Shadows by Amy Meredith

Dark Touch, Book 1. Red Fox, 2010. ISBN 9781849410519.
(Age 13+) Eve Evergold is a popular teenager who enjoys shopping with her BFF (Best friend forever) Jess, checking out the new boys, Luke the minister's son and the mysterious Mal, and generally having a great social life. When people she knows begin to go crazy and are put into an institution she discovers that they are victims of a demon - but who is it?
The story is told in the first person by Eve, who is the typical rich girl. Humorous dialogue about shoe shopping and lipstick colour, and sarcastic comments from Luke, make for an entertaining read. The girls' rating scale for boys, with Jimmy Choo shoes being at the top of the scale, is a hoot.
There isn't much depth to any of the characters. Eve and Jess are portrayed as very shallow, only interested in shopping and being lucky enough to have large allowances to get the latest fashions. There is the inevitable romantic triangle, although very low key, with Luke, Mal and Eve. It is the action and the dialogue that keep the story going. Demons on the prowl, sparks pouring out of Eve's fingertips and a mystery to solve kept me reading to the end.
This is a light, paranormal romp that will be welcomed by teenage girls who enjoy the vampire genre and don't feel like stretching their imaginations.
Pat Pledger