by Gina Rosati ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 7, 2012
Readers who enjoy more than a dash of the paranormal in their romance novels won’t be disappointed with this amusing albeit...
Anna has a clever talent: She can, somehow, rise out of her own body and travel about as a spirit.
This has always been an amusing gift, especially useful during boring classes, but when she witnesses an accidental death after her friend Seth fails to save an almost-stalker classmate, Taylor, from a lethal fall, the trick becomes perilous. Dead Taylor occupies Anna’s spiritless body, leaving the high school junior with no place to go. Fortunately, Anna and best friend—and almost boyfriend—Rei have such a spiritual connection that he’s able to detect her presence, and they find they can conveniently communicate by computer keyboard. Seth is accused of murder, but readers must seriously suspend disbelief; he’ll go on trial just days later because his crime is so “vicious,” leaving the two clever teens very little time to evict ruthless Taylor and convince the court that a spirit can serve as a witness. While not great literature, this fast-paced adventure is surprisingly engaging, as Anna, in an earnest first-person voice, and Rei navigate the pitfalls of their evolving relationship and try imaginative ploys to send away Taylor, who has taken over Anna’s body with an almost humorous vengeance (tats, piercings and the like).
Readers who enjoy more than a dash of the paranormal in their romance novels won’t be disappointed with this amusing albeit lightweight effort. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59643-710-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
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by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
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