As I Wake

July 4, 2011
When 17-year-old Ava awakens in an unfamiliar house with a woman she doesn't know claiming to be her mother, the stage is set for what proves to be both a gripping thriller and swoony love story, a doomed romance with a touch of science fiction. Tension builds from the outset, as Ava tries to come to grips with the amnesia she's diagnosed with, as well as her hazy memories of a very different worldâone in which she vaguely remembers certain people from her "new" life and where pervasive governmental surveillance is the norm. When a mystery boy, Morgan, appears, Ava begins to unravel where she came from, who she is, and who she wants to be, choices that will resonate for teens who, like Ava, may at times feel like strangers in their own lives. Readers might think they know where the story is going, but Scott (Between Here and Forever) succeeds in weaving an unpredictable course that will have them on the edge of their seats, and fully satisfied when the answers come. Ages 14âup.

August 15, 2011

Seventeen-year-old Ava Hanson awakens in a bed, in a room, in a home she can't remember.

While she recognizes the names and faces of the people in her life, Ava can't shake the feeling that everyone, including herself, isn't who they seem. Despite being warned not to pursue them, flashes of another life in another world fuel Ava's desperation to fill the gaps in her memory. The question is, what and who will it cost her? Her visions reveal a sinister dystopia, where Ava's only hope to escape the chains of her orphaned past is to be a "listener" for a government that demands conformity and subordination at all costs. The stakes are raised considerably with the appearance of Morgan, a young man who doesn't belong in Ava's new world, though her heart recognizes him immediately. Scott (Between Here and Forever, 2011, etc.) lays the groundwork for an interesting twist on the "Who am I?" novel, but Ava's first-person narration, littered with broken thoughts, is often problematic. Its staccato, stop-and-start rhythm is distracting, pulling readers out of the story. This is a shame, as the worlds the author describes—Ava's new, normal one, much like ours, and the dystopic one of her memories—make for a fascinating set up.

Despite the book's flaws, teens will likely find enough to keep them turning the pages, particularly when it comes to Morgan's desperation to convince Ava that love is the only thing one needs know for certain. (Thriller. 13 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

January 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-When 17-year-old Ava Hanson wakes up not knowing who she is, she is told that's she's suffering from amnesia. Her first-person account alternates between her current reality and memories of another life where people are encouraged to spy on one another and a totalitarian organization rules. Once Ava returns to school, her friends and teachers offer little sympathy. She is plagued by headaches and blackouts that bring on visions until a mysterious boy, Morgan, appears. He helps her understand that she is actually from an alternate universe where they were in love but not allowed to be together in their stratified society. Confusing? Yes. Morgan cannot live in Ava's current world and he must convince her to return with him. This story is full of unanswered questions, which add to the mystification. The concept of parallel places is a captivating one, but Scott does not fully develop either world, leading to letdown at the end. The back and forth between both of Ava's lives without much clarification could frustrate readers, who may not stick around for the end. For a better option about a girl with mysterious amnesia, try Mary E. Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Holt, 2008).-Lauren Newman, Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School, Columbus, NJ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Grades 9-12 Seventeen-year-old Ava wakes up in a panic in a house she doesn't recognize. When her hysteria lands her in the hospital, diagnosed with amnesia, Ava somehow knows that the doctors are wrong: this woman claiming to be her mother cannot really be her mother. Ava begins to have hazy flashbacks of living in a place much different, a place under total government control. Strangely, this reality is populated with people she sees in her current everyday life. When a mysterious boy named Morgan appears and claims to know who she really is, her memories start becoming clearer. Soon, Ava must decide which life she truly belongs in, and where, and with whom, she wants to spend her future. The concept of modal reality is a fascinating one, and Scott uses this novel to fully explore what such a reality might look like. Part dystopian thriller, part romance, this fast-paced, surprising book offers something for everyone, including a main character that teens can root for.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)