High drama and a breathless pace make this a riveting read
A British teen still recovering from her own trauma is wracked with panic when her closest friend goes missing.
Tattooed, pierced Jess and golden, tanned Eden are on the surface an odd pair. Yet the best friends have had each other’s backs for years—even more so in the wake of a brutal beating Jess sustained at the hands of strangers and the recent death of Eden’s older sister in a car accident. Flashbacks are strategically placed throughout the contemporary narrative, which takes place over the course of just one day, very effectively drawing out the suspense. Eden’s binge drinking and wildly unpredictable behavior since her sister’s death have left Jess very unsure of her friend’s state of mind. Her quick decision to duck out from the protection of her loving and understanding mum and set out with Eden’s boyfriend, Liam, to look for her propels the novel forward. While some readers will appreciate the straightforward winding up of the many loose ends, others may find the conclusion too neat. Main characters Jess, Eden, and Liam are white, and several secondary characters are black. Jess’ mum is a lesbian; her dad has remarried, and Jess has two biracial (black/white) stepsisters.
High drama and a breathless pace make this a riveting read . (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: June 27, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-338-12120-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: David Fickling/Phoenix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
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
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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