Book Club Pick: Lie To Me

Lie To Me
by J.T. Ellison
Mira
original copyright 2017
Paperback available September 2019
407 pages
ISBN: 0980778330950

A twisty, dangerous psychological thriller is just right for a summer beach read.

"Moves at a blazing-fast pace and smoothly negotiates more twists and turns than the backroads of Tennessee. It will keep you guessing every step of the way to the surprise ending." --Lisa Scottoline, NY Times bestselling author of One Perfect Life 

Dark psychological marriage noir, Lie To Me will leave readers breathless and exhausted. Once a reader begins this book, it's impossible to stop reading. Page-turning action and twists within twists within an enigma are fast paced and tragic.

Married literary giants Sutton and Ethan Montclair's life is idyllic--from the outside. They are each accomplished writers earning big paychecks and hordes of fans. When Ethan has trouble writing, and Sutton wants out of a publishing deal, their finances take a downturn. They welcome a new baby boy that Sutton never wanted. Ethan tricked her into having the baby, and she still blames him. When their baby dies, their entire world unravels as they blame one another and lie about everything.

When Sutton suddenly disappears, friends and family whisper that Ethan must have something to do with it. He swears he knows nothing about his wife's disappearance and turns to the bottle for solace. Suddenly, Ethan has found his muse and begins writing the best prose of his entire career. The police build a case against him, and an unknown narrator drops in here and there to warn the reader that someone is pulling the strings. Just when it looks like Sutton may have been found or Sutton is to blame, other strings are pulled.

This is one wild ride and a great book for adult book clubs who will be talking about it long after they've read it. Pick this one up today for your beach vacation or your home staycation. Good luck figuring out who's to blame!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for my review of this book.

Blog Tour: REWIND

Rewind Blog Tour Stops

Win a FREE copy of REWIND. Post a comment here on my blog. Include first name, city, state and email. I do not share your emails anywhere. One winner will be picked on April 23 at noon MST. Please check your email on that date. The winner has 24 hours to respond to my email. The book will ship from the publisher. Thank you and be sure and read my review and interview with the author below.

 REWIND

by Carolyn O'Doherty

Boyds Mills Press 

2018

256  pages 

ISBN: 9781629798141

Thrilling edge of your seat action, killer high stakes, a series of events that lead the main character into desperation, Rewind is one YA debut you cannot afford to miss! Sixteen year old Alex is a spinner and works with the Portland police department using her unique ability to stop and rewind time as a tool to solve crimes. The police, with her help, are able to solve cases that come up, including murder cases. When Alex stops time, she can rewind and watch events in a "rewind." She sees people doing everything backwards: walking backwards, driving backwards, just as if you were to rewind a video or VDR program. When Alex gets to the point in time that the crime occurs, she and her police partner, Mr. Ross, can see events happen and see the criminal commit the crime. When Alex agrees to partner with Ross to stop a dangerous criminal she has no idea what she is getting into and worse, who to trust.

Alex lives in a group setting called the Center with others who share her ability. Spinners are kept there since birth as the populace fears them and their powers. Many people hate or distrust them. Alex is allowed "outside" only on a tether (a leash) so that normal people can control her. All the kids are on meds. They think what they are taking is helping them, but as Alex begins a new secret treatment, she realizes the drugs are killing them. The government wants them to die in their teens. Alex puts her trust in best friend KJ and they escape the center and go on the run.

Readers will be unable to put this one down. A page-turner with high stakes and a kick-butt female protagonist is always a win. Add fighting crime and a HUGE double cross, and you have magic in those pages! /Time travel is always a win, but with the police and crime solving aspect, this is a unique twist. Reluctant readers will find themselves LOVING this one. 

HIGHLY, highly recommended for all YA readers. Grades 7 and up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

                                               Meet Carolyn--My Interview with Carolyn 

Q:  In REWIND, Alex is the main character and hero. In Books 2 and 3, will other spinners become more important, or will Alex continue as the main?

Alex remains the point of view character in all three books, though Jack and Shannon both become more prominent characters in book two.

Q: Rewind is book one in a planned trilogy, where are you as a writer right now? Are you finished with all three and editing? Are you currently still writing? When can readers expect publication of next two books?

Book 2 is almost finished (at least I hope so!). I have one more round of changes to work through but the book is complete so the edits are around tightening the pacing rather than working through the plot. Book 2 is scheduled to come out in the spring of 2019. Book 3 right now only exists as a really terrible early draft. I sketched out what I wanted to have happen in 3 before I finished book 2 to make sure that I wasn’t going to write myself into a corner but the manuscript is otherwise a complete mess. I don’t have a contract yet for book 3, but I hope we’ll have it out a year after book 2 (spring of 2020).

Q: The Portland area seems to be a hotbed of YA writers right now. Does living in the area help a YA writer? If so, why?

I don’t know if living in Portland helps YA writers specifically, but it’s a great place to live for a writer in general. There are wonderful resources here and lots of supportive peers to lean on. I’ve been part of a number of different writing groups, both formal and informal, and all of them have added to my sense of being part of a community. I find writing groups, and individual writing friends, so important, both because it’s hard to critique your own work and because most of my writing time is spent all by myself. It’s endlessly reassuring to have someone to talk to about the difficulties of good plotting, finding inspiration, uncooperative characters, and the challenges of the publishing industry.

Q: How many edits or changes did your manuscript go through from querying and landing your agent to editor? How many edits did it go through at editor stage?

Short answer: a lot. I got my agent for REWIND in the spring of 2014. The feedback I received from her took me six months to work through – I changed the entire book from past tense to present and rewrote a major section in the middle, which then meant more changes in the end to make it consistent. When Boyds Mills Press picked it up they asked for additional changes. Those were less dramatic, but they still took time. After that, we had maybe a half dozen rounds of back and forth with increasingly pickier changes. Boyds Mills’ editors are awesome – they caught all kinds of problems and inconsistencies from a character holding something one moment and then reaching that same hand out to do something else, to a word I overused, similes that didn’t work, and misplaced commas. The final rounds of edits were crazy specific – like, could I remove a few letters from a particular line so that the sentence didn’t look squished on the page? I did not expect that level of editing at all!

Q:When would freezing time be a blessing? A curse?

I think for the person who had the skills it would generally be a blessing, assuming one did not live in the society Alex does, and one was able to use the skill at will. You could do a lot of good in the world: stopping people from dying in a car crash, for example, or, as Alex does in the first chapter of REWIND, defusing a bomb. For us non-spinners, though, the ability to stop time is pretty troubling. A spinner with bad intentions is almost impossible to protect against. It’s one of the tensions I’m exploring more as the series progresses.

Q: Besides YA time travel, is there another genre you are considering writing? For example: MG or YA fantasy?

The very first novel I wrote, the one that lives in the proverbial drawer, was an epic fantasy aimed at adult readers. It’s unlikely to ever see the light of day, though I do toy with the idea of resurrecting it sometimes. Since then I’ve only written YA with some sort of fantastical element. One started out as an adult book, but it ended up turning into YA, so I think this is where I’m staying. I like YA because the stories can be more complex than MG without having to add the additional angst adult novels tend to have (at least the ones I like to read). YA can be really playful and I enjoy living in that place while I write.

Q: What is the last YA book you've read besides your own?

A friend recently gave me the first of the Raven Cycle books by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Boys) and I have to admit to being a bit obsessed. I just finished the third one and can’t wait to start the fourth!

Q: What books would you recommend to every YA reader?

Books are so personal. I don’t think there are any must-read books that work for everyone. People should read whichever stories suck them into a fictional world so deeply they never want to leave. One of my older son’s favorite writers when he was a teen was Walter Dean Myers, who writes gritty, realistic novels about inner city boys and young soldiers. My other son is currently immersed in Game of Thrones. A few books I have been sucked into lately (besides the aforementioned Raven Cycle) are: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Feed by M.T. Anderson, and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Everyone in my family adores all seven Harry Potter books. Read a lot, read widely, and discover what you love.

Q: Besides writing, what are your other hobbies?

This doesn’t really count as a hobby, but I have a non-writing job as an affordable housing developer that fills a lot of my time. My position there means building a lot of spreadsheets and I find using such a different part of my brain is a nice balance to the creative/writing side of my life. Outside of work I like reading, cooking, snowboarding, and visiting with friends. My youngest is off to college soon so my husband and I are dreaming up a lot of trips we want to take as empty nesters.

Q: What author (even outside of YA) do you admire most and why?

This is a hard one, there are so many authors I admire for so many different reasons. Of the classics, I’m a big Jane Austen fan because of her precision and beautiful prose (OK, and because I’m a hopeless Anglophile). Toni Morrison’s work always blow me away, especially her novel Beloved, which is one of my all-time favorites. Her writing is poetic and gorgeous and the story is heartbreaking. I also really admire J.K. Rowling’s ability to create such a detailed and immersive world. I’m sure I could go on – there are so many wonderful writers out there.

Q: If you could do anything besides writing for a living, what would it be?

Hah! As I in no way make my living from writing, I’d say developing affordable housing. ☺ That said, I recently visited a gallery of an artist (Chris Roberts-Antieau) who makes really gorgeous textile art. I’d love to be able to create something like that!

Q: Every writer has things that appear in every work. For example mine are: a bookstore or library, a dog, food, magic and snappy dialog. What things appear in all your works?

So far the common denominator seems to be Portland. That and weird, science fiction-y elements because I love playing with what-ifs. The book I’m working on now has a character who wakes up looking a different age every morning. I’ve also sketched out a story that involves body swapping – my whole family pitched in on the initial plotting for that one while we were out hiking one day!

Q: What food speaks to your SOUL?

Homemade macaroni and cheese? It’s not very exciting but it’s definitely my go-to comfort food and also the first non-dessert thing I learned how to cook. Sushi is one of my favorite flavors, though. And dark chocolate. I am also very fond of red wine (is that bad to admit in a YA blog?).

Q: What smells or scents bring back childhood memories for you?

The beach – warm tropical beaches, not those chilly coastal places. I lived in Hawaii from ages 7 to 14 and we used to go to the beach every Sunday. The smell of sea-salt and hot sand always take me back.

Q: What was your greatest vacation of all time and why?

When we first got married, my husband and I spent four months traveling around SE Asia. We spent time in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. We saw beautiful places, learned history I never would have absorbed in a classroom, and talked to so many interesting people. It’s easy to think of foreign countries as “different” or scary, but when you’re there you realize we’re all just everyday people living out our lives. Well, “everyday” in some ways, but with exotic-to-me food and scenery and things to explore. I wish everyone had the opportunity to travel because I think then we would live in a kinder and more peaceful world.

YA Pick: Here Lies Daniel Tate

Here Lies Daniel Tate
by Cristin Terrill
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2017
400 pages
ISBN: 978148148076

On sale date: June 6, 2017

Here Lies Daniel Tate is an amazing whodunit for the YA crowd. A nameless narrator bad boy from Canada takes over the identity of a missing boy who disappeared from his upscale neighborhood years ago.

When Daniel Tate went missing, his wealthy family is distraught and searches for him. Sadly, he is not found. Years pass. A boy in Canada is taken in by authorities. He is Daniel Tate. What has happened to Daniel all those years he was missing? The Tate family is thrilled and rush the teen home. With their wealth, he clears international borders easily.

Daniel is quiet and a bit strange to everyone. The family gives hims space. He has been through an ordeal. It's understandable that he is shy and reserved. Maybe his captors tortured him. Or worse.

But someone knows the truth. That is because someone killed the real  Daniel Tate. This new boy, whoever he is, is in danger. This family has secrets. Secrets that if exposed will change everyone's lives. Someone is the killer, but everyone seems to want the new boy to really  BE Daniel. Daniel needs to find out who he can trust and fast!

This is a solid book ripe for movie adaptation. Clever cover art and the word "lies" in another print color emphasize that "lies" can be used in two ways. The marketing team gets kudos! 

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Mature content. Profanity.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick: Blood Family

Blood Family
by Anne Fine
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2017
291 pages
ISBN: 9781481477734


Blood Family is the gripping tale of a boy who had no chance. Edward's mother is a ghost of a woman who has lost her humanity. Beaten and abused for years, she has lost her will to survive let alone raise a seven year old child. If not for a nosy neighbor, Edward would probably be dead.

Rescued from the home along with his mother, Edward is taken to "safety." The conditions of his childhood home are documented by social workers and police officers. There is nothing to eat and deplorable conditions. Edward has never set foot from the house, never been outside, never talked to anyone before. Everything he knows he has learned from thirty year old VCR tapes of episodes of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood."

Edward is grateful to be saved but worried about his mother. She will never be capable of taking care of herself again. Edward is shuttled off to foster homes and never fits in. He realizes his mother's abusive "boyfriend" is really his "blood" father and terrified  that if they share the same DNA, maybe Edward will be evil also. He does not want to become a beast.

After a series of relationships, homes, demons, drugs and failures, he realizes he will be okay.

The chapters are told in first person by a series of narrators: the neighbor who calls the police, the police who respond, social workers, foster parents, teachers and Eddie himself. Readers will get the big picture and not just Eddie's possibly skewed view of things. The book was first released by Doubleday in Great Britain. Blood Family is a tough book about a deplorable subject. It is not a "feel good" book.

Recommended for realistic fiction collections and high schools.

Reluctant Reader Pick: Dog Man Unleashed (book 2)

Dog Man Unleashed
by Dav Pilkey
Graphix
224 pages
2016
ISBN: 9780545935203

Kids don't need to be told: Dog Man Unleashed is the real deal! Dav Pilkey just keeps getting it right for those reluctant readers who just need a reason to pick up a book. This second book is even more fun than the original.Inane, silly, charming, ridiculous, and did I say silly? Well, fun then. Sheer fun!

 Pilkey does the amazing: he makes everything possible: a T. Rex skeleton becomes reanimated and dances around , a cat can be an evil genius, a police chief is so bumbling that he needs the assistance of Dog Man to solve even the silliest of crimes. In a graphic novel that reads more like a "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoon with evil Natasha and Boris, Dog Man is your hero. Pilkey must have spent every Saturday morning glued to his television watching the roadrunner outsmart Wile E. Coyote.

Poor Dog Man. He is half Dog (the head and dog instincts) and half human (the human body). In a  freak accident, Officer Knight and Greg the Dog get blown up, and  the ambulance takes them to the hospital with the siren sounding, "Wee-OOO-Wee_OOO" --never has anyone found a way to write a siren sound that was legit before Pilkey--so applause for that alone! The ER doctors say that the only way to fix Greg the Dog and Officer Knight is to combine them into one. This seems far-fetched, but it is laugh out loud funny!

Dialog is tongue-in-cheek with 80's and 90's references. It is irreverent and hysterical. Two kids are  passing by, a boy and a girl, and see the cat villain stealing treasure chests. A  mysterious stranger wants to stop him by  using  his mind powers to pick up a phone booth to throw at the cat. The kids ask, "What's a phone booth?" Next he picks up a stack of newspaper and a mailbox then "he grabs some other stuff with his brain" from Lulu's Obsolete Goods. The kids wonder what each obsolete item is and that's the fun of it! Adults will chuckle along with their reluctant readers--if they are lucky enough to be reading along, that is!

Dog Man is the perfect cop...except for the fact that every time he sees a bone, he wants to lick it and every time he sees a ball, he wants to chase it and catch it. Pilkey has included flip pages with instructions for readers to flip the pages and see the "action" cartoon. Readers will be delighted!
How to draw pages in back teach readers how to draw main characters and Pilkey's website has more content to interest young doodlers and dreamers.

Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series made readers out of a generation of reluctant readers two decades ago; Dog Man will take this generation by storm. Hooray for Dog Man!

Highly, highly recommended for all reluctant readers and anyone who needs a laugh. This is sheer silliness for the fun of it! Don't fight it! Give in to Dog Man!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick: Spontaneous

Spontaneous
by Aaron Starmer
Dutton Books
2016
355 pages
ISBN: 9780525429746


Laugh out loud hilarious, Spontaneous will leave readers snorting with laughter.  Then they realize that they are laughing at a teenager  who just blew up. While that is not cause for laughter in a normal world, Starmer frames teens blowing up in such a comic way they it is instantly (spontaneously) hilarious. This kind of black comedy is rare in YA and done only by a few writers like Andrew Smith and Libba Bray.

When teens begin blowing up, Mara Carlyle  is present each time a classmate meets a  terrible demise. She has the record, in fact, of most teen blow-ups witnessed.  As time wears on, Mara treats it like combing her hair in the morning--just a part of life. Mara is glib, witty and chatty as the narrator and takes the reader on an entertaining journey through her senior year. While insensitive and blatant, Mara uses it as a coping mechanism against the blood and gore around her. Instead of breakups and make-ups, it's blow ups and clean ups. When it becomes obvious that kids from the senior class are blowing up and it's not some random thing that cannot be explained, the government gets involved and surrounds the city. The kids are now prisoners and then lab rats. What is causing the senior class of Covington High to blow up?  Is it something they ingested? Something they took in an illegal drug? Did they pick up a parasite? Is it a medical condition?

The agent covering the case is FBI agent Carla Rosetti who Mara secretly admires, even striving to be her best buddy. The agent lets her know that the government may indeed be involved. She gives Mara and her  bff Tess burner phones to contact her if they find out anything about the case.

Spontaneous is enjoyable and entertaining although some may find the ending disappointing as the cause of the blowups is never addressed. Readers will have to write their own ending to this novel.

Recommended for laughs! High school grades 9-up. Profanity, lots of sex, bad behavior, alcohol, drugs, partying like it's 1999--hey, they are all blowing up, you know.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Mystery Pick: Running Girl

Running Girl
(Garvie Smith Mysteries, Book 1)
by Simon Mason
David Fickling Books
2016
432 pages
ISBN: 9781338036428

Garvie Smith is a genius. He is smarter than any student at Marsh Academy but also is failing all his classes. His teachers and school bore him. It is not until his ex-girlfriend Chloe  is murdered that Garvie is interested in leaving his room.

The police are investigating, but Garvie knows they need help. Working alone, Garvie will leave no stone unturned in Chloe's murder. Inspector Singh is no slouch at police work. He is methodical and precise. He advises Garvie to leave the investigating up to the police, but Garvie does not listen.

Everywhere Garvie goes, Singh is right behind him. This is infuriating to the policeman. He orders Garvie off the case, but the teen is not hearing it at all. The dynamic between the adult detective and teen genius is competitive in nature  but each admires the other.

Garvie begins to investigate some nefarious characters and finds himself in dangerous surroundings. With his keen eye and his Sherlock Holmes' deductive reasoning he is able to know who the true killer is before the police can move in.

American readers will find Running Girl charming with its British place names and some slang words. America seems to have a love affair with all things British: One Direction, Adele, Lord, and way before them: the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and the British Invasion.

Recommended for high school readers grade 9-up. This is a solid detective/police thriller and mystery story with a memorable character: Garvie Smith.

Profanity, drug use, sex, mature themes.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Crime Thriller: The Girl I Used To Be

The Girl I Used To Be
by April Henry
Christy Ottaviano Books
Henry Holt and Company, LLC
2016
240 pages
ISBN: 9781627793322

Available May 3, 2016

Editorial Reviews

 

"A must-have for YA mystery-thriller collections."-School Library Journal

“The author's expertise at plotting a murder mystery and knowledge of police procedure are evident.” ―Publishers Weekly on The Point Last Seen Series

“Fast-moving and well-constructed . . . A quick, thrilling read that doesn't skimp on characterization.” ―Kirkus Reviews on The Point Last Seen Series

“A psychological mystery wrapped in a thriller with a smart and resourceful heroine. Great read!” ―Alexandra Sokoloff, screenwriter and bestselling thriller author of The Harrowing on The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die

“A thrill-packed story with twists and turns you'll never see coming. Hop on board for an adrenaline fueled ride!” ―CJ Lyons, New York Times–bestselling author of Blind Faith on The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die

“The reader must wait with bated breath to see when and if the characters will uncover the truth as the suspense builds to a fever pitch near the end of the book” ―VOYA on The Night She Disappeared

“Fans of intense page-turners . . . will love this one.” ―School Library Journal on The Night She Disappeared

“It's a riveting story. . . . Each chapter is a surprise, and the tension builds steadily until the inevitable climactic face off.” ―Publishers Weekly on The Night She Disappeared

My Review:

April Henry is the go to storyteller  for YA crime novels, and The Girl I Used To Be  solidifies her position. Seventeen year old Ariel Benson was raised in foster care after her father murdered her mother and then  disappeared. For several years, her grandmother keeps Ariel until the older lady has a heart attack and dies. A knock at the door one day rocks Ariel's world; her father's remains have turned up near where her mother was murdered and judging from the appearance, he was probably killed the same day as her mother. Now Ariel has two murdered parents and the killer is still on the loose.

Ariel (Olivia) travels to Medford, Oregon, to her father's funeral. She doesn't tell anyone her real name and spies on the funeral guests hoping  to get a vibe on her parents' possible killer. Olivia decides to rent her grandmother's house and stick around town hoping to solve the questions of who and why?

Cute guy and ex-neighbor Duncan suspects Olivia is Ariel and proves it when he sees a scar she's had since childhood. She begs him not to tell anyone who she is, and he offers to help her find the killer. Duncan says that no one will suspect anything if he asks questions; he's lived in Medford his whole life, while Olivia is an outsider who will raise suspicions. The two will need to work fast to discover the killer before he can kill again.

There are twists and turns and a pretty good whodunit. Mystery and crime readers will want to read The Girl I Used To Be.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review. 

Series Pick: A Cold Legacy ( A Madman's Daughter, Book 3)

A Cold Legacy (A Madman's Daughter novel, Book 3)
by Megan Shepherd
Balzar + Bray
2015
388 pages
ISBN: 9780062128089

The third and last book of the Madman's Daughter trilogy ties up loose ends and story lines. Juliet and company are on the run after a bloody massacre in London. They have half of the police force looking for them as they flee north to the badlands of Scotland. Elizabeth Von Stein invited Juliet to her family's castle  on the moors, and Juliet arrives with Lucy, Montgomery, a delirious Edward who is fighting the Beast part of him and losing it seems, and Balthazar, their faithful servant.

They arrive at the Frankenstein (Elizabeth Von Stein's) castle and are rudely greeted by sullen servants who grudgingly allow them to stay. Lucy and Juliet take turns nursing Edward, but his outcome is grim. Elizabeth finally comes home and shows Juliet her father's secret workshop and library. Taking pieces of the Mary Shelley story, Megan Shepherd weaves together The Island of Dr. Moreau and Frankenstein.

There are secrets in the castle that Elizabeth is not willing to share with anyone: the strange servants and their near worship of Elizabeth, the bodies in the basement, the strange pale boy who travels through secret passageways and a gypsy troupe that seems to always be nearby.

If reanimation is possible, should it ever be used? Juliet struggles with ethical and moral dilemmas and questions her own ability to do good. She is, after all, her father's daughter, a fact that Montgomery seems to keep reinforcing. 

There's just enough gore to balance out the romance here. Readers of the series won't be disappointed with this last book.

The cover art is once again ethereal. The gothic castle looming over the girl, the long gown, the beautiful red sash, the color of the stormy sky and the red title lure readers to this read. The art marketing team has done a great job with all three of the covers in this series.

Some early reviews gave the cold shoulder about the medicine/science facts/nonfacts of the book, but don't let that bother you. One pointed out, "That's not how science works!" Well, Mary Shelley didn't care about science and neither did H.G. Wells. It's a work of science fiction and should be enjoyed as that, not as a medical textbook.

Highly recommended for fans of the series and others. If you haven't read book 1 and 2, A Cold Legacy will be confusing. I highly recommend the first two books. Grade 7-up. Gore, guts, grisly operations, on their wedding night, Juliet and Montgomery have a "moment," fade to black. 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for the library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

I Nearly MIssed This One! YA Pick: Trouble Is a Friend of Mine

Trouble Is a Friend of Mine
by Stephanie Tromly
Kathy Dawson Books
2015
334 pages
ISBN: 9780525428404

Watch a teen review

Praise

Praise for Trouble Is a Friend of Mine:
“In what reads like a combination of Veronica Mars and The Breakfast Club, debut author Tromly creates a screwball mystery with powerful crossover appeal.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This is one of those rare books that promises something unique and actually delivers beyond expectation. At least one copy belongs in every young adult collection—maybe even two or three. Once the word gets out, this book will fly off the shelves.”—VOYA, starred review

“Fast-talking, suit-wearing Digby is an exasperating teenage Sherlock—sharply observant, impatient with social niceties, and unafraid of authority figures….Fans of Veronica Mars and Elementary will find much to like here…Zoe’s sarcastic first-person narration is fresh and funny…an offbeat and entertaining caper.”—Kirkus

“With snappy prose and wry humor alongside the gritty crime, this nod to noir moves as fast as Digby talks… An engrossing and satisfying read…[that] encourages readers to dig between the lines and see truths that even Zoe and Digby, in all their sardonic observations, can’t quite spell out.”—BCCB, starred review

“A fast-paced story….Readers will find a sharply drawn character in the irrepressible Zoe, who’s as dubious about Digby’s methods as she is curious about whether or not she can live up to his daredevilry.”—SLJ

“With acerbic banter and a healthy dose of high-school high jinks, screenwriter Tromly weaves together traditional elements of teen stories to create a Breakfast Club for a new century.”—Booklist

My Review:


Trouble Is a Friend of Mine was marketed as a cross between Veronica Mars, Sherlock and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," so I was intrigued right away and had high hopes for a great read. I wasn't disappointed and readers won't be either!


Philip Digby is that weirdly cool nerdy kid who everyone knows but isn't exactly close friends with probably because they couldn't keep up with his intellect. They admire his aplomb, his ability to finesse a situation, his benign smile, his ability to tell tall tales and get away with them, and his audacity to fight authority and win before authority  even knows they were in a fight.Whip smart, ever so random in his observances and utterances, Sherlock Holmes smart, utterly devilish,  charming, and dazzling in his brilliance, Digby befriends Zoe. Actually befriends is not the right word. He wiles his way into her life and Zoe, a little bored and a lot friendless, is confused as to why she's suddenly Digby's sidekick and a willing if confused  Dr. Watson to his witty and biting Sherlock Holmes. A cute football playing jock named Henry joins the two and soon the  trio are searching for a missing girl.  Eight years  earlier, Digby's younger sister vanished, and he's hoping if he finds what happened in the recent disappearance, he can find his sister.


I can't say enough about Digby;  he is an enchanting fellow. He is masterful at controlling the situation and keeping things on a strictly need to know basis. He has a plan to bust a drug ring and find out where the missing girl or girls are. Digby is he master of the understatement and a genius at linguistics. He takes jibs at Zoe, aka Princeton, teasing her for her clothing choices, her lack of friends, her boring life, and her wanting to attend an expensive private school. Readers later learn that Digby's home life is...well...strange!

As Zoe crushes on cute Henry, who has a mean girl cheerleader girlfriend, she realizes her feelings for Digby are more than friendship. Zoe has her share of funny lines. When she sees Henry's toned stomach, she says, "Who knew a sixteen-year-old boy who wasn't a werewolf fighting sparkly vampires could have a six-pack of abs?"

Trouble Is a Friend of Mine has a great trio of characters and lead "actors"  Digby and Zoe are sheer comic gold. After finding the bad guys, not alerting the cops, getting taken hostage, being thrown into a cellar, being held at gunpoint, finding tons of explosives and Zoe coming face to face with her biggest fear: her mother's new sleepover boyfriend, Zoe and Digby make a plan to free themselves from a car trunk. When bad guy Ezekiel opens the trunk, Zoe will stab him with an epi-pen and Digby will take the gun. While that plan sounds like it will work, what really happens is: the trunk opens, Zoe stabs the bad guy, the bad guy screams, Zoe screams, Digby screams and the trunk is slammed shut again. Zoe tells Digby that he was supposed to get the gun, but Digby says that Zoe grossed him out and he froze. Zoe hit Ezekiel directly in the eyeball with the epi-pen. Laugh out loud funny!

More surprises at the end will leave readers speechless but wanting more of Digby and Zoe.  It's great news that this book is only book one of a trilogy. Readers will have to wait until November for book 2, Trouble Makes a Comeback. What are you waiting for? Grab a copy of Trouble Is a Friend of Mine.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. Some adult situations: Zoe's dad cheated on her mother and leaves her for a much younger woman, no profanity, no sex, a "hint" of romance.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Book Club Pick: Blackbirds

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Blackbirds

(book 1)

Books 2 & 3 now available

by Chuck Wendig

Saga Press

2015 (paperback edition)

276 pages

ISBN: 9781481448659

From the inside cover:
"A gleefully dark, twisted road trip for everyone who though Fight Club was too warm and fuzzy. If you enjoy this book, you're probably deeply wrong in the head. I loved it and will be seeking professional help as soon as Chuck lets me out of his basement." --James Moran, screenwriter "Doctor Who," " Torchwood," and "Blackbirds."

 

 

Once considered by Starz as a new series, this blogger wishes that one of the cable  networks will consider putting this on the screen.

My review:

 

Gritty, grimy, ghisly, grotesque, gruesome, and gory, Blackbirds roars off the page and puts up one helluva fight. Miriam Black can see how you will die. All it takes is for her to touch someone skin on skin and she can see everything. She just sees it happen once; no replays. This freakish occurrence nearly brought her to insanity until she discovered that she could follow someone (her mark) whose death was imminent and empty their pockets and wallets. Miriam is not greedy but takes only what she needs to survive. Because of this, readers will empathize with her as a character. She is cursed with a condition that forces her to see hundreds of deaths and she makes the most of it. Does she try to keep people from meeting their Maker? Yes, to terrible results. Having failed, she lives with guilt and finds a way to keep herself fed.

 

When she accepts a ride from a trucker, she gets rattled for the first time in a long time. Miriam has a vision that Louis has only a few days to live, but what's get her even more concerned is that Louis calls out the name "Miriam" just before he dies. To Miriam this means she is responsible and present for his death--and it's a grisly, terrible death.

Miriam soon has a run-in with a stranger that leaves her speechless. He's been secretly following (stalking) her, and offers her a partnership in crime. She declines; she doesn't need anyone and certainly not Ashley. What she doesn't know is that she has no choice. Someone's after Ashley and they'll stop at nothing to catch him. As Miriam tries to shake Ashley, she is pulled into the cat and mouse game. On the run from bad guys and trying to save good guy truckerLouis, Miriam and Ashley will have to learn to trust each other or die.

Breakneck speed and taut dialog make this a quick read. Gratuitous violence (think Russian mob type violence), torture sessions, vomit inducing descriptions of grisly scenes and language that would make a sailor blush, and you get the picture. Blackbirds is the best kind of raunchy--a tough bird named Mariam  kicking a** and taking names. I usually don't gravitate to this kind of violence in a book, but Mariam is an interesting character that I wanted to get to know. She is the driving force of this book and the reason I kept reading.

Recommended for readers who aren't squeamish and don't mind profanity that stings.

Recommended grade 11-up--it's pretty racy and violent.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.




 

Humorous Pick: Kill the Boy Band

Kill the Boy Band
by Goldy Moldavsky
Point
2016
320 pages
ISBN: 9780545867474

Available February 23, 2016

I have a huge fan girl crush, and it's for  the new YA book Kill the Boy Band which is everything hilarious about fandom, fan fic, and fan girls! Straight off the pages of a teen rag or a fan girl's Twitter feed, this book amazes. Spot on dialog with popping snark and "me first" just because I deserve it attitude, Kill the Boy Band is so funny it nearly aches.

Four fan girl BFFs (two go to the same school, the other two are online "friends" who know each other only from Twitter, text and DM's--don't hate--I met some of my BFF librarian friends online first and then in person, lol) agree to meet in NYC and rent a room at the hotel where their beloved boy band, the Ruperts (all the boys in the band have the real first name of Rupert--go figure),  will stay while in New York. Fooling all their  parents is easy since the adults  seem clueless; with the help of Apple's family maid, who checks the girls into the hotel, their plan of meeting their idols is finalized. Now to find out which room the "boys" are in. Isobel wants to post inside scoop for her blog, and readers will soon find out that Erin has much darker ideas for the boys.

After an unexpected coup at the ice machine, Apple returns with an unconscious Rupert P. The girls tie him up so he won't run off. It goes from bad to worse when Apple wants to keep him as her very own pet and Isobel snaps photos to post. At first the girls question their options, but finally talk themselves into full blown kidnapping. Rupert P. is having none of it; he argues and tries to escape. The girls have to gag him. Then they have the problem of Rupert K.'s fake girlfriend who keeps trying to find him. She's becoming a real pest.

The kidnapping and felony charges/prison time does not sit well with our narrator (who never tells us  her own name). She escapes to the hotel bar where an older bartender--she calls him Civil War Bartender--berates all  fan girls in general for  their foolish and foppish attempts to see/touch/hear/kiss/scream at/possess  their idols. He tells her that someday in the future  she'll be at a college party and someone will mention the Ruperts and say what a loser band they were. She does not believe Civil War Bartender at the time.

An unexpected but blissful encounter on the roof with her real crush, Rupert K., has our narrator in the throes of romantic tizzy, but it all comes crashing down (literally). When bestie Erin informs the others of her real plans for the boy band, the narrator nearly loses it.

All this mayhem is just the beginning; the story gets trippier and messier but, oh, so fun! Goldy Moldavsky has a great time satirizing boy bands, fandom, and pop culture. The media frenzy and pop culture hype created by social media makes this a believable read. #fangirllove, #KTBBrocks, #foreverRuperts! Shout out and heads up: Texas librarians, Goldy is coming to TLA in Houston this year! Score!


Highly, highly recommended and addictive grade 9-up. Profanity, sexual innuendo, mature themes, bad fan girl behavior, bad boy band behavior, sex, sexting.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Thriller Pick: Ask the Dark

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Ask the Dark

by Henry Turner

Clarion Books

2015

250 pages

ISBN: 9780544308275

 

 

What a story! What a character!

 

You know that kid in school who's always in trouble? The one who is usually a loner, who's quiet and breaks the law? The kid who's out late at night and maybe shows up to class or maybe doesn't? The kid whose mother died? The kid whose father can't make enough money to pay the hospital  debt and save their family home? The kid with the sister who dresses like a prostitute and hangs out with the neighborhood bad boy? Billy Zeets is that kid, but you need to know more about him and he's ready to tell his story in Ask the Dark.

 

Billy is a young juvenile delinquent usually in minor trouble for petty theft or sneaking around places he shouldn't be. In fact, that's why he knows what he does. When young neighborhood boys start to disappear, Billy tries to piece together all the clues he knows he's seen. Sneaking around at night in dark places and abandoned houses gives Billy all the information he will need, but can he put the pieces together before another boy is killed? Try as he might, there's something that he's missing and if he can just wrap his head around it, he'll solve the crime.

 

In a voice that's as fresh as country air, Billy shines as an unforgettable storyteller. The reader will empathize with him as he takes odd jobs to help his father save their home. The reward for the arrest of the child snatcher/murderer is $100,000, and Billy aims to capture that reward. Time is running out for everyone involved: for the kidnapped boys it means their lives, for Billy, it means saving his home and proving himself, for his father it means keeping the family together.

 

Billy knows he'll need more than just a scrap of paper or a pair of mittens to prove who the killer is. He'll need to find the missing boys and save them. Only then will the police believe him. For a boy who's usually on the wrong side of the law, Billy is on the right side of morality. He has no choice. He alone can save those boys and secure  his family's destiny.

 

Author Henry Turner's debut novel Ask the Dark is a fast paced page turner with a protagonist every reader will root for. Billy is unforgettable.

 

 

Highly, highly recommended grade 8-up with this consideration: Book contains profanity and well-placed "F-bombs," but it is the way Billy  would talk. If language is a problem with your readership, you may want to place this book grade 9 and up. It's so well written that readers will not be shocked at F-bombs at all. I believe they will accept it as Billy's natural diction.

 

 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

 

 

 

Book Club Pick: The Hand That Feeds You

The Hand That Feeds You
by A.J. Rich
Scribner
2015
273 pages
ISBN: 9781476774589


Gruesome and terrible, The Hand That Feeds You is a psychological thriller that delivers a quick one-two punch. Graduate student Morgan Prager is finishing her thesis at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. She meets her fiancé Bennett through her studies (almost unbelievable that a woman of her intellect would date someone she met in the way she found him--but then some women are crazy). Although he can be commanding, assertive and downright mean, Morgan tells herself she is in love with Bennett. She comes home from class one morning and finds the front door open. She fears Bennett may have left the door open accidentally and worries that her three dogs may be loose. Bennett never liked her dogs and Morgan thinks he may have left the door open on purpose.

Entering the apartment, she is overjoyed to see her dogs alive but they are acting strange. Their coats are red with blood. Morgan starts operating on adrenaline and shock. She finds the body of a man she thinks may have been Bennett. It's too hard to tell because the body has been mauled, the face mutilated and a leg torn off. Morgan begins to  fear what her dogs could do to her. They obviously killed once, what if they turn on her? She backs away and locks herself in the bathroom, calls 911 and waits for help to arrive.

How could this have happened? Could her dogs really have killed Bennett? One of her Dobermans is shot by a police officer. The female  Doberman and Cloud, her Great  Pyrenees are taken into custody. Morgan is taken to the psych ward where she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her fiancée, the horrific bloody scene, and the guilt she feels for allowing her dogs to be in this situation.

Once released Morgan searches for Bennett's mother and father. When she finds only dead ends, she has to ask herself: who was this guy I fell in love with? He has no past and no family. There is no record of him being a music producer. In fact, he seems to be a ghost. Then Morgan finds other women who were duped by Bennett, including one who was recently murdered. The police are no help. Morgan turns to her brother and other close friends.

The closer Morgan comes to the truth and the release of her dogs, the deeper the secrets. Could someone have used her dogs to kill Bennett? Who is the real killer? And is he  now after her?

The Hand That Feeds you rockets off the first chapters. By the middle of the story, I felt a bit bogged down and wanted answers to come.  On the other hand, I felt the ending a little rushed.

As a dog owner and rescuer, The Hand That Feeds You really got under my skin. The ick factor creeped me out entirely. It was not just that the dogs attacked and killed; it was that they were then locked up in a terrible environment.

Recommended for adult readers. If you love animals, you may want to pass on this one. I just can't get over it!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

HIgh School Pick: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls
by Lynn Weingarten
Simon Pulse
2015
325 pages
ISBN: 9781481418539

Dark, disturbing, defiant, thrilling and taut, Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls will keep readers guessing until the very last page. The symbolism of the three burnt matches on the cover will catch the eyes of teen browsers,  but the story and the characters will keep them reading.

Best friends June and Delia drift away from each other, and nearly a year later June is saddened and horrified to learn of Delia's death. June knows it wasn't suicide and she will not stop until she has answers.

As June begins to investigate, she finds out deeply disturbing things about her "friend." Delia was not just keeping secrets, she was lying and doing much, much worse. Just who was this girl that June befriended? No one is who they seem to be in Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls and that's the darkness (in a  good way) of this book.

Delia is a case study in friendly sociopath. She manipulates, lies, cheats and controls without any shame. She has no conscience and no soul. She asks everything, forgives nothing, and walks away from trouble and even love. June is easily coerced allowing the vibrant Delia to lead the way. Delia is a white hot supernova that will soon burn out, and June is left with mere sparks of dying stardust.

I loved the premise of the story and the first part of the book really raced along. It gets weird in the middle and weirder still at the end. Love triangles and blackmail, deception, deceit and hatred cause all the characters to act with June being the likely loser.

This is one book not for middle school. Profanity, gender identity, sex, violence, underage drinking, bad behavior. Recommended for grade 9-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fairy Tale Pick: Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School)

Flunked
(Fairy Tale Reform School)
by Jen Calonita
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2015
244 pages
ISBN: 9781492601562

Snarky and fun, Flunked is a real page turner. This book may be my new favorite in the fairy tale remix/retelling trend.

Gilly isn't really a bad person; she steals to help feed her family. They used to do okay when Gilly's dad made his living designing shoes. He came up with the design for the original glass slipper, but since Ella became queen, she has her own cobblers make the shoes. Gilly's family lives in a seedy side of town in an old boot (The Little Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe). When Gilly steals a beautiful hair clip from an unsuspecting young princess, the police come to take her away to Fairy Tale Reform School.


Gilly finds that Fairy Tale Reform School isn't all that bad; in fact, she may even stick around for awhile. Where else can a girl ride on a flying pegasus or be taught history by The Big Bad Wolf? Only in Enchantasia at the Fairy Tale Reform School. Where else can a girl meet  fairies, trolls, goblins, mermaids, witches, and princesses? Only at the Fairy Tale Reform School.

The question is: who wants the royals dead? And who is sabotaging the school? And who are Gilly's friends and who are her enemies?

One plucky, perky, snarky girl with mad attitude takes on any and every spell they throw at her. Readers will like the retelling and mash-up.

Highly recommended grade 6-up. Avid middle grade readers will also be entertained, No adult d
content.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: What Waits in the Woods

What Waits in the Woods
by Kieran Scott
Point
2014
288 pages
ISBN: 9780545691123

Available March 31, 2015

Novice hiker and camper Callie Velasquez agrees to go on a four day camping trip with her BFFs Penelope and Lissa. Her new boyfriend Jeremy tags along and the group sets off into the woods. Callie is unsure of herself and terrified to admit it to the others. After a spooky story around the campfire, Callie hears a maniacal laugh coming from the woods. They aren't the only ones out in the dark--they have company.

The next day after a frightening accident, they lose their cellphones and food. A stranger appears out of nowhere and says he can help them find their way. Ted lives in a cabin a few miles away and promises to take the campers there where they can use the phone, take showers and wait for their parents to pick them up. Callie and the others are leery. Is Ted to be trusted? Why was he so far from his cabin? How did he suddenly show up where they were?

Someone is trying to scare the kids. There's a doll with blood on it. Next, there's some voodoo-like twig dolls left at their campsite. And the laugh. Someone is following them.

Plot twists and dark secrets complicate the trip until Callie isn't sure what to believe. Could someone in their group be the real killer? Can she trust Jeremy?

A few problems with believability: Why do the parents of high school girls allow their daughters out into the woods for several nights ALONE? None of them have a weapon. None of them was ever an Eagle Scout or a master tracker. None of them knows the woods like the back of their hand. They don't have the proper equipment for emergencies. They have no backup plan. Also, would a new girl like Callie trust near strangers enough to agree to go on an unsupervised camping trip? It's not like she knew any of her group for very long. If you can suspend disbelief about all of that, What Waits in the Woods is an easy read with a twist or two.

Recommended grade 9-up. Murder, suspicion, stolen moments in the woods, mental illness.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: Jackaby

Jackaby
by William Ritter
Algonquin Young Readers
2014
299 pages
ISBN: 9871616203535

Remarkably novel, sincerely charming, and full of cheeky dialog, Jackaby is written  by an American debut novelist. William Ritter pulls off this trick by inventing an enigmatic character who harkens back to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes with a bit of Doctor Who and a bit of Grimm thrown in.

R.F. Jackaby is a young detective who is interested and specializes in "unexplained phenomena." In 1892, Miss Abigail Rook leaves port in Europe and sails to America. She is running from a life of boredom as an English housewife and running from her parents who want her to be a good girl and settle down. Abigail arrives with little money and must look for a job and a place to stay immediately. Lucky for her, Jackaby is looking for an assistant to help him pay bills, keep his correspondence, and be a sounding board during cases.

Their first case together is a bloody one. They sneak their way past the police and onto a crime scene where a man has been attacked and killed. Jackaby's keen eye and intellect spot things others miss. Abigail picks up clues as well. Together, they make a great team. Abigail's placement as a "partner" allows Jackaby to explain details of each scene and what they mean.

Soon, other murders occur and the two realize the killer may be someone close to them. Strange characters and happenings occur and only Jackaby can explain the various fairies, goblins, gremlins and beasts.

The mystery unfolds like an intricate origami masterpiece. One fold at a time. One book will not quench the reader's thirst for Jackaby. I want more! Much, much more Jackaby!  Jackaby is such a puzzle, such an enigma, such a riddle that readers will want to discover what makes him tick.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. No profanity, no sex, gore and blood only. This book gets my #1 pick of the 2014 year! I'm sure it will take top honors from many publications and ALA and YALSA.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Book Giveaway: Jackaby

Jackaby
by William Ritter
Algonquin Young Readers
2014
299 pages
ISBN: 9781616203535

I LOVE this book, and you will, too! Jackaby is an enigmatic character who is a mash up of Sherlock, Dr. Who and "Grimm."  Imagine the skills of Sherlock Holmes and sixth sense for paranormal--that's Jackaby.

I have FIVE FREE copies of this magnificent debut up for grabs! Simply post a comment to the blog and be sure to include your first name, city, state, and email address (U.S. addresses, only). Deadline for posts is at noon MST on December 17. Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Please check your email on the afternoon of December 17. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from Algonquin. Good luck and start posting!

Praise for Jackaby:

"The rich world of this debut demands sequels." --Kirkus reviews, starred review


“Smooth writing and inventive . . . background touches (like Jackaby’s tenants and pocket contents) characterize this supernatural riff on the typical Sherlockian murder mystery. For a lighter read-alike, try Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer’s Sorcery and Cecilia (2004); for a darker tone, perhaps Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart mysteries.” —Booklist

“Toss together an alternate 19th-century New England city, a strong tradition of Sherlockian pastiche, and one seriously ugly hat, and this lighthearted and assured debut emerges, all action and quirk.” —Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Jonathan Stroud's The Screaming Staircase will appreciate Ritter's initial foray into the realm of supernatural . . . Avid lovers of fantasy will enjoy this quick read.” —School Library Journal

Crime Pick: The Body in the Woods

The Body in the Woods
(A Point Last Seen Mystery)
by April Henry
Henry Holt
2014
272 pages
ISBN: 9780805098525

An unlikely trio of teens band together as a team after a horrifying encounter in the woods. Alexis, Nick and Ruby are part of a teen Search and Rescue Team who help Portland police search and locate missing people. Their first call is to find a missing autistic man. While searching the forest, Alexis happens upon a grisly discovery--a body in the woods. Ruby and Nick call for help. The crime scene is disturbed when a footprint is accidentally ruined by a medic.

Ruby goes into full crime scene detective mode--this girl is a walking encyclopedia of CSI and forensics television trivia. She notices the smallest details no one else does and carefully explains  them to the other kids and the reader. She realizes that this isn't the first body in the woods--there was another murder of a woman earlier in the year. Ruby takes her suspicions to the police--who shoot down her theory.

Ruby convinces Alexis and Nick that there is a serial killer on the loose in Portland.  As the kids close in on his trail, the killer speeds up his spree. Not only are the kids on a path to destruction, each must deal with his/her  own demons. Alexis deals with her mother's bi-polar personality, Ruby sneaks around to avoid her parents' ultimatum and Nick deals with his feelings of inferiority and missing his dead father.

When the police won't listen, the kids turn to each other and their detective skills. Ruby has an inquiring mind and loves solving a puzzle. The trio realizes that although they are very different, they each contribute to the team and their friendship grows.

This is a quick read and should draw in reluctant readers.

Recommended grade 7-up. Mature subject matter. Serial killer. No profanity.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)