Glimmer
In a seemingly idyllic small town called Summer Falls, two teens wake up naked, entwined in each other’s arms, and neither one has any memory of who they are or how they got there. Chapters alternate between “Him” and “Her” as they try to piece together their pasts and find their identities. While Summer Falls is always a perfect 72 degrees and nothing bad ever seems to happen—at least, not that anyone remembers—only Elyse and Marshall see that something is very wrong. Ghosts of the town’s past inhabitants trigger “heatnaps” to erase bad memories on the spot, while sunny memories reveal a darker side in the form of an ancient power funneled through a charismatic ancestor of Elyse’s. Readers will respond to Elyse’s and Marshall’s character development as they search for themselves, each trying to reconcile the person they’re learning about with who they feel they are at the core. The decidedly sci-fi feel of this supernatural suspense story will appeal to a broad range of readers. Grades 9-12. --Heather Booth