Centuries after the Omniwar left much of the planet uninhabitable, Maximum Racing, the pre-eminent extreme sport, delivers vicarious thrills on reality TV; winning a race with a homebuilt car earns two teens in a remote, hardscrabble town a chance to race against professionals and star in the world's deadliest competition. Cassica and Shiara move to Anchor City, where a space elevator rises to Olympus. There, Celestials (rich and famous celebrities) live in luxury, their lives broadcast and obsessively followed below. Racers in teams of two (a driver and tech) hurtle across terrain scarred by ancient, orbital weapons and occupied by mutated creatures and damaged humans. Deadly nanobot particles hide in dust. Designated Wreckers follow the racers, their role to hunt and take out competitors. Though underfunded and unsponsored, Cassica and Shiara (both depicted as light-skinned on the cover) make a strong team. Cassica, a charismatic, fiercely competitive risk-taker, drives. Thoughtful Shiara, with mechanical skills and engineering know-how, is tech. They set their sights on competing in the Widowmaker, a three-day race, fatal for many but whose winners become Celestials. Exposure to new Omniwar horrors and the discovery that all is not as it seems in the glitzy city test their friendship to the breaking point. Though Wooding does not stint on the action, empathetic characterization and an emotional throughline help Cassica and Shiara bring their world to life for readers. An action-packed, wild ride with unexpected twists and turns and characters readers care about—call it a dystopia with heart. (Science fiction. 12-18)

Life in postapocalyptic Coppermouth is an endless stretch of killer dust and boredom, so when best friends and driving teammates Cassica and Shiara are offered the chance to compete in the Widowmaker, the final leg of the Maximum Racing competition, Cassica can't wait. When their new manager is kidnapped because of gambling debts, and his ransom hinges on the girls winning the race, there's no turning back. For their own part, winning the Widowmaker will get Cassica and Shiara to Olympus, a posh precataclysm neighborhood in the clouds. Everyone knows there is corruption in racing, and the two teen girls may lose their lives as they discover just how bad it is. This dystopian thrill ride is mostly heart-stopping racing episodes, with enough connective narrative to create two memorable main characters and evoke scenes from Mad Max. Wooding's (Silver, 2014) female leads push this high-octane story's appeal beyond the confines of a racing saga, and the language and situations will spark the interest of reluctant readers. Afterwards, send them to Danica Patrick's Crossing the Line (2006).

Cassica and Shiara race cars in their backwater town in hopes of qualifying for the cutthroat Widowmaker race. Winners are transported from the deprivation of ruined Earth to the luxury of orbiting city Olympus--but winning and the subsequent fame have a price. This is an exciting tale of friendship, racing, and the lure of celebrity anchored by two strong, relatable female leads.

Centuries after the Omniwar left much of the planet uninhabitable, Maximum Racing, the pre-eminent extreme sport, delivers vicarious thrills on reality TV; winning a race with a homebuilt car earns two teens in a remote, hardscrabble town a chance to race against professionals and star in the world's deadliest competition. Cassica and Shiara move to Anchor City, where a space elevator rises to Olympus. There, Celestials (rich and famous celebrities) live in luxury, their lives broadcast and obsessively followed below. Racers in teams of two (a driver and tech) hurtle across terrain scarred by ancient, orbital weapons and occupied by mutated creatures and damaged humans. Deadly nanobot particles hide in dust. Designated Wreckers follow the racers, their role to hunt and take out competitors. Though underfunded and unsponsored, Cassica and Shiara (both depicted as light-skinned on the cover) make a strong team. Cassica, a charismatic, fiercely competitive risk-taker, drives. Thoughtful Shiara, with mechanical skills and engineering know-how, is tech. They set their sights on competing in the Widowmaker, a three-day race, fatal for many but whose winners become Celestials. Exposure to new Omniwar horrors and the discovery that all is not as it seems in the glitzy city test their friendship to the breaking point. Though Wooding does not stint on the action, empathetic characterization and an emotional throughline help Cassica and Shiara bring their world to life for readers. An action-packed, wild ride with unexpected twists and turns and characters readers care about—call it a dystopia with heart. (Science fiction. 12-18)

In this adrenaline-spiked adventure, teens race souped-up vehicles through a postapocalyptic wasteland in order to win the ultimate prize: a life of luxury aboard a utopian orbital habitat. For best friends Cassica (a daredevil driver) and Shiara (a mechanical genius), the Widowmaker, a three-day road rally known for its high body count, represents the only way to escape their tiny dying town of Coppermouth. When they are signed by an ambitious manager, they figure it-s time to go for the gold. But as the race gets underway and the lure of fame threatens to ruin their partnership, Cassica and Shiara are beset by danger and treachery on all sides as they traverse a wasteland filled with ancient war machines, roaming cannibals, and fellow drivers out to kill them. Wooding (Poison) starts strong and never lets up on the gas, delivering a terrifying, tense thrill ride filled with cinematic moments. With the dystopian setting, fiercely resourceful heroines, fast cars, and an explosive climax, Wooding-s story is perfect for fans of Mad Max: Fury Road, but it carves out its own identity along the way. Ages 12-up. (Feb.)

Gr 7 Up-Driver and tech duo Cassica and Shiara are the best racing team in Coppermouth, a tiny town in a postapocalyptic world not unlike that of Mad Max . The best friends' successes building and driving cars on the smaller circuits pique the interest of an agent, who offers them a chance to compete in the big leagues. Now with a sponsor, Cassica and Shiara might have what it takes to qualify for the biggest race of the year. But with better drivers and deadly Wreckers set on eliminating them, the girls must put their skills and friendship to the test to win, and even the smallest mistake might cost them their lives. This title blends the speed of NASCAR with the fight-to-the-death competition of The Hunger Games . The friction between Shiara's practical, safer analysis and Cassica's bolder gut reactions adds to the tension of the dangerous situations. References to the world beyond will heighten reader interest, but don't expect to get much information from or about the rest of the cast. The secondary characters have little development; many appear in just a single chapter or two. In addition, the wait between races can feel like being stuck at a red light, and there are few plot twists as payoff. Cassica and Shiara have great bantering dialogue, though, and are constantly the focus in an intriguing, if little-developed, setting. VERDICT Dystopian fans will relish a new, unexplored world, but they'll have to persevere through slow sections to get to the action. Thomas Jonte, Horry County Memorial Library, SC