Breakaway

Starred review from September 28, 2015
As in her debut novel, Sway, Spears showcases a talent for creating believably flawed characters seeking connection in the aftermath of tragedy. Seventeen-year-old Jason is reeling from the sudden death of his younger sister, Sylvia; now, it's just Jason and his mother, who is coping as poorly as he is. Jason's social life is just as rocky, with his close-knit band of soccer buddies rapidly disintegratingâMario is doing more and more drugs; Jordie's ambitions seem to include leaving his blue-collar friends behind; and nervous, awkward Chick is being lost in the mix. When Jason meets Raine, who is chafing against the expectations of her wealthy family, it's the start of a cautious romance with an intensity that thrills, and perhaps scares, both of them. Raine and Jason's relationship could have easily veered into stereotypical "bad boy" territory, but his anger and her frustrations never feel anything but genuine. Life comes at Spears's characters hardâboth young and oldâand the book's strength and power comes from watching them try to find purchase, not always successfully. Ages 14âup. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency.

Starred review from July 15, 2015
Four best friends drift miles apart as each of them struggles to come into his own. Jaz, Chick, Mario, and Jordie form a tightknit group both on and off the soccer field. But when Jaz's younger sister passes away, he's caught between his own mourning and the weight of his mother's inconsolable grief. Soon Mario, Jaz's closest confidant, ditches the group in favor of getting high all the time. Then Jordie shifts his focus to his clothes, his car, and his new girlfriend. And Chick, who desperately needs his friends in order to feel anchored to the world, starts talking to himself. Facing poverty, grief, and absent parents, Jaz welcomes physical fights to numb his pain. But then a girl named Raine turns his world upside down, leading him down his own new path. It seems impossible the group will come together again, even when they need each other the most. Jaz and Raine's relationship develops at a refreshing slow burn, fueled by unrivaled banter. There's not a single canned emotion to be found; each boy's pain is visceral and true to his character. Readers will be hard-pressed to find a more realistic portrait of friends finding themselves while losing one another. A rare study of growing pains that gives equal weight to humor and hardship. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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August 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Jaz's younger sister Sylvia was a popular cheerleader whose death leaves the entire school mourning to an extent that nauseates him. He loved his sister, but the outpouring of affection feels fake, and he becomes even more disgusted when Sylvia's friend Alexis starts hitting on him. His single mom withdraws from everything but work, and Jaz's friend Jordie begins dating a girl as rich as Jordie is, leaving Jaz to deal with their friend Mario, who begins to ditch soccer practice in favor of getting high. When Jaz is pushed into a double date with Jordie, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's friend Raine, he is surprised at his attraction to Raine. She is rich, gorgeous, and completely out of his league, or so he thinks. As Raine begins to convince him that he just might have a chance with her in spite of their differences and the craziness that his life has become, he holds back out of fear that she will leave him behind eventually, just as he was abandoned by his father and now two of his friends. Will the boy who has always felt like a mistake made by his teenage parents take a chance on a girl who is so much more than she seems? VERDICT This sad yet hopeful romance will appeal to readers of Steven Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower (MTV Books, 1999) and Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why (Penguin, 2007).-Kerry Sutherland, Akron-Summit County Public Library, OH

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2015
Grades 10-1 *Starred Review* As in her debut novel, Sway (2014), author Spears spares not an ounce of grit in this raw, sometimes bleak portrait of a teenager in turmoil. Jason Marshall's younger sister has just died, leaving him alone with a mother too grief-stricken to function. His dad split years ago, so scrappy, volatile Jason is mostly on his own, falling back on soccer and his best friends. But all isn't well there, either: privileged Jordie is drifting away; quiet Chick is getting quieter; and Mario, Jason's closest friend, is running with a tougher crowd. Meanwhile, Jason finds himself drawn to Raine, a girl with a normal life and family, even though he knows they have no future. She will leave this town; he won't. Caught up in their own thoughts and actions, Jason and his friends don't realize they're hurtling toward tragedy. This is not the easiest read. Despite his couldn't-care-less attitude, Jason's life is a harsh one. Still, there is humor here, along with well-developed relationships and carefully crafted side characters who don't miss a beat. A painfully honest and powerful depiction of the changing nature of friendships in the face of hardship and an exploration of what it means to be human and alive. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)