Select Few

Gr 9 Up—This sequel to Select finds 18-year-old Julia Jaynes living alone, hounded by paparazzi, and worried that her cultlike family isn't really gone for good. Julia and her boyfriend, John, are still trying to make their relationship work, but while Julia is trying to hide her powers—superhuman speed, telekinesis, and mind reading in particular—John's powers are growing. She must figure out if his powers are his own or merely her abilities rubbing off on him, which could be deadly. If he is powerful, Julia must strive to keep him safe from her dangerous family, but if they are hers, she has to separate herself from him. A road trip to California with Angus—who was kicked out of the family when Julia was asked to leave it in the previous volume—ultimately strains Julia's relationship with John but allows her to solve the mystery of her long-lost mother. Readers who like "normal" teens with supernatural powers, such as Scott Westerfeld's "Midnighters" and "Zeroes" series, will enjoy these less developed but similarly compelling characters. This installment continues the romance and ends as dramatically and twisty as Select.