Not Even Bones

Author Schaeffer debuts with a dark fantasy tale of survival. In Peru, 17-year-old Nita’s mother hunts and kills “unnaturals,” supernatural beings who coexist with humans, and her father sells their body parts online. Nita, herself a self-healing unnatural, has the grim task of dissecting the corpses, though she likes it just fine. After Nita comes up against one hard and fast moral line she won’t cross—slicing pieces from a live specimen, a boy—she defies her cruel mother, who doesn’t take disobedience lightly. This sets off a chain of events that plunges Nita further into the black market world, only this time as a commodity rather than a supplier. Occasionally graphic and frequently featuring unthinkable conflicts, the narrative spotlights the importance of bodily autonomy and offers readers a glimpse into a murderous us-vs.-them mindset. The thrilling plot proves thought-provoking, and it concludes with more questions than answers. Ages 14–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. [em](Sept.) [/em]