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Scott, Elizabeth
10 Reviews
(2)
YA
Emma's mother had a massive stroke; now machines keep her heart beating so the baby growing inside her can live. When reputed bad boy Caleb pushes the magazine cart through the hospital waiting room and stares at Emma through his shaggy hair, readers know these two will connect. Scott's well-tuned ear for both dialogue and inner turmoil makes for a compelling ripped-from-the-headlines read.
Reviewer: Lauren Adams
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2014
(3)
YA
Rising senior Megan is the only survivor of a plane crash and feels like anything but the miracle her family and friends proclaim her to be. As she floats through her life, she learns what it really means to be seen. The introspective narration packs a powerful and profound punch as it explores (without naming) PTSD.
Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff
(4)
YA
Abby is living in the shadow of her sister Tess, who's in a coma. When she meets Eli, she's convinced he can bring Tess back; she just never planned on falling for him. While fighting her feelings, Abby discovers a life-changing secret. There's an overabundance of melodrama and angst throughout; however, readers will be gratified to witness Abby restarting her life.
Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham
(2)
YA
Ava has no memory of her current life as a more-or-less average teen. In fleeting visions, she remembers being trained as an informer by the government, then falling in love with the boy she was assigned to monitor. In this purposefully disorienting novel, Scott allows readers to immerse themselves in Ava's dizzying, seductive back-and-forth between parallel worlds.
Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2011
(2)
YA
Grace detonates the bomb that had been strapped to her body--but not before stepping far enough away to survive the explosion. After years of extreme manipulation and deprivation, she realizes she deserves a life of her own. The story unfolds during a harrowing train trip--Grace's slim hope of escaping punishment for disobeying orders. Scott's near-claustrophobic dystopian tale is intense and riveting.
Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2010
(4)
YA
Sarah has liked Ryan since eighth grade, and now she's jealous that he's her best friend Brianna's boyfriend. When she finds out Ryan likes her back, Sarah knows she'll hurt Brianna if she gives in to her feelings. The narration is sometimes overdramatic, but Sarah's emotional mixture of guilt, joy, and growing self-assurance is realistic, resisting easy resolution.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
(3)
YA
Hannah, daughter of a Hugh Hefner–esque absent father and a mother who runs (and headlines) a racy website, just wants a little anonymity. But an undesired spotlight helps her connect with her mother about disappointment, fear, and love, and also reveals Hannah's crush for who he really is. Scott's ear for clever, realistic dialogue breathes life into the characters.
Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor
(2)
YA
One teen's grief is heart-wrenchingly explored in this affecting novel. Released from an alcohol rehab center, Amy's therapy includes journal writing. She addresses her entries to Julia, who died in a car crash, and slowly, the story of what happened comes together. Scott takes no shortcuts with characterization; everyone from Amy's taciturn love interest to Julia herself--an outgoing, loyal enabler--is shaded with nuance.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2009
(2)
YA
Kidnapped and raped when she was ten years old, Alice, now fifteen and still held captive, is forced to lure a child to be her successor. Alice's flat, curt voice reflects her emptiness and despair. Lurid details of abuse are suggested obliquely in a horrifyingly matter-of-fact style. Scott's novel is repellent in exact proportion to the brilliance of its execution.
Reviewer: Patty Campbell
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2008
(3)
YA
Eighteen-year-old Danielle and her mother are con artists and thieves. They roll into the seaside town of Heaven where Dani, despite her best efforts, is befriended by an overly trusting rich girl and a handsome cop with a complicated past. Dani's sharp, clipped narration effectively reflects her precarious situation--both physical and emotional--in this coming-of-age story.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
10 reviews
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