Just Call My Name

June 1, 2014
Sam and Riddle are slowly adjusting to a newly stable environment, having found a home with the Bell family after narrowly escaping their murderous father's intents (I'll Be There, 2011).Though the boys are now separated from their father, this sequel explores the ongoing impact of the years of abuse. Twelve-year-old Riddle is largely illiterate, and 17-year-old Sam has had little formal schooling, leaving him uncertain about his future despite his intellect and musical talents. Fear of burdening their loved ones coupled with a strong desire to protect them makes the boys reluctant to share their concerns. Riddle hides his deep terror that his father will return, an event he believes is inevitable, while Sam conceals his anxieties about being labeled an academic failure. Consequently, miscommunications develop, most notably straining Sam's genuinely deep romantic connection with Emily Bell. Witnessing the unraveling of the strong emotional ties that were forged in the previous book is difficult. But when Sloan take something away, she replaces it, and several secondary characters who begin the story with less-than-admirable motivations are redeemed in the end, delivering an ultimately hopeful message about how friendships and families can form.Sure to be savored by fans of the first installment. (Fiction. 12-18)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-After 10 years on the run with their paranoid schizophrenic father, brothers Sam and Riddle have found a home with Emily's family. Sam enrolls in school after a long hiatus, and Riddle emerges from his protective shell. Sam and Emily's burgeoning relationship is tenderly romantic in its authenticity. The boy finally breathes a sigh of relief-but should he? Their father, Clarence, has escaped from jail with plans of revenge. Newcomer Destiny, figuratively and literally, sets her sights on Sam and is taking no prisoners. What should have been the summer of love for the young couple ends in a dramatic confrontation with the violent Clarence. Fans of Sloan's I'll Be There (Little, Brown, 2011) will be thrilled to be reunited with Sam, Riddle, and Emily in this immensely satisfying, heartfelt, and lyrical sequel. The author's simplistic writing style allows readers to connect intimately with the characters and makes for a truly compelling novel. The only flaw in an otherwise outstanding book is a too-tidy ending. Sloan succeeds in skillfully combining the tenderness of young love, various distinct voices, and fast-paced action. Teens need not have read the first book to understand the protagonists' background, appreciate where they are, and hope for the best for their bright futures.-Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
Grades 9-12 Emily is looking forward to a mellow summer working at Ferdinand's Fine French Restaurant; spending time with her boyfriend, Sam; and helping to teach his little brother, Riddle, how to read. It all starts out swimmingly, but before long, some unforeseen circumstances threaten to send her ideal summer off the rails. How could she know that an effervescent and worldly stranger with a sketchy past would roll into town and set her sights on Sam? Or that Sam and Riddle's criminally insane father was plotting a desperate and elaborate jailbreak to exact revenge on the family who stole his sons' hearts and loyalty ? Destinies collide in Sloan's thrilling sequel to her heart-wrenching I'll Be There (2011). The fast-paced plot, complex story lines, and compelling characters grab readers from the get-go. This story of redemption will satisfy both new readers and fans of her work through to its brief but suspense-filled ending. Hand to followers of Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
Sam and Riddle (I'll Be There) are finally free of their abusive father, Clarence. When an alluring drifter girl named Destiny comes to town, Sam's relationship with Emily Bell is tested, but romantic drama takes a backseat when Clarence breaks out of jail to kidnap Emily. Cinematic scene transitions and snappy perspective shifts ramp up the tension in this lively, tender, satisfying sequel.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2014
Sensitive seventeen-year-old Sam and his precocious younger brother Riddle (I'll Be There, rev. 7/11) are finally free of their abusive father, Clarence, and under the care of the benevolent Bell family. With Clarence behind bars, the boys enjoy new freedoms and privileges, but while Riddle thrives, Sam -- living alone and starting college -- struggles to quell his anxiety and adjust his priorities. When an alluring drifter girl named Destiny comes to town, Sam's relationship with Emily Bell is tested, but romantic drama takes a backseat to suspense when Clarence breaks out of jail to kidnap Emily. Cinematic scene transitions and snappy shifts in perspective ramp up the tension as friends and family piece together the details of Emily's disappearance. Sloan's distinctive narrative style dips in and out of the minds of the characters both major and minor -- Emily's beleaguered younger brother and the audacious Destiny are notable players in the cast, and the entertainingly hapless poseur, Bobby Ellis, is back to redeem himself. The unique chorus-style narration casts an otherwise straightforward search-and-rescue story against a rich landscape of community, where individual lives and personal decisions matter a great deal. This sequel is lively, tender, and satisfying. jessica tackett macdonald

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)