The Avid Reader

Short Story Review: No Escape by Michelle Gagnon

Published: July 2012

Source: I purchased an e-copy of this short story from Amazon.

GoodReads Summary:

Gritty and heart-stopping, this short story from break-out author Michelle Gagnon also features a teaser to her thrilling debut young-adult novel, Don't Turn Around.

Seventeen-year-old Alex might be living day-to-day on whatever he can steal, but he still prefers being on the run to getting caught and thrown back in juvie. Plus, he has Jenny to think of. She comes with her own world of problems, but for once Alex feels like somebody actually needs him. So when a shady organization gives Alex the chance to participate in a medical study, all he hears is easy money—and a lot of it! He'll soon find out there's more involved.

Set directly before Don't Turn Around, which in a starred review Kirkuscalled a "pulse-pounding scary-great read" and "a surefire hit," Michelle Gagnon's "No Escape" lays the groundwork for a world in which every move you make is being watched, and no one can be trusted.

My Thoughts:

In a nutshell: this prequel is not at all "necessary" to your enjoyment and understanding of Don't Turn Around, but it's a great story on its own and I wouldn't skip it. I liked seeing the world of Don't Turn Around from another perspective, and this story was both fast-paced and chilling. 

I've only read the first book of this series so far, and Alex isn't in it. I got pretty invested in his character while reading this short story, so I'm sort of hoping he makes an appearance later in the series.

Have you read this? Do you think these series tie-ins need to be

truly integral to the series, or do you prefer for them to be

completely optional bonus reads?

Book Review: Virals by Kathy Reichs

Published: November 2010

Source: I purchased this book at a local book sale.

GoodReads Summary:

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends. They're a pack. They are Virals.

My Thoughts:

I haven't read anything by Kathy Reichs before, but I loved the concept for Virals so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did - this was great! Fast-paced, with lots of great twists and tension. I don't watch Bones but I watch a ton of true crime shows and I enjoyed the forensics elements of the story. I loved the transformation the teens went through and the old Animorphs fan in me was fully psyched about the animal connection and the fact that the group of friends became their own little pack. Love it.

The setting for this book was perfect. A lot of YA books feature teens who seem to have little to no parental supervision, which can be very convenient to the plot but also a little unrealistic. The teens in Virals have a lot of freedom too, but there are reasons for this freedom - first, their parents are important (and busy!) university scientists so they're legitimately not around enough to be totally on top of what their kids are up to. Second, they live together in university housing on a small island where everyone knows everyone. I think in that kind of a self-contained environment, a lack of parental involvement makes sense because there is a sense of safety. And even with those factors, the parents are still more interested and involved than is often seen in YA literature. This gets a huge thumbs up from me.

Lastly, I really enjoyed the friendship dynamics in this group of teens. I've picked up the next book in the series and I can't wait to see how these friendships grow and evolve over the rest of the series. Virals was a strong start for me so I have high hopes for the rest of the series!

Favorite Quotes:

“Why do all your brilliant ideas involve felonies?” 

“An elite confederacy of nerds. My peeps.” 

Visit Kathy Reich's website and follow her on twitter to stay up to date on her upcoming books!

Have you read any of Kathy Reich's books before?

What did you think of Virals?