Solitary by Travis Thrasher

Reviewed by: Lara M. Van Hulzen

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Publisher: David C. Cook

Publication Date: September 1, 2010

Rating: PG-13

Thriller. Suspense. Page-Turner. Any one of these can be used to describe the book, Solitary.

When Chris moves to Solitary, North Carolina with his mom to start a new life after a nasty divorce, he learns quickly that everything around him is not quite right. He falls almost immediately in love with a girl at school named Jocelyn. Everyone in town warns him to stay away from her, but no one will tell him exactly why.

The town bully won’t leave Chris alone, and a kid named Ray invites him to church, but even things at church seem creepy. Chris knows he is being watched every moment, but he isn’t sure who is watching.

Rebellious and anxious to know what is going on, Chris fights for Jocelyn and learns that something truly evil is after her. He attempts to save her, but doesn’t even know exactly what he is up against.

The characters in Solitary are believable and any sixteen year-old could relate to Chris and his high school experience. The spiritual issues he faces are not the norm, but the insecurities and relationships are definitely real. Solitary is promoted as Young Adult fiction, but readers of any age will enjoy the fast pace and intrigue on every page.

Solitary is the first book in a series. I honestly hope the next few books come quickly. I can hardly wait to keep reading.

*Review copy provided by publisher

Note: These are Christian books and they are fabulous – but they are not recommended for younger readers. Fifteen years old is probably the perfect age for this series.