Young Adult Review : Elixer by Ted Galdi How would you like to be 14, the smartest person in the world and at the mercy of the FBI?

Geeky 14 year old genius Sean Malone discovers a ground breaking mathematical formula with the potential to derail the world as we know it.  He signs a secrecy clause and tries to forget all about it , However when he sees his formula being used in a way that risks innocent lives he becomes a threat to homeland security and is sent to Italy under Witness Protection providing he doesn’t return to the states.

He builds himself a new life, grows up and falls in love and his secret remains hidden until he finds himself having to use his exceptional IQ for personal reasons and finds himself up against Government , big business and Time.

This is an empathetic, imaginative and poignant story of a young man struggling to come to terms with guilt at the loss of his parents, his unusually high IQ and his own moral code.  It is at times emotionally charged, often fast paced and is wonderfully insightful about the psyche of a teenager who doesn’t quite fit.

I would definitely recommends it for the 14 – 18 year age range

Teen Read Week is 12th - 18th October 2014.  Watch out for a week of Young Adult Crime Fiction Reviews