Review of Shallow Pond by Alissa Grosso

Grosso, Alissa.  Shallow Pond.  flux, 2013. 

The Bunting sisters have lived in Shallow Pond, Pennsylvania all their lives and people constantly mistake one sister for another.  The oldest sister, Annie, has raised the two younger girls ever since their mom and dad passed away.  The youngest sister, Barbara, nicknamed “Babie”, is a senior in high school and wants nothing more than to graduate and leave Shallow Pond forever.  Babie’s best friends are always trying to pair her up with guys at school, and when a new, handsome orphaned guy named Zack Faraday arrives at school, Jenelle and Shawna decide he would be the perfect date for Babie for the town’s winter carnival.

Although Babie feels an instant connection with Zack, she has no desire to have a relationship that might cause her to want to stay in Shallow Pond.  She doesn’t want to end up like Annie, now twenty-six, who was dumped by her boyfriend, Cameron Schaeffer, when she was a high school senior, or like her other sister, Gracie, now twenty-one, who works as a cashier in the town’s only grocery store.

Cameron Schaeffer has recently returned to Shallow Pond after losing his job, and Gracie has fallen in love with him.  Babie is not happy with Gracie over this development because she was hoping that Cameron and Annie would reunite.  When Cameron leaves town unexpectedly, Gracie hurries to find him.

Annie has been sick, and when she begins to get even worse, her sisters rush her to a hospital where she is treated by one of their father’s friends.  It turns out that she has a mysterious genetic illness and could soon die.  This revelation releases a series of events that take the book in a totally different direction!

Told in first person by Babie, this novel started out very slowly and repetitious.  The same scenes kept reoccurring—Babie hates Shallow Pond, and her friends love it.  Babie doesn’t want a boyfriend, but she is drawn to Zack.  Babie talks to Zack and then runs away from him.  Finally, about midway through the book, the plot began to branch out.  

Science fiction fans and readers who love a good romance will enjoy Shallow Pond.  I recommend it for high school and public libraries.  I give it four out of five fleur de lis!

Review of Double by Jenny Valentine

Double by Jenny Valentine.    Disney Hyperion, 2012. 

Since he was taken away from Grandad’s house, all Chap has wanted to do is flee from foster care and be on his own again.  Suddenly, he has a chance to do just that—to escape into a new identity where no one will be able to find him.  It is pure luck when the social worker at the homeless teen center shows Chap the missing persons flier about Cassiel Roadnight.  Cassiel has been missing for two years, and Chap is stunned at his resemblance to the boy.  He jumps at the chance to assume Cassiel’s identity and leave his old life behind.

 With Chap’s new life as Cass come a mother, a sister, a brother, and a home.  However, Chap’s new mother has mental problems and his older sister, Edie, feels they are controlled by Frank, their older brother.  Frank at first seems warm and welcoming, but then begins to give the impression that he is hiding something.  Chap is always on edge, worried about being discovered, feeling guilty for leading Cass’s life, and learning secrets about his new family, which lead him to believe that something is amiss.  When Chap befriends Floyd, a misfit teenager, he is shocked to learn that he is actually in terrible danger and must decide if his new identity is worth his life!

This psychological thriller by Jenny Valentine deals with family secrets, identity theft, fraud, and murder.  The novel is told through the eyes of Chap, who is a very appealing narrator, and is extremely smart.  Chap is nobody.  He does not know where his parents are, nor does he even know his last name.  He has never attended school; he was raised by his grandfather, who taught him everything—how to read, write, and cook.  The author does a remarkable job of giving Chap a vague life history.  As the book’s plot is presented, the reader learns more about Chap’s past and his relationship with Grandad.  Chap does not trust any of the adults he has dealt with since leaving his grandfather, and he is a good judge of character.  His new family is sympathetic to Chap’s situation and doesn’t push for him to reveal where he has been for two years.  However, I find it a little odd that they didn’t try harder for more information about Chap’s whereabouts.

The evolving of the plot brings tension to the story and will keep the reader engaged.  There were many surprises in this novel.  The background story between Grandad and Chap actually figures prominently into the latter part of the book. However, I cannot give anymore of the storyline away because I don’t want to spoil the surprise ending, which I did not see coming!

This is a great book for boys, but girls will enjoy it, as well.  I highly recommend it for high school and public libraries!

**Note:  The copy reviewed was an ARC received from Library Media Connection in exchange for an honest review.