cover image TMI

TMI

Patty Blount. Sourcebooks Fire, $9.99 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-1-4022-7340-7

Blount follows her debut novel, Send, with another tech-driven cautionary tale. Until recently, Meg and Bailey's similar circumstances have kept them tightly bound to one another. But now that they're 17, and the future beyond high school is looming uncertainly, their friendship is no longer as effortless or as integral to their lives. Meg consciously pulls away from Bailey and attempts to deny her attraction to Chase, who she believes will move on without her once he graduates. Meanwhile, Bailey flails, breaking up with her boyfriend, pursuing Ryder (a gamer she meets on Facebook), and obsessively searching for her father. Misunderstandings between the girls have a domino effect, leading to more hurt feelings, jealousy, and perceived betrayals, which are further obfuscated through cyberspace. Blount's chapters alternate between Meg and Bailey's perspectives, creating equally troubled and complex characters. Blount addresses the potential perils of online relationships and the sometimes-destructive power of social media without proselytizing. It's the threat of a cherished friendship's demise that will most likely sustain readers' interest. Ages 13%E2%80%93up. Agent: Evan Gregory, Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. (Aug.)