Dark Song

September 6, 2010
Fifteen-year-old Ames Ford lives a charmed life in Boulder with her parents and her beloved younger sister, Chrissy. "If Mom weren't a little overcontrolling sometimes—okay, all of the time—our family would've been gag-worthy perfect," she remarks. But Ames's privileged world disintegrates when her father is fired; the family members are ostracized by their wealthy friends; and they are forced to move into a dilapidated apartment in Texas owned by grandparents Ames did not know she had. Lies her parents have told and secrets they have kept bleed out each day, weakening her relationship with them. Then she meets manipulative, thrilling Marc who makes her feel secure despite his violent streak. "Mom and Dad had drained my world of color, but Marc was bringing it back. One little color at a time." Giles (Right Behind You) builds tension as Marc attempts to convince Ames that her parents—and even the world—are against them; readers will wonder if Ames has the strength of character to extricate herself. Ames and the rest of the Ford family's fall from grace makes for breathless, chilling reading. Ages 15–up.

August 1, 2010
The queen of YA thrillers does it again with another gripping page-turner in which love and danger meet. Always the good girl to her rebellious best friend, Ames leads a privileged life in Boulder, Colo., with private school, designer clothes and no responsibilities. It all slams into a wall when her broker dad is fired for scamming from clients and gambles away the rest of the family savings. Feeling angry and betrayed, the teen starts to unleash the "Wild Thing" inside her. The rumpus intensifies when the family is forced to move into a rental home, last used as a drug flophouse, in Texas, and she meets Marc, a mysterious loner who collects guns and wants to protect Ames from any more pain. The initial excitement of her first boyfriend, and a bad boy no less, gives way to doubt and fear when Marc begins to control her actions and asks her to make the ultimate sacrifice. Stock characters and rushed plot fillers will not deter readers' hearts from thumping from the puzzling beginning to the fast-paced conclusion. (Thriller. YA)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2010

Gr 8-11-Ames Ford, 15, has a picture-perfect, posh lifestyle and a loving family. Her father has always been their rock, providing a steady income and a comforting embrace. But when he's fired for embezzling from his clients during unstable economic times, everything comes crashing down. Suddenly the Ford household is filled with secrecy and arguments. As the family begins to fall apart, Ames finds herself rebelling against her good-girl image. Shoplifting, smoking marijuana, and sneaking out at night are her obvious cries for help, but they fall on deaf ears with her parents. Hurt and alone, Ames makes friends with 22-year-old Marc, who seems to understand her feelings. He is mysterious, confident, and controlling-and he carries a handgun. Suddenly, Ames is caught in a dangerous conflict in which she actually considers Marc's plan to kill her parents. The descriptions of the family's financial privations will translate for most teens, though what Ames will have to live without may seem overplayed to some. This fast-paced psychological thriller will leave readers disturbed, enthralled, and clamoring for more. Fans of the author's What Happened to Cass McBride? (Little, Brown, 2006) will thoroughly enjoy this chilling account of a good girl gone bad.-Stephanie Malosh, Donoghue Elementary School, Chicago, IL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2010
Grades 7-11 Geeky, rebellious Ames Ford has the kind of family many teens covet: a rich, generous dad; a busy, happy mother; and a cute, sensible little sister. Along with lots of parental empathy and understanding, she enjoys a big house, a private school, and plenty of friends. Life cant get any betterand it doesnt. After Ames father loses his job because he stole from his clients, the family is forced to start over in a slumlike Texas neighborhood, battling filth, cockroaches, and family tension that amplifies with each noxious revelation. Enter older teen Marc, a bad boy passing himself off as the familys white knight but who, in actuality, has found the perfect setup to prey upon a miserable, friendless 15-year-old. Although savvy readers will question Mrs. Fords complete personality transformation, as well as Ames best friend Ems sudden angelic persona, they wont question Ames unabashed series of poor choices. In this day of investor fraud, mortgage foreclosures, and overnight wealth-to-poverty news stories, this timely, riveting novel will resonate with readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)