Nobody but Us

December 24, 2012
Halbrook debuts with a dark, romantic wild ride reminiscent of Thelma and Louise. When Will turns 18, he and his 15-year-old girlfriend, Zoe, hit the road. They are fleeing Zoe’s abusive drunk of a father and Will’s foster-child history, but their trip from North Dakota to Las Vegas brings them even more to run from, including the threat of kidnapping charges, assault, theft, and murder. The duo’s divergent personalities, personal wounds, and big dreams bond them together, even as their journey enters a downward spiral. Aggressive and quick to anger, Will is a classic bad boy (he even drives a vintage Camaro), while Zoe is cautious, kind, and deeply scarred by the abuses she has suffered. Halbrook wisely avoids making her teenage lovers overly capable—Will and Zoe truly feel like two naïve teens on the run, making one mistake after another as they lose control over their situation. Emotions run high throughout, and Will’s fear of hurting Zoe more than she has already been hurt is especially potent. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media.

December 1, 2012
Desperate to escape her violent father, 15-year-old Zoe agrees to run away with her 18-year-old boyfriend, Will. Their plans go awry almost at once, when Zoe's father attempts to prevent their flight. Will solves this problem as he always does: with his fists. With one eye on the rearview mirror and the other on his adoring co-pilot, Will steers them into the night and away from a life they both dearly want to leave far behind. However, as the miles tick by, Zoe and Will are forced to confront both their pasts and their dreams of the future. Will's violence escalates throughout the journey, culminating in a death. The novel is told in their alternating first-person, present-tense voices, giving readers immediate access to each character's thoughts and emotions. At 15, Zoe's naivete about the consequences of their actions feels age-appropriate. However, Will clearly understands the legal and moral ramifications of their plans. This disparity makes it unclear whether Will is really the savior that Zoe imagines or simply the reiteration of her father, as she fears. Unfortunately, as the journey reaches its tragic end, Will's intentions remain confused. This ambiguity makes Zoe's parting thoughts either the appropriate tribute to a brave friend or the misguided veneration of a predator. Random violence and mistaken passion find a bleak end. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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September 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Two young lovers escape from their unsatisfactory lives, seeking a better one together in Las Vegas. It's a road-trip novel, in a way, with a bit of Bonnie and Clyde, a little nod to Thelma and Louise mixed in. Zoe and Will leave town in a hurry, after an altercation with Zoe's drunk father leaves him knocked out and bleeding on the front porch. Readers will be plagued with doubt over the consequences of this conflict, as is Will, who is only too aware of the riskiness of their actions (including their age difference; he is 18, she is 15). On first glance, the characters seem like stereotypes of teens whom readers have met before. Zoe has no mother and lives with her abusive, alcoholic father. Will was raised in group homes and is prone to fistfights and sudden bursts of violence. What is special about this book, however, is the way that these two young people defy expectations, providing readers with an unexpected and welcome feeling of surprise. Will is unusually tender, conscientious, and selfless, while Zoe has managed to remain rather chaste and naive in spite of her life of hardship. The chapters alternate from his voice to hers, giving a wide-open glimpse into each teen's desires and doubts, of which there are many. The novel cranks up to a heart-pounding finale, perfect for readers who like to be on the edge of their seats, perhaps with a box of Kleenex at hand. Recommended for readers of Lisa McMann's and Patricia McCormick's books.-Nora G. Murphy, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, LaCanada-Flintridge, CA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2013
Grades 9-12 Eighteen-year-old Will, who has just aged out of the foster-care system, and 15-year-old Zoe, abused by her father, are escaping North Dakota in Will's beat-up Camaro. Zoe thinks she's being rescued from her father, and Will thinks he's rescuing her, but, as the novel rolls along, this core issue becomes intriguingly muddied. All either wants is to be loved and feel safe, and readers are treated to hopeful conversations about their future ( Happiness can't just be a myth ). But when violence starts to creep into the equation, followed by an accident, is there any place left to run? Told in alternating first-person point of view, the novel feels raw, immediate, and utterly unflinching. This does take a while to heat up (the first third is like many road tripsmore exciting in theory), but when it does, it's a real page-turner. Readers will be hoping against hope for a happy ending, although it becomes less and less clear what that would actually entail. Halbrook's debut features complex characters, and attempting to puzzle them out makes for a thought-provoking read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)