Friday, July 3, 2009

THE MILES BETWEEN by Mary E. Pearson


Coincidence, fate, destiny, how much of our lives do these control? Destiny Faraday believes these powers have been in control of her life since the day she turned seven.

Destiny is now seventeen, in fact; it is October 19, her birthday. She pulls herself out of her bed at Hedgebrook Academy as a fellow boarding school student calls out "Breakfast, Des." At breakfast she sits with the usual people and eats the same lumpy oatmeal the cook churns out every day. Will this day be the same as any other day, or could this day somehow be different? It turns out that quite a bit about this day will be different, and yet just the same.

Later that morning Destiny stumbles across a beautiful, pink convertible idling on the school grounds. The car offers the possibility of adventure and perhaps a chance to prove something to the parents she feels have abandoned her in various boarding schools for the past ten years. When Destiny spies Seth hiding out to avoid trash duty, she asks if he drives. When the answer is yes, they hop in the car and cautiously head toward the main gate. This is the first of a long line of coincidences that will take Destiny on the road trip of her life.

Joined by two other students, Mira and Aidan, Destiny and Seth turn in the direction of Langdon some two and a half hours away. Along the way they encounter some odd situations. They rescue a little lamb wandering in the roadway, and Seth promptly names him Lucky. When the gas supply begins to dwindle, a quick check of their finances reveals nothing but empty pockets until they check the glove compartment and discover a thick packet of $100 bills.

Many other strange and unusual happenings fill their day until they finally arrive in Langdon. Destiny confesses to her travel companions that this is her home and that today is the day she wants to confront her parents about her feelings of abandonment. With promises to support her, her classmates rally as the joyous adventure suddenly turns more serious.

THE MILES BETWEEN is the story of a girl searching for answers. So much in her short life has gone wrong with coincidence as the only explanation, and now she seems ready to face the fears she has lived with for so long. Mary E. Pearson weaves together an amazing and tragic tale as she turns four acquaintances into true friends. The range of emotions packed into this novel will take readers from laughter to tears and everything in between. This is a must read due out this September.

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