A thrilling, environmentally conscious romp in the tradition of Artemis Fowl, Alex Rider and the young Indiana Jones.
A teenager seeking answers in the wake of his mother’s disappearance is drawn into a shadowy world of assassins, espionage and over-the-top adventure in Rider’s debut YA novel.
Fourteen-year-old Ryan Knight has had a rough go of it. Emotionally neglected by his scientist parents, he lives life on the fringes: lonely, angry, an easy target of neighborhood bullies. His Krav Maga and parkour training help him when he needs it: “I didn’t go looking for trouble,” he explains, “but I hated it when someone preyed on a weaker person.” It’s just that mindset that propels him into the adventure of a lifetime. When his mother goes missing on a medical expedition along the India-Nepal border, Ryan fears she’s the victim of a freak accident—until he comes across her last diary entry: “I fear that they have found out what I am trying to do,” she wrote.“I don’t know how to expose them.” All signs of misconduct point to her employer, the colossal Silvanus Corporation. At its helm is the mustache-twirling Zoltan Kashlar, just one player in a larger group that answers to the mysterious Mr. North. With the help of twins Lily and Poppy (both of whom harbor crushes on Ryan), computer-savvy Pete and Bornean native Ong, Ryan takes retribution into his own hands. Although the kids may be archetypes, their true-to-life emotions and dialogue make them living, breathing characters worth caring for. Ryan constantly draws upon his sense of humor to best his adversaries (one of his plans, for example, involves a laxative), and this makes him even more endearing. Although inconsistent shifts in perspective make for a somewhat disjointed reading experience, most teen readers will be too enthralled with Ryan’s adventures—outsmarting assassins in the Bornean jungle, landing pilotless passenger jets and unraveling global conspiracies—to take much notice. The late introduction of Virgil Lante, a billionaire philanthropist who wants to recruit Ryan to his HERO (Help Earth Retaliate Organisation) Academy, hints at a sequel that will plunge readers more deeply into the Silvanus Corporation’s secrets.
A thrilling, environmentally conscious romp in the tradition of Artemis Fowl, Alex Rider and the young Indiana Jones.Pub Date: Dec. 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1493730919
Page Count: 222
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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