Borrowing Abby Grace

Borrowing Abby Grace by Kelly Green (Santa Monica, CA: Backlit Fiction, 2011). Review copy provided by the publisher.

When Abby wakes up in the back of a van with no memory of how she got there, she reacts without thinking and escapes from her masked captors  She finds herself in a home she's never seen with a father she doesn't know being asked about a brother she can't recall.  As if that's not freaky enough, when she looks in the mirror, she doesn't look like the girl in the pictures who she is supposed to be.  What is going on?  A guy named Will appears who tells her she's a Shadow--summoned to solve an urgent problem for Brooke, the girl whose life she is inhabiting for a brief time.  If she solves the problem, Abby moves on...if not, she's trapped in Brooke's body forever. Will is her guide; he can help her a bit with the problem, but can't tell her much else.  Luckily, Abby finds that she's resourceful and intelligent, and she sets out to find Brooke's brother Paul and figure out how to make their home a happy one.

Borrowing Abby Grace is the first installment in an intriguing new e-series.  It's short (~53 pages) and entertaining with an appealing paranormal  premise and fast-paced mystery plot that's sure to attract readers.  It reminded me somewhat of Mercy by Rebecca Lim, except Abby is (probably) not an angel, but there's still the element of helping desperate people solve urgent problems through supernatural means. It's fascinating watching Abby adapt quickly to her new environment and ad lib someone else's life.  Her relationship with Will, who might be a nineteenth-century ghost, is also entertaining.  Overall, this is a great read for lovers of paranormal adventures and mysteries!  Recommended for ages 13 & up.