The Merciless II: The Exorcism of Sofia Flores

Product Description Danielle Vega—YA’s answer to Stephen King—once again brings major scares in the spine-tingling sequel to horror hit The Merciless, which MTV calls “Mean Girls meets The Exorcist.”   Sofia is still processing the horrific truth of what happened when she and three friends performed an exorcism that spiraled horribly out of control. Ever since that night, Sofia has been haunted by bloody and demonic visions. Her therapist says they’re all in her head, but to Sofia they feel chillingly real. She just wants to get out of town, start fresh someplace else . . . until her mother dies suddenly, and Sofia gets her wish.   Sofia is sent to St. Mary’s, a creepy Catholic boarding school in Mississippi. There, seemingly everyone is doing penance for something, most of all the mysterious Jude, for whom Sofia can’t help feeling an unshakeable attraction. But when Sofia and Jude confide in each other about their pasts, something flips in him. He becomes convinced that Sofia is possessed by the devil. . . . Is an exorcism the only way to save her eternal soul?   Readers won’t be able to look away from this terrifying read full of twists and turns that will leave them wondering, Is there evil in all of us? From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up—Sofia Flores has lost everything. After months of therapy following Riley's murder, she has finally convinced herself that Brooklyn's demonic possession was all in her head. When her mom gets into a fatal car accident, Sofia has to relocate to a Catholic boarding school. It is old, with a strict morality code. Sofia meets her new roommates, sweet Leena and bad girl Sutton. The protagonist manages to catch the eye of a hot altar boy during mass. He happens to be the same boy whom Leena fancies. As temptation clouds Sofia's judgment, she starts to believe Brooklyn's distant claim that she is indeed evil. Can she resist sinning? This pulse-pounding follow-up to Vega's Merciless focuses on Sofia as she attempts to put the horrible events of the first novel behind her. As Sofia deals with unfamiliar religious surroundings, she begins to think that she's beyond redemption. She tries to find support in friendly Sister Lauren and creepy Father Marcus but can't shake a dark sense of foreboding. With strong, well-developed supporting characters, this novel is a terrifying delight of a read. Sometimes Sofia can't help but give in to her dark side, but readers will be hard-pressed to root against her. This sequel could potentially work as a stand-alone but will be especially enjoyed by fans of the previous volume. With an intensely violent climax, this story will work well for horror readers who don't shy away from prose that may make some readers squeamish. VERDICT Hard to put down, this scary novel is a must-read for teenage fans of fright.—Ryan P. Donovan, Southborough Public Library, MA Review “With strong, well-developed supporting characters…this pulse-pounding follow-up to Vega’s Merciless…is a terrifying delight of a read. Hard to put down, this scary novel is a must-read for teenage fans of fright.” — School Library Journal “Gripping, intense horror for teens with strong stomachs.” — Booklist "Turning to a classic Stephen King–style horror plot that relies on an isolated setting as much as bloodied bodies and hellishly inventive violence, Vega’s grisly second installment rips into biblical platitudes to lay bare the notions of deliverance and redemption." — Kirkus Reviews Praise for The Merciless: “Sick. Wicked. Twisted. This is my kinda fun.”  —Marlene King, executive producer of Pretty Little Liars   "Chilling—think 'Mean Girls' meets 'The Exorcist'...a fast-paced thrill-ride."— MTV.com “Pretty Little Liars fans, get a sneak peek at your new favorite book  The Merciless…a nail biting thriller.”— Seventeen Magazine    " Mean Girls with an occult twist."— Kirkus Reviews About the Author Danielle Vega spent her childhood hiding under the covers while her mother retol