Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen (Sammy Keyes)

Rating:
Summary: Another great Sammy mystery!
Review: Sammy's at it again. And this time, cats are involved. She and Holly have been finding strange-looking dead cats in dumpsters around town, and even for this town, that's not normal. Meanwhile, Sammy makes two horrible discoveries about herself involving her birthday, and one has to do with archenemy Heather Acosta. But sparks continue to fly between Sammy and Heather's nice-boy brother, Casey. Go with Sammy through this book as she struggles to figure out what sinister thing is going on with the cats of Santa Martina, as well as with Heather Acosta, the ultimate catty girl.
It took me longer than usual to get into this Sammy book, which was a little disappointing. But about 2/3 of the way through, Van Draanen finally "had me." The ending went fast and fantastically. She had me guessing at the answer to the mystery much longer than usual, but maybe that was because it's been awhile since my last dose of Sammy! (Too long!) It's a good one!

Rating:
Summary: Go Sammy!
Review: This is the Dad typing the dauhgters' dictated review:

Emma: The last three in this series were the best.
Sophie: These books are really fun to read together.
Emma: We liked it a lot.
Sophie: Sammy is a really interesting person. It's fun to read.

Rating:
Summary: Another Heart-stopper
Review: Wendelin van Drannen isn't one of the many authors who grow stale over time. On the contrary, she keeps getting better. Her latest Sammy Keyes novel is an adrenaline rush that will have the series' fetishists/loyal fans spinning.

SAMMY KEYES & THE PSYCHO KITTY QUEEN follows Sammy Keyes on one psycho 14th birthday. To start off, her mother -- the esteemed Lady Lana -- reappears with her distorted version of a birthday present: the truth. Sammy soon learns that, to her utmost horror, she is actually a year younger than she thinks she is, therefore making her 12 going on 13 (again). Distraught and maddened, Sammy meets up with her friend Holly (the lovable homeless girl from SAMMY KEYES & THE SISTERS OF MERCY) to continue their investigation of the town's latest phenomenon: cats who are dying bizarre deaths and being dumped in Santa Martina dumpsters. Thrown in is a psychotic ex-rodeo queen with a grudge against Sammy's friend Hudson's dog, lots of cats, and senile dementia; a cranky pro wrestler named El Gato; and more advances from the dangerously charming Casey Acosta (brother to Sammy's notorious foe Heather). Fans of van Draanen's previous writing will devour this whole, only proving once again that Wendelin van Draanen has yet to fail to please.

Happy birthday, Sammy!

- Erica
Seventeen.com