Despite an interesting premise, the uneven juxtaposition of mystery and historical fiction shortchanges both plots, giving...
After being shot, white Canadian Allison Briscoe finds herself in a persistent vegetative state, paralyzed but aware of her surroundings.
To pass the time, she becomes a "potato detective," pondering various mysteries. Who shot her, and why? Who comes into her room at night? And who is killing patients every 17 days? Allie's thought processes are alternately flighty and witty—impressive for a 15-year-old with a bullet in her brain—and her attempts to communicate add suspense and poignancy. However, the novel’s structure falls apart. Critical plot points are abruptly resolved in passive summary paragraphs with little description or dialogue, despite Allison's ability to hear. Allison's mystery is interrupted by historical subplots—her state somehow allows her to dream the experiences of her ancestors, each woman connected to a period in Canadian history: the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Upper Canada Rebellion. These third-person dreams are connected to Allie by her necklace: an heirloom made by Paul Revere that may contain a secret. Her ancestors' interactions with such figures as George Washington, Isaac Brock, and Charles Dickens feel like historical product placement, but they may prompt readers to seek more information; there is no bibliography.
Despite an interesting premise, the uneven juxtaposition of mystery and historical fiction shortchanges both plots, giving the book itself the rushed, disjointed quality of a dream. (Thriller. 13-16)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-929345-24-3
Page Count: 318
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Despite all the wealth, Vogue photo shoots and designer clothing, mostly a down-to-earth slice of life; more Kody Keplinger...
Enjoyable, straightforward high school drama despite the Mafia princess framework.
Gia wants to be a normal middle-class 17-year-old girl, with normal high school drama and normal friends and normal relationship woes. But her father is the capo di tutti capi, “the Boss of all Bosses.” So she’s driven to her extremely ritzy private school every day by Frankie with the Glock, and when she’s pulled over for speeding by the most gorgeous cop ever, her dad’s million-dollar lawyer bails her out. Still, for the most part, she manages “normal”: She works hard to get straight A’s, resents her parent-mandated after-school job and runs for student-council president. Sure, Gia’s family drama involves cops coming after her dad, but everything’s going to be fine, right? When everything isn’t fine, Gia will still survive, as she has fantastic friends who will always be there for her. An unsettling, discordant romance with a police officer—where the age and power differential are never addressed—only weakens Gia’s otherwise strong characterization and development.
Despite all the wealth, Vogue photo shoots and designer clothing, mostly a down-to-earth slice of life; more Kody Keplinger than Gossip Girl . (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4911-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Following on the heels (or maybe wings) of The Sweet Dead Life (2013), Jenna, now 15, is hoping for a little calm in her...
Sassy, smart-mouthed, cowboy-boot fan Jenna Samuels is back once again, fighting evildoers with the aid of her angelic cohorts.
Following on the heels (or maybe wings) of The Sweet Dead Life (2013), Jenna, now 15, is hoping for a little calm in her life—but wherever Jenna goes, trouble seems to follow. Her newly deceased-cum-angel brother, Casey, and his equally angelic mentor, Amber Velasco, are still earthbound. Jenna decides to try to help figure out exactly what caused Amber’s untimely demise; could that be what’s keeping her and Casey from moving along? Together with a roguish angel named Bo Shivers, they soon find themselves embroiled in yet another nefarious plot, related by Jenna with her signature angst in journal entries. While this sequel has many of the elements that made its predecessor so much fun, the mystery feels contrived, and it unravels at a glacial pace. The big reveal—which follows a surfeit of vague, portentous remarks—is too similar to the last installment’s to satisfy. Those who enjoyed the previous paranormal-without-romance aspect, be warned: Jenna now finds love, and while her new beau is quite the character, much of her narrative revolves dizzyingly around her romance. This series seems to be in a bit of a sophomore slump; here’s hoping subsequent volumes will again take flight. (Paranormal fiction. 13-16) .Pub Date: May 13, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-61695-290-7
Page Count: 259
Publisher: Soho Teen
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2014
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
bookshelf
