Four-Letter Word

February 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Chloe Sanders is struggling. Her parents left their small town in Iowa to do overseas volunteer work and Chloe is now living with her ultra-conservative grandparents. In addition, her best friend, Eve, has distanced herself and has made friends with another popular girl, Holly. As Chloe attempts to navigate through her junior year, a new girl, also named Chloe, arrives and bulldozes her way into Chloe's world. The new girl introduces the group to a game called Gestapo. It appears harmless at first, but in a game of boys against girls where "anything goes," the game quickly escalates. Secrets come out, and the ramifications are permanent. Chloe attempts to detach herself from the game, but the boy she really likes convinces her to play one last time to beat the new girl at her own game. However, the situation spirals out of control. The premise of the game is unusual, which keeps the story line fast paced and fluid. However, the beginning of the narrative is slow. The protagonist is a well-developed and believable character from the very beginning, but her friends seem two-dimensional. Teens might sometimes confuse one Chloe for the other. Once the game starts, the plot picks up and the characters click in place. The ending has the same issue as the beginning. It is slower paced, and readers might be slightly dissatisfied after the exciting character interaction that took place during the game. Overall, however, this book is entertaining, and many teens will be able to find at least one character to whom they can relate. VERDICT Recommended as general purchase for any library serving teens.-Jeni Tahaney, Summit High School, Manfield, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
The new girl in town introduces seven teens to a high-stakes game that threatens to destroy their friendships and relationships, but none of them can seem to quit playing.Chloe Sanders isn't prepared to become the "Other Chloe" when Chloe Donnelly transfers to her high school in Grinnell, Iowa, but Sanders and her friends make room in their circle for the confident, worldly new student. Soon after, Donnelly introduces them to an emotionally extreme version of capture the flag called Gestapo. The game makes for a fascinating plot device but unfortunately becomes the most interesting part of the story. Sanders' first-person narrative results in a superficial depiction of other characters and relies excessively on her accidental discoveries to keep readers informed. Major characters are white apart from Sanders' classmate and crush Mateo, who is Mexican-American. To her credit, Desir (Love Blind, 2016, etc.) openly and explicitly includes often taboo but important teen subjects such as sex and sexual orientation. The big reveal at the end of this lengthy book resolves both the plot and character motivation but may leave readers feeling let down and confused.Though it had potential with its creative plot device and honesty about tough subjects, the long build-up to the hurried, head-scratching ending makes this a disappointing read. (Fiction. 14-adult)

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April 2, 2018
A game quickly turns sinister in this suspenseful novel from Desir (Other Broken Things) featuring high schoolers who have secrets to hide. In the game, captains of two opposing teams each come up with a secret word, which the other team must guess by acquiring clues from the players, using “whatever means necessary.” It all seems innocent enough when introduced by new student Chloe Donnelly, who recently arrived in Grinnell, Iowa, and is looking for a little excitement. Chloe Sanders, however, has her reservations, and the game soon spins out of control after players resort to sexual favors and blackmail to win. By the time the teens realize how dangerous the game is, Chloe Donnelly has too much leverage on everyone to make quitting an option. Though the premise and repercussions of the game are a bit contrived. Chloe Sanders’s battle to do the right thing, and her concern for her boyfriend, Mateo, who has the most to lose by quitting, provide a sense of urgency. Readers will likely be riveted to learn who ultimately wins the game and discover the truth about manipulative Chloe Donnelly. Ages 14–up. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary.

March 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 When a magnetic new girl arrives at her high school, Chloe Sanders quickly falls into her orbit. It's easy, since Chloe's feeling isolated while her parents are volunteering in Burkina Faso and her former best friend drifts away, while the new girl, Chloe Donnelly, takes an instant liking to her. But shy, anxious Chloe Sanders soon discovers that Chloe Donnelly's friendship is dangerous, particularly when she insists on playing a game that's perilously close to blackmail. Desir does a great job of cultivating Chloe Sanders' voice, fraught with constant worry and fear, despite the open-mindedness of her parents about things like sex. Desir offers a realistic, refreshingly sex-positive perspective in Chloe: she's still figuring out how she feels about sex, and even though she's well-informed, she's nonetheless intimidated by the thought of the real thing, up until her enthusiastic but utterly awkward first sexual encounter with her crush. Though the plot about the game doesn't quite coalesce, Chloe's strong voice and perspective, as well as the warm, healthy friendships she ultimately cultivates, are eye-opening and rewarding.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)