A sprightly, impressively plotted mystery steeped in mythological twists.
In this charming teen adventure, a 16-year-old holds center stage for the unfolding of an ancient mystery.
Addie Flamma is a blessed teenager—though a glimpse at her life might suggest otherwise. A foster child, she lives on Mrs. Mae’s farm with her brothers, Nathan, Liam and Samuel, who, despite their tragic backgrounds, are each uniquely wonderful. Among them, only Addie has no idea how she came to be orphaned. She also suffers from a strange slew of illnesses—psoriasis, asthma, fibromyalgia, epilepsy—for which she must take dozens of pills. Nevertheless, she faces life triumphantly. A love for musicals, Latin and charitable deeds keeps her afloat, and determination to become a successful adult fills her life with school and volunteer work. One fateful day, when she forgets to prepare for a high school chemistry presentation, she has a seizure in class. She wakes under the care of Dr. Asa Olympics, who prescribes a single miraculous extract from the African “ashes of life” plant. Later, volunteering at the homeless shelter, Addie encounters a strapping youth whose eyes burn red at her touch. Could this boy—and her new medicine—be related to her recurring dream of being caressed by flame? Debut author Guy answers this question (and several that flow from it) with transporting detail and energy. When Addie is chosen to attend the exclusive Greek Academy, the narrative leaps from pedestrian to glamorous. Colorful motifs abound, and Guy relishes in description: “My door was painted a brilliant red like that of a rose….The doorknob was a crystal pink flower.” Samuel intriguingly warns Addie that it’s all too good to be true, especially after she lands a juicy role in her favorite musical. Her positivity, meanwhile, can sometimes go from infectious to inane, though as Addie says, “I’ll go crazy [in foster care] if I don’t look on the bright side.” More distracting is the narrative’s wordiness, since Guy rarely serves dialogue free of Addie’s rambunctious thoughts. In the end, though, a daring cliffhanger will leave readers dazzled.
A sprightly, impressively plotted mystery steeped in mythological twists.Pub Date: Feb. 19, 2013
ISBN: 978-1458208361
Page Count: 388
Publisher: AbbottPress
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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