Slide

Starred review from March 5, 2012
Hathaway debuts with a gripping paranormal thriller that takes the concept of “empathy” to a new level. Whenever high school junior Vee Bell comes in contact with an object another person has touched, she unwillingly “slides” into his or her mind, leaving her own body vulnerable. After she awakens beside the corpse of a cheerleader named Sophie—
­a friend recently betrayed by Sophie’s younger sister, Mattie—Vee realizes she’s in the body of a killer. Everyone assumes Sophie’s death was a suicide, and Mattie is guilt-ridden. When another cheerleader dies, Vee decides to recognize her ability as a gift and solve the mystery before her sister becomes the next victim. The shifting perspectives—as Vee enters the bodies of her friends, love interest Rollins, and others—give the story an exhilarating momentum and an absorbing, cinematic quality. The interactions between Vee, Mattie, and their withdrawn father are especially well-done, as all three try to remember how to be a family five years after the death of the girls’ mother. An emotionally taut mystery with depth. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sara Davies, Greenhouse Literary Agency.

March 1, 2012

Gr 8 Up-Warmth has always been a trigger for Vee Bell, making everything go blurry and seem as though the world is pulling apart at the seams. But lately it has been happening more and more-not just when it's warm-and at unexpected times and with unexpected consequences. The folks in Vee's life have learned to spot the signs, the moments right before she slips into unconsciousness; they think she has narcolepsy. But what they don't know is that Vee isn't just falling asleep: she is sliding into another person's consciousness. As disconcerting as her astral projection is already, her episodes intensify when she finds herself sliding in and out of minds of those connected to a series of murders, including the murderer's in the midst of killing her friend. Unfortunately, the community believes that Sophie's death is a suicide, and it is up to Vee to find out the truth while keeping the secret of her metaphysical skills. This supernatural mystery employs some more positive tropes of young adult literature-identity formation and discovering who your real friends are-alongside more frustrating images, such as out-of-control mean girls, unnecessarily complicated drama, and inconsistent character motivation. Its innovative premise, though, is memorable.-Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.