Possess

By Gretchen McNeil

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her over-protective mom, by Matt Quinn, the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, the voices are demons—and Bridget possesses the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. Literally.

Terrified to tell her friends or family about this new power, Bridget confides in San Francisco’s senior exorcist, Monsignor Renault. The monsignor enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession, but just as she is starting to come to terms with her freakish new role, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. And when one of her oldest friends is killed, Bridget realizes she’s in deeper than she ever thought possible. Now she must unlock the secret to the demons’ plan before someone else close to her winds up dead—or worse, the human vessel for a demon king.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9780062060730

Gretchen McNeil

Gretchen McNeil is a trained opera singer, former circus performer and voice-over artist, and current writer. She is the author of several YA suspense novels, including Get Even, Get Dirty, 3:59, Possess, and the award-winning Ten (now a Lifetime movie). She is also the author of the YA comedy I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl and the horror/comedy novels #MurderTrending, #MurderFunding, and #NoEscape. You can visit her online at www.gretchenmcneil.com.

Book preview

One

BRIDGET STARED AT THE CLOCK on the wall and cursed its painfully slow progression toward three fifteen. Was the big hand even moving? She slipped her cell phone out of her backpack for cross-reference. Damn. Seven more minutes. It was so like a Catholic school to make Latin the last class of the day. Institutionalized Purgatory.

Hey, Hector whispered from the desk in front of her. Want to hit House of Pies after school?

Maybe. The last thing Hector needed was another slice of Triple Chocolate pie.

Maybe? Hector swiveled his torso around to face her. You got a hot date or something?

Before Bridget could tell Hector to shove it, Peter Kim cleared his throat. Shut up, you guys. Sister Evangeline’s going to kill us.

Bridget glanced at the wizened little nun sitting motionless at her desk, engrossed in a romance novel. Live a little, Peter. Seriously.

Peter’s face was pinched as he slipped his book and pen case into his backpack. So, Bridge, are you, um, going to the library today?

A sly smile spread across Hector’s face. Why, Peter? Why could you possibly be asking?

Peter flushed.

Because if she’s going and you’re going, maybe you two could go together?

Bridget kicked Hector’s chair with the steel toe of her boot. She’d known Peter Kim since the second grade and was painfully aware of his decade-long crush on her. And the not-so-secret delight Hector took in torturing him about it.

Well . . . I mean . . . , Peter stuttered.

Bridget’s cell phone buzzed, saving her from yet another awkward conversation with Peter.

Who’s texting you at school? Hector said, peering over her desk.

Um . . . She looked down at her phone and saw the name Matt Quinn blazing back.

Hector’s jaw dropped. He has your cell phone number?

Crap.

Who? Peter asked sharply. Who has your—

‘Coaching your brother today,’ Hector read. ‘See you after?’

Bridget couldn’t help but smile. She lowered her chin, hoping Hector wouldn’t catch it. Too late.

Oh, he cooed. "So you do have a hot date after school. Jealous."

Bridget scowled. He’s not your type.

Bridget. Peter’s cheeks burned the same color as the ridiculous red Windbreaker he always wore, and his dark brown eyes were fixed on her, holding her gaze. Who are you seeing after school?

No one, Bridget said quickly, shoving her cell phone in her jacket pocket. I’m not seeing anyone.

The cop’s son, Hector volunteered. The one that sent Milton Undermeyer to— Hector stopped short as his eye caught Bridget’s and she gave him her best I’m going to rip your heart out through your nose stare.

Hector swallowed. Sorry.

The cop who sent that murderer to see Dr. Liu? Peter’s voice was shrill. Yeah, I doubt Bridge’s dating the guy whose dad got hers killed.

Bridget stiffened. It had been almost nine months since her father’s death, yet the raw ache still dug its claws into her heart every time she thought about it. Wasn’t it supposed to get better? Eventually the pain would go away, the nightmares would end, and the memories of that day fade to muted colors.

Without realizing it, Bridget reached for the charm bracelet she’d worn around her wrist since she was seven. A First Communion gift from her dad. She traced the familiar, ornate outline of the square cross with her fingers—the weird nonsense letters and the funny scrolling symbols—then closed her hand around the charm and squeezed, letting the sharp corners of the cross dig into the flesh of her palm. She didn’t want to forget. She’d rather hold on to the pain than lose him again.

Dude, Hector said, smacking Peter on the arm. Not cool.

Bridget released the charm. It’s fine. Her voice was steady. Good.

Bridge, Peter said rapidly. I just meant—

The back door of the classroom flew open, and Monsignor Renault stepped into the room. Latin 201 went silent as the tall, imposing figure of the school chaplain strode quickly to Sister Evangeline’s desk, where the nun sat complacently reading her novel. When he placed a gnarled hand on her shoulder, Sister Evangeline jumped and shoved her reading material into an open drawer.

Monsignor Renault, what a lovely surprise, she squeaked.

He brought his head down and whispered something in Sister Evangeline’s ear, then straightened up and handed her a folded piece of paper.

As he turned to leave, his eyes swept the classroom and caught Bridget’s. The incline of his head was barely perceptible.

It was time.

Bridget Liu? Sister Evangeline called as Monsignor closed the door behind him. Bridget, I have a note for you.

Bridget pushed herself to her feet. The classroom, her friends, the other students: Everything disappeared from view as she focused her attention on the folded white piece of paper Sister Evangeline held out to her.

She took the note with a shaky hand and returned to her desk.

What the hell does that old weirdo want with you? Hector asked.

The bell saved her from having to respond. Hector shot to his feet and swung his backpack over his shoulder. So you walking to the library or not? he asked, the note seemingly forgotten.

Bridget shook her head.

Fine. But I want full details of your date with Matt Quinn, okay?

She heaved her backpack onto her shoulder. Sure, she said absently.

It wasn’t until Hector turned to leave that Bridget stole a glance at the note in her hand.

2271 18th Avenue

4 p.m.

Suddenly Latin class didn’t seem so bad.

Two

THE HOUSE DIDN’T WANT HER there.

Shocking.

Bridget shivered and zipped her fur-lined bomber jacket to her chin, then pulled Monsignor’s note out of her pocket. She read the address off the front of the house, double-checking it against the crumpled piece of paper in her hand—2271 18th Avenue. Yep, this was it. Great. Fog billowed down the street, temporarily obscuring the row house from view. As the haze lifted, she scrutinized the building. Its dark windows stared at her like the cavernous eye sockets of a blanched skull: empty, soulless. The jagged fringe of decorative wood above the garage was a jack-o’-lantern’s grin. The fake marble staircase glistened dangerously under a layer of moisture.

What was she thinking? She should turn around and sprint the eight blocks back to the library, where Hector and Peter were hunched over a cozy wooden table, joking in half whispers while they muddled through algebra and history. That’s where she belonged, not here.

Get a grip, Bridge.

Maybe what had happened at the Fergusons’ house had been a fluke. A hallucination. Some weird family prank. Maybe if she walked up those stairs right now, she could prove to herself that she wasn’t really a complete and total freak of nature.

Or maybe her worst fears would be confirmed. Either way, she needed to know.

There was a muffled beep from her jacket pocket. Four o’clock. On cue, a light blazed from the house, illuminating a second-floor bay window through the thickening mist.

With renewed determination, Bridget crossed the street. But as she approached the house, the gooey San Francisco fog swamped her suddenly, blotting out the sun and obscuring all traces of the street, the house, the whole world around her.

Not only did the house not want her there, Mother Nature didn’t either. Great.

She couldn’t see a thing. The air hung in her nostrils like musty water, and for a panicked moment, Bridget felt like she was drowning. She stumbled forward, unsure if she was even moving in the right direction. Had the entire street disappeared?

Her boot struck the edge of the bottom stair, and Bridget groped for the handrail. House, stairs, rail. It was here; it was real.

Bridget kept the corroded metal railing in a death grip as she plodded up the stairs. The fog was everywhere: in her eyes, in her mouth, seeping into her tights and the deep pleats of her uniform skirt. She felt heavy, weighted, like the fog was trying to pull her down the stairs, away from the house, away from what lay inside.

The handrail ended. She reached out, half expecting that the house had dissolved into the fog, and let out a squeak as her fingertips grazed smooth, hard wood.

The moment she touched the door, the fog retreated, dissipating into nothingness as if it had been sucked up by a giant cosmic vacuum cleaner.

As she glanced back and watched the last wisps vanish behind her, the door flew open.

Shit! Bridget gasped.

A young man in black pants and a black short-sleeved shirt stood inside the house. He was squat, with the beginnings of a double chin and stubby, dimpled fingers. A shock of thick black hair was piled haphazardly on his head. His dark eyes gave her a once-over, head to boots and back again, before resting on her face.

"You’re Bridget Liu?"

If she had a dime for every time she had heard that. Her almond-shaped eyes were blue, and when added to curly brown hair and freckles, they threw everyone off. Um, yeah.

The young man gave himself a shake. Sorry, I was expecting someone . . .

Bridget arched an eyebrow. More Chinese?

N-no, he stuttered. That’s not what I . . . His voice trailed off. Er, sorry. He shuffled aside, motioning for her to enter.

Bridget hesitated. Was she really going to do this?

Come in, come in, the guy said quickly. He’s waiting for you.

Bridget stepped through the doorway. The atmosphere of the house was off. The air was condensed; her ears crackled with the change in pressure, and for a moment she felt dizzy. The room seemed to whirl and pitch like a fun house. She felt the floor tilt, and the ceiling and walls pressed in on her, creating angles that could only exist in a geometry problem or an M. C. Escher print. Furniture bulged, doubling in size. She knew it wasn’t real, just a trick of the eye, but still.

The house wanted her out. She could feel it.

Bridget lost her balance and stumbled forward, bracing herself against a grandfather clock. She’d felt this way once before. It wasn’t a good sign.

Are you okay? the guy asked.

Bridget pressed a hand to her head. Um, yeah. Yeah, I’m—

A shriek ripped through the house. Bridget spun around to find an orange tabby cat frozen in the hall, back arched, eyes so wide they practically popped out of its furry little skull. The cat let out a second terrified wail, then bolted past her, through the open door and out into the darkening afternoon.

Smart cat.

Sorry about that, the guy said, latching the door behind him.

Bridget straightened, trying to shake off the dizziness. S’okay. Cats don’t like me.

He shoved a hand into his pants pocket and retrieved a small wire-bound notebook with a gnarled bit of pencil wedged into the spirals. With a journalist’s ease, he flipped open the notebook and began to scribble. Never or just recently?

Bridget looked at him sidelong. Why was he taking notes? Since forever.

Oh. His head snapped up and he stared at her for a moment, his goatlike eyes locked on to her face. You’re okay now?

Bridget nodded.

Because a second ago you looked like you were going to be sick.

I’m fine.

Oh. G-good. He nodded twice, made one last flourish of notes on his little pad, and stuffed it back into his pocket. I’m Father Santos, by the way.

Bridget’s eyebrows shot up. A priest?

Oh, right. Father Santos fumbled around in his shirt pocket and withdrew a length of stiff, white fabric. I, uh, came straight from the airport. I take my c-collar off when I fly. So I can sleep.

He dropped the collar, twice, before his plump hands managed to thread it through the opening in his shirt. Bridget eyed him suspiciously. Monsignor hadn’t said anything about another priest.

She wondered how much Father Santos knew.

Where’s Monsignor Renault?

Right, Father Santos said. He turned and shuffled down the hall. Follow me.

The coldness of the room hit Bridget even before the smell of burning incense. The vapor of her escaping breath mingled with the swirl of perfumed smoke that hung over a double bed in the center of the room. Monsignor Renault knelt in prayer at the foot of the bed. He didn’t stir as they entered, but continued to mutter under his breath before he leaned back on his heels and made the sign of the cross.

Monsignor looked tired, hardly the confident priest she’d seen less than an hour ago. The wisps of white hair scattered across his bald head were pointing in several directions at once, like the Scarecrow showing both ways to Oz. His pale gray eyes seemed sunken, and his skin—gray to match—sagged off his face like raw pizza dough.

With a heavy sigh, he glanced up. At first, Monsignor’s eyes didn’t register her presence; they just followed Father Santos with suspicion as he waddled to the far side of the room. Slowly, Monsignor’s gaze drifted back to Bridget, and he smiled, instantly subtracting twenty years from his appearance. Thank you for coming, Bridget.

Bridget smiled in return. Monsignor looked so relieved to see her, and despite her reservations about coming, she knew she’d made the right choice. Monsignor wanted her there. He needed her there.

I wouldn’t miss it, she said.

I know.

Bridget’s smile faded as her eyes drifted to Father Santos. He stood by the window, jotting down notes at a furious pace.

Father Santos has just arrived from Rome. Monsignor’s voice was flat. He will be working with me for the time being. He didn’t sound particularly happy.

The Vatican is c-concerned with the elevated number of possessions and infestations in the San Francisco area, Father Santos said, without looking up.

Oh, she said.

I have explained to him the nature of your unique, ah, abilities, Monsignor continued.

Bridget wondered how that conversation had gone down.

Monsignor Renault cleared his throat and, with a flick of his head, drew Bridget’s attention to the bed, where an elderly woman lay on her back, covers pulled up to her chin. She looked to be asleep, though her quick, shallow breaths hinted otherwise.

Shouldn’t we move her? Bridget asked.

No.

Bridget crinkled her brows in confusion; then her eyes grew wide as she realized the truth. Her?

Monsignor nodded. Yes.

Oh, crap. She’d thought it would just be the house, not a living, breathing person.

It speaks through her, Monsignor continued. But has not yet taken complete control.

Bridget began to inch her way toward the door. I don’t think—

Bridget. Monsignor’s voice froze her in her tracks. Bridget, you can do this. I have faith in you.

Faith. Great.

If she d-doesn’t want to be here . . . , Father Santos started.

Monsignor narrowed his eyes. She wants to be here, don’t you, Bridget?

Want was a pretty relative term, but Monsignor’s eyes searched her face, practically pleading for the right answer. She couldn’t disappoint him after all he’d done for her. She swallowed hard and nodded. Um, yeah. Yeah, I do.

Thank you, Monsignor said, staring directly at Father Santos. The younger priest looked away and shuffled his feet.

Monsignor’s face was grim as he looked back at Bridget, but his gray eyes twinkled as if they shared some secret joke at Father Santos’s expense. Don’t worry. Mrs. Long cannot hurt you, I promise.

Bridget gazed at the tiny Mrs. Long—she was ninety pounds maybe, but only after she ate a giant burrito or something—and there was no vapor emanating from her nose or mouth. The old woman’s breath was frigid.

Bridget bit her lip, attempting to hide the abject terror rising up from her stomach to her throat like bad sushi.

What is Rule Number One? Monsignor Renault asked softly.

Bridget swore that man could read her mind. Do not show fear.

Do not show fear. Monsignor pulled himself up to his full six-foot height, straightening his back and holding his head erect. Despite his age, his shoulders were square and broad, and he looked strong enough to take on a sumo wrestler. He wore his usual long black cassock piped with red, and a purple sash around his waist. A silver ring encircled the middle finger of his left hand, so thick it was more like a single brass knuckle than a piece of jewelry. Monsignor was old-school Catholic, a spectacle of ancient traditions and beliefs that fascinated Bridget and scared the crap out of her at the same time.

And if he thought Bridget could handle this, then she was damn well going to try.

Father Santos, Monsignor said. Please prepare the room.

Father Santos opened a black bag and removed a purple stole, which he handed to his superior. Monsignor Renault kissed the cross on the back of the stole, then draped it over his neck. Next came two small crystal decanters—one of holy water, one of consecrated oil—then a covered bowl of salt, a tray of Eucharistic wafers, and several thick, white candles. After lighting the candles, the young priest took the salt and carefully sprinkled a stripe across the threshold of the bedroom, then deposited a small pile in each of the four corners.

Bridget, Monsignor murmured without looking at her.

She jumped. Yes?

Do you remember what we discussed?

Bridget’s mind fumbled for the Rules he had impressed upon her over the last few weeks. The warnings, the training, the explanation of things she wasn’t entirely sure existed. I guess.

You guess? Monsignor turned to her slowly and repeated the question. Do you remember what we discussed?

Bridget’s mouth went dry. Yes, Monsignor.

Excellent. Monsignor raised the crucifix to his chest and stepped toward the figure on the bed. Let us begin.

Three

MONSIGNOR’S DEEP VOICE FILLED THE room. I command you, unclean spirit, along with all your minions, to relinquish your hold on this servant of God.

Mrs. Long’s eyes flew open, and black, empty pupils scanned the room, resting briefly on each of its occupants before returning to Monsignor. They were not the soft eyes of an old lady, but hooded, like a snake appraising its prey. Her cracked lips contorted into a grin, and she arched her spine.

As a most humble minister of the Savior, Monsignor continued, I command you to obey me.

Liar, Mrs. Long hissed, her head weaving back and forth. Liar, liar, liar.

Monsignor narrowed his eyes. He has given me the power to tread upon the serpents and the scorpions, and to break the dominion of your master everywhere.

Mrs. Long sat up and bounced on the bed. Liar, liar, liar. He’s a liar, liar. Thinks he can lie to us, but we know all about the lies, the lies.

Monsignor stood firm on the other side of the bed. He didn’t look scared at all, unlike Bridget, whose stomach writhed and churned with the remnants of her lunch. He gave Bridget a slight nod to reassure her that everything was under control.

The woman pointed a long, crooked finger at him. We know you. We know you.

Depart, tempter, Monsignor said. Depart, seducer, full of lies and cunning.

We know what you are.

I am a servant of the Lord.

Liar, liar.

Monsignor Renault placed his right hand on Mrs. Long’s forehead and held the cross directly before her eyes. Behold the cross of the Lord. Begone, you hostile powers.

Mrs. Long curled her lip and hissed again.

The hair on Bridget’s arms stood straight up. Last time there’d been no face to the evil. This was something for Monsignor and Father Santos to tackle. Not her.

Begone, slave. Return to your master.

With a roar, Mrs. Long’s hands shot forward, striking Monsignor Renault full in the chest. He flew across the room and crashed into the far wall, where he hung suspended, pinned to the wall by an unseen force. Bridget screamed.

You know nothing of the Master, Mrs. Long said. Or at least Bridget thought it was Mrs. Long. The voice had changed. It was deep, raspy, undeniably male, and it was accompanied by a growl that originated from deep within her body.

Suddenly Monsignor was released, and he crumpled to the floor. Bridget started toward him, but he held up a hand. I am fine, Bridget. This corrupted spirit and its master cannot harm me.

Mrs. Long ran a parched tongue over her lips. He has power you only wish to achieve.

Monsignor pushed himself to his feet; he did not look the least bit shaken. Father Santos, the oil.

The younger priest retrieved the holy sacramentals and removed the stopper from a decanter. Monsignor dipped his thumb in the consecrated oil and made the sign of the cross over Mrs. Long’s throat.

No, no, no, no, no, Mrs. Long cried, writhing on the bed.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Monsignor bellowed. He moved his thumb to her forehead. In nomine Patris. Et Filii.

Traitor! the woman shrieked.

Et Spiritus Sancti.

Noooo— Her scream choked off as Monsignor pressed his thumb into Mrs. Long’s forehead. The old woman’s whole abdomen rose off the bed, and then she flopped back onto the mattress, eyes closed, body limp.

All was still in the room.

Awesome.

Is that it? Bridget asked hopefully.

Monsignor shushed her. What is Rule Number Four?

Do not let your guard down, Bridget repeated diligently. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Father Santos scribbling more notes.

What was he doing? Focus, Bridge. She had to keep her mind on the afflicted person, just as Monsignor had taught her. She had to remember the Rules.

Rule Number One: Do not show fear.

Rule Number Two: Do not show pity.

Rule Number Three: Do not engage.

Rule Number Four: Do not let your guard down.

Rule Number Five: They lie.

She closed her eyes and repeated them over and over again like a mantra. Her breath stilled; the pounding of her heart lessened.

That’s when she heard it. Not voices this time, but grunts. Animal grunts. Like a herd of pigs running loose inside the house.

Without thinking, she placed her hand on the wall to steady herself.

The noises exploded in her head. A deafening roar, a mix of snarls and screams at once human and beastlike. She could feel the wall throbbing beneath her palm as if the beings inside were going to burst through the plaster.

Bridget, are you all right? Monsignor’s voice cracked.

Her breaths came shallow and ragged as the noises pounded through her ears. Yeah, I—I think so.

What is it? Father Santos asked. What do you hear?

I . . . Crap, what didn’t she hear? She closed her eyes. Grunts.

Grunts?

Animal grunts. And screams. They’re . . . I don’t think they’re human.

They are gathering their power, Monsignor said. He tightened his grip on the cross. Be ready.

Bridget had no clue what ready meant. Ready for what?

Her answer came immediately. The foundations of the house rocked. Bridget lost her balance and staggered a few steps until Monsignor’s strong hand gripped her arm, steadying her. Mrs. Long grunted and snarled, then Bridget watched in horror as the old lady’s body went

Reviews for Possess

[Fiyi Aranti Tapri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I luv it!!! It's hard to find an asian main character in YA books...and I love that the story is imaginative although at some point it's slow-paced.
And yeah it is good...

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked this story, the plot was exciting and suspenseful and the mythology that drove the plot was incredibly intriguing. I enjoyed learning about the watchers and the emmim, the mythology behind their existence was absolutely compelling. It kept me wanting to know more about them and their history. This was a book that I wanted to keep reading, despite its flaws. The action and suspense were enough to keep me fully engaged in the story even when I was annoyed with some of, what I felt to be, the weaker aspects of the book.

The scene opened on the heroine attending and assisting with an exorcism. This certainly set the tone for the exciting premise. The demons were strange and otherworldly, and very cleverly written. The exorcisms may have, at times, lacked the feel of authenticity, but they were still fascinating to witness, especially the way main character, Bridget, interacted with the demons. The two priests that were also attending the exorcisms and advising Bridget were such shady characters, I didn't know which one I distrusted more. The byplay between them effectively communicated the tense relationships between themselves and Bridget.

Where I sometimes lost patience with Possess was in the dialog and the characters. One of the most important factors in a book, for me, is the way the characters interact with one another. So, when the dialog is weak, or cheesy, or overdone, it takes a lot away from the story itself. In Possess, it was clearly the intention to make Bridget a snarky, angsty teen, which in itself can be tedious to read. The problem I had with this was that any time she was speaking, whether it be internally or in conversation, there was either a flippant remark or a "poor me" whiny pout. I felt like it was completely overdone and decreased my enjoyment of the book.

As a main character, I thought Bridget was a whiny, sarcastic, clueless nitwit. I don't understand why the hints were presented so that the reader understood them, but apparently Bridget did not. It made me feel frustrated with her ineffectiveness as the main character. I also hated the way she treated her "friends" The snarky comments about one being fat, lazy, and gay were a bit over the top. Also, the fact that she didn't discourage the other "friend" who obviously had a huge crush on her, instead, she continued to ignore his hurt feelings as she became closer to another guy without ever addressing the issue or even attempting to salvage the friendship. There were many things like this that caused me to dislike Bridget as a main character.

I guess I will be one of the very few, it seems, that did not absolutely love Possess. It simply wasn't for me. I find it very difficult to enjoy a book if I do not like the main character. So, for me, I will be rating Possess a three, because while the plot was fast paced and exciting, the fact that I did not like the main character took much away from my overall enjoyment.

[aoibhealfae · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really like it.. for a debut novel. It borders Exorcist and Paul Wesley's Fallen,

But I do have a problem with american writers trying to do asian characters. Bridget Liu Yue Ling (proper nomenclature, not Yueling Liu.. sounds weird)may be a half chinese half irish girl but the book clearly confuses her. One thing, there's a lot of japanese references along the line with one hint of her ancestry. Liu had a LOT of variation and I would have reffed it to Liu Bei (Romance of the Three Kingdom) which would make sense than random jizz about serving the emperor. I know it was written with good intention, but I do wish the author could make a lot of side references and try not to introduce a character just for a sake that she's a classified minority in US and no books have mixed racial characters. A lot of things didn't make sense but its okay, since its not a stand-alone book. Atleast, its more bearable than reading weird americanized honorifics.

[kmjanek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Recommended (additional purchase)Possess turned out to be more gripping than I thought it would be. The main character is Bridget and she is Chinese-Irish American. Her father has just been murdered and her family life has been turned upside down. She attends a Catholic school and Monsignor Renault has become aware that she can perform exorcisms. Since all the demonic possessions seem to be taking place in San Francisco, the Vatican dispatches a priest from the Order of St. Michael to try and figure out what is going on. A boy named Matt Quinn becomes very interested in Bridget. They have been friends since childhood and now there is something more. Matt’s dad had been the lead investigator on Bridget’s dads murder and his best friend, so there has been a family connection for a long time. The suspense amps up a notch when the demons possess Bridget’s brother and she gets a cryptic message not to trust the priest. Bridget needs to accept her power and learn how to use it before she loses those she loves.It took me a while to get around to reading this book, but then it turned out to be riveting. I love the romance, the suspense, the mystery and of course, the paranormal powers that Bridget has. The story flowed well and it was well researched. A lot of Catholic theology was woven into the story as well as some elements of the resources that the Vatican has. The romance was sweet. Matt was honest and true about his feelings for Bridget and it left the reader hoping for a happily ever after. This seems to be a stand alone book, which I like. This is the first book published for author, Gretchen McNeil. Overall, I think she did a great job. My paranormal readers will like this book. There is some gore and death, but no sex and drugs. I would recommend this book for school libraries and I will promote it through Moodle. I think the theological facts are true, so it would be a good purchase for a Catholic school. There are some prayers in Latin that trace back to medieval Catholicism. A major part of the mystery in this story traces back to the Order and Medal of St. Michael. I think the story is interesting, well researched and unique for Young Adult writing.

[ncdonnas · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked this story, the plot was exciting and suspenseful and the mythology that drove the plot was incredibly intriguing. I enjoyed learning about the watchers and the emmim, the mythology behind their existence was absolutely compelling. It kept me wanting to know more about them and their history. This was a book that I wanted to keep reading, despite its flaws. The action and suspense were enough to keep me fully engaged in the story even when I was annoyed with some of, what I felt to be, the weaker aspects of the book.

The scene opened on the heroine attending and assisting with an exorcism. This certainly set the tone for the exciting premise. The demons were strange and otherworldly, and very cleverly written. The exorcisms may have, at times, lacked the feel of authenticity, but they were still fascinating to witness, especially the way main character, Bridget, interacted with the demons. The two priests that were also attending the exorcisms and advising Bridget were such shady characters, I didn't know which one I distrusted more. The byplay between them effectively communicated the tense relationships between themselves and Bridget.

Where I sometimes lost patience with Possess was in the dialog and the characters. One of the most important factors in a book, for me, is the way the characters interact with one another. So, when the dialog is weak, or cheesy, or overdone, it takes a lot away from the story itself. In Possess, it was clearly the intention to make Bridget a snarky, angsty teen, which in itself can be tedious to read. The problem I had with this was that any time she was speaking, whether it be internally or in conversation, there was either a flippant remark or a "poor me" whiny pout. I felt like it was completely overdone and decreased my enjoyment of the book.

As a main character, I thought Bridget was a whiny, sarcastic, clueless nitwit. I don't understand why the hints were presented so that the reader understood them, but apparently Bridget did not. It made me feel frustrated with her ineffectiveness as the main character. I also hated the way she treated her "friends" The snarky comments about one being fat, lazy, and gay were a bit over the top. Also, the fact that she didn't discourage the other "friend" who obviously had a huge crush on her, instead, she continued to ignore his hurt feelings as she became closer to another guy without ever addressing the issue or even attempting to salvage the friendship. There were many things like this that caused me to dislike Bridget as a main character.

I guess I will be one of the very few, it seems, that did not absolutely love Possess. It simply wasn't for me. I find it very difficult to enjoy a book if I do not like the main character. So, for me, I will be rating Possess a three, because while the plot was fast paced and exciting, the fact that I did not like the main character took much away from my overall enjoyment.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Bridget Liu is a whiner. Seriously. She's one of those heroine's that's all 'waaah, I have a special power, but I just want to be normal.' Just get over it! I mean, yeah, of all the powers out there being able to exorcize people wouldn't exactly be my power of choice, but you've got it, so you might as well deal with it instead of complaining about it.

That's the thing, though, Bridget's pretty unhappy with pretty much everything in her life, and she whines about it constantly. However, she makes little to no effort to change any of these things. She doesn't want to help people with her powers, but she comes running to help whenever the priests ask her too. She doesn't like her mom dating so soon after her dad's death, but instead of calmly discussing it with her she ignores it and then throws temper tantrums. She claims to dislike Matt Quinn, who I am affectionately calling 'Hottie Stalker,' yet she continues to agree to hang out with him, all the while bemoaning the circumstances that brought her there (namely, her choosing to be there with him), in between fits of swooning mentally about how hot he is.

Even worse than her perpetual plaintive protestations, though, is the fact that they all take place next to her thoughts about what a badass she is. If you just heard her internal monologue, except for the part where she melts into a puddle of goo when super sexy Matt does anything, you might think this heroine was a tough, take no prisoners, straight up biatch. Seriously, she even called herself a badass in her thoughts, only a few pages after she congratulated herself on having strong Matt to protect her now. UGH!

You may be wondering about my moniker for Matt that I mentioned earlier. He is constantly showing up where she is, inquiring about where she's been, and talking to her mom (both in person and on the phone). They may have been childhood friends, and they may sort of be close now, but that's weird. In addition to Hottie Stalker, there's also Awkward Stalker. Bad luck, right? She has two freaking stalkers. The other one is one of her two best friends, Peter Kim. Peter's been obsessed with her for years, and, apparently, despite being friends for so long, she can't talk to him about anything because he'll interrupt her to repeatedly say how much he loves her. He's constantly getting jealous about her relationship with Matt and seems to know things about her he shouldn't. Yet, they are still friends.

The Peter Kim thing bothered me from the very beginning. He has the most pathetic crush on Bridget, which is fine, except that this apparently has to mean he becomes a creepy stalker. Part of the problem could be how wishy-washy Bridget is, although I think he still should have figured it out by now, but, in real life, most guys would just hide their crush. Plus, the third person in their friend group, sassy gay friend Hector, just makes everything worse. He constantly forces the conversation back to the Bridget-Peter drama. Who does that? These people just did not feel at all like real friends, or real people really.

The fantasy elements were a bit off-putting to me as well. Here's the things: the book came across as very religious. I mean, obviously that's a danger with a topic like demons/angels, but it can be done less heavy-handedly than this. Of the angel/demon books I've read, this one definitely seemed to be the most religion-oriented, which may be because of the creepy priests telling her what to do all of the time or who knows what. Maybe it's just me. I also found the plot trite and predictable; the writing weak.

Obviously, I did not care for this one. However, I do intend to give McNeil's new novel Ten a try, because the plot sounds very And Then There Were None. Anyway, I do think people who enjoy the novels of Kimberly Derting and Courtney Alison Moulton, both who offered blurbs for the back cover of the book, might enjoy Possess.

[zabetreading · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fairly predictable but an enjoyable read all the same. Would read a sequel.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bridget Liu isn't just a moody, combative teenager that just wants everyone (including her parents, her mom, and the cute son of the police sergeant) to leave her alone. She can communicate with demons and send them back to where they came from. Fearing her loved ones reaction to her power (or her belief in her power), she confides in Monsignor Renault, who then guides her and asks for help on increasingly more dangerous exorcisms. On one of these, Bridget hears a demon say something frightening that turns her whole world upside down. She has to figure out a demon's plan before it's executed and find out who around her is working for it.I usually don't really like exorcist stories, but the awesome metallic blue cover and the good things I've heard about Gretchen McNeil's writing made me ignore my misgivings towards the genre. I was pleasantly surprised by most of the story. Bridget is a smart, capable heroine that has special powers over demons. Even though she can be too whiny and annoying, her good qualities outweigh those annoyances. I liked seeing the story through her eyes because she adds her own sarcasm and unique point of view. Her character develops throughout the novel and she gets much less annoying and much more mature by the end of it. My favorite scene is the one where a doll shop is infested with demons. There are some pretty creepy moments, but nothing mindblowingly scary. Possessed dolls are just disturbing by themselves. Gretchen McNeil's writing is what made the book enjoyable. Despite my problems with it, I read it pretty fast because she built up momentum really well and grabbed my interest. The plot moves swiftly after the exposition with the demonic activity increasing as it goes along.I did have some problems with this book. The minor characters are paper thin with little to no character development. A boy is in love with Bridget and literally stalks her around school and sends her frightening and obsessive text messages. This situation gets way out of control and totally could have been prevented if she had just told an authority figure about it and gotten him help. It just makes her look horrible and like she doesn't really care about her friend and the other people he could hurt because of his obviously unstable mental state. I really had to suspend disbelief with the religious aspects because I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic schools. It did pull me out of the story a couple times at the beginning, but I was so interested in the story by the end that it no longer mattered. There were some twists and turns in the plot, but I could see most of them coming a mile away.Possess was kind of uneven for me. The character development was great for Bridget, but most of the other characters were basically cardboard. I do wish it were a little more scary. Most teen horror is kind of underwhelming. Despite the problems I had, Gretchen McNeil's writing kept me interested throughout the book and I will definitely be reading her new release, Ten.

[emroda · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was enjoyable. It tells the story of Bridget, a young woman who has recently learned she has the ability to be an exorcist.Though it may seem like it at the beginning, this ISN'T a story focused on Catholicism. It obviously plays an important role because exorcisms are by nature belonging to the Catholic church. However, you don't have to be Catholic or know much of anything about Catholicism to understand the book. Moving on, the story is nice, with an interesting mix of the paranormal. The plot twist at the end is pretty predictable. The romance is nothing special, but is nice to read. It's a simple read, not too complicated, but it's enjoyable and fun.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bridget Lui isn't your typical high school student. Her father was brutally murdered, she hears voices, she has a stalker, and she wears steel toed boots. She attends catholic school where her priest is teaching her to banish demons. Enter another priest sent from the Vatican to determine the recent increase of demonic activity leaving Bridget confused. She knows that clues are given with each banishment telling about the rise of a very strong demon. This was a very interesting book. It is darker and edgier than typical YA books. Not recommended for younger or less mature readers. Also swearing and use of the 'f' bomb

[therandomgirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Let's set the record straight: exorcisms scare the crap out of me. I almost didn't pick up this book because of the fact that exorcisms and I don't go so well together. I watched Season of the Witch (Starring Nicholas Cage), thinking it was going to be a cool historical-set movie. I freaked out when later on, the viewers learned that the girl was possessed by a demon. I swore I'd never have anything to do with exorcisms after that. But when I saw this book sitting on the shelf at the book store, I thought, what the heck? I'll buy it! And so I did. And I fell in love with Possess. I didn't know what I was in for, but I was blown away.I honestly didn't know how this book was going to turn out for me. I told myself that if this book gets too scary, I'd drop it. Turns out that this book and me were stuck together during the time that I was reading it. The suspense and the feeling that you get when you know that you're going to be scared out of your underwear was the main reasons why I didn't put this book down. Instead of making me drop the book it made me hold on because the fact that there's suspense will always keep the readers on the edge of their seats. And Possess did just that.When I said I was blown away...it wasn't literally. But I was blown away! Just not literally. This book was amazing beyond words and topped all those horror stories I've ever read. But I really wasn't blown away with the wind and all that stuff. But the book definitely had me taking a step back and going, "Whoa." You'd imagine that during a tornado, you'd likely be holding on to anything sturdy like a pole to keep from flying off the ground and getting sucked into the whirling blender of doom (random, I know). But while you hold on to the pole, I'll hold on to Possess, thank you very much. My point is, you can't let go of Possess, Gretchen McNeil, Bridget, and everything else, won't let you go! You won't be able to until you get to the end and find out what the heck is going to happen to everyone especially Bridget and Matt. Demons...shudder. Creepy talking dolls--I WANT MY MOMMY!Posses was creeptastic! And man, did it scare the crap out of me. Somehow, Gretchen McNeil was able to tap into my imagination, and let me visualize all the scenes in her book--especially the scary parts. Usually in horror movies you'd cover your eyes and peek in-between your fingers, right? But I couldn't cover my brain and peek in-between my fingers, because that's just stupid and impossible (if it is possible, I'm just too lazy to try). Since I couldn't peek through the slits I leave for myself, I was forced to read every hair raising part. Like I said, it scared the crap out of me. And I'm pretty sure I liked it. Gretchen McNeil is an expert for setting the stage for suspense and horror stories. Sure yeah, possessions are nightmare educing, but creepy talking dolls? GET ME MY BLANKET AND MY MOM because I won't be able to sleep at all! Gretchen McNeil did something right when she wrote about these creepers, because I can actually hear their voices when they talked. *shiver*Yeah, like being a teen exorcist is totally normal and won't frighten you in anyway. Teen exorcist? That's Bridget. And it's a good thing she isn't frightened easily, since she deals with all these scary stuff. I think headstrong totally fits her because she won't run away and she'll finish the job. She's that "kiss with a fist" type of gal and doesn't exactly like all the other girls, which is one reason why she hangs out with the outsiders. If there's one thing that will shock you about Bridget, it's the fact that she is something more. Let's leave it at that. It may be obvious that she is (but really what I'm talking about is not), but hey, I'm not spoiling anything. Gretchen totally popped that one up when I was not expecting it. You're good and you're bad. No, wait--what? There is Father Santos and Monsignor Renault. Who's good and who's bad? You won't know until towards the end. I certainly didn't, but I had my suspicions. And until you reach the part of the revelations, you'll be left with your only suspicions. You'll be jumping back and forth between these two men yelling, "YOU'RE BAD" and "YOU'RE GOOD!" Then when something pops up you'll take a step back, scratch your head, exclaim you're confused, and switch. If you hadn't already guessed, that was my reaction.This was the best Halloween read EVER!And I'm serious about that! It is the perfect Halloween read. Read it before or on Halloween eve/day, because that's the best time to read it. It'll get you so paranoid and freaked out. Wait, that's not a good thing when it comes to trick or treating (don't want to be too paranoid). But whatever, this is a kick-ass, action packed, horror story with a whole lot of things that will knock you off your feet (come to think of it, was that just the book or a spirit?)

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This story is perfect for anyone who loves ghosts and suspense-and doesn't mind being more than a little freaked out! The characters are amazing and the plot is the perfect high-school-meets-the-exorcist story.Opening Sentence: Bridget stared at the clock on the wall and cursed its painfully slow progression towards three fifteen.The Review:I am hard pressed to think of something I didn't like about this book. The narrator, despite being fifteen, is the perfect combination of smart a$$ and smart. Bridget goes to a Catholic school in San Francisco, and demonaic possessions and infestations have been rising in the last few weeks. One night while babysitting, a demon enters the house and goes after the twins there. Worse, Bridget can hear them talking to each other, whether they've manifested in a body or not. And they seem to be coming to find her.Monsigor Renault gives her the five rules of banishment. As the world around her begins to flip upside down, her mentor's mantra become words to live by. Amaymon, one of the demon kings, is gathering his servants in Hell, and his minions on earth are beginning the ritual that will bring him to life. Then there's Father Santos, the babysitter sent by the Vatican to make sure Monsignor is doing his job. The rise in infestations has left the church worried and Father Santos isn't being forthcoming about what's going on.Soon ancient biblical scripture comes crashing into Bridget's life and everything she knows about herself is turned around. The demons are calling to her, but can she trust them? And what does her father's murder-only eight months prior to the beginning of the novel-have to do with all this? If she can't figure out what the demons' plans are, more people are going to die. Or worse, more demons will come to earth.This isn't a religious novel, so don't be scared off by all the Catholicism! It's about banishing and exorcising demons, not a church sermon. In my experience people have been turned off by any mention of a priest in a story blurb but please don't be! The priests are characters, not preachers. They are the source of Bridget's information about what's going on, about who she is and what she has to do to keep her family and the world safe.Then there's Matt Quinn. He's basically perfect. He helps coach her younger brother at baseball, he doesn't take any of Bridget's bullshit, and he's also really hot. I love the way this romance develops, because it isn't any of the love-at-first-sight nonsense you read in a lot of young adult books. In fact, she really hates Matt-or at the very least resents him and his dad for barging into the Liu family's life. It's annoying, the way they're so overprotective. But eventually, as a reader you realize just how much protection the family might need. Matt's a great romantic subplot, because he and Bridget work so well together with their sarcastic, smart a$$ senses of humor. Notice I say subplot-Matt isn't a lead character, and the romance takes a back seat throughout the story.McNeil does the perfect job of balancing the aspects of suspense and horror. I couldn't put this book down until I was sure all of my favorite characters were going to end up all right. After all, she'd killed off the father, and I was scared who'd be next. I couldn't get the pages turned fast enough. Bridget is an absorbing, light hearted narrator despite the subject matter.FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Possess. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[theamwriter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

About the bookFifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her over-protective mom, by Matt Quinn, the cute son of a local police sergeant and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, the voices are demons—and Bridget possesses the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from. Literally.Terrified to tell her friends or family about this new power, Bridget confides in San Francisco’s senior exorcist, Monsignor Renault. The monsignor enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession, but just as she is starting to come to terms with her freakish new role, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. And when one of her oldest friends is killed, Bridget realizes she’s in deeper than she ever thought possible. Now she must unlock the secret to the demons’ plan before someone else close to her winds up dead—or worse, the human vessel for a demon king.My ReviewFirst, I want to talk about the cover of Possess, I loved it. I’m not exactly sure why they have the tree branches going across the girl’s face. I’m not sure what purpose that serves but it does make it look creepy. I loved the cover. Moving on to the story itself, I want to say that I loved the book as a whole. Gretchen McNeil did a beautiful job in writing this book. I loved the characters especially Bridget. Though at times I wish she would have spoken up for herself. I understand that with a secret like Bridget’s that conversations are a little harder without coming out and saying what the secret is, so I thought that was all good for the character development. As the story progresses, I loved how as Bridget figured things out so did the reader. We went along being clueless with Bridget and we were learning things right along with her. I think that Gretchen did an awesome job with this book. The amount of research that she put into this book really shows through her writing. I absolutely loved this book. The ending was good. I liked that Matt and Bridget were able to stay together. Though I do hope that there will be a sequel of some kind with this novel, it seems like there could be one. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been excited about Possess for a long time. Ever since that beautiful cover jumped off the page, I couldn't get it out of my head. And with a blurb like that -I had to read it. I spent at least a month trying to hunt it down, and eventually broke down and bought it off Amazon.Young Bridget seems like a normal girl -her father is a local police sergeant, her mother is completely overprotective and she hears voices. And not just any voices, but the voices of demons. It turns out that Bridget as the ability to exercise and banish demons that possess human bodies -in every religious aspect of the sense. To cope, Bridget tracks down the leading exorcist in San Francisco, who decides to train her, even though that means taking her along on dangerous missions. And Bridget's life will never be the same.Debut author Gretchen McNeil is an excellent new author who delivers a solid story with honest dialog, realistic characters that are easy for readers to relate to, and a well-constructed story that was enjoyable to read. McNeil also has a very clear, clean and polished writing style that was comfortable for the reader and was easy to get into. But most importantly -Possess had me hooked from the beginning and flipping pages up until the very end.Would I read the next book in the series? Of course. Of all the debut authors I've read this year, McNeil had one of the most comfortable and honest writing styles and best dialog.

[eheinlen_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It was quick and easy to read and the story was engaging and fun. I loved all of the characters and thought they were well-rounded and well-developed. While I did figure out the twist before the author officially revealed it, I still loved the way that the story unfolded. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Meg Cabot, Charlaine Harris or Cassandra Clare.

[ahappybooker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked this story, the plot was exciting and suspenseful and the mythology that drove the plot was incredibly intriguing. I enjoyed learning about the watchers and the emmim, the mythology behind their existence was absolutely compelling. It kept me wanting to know more about them and their history. This was a book that I wanted to keep reading, despite its flaws. The action and suspense were enough to keep me fully engaged in the story even when I was annoyed with some of, what I felt to be, the weaker aspects of the book.The scene opened on the heroine attending and assisting with an exorcism. This certainly set the tone for the exciting premise. The demons were strange and otherworldly, and very cleverly written. The exorcisms may have, at times, lacked the feel of authenticity, but they were still fascinating to witness, especially the way main character, Bridget, interacted with the demons. The two priests that were also attending the exorcisms and advising Bridget were such shady characters, I didn't know which one I distrusted more. The byplay between them effectively communicated the tense relationships between themselves and Bridget.Where I sometimes lost patience with Possess was in the dialog and the characters. One of the most important factors in a book, for me, is the way the characters interact with one another. So, when the dialog is weak, or cheesy, or overdone, it takes a lot away from the story itself. In Possess, it was clearly the intention to make Bridget a snarky, angsty teen, which in itself can be tedious to read. The problem I had with this was that any time she was speaking, whether it be internally or in conversation, there was either a flippant remark or a "poor me" whiny pout. I felt like it was completely overdone and decreased my enjoyment of the book.As a main character, I thought Bridget was a whiny, sarcastic, clueless nitwit. I don't understand why the hints were presented so that the reader understood them, but apparently Bridget did not. It made me feel frustrated with her ineffectiveness as the main character. I also hated the way she treated her "friends" The snarky comments about one being fat, lazy, and gay were a bit over the top. Also, the fact that she didn't discourage the other "friend" who obviously had a huge crush on her, instead, she continued to ignore his hurt feelings as she became closer to another guy without ever addressing the issue or even attempting to salvage the friendship. There were many things like this that caused me to dislike Bridget as a main character.I guess I will be one of the very few, it seems, that did not absolutely love Possess. It simply wasn't for me. I find it very difficult to enjoy a book if I do not like the main character. So, for me, I will be rating Possess a three, because while the plot was fast paced and exciting, the fact that I did not like the main character took much away from my overall enjoyment.

[poetrytoprose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite the huge pile of books I have waiting to be read, I’ve been in a reading funk for about a week now with nothing being what I was in the mood for. Possess arrived in my mailbox, and it stood out from everything else I currently had, so I decided to give it a go. I ended up loving it!Creepy and suspenseful would be two words to describe it. Prior to reading it myself, I had read a few reviews that warned that there were some spooky moments in the book. I obviously didn’t take them too seriously since I decided to start reading this late at night… I soon found myself feeling paranoid in my own room, afraid that something/someone was lurking in the shadows. While no moments were terrifying, there was definitely enough to get some goosebumps on my arms. Needless to say, Gretchen McNeil created a haunting atmosphere (in San Francisco! AKA one of my favorite places ever!) that made me feel that I was right there along with the main character, Bridget Liu.I really loved Bridget. She was the right amount of snarky, prickly, tough, vulnerable, and loyal. Her dynamic with her family was interesting; she’s still grieving over her father’s murder, trying to figure out how to deal with her mom dating, and watching over her younger brother, Sammy. Her scenes with her best friend, Hector, were a highlight for me and I wish we had gotten more of them. And then there’s Matt. What a sweet little romance! Their relationship never took over the story, but there was enough to get attached to them together. I thought Bridget dealt with her abilities in a believable way: uncertain, nervous, and all sorts of freaked out. It was great to see her grow more confident, though, and that, too, felt natural for her character.There was only one issue I had with Possess and it was how it glossed over one event that I don’t even want to hint at for fear of spoiling it somehow. While it was meant to move the mystery along, I think it lost some of its impact when the characters — as well as myself — seemed to forget all about it. Still, I can’t say that the book suffered too much because of this. As I said, I did forget about it and that’s due to the fact that McNeil kept her story going at such an excellent pace.From what I understand, a sequel to Possess is in the works, but here’s an awesome bit of info: this could easily be a standalone. Yay! There’s a very clear beginning, middle, and end, with enough resolution that I wasn’t left wanting to yank my hair out. However, I’m left wanting more! There’s still a lot left to explore and I eagerly look forward to it.

[renkellym · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thrilling and occasionally horrific, Possess is a gripping debut that takes the YA paranormal genre somewhere relatively new—exorcisms. Gretchen McNeil grounds her story in reality and examines the inner workings of the Catholic Church, unveiling secret societies and numerous mysteries in a delicate manner. The incorporation of the Church is fascinating—readers who are unfamiliar with Catholicism will find themselves curious, and those who, like Bridget, attended parochial schools will smirk at certain points.The “banishment” portions of the book are most certainly the best. Every interaction with a demon easily raises the heart rate, and Gretchen McNeil holds no punches when it comes to inducing chills in both the setting and the demons themselves. Possess brings quite a bit of action to the table; something that all readers will enjoy. The climax of the story, especially, will leave your heart pounding for minutes after you set the book down.Bridget is somewhat different from the heroines that usually inhabit paranormal young adult fiction. She is tough, guarded, and entirely capable of taking care of herself, even before she discovers her powers. Bridget’s banishing powers are therefore more of a bonus, rather than the source of her confidence and strength. Bridget’s powerful personality doesn’t make her difficult to relate to, though—she’s also quirky and full of quips that lighten dark situations. Plus, she does let her guard down for people she loves, and it’s at those times that we see her as a caring individual despite her tough exterior.The only hiccup in Possess, if it may be called that, is the execution of the first few chapters. The reader is thrown into the middle of the action and is thoroughly confused until a later revelation. After the revelation, though, the book is very, very enjoyable. Fans of paranormal YA will love the fresh concept of Possess, and anyone who likes a healthy dose of action in their fiction should definitely give Gretchen McNeil’s debut a try.

[candacemom2two · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This ended up being a fantastic read! It was creepy, and spooky and had some fantastic characters!The YA market is overrun with paranormal and so it always surprises me when an author is able to keep it unique. This book is paranormal but it has a more real feel to it which made it much creepier to me. See, I believe that possessions happen and the way some of the possession scenes play out are straight from a horror movie. And anything horror that is something that could really actually happen is ten times freakier then say a vampire ripping someones throat out. Just the thought that that could happen. Or that it does happen, is just freaky. Now although the possessions are something that really happens this book does a good job in throwing in much more, that is certainly not as real as possessions. I really liked how it had a good mixture and I found myself completely involved in the plot.There's a lot of guessing who the bad guys are in this book. I found it quite easy to figure out the main one. But really, it wasn't a big downside. It's not like I knew for sure, I was just pretty sure. ;) There were lots of other things that had me guessing though and so it's not like I could predict the whole plot. There was actually a lot of twists and turns I didn't even see coming.I liked Bridget. I had to warm up to her a bit and in the last bit I didn't care how she changed so much, that just didn't feel real, but most of the time I got her behavior and thoughts. I liked all the other other characters as well, especially Matt. He was a true sweetie who wasn't busy doing all kinds of stupid things. I really liked how the romance played out, without too much drama and mostly just Bridgets doubts standing in the way. The story wrapped things up pretty well, but there were a few things I'm still wondering about. Although I don't know if this is a series my guess is yes because I saw a few things that weren't wrapped up. At least I don't think so... It didn't end on a cliffhanger or anything though, which was definitely good! My overall feel for this book when I finished was that I really liked it. If you like a bit of creepy but maybe aren't into downright horror this may be the book for you.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed reading this book. The book has completely different paranormal elements that left me excited to read more. It is not as scary as everyone thinks. I think the way Ms. McNeil wrote the book is perfect!One things I enjoyed about this book is the great characters. Bridget is not the girl that I thought that she would be. She is strong and feisty! She knows what she wants. She doesn't play games, but is real. Ms. Neil really did a great job on capturing two different types of characters that I never thought I see together. It's amazing and completely unique.The love interest in the book had me at hello! I loved that Bridget dissed him! It made me laugh but also it was fun to read. With all the dark elements of the book, this one made the book balance out and complete it. Bridget is an easy character to fall into her shoes and see things from her point of view.The last thing is loved in the exorcism performed by Bridget and the paranormal twist in it. I must say that I was in shock to learn the heavy secret that Bridget unveils. But also, I loved how Ms. Neil took this element and made it of her own. It's nicely done, very surprising indeed.A dark and beautiful debut, I like this book. Ok, I admit, I read it during the day! LOL. Still, I loved how Ms. McNeil is able to capture the reader from the very beginning and hook them in. The plot pacing is perfect with every page turn. Even the minor characters play bigger parts that I thought. I can't wait to see what Ms. McNeil writes next!

[melanie_mccullough_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So here is a list of things that definitely did not happen while I was reading Possess:1) I did not have to sleep with the lights on.2) I did not fall asleep clutching my rosary & mumbling a prayer.3) I did not wake up in the middle of the night in a pitch black room to find glowing eyes staring at me.4) And I certainly did not screech, jump out of bed and knock over my nightstand only to realize those eyes belonged to my cat.Okay, so clearly all of those things did in fact happen. But it's not my fault. I blame Gretchen McNeil. This book is creepy. Creepy, and engrossing, and wonderful. I couldn't get enough. And this is another book I went into with extremely high expectations so it had to be awesome to satisfy me. Bridget is an incredible heroine. I can't even explain how much I loved her. She reminded me of myself at that age. You know, if I'd have been a kick-ass teenage exorcist instead of a girl who would've locked herself away if the walls had begun talking to her. She's intelligent, funny, and snarky. I never once found myself questioning her behavior. I could gush about her forever, but I'm going to force myself to move on.The supporting cast is equally as amazing. Each character fully fleshed out with their own little intricacies and secrets. I adored Matt. He's handsome, charming, and super supportive of Bridget even as she does her best to push him away. The story line is truly original. It wasn't the same old story with different characters. I was fully engaged, anxiously turning pages to see what would happen next. There are lots of spine-tingling moments and action scenes that had me holding my breath and biting my nails. The book definitely came to a successful conclusion, and as far as I know it's not part of a series, however I'd love to see more of Bridget and her world. If you're a fan of YA horror or paranormal, or simply a fan of incredible writing, this book is for you.I have a giveaway over at my blog until 9/15/11. melaniemccullough.blogspot.com

[booktwirps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu has a rare gift. She is able to speak with demons. She spends a lot of her free time helping out the Monsignor of her private school exorcise these demons from homes around San Francisco. Bridget feels like a freak. She’d rather not have this gift. She just wants to be left alone: By her mother, the cute son of the police officer that worked on the case surrounding her father’s murder, and the bitchy mean girl who apparently has it in for her. When Bridget is called to help out with a possession of an actual person, things change. Not only can she hear the demons, but they are now speaking directly to her. Soon, Bridget realizes that she isn’t just dealing with the average, annoying demon. There’s a larger power at play, and it wants her.To go into any more detail about this book would ruin the experience for the reader. I enjoyed this book immensely. The pacing was perfect, and Bridget was a total kick-ass character who deserves a place on the “cool paranormal girls who kick demon butt” wall, right next to Buffy. Ms. McNeil’s writing is fluid and most of the possession stories gave me chills – especially the particular event that takes place in a doll shop. As many of my regular followers know, it takes a lot to creep me out, and this book definitely had its moments for me. The book is a quick and easy read, and though I’d figured out the story about midway through, I still enjoyed the novel and highly recommend it.

[kreagsheehan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Possess by Gretchen McNeil was a book I have been anticipating for a long time. When I finally got my hands on it, I was not disappointed. Possess follows Bridget Liu, a 15 year old girl who’s father was recently murdered. Before long, she discovers that she has the power to banish demons back to Hell. I was amazed with the story. It was all that I was expecting, and more. There was plenty of action. The demon mythology and the rest of the mythology in the book were extremely well developed, and it all tied together nicely. It managed to include some romance too, which though it wasn’t really a main plot, it was there, and it was awesome. I’m not going to include anything else that goes on, but there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns throughout the novel. It was pure awesomeness. I can not wait for more about Bridget and her demon-banishing powers! 5/5The writing in this book was different than most, and I loved it! It was third person narrative, but you also had insight to the things Bridget was thinking. I am not really sure what to call it. Usually I prefer first person much more than third, but in this case, I loved the third person view. It fit the story extremely well. I will definitely be reading whatever else Gretchen writes, as I highly enjoy her style, and I think many others will too! 5/5The story is set in San Francisco. I’m not too familiar with the city, but the book did a very good job describing it. I think it was a perfect fit for what was going on in the story. We got to see the church, the school, houses, and the crazy house. There was plenty of variety in the location, and they were all great. 5/5I loved the characters! Bridget was a kick-butt protagonist and I loved her! She was strong and willing and didn’t let anyone put her down. The supporting cast was great. Peter, the obsessive best friend, and Hector, the other best friend, were both fun. We didn’t see much of Brad, but I’m sure we will in the future. The relationship between Matt and Bridget was great and really well developed. No insta-love here! Matt was a strong character and helped Bridget throughout the novel. The priests were both mysterious and I could never tell which one I should or shouldn’t trust. The evil popular girl, Alexa, was a great addition too. There always has to be an evil girl. And she is evil. I can’t wait to read more about Bridget, as she is one of my favorite protagonists. 5/5So, 20/20. I absolutely LOVED this book. I was so happy when I received it from Harper Collins. This is definitely one I see myself reading again and again. I want to read it again already and I just finished! This is one of my favorite books this year, and I will definitely be waiting for more about Bridget!