A satisfyingly twisty and refreshingly self-aware examination of human desires for self-knowledge and survival.
Two years after narrowly escaping becoming a serial killer’s next victim while camping with her family, a 17-year-old returns to the site determined to prove the man who haunts her is dead.
When cornered, Joseph Kincaid, dubbed the Cloudkiss Killer, chose the depths of Georgia’s Cloudkiss Canyon rather than face arrest—but his body was never found, inspiring the hosts of a popular true-crime podcast to organize Killer Quest, a weeklong search for his remains with a $20,000 reward. The contest attracts a variety of entrants including 17-year-old Lucy, hiding behind a pseudonym; 18-year-old Carolina, an artist with a traumatic past; and Lucy’s new crush, Maggie, a charismatic psychology student. Carolina’s and Lucy’s alternating perspectives engage with and ultimately critique true-crime subculture: It can inspire feelings of empowerment but also normalize toxic masculinity, romanticize perpetrators, and exploit and objectify victims. Soon, Killer Quest becomes its own real-time whodunit after one contestant is found near death at the canyon’s edge and others experience frightening hallucinations. Creeping, atmospheric tension builds as the remaining participants become aggressive and suspicious, half believing local legends that the fog-shrouded canyon has supernatural qualities. Lucy wonders if Kincaid is still out there, and Carolina, who experiences disturbing intrusive thoughts, is terrified that she has an uncontrollable propensity for violence. Lucy, Carolina, and Maggie hatch a risky plan to expose the threat in their midst, resulting in an explosive, devastating denouement. Main characters read White.
A satisfyingly twisty and refreshingly self-aware examination of human desires for self-knowledge and survival. (Thriller. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-311590-3
Page Count: 400
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
A dizzying, intimate romance.
Rowan teams up with her academic nemesis to win a citywide scavenger hunt.
Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been rivals in a never-ending game of one-upmanship since freshman year. Now, on the last day of senior year, Rowan hopes to best Neil once and for all as valedictorian, then win Howl, a scavenger hunt with a $5,000 cash prize. She also hopes to sneak away to her favorite romance author’s book signing; no one’s ever respected her passion for the genre, not even her children’s book author/illustrator parents. But Rowan’s named salutatorian, and vengeful classmates plot to end her and Neil’s reign. At first their partnership is purely strategic, but as the pair traverse the city, they begin to open up. Rowan learns that Neil is Jewish too and can relate to both significant cultural touchstones and experiences of casual anti-Semitism. As much as Rowan tries to deny it, real feelings begin to bloom. Set against a lovingly evoked Seattle backdrop, Rowan and Neil’s relationship develops in an absorbing slow burn, with clever banter and the delicious tension of first love. Issues of class, anti-Semitism, and sex are discussed frankly. Readers will emerge just as obsessed with this love story as Rowan is with her beloved romance novels. Rowan’s mother is Russian Jewish and Mexican, and her father is American Jewish and presumably White; most other characters are White.
A dizzying, intimate romance. (author’s note) (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: July 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-4024-1
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
A nonstop thrill ride through an eerily claustrophobic setting.
A secret party in the Paris catacombs sounds like the experience of a lifetime—until you’re lost in the tunnels of the dead.
Ruby has been looking forward to her French class trip to Paris for ages; she’s especially excited to explore locations for her YouTube channel, “Ruby’s Hidden Gems.” When her adventurous bestie, Val, sneaks off to meet up with a handsome stranger, Ruby follows, accompanied by former BFF Selena and class valedictorian Olivia. The four girls trustingly follow the mysterious Julien into the Paris catacombs for an illegal cataphile party, but they all end up lost. Aboveground, Ruby’s other best friend (and crush) Sean and Selena’s girlfriend, Aliyah, help the police search for the missing teens. Underground, Ruby, Val, Selena, and Olivia confront the fractures in their friendships and struggle to find their way out. But wait—did some of the bones just come to life? From teen drama to suffocating nightmares, this book takes readers through twists and turns in the maze of tunnels beneath Paris. Urban’s prose is absorbing, leading readers through frightening scenes at a breakneck pace. Ruby’s narration of her harrowing journey is fast-paced and exciting. Sean’s chapters, which focus on his attempts to assist with the rescue, unfortunately distract from the far more compelling story playing out underground. The lead characters are white; Selena reads Latine, and Aliyah is cued Black.
A nonstop thrill ride through an eerily claustrophobic setting. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593625088
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
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