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From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course.
"An utter page-turner. Goodman's voice is razor-sharp and keenly precise. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn!" —Tiffany D. Jackson NYT Bestselling Author of White Smoke and Grown
Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.
The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. At first, Ellie and Stella view the new star athlete as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend to share her secrets. Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong—she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.
With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 27, 2021 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593114339
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593114339
- File size: 3044 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 4.9
- Lexile® Measure: 740
- Interest Level: 9-12(UG)
- Text Difficulty: 3-4
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Reviews
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June 1, 2021
Edgewater is famous for two things: the unsolved murders of three teen cross-country runners 10 years ago and the events of the previous summer when Stella Steckler did something unforgivable to a competitor. Cross-country runners and sisters Stella and Ellie are brutal, tender--and out for blood when it comes to one another. Stella is focused on running as her ticket out of town and into college on a sports scholarship; her similarly gifted younger sister is slowly making her way into the top spot on their high school team. When newcomer Mila Keene joins the team, the sisters become entangled in a complex and ambivalent dynamic with her. When Mila goes missing while out on a run, it throws the sisters, their team, and the whole town into upheaval. Alternating first-person perspectives between Stella and Ellie, this thriller lays out two primary narratives--that of Mila's heartbreaking case and the relationship between Stella and Ellie--and expertly layers them with a cold-case murder mystery and an exhilarating sports tale. This novel is also a thoughtful examination of socio-economic challenges, the impact of crushing personal secrets, and the ways female athletes suffer under the weight of misogyny, especially when they are aggressively competitive. Most characters read as White; the Steckler family is Jewish, and Stella is queer. Naomi, Mila's best friend, is Korean American and lesbian. A deftly layered sports thriller populated with fierce girls. (Thriller. 14-18)COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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September 1, 2021
Gr 9 Up-Stella and Ellie Steckler are sisters and cross-country runners, both with their sights on big-time college scholarships. Stella is focused and intense; her world revolves around running. Ellie (aka Baby Steckler) is equally formidable as a runner, but manages to find a balance between athletics and a seemingly normal social life. Their way of life, though, comes with its own hiccups (false accusations, secret relationships, an unplanned pregnancy). But while the sisters seem to be running parallel to one another, literally and metaphorically, both bond with the new girl in town. Another strong runner, Mila brings out the best in them, even if she is also competition for college scouts' attention. But when Mila is found murdered, the Steckler sisters are prime suspects. How will the sisters clear their names when their past mistakes-real and assumed-haunt their community? High stakes and elite athletics, small-town mysteries, and family secrets all provide the right backdrop for this psychological thriller akin to Malinda Lo's A Line in the Dark, Diana Peterfreund's "Clue Mysteries," and Kara Thomas's The Cheerleaders. VERDICT A strong choice for YA thriller shelves.-Jennifer Miskec, Longwood Univ., Farmville, VA
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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