Invisibility by David Levithan and Andrea Cremer

Elizabeth is having a hard time adjusting to her new life in New York City. Her mom has a new job to keep her occupied, and her little brother Laurie is busy at his new school, leaving Elizabeth home alone in their new apartment during the hot summer days. But she thinks she just might have a new friend (and perhaps something more) in her neighbor, Stephen. Stephen is a loner in the extreme; he is completely invisible, and not always corporeal. When he discovers that Elizabeth can see him—the first person to ever do so—his life is turned around in unexpected, wonderful ways. Their connection will reveal darker truths in the city, almost invisible to everyone else but Elizabeth and Stephen.

Invisibility is a fascinating and unusual take on a modern love story with a whimsical, timeless romance vibe. Invisibility is, unsurprisingly, a major theme throughout the book as Elizabeth, Stephen, and Laurie each deal with their own issues concerning their perceptions of themselves and the power they have to make a difference. The book moves into the realm of the magical as the characters discover that Stephen is in fact cursed, but Levithan and Cremer keep the story anchored in the real world. Elizabeth is still reeling from the violent reactions of her peers in Minnesota when Laurie decided to come out, and the siblings are trying to figure out their new family dynamic with an absent father and workaholic mom. The mysteries of curse casters and spell seekers leads the trio to a mysterious comic book shop and eccentric characters who may hold the answers they seek, and the drama that ensues is emotionally-charged with high stakes for the characters and the nameless people caught in the crossfires of a twisted battle of good vs. evil. There is a lot to like about Invisibility; the romance is sweet, the dialogue is fast-paced and funny, and the conclusion is unusual but thought-provoking. This is a modern, magical tale with a unique feel that will certainly appeal to readers with varying tastes.

Cover Comments: I really like this cover! I love how the title font is arranged, and I like how the city is a blur behind the characters, even as the guy is fading out. I think it's pretty representative of the story, even if it does seem a bright for a story that gets pretty dark pretty quickly. Nonetheless, this is a very eye-catching cover.

Invisibility will be out in May 7th, 2013.

ARC provided by publisher.