Caution: Do NOT begin this book if you have anything important or timely to do.

Once you start reading The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams it is IMPOSSIBLE to stop.

Kyra is in some ways a typical 13 year old girl; she loves to read, has a boyfriend named Joshua and adores her younger brothers and sisters.  Unlike other teenage girls,  Kyra lives on a polygamist compound and is in a horrifying and dangerous situation.  She has been chosen to become the seventh wife of her abusive, elderly uncle and if she resists she will be putting her life and the lives of everyone she cares about in danger.  There are many aspects of the compound that Kyra hates, such as the book burnings, having to meet with Joshua in secret, and the way her family must act according to the whims of Prophet Childs, but life there is all she has ever known.  Will Kyra be able to leave her family behind and escape the compound or will she stay trapped and be forced to marry her uncle?

This is a fast-paced and heartbreaking novel with a strong, thoughtful protagonist.  Kyra is an amazing girl who remains hopeful and resilient when faced with dreadful options.  This is the perfect book for anyone who loves an edgy & tense story that will keep you turning the pages no matter how late it is or how hungry you are.  A great read!

~ Tricia is CPL’s teen librarian.  She can’t believe September is just a few days away…