Reviewed by Marylane Champagne
Rachel Ward sets “Numbers” in London, where a 15-year-old girl lives. Jem is misunderstood. She exists only to herself and her foster parents, which is how she prefers to live her life. Since her drug-addicted mother died years ago, Jem has been a loner – until now. Fellow classmate Spider has managed to wriggle his way into her life. This is Jem’s first real friend, but could her darkest secret ruin everything?
Everyday, Jem goes to a school for delinquents and comes home to a foster family. Jem also has a secret: for every person she sees, she also sees his or her number. She has no friends until the day she meets Spider; then everything changes. As hard as she tries to avoid him, she cannot stay away. They soon become friends and his number seers in the front of her mind. On a visit to the London Eye, Jem looks around and sees everyone’s number is identical. In a hurry, Jem and Spider dash from the Eye just in time to see it blow up from a distance. Now they are suspects in the bombing and together they go on the run. They are free for now, but Spider’s number has changed and his day is quickly approaching.
“Numbers” is full of suspense. This book takes the reader into the mind of a misfit teenager with a supernatural gift and her goofy love interest on the run from the police. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. However, I only recommend “Numbers” to mature readers due to adult situations and language.
Marylane Champagne is a graduating senior in the academically gifted program at Hahnville High. She enjoys cheerleading, hanging out with friends, outdoor activities and reading.
Editor’s note: Book reviews are published weekly in agreement with Hahnville High School gifted English teacher Deborah Unger in conjunction with the Brown Foundation Service Learning Program.
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