Day after day, Claire walks through life largely unseen. Then one day, she finds herself in the crosshairs of an assassin's gun. Nix is a nobody, an excellent assassin who takes out individuals dubbed dangerous by the Society. But his perfect kill record ends when he and Claire encounter each other. They join forces to discover why Nix was sent to kill Claire and whether the previous assassinations Nix carried out were as necessary as the Society claimed. Claire is the perfect foil for Nix, countering his strong, action-oriented mind-set with a more reflective approach to problem solving. Barnes skillfully captures the internal monologues of the characters, placing the reader inside the heads of both Claire and Nix, and nicely balances that interior focus with fast-paced adventure. The novel's imaginative mixture of supernatural elements with action and romance will appeal to a broad range of readers.

Claire is a Nobody: genetically predisposed to fade into the background, unloved and unnoticed all her life. Nix, a Nobody trained as an assassin, is sent to kill her but falls in love instead, and the two investigate his employers. While the premise will resonate with wallflowers, the overwrought alternating perspectives, unlikely instant romance, and exposition-heavy world-building drag it down.

Gr 7 Up-Claire Ryan has always felt like a Nobody. As a child, her parents left her at stores, parks, and home alone. She's never understood why she's so forgettable. However, she does not allow herself to wallow in self-pity; instead she survives by losing herself in books and hypothetical situations. One day she notices a young man about her own age watching her. She realizes that he is shocked that she can see him, and that he has malicious intentions. Nix, 17, has been sent by The Society to kill her. She shouldn't be able to see him because Nobodies make perfect close-range assassins because people do not notice them. Nix never thought to question his assignment until Claire sees him and he saves her from a backup team when he is making his second attempt to take her life. Even though he believes she is a Null (someone with the supernatural ability to manipulate others), he takes her into hiding, where he realizes that she is a powerful Nobody. To understand why The Society wants her dead, the pair starts investigating Nix's previous kills, realizing that the organization he has worked for since childhood is evil and needs to be stopped. This thrill ride will keep readers entranced and could appeal to reluctant readers if they can be coaxed to overlook its length. An exciting addition for collections where action novels are popular. Suanne B. Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL