A memorable cast bolsters this captivating blend of teen drama and techno-thriller.
This debut YA novel finds a withdrawn teenage nerd mingling with the in crowd and potential cyberterrorists.
Young Matty Weber struggles with PTSD after watching his parents die in a car fire. He moves in with his grandmother in Southern California and settles into his socially awkward life. The 16-year-old is understandably taken aback when popular cheerleader Samantha Carter strikes up a conversation. She needs his computer prowess to find a deleted file—video footage of a sexual assault—likely still hiding in the cloud. But does she want to recover this footage or ensure that it’s gone for good? As Matty and his best friend, Gabriel Mason, struggle with this dilemma, their social status gets an unexpected boost. While Matty has long had trust issues, Gabriel willingly loses himself in the popular set. At the same time, cyberterrorist attacks in major cities worldwide shock everyone, and computer viruses secretly hit casinos around the globe. While Gabriel suggests this “cyber event” has ties to Samantha’s request, he is stunned when someone in his new clique winds up kidnapped. In this series opener, DiBarone intentionally keeps readers in the dark, delivering enigmatic details ranging from a mysterious figure on the day of the car fire to drones that apparently monitor the teens. The latter half pieces together most of the puzzle but leaves some bits for the sequel to presumably pick up. Still, this engrossing book introduces a bright, sympathetic hero whose PTSD triggers dreams of his parents as well as headaches and fainting spells. The supporting cast is equally intriguing. Gabriel’s reliability wavers, and it’s not easy to tell if Samantha is using Matty or harboring genuine feelings for him. The author’s straightforward prose smartly tackles such issues as bullying and low self-esteem. But the story is sometimes too on-the-nose; for example, Matty constantly engages in or starts discussions about trust. The ending boasts a surprising resolution considering that this is the first installment of a saga.
A memorable cast bolsters this captivating blend of teen drama and techno-thriller.Pub Date: March 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66571-950-6
Page Count: 362
Publisher: Archway Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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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