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June 18, 2012
Blount’s first novel is a morality play about releasing the past and seizing the present. Five years ago, Dan was sentenced to almost a year in juvenile detention for his role in the suicide of his former friend Liam. Now at age 18, Dan and his family have assumed new identities and moved several times, hiding from Liam’s violent father, but Dan can’t escape the weight of guilt or “Kenny,” the antagonistic voice in his head (Kenny is Dan’s birth name). On his first day of school in yet another new town, Dan stops a jock, Jeff, from beating up an outcast kid named Brandon; he makes an enemy and a friend in the process, while developing a complicated crush on a classmate, Julie, who, interestingly enough, has the same last name as Liam. For someone seeking redemption and a second chance, Dan is surprisingly judgmental, especially toward Julie, boosting the story’s tension as they spar. Though the plot is overly dependent on coincidence, the ethical debates raised will engage readers. Ages 13–up. Agent: Evan Gregory, Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency.

July 15, 2012
Incarcerated five years ago for sending a photo of a classmate in character underwear to all of his friends--resulting in the boy's suicide--18-year-old Kenny has since been on the move with his family, seeking anonymity. Starting his senior year at a new school with an assumed name, Dan, he immediately gets himself in trouble when he stops a bully from beating up perennial victim Brandon. He is horrified to realize that pretty senior Julie was watching but didn't help. Dan is attracted to Julie but angered by her unwillingness to come to Brandon's aid as the bullying continues unabated. Their bumpy relationship is plagued by their inability to resolve that basic issue. Good Samaritanism comes up repeatedly in a public-speaking class they share, always causing more strife. Coincidences--or hints--abound: Julie's bullied half brother committed suicide five years ago, and her last name is the same as Dan/Kenny's victim. Dan also struggles with guilt, as evidenced by a sarcastic alter-ego voice in his head, "Kenny," with whom he shares sometimes-confusing conversations, in which Kenny speaks in italics: "Oh, man, this is hilarious, Kenny said. I shot him a glare." Dan's likable first-person voice rings with authenticity, but the improbably contrived, slow-moving plot undermines this debut. Though predictable, this offering may be relevant for those looking for more books on the ever-important topic of bullying. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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