Chasing Power

by Sarah Beth Durst

Overview

Sixteen-year-old Kayla was born with the ability to move things with her mind-things like credit cards and buttons on cash registers-and she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again . . . which would mean grave danger for them both.

When she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel-a boy with the ability to teleport-he needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family-and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive…or survive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802737564
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	10/14/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	14 Years

About the Author

SARAH BETH DURST is the author of the young adult novels Conjured, Vessel, Drink Slay Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice, as well as the middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. Sarah lives with her husband and children in Stony Brook, New York.
SarahBethDurst.com
@sarahbethdurst
SARAH BETH DURST is the author of the young adult novels Conjured, Vessel, Drink Slay Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice, as well as the middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. Sarah lives with her husband and children in Stony Brook, New York.
SarahBethDurst.com
@sarahbethdurst

Editorial Reviews

08/11/2014
Kayla and her mother, Moonbeam, live in disguise—they fear Kayla’s father will discover them and kill Kayla like he did Kayla’s sister. Kayla resents this life in hiding because it also means keeping her telekinetic powers a secret. Disobeying her mother, Kayla regularly uses her power to steal until a handsome teleporter, Daniel, threatens to reveal Kayla’s secret if she doesn’t use her gift to help him find his kidnapped mother. Thus begins a race to find three magical stones before they fall into the wrong hands, and both Kayla and Daniel’s families pay the price. Durst (Conjured) delivers a fun adventure with a superpowered twist as Daniel and Kayla use their abilities to solve the crises that come their way. Even in dangerous situations, Kayla retains her wry sense of humor, which brings a bit of lightness to some of the story’s cornier moments and cinematic plot twists. Think The Mummy (temples, tombs, and all) with Veronica Mars calling the shots, and a dash of romance in the mix. Ages 14–up. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Durst delivers a fun adventure with a superpowered twist . . . Think The Mummy (temples, tombs, and all) with Veronica Mars calling the shots, and a dash of romance in the mix.” —Publishers Weekly

“Snappy dialogue, snarky teens and explosive exploits. A quick but complex read—enjoyable on both counts.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of Durst's earlier works will find plenty to like about Kayla and her paranormal adventure.” —Booklist

“Part Indiana Jones, part Jumper, the heroes travel faster than the speed of light, but even that isn't quick enough for them to escape the treachery, mystery, and danger waiting around every corner.” —Colleen Houck, New York Times bestselling author of the Tiger's Curse series

“Durst excels at describing grotesque violence and gorgeous magical transformations alike, painting a touching portrait of first love against a backdrop of Twilight Zone–type terrors.Patient readers will respond to this slow thriller about a girl with memory loss and magical powers, and a murderer on the loose.” —Kirkus Reviews on Conjured

“With strong folklore elements, a striking setting, and thoroughly imagined characters, Durst has woven a story that does not shy from the bawdy, violent, or pragmatic realities of life.” —Publishers Weekly on Vessel

“A fast-paced, thrilling adventure . . . the highly descriptive writing forms intense visuals for the reader so that characters, animals, and locations feel rich and realistic.” —VOYA on Vessel

“Combining a sense of humor with dark appeal of supernatural romance, this book is funny, scary and thought provoking all at once . . . Even jaded fans of the supernatural find fun in this one.” —Kirkus Reviews on Drink, Slay, Love

“A fresh, modern, and humorous twist on the vampire novel . . . Durst's snappy dialogue and vivid prose are entertaining and the straightforward plot moves at a good clip, scattering enough clues to heighten anticipation without spoiling the fun.” —Publishers Weekly on Drink, Slay, Love

“Twisty, absorbing and satisfying.” —Publishers Weekly on Ice

“Durst flawlessly weaves together romance, adventure, and a modern sensibility to create a highly inventive and suspenseful story of a girl on the cusp of adulthood.” —School Library Journal on Ice

From the Publisher

Part Indiana Jones, part Jumper, the heroes travel faster than the speed of light, but even that isn't quick enough for them to escape the treachery, mystery, and danger waiting around every corner.

New York Times bestselling author of the Tiger's Colleen Houck

07/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—Kayla and her mother, Moonbeam, have settled down in a coastal California town to lead a quiet, normal life. Forbidden from using her special "gift" for fear of attracting attention from her murderous father, Kayla secretly hones her skills with acts of petty theft. However, her gift of moving things with her mind is noticed by the mysterious, dark-eyed Daniel, who teleports her to a rooftop to blackmail her into helping him locate his missing mother. The two set out on a dangerous worldwide hunt to unravel the mystery of his mother's kidnapping. Throughout their adventures they meet numerous characters with supernatural powers, all of whom wind up having a historical connection to Daniel and Kayla's parents. Kayla's best friend, Selena, is enlisted to help with researching the clues they receive while acting as the diversion to keep Kayla's mother in the dark about their near-death experiences in various locations across the globe. The pacing is slow and drawn out, especially in this long volume. The character's voices are indistinguishable and at times Kayla's irreverent narration seems stilted given the severity of the situations. The budding romance between Kayla and Daniel is predictable and not quite palpable. Overall, this is a general purchase for collections in need of additional adventure titles that have a healthy dose of the supernatural.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

School Library Journal

2014-08-06
Telekinetic teen Kayla lives a charmed life with her hippie mom until the past catches up with them. Kayla's mother, Moonbeam, covers their California cottage with spells and amulets, but her New-Age exterior and excessive eccentricities mask both true power and a fear of her husband, who (may have) killed their other daughter, Amanda. Having spent the last eight years on the run, Kayla is always prepared to fight or flee. Despite her mother's orders to keep a low profile and never use her powers, Kayla employs her telekinesis to shoplift, pick pockets and generally cause havoc while hanging out with her rich friend, Selena. When a boy named Daniel approaches Kayla for help rescuing his kidnapped, cold-fish academic mother, Kayla finds herself teleported around the world in search of three magical stones. The stones are essentially a narrative MacGuffin, making the teens confront their irresponsible parents and discover the source of their powers; as voodoo queen Marguerite remarks, "Who hides an evil spell and then leaves a map?" While the novel starts simply enough, it soon takes a kitchen-sink approach, layering issues of domestic abuse, fraught parent-child relationships and amoral power plays beneath teen romances, tourism and dizzying action sequences. Thankfully, Durst leavens the angst and childhood trauma with snappy dialogue, snarky teens and explosive exploits. A quick but complex read—enjoyable on both counts. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews