Westerfeld, Scott. Peeps

Parasites! In your eyeballs!

If your reaction is "Coooool," or a delighted "Eeeeew!" then read this book right away. Really. I'm telling you.

I'm picky, but when I start to think that I'm incapable of really being charmed, something like this comes along. (And then I get charmed by parasites in your eyeballs. So I'm weird).

This is a science-fiction retake on the vampire mythos: people are infected with a parasite that causes them to bite people and flee sunlight. Is it plausible? Frankly, yes--and the book is sprinkled with stories of real-life parasites just as seemingly unlikely. Cal Thompson is a carrier--he has the parasite, and some of its better effects, but without the insanity. However, the parasite's transmitted through saliva, so he can't kiss anyone--lest they get the parasite and go crazy--ever.

And he has to track down all his ex-girlfriends and...regrettable incidents...so that the Night Watch can sedate them and treat them and make them slightly less insane.

Unfortunately, tracking down one of them, he meets a girl. Who he accidentally lets in on the whole big conspiracy. At the end the plot starts to fall apart a little, but by that point...I really don't care, to be honest.

There's just so much cool stuff in this book. Slick, snappy writing, GOOD science, a really fun plot, advice on how to avoid getting infected with parasites...aside from the title's unfortunate association with Easter candy, who can ask for anything more?

It turned out she'd been hiding in New Jersey, which broke my heart. I mean, Hoboken? Sarah was always head-over-heels in love with Manhattan. For her, New York was like another Elvis, the King remade of bricks, steel, and granite. The rest of the world was a vast extension of her parents' basement, the last place she wanted to wind up.