Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK IT OUT?

“Because reasons” should really be enough on why you should check it out. But we’ll expand, because holy amazingness! Kirkus Reviews calls this one “Means Girls with an occult twist”. The majority of the action is said to take place in the basement, which means a fairly small cast of major characters. The inter-personal politics and character development is bound to be intense… and hopefully we’ll learn to love and hate each and every one of them.

At first the cover might seem too bright and garish. But it really grew on us. The textured vibrant pink journal look gives it life, while the delicate inset gold lettering almost sparkles. The stereotype brought to mind is that of a pampered rich girl who pours her dramas and traumas out into the book… until you notice the inverted pentacle and the Cross of St. Peter tucked neatly onto the author’s name—both mainstream media symbols that call to dark religious practices. For such a simple happy cover, it sure is creepy!

Perhaps the most shocking part of all is that this is author Danielle Vega’s debut title! Fed on the tales of Stephen King since childhood, is it really any surprise though that she’d hit the ground running with this one?

EARLY REVIEWS SAY…

It’ll take a sturdy reader not to keep flinching—or put this exercise in sensation down altogether. (Kirkus Reviews)

And Lionsgate has already acquired feature film rights to THE MERCILESS with ‘Pretty Little Liars’ creator and show runner Marlene King adapting the novel to screen!

WATCH THE TRAILER

Check out this intense series of quick trailers!

 #1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAnV1oZpKVk

#2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU70xha-QtY

#3 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edPz7r19KHA

#4 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2311C8pVGGY

NECESSARY DETAILS
YA Horror
Hardcover & ebook, 279 pages
Published on June 12th 2014 by (ISBN 1595147225)

http://www.penguin.com/book/the-merciless-by-danielle-vega/9781595147226