Fans of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist will find con-tentment here.
Two teens discover that their improbable chemistry is just what it takes for a probable relationship.
Still adjusting to a new stepdad, slacker Zak has anxiously been awaiting Washingcon, a science-fiction, fantasy, and comic-book convention in Seattle. But when his health teacher (and quiz-bowl sponsor) notices that he plagiarized his health paper, she offers him two options: fail health and not graduate or serve as an alternate on the quiz-bowl team for their big tournament. Who really fails health? So he begrudgingly chooses the latter, even though it conflicts with his con. Hyperfocused Ana, who must be perfect to show her parents she’s not like her older sister, who dropped out of high school to have a baby, has her doubts about Zak. After Ana’s younger brother and fellow quiz-bowl teammate, Clayton, sneaks out to attend Washingcon, Zak and Ana begin a humorously whirlwind night searching for him. Their alternating viewpoints narrate how they dodge and outwit parents, felons, and outlandish con characters. While Clayton constantly eludes them, Zak and Ana do find a connection through mutual loss, courage to stand up for themselves, and first love. The con provides fertile ground for humor, including but not limited to a “mixed” marriage ceremony of a Star Wars and a Star Trek enthusiast.
Fans of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist will find con-tentment here. (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 19, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-227277-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2015
Atmospheric but ultimately underwhelming.
A girl carries a lifesaving secret on her skin.
Seventeen-year-old Vega’s life has been one of secrets whispered to her by her mother, mysteries passed down through generations of astronomer daughters and the marks of the Astronomer tattooed onto their necks. Vega and her parents live in a remote valley, hiding from the dangerous outlaw Theorists who believe the Astronomer has the answer to the consumption, a mysterious, rapidly spreading illness. But Vega’s mother is dying of the consumption, and after a century of waiting, a sign appears in the sky as two eastern stars finally align. As the Last Astronomer, Vega must find the Architect so they can travel to the sea and save humanity before it’s too late. But the Architect is not quite what Vega expected. Noah is young like her and equally haunted by the secrets they carry and the mission they share. As they run away from those who wish to do them harm, Vega and Noah’s journey and personal connection feel inevitable from the start. With a vibe reminiscent of old Westerns, this evocative, slow-moving novel unveils its secrets little by little with unconvincing worldbuilding that wobbles on the central reasoning for the Astronomer-Architect setup. The love story between Noah and Vega is rushed and unearned, and the characters are barely developed. Vega and Noah are assumed White.
Atmospheric but ultimately underwhelming. (Science fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66590-024-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
A thriller that delves into society’s darkness.
A teen’s investigative skills lead her through school secrets, small-town mysteries, and murder.
Sixteen-year-old Flora Calhoun doesn’t worry too much about college applications, even if college could be her ticket out of Hartsdale. Instead, she’s busy with unsolved crimes, hunting down criminals who escaped justice and seeking closure for those affected. Although she is at odds with the local police force, has a tense relationship with her younger sister, and feels let down by her mother (who is a painter living in Germany), Flora’s connections with her grandfather and best friend, Cassidy, are rewarding, complex, and nuanced. Her run-ins with romance, with vibrant Ava and clichéd bad boy VT, round out her character while also slowing down the story. When Flora’s latest run-in with danger hits too close to home, she’s sent deep into a mystery that reaches further than she ever expected. Flora’s mission takes her on a journey that delves into issues of socio-economic inequality dividing Hartsdale and neighboring Whitley as well as the long-term effects of trauma—accompanied by some convoluted teen drama. The treatment of the subjects of trust and emotional vulnerability between friends adds an extra dimension while some elements of the mystery may feel familiar to aficionados of the genre. Flora is white and bisexual; Cassidy is Chinese American, Ava is black, and there is diversity among supporting characters.
A thriller that delves into society’s darkness. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: June 23, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-49377-2
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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