Friday, June 3, 2016

Down With the Shine, by Kate Karyus Quinn

Be careful what you wish for.

Lennie Cash has always been kind of infamous around town. That's what happens when your father is on the FBI's Most Wanted List. So when Lennie's best friend disappears and turns up dead, well... Let's just say that most people suspect that Lennie may have had a hand in what happened to Dylan. Even if that's not the truth. Hoping to fulfill an item on Dyl's bucket list, Lennie attends Queen Bee Michalea Gordon's annual party. And with her she brings some of her uncles' moonshine. As moonshine tradition dictates, Lennie urges each drinker to make a wish and then have a toast, "May all your wishes come true, or at least this one."

Then something strange happens: The next day, those wishes DO come true. Unknown to Lennie, the uncles' moonshine isn't just any old ordinary moonshine. It's magical and has the power to grant a single wish to each drinker. Unfortunately, the shine interprets the wishes in the most literal sense possible. And, in most cases, that's a bad thing.

That being the case, what does it mean for Lennie's wish for Dylan to be alive again?

Down With the Shine is an odd book for author Kate Karys QuinnCharacters aren't always likable, but they're well-developed. The suspenseful plot is slightly reminicent of The Monkey's Paw (it will definitely make you re-think what you do next time you are urged to "make a wish"). Mature topics and scenarios may not make this book the best selection for younger teens and tweens. However, it's a great choice for someone looking for something unique. --AJB

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