Unmarked

Gr 8 Up—Starting off 19 days after Unbreakable (Little, Brown, 2013) ended, Kennedy Waters's story continues as she deals with her mother's death and having unknowingly released the demon Andras from bondage. The teen is struggling with the aftereffects of her mistake and the fact that being Unmarked, her connection to the Legion (a group of teens whose charge is to protect the world from demon invasion) is increasingly tenuous. Separated from the Legion and forcibly placed at Winterhaven Academy by her aunt, Kennedy is helplessly aware of the havoc that the loose demon is causing. Unspeakable evil has been unleashed upon the world and young girls (who bare a remarkable resemblance to Kennedy) go missing daily without a trace. When Jared discovers the protagonist's whereabouts, he reunites her with the rest of the group. Kennedy's unmarked status makes it obvious that for mere survival, the missing fifth member of the Legion needs to be found as soon as possible. In their quest to find the mystery member, the teens soon discover just how deep Kennedy's past is entwined in the groups' existence. The story's twists and turns have riveting appeal and will keep readers engaged with a perfect balance of romance, fantasy, adventure, and intrigue. The narrative pace is fast and filled with suspenseful anticipation from the start. The Boston setting allows the author to interweave historic sites and events into the fantastical story line.—Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA