Waste Of Space, by Gina Damico ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Reality TV, Satire, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 11th, 2017

400 Pages

Synopsis: Cram ten hormonal teens into a spaceship and blast off: that’s the premise for the ill-conceived reality show Waste of Space. The kids who are cast know everything about drama–and nothing about the fact that the production is fake. Hidden in a desert warehouse, their spaceship replica is equipped with state-of-the-art special effects dreamed up by the scientists partnering with the shady cable network airing the show. And it’s a hit! Millions of viewers are transfixed. But then, suddenly, all communication is severed. Trapped and paranoid, the kids must figure out what to do when this reality show loses its grip on reality.

Waste of Space is one of the wackiest books I’ve read in a long time, but in a good way. I’m not a big fan of reality tv unless it’s a talent show, so as soon as I read the premise, I was immediately intrigued by how this satirical look at the industry would play out, and Damico more than delivered. Everything is over-the-top, from Chazz, the narcissistic, smarmy producer, to the blatant product advertising, to the outrageous stunts the cast is forced to take part in to make Waste of Space “must see tv”. But it’s not long before things begin to go seriously awry, and the only thing that is clear, is that everyone is lying: the producers, the scientists, and even some of the contestants. At first, the contestants seem to represent your stereotypical, one -dimensional reality stars, but as the story progresses you learn there’s much more to them than they seem.

The narrative style flashes back and forth between the characters in the form of video and phone transcripts and blog posts. I did find this a little jarring at times, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the story. There are so many twists here that it’s literally impossible to put all the pieces together until the surprisingly bittersweet ending. 

Waste Of Space, is a fun and humorous read, that also has unexpected deeper moments. It’s decidedly different from everything else out there, and makes for a memorable read. Due to some sexual situations, I recommend this for older teens, who I think will get a real kick out of it.

Before This Is Over ~ By Amanda Hickie – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Australia, Contemporary Fiction, Epidemics

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: Out Now

384 Pages

Synopsis: There is a deadly virus spreading around the world. At first it is a distant alarm bell in the background of  Hannah’s comfortable sir urban life. Then suddenly, it has arrived on the doorstep.

The virus traps Hannah, her husband, and their young sons in their city, then their neighborhood, and finally their own home. As a former idyllic backyard and quiet street become battlefields, fear and compassion collide. But what happens when their water supply is cut, and then the power, and the food supply dwindles?

Before This Is Over is a fascinating and believable look at what could happen when an epidemic, which begins in Asia, rapidly spreads resulting in the majority of the world’s population seriously ill and dying. The author was inspired to write this after living in Canada during the SARS outbreak in Toronto which makes this all the more interesting. The story looks at the effects of this calamity on one family living in Sydney, Australia. Hannah and Sean are your perfectly ordinary couple with two sons, teenage Zac and five-year-old Oscar. As soon as the first case of the Manba virus is reported, Hannah becomes obsessed about protecting her family, even while Sean and her colleagues at work tell her she needs to calm down. Hannah’s actions as well as the story brings up several thought-provoking questions. What would you do if a deadly epidemic broke out? Would you go from stockpiling food and other essentials, to stop working and socializing, and basically barricade yourself in your house? And most importantly, where is the line between assisting and having compassion for others and just looking out for yourself and your family? And finally, how would the world cope with the loss of electricity and other essential utilities? Hannah may not always be likable, but what she does in order to protect her family is understandable. The story itself starts out a little slow, but picks up after the first few chapters. The biggest issue I had was with the ending. It was extremely rushed and seemed to be just thrown in at the last minute. Overall though, I thought Before This Is Over to be a fascinating and realistic novel which had me questioning how I would react under similar circumstances. 

 

Gardenia ~ By Kelsey Sutton – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Diversion Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 28th, 2017

260 Pages

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ivy Erickson has one month, twenty-seven days, four hours, fifty-nine minutes, and two seconds to live.

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been able to see countdown clocks over everyone’s heads indicating how long before they will die. She can’t do anything about anyone else’s, nor can she do anything about her own, which will hit the zero hour before she even graduates high school.

A life cut short is tragic, but Ivy does her best to make the most of it. She struggles emotionally with her deep feelings for on-again, off-again boyfriend Myers Patripski. She struggles financially, working outside of school to help her mom and her sister. And she struggles to cope with the murder of her best friend, another life she couldn’t save. Vanessa Donovan was killed in the woods, and everyone in town believes Ivy had something to do with it.

Then more girls start disappearing. Ivy tries to put her own life in order as she pieces together the truth of who ended Vanessa’s. To save lives and for her own sanity.

The clock is ticking. And Ivy’s only hope is to expose the truth before it runs out completely.

When I first saw Gardenia offered on NetGalley I hesitated about requesting it because it sounded so similar to Numbers, by Rachel Ward, and When, by Victoria Laurie, but my curiosity won out, and overall, I’m glad it did. While the idea of seeing the death dates of people isn’t entirely original, the author successfully puts her own spin on it. Ivy is a character you can’t help but become emotionally invested in. She’s an interesting mix of vulnerability and cynicism. Her love for her family, and her ex boyfriend Myers, is a big part of the story, as is the love she had for Vanessa and the guilt she feels over her death. With her own clock ticking down, her determination to find out not only what happened to her friend, but also to the other girls who are being killed, makes her even more likable. Even though her efforts are hampered by skeptical law enforcement and suspicious classmates, she doesn’t give up. This is a teen who know she has left than a month to live and instead of hiding away in the trailer she lives in with her mother and sister, she sets out on a course to not only make her own life matter, but to stop a serial killer from claiming any more victims, even though she knows she’s putting herself squarely in his path. There’s a feeling of sadness and anxiety that permeates the story since right from the beginning Ivy states she’s never been able to prevent a death from occurring. She sees her own impending death, with a sort of fatalistic resignation which leads her to make some understandable but unwise choices, but this just makes her even more relatable. The relationship between her and Myers is really sweet, even though at the beginning, they’re broken up. I also loved the family dynamics between Ivy, her older sister, and her mom. I’ve found that many times when I’m reading a YA novel, that family is thrust into the background but that’s not the case here. There are a few things that kept this from being a perfect read. The book is described as a thriller/mystery but these themes wound up taking a backseat at times to the more contemporary aspects is the storyline. And, the revelation of the killer’s identity was rather sudden and had me scratching my head a little. I also would have liked to see some sort of explanation about Ivy’s ability. But what makes this work is Ivy and her interactions with her family, boyfriend, and others. In the end, Gardenia is a pretty solid read, that adds something new to the “I can see death dates” trope. It’s a character driven story that I think will appeal to a wide YA audience. 

RoseBlood ~ By A.G. Howard – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 10th, 2016

432 Pages

Synopsis: In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn–an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality herself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discovervan other-worldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for more than a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

I’ve been a huge fan of A.G. Howard’s since I read her Splintered series a couple of years ago. Where that was an imaginative retelling of Alice In Wonderland, RoseBlood is a modern day spin on Phantom Of the Opera. As I’m also a fervent “phan” of all things Phantom, I’ve been impatiently awaiting this since I first heard about it last year. I’m thrilled to say it’s a nearly perfect example of how to craft a retelling of a classic story by keeping beloved elements from the original, while building upon that and creating a whole new story. Let me first get the two negatives out of the way that prevented this from attaining complete perfection. The beginning, where Rune and her mother are about to arrive at the conservatory dragged on much too long. I understand that A.G. Howard was setting things up for the main story, but the limo scene really could have used some editing. The other problem I had was with the description of Rune’s voice. One of Howard’s many strengths is her attention to every exquisite detail which makes the reader feel as though they’re part of the story. For example: when describing Thorn’s singing as a child, his voice is described as being so angelic that it forced listeners to face their darkest sins. Rune is supposed to have a voice equally, if not even more beautiful, but we’re told this, not shown it. If the rest of the story hadn’t been so descriptive, this may not have stood out as much as it did. But the rest of the story is so masterfully told I found myself purposely slowing down my reading because I didn’t want it to end. Now that I think upon it, this isn’t so much a retelling of Phantom, as it’s a continuation of the classic. Howard includes most of the original story, adding tantalizing paranormal tweaks here and there. The secondary characters are interesting and some provide a few moments of levity, but let’s face it, the heart and soul of the story is the gothic romance between Rune and the mysterious masked Thorn. Rune is an interesting character especially with her intriguing familial background which is somehow tied to Erik (the Phantom) and the original Christine. But it’s Thorn who eventually takes over, with his tragic backstory and his anguish of being caught between the father figure who quite literally saved him from a fate worse than death, and the young ingenue who has stolen his heart. The world-building is, well, simply indescribable. Each setting, from the boarding school atmosphere of the Paris conservatory, to the hidden watery world underneath its floors, to a rave that is colorful and exciting but more dangerous than any other, is so gorgeously detailed you will feel as though you are there, experiencing everything the characters are. Except for the aforementioned beginning, the plot is absolutely mesmerizing and you will find yourself hanging onto every single word. I really am trying not to include any spoilers, so I’m just going to say this is a tale like no other and you have to experience it for yourself. RoseBlood is a hypnotic story of love, hate, revenge, and redemption. For fans of Howard’s Splintered series, this new book will just further confirm in your minds what an incredible writer she is. And if you haven’t read her before, please, give yourself a gift and pick this up in January. 

The Secrets We Keep ~ By Deb Loughead – 2.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Dundum for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: December 10th, 2016

184 Pages

Synopsis: When Kit disappeared at a party and was found drowned in the quarry the next day, Clem knew who to point the finger at: herself. She was the last person to see him alive, the last person who could have helped. If she had just kept a closer eye on him instead of her crush, Jake, maybe Kit would still be here. She knows she made a mistake, and wishes she could just forget about it–but Clem’s friend Ellie says she’ll expose Clem’s secret if she doesn’t play along with Ellie’s lies.

Jake seems to have his own difficult secrets, and when he and Clem start to talk, they make a plan to help themselves move on. But when an unexpected discovery at the quarry makes everyone question what they thought they knew, Clem and Jake decide it’s up to them to uncover the truth.

The Secrets We Keep could have been such an exciting mystery surrounding the death of an autistic boy, but there are just too many missed opportunities to make this an enjoyable read. The main character, Clem is likable enough but rather bland, and I had a difficult time connecting with her. The other characters are pretty much forgettable except for Clem’s “best friend” Ellie, and the only reason why she stands out is because I spent most of the story wanting to shove her off the nearest cliff! The whole blackmail thing between the two girls made absolutely no sense to me, nor did all the lying everyone engaged in. I kept expecting an “Ah ha!” moment. You know. One of those mind blowing plot twists that would explain in a believable way why these teens were being so secretive, but instead the story basically limped along until its stuttering, lackluster ending. I’m also not sure what age group this is aimed for. The characters are seventeen, but they act and talk more like tweens and I’m unsure of this holding a high schooler’s attention. To be perfectly honest there are much better YA Mystery and Suspense books out there such as: The Lost Girls, by Merrie Destefano, The Lock & Mori books by, Heather Petty, and Until I Break by Kara Bietz just to name a few. I’m sorry to say that for me anyway, although it was short, The Secrets We Keep just wasn’t worth the almost two hours I spent reading it. There are some positive reviews for this on Goodreads and Amazon, so as always, I encourage you to check this out for yourself. Perhaps I’m just channeling my inner Grinch!

Lost Girls ~ By Merrie Destefano – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Amnesia, Contemporary Fiction, Drug Abuse, Friendships, PTSD, Slavery, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 3rd, 2017

360 Pages

Synopsis: Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life. 

She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black.

Black to cover the blood.

And she can fight.

Tell no one.

She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls.

But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves–the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win–something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…

The only rule is: There are no rules.

Lost Girls is being hyped as a cross between Black Swan and Fight Club, and while such comparisons often irk me, in this case it’s entirely on the mark. Even more, the story is actually better than what the intriguing premise suggests. I started reading this around 7:00 last night and couldn’t put it down until I had reached the end in the wee hours of the morning! The story begins with a dirty, bloody, and battered Rachel pulling herself out of a roadside ditch and basically throwing herself in front of passing motorists to get them to stop. It’s the type of opening that immediately grabs you, and from there the pace never slows down. Rachel is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve read this year. She has a powerhouse of a personality and I became completely invested in finding out what happened to her. The romance between her and Dylan is not your typical one which made me like it even more. I also loved her interactions with her close knit family, especially her younger brother and her Navy Seal father. Which brings me to my only slight criticism. Rachel’s mom is a nurse, and her father a war hero who’s seen plenty of combat, yet once the mystery of what Rachel’s been doing the past year is fully revealed, I found it a little hard to accept that her loving parents didn’t know or at least suspect what was happening. But this is a very small complaint in what is otherwise an outstanding novel. The imagery is incredibly detailed from that first scene to the very last. More than once I felt as though I was in the story experiencing everything the characters were. There’s a lot of themes at play here: amnesia, PTSD, slavery, drug abuse, etc. but it’s all combined into the mesmerizing storyline in a completely believable way. Technically Lost Girls is a YA book, but honestly, it could easily pass as one for adults and it’s one I highly recommend!

Summerlypse ~ By Gerardo Delgadillo – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Contemporary Fiction, Mexico, YA Fiction

Thanks to Gerardo Delgadillo for sending me this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

318 Pages

Synopsis: After his crush rejects him, seventeen-year-old Colton catches a plane to Mexico, hoping to forget all about girls. But a night out at a dance club crowded with long legs and miniskirts doesn’t help, especially when he meets the club’s beautiful DJ, Alex.

In awe of her mixing skills, Colton finds it hard to believe Alex is deaf. As they bond, she asks him to help her win a DJ contest behind her rich, estranged father’s back.

Colton’s not a wimp or anything, but millionaires with armed bodyguards are not his ideal vacation buddies. The only problem–if he helps her, he may fly back home in a body bag.

If I were going to pick one word for Summerlypse it would be charming. And delightful. Um, also: refreshing, diverse, sweet, funny… Okay. If you hadn’t already guessed now how much I really, really liked this book you have an idea now! Poor Colton. He’s the classic underdog. As the story begins, he finally worked up the nerve to tell the girl he’s in love with how he feels, only to find out she has feelings for someone else. The way this unfolds actually made me laugh, although I felt really guilty about doing so. Upon reflection, for much of the book, I felt this way. Colton would find himself in these ludicrous situations which would have me laughing out loud, but then I’d feel terrible because I absolutely loved him! Colton is now on my 2016 shortlist of favorite fictional characters. His voice and personality literally vibrate off the pages. He’s snarky and full of macho male bravado, yet he’s insecure and naive at the same time. He also has this innocent sort of curiosity which winds up getting him into all sorts of trouble. From the very first page, he had my heart in his hands and I found myself rooting for him through the entire book, even during some of his more idiotic moments. Colton’s best friend, Martin, who persuades him to accompany him on a vacation to Mexico to visit relatives, is the perfect kind of friend for him. He puts up with Colton’s “drama queen” moments, and talks him out of his more self-pitying moods. Because of a traumatic event in her past, Alex has a somewhat jaded view of the world, yet she’s a supremely likable girl, who refuses to be defined by her disability. While Colton’s first meeting with Alex is awkwardly funny, their relationship soon develops into a sweet and believable romance. The plot itself is action-packed, and while certain events are a little unbelievable and wacky, the story is just so much fun, that I pretty much willingly left my incredulity at the door. Diversity is very much at play here, whether it’s Alex’s hearing impairment, or the Mexican culture that is so beautifully detailed, I felt as though I were there. Summerlypse is a fun quick read that I think both teens and adults who enjoy YA contemporary fiction will enjoy immensely. I read so many books with serious tones, that it’s rare I come across one which makes me laugh almost from start to finish. After reading this, I will definitely be looking for future books by this very talented author. 

 

It Looks Like This ~ By Rafi Mittlefehldt – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Family Relationships, Gender Identity, Homophobia, Self-Acceptance, Suicide, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

336 Pages

Synopsis: A new state, a new city, a new high school. Mike’s father has already found a new evangelical church for the family to attend, even if Mike and his plain spoken little sister, Toby, don’t want to go. Dad wants Mike to ditch art for sports, to toughen up, but there’s something uneasy behind his demands.

Then Mike meets Sean, the new kid, and “hey” becomes games of basketball, partnering on a French project, hanging out after school. A night at the beach. The fierce colors of sunrise. But Mike’s father is always watching. And so is Victor from school, cell phone in hand.

I have to admit my feelings are a little all over the place about this novel. From the very first chapter, which was two pages long, I was completely hooked. It made me smile, it made me angry, and it made me cry. Before I get to the good stuff though, I want to warn you that there are no quotation marks used for dialogue. Some readers may not mind this, but it did drive me a little crazy. There were times that I found it hard to differentiate between a Mike’s inner thoughts and actual conversations. In a way, I think because the rest of the book was so well-written, that this was even more jarring to me. So, speaking of the good stuff, lets begin with the amazing characters. Mike is your quintessential underdog. He has a few friends, but is the victim of frequent bullying. He’s an introvert, and a lot of the story focuses on his inner thoughts about school, family, friends, and his struggles over his sexuality. Making matters worse is that his family is extremely religious, particularly his father and grandmother. This leads to some of the more tragic moments of the book. I absolutely loved how Mike and Sean’s first meeting is sweetly awkward. This definitely isn’t a case of insta-love, which made it even more believable. Instead, their relationship slowly develops as they work on a school project together. Oh God. Just thinking about them again is making me teary, and I finished this 5 days ago! I also LOVED the relationship between Mike and his eleven-year-old sister Toby. She is absolutely adorable and funny, and wise beyond her years. She understands and supports her big brother more than anyone else in their family. What makes this story so compelling is that you know there are a multitude of versions of this playing out in the real world. While there are more than a few tear-jerking moments, this book is also filled with hope and inspiration. I have to be honest though and say there’s some tough topics in this including homophobia, conversion camps, and suicide. It’s not done in an “after school special” kind of way though. While there are many YA novels out there that focus on how acceptance of LGBTQs is becoming more prevalent, let’s face it. There’s still a lot of work to be done before we can say that this community is treated with respect and considered equal. There were moments that even shocked me as an adult, so while I highly recommend this, I’d say this is more for older teens and adults. It Looks Like This would lend itself beautifully to book discussion groups and family reads. I’m certainly going to be on the lookout for future books by Rafi Mittlefehldt.

The Light Fantastic ~ By Sarah Combs – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, School Shootings, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 13th, 2016

320 Pages

Synopsis:

Seven tightly woven narratives. Three harrowing hours. One fateful day that changes everything.

Delaware, the morning of April 19. Senior Skip Day, and April Donovan’s eighteenth birthday. Four days after the Boston Marathon bombing, the country is still reeling, and April’s rare memory condition has her recounting all the tragedies that have cursed her birth month. And just what was that mysterious gathering under the bleachers about? Meanwhile, in Nebraska, Lincoln Evans struggles to pay attention in Honors English, distracted by the enigmatic presence of Laura Echols, capturer of his heart. His teacher tries to hold her class’s interest, but she can’t keep her mind off what Adrian George told her earlier. Over in Idaho, Phoebe is having second thoughts about the Plan mere hours before the start of a cross-country ploy led by an Internet savant known as the Mastermind. Is all her heartache worth the cost of the Assassins’ machinations?

While The Light Fantastic tackles the subject of school shootings, There’s no bloodshed and very little violence depicted. Instead, it looks at the lives of these teens in a mostly 2 1/2 hour period and what leads up to individual moments of decision, or “light fantastic”. Two of the characters have nothing to do with Mastermind’s deadly plot, yet they cross the paths of two of the Assassins, and because of this, changes their course. Also included is the perspective of a teacher which winds up having a profound effect. Because there are so many different perspectives, it was difficult at times to keep track of everyone at times. But I have to say that Sarah Combs is positively brilliant at creating her characters personalities. Each has their own distinct voice, and I found myself caring about all of them, even the Assassins. Reading this reminded me of some of my own unpleasant experiences in high school and I understood how certain events could lead these teens to even contemplate something so horrible. Of course today’s world is even more dangerous then when I was in high school (1979-1983). Now there’s the Internet where teens can join online communities with complete anonymity which in turn gives them a sense of power over their situations. All of this and more is thoughtfully explored in a manner of writing that is almost a stream of consciousness from each character. The story isn’t action packed but that doesn’t make it any less compelling. The Light Fantastic lets its readers peek into the minds of teens that are teetering on the edge of a precipice.The kids in this book aren’t evil. They’re not sociopaths, or psychopaths. Each has undergone something that has made them hate themselves and are unable to see a way to change their desperately unhappy lives. It also looks at how love and compassion can truly make a difference. This is a great book for teen book discussion groups, as well as anyone who works with this age group.

 

The Cresswell Plot ~ By Eliza Wass – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Abuse, Coming-of-age stories, Contemporary Fiction, Cults, Incest, Poverty, Religious Fanaticism, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 7th, 2016

Synopsis: Castella Cresswell and her five siblings–Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem–know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict word of God, whose messages come directly from their father.

Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.

Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

The Cresswell Plot is a book that has no supernatural monsters  that go bump in the night, yet it’s extremely unsettling nonetheless. First of all, the writing is gorgeous and almost lyrical in its complexity. Eliza Wass does a wonderful job adding layer after layer to this story. While I wouldn’t call this a thriller, the tension kept builds in such a way that I was actually anxious toward the end. This is partly because I wound up getting so emotionally attached to Castley. Growing up in a dysfunctional family myself (although not a cult), I completely related to her coming to terms with what her father is, and her yearning to be free and live a normal life. Add to that her loyalty and love for her brothers and sisters, and she makes for an extremely empathetic teen. In spite of her upbringing she has a strength of character that I really admired. Her siblings have a much more difficult time breaking free from their father’s teachings, but their struggles are explored in a realistic way, you can’t help but feel sympathy for them. I do wish that the reasons for the parents’ religious fanaticism had been explored a little more fully. There’s a part in the book where Castley discovers that once upon a time her parents were regular teens, but this is just touched upon and quickly dropped. I also thought the end was a little abrupt and wrapped things up a too neatly. Overall though, The Cresswell Plot is a twisted and compelling story that takes an insightful and compassionate look into a family dealing with poverty, mental illness, and abuse. Because of these themes as well as the topic of incest being briefly brought up, I would recommend this for older teens. I also think it would be a great selection for book discussion groups. This is the debut novel by Eliza Wass, but I’ve already added her to my list of authors to watch.