The Snowball Effect

Starred review from March 22, 2010
Lainey has just graduated from high school when she finds out that her mother has committed suicide. Her older stepsister, Vallery, is a virtual stranger when she shows up to take custody of Lainey's five-year-old adopted brother, Collin, who has behavioral problems. Lainey's long-term boyfriend, Riley, tries to support her, but her repressed anger leads her to break up with him on her 18th birthday so she can pursue a relationship with a 21-year-old she meets on a late-night run to 7-Eleven. Lainey and Vallery settle into raising Collin together as Lainey begins to work out her feelings about her mother, Riley, and her father, who wants to be there for her. The story could have easily lapsed into melodrama (Lainey's stepfather and grandmother have also recently died), but debut novelist Hoxter gives a masterful portrayal of the effects of grief. The blue-collar setting is impeccably realized, from Lainey's busted Grand Am to her job at a mall kiosk, adding up to a portrait of a complex and relatable main character whose growth feels authentic and earned. Ages 12–up.

April 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-Having lost her father to divorce and her grandmother to death, when 17-year-old Lainey loses her mother to suicide it's not a big deal. Really. But now her stable long-term boyfriend seems too perfect. And there's the unexpected arrival of her long-lost half-sister taking her mom's place as head-of-house and guardian to their troubled five-year-old brother. And then there's the question of money, always an issue in their blue-collar lives, but especially important in this summer following her high school graduation. Each thing adds a grimy layer to the growing "snowball" inside her. Lainey's measured voice narrates unemotionally, only occasionally changing tones to allow a peek at the true struggle to find herself beneath the surface. Overall, the mood of this novel is bleak: the palpable feel of this mall-oriented, dull Baltimorean suburb combines with Lainey's bland negativity to create a long slog. Also pervasive is the feeling that the supportive characters, who are well drawn but somehow not very realistic, lack adequate motivation for their actions."Rhona Campbell, Washington, DC Public Library"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2010
Grades 8-10 Eighteen-year-old Lainey has a lot to deal with: her mothers recent suicide, caring for her behaviorally challenging five-year-old adopted brother, the reappearance of her long-alienated older sister, and a too-perfect boyfriend who wants her to express her emotions. While this could make for a snowballing plotline of issues, Hoxter instead carefully balances real problems and creates a compelling character who develops some emotional maturity even as she gives up the independence she values. Without overexplaining, the author allows the reader access to Laineys motivations and offers indications of when she might be a less than entirely reliable narrator. The teen characters are fully developed, while the relative flatness of the adults can be attributed to the story being told from Laineys viewpoint. Whether teen readers share any of Laineys specific issues or not, they will appreciate the realism of her approach and response to conflicting demands.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)