Running for Water and Sky

May 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-With no companions beyond the affectionate semiferal cat on her grandfather's property, Bless Adler knows the meaning of lonely very well-that is, if she chooses to feel anything at all. Developing a shield to block everyone out and swallow her own feelings was easy; she spent most of her life between families who made it clear they wanted nothing to do with her. Going to school was only a way to escape her controlling caregivers. After an unexpected move, something completely different enters her life-a boy named Liam, who seems to want to get to know her. Falling for him quicker than she ever thought possible, Bless knows he is her one true love. Nevertheless, the question remains, how do you let yourself love someone when you are not even sure what the word means? In her debut YA novel, Kring creates an explosive story where love wins against all circumstances. Unique but relatable characters and an immersive setting will pull readers in, and the slight touches of supernatural will keep them enthralled in the plot. Fans of realistic fiction and those who enjoy a little fantasy with their romance will appreciate this novel of teenage angst, lifestyle changes, and drama. Talk of sex, abuse, and drinking may make this more appropriate for older teens and will open up very serious conversations despite the novel's lighter tone.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2016
A few anxious minutes feel like an eternity as 17-year-old Bless tries to reach her boyfriend after the sound of sirens makes her fear the worst. As she runs, the white teen flashes back to the six months leading up to this day. After years in her grandparents' abusive home in small-town Nebraska, Bless' father, a down-at-the-heels mechanic named Shaky, shows up and takes Bless to live with his new family in Wisconsin. She takes nothing but a booklet of collectible pennies that her dying mother gave her. At her new school, she makes friends with Maylee and falls in love with Liam, a new student in town. A trip to a psychic convinces the girls that Liam's life is in danger. Alternating time frames mask an unevenness in the depiction of two distinct parts of Bless' life. Richly realized storytelling, setting, and detailed characters paint a vivid picture of Bless' experiences in Nebraska. In contrast, her new life in Wisconsin not only seems disconnected from her early years, but revolves around several stereotyped characters and a thin, far-fetched storyline concerning the pennies and the psychic. Flash-forward to Bless frantically running, so distracted by her memories that she repeatedly steps into traffic, and the result is a sustained melodrama with no letdown from an intense plotline. Inconsistent but with enough romance to satisfy many readers. (Fiction. 14-17)

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