Texas Gothic

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore

ISBN: 9780385736930
New York:  Delacorte Press, 2011

Plot -Amy Goodnight comes from a very, very unusual family, a fact that, if Amy were to have her way, no one would ever find out about.  Nothing to see here.  All's perfectly normal.  Except of course that Amy comes from a long line of witches and not one of them in history, except for she herself, or in her life has ever done anything to hide it.  Their spells and curses flying freely in public, Amy has tried since she was 11 to stand between the rest of the world and the obviously freakish nature of her family.  She is about to leave for college in the fall and decides to spend the summer with her brilliant older sister, Phin, doing anything but magic.  They will care-take their Aunt Hyacinth's herb farm (the family manufactures magical health and beauty concoctions) where hard work by day and TV by night will take up the time until Amy escapes to college.  Of course simplicity is not in the cards for Amy, nor for the drop-dead gorgeous hunk of a cowboy, Ben McColloch, a cowboy who lives on the land adjacent to Aunt Hy's.  When a particularly adamant ghost begins following Amy around, no matter how many magical protective barriers are put up to stop him, and then dead bodies are dug up where the McCollochs are trying to build a bridge, Amy and Ben are driven into each other's company like it or not, and Amy may not be able to contain her native abilities for long.

Critical Evaluation - Texas Gothic is a fun read, driven by Amy's personality and the wonderfully tense and romantic relationship that develops between her and Ben McColloch.  Amy's narrative tone is at once exasperated and amazed at the extremes to which life will go just to see her humiliated, and she delivers it all in a very authentic sounding Texas Hill Country almost-dialect.  She is full of her own unique brand of spit and vinegar, but not so much that she's immune to some real frustrations, confusion, and fear of what's happening around her.  Her repartee with Ben is priceless.  He, too, is developed into a full character with history and an attitude, and their romance is electrifying.  The other characters are funny and scary by turns, but not nearly so satisfyingly developed as Amy and Ben.

Reader's annotation -  What's a girl to do when the hottest cowboy around, who is also one of the most tightly wound, annoying characters she's ever not been able to take her eyes off of, is about to find out just how nuts her family really is?  And what if the only way to save her own life might be to be just that nuts right in front of him?
Genre - Mystery/Chick Lit
Curriculum Ties - None
Booktalk ideas - 

1. Read from the scene where Amy and Ben first meet.  Begin with "Stupid cow" and end with "You. Crazy girl over there."

Reading level -13+  The story is hilarious and very readable down to 13, but the sexual overtones, some violence, and an almost-sex scene warrent careful advising under 15.

Challenge issues - Possibly sexual content, magic, and ghosts

Challenge defense ideas:

• Librarian must read the book carefully and include it as a resource intended for older teens.
• Librarian greets students and regularly discusses their reading choices; she provides individualized, age-appropriate guidance in book choice.
• Explain the ways in which the librarian accompanies and guides younger students looking for books, and knows students well as individuals. 

Why I included this book - Recommended by School Library Journal.  The book is just plain hilarious, and the romance is sizzling.  I've included it because when a young adult needs a good break from the world, this is an excellent choice.   Amy's character is utterly memorable, brave, and cocky, and the writing is excellent throughout.