EXIT POINT by Laura Langston

I was able to read EXIT POINT thanks to a student who shared his copy with me. 

Logan is dead, although he isn't really sure at first.  When he opens his eyes, he is surrounded by gray robed figures and swirling colors.  He is being told that he was supposed to take Exit Point 5 but evidently took the easy way out at Exit Point 2.  Exit Point 5 would have meant extending his life until 2066, however, his early departure ended things for him in 2004.  Well, that's a bummer.

When he is visited by Gran, Logan realizes that he is indeed dead, but if this is heaven, things are definitely not what he expected.  Gran and his personal guide to the afterlife, a guy named Wade, are quick to inform him that he has a mission to accomplish before he can completely cross over.  His job is to save his sister Amy from a rat bastard and his plans to sexually abuse the nine year old.  Unfortunately, it may be tricky since the rat bastard is none other than Logan's uncle Herb.

What follows for Logan is a crash course in learning how to make contact with the living.  It is not as easy as one would think, but he knows Amy's safety depends on his ability to learn quickly. 

Author Laura Langston takes readers on a fascinating adventure into the afterlife.  Logan's ability to make contact with his loved ones will have readers thinking carefully about unexplained sensations and random memories they may experience involving their own lost loved ones.  I will be thanking my student for generously sharing this quick read with me.

NOT IF I SEE YOU FIRST by Eric Lindstrom

Here are some of Parker's rules: 1) Don't help me unless I ask, 2) Don't talk extra loud to me, 3) Don't treat me differently, and 4) Don't deceive me.

Parker is blind.  A tragic car accident killed her mother and tore Parker's optic nerve, leaving her in the dark.  After the accident, Parker depended on her father for everything.  They had been close before, and that closeness only increased.  But then, he died. 

It has been months since Parker's aunt, uncle, and cousins moved into her family home.  It was decided that having Parker adjust to new surroundings would be too much, and she appreciated that they were willing to make the sacrifice and move.  Parker is now able to concentrate on adjusting to life without her father.

To most people, Parker appears tough and independent.  She evens has a morning running routine that gives her a feeling of control and helps her deal with missing her dad.  A peer aid helps her in her classes at school, but she is determined to be as self-sufficient as possible. 

Despite her tough exterior, Parker not only misses her father, but also mourns the end of her relationship with her boyfriend Scott.  They were best friends and more until an incident in eighth grade when Scott broke the ultimate rule with Parker - "Don't deceive me."  Now she is trying to learn to trust all over again.  It might be possible that a new friend, Jason, can renew her faith in friendship with a guy.  But, just as she's getting comfortable, her feelings for Scott being to resurface.

NOT IF I SEE YOU FIRST is the debut novel of author Eric Lindstrom.  I was impressed with the strong voice he created in Parker as she deals with the curveballs life has thrown her way.  Full of grit and determination, Parker doesn't wallow in self-pity and will serve to encourage others dealing with life's issues.  

HER COLD REVENGE by Erin Johnson

Grace Milton watched the massacre of her family and she swore revenge.  Finding the killers is proving to be more difficult than she anticipated.  Part of that difficulty comes from the fact that she is a woman, and the world of law enforcement and bounty hunting in the Wild West doesn't welcome women.

As she waits for the Guiltless Gang to surface, she has to make a living so she fights for every chance she gets to bring in petty criminals and claim the rewards.  Slowly, she is gaining respect from some of her competitors, but it isn't going to be easy to convince everyone that she deserves to a place with the other bounty hunters.

Another complication is facing her feelings for Joe who helped her survive and convinced the Ndeh tribe to take her in when she needed it most.  Reuniting with Joe has Grace questioning the emotional and physical attraction that draws her to him and leaves her worried that getting too close to him might make her too soft to carry through with her revenge. 

Grace also feels the need to champion the cause of the other women trying to survive in the tough world of the West.  Widows and children and her dear friend from the Ndeh tribe are depending on her.  Despite the distractions, Grace clings to her desire to honor her family's memory.

HER COLD REVENGE by Erin Johnson is the second book in the Wanted series.  Intense action, hardened criminals, and romance all combine to grab readers and keep them wanting more.  Book #3 is due for release in August of 2016.

CHASING FORGIVENESS by Neal Schusterman

Neal Schusterman's UNWIND series is one of my favorites.  It still gives me chills when I think of it.  Winning this year's National Book Award has some of his older titles reappearing on bookstore shelves.  CHASING FORGIVENESS is one I hadn't read until now.

Preston Scott's father is getting out of prison.  Preston's life changed forever when he was twelve years old when his father killed his mother.  Surprisingly, everyone seems to be able to forgive Preston's father so Preston tries to do the same.

Living with his maternal parents may seem strange, but they insist it's the only place for Preston as he awaits his father's release.  They are protective and hesitant when their daughter's killer returns and once again becomes involved in his family's world.  Preston believes his father is determined to make things right again, but he still isn't sure he can offer his full forgiveness.

Schusterman captures the raw emotion surrounding a family torn apart by a horrific event and what it takes to mend what was torn apart.  Although the focus is entirely different than the dystopian world of UNWIND, Schusterman's storytelling is sure to hold reader attention and leave a lasting impression.  I am eager to read his National Book Award winner CHALLENGER DEEP.

A MADNESS SO DISCREET by Mindy McGinnis

Author Mindy McGinnis takes readers into the frightening world of the insane asylum of the early 19th century.  Dank basement containment rooms, corrupt management, and lobotomy procedures were the norm in many facilities.  A MADNESS SO DISCREET combines terrifying medical treatments, sexual abuse, and murder into a spine-chilling tale.

A terrible family secret has stolen Grace Mae's voice and landed her in a mental hospital in Boston.  Unable to speak of the act that ended in an unwanted pregnancy, Grace spends her days listening to the awful sounds made by her fellow inmates and observing the horrible treatment prescribed by doctors and nurses in the name of 19th century mental health.

Due to a "treatment" for a perceived misbehavior, Grace loses the baby and is taken to a cell in the basement where she is befriended by a neighboring cellmate.  With his help and a faked lobotomy, Grace is able to escape.  Among the conditions of her escape, it must be thought that she is dead, and she must accompany a Dr. Thornhollow to her new home in an Ohio asylum and agree to work with him studying the criminal mind.

The Ohio asylum is run by a much more sympathetic staff, and Grace even makes friends with two girls who are also patients there.  Although she has regained the ability to speak, part of the deception involves her remaining mute.  Despite this handicap, she still finds comfort from her new friendships and the fact that her move to Ohio has allowed her to escape her abuser.  However, she is now worried for a little sister still living in her family home. 

A MADNESS SO DISCREET explores the human mind and what it does to maintain its tenuous grip on sanity when threatened by the atrocities in the world around it.  Multiple story lines and gripping suspense make this novel a sure winner.  McGinnis is also the author of NOT A DROP TO DRINK and A HANDFUL OF DUST.

LOSERS TAKE ALL by David Klass

Fremont High has a fine history of winning sports teams.  The student body and a supportive community fill the stands for every athletic contest.  When Principal Arthur Gentry takes his place as the 21st runner in the annual senior race everyone cheers his forty year career as leader of the school and creator of a sporting dynasty.

This year the race ends in tragedy when Principal Gentry collapses at the finish line.  The position of principal is now open, and the school board vows to find the perfect person to take the job.  No one is greatly surprised when long-time football coach Brian Muhldinger is appointed to the position.  He will run a tight ship and keep sports in the spotlight.

Not everyone is happy when Principal Muhldinger announces a new school rule.  Every senior at Fremont High must participate in at least one complete sports season or they won't graduate.  Jack Logan and his friends are not interested in sports, but what choice do they have.

Jack comes from a long line of football players.  His father almost went pro except for a career ending knee injury in college.  His two older brothers were part of the Fremont football winning tradition.  Jack is offered a spot on the varsity team by the new principal, but he turns it down.  His rejection of football starts a revolution that will flip the school's devotion to sports on its head.

Author David Klass takes a look at the overemphasis of sports in some of today's high schools, as well as the issue of bullying and its sometimes devastating consequences.  Jack and his friends recognize the importance of a well-rounded education.  It isn't all about sports, but rather a healthy mix of academics and extracurricular activities.  Teens whose number one priority isn't on the athletic field will cheer on the losers in LOSERS TAKE ALL, and educators will also find satisfaction in a theme that focuses more on success in the classroom than achievements on the field.

HIT by Delilah S. Dawson

Patsy and her mother have been through a lot.  Her mother works hard and barely enough to make ends meet.  A recent car accident completely wiped out their finances, and not only that, she's just learned she has cancer.

When men in black suits arrive, Patsy can't believe it when they threaten to kill her mother if she can't pay the debt accumulated since the accident.  They tell Patsy that she can save her mother if she is willing to become an indentured assassin for Valor Savings, the company holding her mother's debt.

Patsy is willing to do whatever is necessary to save her mother, and  before she knows it she is wearing a postal uniform, driving a mail truck, and carrying a gun.  According to Valor Savings, she must kill ten people in five days if they refuse to make good on their debt to Valor.

Following the directions on a GPS mounted in the mail truck, Patsy heads to the home of Robert Beard and the killing begins.  Apparently, Valor Savings is now in control of the country.  Calling 911 for help results in an answering machine message generated by Valor Savings, and in time, Patsy discovers the police no longer exist.  The world will soon be in chaos.

Author Delilah S. Dawson's HIT takes a frightening look at a world not so different from our own.  People spending money they don't have while racking up credit card debt is all too real for many.  To imagine a lending company taking over the government and eliminating all those who owe money is the stuff of nightmares.  Dawson's plot is unique and captivating.  Based on the ending of HIT, I believe the adventure will continue to even more horrifying depths in a future book.