Currents

In the environmentally chaotic future of Moraal’s debut, teenager Nina Bradshaw lives in luxury as a Dry, but is starting at a new school in Wet territory, where she must hide her identity: her father is the ruthless governor of one of five regions that survived the First Great Flood. When she’s paired for an assignment with Max Morris, a volatile Wet boy, they are initially hostile toward each other but soon fall in love. But Max’s brother is a member of a terrorist group that is tired of Wets doing without, and he has nefarious plans for Nina. Moraal’s star-crossed lovers are easy to root for, even sharing a few steamy scenes together, and although they become smitten very quickly, it adds to the immediate, passionate nature of their affair. Details of the flood that drowned the world are few, and only references to the 20th century being “ages ago” give any clue as to when the story takes place. But readers will be eager to discover Nina and Max’s fates as they discover each other through grief, betrayal, and pain. Ages 15–up. (Oct.)