Undercurrent by Paul Blackwell

Author: Paul Blackwell
Publication: July 23, 2013
By: Harper Teen
3.5 Stars

This cover is pretty cool!

In this suspenseful teen thriller with a touch of the otherworldly, perfect for fans of Neal Shusterman, a boy goes over a waterfall and wakes up to find himself in a twisted version of the life he knew.

A shadowy figure. An intense roar. The sensation of falling—fast.

That’s all Callum Harris remembers from his tumble over the waterfall. But when he wakes up in a hospital bed and finds his best friend trying to kill him, Callum knows something is seriously wrong. Unfortunately for him, the mysteries are just getting started.

Why are his parents acting like he’s some big sports star all of a sudden? And why are all the buildings in town more run-down than Callum remembers? Worst of all...what happened to Callum’s brother? Either Callum has gone seriously crazy or something happened when he went over the falls. Something impossible. Callum needs answers, and now. Because in this twisted new version of the life Callum knew, his former best friend isn’t the only one who wants to see him dead.

Filled with mind-bending suspense and unsettling thrills, Undercurrent is a grippingly paced teen debut that will pull you under and never let go.

What I Liked: The cover is what piqued my interest about reading this one. I liked the male POV, Callum is a relateable character and I felt he had an authentic "boy" voice. I was looking forward to a fast paced, thrilling read full of twists and turns and for the most part, that's what UNDERCURRENT delivers. The story lags in a few spots and readers who tend to pick up on "clues" (like myself) will probably figure out what's going on fairly early but I don't think it will detract from the story itself. 

What Left Me Wanting More: The ending was left a little too open for my taste.

Final Verdict: Fast-paced thrill ride with a Sci-Fi twist. 

Review also posted at YABC.