It all starts when Connie starts having some really weird dreams involving what appears to be a cloud of bugs that seem to attack young women. Maybe it's the stress of being a freshman at her Mom's school, but maybe not. Before long, Connie realizes that she is dreaming of particular girls at the school and those very girls are turning up "sick" in the few days following the dream. As her dreams begin to coalesce, she realizes that an incubus is feeding on the girls, draining them of their energy, but who is controlling the incubus and why?
She teams up with old friend Jenny and new-to-the-school Autumn to determine just what is going on and who the incubus and his "handler" might be targeting next. Connie eventually figures out that she isn't the only faculty kid having these dreams, but since she is the oldest, she's the only one trying to figure out what is going on. Connie realizes she has a connection to the school, having lived there for so many years and because of this, she and the girls just may be able to hatch a plot to stop the creature before it actually kills someone!
I must confess that Hickey of the Beast really took me by surprise. Shame on me for quite literally "judging a book by its cover," but I expected more of a teen romance with a fantasy coating, something along the lines of the Twilight series, of which I am not a huge fan (too mushy for me). Instead, I got a well-written and interesting book and although it was from a teen's perspective, the dialogue was witty, pleasant and well thought out. Hickey of the Beast is a relatively quick read and it has a bit of an edge, but I really enjoyed Isabel Kunkle's writing style and I would definitely read her again. If you are looking for a fun summer read, check out Hickey of the Beast.
