Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot by Andrew Auseon

Genre: Supernatural

Jo-Jo Dyas thinks it's his fault when his girlfriend Violet is killed for dating him. Without Violet, his life is meaningless. Just as Jo-Jo was about to pull the trigger and end his sad, pathetic life forever, he meets a dead girl named Max. Max lives in the Afterlife, where she is the drummer for a band called the Fiendish Lot. Max convinces Jo-Jo that death is overrated and introduces him to the other members of her band. One thing led to another, Jo-Jo manages to land himself in the Afterlife as well. There, he must make something of his afterlife before he is lost forever.

Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot is a supernatural novel that candidly depicts grief, changes, depression, and all that jazz. The story really is a dark one, which is fitting for a novel about death. For a book about death, it really taught a lot about appreciating life. I did wish for a better ending for Jo-Jo though; but for the most part, I'm pleased with it. It wasn't too drastic, but it was in accordance to the events leading up to it. Jo-Jo may not have had a wonderful life, but at least he learned more about himself in the Afterlife. The plot seemed a bit slow at times, but it accelerated as the story progressed. For the most part, I love this novel, and I'm overjoyed that I had the chance to read it.

Throughout the story, Jo-Jo spends a great deal of his time moping about Violet, and this trait would've irritated me after awhile if the characters didn't reprimand him for sulking. The best thing about having the novel told from Jo-Jo's point of view is that his character is very well-developed. The story's told with an effortlessly natural voice, yet it is bizarrely innovative and imaginative.

Max was an exceptional character; you rarely encounter such a feisty and forthright character in literature. Ironically enough, she marches to the beat of her own drum; she says what she thinks, regardless of others' feelings. However, she is compassionate, a quality that shined through when she saved and hand-delivered all the sentimental things of the Afterlife residents. I found her to be a fantastic character foil to Jo-Jo.

What I love most is the descriptions about the band and their effects on the residents of the Afterlife. Music is an amazing thing; it cleanses the soul and helps you express yourself, as the characters came to find out.

It was also interesting how the characters of the Afterlife have their own lingo. For example, they sometimes add "like" to the end of words, using terms such as "great-like". It was slightly bothersome at first, but I quickly got used to it.

Lively, rhythmic, thrilling, and unusual, Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot is a special novel that you can rock out too.

*Note: This was also reviewed for HarperTeen First Look.