Riverdale enthusiasts may appreciate this unnecessary literary adaptation.
Archie Andrews is on trial for murder, and his friends are determined to save him.
Cassidy Bullock and his friends terrorized Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica while they were spending the weekend in Shadow Lake, and when Cassidy is killed, Hiram Lodge frames Archie for it. Archie blames himself for ever getting involved in Hiram’s schemes, Veronica turns her back on her parents for the sake of love, Betty struggles to cope after learning that her father was the Black Hood serial killer, and Jughead becomes the new King of the Serpents biker gang after his father steps down. They attend a party at Reggie’s house, but distressing confrontations with others make them leave for Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppe, where they decide to return to Shadow Lake to search for evidence to prove Archie’s innocence. Ostow’s (The Day Before, 2018, etc.) second Riverdale story offers a directionless plot that hints at future key points that are explored in the CW’s show. Through alternating perspectives, readers gain insight into characters other than the core four, including Reggie, who views Archie as his rival; Josie, who is focused on the success of the Pussycats; and Ethel, who is entranced by the mysterious Gargoyle King who promises happiness in exchange for her unwavering loyalty. With few physical descriptions, characters’ diversity is assumed to match the cast of the show.
Riverdale enthusiasts may appreciate this unnecessary literary adaptation. (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 28, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-28948-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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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