Unraveling

June 11, 2012
In this complex SF mystery, debut writer Norris conceives of parallel universes that can inadvertently collide and destruct when portals between them are opened, a predicament facing Earth if 17-year-old Janelle Tenner's theory is correct. Janelle's father is a workaholic FBI agent, her bipolar mother is hardly functioning, and Janelle herself was just killed by an out-of-control car and brought back to life by classmate Ben Michaels. Janelle had always dismissed Ben as a stoner, but after he saves her, she is powerfully drawn to him. She also suspects that there might be a connection between recent deaths that her father has been investigating and her accident. When Norris's story works, it's a satisfying puzzle full of novel twists and provocative clues. A protective older sister and defiant FBI agent-in-training, Janelle is a courageous, layered heroine. But the chemistry between Janelle and Ben is faint, relying on familiar paranormal romance devices, and some plot elements are convoluted. A planned sequel will surely offer more challenges for Janelle, Ben, and planet Earth. Ages 13âup. Agent: Janet Reid, FinePrint Literary Management.

June 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-Janelle's life hasn't been easy. She helps raise her younger brother while her father busily heads the counterintelligence unit of San Diego's FBI office, and her bipolar mother is busy, well, hiding out in the bedroom. Life becomes more complicated once Janelle's hit by a truck. Instead of dying from her extensive injuries, she's revived by previously ignored classmate Ben Michaels, who isn't talking about what happened. Surprisingly, Janelle has more immediate concerns: her father is investigating gruesome deaths involving disfigured bodies and some sort of countdown timer/explosive device. Thanks to her knowledge of his likely passwords, his work laptop is no problem for her to hack, leaving Janelle and her friend Alex with all of the frightening facts of the case and a determination to solve it. The characterizations are excellent: Janelle's friends and family, as well as her new acquaintances, are fully fleshed out. The beginning of the book reads a bit like Carol Plum-Ucci's Streams of Babel (Harcourt, 2008), as Janelle is convinced that only a terrorist's plot could explain the bodies and countdown timer. However, the story then veers into a multiple universe theory that, while explained, is not completely explored. This and any other concerns are minor; in general, readers will enjoy the nonstop action and romance.-Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ

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