Without warning, Cassie is thrown in the back of an unfamiliar white van and shipped off to Peaceful Cove, a boot camp in Mexico for juvenile delinquents. Would you believe her if she told you she was innocent? Shock Point by April Henry is a fast-paced realistic fiction novel that sends readers turning page after page, wondering what will happen next. It is a riveting tale of survival and determination accompanied by a backstory provided through snippets of memories.
     Many teens experience conflicts with their step parents. However, Cassie’s relationship with her mother’s new husband, Rick, has taken a turn for the worst. Rick, a teen psychiatrist, has persuaded Cassie’s mother to send Cassie to Peaceful Cove. On the other hand, Cassie knows the real reason why. Readers begin understand as these events unfold. She is trapped at Peaceful Cove, a brutal prison for troubled teens. The staff there utilizes extreme methods to discipline the kids, thus they suffer. Cassie has to survive, however she needs to do more than just that. No one has ever escaped from Peaceful Cove alive, and if Cassie succeeds in getting over the walls and past the deserts, will anyone believe her story? Through these events, the author made me feel as if I was part of an emotional rollercoaster. She kept me entertained and left me wondering what Cassie will do next.
     After moving to Portland, Oregon, Cassie Streng, 16-years-old, has a typical teenager’s difficulty of making new friends. However, she is overwhelmed with many other obstacles. This significantly improves the plot by showing how much of a distinct character Cassie is. She experiences a great deal of stress that includes her parents’ divorce, her mother’s remarriage, and pregnancy. Cassie is a strong willed, determined character who will search all means to escape Peaceful Cove to relay the one and only truth. Therefore, Cassie is a fearless protagonist.
     Abandoning the cliché wicked stepmother motif, author April Henry replaces the evil stepmother with Rick, Cassie’s stepfather. This intriguing novel captures each scene precisely and is fraught with tension. The chapters alternate from past to present, effectively developing suspense that will keep even reluctant readers engaged. Each event foreshadows the next, and the author establishes cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. Additionally, the plot is unique and unexpected, different from other typical adolescent novels.
    Overall, Shock Point by April Henry is a compelling, well written novel that contains originality and unforeseeable events. This book won several remarkable awards, including being the finalist for the ALA’s Teens Top 10 award, an ALA quick pick, and a New York Times Library “Books for the Teen Age.” Fascinating adolescents as well as young adults, Cassie will surprise them as each and every event occurs.