Trance

November 1, 2010
Grades 7-10 All her life, Ashlyn has slipped into trances where she sees danger before it happens. Her visions are vague and accompanied by the automatic writing of numbers. Though her sister Kyra shares the trances, theyve never been able to prevent the danger, even when it concerned their mothers fatal car accident. Eight weeks later, Ashlyn is back working at the mall and living with her distant, workaholic father. She has had no trances and no contact with Kyra, who left home without saying good-bye. When she has another trancepossibly involving Jake, the cute boy who plays the mall pianoshe is determined this time to stop it. This is a well-written but undemanding addition to the pack of paranormal thrillers. Though discovering the workings of the trances using numerology provides the books thrust, the paranormal takes a backseat to the character drama. Ashlyns relationships, especially her sweet romance with Jake and her strained interactions with her father, grow credibly as she sheds her survivors guilt. Some melodramatic, convenient plotting detracts from the happy ending, which sets up a potential sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)