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The Flat Earth - A Murder in Barley

A measured but gripping whodunit that practically demands more series installments.

A quiet California town is roiled by drugs and murder in Seyman’s debut YA mystery, the first in a trilogy.

Willis Domingo learns a shocking secret on his 13th birthday: That funny smell surrounding his friend and next-door neighbor Matt Murphy is marijuana; Matt even smokes before going to school. There are other things happening in the town of Barley that Willis is initially oblivious to. A year ago, Willis went to Nevada with his dad Henry and Henry’s pal Hugh Gondry for turkey hunting and a Trump rally. While hunting, the two men (sans Willis) stumbled onto a meth lab and swiped a satchel full of money. Now, in the present day, someone is leaving Hugh threatening notes regarding the stolen cash (“WE KNOW YOU HAVE THE MONEY”). Around the same time, two brothers, both members of a gang, make their way to Barley. Willis’ birthday has its good moments, especially when Emma Stremberger, the girl he likes, strikes up a conversation…but there’s also a dead body that turns up very close to home. Seyman captures contemporary American life in an engrossing assortment of scenes, including an ecology project in the science classroom, Willis scoring an unexpectedly cool gift, and the rambunctious rally in Nevada. While not every scene ties to the novel’s later mysteries, they excel at building character. (Willis is seemingly torn between political ideologies; Emma is a staunch liberal and environmentalist while his father is presumably a Republican.) The author delivers an easy-to-follow nonlinear narrative revolving around Willis’ birthday; readers know one particular flashback has ended when Henry eyes his son’s birthday cake. By the end, there are quite a few subplots left lingering for sequels to pick up, though the final scene leaves a lasting impression. This YA story keeps the violence in check but does include a surprising amount of profanity.

A measured but gripping whodunit that practically demands more series installments.

Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024

ISBN: 9798339547136

Page Count: 305

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Nov. 16, 2024

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INDIVISIBLE

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.

A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.

Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

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IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

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