An exciting, exceptionally well-executed edge-of-the-seat read.
A bus ride home turns into a life-or-death situation.
This story for striving readers from acclaimed British novelist McKenzie is a fast-paced thrill ride. Hailey Jones, who has light skin, freckles, and pink hair, is a member of the Hightop Youth Singers, teens who perform numbers from musicals. As they leave their latest gig at a clifftop retirement home, an ominous storm is brewing. Even though their worried teacher is rushing them onto the bus, Hailey is distracted—brooding over her crush, a cute blond boy named Kit who’s taken with new girl Bex. Everyone seems fascinated with beautiful, talented Bex, who has glossy black hair and tan skin. Hailey takes a seat at the end of the bus, far from her friends Rosie and Samira, and her mood sinks even lower when Kit and Bex choose seats right in front of her and start eagerly chatting. Then, disaster strikes: A tree crashes through the roof of the bus, trapping Hailey, Kit, and Bex. They don’t know whether the others can hear their cries for help—and the back of the bus is teetering on the edge of a cliff overlooking the rocks and sea. In the ensuing series of nail-biting events, relationships shift among the trio as Hailey grows in her understanding of their social dynamics. Badosa’s stylish, dramatic illustrations appear throughout, greatly enhancing the emotional stakes of this page-turner, which is printed in a dyslexia-friendly font.
An exciting, exceptionally well-executed edge-of-the-seat read. (Thriller. 13-18)Pub Date: July 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781454962861
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
