Like its predecessor, this novel will leave readers aching for an encore.
Through an interview format, the members of the Scar Boys recall from their own perspectives the events that take place leading up to the release of their first album in 1988.
The recollection begins where The Scar Boys (2014) left off; the band has completed its first packet tour, and frontman Johnny McKenna has been in a terrible accident in which he lost his leg. Immediately, readers will notice the ominous absence of Johnny’s voice; he is discussed only in the third person. As the title indicates, the narrative largely centers on bass player Cheyenne Bell. A painful loss, which she suffers in secret, sends her crashing down a dark spiral, unraveling her relationship with Johnny and spilling over into the band dynamic along the way. Even though it is apparent from the onset that tragedy is inevitable, when it strikes, readers will feel as blindsided as the band. Vlahos, a finalist for the Morris Award with The Scar Boys, has succeeded in creating a sequel every bit as compelling and emotionally charged as its predecessor. The pulsating energy formed by creating music is what bonds the band together. This current will pull readers in in hopes that each one of the Scar Boys will find his or her way to resilience through the darkest of times.
Like its predecessor, this novel will leave readers aching for an encore. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-60684-607-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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