Avalanche

September 15, 2016
Seven friends head out to the backcountry to do some skiing and hiking. How many are going to make it home?Matt Ruban should have been heading to Florida, but instead he's with his best friend, Tony, in the Rockies. A ski trip with new friends seems like it will take his mind off his fight with his dad. It helps that some of those new friends are cute girls. One of those cute girls, Leah, even seems to like him. The ski trip starts well enough, even if Matt and Tony do discover they're out of shape, but when an avalanche interrupts their path, they find themselves fighting for survival in unforgiving territory. The avalanche is only the beginning of a chain of disasters that threaten their lives and makes them wish they'd never strapped on a pair of skies. Braun (Stranded, 2015) offers a compelling, fast-paced plot with plenty of action. In fact, there's almost too much action--the sheer number of mishaps during a four-day period begins to feel convenient instead of natural. Interesting back stories help the characters (all evidently white) maintain authenticity, and a sense of suspense makes the pages fly by. Braun is talented at describing suspenseful threats, such as the steady approach of a mountain lion that realizes that injury makes a human easy prey. Just the ticket for readers who like hearty doses of suspenseful adventure. (Adventure. 12-15)

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October 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-An avalanche turns out to be the least of their worries as one mishap after another befalls a group of young adults. High school senior Matt wasn't supposed to go to Colorado for spring break with his best friend, Tony. But Matt's dad, as usual, bails on him, so the guys meet up with Tony's older brother and his friends to party and ski. When an avalanche kills one person and incapacitates another, the narrative moves among Matt's rescue party, those tending to the injured person, and the mountain lion hunting the unaware humans. Any one of the ensuing calamities would take a miracle to survive, but adventure stories require the suspension of disbelief. Braun's cinematic descriptions place readers in the middle of the action, while touches of humor and contemplation about life and family issues will keep them interested in the characters. Strong, smart Leah is the most compelling one to watch and learn from. This is an easy read, but language, alcohol, and mild drug use might make this more appropriate for an older audience. VERDICT Purchase where there is high demand for adventure tales.-Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard, IL

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Matt, a high-school senior, was supposed to go to Florida with his father for spring break, but the plans fell through for reasons Matt doesn't even want to think about. Instead, he's flying to Colorado with his best friend Tony to visit Tony's brother, Sid. Once there, they go on a ski trip through a challenging pass in the Rocky Mountains, along with Sid and his housemates, Carter and Leah, and two other friends. They get off to a good start, and Matt has just about forgotten his disappointment, when an avalanche buries one of the party and badly injures another. While the others seek shelter, Matt and Leah brave the dark, storms, snow, and wild animals to get help. Braun intersperses the nail-biting suspense with humor and depth. Her realistically varied characters never fall into stock characterization, and shifting points of view, including that of a mountain lion, add compelling perspective and drive the plot forward. With accessible, propulsive writing, this survival adventure tale will be a hit with a broad audience.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)