Sixteen Minutes

Nell and Cole and Stevie B have been best friends forever, even after Nell and Cole started dating. When a new girl shows up, and Cole starts acting strange, Nell worries that she may be losing him. Using what she learned from Cole about pickpocketing, Nell steals Charlotte’s phone to see that Cole and Charlotte are meeting later. When Cole’s younger sister ends up in the hospital, the meeting is canceled. Nell’s feisty personality and committed determination lead her to an invitation for their next meeting where she and Stevie B learn that either Cole (and Charlotte) are crazy, or there is more to the universe than either of them believed.

If Blake Crouch were to write young adult, this would be it. The plot is compelling and drives this tale without sacrificing character development, and the pace just keeps barreling toward an impossible decision. It cannot be put down! The science terms are easy to understand. The love triangle seems vaguely Twilight inspired, but handled beautifully. It’s a stunning story of family, first loves, forever friends, and the lengths at which one will go to save everything that was built and everyone who is loved. Excellent.