A Better Bad Idea

February 1, 2021
A desperate teen goes on the lam after an extreme act of revenge. McNair Falls, South Carolina, is a dying town, and 17-year-old Evelyn can't wait to put it behind her. She lives in a single-wide trailer with her mother; her 6-year-old sister, Kara; and her mother's physically abusive boyfriend, Dane. When Dane turns his rage on Kara, Evelyn takes matters into her own hands, and through a twist of fate, privileged golden boy Ashton helps carry out her impulsive plan. In the aftermath, the only thing they can do is run. Hanging over them is the memory of Ashton's late girlfriend, Reid. The two had a volatile, intense romance, and Reid was everything Evelyn wished she could be. But flashbacks showing Reid's account of the days leading up to her death a year earlier detail her struggle to reconcile her true self with external expectations. Evelyn's present-day narration in alternating chapters reveals an insecure young woman who must find the strength to take control of her future. While there are fitful sparks between Ashton and Evelyn, they can only run so far. Devore's exploration of the insidiousness of domestic violence and Evelyn's transformation to in-control survivor both read true. The finale is poignant, if a bit pat, but readers won't mind because the journey is so very satisfying. All major characters are White; Evelyn, Reid, and Ashton are queer. A propulsive and angst-y page-turner. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)

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March 1, 2021

Gr 9 Up-Evelyn is desperate to leave her trailer park and McNair Falls, yet bound to stay to protect her little sister from their mother's abusive boyfriend. Ashton, the town's tarnished golden boy, is haunted by his toxic relationship with girlfriend Reid and has a growing dependence on alcohol. Reid knows how to exploit everyone's weaknesses, and is the girl Evelyn wishes she could be-and she's already dead when the novel begins. While avoiding her dark home life, Evelyn comes across Ashton, drunk, grieving, and angry in the woods. His fire fuels her own and suddenly Evelyn can no longer allow violence to continue in her home. Inflamed with booze, they stumble towards consequences each cannot face and choose to run away instead. What follows is a twisted tale of deception and self-discovery that careens toward an unavoidable fate. Devore's novel is rife with drama, hurtling along at a breakneck pace, though the alternating perspectives confuse the narrative and it takes too long to become invested in the characters. Some, such as Evelyn's mother and sister, are treated like props without personalities. Devore brings to light what different abusive relationships look like and the complicated effects they can have on people, but the character development is left wanting and the ending wraps up too conveniently. Main characters are white. VERDICT For collections seeking books that deal with domestic and other types of abuse in relationships, A.S. King's Still Life with Tornado or Amber Smith's The Last To Let Go are better choices.-Michael Marie Jacobs, Darlington Sch., GA

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2021
Grades 9-12 Evelyn wants nothing more than to escape McNair Falls, the small town where she--and others like her--feel trapped and miserable. Living with her mother's abusive boyfriend, she is desperate to be loved, appreciated, and free. Then one night, she runs into golden boy Ashton, and they form an uncertain relationship around the death of a mutual, unstable friend, Reid. When Evelyn's six-year-old sister is subjected to the abuse at home, Evelyn decides she's had enough, and her whole world changes with the strike of a match. Devore returns with a suspenseful page-turner, told through the alternating perspectives of Evelyn and Reid, which lets readers see how each girl is desperate for love and safety while trying to find their way through life despite harsh circumstances. Devore structures the book around one central, yet crucial, event in each girl's life, which unfolds at different points in the book and alters each girl--for better or worse. A heartbreaking read featuring a resilient protagonist.

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