Nothing Bad Is Going to Happen

November 1, 2015

Gr 10 Up-Kippy Bushman, the off-kilter heroine of No One Else Can Have You (HarperCollins, 2014), survived a wolf-in-sheep's-clothing killer only to limp, paranoia healthy, into a dangerous aftershock-someone again seems to be victimizing people in small town Friendship, WI. Through bizarre missives from incarcerated psychopath Ralph and Kippy's replies, which are somehow both perky and merciless, readers get something of a reminder of the prior book's meandering and self-consciously satirical events. Kippy looks forward to a first night of intimacy with boyfriend Davey on the night after her cast removal, sex notes and box of doughnuts ready to go. Instead, she finds Davey comatose from an aspirin overdose and what looks like an alcoholic relapse. Determined to prove malfeasance rather than a suicide attempt, Kippy begins taking notes about just who might be working as Ralph's pawn to harm her and those she loves. Former violence support group leader Rosa is now Kippy's dad's girlfriend, and her take on self-defense is one of the few comic elements that works. A lawyer and doctor involved in suing the institution featured in the first book help round out a cast of confounding caricatures. While satire and humor is often subjective, this is no sure-fire title to tickle maximum funny bone. VERDICT Those who enjoyed Kippy's first adventures in avoiding a homicidal maniac may savor this reprisal, but most others should get their jolt of dark comedy elsewhere.-Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2015
After discovering her best friend's killer in No One Else Can Have You, Kippy finds revenge is sweet--until she becomes the victim of revenge in another humorous mystery. Now that her best friend's killer, Ralph, is behind bars, Kippy can concentrate on having sex for the first time with Davey. There is much to consider, such as deciding which donut she should eat from around Davey's penis. ("Plain donuts will be the easiest to clean up, but they are also, objectively speaking, the worst type of donut.") Kippy's sarcastic quips build the tension toward her small town's next big crime, and the breakfast treats go to waste when she finds Davey passed out, nearly dead. The authorities report attempted suicide, but Kippy's determined to locate his would-be killer. With Ralph in prison, who else would want to hurt Kippy? While the humor slowly dissipates and the mystery is not nearly as harrowing as in the first novel, Kippy's spunk and the quirkiness of her small-town residents still prevail. Readers will find themselves wondering about Kippy's unusual blackouts and visions, her burgeoning friendship with evangelical Libby (who uses her unwarranted reputation as the town slut to her advantage), and her touchy-feely father's penchant for wearing clothing with a feminine flair. While this sequel is not up to the standard set by its predecessor, it provides amusement enough. (Mystery. 14 & up)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2016
After putting away the lunatic who killed her best friend in No One Else Can Have You, Kippy just wants to have sex with her boyfriend without "flailing around all flashbacky"--but then she finds him comatose, having supposedly committed suicide. Is she paranoid, or was it an attack? As in the series-opener, larger-than-life characters support the dark, somewhat predictable plot.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)