Review: 29

29 by Nancy Pennick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I was absolutely blown away by this book! I'm so glad I took a chance on a vague description and dove into the wonderful world of the 29. I literally just finished the book and had to immediately record my review. Why haven't more people read this book? It was like the magically perfect blend of high school teen angst, sci-fi, and romance. If any of those things appeal to you, pick this book up now!

Allie is a high schooler with a crush. She's been trying out this independent woman gig after breaking up with her cheating ex but the mysterious lure of a boy in her class keeps drawing her attention. After dedicating her after school time to essentially stalking this boy until she found out more, it all pays off in a rather sudden and extremely rewarding way. In the blink of an eye, Allie and Lucas (the mystery boy) are a couple. I guess that's pretty typical in high school, but it was just as shocking and happy to me as I'm sure it was to Allie. Unfortunately, things aren't all unicorns and rainbows. Lucas has secrets and while he appears to get a grip on the hot/cold personality he wears, it's very clear that there is something he's holding back.

Allie, on the other hand, is pretty much an open book. She's got a loving family but her brother's are significantly older than her. On brother in particular, Doug, ends up becoming aggressive in his questioning of Allie soon after she and Lucas begin dating, raising all sorts of red flags. I don't want to spoil any of the twists and turns that this book delivers, but there is definitely oodles of conflict in Allie's future. She is forced to choose between her family, her friends, and the love of her life. I don't envy her the very tough choices she's forced to make in the course of this book.

Another highlight, other than the completely addictive mystery and action, was the wonderfully written characters. Allie's friends play as much a role in the story as she does and they were so much fun. I am *thrilled* to see that there are more books in this series, because there is no way that I can let this world go. If the first book in a series can knock my socks off, where can they go now that all the introduction is finished? I can't wait!

View all my reviews