The Last Academy

March 25, 2013
After a disastrous pool party ends 14-year-old Camden Fischer’s friendship with her best friend, she escapes to boarding school in California. Camden struggles to fit in with her new schoolmates, eventually settling into a few uneasy friendships. When one of her new friends disappears, Cam begins to doubt the official story on what happened. Readers familiar with Greek mythology should pick up on the clues about Lethe Academy that debut author Applegate drops like breadcrumbs through her story (unfortunately, the title is a bit of a spoiler, too). For readers who miss those hints, the story offers several horror movie–worthy moments of creepiness, which also serve to tip Applegate’s hand too early, sapping some of the suspense. The author gives Camden a believable ninth-grade voice; inventive turns of phrase lend her narration a fresh, informal quality that serves as a counterpoint to the eerie events that unfold. But most readers will likely be left wondering why it’s taking Camden so long to piece together what they figured out chapters ago. Ages 12–up. Agent: Eddie Gamarra, the Gotham Group.

April 1, 2013
Creating a sense of doom is infinitely more difficult in a novel than in a movie; debut author Applegate makes a worthy attempt. Camden arrives as a freshman at Lethe Academy, a boarding school in California. On the plane, she meets a creepy man who coincidentally is a trustee at her new school. Named Barnaby Charon, he creates a lot of misgivings within Camden. At least she makes new friends quickly, like Jessie and Nora, plus the glamorous Brynn. Best of all, there's the charming and completely hot Mark Elliott. Camden might have seemingly random hallucinations, and she doesn't get along with her roommate, but otherwise things are good at Lethe. When Jessie disappears and no one seems to care--and Barnaby Charon is involved--Camden knows she has to take action. But Camden's visions are becoming more disturbing, especially what she sees when she visits Mark's family. For all the questions Camden has, only one person has the answers: Barnaby Charon. At first, unexplained plot events, such as Camden's going to boarding school in the first place and unusual images, may confuse readers. Yet as the tension mounts, the unanswered questions spur them on. Anyone who knows Greek mythology will probably figure out the twist quickly, but this novel is still an enjoyable read. (Suspense. 14 & up)

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