MASON

A startlingly edgy story about a developmentally disabled boy who possesses a terrifying power. Mason Avrett, a slow, gentle teen, can project images from his mind into others’ sight. Mason’s sadistic brother, Gene, loathes Mason and the attention he’s always received. A low-level drug dealer with a cavernous cruel streak, he routinely beats Mason and terrorizes those around him. When Gene’s violent urges propel him to commit murder, he believes that Mason’s only friend Rene has witnessed his hateful crime. Gene coerces his lackeys to attack Rene savagely, leaving her beaten and hospitalized. When Mason discovers his brother’s shocking deeds, he uses his horrifying powers to punish Gene’s gang because “someone's gotta step up,” and he plucks them off one by one until he must confront Gene himself. Pendleton holds nothing back with this thrilling tale told at a breakneck pace. A suspenseful blend of realism and the supernatural, this compulsive read should appeal to a wide array of teens—just be sure to warn them not to make any plans for a couple of hours. (Suspense. YA)