This Is Not the End

Three weeks before Lake Devereaux’s 18th birthday, her best friend, Penny, and boyfriend, Will, are killed in a car accident. Baker (Teen Frankenstein) sets her novel in a near future where resurrection technology allows every 18-year-old to bring one person back to life, leaving Lake with a big, imminent decision. Further complicating her choice is a secret (and illegal) vow made to her family years before, in which she promised her resurrection to someone who hasn’t yet died. The sweetness of Lake’s burgeoning relationship with Ringo, a boy haunted by his own resurrection choice, counterbalances the story’s themes of death and grief. Through Ringo, Lake’s eyes open to a world outside her insular, long-standing friendship with Penny and Will. Baker never makes Lake’s relationships with her late friends seem unimportant or childish as she delicately illustrates Lake’s growing realization that life is for the living, even in a world in which death doesn’t quite mean what it once did. Lake’s journey of self-discovery is emotional and surprising, and will stay with readers. Ages 14–up. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House. (Aug.)