The Book Scoop: Unraveling Isobel

I am THRILLED to bring you today's blog post, because it's about a woman I hard-core adore… EILEEN COOK!!!!

Eileen kicks ass in a zillion ways.  I have loved every one of her books, which span several genres: the chick lit Unpredictable; three YA novels (What Would Emma Do, Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, The Education of Hailey Kendrick); and the MG Fourth Grade Fairy series.

Her books also lend themselves to an awesome drinking game: every time the narrator makes a list, chug.  Eileen's MCs love lists.  (Underage readers can play this with sparkling cider; works just as well.)

Unraveling Isobel, Eileen's latest book, comes out January 3.  I for one have already ordered it, and can't wait for it to arrive.  I've also been assured by Eileen that the MC makes at least one list, so I'm ready to bust out the Gewertztraminer while I read.

Eileen was also kind enough to answer a probing question I posted on her blog, but before I get to that, let's see what the book is about:

Isobel's life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn't only her life that's unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she's seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel's fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

Uh-huh.  I'm hooked.  Totally.  You?

So being a super-cool mensch, Eileen put herself out there on her blog for any and all interview questions, and I asked her this:

This book is clearly a shift in genre for you, from contemporary YA to paranormal. Did you consciously decide to make that shift, or did the story simply come to you as a paranormal YA and you ran with it?

I'm not an interviewer by trade, but I thought it was a pretty good question.  Here's her answer:

There was no conscious decision to move from contemporary to paranormal when writing Unraveling Isobel.  The book came about in part because of my love of a good gothic type story full of creepy houses and family secrets.  I think I've read the book Rebecca at least a dozen times and I love everything by Kate Morton. I was also intrigued to write about a character who is experiencing something that she can't easily explain.  Is she seeing a ghost? Is she going crazy like her dad who has mental health issues? Is her step-dad trying to make everyone think she's crazy so she can be sent away? I liked the idea of her having to navigate this complicated situation and decide to believe in herself.

This book is different from my others, although the same snarky humor is there. I can't seem to escape that.  I'll be very interested to see what readers think.

I can pretty much guarantee I'll think it's fantastic.  To celebrate its incipient arrival, let's gab about our favorite Eileen books.  Let me know which of her books you've loved best, and why.  Bonus points if your comment includes a list!