Who Is Mackie Spence?

Gr 6–10—Mackie, 16, appears to be a normal high school junior, but lifelong friend and fellow wildlife-shelter volunteer Jeremy discovers that she has the ability to heal animals in this bland paranormal romance that incorporates classical Greek mythology. During the summer before their junior year, Mackie nearly drowns when her family's boat capsizes off the Oregon coast. She is in a coma for a week, but recovers without any obvious side effects, except her unusual new power, tied to Akeso, the Greek goddess of healing. Shortly after the accident, she dumpsher boyfriend Brody, star athlete, cross-country team member with Jeremy, and a guy who's used to getting any girl he wants. As the school year starts, Brody, a senior, already has a new girlfriend, but he's not taking the breakup with Mackie well and is jealous of any guy who's interested in her. Brody's excessive jealousy ultimately threatens Mackie's life. This debut suffers from occasional verb tense inconsistencies and the frequent use of italics to emphasize "important moments" is overdone. The plot isn't complex enough to prevent readers from anticipating events long before they happen. Strictly additional.—Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton