A novel for reluctant readers that explores a young woman’s courage in finding her voice.
In ninth grade, Mara experienced a very public psychotic break after being raped at a party the summer before school started.
Never having disclosed what happened to authorities or her parents, she suffered paranoia and delusional thoughts. Mara’s initial ER treatment was harsh and followed by a hospital stay. Her parents, especially her dad, were clueless but did find her a therapist, Dr. Lewis, who continues to treat her. Now a senior, Mara takes medication and has learned techniques for getting through daily life. Ellie is the one person who has remained her friend—other students are downright mean. Top student Kendall is unbelievably cruel, using a public speaking class to openly bully Mara, with other students joining in while their teacher fails to deal adequately with the situation. Mara, now strong enough thanks to Dr. Lewis’ help, weathers this storm and ultimately stands up for herself. This brief, realistic novel is accessibly written in free verse by Mallory, who offers the firsthand perspective of a person living with psychosis. It focuses on Mara’s recovery, achieved through hard work with Dr. Lewis, who helps shore up her independence and self-confidence and wisely tells her that “Recovery is always a process.” Characters are cued as White.
A novel for reluctant readers that explores a young woman’s courage in finding her voice. (Verse novel. 14-18)Pub Date: April 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-9785-9593-4
Page Count: 200
Publisher: West 44 Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
A powerful story of family, belonging, and identity interlaced with thriller elements.
A wary teen wonders if she should run when people come looking for her.
Lucy Smith was raised by her white father, who said little about her mother. Following his death and her stepmother’s abandonment, Lucy entered the foster care system at 14. Her stepmother revealed that Lucy’s birth mom was Native American, but her social worker urged her to keep that quiet. Battered by her time in the foster care system, it’s no wonder that 18-year-old Lucy is cautious when she’s approached by a man who says he’s an attorney who helps Native American foster kids connect with their families and communities. He introduces her to a friend who reveals to Lucy that she knows her Ojibwe maternal relatives—but a wary Lucy refuses her offer to learn more. Someone is stalking her, after all, and the FBI is investigating the bomb that went off in the diner where she worked—an event she’s sure targeted her. This stand-alone from bestseller Boulley, who’s an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, includes characters her fans will recognize from previous works. The action scenes are mediated by ruminations on the failings of the foster care system and strong portrayals of Lucy’s relationship with her father and her complicated identity. Ardent book lover Lucy is a sympathetic narrator whose strong sense of justice is coupled with a deep acceptance of others.
A powerful story of family, belonging, and identity interlaced with thriller elements. (content warning, author’s note) (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781250328533
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PROFILES
PERSPECTIVES
SEEN & HEARD
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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