Tumble & Fall

July 8, 2013
As the world faces a catastrophic collision with a giant asteroid, three teenagers spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard discover that their last week on Earth may be life-changing in good ways as well. Sixteen-year-old Sienna, struggling with her mother’s death and her own mental fragility, tries to relearn how to trust and love with help from a childhood friend; Zan wonders whether the dead boyfriend she has grieved for was faithful to her, even as she grows closer to his best friend; and Caden has to decide whether he can forgive two parents who have abandoned him, though in entirely different ways. Coutts’s characters offer a great deal of depth and appeal, and her writing is both purposeful and rich. As the asteroid collision approaches, Coutts (the author of Wish and Wishful Thinking as Alexandra Bullen) subtly creates urgency without letting it overshadow the natural tension that builds as her three main characters contend with their various strained relationships. The three teenagers’ stories intersect neatly, just in time for a well-considered ending. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Shandler, Alloy Entertainment.

As a mile-wide asteroid hurtles toward Earth, Coutts (Wishful Thinking, 2011) takes readers to an island off the coast of Massachusetts, where three courageous teens make the most of what little time they have left. A suicide survivor searches for a place to belong. A young man confronts the father he never knew and questions the true meaning of family. And a broken-hearted young woman journeys in search of truth and forgiveness. While there are moments of overlap, the teens' individual stories form the backbone and the heart of this book. Despite this compelling premise, the novel isn't without a blemish or two. Sections of the story drag (which is both surprising and frustrating, given the apocalyptic nature of the plot), and while readers will likely suspend disbelief to a point, there are moments where it is impossible not to question how these teens can be so calm and self-possessed with only days left to live. That said, this is a well-crafted story with compelling characters that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. But what makes it truly special is that, despite its premise, this book manages to be more about beginnings than the inevitable end. In the iconic words of R.E.M., "It's the end of the world as we know it," and this smart, surprisingly feel-good, end-of-days novel is indeed...fine. (Fiction. 14 & up) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-If you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the world would end in a week, what would you do, where would you go, who would you forgive? Scientists in the 1800s began tracking the asteroid Persephone and discovered that with each century, its orbit was getting closer to Earth. Now, in spite of efforts made to send missiles into space to move it out of its destructive intersection with Earth, the impact is only a week away. Three teenagers spend their last week discovering their pasts, coming to terms with the present, and preparing for the future, or the possibility that they won't have one at all. Apocalyptic stories are all the rage these days, but this one stands out. There are no zombies, no deadly diseases, nothing to fight, and no way to win. Coutts has written a memorable novel filled with hope, love, absolution, and courage in the face of almost certain death. It will inspire readers to consider their own mortality and the profound impact they have on those who love them. It will have particular appeal to fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer's "Life As We Knew It" series (Houghton).-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Grades 9-12 Taking a title cue from the music standard Stand by Me, Coutts intertwines the story of three teens from the same summer island resort as they, and the rest of the planet, stare down the end of the world. As an asteroid named Persephone hurtles toward earth, Sienna returns home from the House, a rehab facility she entered after a suicide attempt, just in time for her widowed father's wedding. Elsewhere, Zan struggles to cope with the death of her beloved boyfriend 10 months prior, and Caden finds himself confronted by his long-lost father. These are stories of forgiveness, family, andultimatelycommunity. Coutts' approach to the end times is almost Zen-like in delivery; there are no scenes of rioting, looting, or chaos. Instead, readers are shown a world resigned and ready to make peace, bound together by appreciation for the time left. Amid all the gritty, revolution-ready YA dystopian fiction, this refreshing debut looks to the period just before and finds a wonderful coming together buoyed by the decency of humanity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)