*One of Washington Post's 10 Noteworthy Books for April*
“Hal’s determination and drive add spice to the sweet story, while her work experiences pepper the tale with hilarity and incredulity. This is a great fit for a fun read.” —Seattle Book Review
“Laugh-out-loud funny . . . Cheering for this scrappy underdog will appeal to younger and older adults alike.” —Washington Post “Foscue’s debut young-adult novel is bursting with humor and charm, and readers will enjoy following and rooting for Hallie as she tries to escape the many burdens of her world.” —Booklist
"I love underestimated outsiders who come out on top through wit and gumption, and Elizabeth Foscue delivers! Pest is a quirky, fast-paced YA read with a strong, self-determined protagonist, relatable characters, witty dialogue, and a satisfying ending." —USA Today bestselling author Kelly Stone Gamble
“With a charming nod to Veronica Mars, Foscue’s lively writing style and creative plot twists will keep those pages turning. And when you get to The End, you’ll want more.” —Robin Reardon, author of the Trailblazer series
“Wry, funny, and full of heart, Pest takes you on a nimble-footed tour of Santa Barbara’s ‘dark side,’ while remaining true to its coming-of-age roots. Recommended for readers who like their teen angst leavened with laughs.”—Bruce Hale, bestselling author of The Chet Gecko Mysteries and Clark the Shark
“Elizabeth Foscue’s coming-of age tale simply oozes charm. Locals will instantly recognize the incredibly detailed look at life in Santa Barbara (boy, you just can’t believe how accurate!), and all will be equally captivated by Pest’s Hal, and her spirited nature.” —Valerie R. Rice, author of Lush Life: Food & Drinks from the Garden
“In Pest, Elizabeth Foscue portrays an insidiously wealthy enclave, crawling with teen drama and teeming with unwanted legged creatures lurking inside mansion walls....Ripe with socio-economic rifts and teen angst, the misunderstood girl next door, Hallie, presents a unique ‘most likely to succeed’ protagonist who isn’t afraid to face the task of college applications—or pick up dead critters along the way. A YA read that is both entertaining and intriguing.”—Liz Ruckdeschel, author of the What If… series
2022-01-11
High school senior Hallie plans to attend college by winning a prestigious local scholarship, but unforeseen circumstances jeopardize her dreams.
Hallie thought she knew all the rules governing the Verhaag Scholarship, which is awarded to the Santa Barbara High School student who writes the best research paper about famed poet Robert W. Service, rumored to have been intimately connected with family matriarch Augusta Verhaag. But it turns out she didn’t. Some fine print—and the award committee’s reputation for nepotism—mean that to have a fighting chance she must encourage another classmate to apply while hustling to find an extracurricular activity to round out her college applications. Hallie also continues working many hours at her father’s pest control company to earn money. While detailed information about rodents and insects is made genuinely interesting, the rest of the novel is a plod through three slow-moving subplots: machinations to win the scholarship; a romance with Spencer, the boy next door; and a search for last year’s yearbook supplements that were supposedly stolen by a boy who refuses to let her join the yearbook staff. Hallie’s voice has an authentic, often snarky, ring and her pluck is admirable. However, supporting characters are thinly drawn, and the novel is unevenly paced, gets bogged down in irrelevant details, and ends abruptly. All major characters are presumed White; Spencer is cued as Latinx.
An interesting premise and engaging protagonist let down by overall execution. (Fiction. 13-18)
A wide range of listeners will empathize with high school senior Hallie Mayhew’s complicated home life. To escape, she’s developed a detailed plan to win a scholarship to a university thousands of miles away. Her hope to get away from both of her divorced, fighting parents isn’t surprising, but her plan to leave her nagging, shrill mother and quit her job with her grumpy father is threatened when a rival for the scholarship appears. Tyla Collier portrays Hallie with enthusiasm, making her a believable, intelligent young woman. The tribulations she suffers are capably rendered. Overall, Collier’s narration captures the emotions of the characters, as well as their humor. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
