Down with the Shine

Gr 9 Up—Lennie, daughter of the notorious Leonard Cash, aka The Bad Daddy Bandit, is a fierce character in her own right. When the most popular girl at school, Michaela, holds her annual Labor Day party, not only does Lennie show up uninvited but she brings four mason jars full of her uncles' infamous bathtub moonshine. And with the shine, she also brings the family tradition of making a wish on the first drink. What Lennie doesn't know is that she has inherited the family gift of granting wishes. As the evening wears on, the wishes become increasingly outlandish, resulting in terrifying chaos. Quinn, author of Another Little Piece (HarperCollins, 2013), has written another darkly intelligent novel for readers who prefer flawed heroines and ambiguous endings that aren't tied up in a pretty little "they all lived happily ever after" bow. Graphic descriptions of violence and savagery are not for the faint of heart but will be thoroughly enjoyed by those who like a dark and twisty tale.