Blues for Zoey

December 15, 2014
From his first glimpse, 16-year-old Kaz Barrett is hypnotized by Zoey, a mysterious street performer with pink dreadlocks and an enormous crucifix-shaped musical instrument. While they explore their frenetic romantic connection, Kaz is also preoccupied with his mother’s immobilizing sleep disorder, a job at the local Laundromat, and untangling the lies and deceptions of the con artists and vagrants he tends to associate with. Beyond a look that Kaz describes as “goth-rock Jesus freak, half Bob Marley, half Kewpie doll,” Zoey is a standard femme fatale with a mysterious, ever-changing backstory and a brassy demeanor that separates her from the other girls Kaz’s age. Although the Zoey he comes to know is an illusion, a shadow of reality steeped in inventions and half-truths, her genuine (if oft-resisted) care and concern for him are also evident. Writing in Kaz’s voice, Weston (The Creature Department) strikes a balance between a teen with the weight of adult responsibilities on his shoulders and a youthful naivety, allowing a twist ending to take readers—and Kaz himself—by surprise. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists.

November 15, 2014
A workaholic teen makes an unusual friend. Kaz Barrett scrimps and saves every dollar he makes slaving away at the laundromat that does business below his family's apartment. His mother is the victim of a fantastically rare disease, and the only doctors that'll treat her demand big bucks. Kaz's single-minded pursuit of a cure for his mother robs him of a girlfriend or a real social life, but that all changes when he spots the impossibly beautiful Zoey through the laundromat window. Weston fills Kaz's world with colorful tertiary characters, but it all falls by the wayside eventually. The real thrust of the book is Kaz's courtship of Zoey, a manic pixie dream girl who fits the stereotype to a T. Mysterious past? Wacky hairdo? Otherworldly beauty? All boxes are checked, and for three quarters of the novel readers would be forgiven for feeling a bit of deja vu. But the author has a nice twist in store, subverting even the keenest readers' anticipations. For this, Weston deserves credit, but whether or not the reveal is worth all the trouble will be up to individual readers. A great twist doesn't make a great book. (Fiction. 12-16)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Kaz is saving the money he earns from his job at the laundromat-not for college, but to help his mother get treatment for a rare medical condition after his father dies. Working full-time during his summer vacation, his life is turned upside down when he meets Zoey. She is an enigma and readers will puzzle along with Kaz, trying to figure her out. Through his relationship with Zoey, Kaz is drawn into secrets, truths, and, ultimately, a dangerous situation. Teens will empathize with the protagonist, as he struggles with balancing his job, friends, and being a teenager, all the while taking care of his younger sister and mother. Weston builds tension through short chapters and a quickly paced plot, leading to a surprising ending. Those looking for a happy-ever-after conclusion will not find it here. Instead, the novel ends with a sense of possibility. Fans of gritty, realistic, and authentic works will find this novel an intriguing option. A diverse group of characters and the inner-city setting adds interest. Recommend this to fans of John Green's Paper Towns (Dutton, 2008) because of the dark and honest portrayal of teenage life.-Stephanie Charlefour, Wixom Public Library, MI

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