Count All Her Bones

March 1, 2017
The story of Cheyenne and Griffin continues in this sequel to Girl, Stolen (2010).Six months after her kidnapping, Cheyenne Wilder is preparing for the trial of Roy Sawyer, the man who held her for ransom, dealing with her overprotective parents, and learning self-defense techniques from her new bodyguard. Cheyenne can't--and won't--let being blind stop her from becoming stronger. Yet when it comes to Griffin Sawyer, the boy who accidentally kidnapped her but helped her escape, Cheyenne doesn't feel strong. Griffin is going to testify against his father, Roy, which causes Roy and his half brother, Dwayne, to begin plotting. Through third-person chapters that shift perspectives, readers see how, together with TJ, another accomplice from the first kidnapping, Dwayne sets events in motion to kidnap Cheyenne again. In a pulse-pounding sequence, Cheyenne must find a way to use what she has learned to save herself and Griffin--but when Dwayne threatens more than just the two of them, how can two teenagers, one of them blind, defeat a fully grown man? Providing plenty of background for anyone who did not read the first book, this novel offers action, with a disabled protagonist heading the white cast of characters. Cheyenne's blindness makes her an out-of-the-ordinary thriller star, particularly when emotions like confusion and self-doubt are shown, helping readers get under her skin. While Dwayne and TJ remain cardboard villains, they still constitute a credible menace. Readers will be rooting for Cheyenne and Griffin from the edges of their seats. (Thriller. 12-18)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-This novel picks up a few months after Girl, Stolen left off. Having survived her kidnapping, Cheyenne is back at home, trying to reestablish her life but chafing under the increased security put in place by her father and stepmother. She hasn't spoken to Griffin, her erstwhile, accidental kidnapper and love interest, but can't seem to get him out of her head, and not just because she's preparing to testify against his father, Roy, in his upcoming trial. Griffin is planning on testifying, too, and inevitably the two are thrown back together as Roy plots to keep both of them out of the courtroom. This book offers the same suspense and tightly paced action as its predecessor. Told from alternating viewpoints-which begin to feel a bit clunky and random at times-this work gives much attention to the survival training Cheyenne (who is blind) has received since returning from her first ordeal; these details make her a strong protagonist and help build up to the action-packed climax. Griffin, who is dealing with testifying against his father as well as the death of his mother, receives a less thorough treatment. VERDICT Although written as a sequel, this volume stands on its own and should be considered for any YA collection looking for contemporary suspense titles.-Bobbi Parry, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, LA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Grades 7-10 It's been six months since blind, pneumonia-ridden Cheyenne Wilder was accidentally kidnapped when the car she was in was stolen. Six months since Griffin Sawyer, her erstwhile kidnapper, helped her escape his opportunistic father, Roy, who demanded a ransom. In this sequel to Girl, Stolen (2010), Cheyenne has changed. With Roy's trial approaching, star witness Cheyenne has picked up some self-defense from her new bodyguard. She also braces to see Griffin for the first time since the incident. But Roy has masterminded plans of his own, and when Cheyenne is kidnapped again, it's anything but accidental. Not knowing what Griffin's part is in all this, Cheyenne assumes she's on her own. In alternating perspectives, this follows both Cheyenne and Griffin through the days leading up to the trial. Though the stakes are certainly high, this is a familiar-feeling thriller. As with the previous installment, the real strengths are how Cheyenne navigates her world and the extra layer of difficulty her blindness presents. An exciting and satisfying conclusion to Cheyenne and Griffin's story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)