Sekret

Gr 9 Up—Set in the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, this bildungsroman follows Yulia Andreevna Chernina, 17, as she discovers a secret her parents have kept hidden her entire life: she is psychic. Yulia can soak up memories and emotions of anything or anyone she touches. Her journey to realizing her abilities and discovering love is told through dazzling first-person narration, thought-provoking flashbacks, and vivid memories. Yulia's father had left in search of help and a better life, but before he could return, his family is captured by the KaGeBezniks (KGB). Yulia is terrified to find herself locked in a warehouse with other psychics and a monstrous "scrubber" who can scrub away memories and control thoughts. With the fates of her brother and her mother hanging over her head, Yulia agrees to develop her powers in the psychic school while biding her time to snatch her freedom. The teen is a vivacious, clever character with a voice full of spellbinding imagery and wit. Smith mesmerizes readers with sprints and twists in the plot while revealing the incredible level of abuse doled out by the Russian government. Readers will be begging for Yulia and Valentin to make their escape into the sunset. A debut historical thriller.—Jamie-Lee Schombs, Loyola School, New York City