Gr 10 Up-Emerson's latest dives deep into the troubled minds of a kidnapping victim-turned-suicide bomber and one of his would-be victims, each riddled with PTSD and trying to stay afloat in the wake of that traumatic day. Eli and Maya are brought together through highly dangerous circumstances-Eli has recently been strapped with explosives and set loose at the mall by his kidnapper in order to blow up everyone in his vicinity for the sake of an end-of-days ideology. Luckily, the bomb has a faulty wire and while mall-goer Maya's quick thinking and calm presence helps buy enough time for it to be diffused, their problems are far from over. The two struggle to deal with the aftermath of that day, each feeling as though a bomb has ripped through their lives regardless, leaving myriad physical and emotional scars. Tensions reach new heights as the anniversary of the event looms closer, with copycat killers emerging on the Internet and Eli's kidnapper seeming to be hidden around every corner, his words still embedded in Eli's own mind. Deeply disturbing on multiple fronts, this novel is not for the fainthearted. Issues of sexual assault, violence, animal abuse, and self-harm are explored. VERDICT Recommended for mature fans of Thirteen Reasons Why who can handle the subject matter.-Emily Grace Le May, -Williams School, Information Services Associate © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Eli's long-time kidnapper brainwashed him into entering a mall to detonate a bomb attached to his body; sixteen-year-old Maya saved their lives. Almost a year later, fifteen-year-old Eli is haunted by his trauma and terrified he's still a danger to others, while Maya suffers from anxiety, a hair-pulling disorder, and PTSD. This intense and disturbing novel ultimately offers a modicum of hope. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Maya Abrams and Elin Martinez first met when Elin was being used by his abusive kidnapper to blow up a local Seattle mall.The trauma of this day left them both with PTSD and the feeling that they were hopelessly broken. A year after the failed mall bombing, Maya and Elin, now using the name Eli Rivera to protect his identity, end up at the same high school. The two become close because of their shared experience even though they are not supposed to associate in order to protect Eli's identity. They both find everyday tasks, even socializing, difficult to manage, but Eli makes friends with another loner at school. As the anniversary of the mall bombing gets closer, they find that Gabriel, the man who orchestrated the mall bombing, is in fact not their greatest threat. Eli and his family are Latinx, Maya is white, and her girlfriend is biracial (Asian/white). Emerson's depictions of PTSD and anxiety ring true, allowing the reader to really get a feeling for what is going on in the characters' heads. This is a challenging book in which readers are witness to the moments that "break" Maya and Eli and watch as they struggle over and over yet succeed in slowly building themselves back up again. It is exhilarating to observe these characters reclaim their power.A moving read that will keep readers up late into the night. (Suspense. 15-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The news captured the story in real time Eli's failed attempt to detonate a bomb at a crowded mall and Maya's courageous act to stop him from trying a second time. One year later, both of them still suffer the scars of that event. Though Eli has returned to his family, the man who kidnapped and brainwashed him is still at large. And Maya cannot help but think that she should have died, that she doesn't belong in a world that has managed to move on. As the anniversary of the event approaches, the eyes of the nation are on them again, testing their unlikely friendship. Emerson has penned a serious book with a weighty topic dramatized through the alternating points of view of Maya and Eli. This moody, deliberately paced story is less about the sensationalism of violence and more about the aftermath experienced by those involved. Readers should be aware that this book delves into potentially upsetting territory. However, those who proceed will find an engrossing story of familiar pains and uncanny redemptions.--Reinhardt Suarez Copyright 2018 Booklist