The document provides summaries of 6 young adult novels: 1) We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is about a girl who suffers a mysterious accident and spends two years trying to piece together what happened during her last summer with her cousins on their family's private island. 2) Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is a science fiction story where some people gained superpowers after a mysterious explosion and now rule as oppressive "Epics." A boy sets out to get revenge on Steelheart for killing his father. 3) Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy is about a teenage girl dealing with cancer, falling for her friend, and facing life after going into remission unexpectedly. 4) The

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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Gr 9 Up—Cadence Sinclair Easton comes from an old-money family, headed by a patriarch who owns a
private island off of Cape Cod. Each summer, the extendedfamily gathers at the various houses on the island,
and Cadence, her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and friend Gat (the four "Liars"), have been inseparable since
age eight. During their fifteenth summer however, Cadence suffers a mysterious accident. She spends the
next two years—and the course of the book—in a haze of amnesia, debilitating migraines, and painkillers,
trying to piece together just what happened. Lockhart writes in a somewhat sparse style filled with metaphor
and jumps from past to present and back again—rather fitting for a main character struggling with a sudden
and unexplainable life change. The story, while lightly touching on issues of class and race, more fully focuses
on dysfunctional family drama, a heart-wrenching romance between Cadence andGat, and, ultimately, the
suspense of what happened during that fateful summer. The ending is a stunner that will haunt readers for a
long time to come. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780385741262
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Gr 8 Up—This fun, fast-paced, futuristic science-fiction superhero story is the first in a projected series.
When David was six, an unexplainedexplosion in the sky caused perpetual darkness and ordinary people to
gain supernatural powers. These people became known as Epics. Two years later, in a bank in what was once
Chicago, now called Newcago, David witnessedSteelheart, one of the most powerful Epics of all, murder his
father. In the 10 years since his father's death, David has made it his mission to learn all he can about Epics.
Everyone thinks they are invincible, but he knows otherwise. He knows that each one has a weakness, and
he's seen Steelheart's. Steelheart can bleed. David intends to get his revenge. A cowed populace accepts the
fact that Epics control their lives andthe strongest among them are in a constant battle for dominance. Only
one shadowy group of ordinary humans called the Reckoners dare fight to eliminate them. Davidpersuades
the Reckoners to let him join their ranks after proving he has unique knowledge about Epics. This enjoyable
read focuses more on action than character development and is perfect for genre fans who love exciting
adventure stories with surprising plot twists. Readers will be rooting for David, a super geek with a love of
weapons, who can hold his own against Epics with names like Nightwielder, Conflux, or Firefight. (School
Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780385743570
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
Gr 9 Up—Sixteen-year-old Alice is in the final stages of leukemia. While her body is being decimatedby
chemo, she reconnects with her longtime childhood friend, Harvey, and enlists him to help her complete a
Dying-To-Do List. Revenge on her ex-boyfriend who cheatedon her? Check. Revenge on the girl he cheated
with? Check. Visiting the memory-laden but run-down amusement park of her childhood? Check. Ready to
die, Alice is completely shocked when her cancer suddenly goes into remission. Facedwith life, she now has
to deal with the kindof person she has become (not the nicest) and the kindof person she wants to be. On
top of everything, how will she handle the complicated love she feels for Harvey? Caring for him feels
impossible because she doesn't trust the reprieve from cancer that she's been given. Growing up is hard, but
growing up with the threat of a recurrence of cancer is even harder. The narrative demands that close
attention be paid, as chapters alternate between the points of view of both Alice and Harvey, as well as
between Then (when Alice hadcancer) and Now (when she is cancer-free). Honest and unflinching, this is a
compelling story of one teen's struggle with cancer, love, and living. A worthwhile addition. (School Library
Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062245359

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The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
Gr 9 Up—Prenna's life is shrouded in secrecy and intimidation. She's part of a select group of people who not
only survivedthe Blood Plagues but also immigratedto present-day New York from more than 80 years in the
future. Bound by rules that force her to sacrifice her personal freedoms and isolate herself from the local
community, also known as Time Natives, Prenna can't helpdeveloping a close, yet guarded friendship with a
classmate, Ethan Jarves. Both high schoolers are gifted science students who have more than a friendly,
academic attraction, but physical contact with Ethan could endanger him as well as Prenna and the other
Travelers. When a local indigent man, who mysteriously knows about the Travelers' origins, prophesizes a
time fork on May 17, Ethan and Prenna are launched into a plan to stop a murder that could save the future
of mankind. The story moves along at a compelling pace with enough foreshadowing and plot twists to keep
the pages turning. The sense of adventure as the teens escape Prenna's corrupt leaders and fight off a
murderer is stronger than the romance between the two. Older teens may enjoy the more palpable romance in
Brashares's book for adults, My Name Is Memory (Riverhead, 2010), in which a love story transcends time.
The Here and Now has a satisfying ending that only slightly hints at what would be a welcome sequel. (School
Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780385736800
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page
Gr 9 Up—In this edgy update of Frank L. Baum's Wizard of Oz, Kansas teen Amy Gumm gets sucked into a
complex assassination plot to dethrone the megalomaniac and magic addict Dorothy. Oz is no longer the
cheerful Technicolor world made popular by the Judy Garland—starring film, and it has been drained of its
fairy-tale glimmer by the red shoe—wearing despot and her crew of twisted friends. The Scarecrow, the Tin
Man, Glinda, and the Lion all make horrific appearances, and characters from Baum's original are also
highlightedin this grim and gory take. Roles are reversedas good and evil witches band together in the
revolutionary group of the Wickedto train Amy to kill Dorothy. Debut author Paige doesn't hold back in this
fast-paced action novel, and the body count mounts as the tale progresses. Leaps of logic distract from the
overall story, and choppy language overwhelms at times, but teens will identify with the heroine's insecurities
and feelings of abandonment caused by her parents' divorce and her mother's subsequent drug abuse. The
tentative relationshipthat begins with one of her tutors seems a bit tacked on but will hopefully be developed
more in future installments. Plot twists will keepreaders guessing, and Amy's affinity to her pet mouse Star
will garner some chuckles. Give this cinematic upper-YA novel to fans of A. G. Howard's Splintered (Abrams,
2012), Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars (Dial, 2006), and TV shows such as Once Upon a Time and Grimm.
(School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062280671
The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz
Gr 9 Up—In an alternate 20th century, the world is controlled by a unitedFranco-British Empire and backed
by a Merlin. Aelwn Myrddyn, the beautiful and powerful daughter of Merlin, returns from exile to find that her
childhood friend, Marie-Victoria, the sickly daughter of the Empire's Queen, will be engagedto Prussia's
Prince Leopold in order to solidify a peace treaty. Isabelle of Orleans, royalty from the formerly independent
France, is forced to break off her engagement to Leopold. Tragically, she had been rape d by her guardian as a
child and is continuously taken advantage of by Leopold. The royal engagement has made London's coming-
of-age season all the more glamorous, and for Ronan Astor, a feisty New Yorker invitedto attend, it means a
chance to marry rich and save her family's decaying status. On her way to Europe, she meets Wolf, Leopold's
younger brother. Wolf is a total flirt but, unlike his brother, has strong morals. Bestselling author de la Cruz
expertly writes from five different perspectives, allowing readers to emotionally invest in the protagonists'
lives. Her vividdescriptions are just enough to transport us into the world without bogging down the
narrative. This character-driven novel has fabulous balls, glitzy gowns, and plenty of drama and plot twists,
making it hard to put down. Unresolved issues hint at future books. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781423157427

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
Gr 7–10—In this lovely, lightheartedromance, high school junior Lara Jean writes never-to-be-mailedletters
to every boy she's ever liked. The teen falls for Josh, the boy next door. The catch: he's her older sister's very
recent ex-boyfriend. But when her letters are accidentally sent out, the protagonist is desperate to convince
Josh that she's over her crush. Peter, a popular boy at school, also receivedone of Lara Jean's love letters,
and—hoping to make his ex-girlfriendjealous—agrees to be her "pretend" beau. Once older sister Margot
leaves for college in Scotland, Lara Jean's interactions with Josh are more complicated. Lara Jean also must
take care of her younger sister, Kitty, since their mother diedsix years ago. Unlike typical teen romances, this
is as much the story of a family as it is about falling in love. Family traditions are skillfully woven into the
first-person narrative, including some from the mother's Korean heritage. Though the three sisters are very
close, they also have conflicts to resolve, and Lara Jean's perspective as a middle child suddenly left in charge
is compelling. Readers will be intriguedby the narrator and Peter's complicatedrelationship. Does she really
love Josh, or is Peter the one for her? Most teens will guess the outcome but enjoy the many twists and turns
along the way in this lyrical novel. Readers will remember the Song sisters and the boys in their lives long
after the final page turn. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781442426702
Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick
Gr 9 Up—Natalya Kutepova and Alexei Romanov are in love, and though she is not of royal blood, everyone
expects that Tsar Nicholas II will allow them to be married. Alexei reveals to her a magical secret: before
Rasputin was murdered, he poured all of his power into a Fabergé cre ation known as the Constellation Egg.
The power of this egg miraculously protects the Romanov family, including healing Alexei from his
hemophilia. But the egg is unable to protect the royal family from revolution: the year is 1917, and a civil war
is on the horizon. Alexei and his family are taken by the Reds. In an attempt to reclaim power for Russia,
Natalya and her highborn friendEmilia try to retrieve the egg, but they are deceivedand captured. What
ensues is a desperate search for the egg in order to claim the power for either the White or Red faction-but
there is a dangerous third group at play that cares nothing for politics and everything for power. The
characters in this novel don't quite live up to the clearly well-researchedhistorical detail: they're flat and
under-nuanced. The two romances in this book are presentedas deriving from Natalya's genuine affection for
both Alexei and a young revolutionary namedLeo, but neither are well developed enough to address the
complicated feelings that would likely arise when one begins to have feelings for the enemy of one's true love.
The story is fascinating, however, and the details of the Russian Revolution that are included might inspire
students to research Russian history and such characters as Alexei Romanov and Grigori Rasputin. (School
Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781595146939
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
Gr 9 Up—Lucy and Owen meet one fateful afternoon in New York City when all the power goes off; they are
then split apart abruptly afterward when Lucy’s family moves to Scotland and Owen and his father embark on
a cross-county journey to find a new home. While Lucy is well-to-do and has parents who love her but do not
show it in the traditional sense, Owen and his fathe r have plenty of love between them but are grieving the
recent loss of Owen’s mother. Although they come from very different backgrounds and only have one night
together, the two find themselves attractedto each other like magnets, no matter where they en dup on the
globe. Lucy jumps from Scotland to London, and Owen travels from Chicago to Seattle, but their affections
never wear thin, despite one upsetting meeting they have in San Francisco. Fans of Smith’s previous works,
namely The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight (Little, Brown, 2012/VoyaFebruary 2012), and other
love stories like John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars (Penguin, 2012/Voya April 2012) and David
Levithan’s Every Day (Random House, 2012/Voya December 2012) will like this novel, which is a similar
combination of head and heart. The book is perfectly wholesome, without any harsh language or sexual
content, so it will be a welcome addition to any library. (VOYA)
Price: ISBN: 9780316254779

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Far From You by Tess Sharpe
Gr 9 Up—The day Sophie is releasedfrom rehab starts the "now" of this story, which alternates with
flashbacks from the past. Readers learn that the teen has had two close calls with death, the first in a
crippling car crash with her friendMina and Mina's brothe r Trev. The secondwas when Mina was murdered
in front of her in what is assumed to be a drug deal gone bad. Because Sophie is a recovering drug addict,
even her parents don't believe her when she says that the murder has nothing to do with drugs, hence he r
stay in rehab. Now that she's free, Sophie is obsessed with finding Mina's killer. Somehow she must overcome
everyone's belief that her relapse caused Mina's death and enlist helpin solving the crime. The mystery is a
major theme of the book, and the author gives no clues before the revelation. This kindof plot twist is
sometimes successful, but here the ending is so out of left field that it lacks believability. As readers follow
Sophie's sleuthing, they learn that Mina was more than just her best frie nd; she was also her first love. This
romance is full of struggle and strong emotions, likely to find an appreciable YA audience. (School Library
Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781423184621
Death Sworn by Leah Cypress
Gr 9 Up—Ileni was once a powerful sorceress, poised to be a leader among her people in their war against the
Empire that exiledthem long ago. But her magic is slowly and inexplicably fading, and she has been
sentencedto spend the rest of her life as a teacher to assassins in a distant cave fortress. The teen also hopes
to discover who killedthe previous tutors sent by her people. The mission becomes further complicated by
Ileni's growing feelings for Sorin, the assassin charged with protecting her. As Ileni delves de eper into the
caves and the murders, she discovers more than she bargained for about herself and her people's relationship
with the assassins and their mysterious leader. This book has a strong beginning that quickly fails to deliver,
due in part to poor world-building. While Cypess gives a strong impression of a deep history of Ileni's people
and the Empire itself, she doesn't delve into that history enough, which causes the story to lack a sense of
true power. The romance is sluggish, despite a promising start, and Ileni herself, while steely andstrong, has
a tendency toward overt self-pity and whining. The novel's twists and turns set inside claustrophobic caves
often lead to dead ends and will frustrate readers. Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Kristin Cashore may be drawn
to this title but may not get deeply engaged. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062221216
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Gr 9 Up—Nyx Triskelion has known for most of her life that she must marry Ignifex, the "Gentle Lord" who
terrorizes her world, due to a bargain her father made before her birth. She also knows that once married, she
must destroy the evil despot and the demons under his command. For years, Nyx has been training in the
Hermetic Arts, the method by which she is supposed to kill her husband. Yet when the time comes, she
cannot shake the desire she develops for him. It does not help that she was raisedas barely more than a
sacrifice, unusedto the idea of love. Despite her attraction to Ignifex, Nyx makes several attempts on his life
(all of which are easily thwarted). Hodge's story infuses elements of Greek mythology and classic fairy tales.
The plot moves quickly, and the characters are well formed; their transgressions make them interesting and
authentic. The complex relationshipbetween Nyx and Ignifex is especially engaging. An entertaining readfor
teens who enjoy romantic fantasy. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062224736
The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
Gr 9 Up—In a plot that serves as a modern mashup of classic teen movies, soccer prodigy Lainey is dumped
by her "perfect" boyfriend at her family's coffee shop. Lainey and her frienduse their summer reading, The Art
of War by Sun Tzu, to hatch a plan to win Lainey's boyfriend back. When the plan calls for misdirection,
Lainey needs a fake boyfriend. She and Micah, a prickly bad boy co-worker at the coffee shop, make a pact to
pretend to date in order to make their exes jealous, and every reader can guess what happen s by the end of
the summer. The characters are straight from central casting (the shallow jock, the supermodel mean girl, the
hippie mother who reads tea leaves), which is unfortunate, given the book's message to look beyond the

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exterior. The protagonist also lacks depth, which makes it difficult for readers to root for her. Despite the
dearth of complexity in the characters, Stokes does a good job with the sports subplots as well as the familial
relationships. Lainey is a driven athlete who focuses on her passion, which is a refreshing change of pace
from many other heroines in the romantic realistic fiction genre. Lainey's family is supportive and candid, and
Micah's sister is a good reality check for both main characters. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062238429
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
Gr 9 Up—Stiefvater expands on her bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls novels with a side story built around
Cole St. Clair, werewolf front man of the defunct band Narkotika. Now sober, Cole attempts to resurrect his
career and his dysfunctional love affair with Isabel Culpeper, who’s working retail in Los Angeles. From a
vacuous live phone interview in the opening pages to the semi -trashy webseries Cole winds up starring in,
the glitzy, manic tropes of TMZ culture dominate. For the most part, attachment to these characters (and
knowledge of their history) must be carriedover from the original trilogy. But Stiefvater’s talent for wordcraft
and her powers of observation are as sharp as ever, and the L.A. setting gives her even more cause than usual
to treat cars like characters. It’s less a romance than a conjuration of the monolith that is mass-market
entertainment, the trappings of fame, and the narrow spaces they leave for being human. Or wolf, sometimes.
(Publisher’s Weekly)
Price: ISBN: 9780545654579
After the End by Amy Plum
Gr 8 Up—Raised to believe she was one of the few survivors of a nuclear war, 17-year-old Juneau is part of a
tiny community of refugees in Alaska, isolatedfrom the rest of the world. Juneau is training to be the next
Sage and strengthening her mystical abilities. When her entire clan is kidnapped, she sets out to find them.
She soon learns that men are searching for her, and she struggles to stay one step aheadof them while
acclimating to modern civilization for the first time. In a parallel narrative, Miles, the son of one of Juneau's
pursuers, decides to track her himself, hoping to impress his father. The fast-paced plot, rife with mystery,
successfully moves the story forward. The initial setting of Juneau's camp is fully realizedand portrayed in
vividdetail. She is a tough, loyal, and smart protagonist and thoroughly developed while Miles is more two-
dimensional. A romance develops between them, but some teens may question Juneau's interest in Miles,
who is egocentric and has few redeeming qualities. Some plot devices feel contrived, straining readers' abilities
to suspend disbelief, and the number of conveniently fortuitous coincidences may raise an eyebrow or two.
Ultimately, however, the unique premise, strong protagonist, and action-packed story redeem the work. Fans
of postapocalyptic fiction will enjoy this unusual not-quite-dystopian novel with a dose of corporate espionage.
And the cliff-hanger ending will leave them eager for future installments. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780062225603
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Gr 9 Up—When Isla, loopy on medication after a dentist appointment, finds herself in the same Manhattan
café as her crush object, Josh, she's able to do something she's never managedin the three years they've
attended the same boarding school in Paris: talk to him. Lo and behold, it turns out that he likes her too, and
once they're back in France, a relationshipblossoms. Alas, the course of true love never did run smooth, and
pressures both internal (Isla's self-doubt) and external (Josh's father's Senate reelection campaign) force them
apart. Is their love strong enough to bring them back together? Fans will relish appearances by characters
from Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss (2011) and Lola and the Boy Next Door (2013, both Dutton) in this
sweet, charming series thirdthat will make readers feel like they're in Paris too. Realistic characters, spot-on
dialogue, and a truly delightful romance make for a novel that will delight the author's fans and win her
legions of new ones. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780525425632

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Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Gr 9 Up—Travis Coates, 16, is dying of cancer, so he accepts an offer from a cryogenic group to have his head
removedand frozen with the hope that it would be attached to another body in the future and he could be
reanimated. Five years later, he "wakes up" with a new body and is still 16. There are a few minor problems
with his new life-he is a celebrity/freak andgets more attention than he wants, he has to get used to a body
that has different abilities than his old one, and he has to go to school with kids he doesn't know. The biggest
problem is that Travis's best friend and his girlfriendare now 21 years old and have moved on with their lives
while he feels like he has simply taken a nap. Cate i s engagedand not interestedin in a relationshipwith a
teenager. Travis is obsessedwith the idea that he can win her back and won't accept her repeated"no." He
tries various means to convince her that he's still the one for her: some hilarious, some touching, some
inappropriate, but all definitely sophomoric. The premise of the story is interesting although far-fetched. The
author does a good job of describing the emotions and reactions of all of the characters, but Travis's fixation
on Cate becomes tiresome anda plot twist at the end feels like it was thrown in just to make the story longer.
(School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781442458727
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Gr 8 Up—This harrowing tale picks up right where Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Quirk, 2011)
left off: having narrowly escaped wights and hollowgasts (monsters), Jacob, Emma, and their group of
peculiars (young mutants, à la the X-Men, with a dash of time travel abilities) are on the move to London to
find a cure for their headmistress Miss Peregrine who has been trapped in her bird form, but time is running
short. Moving through time loops, they meet a menagerie of characters who help them along the way, but
danger lurks at every corner, and horrors are not far behind. Even if the teens reach London alive, will it be
enough to save Miss Peregrine from an ornithological fate? This book is perfectly paced, suspenseful, and
scary. It is dark and dreadful but also humorous and touching. The peculiars are intriguing, each with
fascinating powers, such as invisibility or premonition. They play off of one another's strengths and
weaknesses, which progresses the story and further develops the characters. And of course there is the book's
main attraction: the found vernacular photography, vintage pictures that Riggs has collected from flea
markets and archives. The quirky andcreepy snapshots perfectly illustrate the characters andsettings,
reinforcing the dark atmosphere of the narrative. New readers of the series will find this novel a treat and will
be able to sift through summaries of previous events to place themselves in the story. Fans of the first title
will find this book a treasure. The only downside: waiting for the third installment to find out what happens to
Jacob and his peculiar friends. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781594746123
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Gr 9 Up—This charming coming-of-age novel tells the story of a painfully shy teen who prefers the fantasy
world of fanfiction to reality. Cath expected to survive her first year of college with the help of her twin sister.
Wren, however, is taking full advantage of her newfound freedom from parental supervision, spending a great
deal of time partying and very little time with her needy, nerdy, slightly pathetic sister. Feeling lost and alone,
Cath scurries from class to class, hiding in her room and working on her Simon Snow fanfiction omnibus.
When she writes, she can escape herself and be somewhere else. Otherwise she's just another social misfit
stuck with a surly roommate, her roommate's overly friendly, kinda cute boyfriend (who might also be flirting
with Cath), and a family that's falling apart. Sometimes, however, real life can become better than fantasy.
Even if getting there feels like an epic battle. Cath is an exceptionally well-developed, self-aware, and
endearing character, partly because she is so qui rky and flawed. There are also great secondary characters,
but because Cath doesn't want to get involvedin the messiness of their lives, readers are also kept from
knowing them more fully. The plot is multilayeredand filledwith complex subjects (such as divorce,
abandonment, and mental illness) handledin a realistic manner, and the writing effortlessly and seamlessly
weaves these threads together. This book will find a wide audience, especially among older fans of Harry
Potter. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9781594746123

7. 7
The Living by Matt de La Peña
Gr 9 Up—For Shy Espinoza, handing out towels and bottled water on a San Diego cruise ship filledwith
pretty girls seems like a glamorous summer job. The teen from Otay Mesa is grateful for the paycheck that
may help his nephew get medicine to battle Romero Disease, a lethal virus that has been running rampant in
Southern California and that killedhis grandmother. One night Shy unsuccessfully tries to prevent a
distraught passenger from jumping overboard, and not only does the death haunt him but there is also a too-
keen interest by certain passengers about the man's final confession to Shy. Suspense builds as Shy tries to
determine the deadman's connection to a pharmaceutical company responsible for developing-but
withholding-the medicine neededto cure the disease. An earthquake andits resulting tsunami capsizes the
ship, and Shy goes into survival mode, desperately worried about his friends Carmen, Rodney, and Kevin -and
leery of the passengers he is helping to save. Over-the-top catastrophes and mad scientists are woven into a
mostly realistic thriller, andadventure survival enthusiasts will relish the vividand raw descriptions of the
sinking ship, blistering sun, and shark-infestedwaters. But most appealing is the empathetic teen, portrayed
as a tough guy with a romantic side, who will appeal to both males and females, andis likely to appear in the
upcoming sequel, The Forgotten. (School Library Journal)
Price: ISBN: 9780385741200