Genre: Futuristic, Mystery
# of Pages: 360
RAC: Yes
In the town of Claysoot all men are taken at midnight on the night they turn eighteen while the entire town watches. This has been happening since the beginning of the town’s existence, but no one knows what happens to these teens or who is behind it. After watching his brother Blaine get taken, Gray learns they are in fact twins. Therefore, he knows whomever is taking these teens did not know this or else he would’ve been taken too. He decided to take the deadly trip to climb over the wall that surrounds the town in order to find out exactly what is going on and who is controlling all of them. Emma, his childhood friend, follows him and climbs the wall too. What will they find on the other side of the wall? Will they live long enough to find out?
Another offering in the rapidly growing dystopian genre, this book will easily find an audience. The details of the rustic town they live in give the reader an idea of what life was like growing up in Claysoot. For example, Emma and her mother work as the town’s only healers. Many of their priorities and rituals seems a bit shocking, but this town is trying to survive without any adult men so simple ideas of getting married and having families suddenly become an impossibility. The characters that are introduced are colorful, multi-dimensional, and full of a desire to learn the truth no matter what the cost. My high schoolers are waiting in line for this title.
Young Adult Book Reviews 
just wondering if this book is appropriate for younger teens. I have a few 12 and 13 year olds that would like to read this for a book club pick but I haven’t yet read it. Thanks for your advise!
That is really up to you, but be advised that there are several references made to casual sex. In this community the men are all “taken” on their 18th birthday so the community pairs them up quite a bit before that in order to ensure the colony does not die out. Nothing is graphic, but is definitely referenced to. Just an fyi.