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A little bit Twin Peaks, a little bit Black Mirror, Streetlight People is a story of growing up in—and out of—a small town with a huge secret.
For most, Streetlight is a dot on the map you pass on your way to somewhere else. But if you live there, you're either a Have-Not, like Kady, or a Have-Lot like her boyfriend, Nik, who also happens to be a member of the exclusive social club, The IV Boys.
Known for their powerful families and the coveted ball they host for a selective guest list, The IV Boys have always refused to accept Kady regardless of how much Nik loves her. All the Boys except for Aaron, who didn't grow up in Streetlight and is one of the few who knows that life—real life—exists outside of it. But his stepmom has the kind of wealth and power even IV Boys can't resist.
With Nik at college, Aaron stands by Kady's side.But all Kady really wants is Nik, and when a chance encounter on Halloween hands her the power to twist and hold time, she doesn't hesitate. Now she can keep Nik close for as long as she wants.
While Kady tries to relive her best moments with Nik, the IV Boys have her in their sights. A rumor's spreading that Kady and Aaron are much more than friends—and not even twisting time is enough to defend against the power that the Boys were born with.
The more Kady changes the clock, the more dizzying reality becomes, until she stumbles upon a truth darker than anything she could have imagined. Streetlight is filled with monsters—and maybe she's always been one, too.
"Ray Bradbury-esque...An intersectionally diverse cast of authentically flawed characters complement Thomas's fiendishly clever premise and swiftly paced, slyly crafted plot." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"[O]nce the twists start, they don't stop...A reflective, time-bending look at power and young love." —Kirkus Reviews
"Thomas grounds her tricky, time manipulation story about fate and choice with realistically flawed, relatable, intersectionally diverse characters and a nostalgic small-town setting both charming and ominous." —Booklist
"An emotional genre bender with a startlingly eerie setting, sparkling prose, and a wholly original concept. Charlene Thomas is an author to watch." —Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of The Legacies and The Counselors
"Gorgeously written, atmospheric, and deeply intelligent, Streetlight People is part mystery, part sci-fi, and wholly original. Thomas tackles heavy topics like fate, identity, and class with grace. Her characters will stay with you long after their final page. You do not want to miss this book." —Liz Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of The Agathas and The Night in Question
"Disorienting and delightful in equal measure, Streetlight People is a gorgeously told Lynchian tale of a claustrophobic small town full of insidious secrets. A gripping story about the measure of power and who gets to use it." —Joelle Wellington, author of Their Vicious Games
This information about Streetlight People was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
When she isn't writing, Charlene Thomas works as a marketer. She is also the author of Seton Girls.
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