Watch Over Me

October 1, 2019
After a horrific domestic violence incident, Zoey Ward and her family finally find their footing in Las Vegas only to have their lives overturned by a house fire. Learning that her father has been recently released from prison, Zoey suspects he had something to do with the blaze. After their lives go up in flames, literally, Zoey along with her mom and her younger siblings, Kate and Cole, flee Las Vegas with the help of her older brother, Will, and his best friend, Tristan. They take refuge in California, where Tristan and his sister welcome them into a world where things seem hopeful and more stable than anything they have ever known. Yet the fear of being hunted down by her father consumes Zoey. The story is narrated from Zoey's and Tristan's first-person perspectives, and Gray (Run Away With Me, 2017, etc.) has masterfully captured the uncertainty and terror that come from domestic violence. Tristan and Zoey share a budding romance in which Zoey slowly but surely learns to love and be loved in a nondestructive, healthy way despite her fears and reservations. With everything she has been through, Zoey is the underdog readers will find themselves rooting for. Gray spares no detail in this intense tale. All characters are assumed to be white; Tristan is dyslexic, and there are several queer characters. An unflinching portrayal of the devastating effects of domestic violence. (Fiction. 16-adult)

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November 1, 2019

Gr 10 Up-Zoey is almost 19, but her life is on hold because she has to help her mother care for her younger siblings. Her father, a former cop, is in jail for assaulting her mother. Zoey testified against him and lives in fear that he will get out and find where they live. When their apartment and car are set on fire, Zoey learns that he has been released, but there is no definitive proof that he set the fire. Zoey's older brother Will and his best friend Tristan come to the rescue, moving the family to California within walking distance of the beach. Will is leaving for a Marine deployment, but Tristan promises his friend to look out for the family. Tristan is older and has been a bit of a player in the past, but he and Zoey have instant chemistry that makes him want to change his ways. Readers see Tristan and Zoey grow closer and fall in love from each of their perspectives in alternating chapters. Meanwhile, however, the threat of Zoey's father grows greater. VERDICT While clichéd and predictable, the action never lets up and the romance is hot and heavy. Recommended where the author's other books are popular.-Laura Gardner, Dartmouth Middle School, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2019
Grades 10-1 In this steamy romance, Zoey, 18, and her family are hiding from their abusive father, who tried to murder their mother. He should still be in prison but was released early and is threatening to hunt Zoey down and kill her for testifying against him. Zoey's older brother Will's childhood friend Tristan finds them a place to stay in San Diego. Tristan is in the coast guard and has promised Zoey's brother he'll keep them safe. Both Tristan and Zoey struggle with commitment and trust issues, so their inevitable romance begins as a slow burn before turning hot and sexy. Except for a flashback, they recount their story in alternating first-person, present-tense chapters giving readers a window into their thoughts and feelings. Zoey's younger siblings play vital roles in the plot, even though they aren't the story's focus. This romantic and sometimes violent tale starts with a bang that will draw older teens and new adults in, and it doesn't let up until the end.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2019

Gr 10 Up-Zoey is almost 19, but her life is on hold because she has to help her mother care for her younger siblings. Her father, a former cop, is in jail for assaulting her mother. Zoey testified against him and lives in fear that he will get out and find where they live. When their apartment and car are set on fire, Zoey learns that he has been released, but there is no definitive proof that he set the fire. Zoey's older brother Will and his best friend Tristan come to the rescue, moving the family to California within walking distance of the beach. Will is leaving for a Marine deployment, but Tristan promises his friend to look out for the family. Tristan is older and has been a bit of a player in the past, but he and Zoey have instant chemistry that makes him want to change his ways. Readers see Tristan and Zoey grow closer and fall in love from each of their perspectives in alternating chapters. Meanwhile, however, the threat of Zoey's father grows greater. VERDICT While clich�d and predictable, the action never lets up and the romance is hot and heavy. Recommended where the author's other books are popular.-Laura Gardner, Dartmouth Middle School, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.