The Pledge

November 15, 2022
Scream gets a gay romance makeover. Sixteen-year-old Sam survives the Lake Priest massacre by doing the worst thing he can imagine--killing someone in self-defense. In the process of coming to terms with these violent events, Sam loses part of himself, no longer playing lacrosse or writing. His life includes a supportive, divorced father with a new fiance, Peter (whom Sam does not like); little brother Gus; and mostly absent mother who exploited Sam's tragedy for her latest novel. Two years after the tragedy, Sam is entering college, hoping that joining a fraternity will lead to friendship. He finds a mutual attraction with charming resident adviser Oren, a sophomore journalism student. Before long, students start to die at the hands of a masked figure dubbed The Freak. All too quickly, Sam finds himself in the center of another massacre, and suspense grows around who might be hiding behind the mask. Sam and Oren try to unravel the mystery while the body count rises and the killer closes in. Kill chapters are spliced with their investigations as the boys explore their connection, yielding odd narrative diversions that sometimes hinder the pace of this queer-affirming narrative that will appeal to readers who appreciate stories propelled more by action than character development. Most main characters read White. A blood-soaked, heart-filled homage to slashers. (Thriller. 13-18)

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January 9, 2023
College freshman Sam Carville’s life is upended when a masked murderer targets him and his fraternity brothers in this gripping horror novel by Dietrich (The Friend Scheme). Sixteen-year-old Sam is on vacation at a lake house with his boyfriend, Eli, and their friends when they’re attacked by a man wielding a knife. Sam manages to kill the assailant, but not before his friends are murdered and Eli is gravely injured. Two years later, Sam, now single, is eager to begin his first year of college, hoping that a fresh start will help him move on from his traumatic past and the guilt and fear he experiences daily. When he arrives at Munroe University, he immediately crushes on his RA, Oren Fisher, who invites him to a rush event for his fraternity. Sam is certain that his life has finally taken a turn for the better until a masked killer begins slaughtering Sam’s frat brothers, forcing him and Oren to investigate. Visceral descriptions of the perpetrator’s grisly killings and adrenaline-pumping mysteries—elevated by Sam and Oren’s earnest developing romance in the face of imminent danger—make for a bloody thrill ride that will appeal to fans of slasher movies.
Protagonists cue as white. Ages 13–up.

February 15, 2023
Grades 9-12 When Sam was in high school, he ended a bloody murder spree by killing the killer--and began his new life as an anxious, traumatized survivor. Estranged from his ex-boyfriend, who experienced the murders with him, and his mother, who capitalized on the worst thing that ever happened to him to write a best-seller about the Lake Priest Massacre, Sam takes a leap and joins a fraternity when he goes to college, hoping to put the past behind him and start making friends again. A cute older boy takes an interest in Sam, and, for a minute, it seems like the biggest drama in college is going to be infighting between his frat brothers about who is dating whom. Then people close to Sam start getting murdered again. With a little romance, a little bro talk, and a little bloody murder, this fast-moving slasher will appeal to fans of the Scream franchise and those with an interest in the ethics of true-crime fandom.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 28, 2023

Gr 9 Up-Sam Carville is a survivor. After a horrific night at his friend's lake house, he and his boyfriend, Eli, barely survived, with Sam slaying the killer in self-defense. Two years later, after spending his life in isolation and fear at home, Sam is hoping to start over. He wants to go to college, have friends, and finally live his life. Despite some lingering PTSD, Sam gets dropped off at school by his supportive father and meets his cute new resident advisor, Oren. Oren, a brother at local Alpha Phi Nu, invites Sam to pledge his fraternity. Embracing his new college experience, Sam instantly bonds with some of his new fraternity mates. Sam thinks that Greek life is his future, but soon discovers that his past won't let go. One by one, his new fraternity brothers are murdered. Eli emerges as the prime suspect, but Sam knows Eli well enough to know that it can't be true. As Sam and Oren grow closer, the race to uncover the true killer heats up. This nonstop teen thriller, clearly inspired by many slasher movies, is sure to make readers who are looking for action-based plots happy. The violence is never explicit and never has an overabundance of gore. Characters are murdered quickly, but with obvious emotional fallout for Sam and his friends when they mourn them. The whodunnit-based subplot about the identity of the killer and why he is after Sam is ultimately satisfying. Sam's LGBTQIA+ identity is a part of the story and represented well. VERDICT A recommended first purchase for any teen collection looking to add a horror-based book with a gay protagonist.-Ryan P. Donovan

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