Gripping, hot thrills in the summertime.
Two New York City teens flee murderers in this Jason Bourne–style thriller.
When she climbs up to the roof for a breath of air, Liva just misses the murder of the elderly couple with whom she is staying. While giving her statement, she meets Jay, a boy arrested for, she assumes, murder. A brutal attack out of nowhere leaves nearly everyone at the station slaughtered. Liva and Jay barely escape, and although Liva doesn’t fully trust Jay, she needs his street skills to stay ahead of their pursuers. Liva’s father, overseas investigating international crime, sends a team to rescue her—but somebody else gets there first. Liva runs, reuniting with Jay. Readers learn that Liva is no novice in the action department. She’s been raised with guns and an understanding of criminals. As the two struggle to stay one step ahead of whoever’s intent on kidnapping her, Liva begins to worry that she’s dragged Jay and his family into serious danger and finds herself becoming attracted to him. Alderson keeps the suspense dialed up to 11 throughout most of the book, with chase scenes that will keep readers electrified, mixing them with flaming romance.
Gripping, hot thrills in the summertime. (Thriller. 12-18)Pub Date: May 12, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2716-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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