For seventeen-year-old Shaun Treadway, terror and rage are a way of life. Living with the fear that his abusive stepfather will one day kill his mother, Shaun decides to kill him first—by setting fire to his childhood home with his stepfather inside.

Fleeing Baltimore to his mother’s hometown in West Virginia, he hides out in his family’s isolated cabin. Except the small town of Blackthorn Peak is anything but welcoming. The streets are deserted, there is no sign of life, and at the end of Main Street is the creepiest abandoned building he’s ever seen: Blackthorn Peak Lunatic Asylum.

Investigating the grounds, Shaun meets the elusive and mysterious Cass. Thrilled to find someone his own age, he asks her on a date. On the night they’re supposed to meet, though, Cass desperately tries to get him to leave. Running into the asylum, she tells him to never return.

He decides to do just that—leave. This girl and this town are far too creepy for him to stay. But when he hears Cass’s scream, he can’t help but rush into the building. What he discovers once inside is far darker and more sinister than even his worst nightmare. Uncovering the secrets that Cass keeps just might cost him his life.

One of the best books published this year, subtle yet fascinating. Tracy Hewitt Meyer’s straightforward style of writing blended with the depth of the story is remarkable.

Highlights: The depth of character background added color to a seemingly dull narrative, especially regarding the “bad guys.” Uncommon in many books, this is done impressively; after all, we readers love to know the why and who of a story’s antagonists.

Each character is distinct; how each talks and thinks differentiates them noticeably. Mood and setting are clearly defined. The flow of the story is very easy to follow; there are no unnecessary turns or subplots that ruin the reading.

The title is interesting; initially I thought it was one of those war-action-hero kinds of reads, but I have to admit I was surprised as I navigated the material to the end.

The only low point is the ending. In my opinion, for a good book like this, an ambiguous ending was a poor choice. A lot of questions remain unanswered. Maybe this is with a sequel in mind, but I think the author owed us an ending with a bang.

However, I will stick with what I have said: that this is a must-read and must-have young adult book, one of the best this year. Well done!

-Kevin Velayo