A modern tale of an existential crisis that will resonate with many teens.
In this contemporary twist on Hamlet, 17-year-old Dane Riley struggles with depression after his father’s death.
After seeing a coyote wandering in his upscale suburb of McLean, Virginia, Dane starts to imagine it’s the reincarnation of his father, who died from cancer less than a year ago. He occasionally still texts his dad—and receives kind messages back from whomever now has that phone number. He’s angry and resentful of his mother for moving on too quickly and dating his father’s best friend and business partner, Chuck. An unmotivated student who’s not planning on going to college, Dane ponders what there is to live for. He lacks support from his mother but has positive influences in his life in the form of his therapist and one of his teachers. A crush on Ophelia, the girl next door, is one of the only things that fuels him, but she’s warned him that any relationship she enters will have a pre-planned end date so no one can get hurt. Dane’s emotional ups and downs are conveyed realistically and present a moving depiction of grief and mental health. While the book starts off slowly and the plot never quite comes together, the ultimately hopeful ending may satisfy readers. Dane is presumed White; Ophelia has a Black dad and a White mom, and there is diversity among secondary characters.
A modern tale of an existential crisis that will resonate with many teens. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-12480-7
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy.
A war between gods plays havoc with mortals and their everyday lives.
In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world.
Ideal for readers seeking perspectives on war, with a heavy dash of romance and touch of fantasy. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85743-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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