Fair Coin by E.C. Myers
Ephraim Scott arrives home from school to find his mother passed out in the kitchen, after trying to kill herself with alcohol and pills. But her reason for the attempt is what shocks Ephraim. She was told that Ephraim had been killed, his body identified at the morgue. His mother’s purse contains the dead boy’s personal effects which surprisingly holds his own library card and a strange coin. After receiving mysterious instructions to flip the coin and make a wish, Ephraim wishes that his mother never went to the hospital and that she was more mothering. The coin grows warm and seems to grant his wish, as he returns home to a drastically different mother. Then, the coin grants his wish that his crush would like him back. But the coin has changed other things too, and not all for the better.
Ephraim is sixteen, with a geeky and somewhat annoying best friend. His crush is Jena who is pretty, smart and popular. While Ephraim is a relatable, good kid, the power of the coin quickly begins to have a negative effect on his friend, turning him dark and disturbing. The suspense continues to build to a heart-pounding finale. Impossible to put down, this fast-paced scifi adventure is laced with teen angst and humor. An impressive debut, Fair Coin is a non-stop thrill ride with plenty of unexpected twists.