Adrenaline Crush

Gr 9 Up—Dyna is a young daredevil and outdoor challenge junkie who loves nothing more than reveling in the mountains and forests of her mid-Hudson Valley home. The teen comes by her thrill-seeking naturally from tattooed and free-spirited parents and an older brother whose addiction is skydiving. A fast and flirty bike ride with a guy from school turns dangerous: Her impromptu cliff climb leads to a desperate fall into a shallow part of the swimming hole—and a splintering open break on her ankle. Doctors warn that it may not ever be right again. Jay, then just an afternoon's diversion, was there to get her help, maybe even save her life, and the two become romantically involved as Dyna attempts to recover. He is a little tame for wild-girl Dyna, but the chastened and more subdued daredevil likes him just fine. Her mom forces Dyna to sessions at a wellness center for physical and mental therapy, and that brings Pierce into the picture. A young injured veteran, who lost his leg in the course of saving another soldier overseas, Pierce assists Dyna's therapy group and challenges her assumptions about where her life will go next. Among the other wounded souls trying to put their lives back together, Dyna gains a new kind of strength. Thoughtful teens will enjoy this satisfying read with well-crafted characters and a nice sense of place.—Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA