Eden Summer

May 1, 2017
Sixteen-year-old best friends Jess Mayfield and Eden Holby have enjoyed a lot of good times, but lately they’ve needed to support each other through some very difficult events. When Eden goes missing from their Yorkshire tourist town, Jess realizes that she may not know everything about Eden. Written like a mystery, Flanagan’s tense debut novel interweaves the stories of two tortured girls, each with her own secrets, who use their unwavering friendship as a shield against the world. After Eden disappears, Jess must confront her own demons—a random attack that keeps her recoiling from human contact and a budding crush on someone who she knows is out of bounds—in order to find her. The story is structured over the course of a day, and the time-stamped chapter headings add a sense of urgency while the author carefully fills in the gaps of the narrative. Flanagan is careful not to reveal too much too soon, leaving readers guessing as to what really happened to Eden until the very last page. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ben Illis, Ben Illis Agency.

April 1, 2017
A British teen still recovering from her own trauma is wracked with panic when her closest friend goes missing. Tattooed, pierced Jess and golden, tanned Eden are on the surface an odd pair. Yet the best friends have had each other's backs for years--even more so in the wake of a brutal beating Jess sustained at the hands of strangers and the recent death of Eden's older sister in a car accident. Flashbacks are strategically placed throughout the contemporary narrative, which takes place over the course of just one day, very effectively drawing out the suspense. Eden's binge drinking and wildly unpredictable behavior since her sister's death have left Jess very unsure of her friend's state of mind. Her quick decision to duck out from the protection of her loving and understanding mum and set out with Eden's boyfriend, Liam, to look for her propels the novel forward. While some readers will appreciate the straightforward winding up of the many loose ends, others may find the conclusion too neat. Main characters Jess, Eden, and Liam are white, and several secondary characters are black. Jess' mum is a lesbian; her dad has remarried, and Jess has two biracial (black/white) stepsisters. High drama and a breathless pace make this a riveting read. (Thriller. 14-18)

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June 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Through time-stamped chapters, this British import focuses on one painful day in the life of its protagonist, Jess. She's back at school after a summer spent comforting her best friend Eden in the wake of Eden's older sister Iona's fatal car crash. Flashbacks reveal how Iona was killed as well as other pivotal moments in the teens' lives, including Eden's frightening and unexplained disappearance. Only slowly does Jess come to understand why everyone in the school yard is gossiping and why Eden's mom drove by in tears. Readers will start filling in blanks about referenced incidents: Eden's party while her parents were away, Jess's guilt about Eden's boyfriend Liam, and the new boy with whom Eden heads off during the substance-infused party. The police have been mobilized, so Jess and Liam are both sent home to be interviewed by detectives trying to track down the erratic teen. Jess's mother expects her to wait for the police, but the girl laces her shoes and heads out in search of answers about her missing companion. VERDICT Though the novel is suspenseful, the use of Briticisms, the English setting, and other unfamiliar elements might deter American readers, who may feel as though they're driving on the other side of the road.-Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 Gorgeous, wealthy Eden Holby and scrawny goth girl Jess Mayfield have been best friends since girlhood and have seen each other through wrenching experiences: Jess was attacked by a gang of bullies and badly beaten, and Eden's older sister, Iona, recently died in a car accident. But on the first day of their senior year, Jess arrives at their school in rural Yorkshire to discover that Eden is missing. So begins a series of cleverly constructed flashbacks, interspersed with the present-time search, which reveal both girls' backstories, leading to the current precipice of a triangular romantic entanglement with Eden's boyfriend, Liam. While the stories themselves are compelling, the writing reaches a deeper level when readers revisit a writing workshop held in a cottage once owned by poet Ted Hughes. Here we finally see the depths of Eden's grief and guilt, and fully understand the relationship between the girls. Part mystery, part romance, Flanagan surpasses the boundaries of these categories with finely crafted psychological portraits, slightly marred by a tonally jarring ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)