Abandon

Gr 7—10—With this trilogy, loosely based on the Greek myth of Persephone, Cabot takes to the dark side. Pierce Oliviera, Abandon's troubled heroine, returns from the dead after an underworld deity romances her and gives her a rare diamond that anticipates danger. Despite this juicy premise, the book starts out a little slow, crowded with plot developments and foreboding. What follows Pierce's return to Earth is a nightmare. A friend commits suicide, a teacher is maimed, a jewelry store owner nearly dies from a heart attack, all of this told, not shown. Blaming herself for these tragedies, Pierce fails at school. Her mother, desperate for a new start, moves her to the place where she grew up: Isla Huesos, the island of bones. There, Pierce's Uncle Chris is newly released from prison. The cemetery where she first met the deity, John, is an easy bike ride away. And her father, a wealthy industrialist, has ruined the natural environment, including the birds his ex-wife studies and is trying to protect. Top that off with a group of preppies who defy school rules for a senior tradition called "coffin night." Cabot manages to keep this hodgepodge balanced, but the steamy relationship between Pierce and John is just starting. Of course, teens—especially restless fans of "Twilight"—will want to see what happens next. Stay tuned as readers are strung along for a wild, if not yet passionate, attention-grabber.—Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA