Velocity

Gr 7 Up—Driver and tech duo Cassica and Shiara are the best racing team in Coppermouth, a tiny town in a postapocalyptic world not unlike that of Mad Max. The best friends' successes building and driving cars on the smaller circuits pique the interest of an agent, who offers them a chance to compete in the big leagues. Now with a sponsor, Cassica and Shiara might have what it takes to qualify for the biggest race of the year. But with better drivers and deadly Wreckers set on eliminating them, the girls must put their skills and friendship to the test to win, and even the smallest mistake might cost them their lives. This title blends the speed of NASCAR with the fight-to-the-death competition of The Hunger Games. The friction between Shiara's practical, safer analysis and Cassica's bolder gut reactions adds to the tension of the dangerous situations. References to the world beyond will heighten reader interest, but don't expect to get much information from or about the rest of the cast. The secondary characters have little development; many appear in just a single chapter or two. In addition, the wait between races can feel like being stuck at a red light, and there are few plot twists as payoff. Cassica and Shiara have great bantering dialogue, though, and are constantly the focus in an intriguing, if little-developed, setting.