The Chaos of Stars

Gr 8 Up—Life is lonely when you're the 16-year-old mortal daughter of Egyptian gods. Isadora has been constantly reminded of her mortality ever since her parents, Isis and Osiris, showed her her own tomb as a young girl. Tired of her family's long history of feuding and scheming, she is counting the days until she is old enough to get away and live a normal life. That opportunity arrives when some bad dreams and an unexpected visitor cause Isis to send the teen to live with relatives in San Diego because home is no longer safe. Thinking that she is finally out of her parents' reach, Isadora is quickly proven wrong when she learns that her mother wants her to volunteer at a local museum to earn her allowance. Although she is wary of relationships, she can't resist befriending Tyler, a feisty girl and fellow volunteer. And despite her belief that love leads to chaos and disaster, Isadora gets close to Tyler's gorgeous poet friend, Ry. The strong bonds she forms help her appreciate her parents and embrace love for the sake of loving. White cleverly uses Egyptian mythology to depict teenage angst and generational conflict in a light, witty style. Although the characters are simplistic, the themes are clear and well executed. Readers looking for a fresh take on paranormal stories will find a lot to love in this romance.—Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York City