The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (Book Review 2010-102)

Product Description

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world. Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.
Edward Scissorhands meets The Catcher in the Rye in this wildly imaginative and frighteningly beautiful horror novel about an unusual boy and his search for a place to belong.

About the Author

Brenna Yovanoff is a debut author who has published in various journals. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill (September 21, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595143378
• ISBN-13: 978-1595143372

SOURCE:  Around The World ARC Tours

LOVED IT

This story really defines creepiness and how a seemly normal community has an literally underground magical problem.  Mackie is a replacement child in which the fairy (the author doesn't specifically use that term) switch out a human baby for one of theirs, one mostly likely to die. I feel in love with Mackie and how his family loves him even though he is not really theirs.  His sister Emma states that she decided to care for him by saying "I choose to care for you" and I am paraphrasing here.  I really hope that this will be made into a series since I am still thinking about the characters. You will probably love this one if you enjoy Holly Black.