Spin, Lamar Giles
Spin, Lamar Giles
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
Club: $13.99

Spin

Author: Lamar Giles

Narrator: Bahni Turpin, Shawana Carter, Sisi Aisha Johnson

Unabridged: 24 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/29/2019


Synopsis

Even in murder, the music lives on.When rising star Paris Secord (aka DJ ParSec) is found dead on her turntables, it sends the local music scene reeling. No one is feeling that grief more than her shunned pre-fame best friend, Kya, and ParSec's chief groupie, Fuse -- two sworn enemies who happened to be the ones who discovered her body. The police have few leads, and when the trail quickly turns cold, the authorities don't seem to be pushing too hard to investigate further. But nobody counted on Paris's deeply loyal fans, ParSec Nation, or the outrage that would drive Fuse and Kya to work together. As ParSec Nation takes to social media and the streets in their crusade for justice, Fuse and Kya start digging into Paris's past, stumbling across a deadly secret. With new info comes new motives. New suspects. And a fandom that will stop at nothing in their obsessive quest for answers, not even murder...

About Lamar Giles

Lamar Giles is the author of The Getaway; Spin, which was a New York Times Editors' Choice and a YALSA Quick Pick; Overturned, which was also a YALSA Quick Pick; Not So Pure and Simple; Fake ID, which was an Edgar Award finalist and a YALSA Quick Pick; and Endangered, which was also an Edgar Award finalist. He is the editor of the anthology Fresh Ink and has contributed to many other anthologies as well. Lamar is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books. He resides in Virginia with his family.


Reviews

Goodreads review by jv on September 07, 2024

Mr. Giles’ Spin is a suck-you-in-so-fast YA suspense novel centered around teen-aged rising star, DJ ParSec. Or maybe more honestly, her murder. Childhood friend and confidante, Kya, is incredibly proud of Paris’ success. Not just because of her own countless contributions in creating ParSec’s first......more

Goodreads review by Rincey on July 17, 2019

Fun, fast-paced, gripping mystery. I had an inkling about the whodunit part but there were a few other twists that I didn't see coming.......more

Goodreads review by OutlawPoet on February 25, 2019

First, if you're looking for diverse characters, this is for you. It's not 'diversity for diversity's sake'. In other words, this isn't some dude jumping on the diverse YA bandwagon. He's been writing for a while. The author himself is a POC and (shock!) he understands that POC aren't all the same.......more

Goodreads review by Regina on August 01, 2019

This book was DOPE. The mystery was well done, with enough red herrings to keep me entranced. And the beautiful acknowledgment and integration of current and past hip-hop was extremely on point. My only complaint was the audiobook, which would have done better to secure younger narrators to match the......more

Goodreads review by kate on June 16, 2020

Not only does this book feature a brilliantly gripping mystery, it also superbly explores the all too prevalent and dangerous issue regarding the lack of interest/effort from the public and police when it comes to looking for justice for crimes against Black girls and women. Despite a somewhat slow......more


Quotes

Praise for Lamar Giles"My twin, Lamar, is a phenomenal innovative storyteller. His thrillers have laid the groundwork for us all. A true king!" -- Tiffany D. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Grown and The Weight of Blood"Lamar Giles's work always has something to say, and it's well worth your while to listen." -- Barry Lyga, New York Times bestselling author of I Hunt Killers"When I think of Lamar Giles's work, I think of the books that make kids love reading. Whether it's through a fantasy adventure or a nuanced YA novel, he offers readers smart characters who face impossible circumstances that will keep them guessing until the end. A Lamar Giles book never disappoints." -- Meg Medina, New York Times bestselling author of Burn Baby BurnPraise for SpinNew York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceYALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers"The first test of a whodunit is how heart-stopping and strange a thing has actually been dun. In Spin, Lamar Giles nails the murder... What's even more impressive is the subtle stuff you almost don't notice because Giles wears his intellect so lightly: the masterly knowledge of hip-hop and R&B; the command of technology's uses and abuses; the discerning ear for the way high schoolers talk... A two-time nominee for an Edgar award, Giles is a terrific plotter... Spin champions the resourcefulness of teenagers and pities the grown-ups -- villainous or just clueless -- who underestimate them." -- New York Times Book Review★ "Not to be missed." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)★ "Spin delivers everything you could want in a book: lush, complex characters; a spine-chilling plot; a vividly drawn world; and, best of all, hip-hop." -- Booklist (starred review)★ "This novel transcends its genre." -- School Library Journal (starred review)★"This fast-paced tale seizes attention from the first thrown punch to the final curtain call...." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Lamar Giles has spun together a fast-paced, music-forward whodunit..." -- School Library ConnectionPraise for Say Less"Some books grab you from the first line and don't let go and Say Less is one of those. Lamar Giles has created a rare thing, an unputdownable thriller with a big beating heart." -- Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Is Also a Star"Say Less opens with grief, heat, secrets, and a town where everybody knows something, even if nobody knows the whole truth. Lamar Giles builds that pressure beautifully, and Meela carries you straight into it." --- Jay Ellis, author of Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)?"Giles knows exactly how deep small-town dread can run -- propulsive and razor-sharp." -- Mindy McGinnis, author of The Female of the Species"Say Less is full of gripping details that keeps you turning pages, and superb pacing that goes left every time you're expecting a right." -- Ashley Woodfolk, critically acclaimed author of The Beauty That RemainsPraise for Ruin RoadKirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year"Lamar Giles's latest thriller is filled with chilling haunts and horrors, not just in the magical curse that burdens the main character, but in the authentic real-life struggles and stigmas that plague him. A brilliant concept, deftly executed!" -- Neal Shusterman, New York Times bestselling author of the Arc of a Scythe series"Ruin Road brims with malice, each page sure to drag readers into a community's -- and boy's -- fight against the greedy forces preying on them. Exceptional and not to be missed!" -- Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times bestselling author of She Is a Haunting"Riveting, grounded horror tinged with characters who leap to life. Lamar Giles writes with imagination and urgency that will appeal to all horror fans, as Ruin Road raises an intriguing question with surprising answers: What would we be like if we had no fear?" -- Tananarive Due, American Book Award winner and author of The Reformatory"A refreshing tale with twists you'll never see coming. Giles crafts an action-packed story, filled with both real-life and supernatural terrors. Ruin Road pulls your heartstrings tight and keeps you on your toes!" -- Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal"From the first line, Ruin Road lets you know you're in the hands of a master. The story moves with the knowing swagger of its main character, Cade Webster, fascinating, charismatic, and layered. With elements of Stephen King and a double helping of that Giles magic that makes his work so unforgettable, Ruin Road is a blast of terror, heart, and intelligence, with a dash of social commentary. Giles is in peak form, and you don't want to miss out!" -- Maurice Broaddus, author of Unfadeable★ "Giles's robust descriptions of the setting and nuanced characterization provide this intricately plotted story with incredible depth. Occasional perspective shifts deftly flesh out the landscape of suspenseful supernatural elements, and abhorrent acts of racism bring a sobering sense of reality to this magic-filled story. A riveting thriller that seamlessly incorporates powerful social themes." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)★ "This edge-of-the-seat thriller uses occult horror elements to explore racism, classism, family, and grief... making this a genre-bending adventure that will leave readers wanting more." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)★ "This book absolutely delivers as a Twilight Zone-style spine-tingler that's almost impossible to put down." -- Booklist (starred review)★ "An unnerving, spine-tingling paranormal horror novel driven by a frank and sharp dissection of race and class." -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)"Giles's horror thriller is expertly crafted and indeed truly horrifying, weaving many threads into this tapestry of evil.... Pair this with Giles's The Getaway for a double-header of evil and mayhem." -- Horn Book"Giles blends horror and social commentary in this innovative tale." -- Washington PostPraise for The GetawayYALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young AdultsYALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers"Timely, thrilling, and gripping from start to finish. An absolute page-turner." -- Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying"The Getaway grabbed me from page one and didn't let go. I was immediately fascinated and disturbed by the fictional Karloff Country. You too will be lured in and then horrified by the truth behind those perfect customer service smiles..." -- Malinda Lo, New York Times best selling author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club★"With hints of Cory Doctorow, Jordan Peele, and Richard Matheson, this book stands on its own as a dystopian adventure, but the deeper metaphors around servitude, privilege, class, and solidarity mean that there's a lot to think about as the characters reckon with their proximity to and complicity in violence both local and far-flung. Hold tight: You'll want to stay on this nightmarish roller coaster till the end." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)★"This arresting and engaging dystopian thriller interrogates the horrors of racism, classism, unregulated capitalism and eco-fascism." -- Shelf Awareness (starred review)"Giles's harrowing dystopian novel combines an exploration of capitalistic greed and systemic racism and oppression with gripping psychological horror, resulting in a read that is guaranteed to terrify." -- Publishers Weekly"With elements of adventure, science fiction, horror, and even a bit of romance in a broken world, Giles keeps readers wondering who can and cannot be trusted throughout this page-turning novel." -- Horn BookPraise for OverturnedA YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult ReadersKirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year★"An utterly compelling whodunit." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Giles, a founding member of We Need Diverse Books and two-time Edgar Award finalist, is in top form, weaving together the threads of his whodunit-and-why and resonantly depicting his characters' home and school lives. As a poker genius Nikki may be a singular sort of teenager, but she's grounded in desires and motivations that make her story as moving as it is thrilling." -- New York Times Book Review"Another Giles winner." -- BCCB"A fast-paced, endlessly intriguing mystery." -- Booklist"Giles excels at pulpy crime drama, including a romance with a wealthy casino heir, scattering a trail of clues and bluffs to keep readers guessing." -- Publishers Weekly