Just Call My Name by Holly Goldberg Sloan (review)

With their father in jail and Sam and Riddle (from I’ll Be There, BCCB 6/11) all but adopted by Emily’s parents, things appear to be looking up for the boys. Soon, though, an outgoing, attractive girl named Destiny tries to cause trouble between Sam and Emily, but the real trouble is far worse than any of them imagine: Sam and Riddle’s dad, Clarence, has successfully escaped from prison and is coming to get revenge on the family that he thinks stole his boys. The narrative technique here consists of quick cuts between scenes featuring Sam, Emily, Destiny, Riddle, and Clarence, as well as Bobby, Emily’s former boyfriend, and Jared, her younger brother. In addition to relating the events, the characters reflect on their feelings about the other characters, establishing a pattern of suspicion and doubt about whom to trust. The quick-cut technique creates an edgy anticipation that comes to full, heart-stopping effect when Clarence kidnaps Emily. The chase that ensues is riveting not just because of what’s happening but also because readers never get to settle into a continuous or fixed perspective, which turns out to be the theme of the book, as new alliances have to form out of former antagonisms. Such insights are likely to occur only after readers close the book, though, since the emotional rush during reading is too intense to do anything but gobble up the words and breathe when and if you remember to. Sam, Riddle and Emily remain as endearing as they were in the first book, and, as a pleasant surprise, Jared, Bobby and Destiny all undergo redemption after shaky starts. If readers are willing to just accept that Sam and Emily are a committed couple with a troubled past, the story will stand on its own for those who haven’t read the prior book.