Synchronicity

For years Lila has known she can sometimes hear other people’s thoughts, but why is she now having vivid, disturbing dreams involving Wesley, the new guy in her class?  When her teacher springs a group project Lila assumes she’ll pick her best friend, Sara, as her partner, however, Wesley asks her to choose him.  When they visit the store after school to pick up project supplies they’re concerned to find a picture of Lila on the missing children’s board.  Add to that, that arriving back at her house they find the place vandalized, and her parents…  Soon Wesley and Lila are on the run and Lila knows that life will never be the same again.

Readers will be gripped from the opening of this novel as Lila, Wesley, and Sara tell their story.  The first half is well-written and keeps one engaged as Lila tries to discover who she is and she and Wesley fight their growing attraction.  Unfortunately, it feels that in the second half the author loses her way and the story meanders along, becoming more confusing before eventually petering out in a cliffhanger with nothing resolved.  The characters from the first half become different people, especially as the focus shifts from sci-fi to romance.  The concept of Lila’s gifts is interesting, but anyone familiar with the X-Men movies may feel this story has been told before.  However, with some reworking of the second half of the book this novel would be enthralling. 

Heather Belleguelle