A solid sequel.
The Brockmanns bring their reliable style to this sequel to Night Sky (2014), combining intrigue, the paranormal, and teen angst with signature romance.
Skylar is 17 and has more going on in her life than even she can handle. As a Greater-Than, she can run superfast, “smell” emotions, and communicate telepathically with her boyfriend, Milo. She’s training to control her superpowers with Dana, another G-T. Dana is no wimp, but she is focused on finding her missing sister, Lacey, making her hard to work with. But it’s Sky’s bestie, Cal, who really has her worried. Partially paralyzed, trapped in a wheelchair for the past 10 years, he has been accidentally injected with a dose of Destiny, the latest designer drug, created from the blood of kidnapped G-T girls. One dose is all it takes to become addicted, and the long-term survival rate is zero. But the drug’s high gives Cal the ability to walk again, a side benefit that Cal doesn’t want to give up, even to survive. The race is on to find him a cure before he becomes dangerous; Sky doesn’t want to have to put her best friend in the grave. The authors provide enough back story to catch readers up and then plunge on with this eminently readable book. The only fault here is there are so many plots readers will find themselves splitting their attention as they go and hoping that there will be a third book (there is none scheduled at this time) to continue them.
A solid sequel. (Paranormal suspense. 14 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4926-0484-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Summery fun and games with feeling.
A summer trip helps break 18-year-old Meredith Fox out of a haze of mourning.
Her cousin’s wedding means a return to Martha’s Vineyard, a well-loved destination but one filled with bittersweet memories. It’s been a year and a half since the sudden loss of Meredith’s sister, Claire, and the grief remains strong. Meredith, though, resolves to take this time to celebrate family and bridge the rifts resulting from ghosting friends. She didn’t plan on a meet-cute/embarrassing encounter with the groom’s stepbrother, Wit. Nor did she expect a wedding-week game of Assassin, a water-gun–fueled family tradition. What starts off as a pact of sharing strategic information with Wit grows into something more as the flirting and feelings develop. Only one person can win, though, and any alliance has an expiration date. To win and honor Claire, who was a master of the game, Meredith must keep her eye on the prize. Taking place over the course of a week, the narrative is tight with well-paced reveals that disrupt predictability and keep the plot moving. Early details are picked back up, and many elements come satisfyingly full circle. The short time frame also heightens the tension of this summer romance: What will happen when they leave the bubble of the Vineyard? The mix of budding romance, competitive hijinks, a close-knit circle, as well as dealing with loss make for a satisfying read. The main cast is White.
Summery fun and games with feeling. (family tree) (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-72821-029-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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