Twyla has big plans for her life. First, she'll hightail it out of Halo, Montana, the military hometown she's come to despise, the moment she graduates high school. Then she and her boyfriend, Billy, will head straight to California, where he'll study to be a famous chef and she'll become a renowned food photographer. It'll be the escape Twyla's always dreamed of. But as soon as she meets Gabriel, the brash former U.S. Marine she's supposed to assist for community-service credits, Twyla begins to question exactly what she's running from and why, and whether her heart is truly set on where she's headed. As Twyla helps Gabriel complete the massive art installation in a decommissioned nuclear-missile silo that keeps his PTSD in check, he imparts how critical it is to question all our longest- and deepest-held beliefs. With this moving novel of self-discovery, Berkhout (The Gallery of Lost Species, 2016) offers a mindful, timely reminder about the perils of blind faith and the power of change.

In small-town Montana, recently returned young veteran Gabriel is the subject of (pacifist) Twyla's senior-year community service assignment. She begins assisting him with a secret project: using ammunition to build a massive mosaic symbolizing the destruction and loss of war. When Twyla enters the mosaic in a contest, it becomes a lightning rod for war-related hatred. Berkhout's YA debut is a timely, heartfelt coming-of-age story.

Getting involved with an ex-Marine in war-focused Halo, Montana, is no picnic, especially for a teenage girl who needs to participate in a community-service Help a Vet program in order to graduate. Twyla Jane Lee and her boyfriend, Billy Goodwin, become drawn into the magnificent mural that is being made by veteran Gabriel Finch out of ammunition casings. But soon they become aware that the artist is in "as many pieces as his mosaic" and that there is local controversy about what he may or may not have done while at war in the Middle East. With Gabriel's permission, Twyla enters the artwork in a Museum of Modern Art contest in hopes that it will solve multiple problems. Berkhout spins an ambitious and sophisticated tale in an accessible first-person narrative that takes readers through Twyla's coming-of-age decision-making, angst, and eventual acceptance of the limitations of the universe. She also sheds light on underrepresented slices of life—the military, isolated, largely white rural communities with limited economic opportunity, war photographers—and the hidden world of decommissioned missile silos and raises readers' respect for the ancient literature and civilizations at the center of the world. If she can't quite manage to keep all the balls in the air at once, she does demonstrate both passion and talent. A rich and jumbled mix of war and peace by an author to watch. (Fiction. 14-18)

Gr 10 Up-acifist Twyla is less than thrilled when she's assigned to the "Help a Vet" program for her required community service hours. Assigned to Marine Gabriel Finch, she finds him unwelcoming and mysterious, spending most of his time alone in a decommissioned silo. When he reveals to her the mosaic he has created out of artillery in the silo, Twyla's first impression of him is challenged. A stunning depiction of Uruk and Baghdad pre-war, with inspiration from The Epic of Gilgamesh, the mosaic is Gabriel's attempt to reconcile his feelings toward the war and to abate his PTSD. In an attempt to save his family's farm with the prize money, Twyla convinces Gabriel to submit the artwork to MOMA's "America's Next Great Artist" competition. Nationwide criticism and praise flood in, as the two separately reevaluate their purpose in life. Berkhout provides a realistic view of the complex effect wars have on veterans, and people's varying perspectives on the subject. Poignant descriptions ignite the setting. The characters have depth; readers will empathize with Gabriel as a survivor of PTSD, and will revel in the two's compassionate connection. Berkhout sensitively examines the loyalties we have to our ideals, to each other, and to our country. Some descriptions of war scenes may be shocking to readers. VERDICT A recommended selection for its appealing and thought-provoking plot. Recommend to fans of Patricia McCormick's Purple Heart.Amy McInerney, Falmouth Elementary School, ME

Once she graduates high school, Twyla plans to move to California. After all, her mother lives the exciting life of an up-and-coming artist in New York City, while her father drowns himself in a bottle most nights of the week. Why should she stay in Halo, Montana, when any semblance of a family is gone? Everything she plans makes sense—until she sees the mosaic, a secret art project built by an ex-marine named Gabriel. Life becomes more complicated now that she realizes the stark realities of love and war. Twyla narrates the story with an innocent voice, one whose impulsive nature exemplifies the journey toward self-understanding and maturity. She is quick to absorb the passions of others without really understanding her own aspirations. Berkhout uses some profanity in her dialogue to make the military town of Halo come alive. The sexually explicit scenes in the story are tastefully written, leaving much to the imagination. Gabriel, a twenty-one-year-old, battles PTSD and addiction; he begins a relationship with a seventeen-year-old. A few scenes use racial slurs and graphic war descriptions to illustrate the controversial issues at the core of this novel. The major plot elements in the story come to fruition just as the reader expects—but the subtle nuances of self-discovery and love sneak up on the reader and evoke genuine emotion.—Richard Vigdor.