Catalyst

By Kristin Smith
Lexile = ?

I think I bought this book by accident. Someone recommended The Deception Game and this is listed as Deception Game, Book one. Although this is solid YA fiction, I don't think it is the one I was searching for and now I can't find the other! Anyway....

Catalyst reminds me of The Testing by Charbonneau, and Uglies, by Westerfeld.

Here is the story: Sienna Preston was NOT genetically modified like many of her generation. She was also not matched at birth with her future perfect spouse like many of her peers. When her Father is killed (page 4... no spoilers here), Sienna becomes defacto parent to her little sister as her Mother spirals into drink and depression. Sienna accepts work as a thief-for-hire and takes on a job that is WAAAY out of her league.

It seemed that the author really wanted to get into the conflict of the story a bit too quickly. Page one, Sienna is at her school fussing over her red hair and freckles. Page eight, a meeting with the "Devil". Page fourteen, she has a miniskirt and a Harley and forced into accepting a murder for hire job. Huh. Once the story settled down, I was ok with it, but that first part moved too fast for me. Not enough character development....

Sienna's story becomes more compelling and a love triangle develops. We have the sequel here in the library as well. Oh! And this was published by CleanTeenPublishing, so it's not too edgy, either! Watch a trailer made by the publisher HERE.