Dragonfly Girl is young adult suspense novel about a troubled high school girl with a gift for science who discovers a “cure” for death and ends up embroiled in an international rivalry.

Wait…a cure for death? As in, the dead come back to life? Yes, but we aren’t talking zombies (sorry…I like a good zombie story as much as anyone). And we’re not talking about those who’ve been buried for centuries. Not the dead dead.

But say a person was dead a few hours ago or even a few days ago…yes, there’s hope! And the process, which as I wrote the book began to feel more and more real to me, is called “post-death recovery”.

You’d think that discovering a cure for death would be a good thing, but it doesn’t work out that way for Kira, at least not at first. She’s in trouble  from the moment she arrives on the page, with school problems, money problems, family problems, and a big lie that sends her hurdling toward danger.

Dragonfly Girl is published by Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins USA

 

Advance Praise for Dragonfly Girl:

…This is a compelling YA debut from the internationally bestselling Leimbach. All the characters have depth, especially Kira, whose growth will entice readers to invest in her struggles and cheer for her successes. Leimbach also handles the science well, explaining what is happening without letting it slow down the action, focusing more on the characters’ emotions than the scientific procedures. The book lends itself to upcoming volumes, which should be eagerly anticipated. Kira’s race isn’t specified, and there is a range of racial and ethnic diversity among secondary characters. VERDICT: A thrilling debut with a heroine to root for and an excellent story that will keep surprising readers.

—School Library Journal

Dragonfly Girl is unlike any book I’ve ever read. The plot is taut and devilishly cunning, the science behind the story is brilliantly researched, and the writing pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the very last page.You’ll find yourself aching for the heroine’s hardships at first, before suddenly being whisked off to a heart-thumping adventure that will leave you breathless. THIS BOOK SLAPS!

—Jesse Q. Sutanto, author of DIAL A FOR AUNTIES

 

… fast pace and high stakes are engaging … An exciting adventure about a girl in STEM.

                                                                                                  —Kirkus Reviews 

 

Dragonfly Girl is a uniquely smart book. Readers will be challenged and delighted, as I was, by its originality. Invest some time in Dragonfly Girl and let author, Marti Leimbach, take you on a surprising and thrilling ride.

I loved Dragonfly Girl. Can there be a better way to nudge young people toward the sciences than to introduce them to Kira Adams…? Marti Leimbach has written an intriguing and thrilling novel that could very well entice young people to take a closer look at careers in science…

—Todd Strasser, bestselling author of The Wave and Fallout