Major detours

Gr 10 Up--Amelia (assumed white), Chase (assumed white), Logan (Trinidadian of African, Indian, and French descent; brown-skinned), and Cleo (who has a Japanese surname), decide to go on one last road trip before they all move away for college, carrying a special tarot deck inherited by Amelia's deceased grandmother as their guide. During their journey, they take major detours that cause them to meet new people (good and bad) and endure some dangerous and stressful situations that result in different forms of self-discovery. The characters all have realistic problems and contemplate questions about the future that will resonate with young people. Identity struggles that the LGBQTIA+ community often face are also woven in throughout, but with hopeful outcomes. Readers will enjoy a mystical ride with the teens and help them decide their destiny with this interactive novel that allows readers to make choices about the story along the way. VERDICT Perfect for older teens who enjoy stories of adventure, mystery, and those that involve solving puzzles, riddles, and codes.--Lacey Webster, Acadia Parish Lib., Crowley, LA

See what your cards reveal.... Before parting for different colleges, four friends spend their last summer together on a road trip through California, with a deck of tarot cards deciding their specific route. At their first stop, they discover that the unique deck is actually the last work of a prestigious artist. He hid the four missing cards, and the deck's owner can only locate them by deciphering clues. The friends--brash, anxious Amelia, who inherited the deck from her beloved grandmother; Amelia's best friend, Chase, the analytical planner; Logan, Chase's athletic boyfriend; Cleo, the maybe-nonbinary artist--alter their trip in order to complete this elaborate scavenger hunt. The story follows the symbolic journey of the tarot's major arcana, one of setting out and discovering truths, facing obstacles, and eventually arriving at deeper understanding. Sergi has folded the concept of the tarot into the structure of the book itself in a creative and entertaining way, as readers follow a choose-your-own-adventure style of page turns. Although some destinations are predetermined, each decision shapes the journey and the ultimate outcome. For those less familiar with the tarot, the book helpfully includes descriptions of card meanings as well as various perspectives on how to read them. Amelia is Jewish, Chase seems to be White by default, multiracial Logan is Trinidadian, and Cleo is cued as biracial (Japanese/White). A fascinating journey for fun and introspection--just like the inspirational tarot. (reading guide, personality profiles) (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.