Today in Jen's Library

Neal Shusterman is a genius. I think I may have to read everything he's written.

This series just keeps wowing me. The plot gets thicker, denser, richer. And it's not just the plot. The characters continue to mature as they encounter new adventures. It just keeps getting better. Is Mary really quite so bad as what we thought? Or is she worse? Is Allie being seduced by the wild side or is she learning new skills that can help her? Where is Shusterman taking us? Who cares?

Let me cite a few things I think are incredibly clever: first of all, the way the kids remain in the bodies and clothes they died in. One is dripping wet, one has a football helmet and a mouth guard through which he has to speak, one has chocolate all over his face, one has a cigarette perpetually hanging off his lip. And the way these features tend to exaggerate over time, the idea that they begin to look like their image of themselves - this is brilliant! Brilliant! Secondly, there are some scary things in the story. But they're not such that would spook a 10-year old or be inappropriately gory. It's just good old-fashioned suspense.

Nick Podehl is a fabulous narrator for this audiobook. His characterizations are spot on, and only enhance the telling of the story.

I cannot say enough about my love for this series. It is not to be missed.