Shattered

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
With this first book in a riveting seven-book series about seven apparently unconnected teens, author Scott Wallens delivers a hard-hitting story of complex relationships and mental anguish.

In Week 1: Shattered, we're introduced to seven teens, all of whom are strangely linked by one dark event that continues to plague each. The story begins with a dream of wheelchair-bound Peter, in which his six peers, as youngsters, desperately call on him for aid. Peter's dream is eerily similar to one being experienced by Week 1's primary character, Meena, a sporty girl who inexplicably descends into smoking, drugs, and self-abuse. The story rockets to its explosive conclusion when her father's vile best friend comes into the picture, and Meena makes a startling confession. In between, we meet the other main characters: Danny, who is battling an addiction to medication; Josh and Jeremy, whose friendship is about to change drastically; Jane; Karyn; and Reed.

Week 1 is absorbing and observant, a powerful launch to this dramatic series. Meena's struggles with her inner demons are brought shockingly to life, and the other characters' stories are equally potent. The next six books promise to be as good as the first, and readers will be itching to delve deeper into these teens' lives. (Matt Warner)

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Pete has nightmares about six childhood friends who are begging him to help them. Just as in real life, he is bound to a wheelchair and can't assist them as they scream out his name. Meena has begun to drink, smoke, and use drugs, and she stays to herself most times. What her friends and family don't know is that she is being molested by a family friend. Danny is fighting against using the drugs his psychiatrist has prescribed to "calm down." Jeremy has good looks and an attractive girlfriend, but his encounters with Josh are causing him to feel something else deep inside. Jane is considered a "brainiac," since she is obsessed with good grades. A terrible incident happened seven years ago to these teens that is causing all of them to experience nightmares, and the eerie aftereffects are spilling into their waking lives. This first installment in a seven-book series grips readers instantly. Several of the seven friends are introduced and highlighted as they experience real anguish and pain in their own dramas. The author gives subtle clues as to the pivotal event, but doesn't let the audience off even as the last word is read. Other cliff-hanging series, such as Francine Pascal's "Fearless" (Pocket), have the same intensity, but the situations in "Sevens" are achingly more realistic. Teens will clamor for each new installment to find out what happened to these engaging individuals.-Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.