Stealing Infinity

Gr 9 Up–Natasha is heading down the wrong path: poor grades, bad attitude. Her mother is sinking after the death of Natasha’s father, and Natasha feels doomed to a life of struggle. The only good in her life is her best friend Mason, a fabulous fashion-forward Black teen, and bright, blonde, beautiful Elodie, who chooses Natasha to be her friend. At a bar while skipping class with Elodie, Natasha is hypnotized and awakens at Grey Wolf Island, a refuge for misfit young people who live in the lap of luxury under the watchful eye and direction of billionaire Arthur Blackstone. Natasha isn’t sure of anything; angry at being there and disgusted at herself and her inability to do anything “right,” she lashes out. The long inner dialogue Natasha conducts with herself makes the story uneven, extends the page numbers unnecessarily, and can be frustrating to readers. She learns that the reason they are there is to time travel to specific locations to “get” things for Arthur. Digging deeper, she becomes certain that it has something to do with her father and the lessons he gave her before his death. Might she have the special insight and skills to achieve Arthur’s dream—and does she want to?