The Lure

Gr 9 Up—Blaise and her friends do not think any further than surviving high school-literally. Their low-income neighborhood in Washington, DC is controlled by rival gangs. The only way most teens have a chance at making it is to join one of these crews. Blaise is tough and chooses to undergo a brutal hazing ritual to fight her way into Core 9, but Melissa decides to get in through the "rollins" process-a throw of the dice determines how many guys she will have to have sex with to join. Blaise feels powerful at first and enjoys the extra money membership affords, but becomes desperate to escape as she sees Trek, the group's leader, abusing Melissa; witnesses the needless death of an 11-year-old boy; and gets "promoted" to the role of "lure"-bait to track down enemy gang members. Fairly true to the gritty reality of urban organized crime and violence, the ending, however, wraps up too quickly and perfectly, and readers will have to suspend disbelief to completely accept it. Place this fast-paced novel in collections where realistic urban fiction is popular. For fans of Allison van Diepen's Snitch (S & S, 2007) and Greg Takoudes's When We Wuz Famous (Holt, 2013).—Suanne B. Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL