The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Release Date: Available Now from EgmontUSA

Source: From Publisher

Synopsis:

When Tessa's best friend Noelle disappears right before the start of eighth grade, Tessa's life changes completely--she shies away from her other friends and stops eating in the cafeteria. Now, two years later, Noelle has escaped her captivity and is coming home, in one piece but not exactly intact, and definitely different. Tessa's life is about to change again as she tries to revive the best-friendship the two girls had shared before Noelle--now Elle--was kidnapped; puts up a futile resistance to the charming new guy at school; pursues her passion for photography while trying to build the bravado to show her photos to the public; and tries to balance her desire to protect and shelter Elle with the necessity to live her own life and put herself first.

This was a great read. It was also a very timely read. It was hard to read this book without thinking about news stories about missing kids who are found years later. When you're thinking about the children being found, it's easy to forget those that were left behind to deal with the loss and now must deal with the return of their loved one. This book perfectly captures those emotions and lets us all in on these troubling events.

Tessa's life basically stopped when her friend Noelle disappeared. She shut herself off from the world around her and from the people around her. Her life and that of the town was changed forever. So when Noelle reappears, we see Tessa trying to figure out how to live again, while dealing with her friend who is not the Noelle she remembers.

It can be a heartbreaking read at times. Rather than focus on Noelle, McBride tells us Tessa's story. We get to see Tessa slowly come back to life and let people in once again. I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed my attention from page one and held it until I turned the last page. It's an absolutely amazing debut. I'm thinking 2010 is a great years for Debs. I can't wait to read more from this talented new voice in YA.