Life Before

by Michele Bacon

Overview

Seventeen years is a long time to keep secrets, and Xander Fife has gotten very good at it.

Everyone believes Xander has a normal life and a normal family. If he can just get through this summer, he’ll start his real life in college with a clean slate—no risk, no drama, no fear.

Even better, his plans for summer are awesome: lots of pick-up soccer, relaxing afternoons with friends, and an epic road trip. Xander is banking on some long-overdue nights with his ideal girlfriend, the amazing Gretchen Taylor.

Instead of kicking off what had promised to be an amazing summer, however, graduation day brings terror. His family’s secrets are thrust out into the open, and Xander must confront his greatest fear. And survive doing so.

Armed with a fake ID, cash, and a knife, Xander skips town and assumes a new identity. Hundreds of miles from home and in danger, one thing is clear: Xander’s real life is already in progress and just getting through it isn’t enough.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634506397
Publisher:	Sky Pony
Publication date:	06/07/2016
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Michele Bacon writes contemporary fiction for adults and young adults. Most of her stories begin as ideas scrawled on random scraps of paper, stuffed into pockets or joining her computer-bag detritus. Life Before is her debut novel. Michele lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and three small children.

Editorial Reviews

"Life Before’s first-person narrative quickly captures the reader, delivering a just unpredictable enough roller coaster ride with successive runs of building tension and release as Xander’s first experience of true independence comes with little preparation and sudden and unexpected urgency. . . . Both a coming-of-age story and a nail-biting thriller, this debut novel will appeal to a wide range of readers and could be a good book club selection for older teens, especially if paired with informative resources." —VOYA Magazine

"A gripping story about a shattered family and one boy’s journey to begin again. Bacon takes on the subject of domestic violence with skill and compassion in this fast-paced, suspenseful, and thoroughly enjoyable novel." —Kirsten Lopresti, author of Bright Coin Moon

"Xander is a believable protagonist who triumphs over fear and trauma. Michele Bacon adds a new, honest, and strong voice." —Cheryl Rainfield, author of Scars and Stained

"Life Before is a thought-provoking and engaging read, which beautifully illustrates that anyone could be striving to overcome difficulties—no matter what you see on the surface." —Mindi Scott, author of Free Fall and Live Through This

“A riveting story told in a voice that will resonate with teens. . . . Bacon weaves a captivating narrative of a boy who is able to journey into adulthood by overcoming a childhood filled with abuse. Though dark in nature, the work does not delve too deep into the horrors of abuse, making it appropriate for younger teens. VERDICT A great read-alike for teens who enjoyed Alex Flinn’s Breathing Underwater, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, or Sharon Draper’s “Hazelwood High Trilogy.” —School Library Journal

"Life Before’s first-person narrative quickly captures the reader, delivering a just unpredictable enough roller coaster ride with successive runs of building tension and release as Xander’s first experience of true independence comes with little preparation and sudden and unexpected urgency. . . . Both a coming-of-age story and a nail-biting thriller, this debut novel will appeal to a wide range of readers and could be a good book club selection for older teens, especially if paired with informative resources." —VOYA Magazine

"A gripping story about a shattered family and one boy’s journey to begin again. Bacon takes on the subject of domestic violence with skill and compassion in this fast-paced, suspenseful, and thoroughly enjoyable novel." —Kirsten Lopresti, author of Bright Coin Moon

"Xander is a believable protagonist who triumphs over fear and trauma. Michele Bacon adds a new, honest, and strong voice." —Cheryl Rainfield, author of Scars and Stained

"Life Before is a thought-provoking and engaging read, which beautifully illustrates that anyone could be striving to overcome difficulties—no matter what you see on the surface." —Mindi Scott, author of Free Fall and Live Through This

“A riveting story told in a voice that will resonate with teens. . . . Bacon weaves a captivating narrative of a boy who is able to journey into adulthood by overcoming a childhood filled with abuse. Though dark in nature, the work does not delve too deep into the horrors of abuse, making it appropriate for younger teens. VERDICT A great read-alike for teens who enjoyed Alex Flinn’s Breathing Underwater, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, or Sharon Draper’s “Hazelwood High Trilogy.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—A riveting story told in a voice that will resonate with teens. Typical high school senior Xander Fife is looking forward to graduation and an infinite summer of adventures with his friends. He has finally captured the attention of the girl of his dreams and has been accepted into a prestigious college. From the outside, his life looks ideal. However, his carefree attitude and positive disposition are just a cover for the constant underlying fear he feels. Xander has a dark past that he has worked for years to keep a secret. When the monster of his past refuses to be ignored any longer, all of his secrets come to light in one nightmarish encounter. In a desperate attempt to unburden his friends from his troubles and escape his would-be killer, Xander flees to Vermont. Stranded in a faraway state with little money, the teen must come to terms with the demons of his childhood and decide what type of man he will become. Bacon weaves a captivating narrative of a boy who is able to journey into adulthood by overcoming a childhood filled with abuse. Though dark in nature, the work does not delve too deep into the horrors of abuse, making it appropriate for younger teens. VERDICT A great read-alike for teens who enjoyed Alex Flinn's Breathing Underwater, Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, or Sharon Draper's "Hazelwood High Trilogy."—Ellen Fitzgerald, White Oak Library District, Lockport, IL

School Library Journal

2016-03-30
A teenage runaway makes the best of a bad situation.Xander's had his share of hardships, and he can't wait to finish high school and go off to college and start his life far away from the small town and painful memories. But when Xander's rage-filled father kills Xander's mom, things take a sudden turn for the worse. With his father on the lam, the skinny white teen makes a hasty decision to skip town, armed with a fake ID, a knife, and a handful of cash, eventually settling in Burlington, Vermont. Running away is just the first of several increasingly poor decisions Xander makes. Readers will fume as Xander makes boneheaded moves over and over again. More frustrating is the author's curious decision to ignore the pulpy possibilities inherent in the novel's premise and turn the latter half of the book into a character study. Unfortunately, the author's characters don't hold up to much analysis. Xander befriends a black Manic Pixie Dream Girl named Kat, who is full of groaners like "One of the worst things we can do to people is not see them." The conversations between Xander and Kat stop the novel's momentum. Who cares about existential angst when there's a violent killer on the loose tracking down the protagonist?A great concept obliterated by a lack of focus. (Thriller. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews