Flight 171 (Underlined)

Flight 171 (Underlined)

In this edge-of-your-seat horror novel, a four-hour flight takes a nightmarish turn when a supernatural creature gives a group of high school students a sinister ultimatum. Devon Marsh is haunted by secrets. Like the identity of the person who killed her twin sister, Emily, in a hit and run accident last Halloween, which Devon has vowed to uncover. Like the things Devon said to Emily just before she died. But she’s determined to start fresh when she boards a four-hour flight along with her classmates for their senior class ski trip. Devon never could have guessed those secrets would surface in the most terrifying way when a supernatural creature hijacks their flight and gives the students a deadly ultimatum: Choose one among them to sacrifice before the end of the flight. Or the plane will crash. As the clock ticks down, the creature slowly unearths the passengers’ deepest, darkest secrets—and reveals that one of the teens on the plane is responsible for Emily’s death. The students must agree on a sacrifice, or there won’t be any survivors. But can Devon find a way to stop the creature, or will she give in to her anger and let revenge take control? Underlined is a line of totally addictive romance, thriller, and horror titles coming to you fast and furious each month. Enjoy everything you want to read the way you want to read it. Gr 9 Up-In this paranormal horror thriller, a teen trying to move on after her twin sister's unexpected death must face an otherworldly horror while on a flight for her senior ski trip. Devon and her classmates settle in for what's expected to be a short flight when an elderly and seemingly human passenger named Dorothy uses her knitting needles to murder a crew member, and then forces the high school class to choose who to sacrifice among themselves to be her new host. As time runs out, the classmates' secrets are revealed-including who was responsible for Devon's sister's death by hit-and-run. Parker doesn't shy away from the grotesque, and some scenes with the immortal Dorothy are genuinely horrific. The reveal of the teens' darkest secrets suggests that Devon might have just as much to fear from her class as from Dorothy. Most characters read as white, and an LGBTQIA+ reveal late in the book is clumsily handled. VERDICT A fast, engaging read, recommended for large collections and where horror is popular.-Kelsey Sochaα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. AMY CHRISTINE PARKER is the author of Gated, Astray, and Smash & Grab . She writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and one ridiculously fat cat. Chapter 1 “So, class trip poll: if you had to choose between dying in a plane crash or a car accident, which would you pick?” Spencer nudges my back with his elbow as we make our way down the Jetway toward our plane. He has a Twizzler hanging out of his mouth and a wiseass grin on his beefy face. Resist the urge to turn around and kick him in the shin, I silently tell myself. Sometimes he can be so totally clueless. Outside the tiny Jetway window is the nose of the Sky Royal airplane we’re about to board. Rain runs in rivulets down the glass, making the plane look like it’s submerged in water. I can barely make out the blurry outlines of the pilots inside the cockpit. The night is dark and full of gathering storm clouds. No lightning yet, but the sky is ominous enough that I can’t help wondering if our takeoff will be delayed. Part of me hopes it is. I’m still not sure if it’s a good idea for me to go on this trip. “Yeah, Devon, which would you choose? Plane or car?” I look past Spencer to Billy, his partner in crime and fellow wrestler on the Greendale team. He reaches up to touch the ceiling of the Jetway with both hands, making sure to flex his biceps as he does. Glancing down at his midsection, he adjusts slightly so his six-pack is clearly visible through his T-shirt. Then he looks up at me, one eyebrow raised like he’s expecting me to react more to his body than to the question. “Inquiring minds want to know.” “Don’t be such utter tools, you two.” My friend Kiara rolls her eyes and reaches around me to punch both boys’ biceps hard, first Spencer’s, then Billy’s. “Ow!” Spencer rubs his arm. Kiara points a finger at him. “What kind of question is that? After Emily--the hit-and-run.” Her voice drops to a whisper when she says my dead twin’s name, then goes back up to full volume. “And, considering we’re all about to board a plane, it’s bad luck to talk about crashing.” Spencer’s smile falters. He darts a look at me, then chews on his Twizzler more vigorously until half of it disappears into his mouth. I drop to one knee and start to pretend-tie my shoe. I let my hair form a curtain over my face so I don’t have to see Kiara and the boys give me anxious looks. I’m not gonna lose it over one stupid comme