Revived

Gr 7 Up—High school sophomore Daisy West has died 5 times in 15 years. Thanks to an experimental drug, Revive, she's been brought back to life each time. But being a beta test case for a super-secret government drug means that she's had to start over in a new town with a new name each time to maintain the secret. This time around, Daisy decides to take some risks, make friends, and be more like a normal teenager. Her new friends, Audrey and Matt, will bring her closer to death than she's ever been before and lead her to uncover secrets about Revive and her own past that someone will kill to protect. It's up to Daisy and Matt to find the answers and bring the truth to light before others are put in danger. This thriller gets off to a slow start, but once the mystery behind Revive begins to unravel, the plot picks up dramatically. While the actual secret and villain are fairly predictable, the book is an entertaining read with an interesting premise. Daisy's struggle with understanding death and how it can still impact her through the loss of a friend provides the book with a needed intensity and character depth. Readers who enjoyed the author's Forgotten (Little, Brown, 2011) will look forward to this newest "what if" story.—Stephanie Whelan, New York Public Library