The Exorsistah

She has done it again! I loved it. From the love scenes to the fighting scenes....I had to keep turning the pages and that is the kind of book you want! Go get it!

Quick true story: when a kid I work with began about a year and a half ago, I realized that I could only understand about 2 or 3 words out of every 6 or 7 he said. Finally, I had to ask another co-worker: "what the heck is this kid saying?" This was my first introduction to Ebonics. The definition of Ebonics is "African American Vernacular English," and if you've never heard of it, don't worry - as soon as you start reading THE EXORSISTAH, you'll know exactly what it is. I give the book 5 Stars, regardless, because even with the Ebonics it's a great read, and once you pick up the flow of the writing style and the way the characters speak, you'll quickly begin to go with the flow and enjoy the story. Emme Vaughn is only a month away from her 18th birthday. She's just fled the best foster home she's ever known (her mother is gone, shut away in the nut house), and she's wasting time in a Walgreens in the middle of the night. Enter the finest brother she's ever seen, quickly followed by a dude up to no good, who happens to also be accompanied by a demon. Yes, Emme can see demons, whether she wants to or not. She's always dealt with it the best she can, using her faith in God to get rid of them when she needs to. But now, the fine brother turns out to be a priest-in-training who wants her to join his cause - that of doing the "work" of exorcism. THE EXORSISTAH is a great, fast, fun read. Emme is a great character, as are all of the secondary characters. Everyone is well-defined, the dialogue is perfectly believable (Ebonics included), and I just loved everyone in the story. I can't wait for a sequel, which the ending just calls for. I really recommend this one to everyone - it would be perfectly suitable to teens as well as adults. This one's a winner!

Being over 30 (egads!) I don't usually read books on the YA shelf. But with a title like "Exorsistah," how could I pass it up? I'll admit I was already a fan of Burney's other work, but if I hadn't been familiar with her I can guarantee you this book would have had me looking up her other novels and ordering them immediately. With an engaging heroine, an unexpected plot, and snappy, sassy dialogue, this book is a fast read that leaves you anxious for the sequel. Highly recommended!

If you haven't picked up a Claudia Mair Burney book yet, you're missing out on some serious fun. The moment I heard this title, I knew Burney was going to deliver something uniquely her own. The story opens with young Emme Vaughn (Emme is pronounced Emmy) on a midnight escape from the clutches of a lecherous man. She's just as upset by the demons she saw hovering around as she is by the fact she never got to finish her french fries. Yes, Ms. Vaughn has one foot solidly in the real world, while the other kicks some butt in the spiritual realm. She can see demons, and she doesn't exactly use her Prada boots for high fashion catwalks. Before the nights even over, she finds herself paired with Francis, a Blacktino hunk, who also happens to be training for the priesthood--as in, the single celibate type. A real bummer for Emme, but it gets more interesting when this wannabe priest asks her to join a team of exorcists. Aside from the male-female vibe that hums like a tuning fork between Emme and Francis, there are complications involving father/son relationships, mother/daughter relationships, old friends, and so on. Amid all the chills and thrills, Burney gives real insight into the human condition. This is Burney's secret. While keeping it real, while dealing with the messy side of human nature, she also shines a bright light of God's love and hope. Theologically, she is right on target, exposing lies while keeping readers laughing, shivering, and maybe even wiping a tear from their eyes. That is a true gift. And, indeed, Claudia Mair Burney is a gift to fiction readers who are tired of the same old, same old.