Finding Mr. Brightside

Gr 7–10—Juliette, whose mother was killed in a car accident, has struggled with an addiction to Adderall and a cluster of syndromes that plague her mental well-being. Enter Abram, whose father was having an affair with Juliette's mother at the time of the fateful accident, which provides the backdrop for this teen romance. The "will-they or won't-they" conundrum slows the pace of the early chapters to a glacial rate, though it catches its rhythm in the second act when the two explore their shared neuroses. The clear virtue of this book is Clark's airy sarcasm, which flavors the dialogue with a wry dryness that fits the tone of the dysfunctional characters well. With the trappings of forbidden love between people who by tragic circumstance should not be together and significant energy expended in the buildup, the story still ends with a shocking lack of payoff. The prose is polished but often stagnates under an aimless plot and sentiment that will feel too sugary-sweet for more mature teens.