Shadow Walkers
Hartinger’s latest combines mystery, romance, and the paranormal into a fast-paced but sometimes messy thriller. Zach finds tiny Hinder Island limiting: he is still considered an outsider, even after two years. His real life is online, where he finds the acceptance and freedom he can’t get at home. When he is grounded from his computer, he feels trapped—until he discovers astral projection. Then, when his little brother Gilbert is kidnapped, Zach tracks him from the astral realm, where he meets Emory, a mysterious boy who’s willing to help. But while they search for Gilbert and form a tentative romance, a shadowy creature stalks them, seeking to possess their physical bodies. Hartinger writes realistic teenagers, and Zach’s humor, shy awkwardness, and longing to connect will resonate with readers. Though Zach and Emory speed to the “l-word,” their relationship is as buoyant as first love should be. Other elements are less convincing, such as the lack of consistency in how the astral realm works and how the kidnapping plot pans out. Still, this quick genre-bender has something for everyone. Grades 7-10. --Krista Hutley