Reviewed by Barbara Garcia for Readers' Favorite

Tent City by Kelly Van Hull tells of a plague of locusts that decimate the crops of America, resulting in food shortages. After the deaths of millions, Danielle and her little brother, Brody, are sent away by their parents to keep them from being rounded up and put into 'breeding' camps to replenish the population. Dani and Brody are joined by her best friend Kit as they make their way to the family cabin where they plan to hide out. They meet a mysterious young man named Jack along the way, but he insists on going his own way. As they arrive at the cabin, they find it has been taken over by Bentley and a host of other teens who've erected tents. With little choice left, they settle into Tent City and fall into the routine of life there. Then Jack arrives, and it's obvious he's no stranger to the residents of Tent City, and especially not to Bentley. There's no mistaking the animosity they share, and it only adds to the secrets Danielle's sure are being kept from her. Truths are slowly revealed to her, not the least of which is that her parents have been arrested. She knows her only option is to turn herself in so that her parents can go free. Leaving Brody safe with Kit, she sneaks off and returns to her hometown, but there's a secret there that will leave her reeling, and a discovery she makes that could solve, or destroy, everything.

Tent City was incredibly absorbing. This seemingly simple and innocent plot just keeps building and building as Kelly Van Hull quietly lays down layer upon layer, almost unnoticed, until the bombshells start dropping. Mental gasps were in order more than a few times as truths were revealed, and loose ends were neatly tied together. I highly commend the author for great character building, but also for the life events beautifully detailed as Dani and the other occupants of Tent City went about making a life there. The characters were given such depth as they interacted with each other, and with the events that sometimes shook the tranquil routine they had established. Their emotions were portrayed so well, and it simply wasn't hard at all to feel for them. I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the second book in this series, Red River. I have no doubt it will be as riveting as Tent City.