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Tighter Prose Makes Cured Stand Out From Its Fellows
Because she's so needed at home, Jacqui feels a little—okay, a lot—guilty for stealing away in the early hours of the morning. But, she's got to find her older brother, Dean, who's been missing for a year and a half. They haven't heard a word from him, so although Jacqui fears the worst, she also hopes for the best. Because Dean left to escort a former neighbor to a rumored safe haven in Wyoming, Jacqui goes to her daughter for help. Fiona Tarsis, now living inside the wall, brings along two others—her boyfriend, Bowen, and her brother, Jonah. Cradled in Jonah's backpack are bottles of bee flu antidote, precious bargaining chips. But when they're stolen, the group is left with few advantages.
Not Surprisingly, It's a Meh From Me
for violence, intense situations, and mild sexual innuendos
Pivot Point As Clever As It Is Confusing
When Addie's parents announce—completely out of the blue—their impending divorce, Addie's ordered world comes crashing down around her. She can hardly imagine a life where she doesn't live with both her mom and her dad, let alone one that involves bouncing between the two of them. Even more shocking, her dad will be moving to Dallas, where he will live among the "norms." The Colemans have always stayed in their protected southeast Texas compound with other ability-enhanced people. If Addie chooses to stay with her dad, she'll be attending a norm high school, hanging out with norm kids, and trying to be norm herself. The thought is simply unfathomable. Tantalizing, yes, but also insane. Especially when she can remain with her mom in the safe, familiar world of the compound. If only that didn't mean never seeing her father.
Tortured by the impossible choice, Addie does the only thing she can think to do—a Search. But as the two paths her life could take spin out in front of her eyes, converging and diverging in surprising ways, Addie realizes just how complicated the future can be. Both roads offer new challenges, new joys, new heartbreaks; the only question is, which should she take?
With such a clever premise, it's no surprise that Pivot Point, Kasie West's debut novel, is a fun, intriguing read. It's fairly light-hearted and humorous, but also thought-provoking (as pondering the "What if?" question often is). As entertaining as it is, though, the parallel story lines do get very confusing. The action also takes its own sweet time getting started. So, although I enjoyed the idea of this novel, I think it suffers a bit in its execution. The problem, I think, is that while Pivot Point's premise is undeniably compelling, it's also a bit over-ambitious. There may not be a way to tell such a story without tying the reader's brain in knots. Still, I admire the attempt. And, actually, I quite liked the novel. It just left me with lots of unanswered questions. Not to mention a headache.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
Lush, Succulent Family Saga Makes Me Pine for More Morton
In a Word: Meh
Dream-Walker Novel As Confusing and Unfocused as, Well, a Dream
Then, he meets Mia Greene, a foster kid who's staying with a local family. Parker's stunned by what he finds in her dreams. Inside her unconscious mind, he finds only peace and calm. The sensations are so unfamiliar, so soothing, that he's able to sleep deeply for the first time in years. Parker craves more rest, needs more to live. The only problem? He can't get it without Mia—and she thinks he's a crazy stalker.
New Bethany Wiggins Dystopian: How Did I (Almost) Miss This One?
Fiona doesn't remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered-her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right wrist-a black oval with five marks on either side-that she doesn't remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. And she's right. When the honeybee population collapsed, a worldwide pandemic occurred and the government tried to bio-engineer a cure. Only the solution was deadlier than the original problem-the vaccination turned people into ferocious, deadly beasts who were branded as a warning to un-vaccinated survivors. Key people needed to rebuild society are protected from disease and beasts inside a fortress-like wall. But Fiona has awakened branded, alone-and on the wrong side of the wall . . .
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Ashes and Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick; Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin; and, of course, its sequel, Cured by Bethany Wiggins)
Grade:
YA Novel Tackles the "Real" in Reality TV
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