The Thousandth Floor

Gr 10 Up—One hundred years in the future, New York City's skyline has been dramatically altered by the addition of a 1,000-story tower. The wealthy dwell in the upmost levels, while those who support the infrastructure of the tower live below. The book opens with an unidentified young woman plunging to her death from the penthouse. The remainder of the title flashes back two months and follows the points of view of five teens. Perfect Avery Fuller lives in the penthouse. She harbors a secret love for her adopted brother, Atlas. Meanwhile, her best friend, Leda, is tentatively dating Atlas. Cool girl Eris is about to lose everything. Rylin, who works for party boy Cord, tries to juggle her feelings for her boss with her loyalty to her incarcerated boyfriend. All of these plotlines intersect with the expected amount of fashion, scandal, partying, drug use, and hookups. Readers will spend time wondering which teen's dark secret would lead her to jump or be pushed from the tower. This will be gobbled up by fans of "Gossip Girl" and its ilk. High-tech elements are prevalent throughout, but it is the characters who will keep young adults reading.