Reluctant readers with wanderlust will enjoy taking a ride with these straightforward novels.
A music festival road trip quickly turns to disaster as best friends navigate hazards and setbacks.
Marissa and her longtime friends Tiago and Ben have been waiting all year to see their favorite musicians perform at the big spring music festival. Getting there, however, begins to feel impossible when the trio encounters a string of difficulties on their desert route—both natural and man-made. After car trouble finally leaves them stranded, the friends must rely on their wits and work with each other to get back on the road—and avoid the dangers of the wilderness. The four books in the high-interest Road Trip series offer different takes on the thrills and catastrophes that teens can encounter during travel. In K.R. Coleman’s (Royal Treatment, 2018, etc.) Off Course, twin sisters take a detour that results in dire consequences and a surprising encounter. Spinning Out by R.T. Martin (Riptide, 2019, etc.) follows two couples facing a deadly blizzard and a heavy dose of relationship drama. In Stranded by Jannette LaRoche (Escape!, 2019, etc.), plans for a weekend at a family cabin turn ugly for two friends when the road is washed out and they encounter an aggressive wolf. The plotlines move quickly and stay realistic while problems are resolved with neat endings. Characters aren’t described physically, but authors include some diversity with ethnically Latinx names, Jewish characters, and a character with two dads.
Reluctant readers with wanderlust will enjoy taking a ride with these straightforward novels. (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5415-5687-4
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Darby Creek
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Summery fun and games with feeling.
A summer trip helps break 18-year-old Meredith Fox out of a haze of mourning.
Her cousin’s wedding means a return to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-loved destination but one filled with bittersweet memories. It’s been a year and a half since the sudden loss of Meredith’s sister, Claire, and the grief remains strong. Meredith, though, resolves to take this time to celebrate family and bridge the rifts resulting from ghosting friends. She didn’t plan on a meet-cute/embarrassing encounter with the groom’s stepbrother, Wit. Nor did she expect a wedding-week game of Assassin, a water-gun–fueled family tradition. What starts off as a pact of sharing strategic information with Wit grows into something more as the flirting and feelings develop. Only one person can win, though, and any alliance has an expiration date. To win and honor Claire, who was a master of the game, Meredith must keep her eye on the prize. Taking place over the course of a week, the narrative is tight with well-paced reveals that disrupt predictability and keep the plot moving. Early details are picked back up, and many elements come satisfyingly full circle. The short time frame also heightens the tension of this summer romance: What will happen when they leave the bubble of the Vineyard? The mix of budding romance, competitive hijinks, a close-knit circle, as well as dealing with loss make for a satisfying read. The main cast is White.
Summery fun and games with feeling. (family tree) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72821-029-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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