say that I have never read a YA book quite like this one. I didn’t think I had any expectations when I picked this up, but come on: it’s YA Paranormal. So, somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking “romance” and “love triangles” and “damsels in distress with possibilities of vampires.”

This book had many elements to it, but none of them include any of the above. But the trade-off was worth it because I got rector abuse, dancing, witches, and slimy coughing mind control victims!

C.S. Boyack’s story is exciting and strange. It’s an all-together twisted plot that kept me guessing the whole way through.

Patty Hall is no damsel. She waits for no boy to rescue her. Matter of fact, she can’t even think of a boy she likes when the occasion calls for one. And she hates that everyone treats her like a cripple because of the braces on her legs. Still, that doesn’t stop her from using people’s assumptions against them if it helps get her what she needs to survive the threats against her and her family.

I think this book is a great read and has a particular appeal for younger girls. (Hence the YA) It’s clean and dramatic with a dash of humor in the somber places. Patty Hall is a daredevil of a character with seriously strong work ethic and an addiction to space food sticks.

Beware Will O’ Wisps! When Patty Hall is done studying at the library, she’s taking no prisoners!

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

 

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I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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