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WHAT THE RIVER BURIES

A taut and entertaining whodunit with an appealing amateur detective.

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Hirajeta’s debut YA mystery finds a teenager determined to unmask an apparent killer who’s anonymously threatening her.

For 17-year-old Natalie Bishop, sketching in the Acres—a secluded, woodsy spot in her small American city of Marton—provides solace. The high school senior has a lot on her mind, from a failed photography class project to the four-year anniversary of her father’s death. But these pale in comparison to what she sees in the woods one night: a masked man disposing of a body. She flees, shaken, and soon wonders if maybe she was mistaken about what she saw. Then someone drops something at her front door: the sketchbook she left in the woods. A scribbled note inside it assures her that she’ll be left alone—if she stays quiet about what she witnessed. Going to the cops might not be the best idea, as the author of the note also boasts of “friends in high places.” This drives Natalie to track down the writer herself, drawing on two important clues: a tattoo she glimpsed on the masked man’s neck and a wallet she found at the scene. But she’ll definitely need help, especially once the apparent killer’s threats escalate. Hirajeta’s tale thrives on the believability of the amateur investigation; Natalie makes several mistakes and even commits a crime or two, including driving someone else’s car sans permission. Although some of her decisions seem based on wild guesses and flimsy evidence, she also readily acknowledges her naïveté. The teen sleuth is surrounded by an outstanding cast of characters, namely her empathetic mother and her bighearted and more pragmatic best friend, Marisa. Animated descriptions enliven the pages, too, as when Natalie’s anxiety makes her heart a “tape on fast-forward” and her close proximity to a potential murderer makes her feel as if she’s in a “walk-in freezer.” Although Natalie’s suspect list is relatively short, her prey remains evasive, which generates a hefty amount of suspense. The final act wraps up things perhaps a bit too easily, but it’s a gratifying ending nonetheless.

A taut and entertaining whodunit with an appealing amateur detective.

Pub Date: March 21, 2023

ISBN: 9781685123079

Page Count: 308

Publisher: Level Elevate

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023

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  • New York Times Bestseller

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THE CRUEL PRINCE

From the Folk of the Air series , Vol. 1

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.

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Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.

Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.

Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017

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THAT'S NOT MY NAME

A gripping tribute to resilience.

A girl with amnesia and a boy suspected of harming his girlfriend overcome adversity to find the answers they seek.

A 17-year-old girl wakes up in a ditch, disoriented and with no memory of who she is or what happened. Found by the Alton, Oregon, police, she is brought to the station. Soon after, Wayne Boone, a man claiming to be her father, shows up. He has photos of her on his phone and her high school ID card, with the name Mary Boone. Wayne convinces the police to release Mary into his custody. The more time Mary spends with Wayne, however, the weirder things get: He’s unaware of her food allergy, and as her memories start to return, they don’t conform with Wayne’s versions of her life. In the town of Washington City, across the Willamette River, Drew is in a bad place. His girlfriend, Lola, has disappeared, and Drew was the last person to see her. His adoptive dads and cousin are the only ones who support him; everyone else, including the sheriff, thinks he’s responsible for Lola’s disappearance. Intent on finding Lola, Drew finds help in an unlikely ally, Lola’s best friend, Autumn, who is the sheriff’s daughter. But will they find Lola in time? The two immersive storylines bring to life the trials and frustrations each main character faces in this debut, which is a thrilling delight right up to the unexpected and bittersweet conclusion. Most characters are cued white; one of Drew’s dads is Guatemalan.

A gripping tribute to resilience. (Thriller. 14-18)

Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2023

ISBN: 9781728270111

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023

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