Readers desperate for a romantic paranormal adventure may be satisfied, but they’ll have to abandon logic to get there.
Two teens brought together by shared history and mental health issues try to break the spell cast by a haunted pedestrian bridge.
Paige suffers from anxiety and Theo from ADHD, and while their longtime friendship means they understand how to support each other at crucial times, it’s their long-simmering romance that brings the haunting into focus. Neither has admitted to the other their mutual interest, but when another boy flirts with Paige at a party, Theo gets into a fight in which he inadvertently hits Paige so hard she loses teeth. The result is Paige is banned from seeing Theo. The bridge has other ideas. On one side of the Muskingum River the bridge spans is a college campus where Paige is in a special program for the summer, and on the other is a small town where Theo works for his uncle in a shaky construction firm. Readers may find themselves hard-pressed to make sense of the nature of this haunted bridge, as vague voices gradually change into more threatening and powerful shadows. Side effects from the medications these two evidently white, middle-class teens are taking also play into the suspense, or at least they seem meant to, but how this plays into the paranormal plot never quite comes clear.
Readers desperate for a romantic paranormal adventure may be satisfied, but they’ll have to abandon logic to get there. (Paranormal suspense. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-5438-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
An eerie thriller reminiscent of summer horror movies that will keep readers on edge.
Two teens with a dark secret return to their old summer camp.
Childhood friends Esme and Kayla can’t wait to return to Camp Pine Lake as counselors-in-training, ready to try everything they couldn’t do when they were younger: find cute boys, stay up late, and sneak out after hours. Even Andy, their straight-laced supervisor, can’t dampen their excitement, especially after they meet the crushworthy Olly and Jake. An intuitive 17-year-old, Esme is ready to jump in and teach her cute little campers. But when a threatening message appears, Esme and Kayla realize the secret they’ve kept hidden for nearly a decade is no longer safe. Paranoia and fear soon cause Esme and Kayla to revisit their ominous secret and realize that nobody in the camp can be trusted. The slow buildup of suspense and the use of classic horror elements contrast with lighthearted camp activities, bonding with new friends, and budding romance. Similarly, Esme’s first-person point of view allows for increased tension and action as well as offering insight into her emotional and mental well-being. Discussions of adulthood, trauma, and recovery are subtle and realistic, but acts of sexism and machismo aren’t fully analyzed. While the strong buildup of action comes late, it leads to a shockingly satisfying finale. Major characters are White.
An eerie thriller reminiscent of summer horror movies that will keep readers on edge. (Thriller. 12-16)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12497-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Dec. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
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