Book Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June by Robin Benway

As if dealing with their parents’ divorce and moving to a new town weren’t enough, teenage sisters April, May, and June discover they have secret powers one afternoon on the way home from school. Eldest sister April can see the future, middle sister May can disappear, and youngest sister June can read minds. Told in alternating points of view, the three sisters learn to come to terms with their powers and their relationships with each other, all while navigating the usual stresses of high school.

Robin Benway ups the ante in her second novel, using a similar contemporary Southern California setting to her first book (the fabulous Audrey, Wait!), but throwing supernatural elements and multiple narrators into the mix. With so many elements, the story could have easily gotten bogged down with details, but Benway keeps the tone fresh and the narrative fast-paced with witty dialogue and fun and believable characters. Each of the sisters feels fully developed despite having only a third of the book to themselves and each is likable in her own way. While the mere existence of the superpowers is obviously far-fetched, I was happy to suspend some disbelief and go along with these characters on this fun, and often surprising, ride.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June comes out on August 3!

Find on Amazon.

Reviewed from an ARC received from the publisher at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.

June 22nd, 2010  ♥  Books, Reviews  ♥  No Comments »