School Library Journal Review
Gr 7--10--While Lottie's newlywed mother and new stepdad go on a quick honeymoon, Lottie is tasked with spending the night with her stepsister, Jade, in a remote winter cabin in Tahoe. What she expects to be an awkward evening quickly devolves into life-or-death terror after a solar flare knocks out the power and Alex, a seemingly friendly stranger who claims to be lost, shows up at their door. A chain of increasingly bizarre events results in the three teens running for their lives as they battle an unexpected blizzard, a fire, wild animals, a burglary ring, a religious zealot, and more over the course of four tumultuous days. Although the circumstances are certainly dire, the light, conversational tone of the dialogue often feels out of place and drains much of the tension from the conflict. The characters' odd decisions at times strain belief and seem engineered by the author to give them a reason to flee. A syrupy romance that develops between Alex and Lottie late in the story feels discordant given their injuries and critical condition. Although Jade is Black and tells Lottie that she does not feel attraction to boys and Alex is Asian, these identities are only label-deep and are not developed in even a cursory way within the story. VERDICT This twisty but ultimately mundane tale of survival is surprisingly lifeless. Not recommended for purchase except where additional, more accessible action/adventure titles are needed.--Catherine Cote
Kirkus Review
A Tahoe blizzard is the setting of Parrack's debut. Seventeen-year-old Lottie, a White English girl who's been repeatedly let down by her flighty Mum, isn't happy about spending the night alone in a remote cabin with her quiet, nature-loving new stepsister, 15-year-old Black American Jade, while their parents go on their honeymoon. They've only met three times before and haven't exactly clicked. Then again, it's only one night. How bad could it be? Then the power goes out and the stranger arrives. Alex, described generically as Asian, is tall and charming and claims to have lost his way--he's just a boy walking his dog. However, his story is full of holes, and before long Lottie suspects he's hiding something. Just as she confronts him, a fire breaks out in the cabin, and Lottie, Jade, and Alex are forced out into the cold and snow with only each other to rely on; one night on their own turns into a dayslong struggle for survival. It's unfortunate that encounters with a bear, a mountain lion, and an avalanche are nothing compared to the human threat stalking them through the wild white wilderness. Lottie's first-person narration is generic, but the action is fast-paced, with just enough romantic tension between Lottie and Alex to keep it interesting, while the tentative nature of Lottie and Jade's new sister relationship fades quickly as they learn to rely on and appreciate each other. Comfortingly familiar page-turning suspense. (Thriller. 13-17) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Abandoned by her father at age eight, Lottie has been dragged by her mom from home to home, leaving no time for friends. Now that her mother is married, 17-year-old Lottie is forced to spend the night in Tahoe with her new stepsister, Jade. After the power goes out in the area, they encounter Alex, a suspicious young man who says he's lost and asks for shelter. Things get weird when Lottie sees Alex talking with two guys in a pickup truck stalking the area. Before she can get the truth from him, the cabin catches fire and the three are forced outside into a blizzard. Now Lottie, Jade, and Alex must find shelter from the weather--and Alex's accomplices--before it's too late. Parrack's latest brings nonstop action as the trio struggles to survive incident after incident in harsh conditions. Readers will appreciate Lottie's emotional journey in the wake of so many disappointments in her life, all while being tested in unfamiliar circumstances, from both nature and humankind.
