Nil

March 3, 2014
Matson makes a strong debut with this tense, cinematic struggle for survival on a peril-filled island that may have some readers flashing back to episodes of Lost. A mysterious portal transports 17-year-old Charley to the possibly sentient and certainly capricious island of Nil, where she encounters a community of teens who have also been stolen from the lives they once knew. While circumstances remain clouded in uncertainty, Charley quickly learns the chief rule: she has one year to find and catch a portal home (these "gates" appear and vanish at will), or she will die. When Charley falls for handsome Thad, whose own deadline swiftly approaches, she must choose between love and survival, with no guarantee either will last. Matson's eye for detail and skillful characterizations fuel a fast-paced story that blends beauty, horror, romance, and adventure. A memorable cast of attractive and resourceful teens, along with the lush and deadly island, offer an effective hook, while the story's psychological intrigue, cleverly subverted expectations, and slow unveiling of information contribute genuine drama. Ages 14âup. Agent: Jennifer Unter, the Unter Agency.

May 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-When you wake up on the Island of Nil, the rules are simple: you have exactly one year to get off, or you die. That is the predicament that 17-year-old Charley finds herself in when she awakens, naked and alone, plucked from the parking lot of the local Target by a random Nil gate. Eventually, she meets a group of fellow refugees and discovers that teens have been sent here for dozens, possibly, hundreds, of years. When she meets Thad, one of the leaders of the Nil community, she finds the boy of her dreams, and suddenly Charley is determined that she and Thad will get off the island so they can have a life together back home. But Nil is a hard place to survive; escape gates come only once a day, always precisely at noon, and they could pop up anywhere on the island. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Charley and Thad, this story adequately captures their growing love and desperate need to save each other as the clock continues to tick. The concept of Nil is very interesting and well constructed. Teenagers aren't the only creatures the gates bring to the island; there is wildlife pulled in from everywhere, so the danger from wild beasts is always a real threat. While there is conflict and tragedy, Matson seems to have a high opinion of the good nature and resourcefulness of kids left to their own devices. Overall, this book hits its mark.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

xxpish - Jarrett’s mom takes in foster babies. He is used to getting less attention than the foster babies and life is pretty predictable. Until Kevon comes. Kevon is a foster child a little older than Jarrett who gets taken in to be fostered. Jarrett and Kevon immediately dislike each other. But Jarrett doesn’t trust Kevon—he knows something is off. A nice, light read that touches on hate, this is a story about two kids who could just as well be brothers. My thoughts: This book was enjoyable. I had some problems with it, but overall I found it to be an easy and fast read. Ok, these kids HATE each other. I could not STAND it. Jarrett does this, so Kevon does that and Jarrett gets him back and it’s not my fault it’s his fault. AAAAAAAHHHHHHH. “Why does he have to share a room with me?” Me: “Why are you so selfish? He came from bad circumstances and ALL HE DOES IS SHARE A ROOM WITH YOU. Oh. My. Gosh” *end rant* Other than the aforementioned craziness, I did actually think this book was great. It was a nice story, and I loved how real it was. You connected with the characters (even if two of them could be jerks) and I really liked Kevon’s sister, Treasure. she is kinda sorta really cute. Even though I had problems with the characters, I understand that the book was ABOUT trying to be friends and kinda being like brothers. The back is why I picked this up at BEA: “Kinda Like Friends. Kinda Like Enemies. Kinda Like Brothers.” I just love that. So, this book did well emphasizing how people can be ignorant and could care less about someone else, and it shows you that if you just dislike someone just because, it will lead you nowhere. The book conveyed its message.