Vicious Cycle, by Terri Blackstock

Amidst the happiness of his older sister's graduation from a drug rehab program, fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds himself twisted up in dangerous crime. The classmate he befriended, Jordan, chose not to finish her time in rehab but returned home to give birth to a meth-addicted baby. When Lance tries to intervene, his good deeds get twisted around into suspected criminal acts, and he goes from being a straight-laced kid to an accused felon in a matter of hours. His family, along with the policeman who helped save his sister's life a year ago, must come together to clear Lance's name, help the mother and newborn baby, and solve the dilemmas that come up along the way.

Although some of the situations resolved in a predictable way, the book kept me interested because it had several key subplots formed around Lance's main story. When Lance's sister comes home, she struggles with those things that a recovering addict must face upon re-entering her former world. Lance's widowed mother is coping with the romantic interest she has in this helpful policeman, and we see how this affects each member of the family. Jordan must decide if the future of her baby has more value than what Jordan wants today. We enter into the world of baby trafficking, witnessing the reality of something we'd rather not think about.

Throughout each of the situations, the family is strengthened as they support each other and look out for the others' interests. This is a stark contrast to the family of Jordan, the new mother, but the Covingtons reach out to her rather than shunning her. I found this book inspiring, following each person as they overcame the personal and familial obstacles they faced. This is a great rainy day book, that has an element of suspense and adrenaline, but makes you feel all warm and fuzzy by the time you put it down.

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