Breaking Sky [hc]
By Cori McCarthy
Chase Harcourt, call sign "Nyx," is one of only two pilots chosen to fly the experimental "Streaker" jets at the junior Air Force Academy in the year 2048. She's tough and impulsive with lightning-fast reactions, but few know the pain and loneliness of her past or the dark secret about her father. All anyone cares about is that Chase aces the upcoming Streaker trials, proving the prototype jet can knock the enemy out of the sky.
But as the world tilts towards war, Chase cracks open a military secret. There's a third Streaker jet, whose young hotshot pilot, Tristan, can match her on the ground and in the clouds. Chase doesn't play well with others, but to save her country she may just have to put her life in the hands of the competition. The plot contains profanity. 416 pages
"Strong characterizations, action, adventure, and emotion combine to produce a sci-fi novel that is more than just the sum of its parts." -School Library Journal, Starred Review (Grade 9+)
"This thriller is a heart-stopper, both for its adrenaline-fueled descriptions of flying maneuvers and its nuanced daredevil lead character. As the war heats up, McCarthy puts her characters in increasingly tense situations, testing them to the breaking point and giving what could have been merely a popcorn thriller sudden gravity. This crazy-cool story should soar." -Booklist (Grades 8-11)
March 10, 2015
AR Level=4.7; Lexile Level=630 Hi-Low
