A Mark in the Road

by Angelique Burrell, Haley Hwang (Editor)

Every tire track tells a story. At least that's what accident experts say. And there's no better expert than eighteen-year-old Mason.  Mason dreads the skid marks left by braking tires. Every mark - every near miss, dead animal, injured person - plays like a soundless documentary in his mind. When Mason's on-again-off-again crush Addie begs him to drive cross-country to help her move, he must face what he thought was his greatest fear - the open road. But a tire mark left near a missing woman's car on the Loneliest Road in America changes everything. ​As Mason searches for clues, he and Addie drive closer to trouble and risk losing everything.
Can his strange gift finally serve a purpose?
Can he race against the clock and drive 2,000 miles before the skid mark disappears?
This clean YA speculative thriller will take readers on a journey of acceptance, courage, and strength in the face of the unknown. For fans of Megan Miranda and Jennifer Lynn Barnes, this action-packed debut, with a promise of hope fringed on a highway of despair, will leave readers breathless and eagerly awaiting the next ride.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult

286 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

Angelique Burrell is a young adult writer and a high school English and creative writing teacher. A Mark in the Road is her debut novel, due to release on October 3, 2023.

Reviews

[Kara Linaburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book is so freaking cool. Walking or driving over skid marks in the road causes Mason to see who made them and why. I just found that a unique ability in overdone special giftings in books. The cover is also so striking.
So it was a big YESS to putting A Mark In The Road on my tbr.

Tropes...

Friends to lovers (more yes)
Ticking Clock
First love
Roadtrip

I did have a few issues with the book...
1. Why did Addie's parents and Mason's parents think it was ok for two teens to road trip for days together... alone??? I know very few good parents who think this is a good idea. If they'd done it behind their parents' back it would have added to the suspense a little and made more sense...
2. It was a slower read. It picked up like 50% through, the first half being a lot of dialogue
3. The suspense wasn't there like I wanted it to be. At first I had to reread the book about half way through to make sure I hadn't missed that this was indeed supposed to have strong elements of suspense. I'd have liked more POV of the bad guy, of the abduction, I don't know -- something early on to make us want to read further.

Overall, I give this book three stars because while the writing style was slow it certainly didn't feel sloppy. Plus, I wanted to see how the romance played out. Everything was clean minus a few words and there was no s*x like YA tends to throw out. Also, I'm a sucker for a roadtrip book -- what can I say? And Addie and Mason are sweethearts that had such a cute ending! The friends to lovers was timed perfectly and the slowburn kiss was *chefs kiss*

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mark in the Road has it all: a cross-country road trip with mystery, suspense, and romance. Teens and adults alike will devour this book! Not all YA novels are engaging and well-written, but this achieves both. Hopefully a second book is in Mason and Addie’s future :)

[Stephanie Cotta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MARK IN THE ROAD is an engaging, coming of age, road-trip story with a dash of suspense/thriller vibes that takes the reader from Illinois to Lake Tahoe through the eyes of the main character, 18-year-old Mason, who has the uncanny ability to see visions after driving over skid marks. When his neighbor and longtime crush, Addie, has to move to Lake Tahoe with her parents, it sets in motion this road trip across the country. Mason agrees to go along in hope of spending more time with Addie, even if it means suffering a bombardment of startling—sometimes gruesome—visions. But it also gives him the chance to find a specific skid mark somewhere on Route 50: the Loneliest Road in America. Someone recently went missing there, and Mason hopes he can help.

The first time I went on the freeway just after getting a few chapters in, my eyes were immediately drawn to the skid marks along the highway. And it made me wonder what stories were associated with them. I love how this story made me consider things I never would have.

I instantly felt connected with Mason from the very first pages. The visions that plague him jump off the page with visceral and tangible details. But they aren’t always gruesome accidents of mayhem and death; some are funny, which brings playful banter between Mason and Addie, as they spend much of the story in a vehicle traveling. It was fun visiting the places and landmarks with them along their cross-country trek. The dialogue and banter are outstanding; I chuckled quite a bit with the quips between these two teenagers. Despite the moments of levity, and rising romantic tension, always lurking at the forefront of the story is Mason’s pressing need to get to Route 50—to see if he can help this missing person. And the biggest problem he faces, if or when he does, is: will anyone believe what he sees? And can he entrust the truth of his visions to Addie without her thinking he’s crazy? Read A MARK IN THE ROAD by Angelique Burrell and find out what happens. Perfect for teens and fans of YA thrillers!

[Stacey Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MARK IN THE ROAD is a captivating YA thriller from start to finish. The premise, both interesting and unique, centers around a young man with a gift that is also a burden and how he may be able to use his visions to help a crime victim. Much of the story takes place on a road trip, and readers will love the relationship between the protagonist and his best friend and secret crush, as well as the fun and authentic teen banter between the two of them. This novel is a definite must-read for YA fans who enjoy crime thrillers, speculative fiction, and clean romance!

[Jack Wiesemes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading A Mark in the Road as an adult reminds me of family vacation trips driving down the interstate enjoying the sites and stopping at roadside attractions, but our journeys were nothing like what Mason and Addie experience traveling from Illinois to Nevada.

Even before their journey begins, Burrell captures the real-life struggles of two teens in the last days of the school year. Addie is moving to another school for her senior year and leaving her life-long friends and she wonders if her boyfriend will adapt to a long-distance relationship. Mason has known Addie, his neighbor, since grade school and has trouble coping with her leaving because he has feelings for her that she may not have for him.

Addie thinks the cross-country trip will be fun and full of new experiences, but Mason becomes terrified when thinking about what he might discover from the skid marks. How can he survive a 2000-mile trip?

The vivid description and character development of these two teens in A Mark in the Road are so real that I can feel their pain, excitement, struggles, joy, sadness, terror, and love. They quickly become like someone you have known or want to meet.

The mystery and suspense are written in such a way that we really see how clever and compassionate Mason and Addie truly are. Young adults and adults alike will be captivated as they ride along.

I am so pleased I got to meet Addie and Mason in A Mark in the Road.

Thank you, Angelique Burrell.

[Myles Laffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jump-started by a missing person report and Mason's unsettling visions, A Mark in the Road keeps a strong pace through this intriguing and thrilling mystery. It's made even better by the genuine humor and affection depicted in Addie and Mason's road trip relationship. A great read!

[Kim Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concrete detail in this mystery kept me turning the pages and wanting to investigate the places the book took me. It’s a mystery with a bit of romance, some travel fiction, and a dog. In short it’s a great new read that doesn’t rely on a tired old formula.

[Shelly Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was to walk into a book store this is exactly the book I would buy, not only for the incredibly striking cover but for the unique premise and concept. That, and thrillers are high on my list for favourite genres!

On this edge of your seat winner, we have
two best friends who've lived next door to each throughout their childhood--Mason and Addie. They have never been more than friends, although, Mason, harbours feelings. Does Addie feel the same? The time has come to test this theory when, Addie, has to take a road trip. Her family is moving away and Mason has offered to accompany her on her journey. But Mason has a secret. Every skid mark they drive over, tells the tale of its origin. He has tragedy after tragedy etched into his heart and this trip might just be one skid mark too many!

A masterfully crafted idea that will have you tensing along with the fast-paced, short chapters.

Praise for Angelique Burrell. I can't wait to read more from this author.

[Lindsey Hobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mark in the Road is a clever new YA novel that features a main character who has the unique ability to "see" what caused tire marks just by driving over them.

After many years plagued with this "gift", Mason has learned how to avoid the marks on the road, but when his next door neighbor/crush, Addie, tells him she is moving across the country he volunteers to drive, something he would never consider if it wasn't his last chance at telling her how he feels.

The long drive across the loneliest road in America puts Mason to the test, both emotionally and physically, when he decides to tap into his visions and help a missing motorist along the way.

This book was definitely an interesting concept. I enjoyed the tension of the visions, the mystery of what happened on Route 50, and, of course, the budding romance between Mason and Addie. It definitely had me wondering about the origin of the skid marks I saw on my daily drive for weeks after I finished reading it.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harmless high school life combines with a road-trip and meets a thriller to keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Mason has visions every time he sees a skid mark on the road, but he's never told anyone about them. Only his best friend and forever-neighbor, Addie, has heard his tales. She believes he's simply making up stories to entertain her, and Mason thinks it's best that way. When Addie's parents suddenly announce that the family is moving across the country, Mason is devastated. Luckily, Addie invites him to accompany her and the family dog on a road trip to the new home, since a flight would worry the pet and she needs the drive time to come to terms with the change in her life. But the trip also terrifies Mason. There will be hundreds of skid marks along the way...hundreds of visions to experience. After preparing himself by searching for past accidents along the route, he runs across a recent one, which lures out past memories. He wants to drive over these specific skid marks to figure out what his visions mean, but he's not ready for what he and Addie will find.

Mason is a good guy with a good heart, and Addie, his neighbor, while not quite as mature, knows how to stand her ground. The two create a great duo. The first quarter of the book offers plenty of character depth and fun banter, too. Not only does the reader gain a decent grip on Mason's visions but can sympathize with Addie as she leaves friends behind. These first chapters were a bit slow for action fans like me, and I wished there were more interactions with Addie's friends, especially her boyfriend...who only for a short scene. Mason and Addie are adorable and do dig deep into the reader's heart, which is important for the rest of the read.

When the more thrilling aspects get going, they dig in deep. The mix of skid marks and visions isn't only original but draws in. I'll never look at brake rubs on pavement the same way again. Mason's visions echo reality and lay the groundwork as the author sneaks in short chapters to start the first chilling vibes. As a reader, my curiosity was begging to find out more, when the action and mystery did start. The thriller end held many twists and turns with tension and danger, while letting the two main characters shine. It was quick-paced without losing the heart set-up during the first chapters and delivered on the darker-suspense, while letting Mason and Addie's cleverness shine.
I received a DRC and enjoyed this duo quite a bit. I'm giving it 4.5 stars and rounding up.

[Razzle Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

A Mark in the Road by Angelique Burrell

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genres: YA, thriller
Tropes: supernatural visions, secret power, road trip, girl next door

18 year old Mason has the unique ability to see visions of incidents that leave skid marks on the road. He doesn’t understand the purpose of these visions, but he knows to keep them secret (because no one would understand).

When his neighbor/crush/best friend Addie learns she is moving across the country, she begs Mason to drive there with her (as opposed to her flying out there). Mason is heistant, knowing that a road trip will likely trigger lots of bad visions (due to higher accident volume on the road).

Right before leaving, he learns on the news about a woman who is missing and her car was left near a skid mark. Mason feels a weird pull towards this woman, and makes the decision to go on this road trip so that he can stop by the skid mark and potentially see what happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really wanted to like this one. I think the plot is super unique, and definitely had the potential to be really good.

But it was incredibly slow. The actual plot could have been condensed down to 100 pages and still had the same story. A lot of the story revolves around Addie and Mason and their friendship (and subsequent conversations). So the majority of the book is just them talking, which is fine, but the conversations aren’t that interesting. They also don’t really relate to the actual story, it seems. I think this might be fine for a general YA fiction novel, but it is way too slow for a thriller.

The book finally picks up around 75% and gets good for a while, but the ending was very anticlimactic. It also felt like the author was trying to set the story up for a sequel, but it was done in a way that didn’t feel related enough to the plot.

Overall, the writing itself is fine. The plot in general is fine. It’s just super slow. I think of you like general YA fiction, you might like this one, but the “thriller” aspect is really such a small part of this book.

Thank you to the author for a copy of this to read ✨

[Charessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read, despite its darker aspects. It's first and foremost a budding teen romance between two childhood friends (Mason and Addie) as they roadtrip across the United States to Addie's new home. It just so happens that Mason sees visions of what causes skid marks on the road and while he loves her enough to drive her and her dog Indy 2,000 miles, he dreads the whole way because of this pervasive and traumatic ability.

It's this ability that leads him to researching accidents that happen along the route before they leave and he just so happens to discover an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of a young woman with the same name as his childhood neighbor who died tragically in a drunk driving crash. He feels a connection and is compelled to use his ability to try and solve her disappearance, though he isn't sure how to let Addie know that he has these visions. Cue cute tourist hopping across the States as he falls more in love with Addie, though he doesn't want to tell her that either--because she mentioned she doesn't want to do long distant relationships.

I thought it was a fairly compelling read and I now know the fascinating science behind certain types of skid marks, though I felt the interspersed monologues from the missing woman felt out of place given they're in first person and the rest of the book is in third person. I also felt the resolution was a bit quick and maybe even anticlimactic, but I really enjoyed the surprise at the very end. Its strength is certainly the relationship between Mason and Addie and it's pretty adorable. So I really enjoyed it and I think older teens would too if you're looking to suggest it.

[Jdefarno · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the beginning of summer and neighbors Mason and Addie are heading on a road trip from the suburbs of Chicago to Tahoe, Nevada. When Addie’s father is relocated to Tahoe at the end of her junior year in high school, she decides that she wants to arrive out west on her own terms. Mason volunteers to accompany her on the trip but his intentions aren’t just because he will get a chance to spend more time with Addie and maybe reveal his true feelings. What Addie doesn’t know is that every time Mason sees a skid mark on the road he sees a vision of what caused the mark. Despite all the skid marks Mason will see on this trip, there is a chance that one he will cross may also find a missing girl. Part mystery, part romance, Burrell keeps the reader’s attention throughout the story. Reader’s will agonize with Mason as he passes over each skid mark on the cross country journey and as he comes to terms with his feelings for Addie. The language and dialogue are relatable to teens and the pacing will keep readers going to find out if the two can save the missing girl.

[Paul Ritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being a teacher and grand parent I’ve read a great deal young adult literature. It’s a precarious walk to write this type of literature. It must have a plot and characters that appeal to adolescents. The dialogue is key. The pacing needs to be moving but not to a point where the plot suffers. Ms. Burrell is quite successful in all of these areas.

The plot is quirky, but believable. The dialogue rings true. The plot is steady. The first part of the book establishes the groundwork in an entertaining manner. Then it moves into detective mode. Ms, Burrell is very adept at accelerating the plot. The characters rang true from beginning to end. The detective part of the book ramped up the emotion quite effectively. I was entertained; I sat on the edge of my seat; the interactions with all of the characters was realistic and move the plot forward. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I cant wait for the next book.

[Caitlin Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

18-year-old Mason embarks on a road trip of a lifetime with his next door neighbor and crush-- despite the perils of encountering his worst fear. Mason can "see" the stories behind tire marks in the road and all the grisly images that come with them. However, on this trip, he uses his skill to help a woman in danger.

Burrell does a great job of building tension, particularly with the woman needing Mason's help. (I also quite enjoyed the woman running the smalltown theatre.) Burrell delivers on a unique concept!

[Lori Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mark In The Road is a captivating novel that follows the story of an eighteen-year-old boy who appears cursed, but in reality, possesses an extraordinary gift that lets him see a captured victim. This intriguing mystery, blended with a heartwarming romance, will keep you guessing until the very end and leave you yearning for a sequel. After reading this, you'll never view skid marks in the same way again.

[Tara N Gabrys · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely wonderful story! Teenage love, a hard secret, a mystery, and a road trip! This book was such an easy read to sink your teeth into. It grips you from the start and is a wonderful story for teens.

I loved the story of Mason and the journey he took to self discovery, love, and solving a missing persons case!

Burrell really gets deep into the minds of teenagers and life on the cusp of adulthood, Dealing with heavy issues and overcoming obstacles. A masterpiece in YA!

[Tina Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MARK IN THE ROAD is a story is written with such a cool and unique premise! I love the relationship between Mason and Addie. It’s a heart-pounding race against time with a mystery that begs to be solved. I read it in one day! This is a fantastic debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

[Cheryl Sumida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a part of the "Soon to be famous Illinois Author" panel. Loved the book and the premise. The characters are believeable, and yet not perfect. I loved the quirky details of their backroads trip to Tahoe!

I highly suggest reading this YA book and I look forward to reading more from Angelique!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read. I was one of judges for Soon to Be Famous who ultimately picked this book as our winner. It was worth it. The ideas were unique. Feeling and reliving every tire mark on the Road? All the ways to avoid it. Then using this weird ability to solve a crime. It all worked spectacularly well together. Give this book a chance. It is worth it.

[Almedia Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! What a true thriller, indeed!

[Nicole Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this booked! Very fast paced and loved the relationship between Addie and Mason!

[Nicole Norton Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique plot that kept me engaged. Would definitely read a sequel from this author!

[Walter Burrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Mark in the Road" is an exceptional literary gem that takes readers on a heart-pounding journey filled with suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists. Written by a brilliant new talent in the world of fiction, this novel is an absolute must-read for anyone who enjoys a gripping story that delves deep into the human psyche.

[Roberta Wiesemes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go for it, climb into the Jeep and join Mason, Addie and her dog Indy for a journey in, A Mark in the Road, by Angelique Burrell. It's time for an astounding adventure!

This author has really captured the emotions and thoughts of two teens as they travel across the country experiencing tourist attractions, food trucks and danger. As Mason and Addie mature along their journey I was completely engaged throughout my reading.

Happy reading fellow travelers but beware of the marks in the road!

[Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart, sharp, page turner with clever prose and a crafty twist ending! Read it in a day, and enjoyed every single minute and page. Can't wait to read more by this amazing, talented writer!

[John Wiesemes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vivid description and character development of the two teens in A Mark in the Road are so real that I can feel their pain, excitement, struggles, joy, sadness, terror, and love. They quickly become like someone you have known or want to meet.
This is supposed to be a YA book but as an adult I could relate to this youthful experience and couldn't put the book down.

[Marinne Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Mark in the Road” combines elements of teenage realism and a piece of fantasy. Easily digestible by adults and teens alike, this book is a page turner with heart and soul. I was emotionally invested in Mason and his adventure, and the ending did not disappoint!

[Sandy Whiting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The plot is unique, and I loved the way the two storylines intertwined. Kept my attention to the very end!