by Donna Cooner ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2018
A timely and relevant read.
A teenager’s experience with the perils of social media force her to make some difficult decisions.
Skye Matthews, a white teen who struggles with her body image and aspires to enter politics, lives with her mom and younger sister. Her father doesn’t pay child support, and Skye works at a tedious retail job. Her two best friends are Asha, a bold and daring half-Irish, half-Indian American girl from a wealthy family, and Emma, a beautiful, warmhearted blonde girl who is an avid movie buff and also financially more comfortable than Skye. At Asha’s birthday celebration—with just the three friends together, as always—she receives a slinky piece of lingerie as a jokey gift from Emma. To lighten the mood when Asha wants Emma to wear it but she demurs, Skye volunteers to put it on. To Skye’s horror, Asha livestreams her catwalking in the lingerie on a popular social media network. Before the video is deleted, someone saves a screenshot and uses it to blackmail her. At first, Skye tries to follow through on the demands, but when her boyfriend and younger sister are pulled in, the stakes get higher. Told in alternating viewpoints, the novel raises numerous real issues in the lives of teenagers—popularity, dating and body image, family issues, socio-economic differences and their resulting tensions, personal aspirations, trust, and maintaining one’s online reputation.
A timely and relevant read. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-545-90399-8
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Point/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
More by Donna Cooner
BOOK REVIEW
by Donna Cooner
BOOK REVIEW
by Donna Cooner
BOOK REVIEW
by Donna Cooner
by Lauren Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
by Holly Jackson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2020
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Awards & Accolades
Likes
56
Our Verdict
GET IT
New York Times Bestseller
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
More by Holly Jackson
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More About This Book
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.