An Ocean’s 11-style car heist featuring four spunky teen protagonists, Overdrive by Dawn Ius goes from zero to sixty from the very first page.
Jules Parish has screwed up.
After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She’s too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now, she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.
Unless.
Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world—in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.
First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.
With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?
Car nerds, rejoice. The YA novel for you has arrived, with Ius’s meticulously detailed story. She nails every detail — at least, as far as this uninformed reader was concerned — and treats the flashy, speedy muscle cars at the center of the heist like another character. If you feel the need, the need for speed, Overdrive will definitely get your engine revved.
Okay, okay. Enough with the car puns, I know. (No promises, honestly.)
But beyond the cars, Overdrive is also the story of four teens looking for a second chance. Jules and her companions are trying to turn over a new leaf — and this last heist is their ticket to freedom and a fresh start. And what reader can’t relate to wanting to start over? To make amends for their mistakes? And Ius nails those emotions, as Jules, Chelsea, Mat, and Nick struggle with their perception of what they must do versus their desire to do the right thing.
Okay, sure, some of the circumstances are a little questionable — how did this weird rich guy really get custody of four teen criminals? — but just go with it. If you’re can get along for the ride, Ius takes you for one hell of a spin. (See? I told you the car puns weren’t over yet.) Look for Overdrive in stores September 13th.
Novel Novice 
Leave a Reply