Monday, November 28, 2011

Langston, Laura. Last Ride.


Langston, Laura.   Last Ride.   
Orca  2011  130p  9.95  978-1-55469-416-7 ms/hs
      Realistic Fiction       VG    

Tom vows to give up street racing after a
crash he caused took the life of his best friend.  Tensions mount with Tom’s
money woes and a possible haunting by Logan’s ghost.  Orca continues to
produce adrenaline pumping titles, accessible to reluctant readers, yet popular
with almost all teens.   Langston has offered no less.  In sparse prose that
still manages some evocative imagery, she takes the reader on a series of even
increasing, momentum-building obstacles to Tom’s well being.  Financial woes,
the possible loss of car and home, romantic and ethical dilemmas, and the
possible haunting by Logan’s ghost each create layers of tension, making this a
page-turner.  Even if the ending is predictable, it is well worth the “ride.”  A
good choice for reluctant  high school readers.       Naismith, Pat

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