What do you think?
Rate this book
Future Flash
For as long as she can remember, Laney has been having “future flashes”—visions of the future that she sees when she makes physical contact with another person. Left on a doorstep as a baby, Laney’s past has always been cloudy to her, despite the clarity with which she can see the future. Her caretaker, Walt, claims to be her father, but Laney has a nagging suspicion that he isn’t quite telling her the entire truth. And when a new kid, Lyle, moves to her small town, Laney is dreading meeting him—she almost always gets a future flash when first meeting someone new, and the flashes aren’t always good. Unfortunately, her meeting with Lyle isn’t just bad; it’s painful. Engulfed in flames, Lyle’s future flash is the worst Laney’s ever experienced. But what does it mean? Is there anything Laney can do to change the future? And will she be able to save Lyle not only from a fiery death but also from the merciless class bully without becoming a victim of his antics herself?
In this thrilling and imaginative middle grade novel from author Kita Helmetag Murdock, follow Laney as she works against the clock to understand her past and prevent the disaster looming in the future.
In this thrilling and imaginative middle grade novel from author Kita Helmetag Murdock, follow Laney as she works against the clock to understand her past and prevent the disaster looming in the future.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2014
5 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 14, 2015
Future Flash was an enjoyable book. I ènjoyed the fact that her flashes of the future were not always of death,as there already several out there like that, but might simply be an ordinary event. Ìt was well written and perfect for middle school readers or others who read anything.
June 19, 2014
It was really awesome- I loved it! All the charactes were well developed and easy to relate to, and the story never bored me. It was so good! I want more! :) :) :)
August 27, 2014
This book was so frustrating. It had the potential to be really good. Unfortunately, there were a number of things that kept it from being anything more than a bland, preachy, condescending criticism of bullying.
The first thing I noticed was the use of stereotypes instead of well-developed characters. I nearly stopped reading when I first encountered Ms. Fontane, the gym teacher: the 300-pound, lazy gym teacher who sits in a chair, sweating and panting, while instructing (not demonstrating, of course) her students how to dance. And that was just the beginning. We've also got a crazy cat lady with literally dozens of cats, and an irresponsible local shelter that keeps allowing her to take more, even though her house stinks of cat pee; the redheaded boy with freckles who wears a t-shirt with the periodic table on it, who immediately gets picked on by the local bully, and who has allergies that make him sneeze (because a nerd's not a nerd without allergies); the "bad seed" who used to be a nice kid, but who apparently lost his mind when his parents divorced and now goes around violently assaulting his classmates and setting fire to action figures; and the unwashed shut-in who can apparently move house over and over again in the space of three years, but somehow can't muster the energy to change out of her bathrobe and open the front door. The main character, Laney, isn't much better. She dresses in black (instead of pink, like the other girls at school) and likes to draw and paint. I also had a big problem with her character because she was the narrator. The book is told in first person, present tense. The problem is that Laney is twelve but her voice sounds more like an adult. And yet, at times, she comes across as stupid or as if she has a memory impairment; she tends to remember things only when they're convenient, or after the reader has already remembered them.
The writing was also pretty bad. There were numerous typos, comma splices, said bookisms, and homophone mistakes all over the place (callous/callus, peak/peek, chord/cord). The author didn't seem to know the difference between lie and lay, and thus had characters "laying" all over the place. (What were they laying? Eggs?) I wondered if perhaps she did this because Laney might not have known the difference... but I kind of doubt it.
But the worst part was that so many things seemed contrived for convenience. At one point in the story, Laney draws a picture of her classmate on fire, and gets in trouble with the teacher. The teacher doesn't call home until days later... when it's convenient to the plot. Then there was the extended conversation in a burning hallway that stretches the limits of credulity, fire behaviour, animal behaviour, and human physiology. This is when Laney dumps an important piece of information on the reader right at the height of the climax, one that ultimately helps resolve the plot. When this happens, I pretty much lose all respect for the author. These sorts of things need to be properly set up, or they come across as contrived.
The final paragraph left me convinced that this was nothing but a preachy little book for middle schoolers with the message that bullying is bad and that you need to tell an adult. The message is not sophisticated or nuanced at all; it pretty much hits you over the head. And that's disappointing, because the potential was there for this to be a good story. I'm not saying the message needed to be done away with completely, but it could have been a little more subtle. I feel like I was deceived into reading this book, because I expected something quite different. It was like someone had tricked me into eating broccoli when what I thought I was getting was dessert.
Quotable moment:
The first thing I noticed was the use of stereotypes instead of well-developed characters. I nearly stopped reading when I first encountered Ms. Fontane, the gym teacher: the 300-pound, lazy gym teacher who sits in a chair, sweating and panting, while instructing (not demonstrating, of course) her students how to dance. And that was just the beginning. We've also got a crazy cat lady with literally dozens of cats, and an irresponsible local shelter that keeps allowing her to take more, even though her house stinks of cat pee; the redheaded boy with freckles who wears a t-shirt with the periodic table on it, who immediately gets picked on by the local bully, and who has allergies that make him sneeze (because a nerd's not a nerd without allergies); the "bad seed" who used to be a nice kid, but who apparently lost his mind when his parents divorced and now goes around violently assaulting his classmates and setting fire to action figures; and the unwashed shut-in who can apparently move house over and over again in the space of three years, but somehow can't muster the energy to change out of her bathrobe and open the front door. The main character, Laney, isn't much better. She dresses in black (instead of pink, like the other girls at school) and likes to draw and paint. I also had a big problem with her character because she was the narrator. The book is told in first person, present tense. The problem is that Laney is twelve but her voice sounds more like an adult. And yet, at times, she comes across as stupid or as if she has a memory impairment; she tends to remember things only when they're convenient, or after the reader has already remembered them.
The writing was also pretty bad. There were numerous typos, comma splices, said bookisms, and homophone mistakes all over the place (callous/callus, peak/peek, chord/cord). The author didn't seem to know the difference between lie and lay, and thus had characters "laying" all over the place. (What were they laying? Eggs?) I wondered if perhaps she did this because Laney might not have known the difference... but I kind of doubt it.
But the worst part was that so many things seemed contrived for convenience. At one point in the story, Laney draws a picture of her classmate on fire, and gets in trouble with the teacher. The teacher doesn't call home until days later... when it's convenient to the plot. Then there was the extended conversation in a burning hallway that stretches the limits of credulity, fire behaviour, animal behaviour, and human physiology. This is when Laney dumps an important piece of information on the reader right at the height of the climax, one that ultimately helps resolve the plot. When this happens, I pretty much lose all respect for the author. These sorts of things need to be properly set up, or they come across as contrived.
The final paragraph left me convinced that this was nothing but a preachy little book for middle schoolers with the message that bullying is bad and that you need to tell an adult. The message is not sophisticated or nuanced at all; it pretty much hits you over the head. And that's disappointing, because the potential was there for this to be a good story. I'm not saying the message needed to be done away with completely, but it could have been a little more subtle. I feel like I was deceived into reading this book, because I expected something quite different. It was like someone had tricked me into eating broccoli when what I thought I was getting was dessert.
Quotable moment:
I've never seen a dead person before. A tear trickles from Lyle's closed eye down the side of his right cheek. I saw a dead deer last year in the back of a pickup truck at the gas station. Its eyes were unblinking and tear-free. Aside from the slow-moving tear, Lyle is perfectly still.
"Are you dead?" I ask him. He lets out a small snort but doesn't move.
"I wish," he says after a minute.
November 29, 2014
Laney Magee has always been different. She’s the girl that draws on her falling-apart-sneakers, and always wears her favorite black hoodie. It doesn’t help that she has this weird power that when she meets someone new and makes contact with them, she sees a short vision of their future, to the exact detail. A new student comes to their school, and Laney is dreading it. She touches his hand in gym class (they are learning about square-dancing), and she gets a horrible vision, the worst she sees – the new boy, clothed in flames, in a burning building. Laney decides to stop his fiery fate from happening. To do that, she must stay close to him. Which might be hard, because he, well, kind of hates her.
This was a cool book about an ordinary girl with an extraordinary power – when she makes contact with someone, usually for the first time, she catches a glimpse of something in the future concerning that person. Laney is a nice, art-loving, “oddball”-type girl who risks her skin to try to save someone she doesn’t even know, who doesn’t really like her (at first – they become friends). She is a marvelous role model, and a great female lead character. The setting is perfect for the story – a small, rural town. Literally – there are only 13 kids in Laney’s class! My school is small, but it isn’t that small! The cover is gorgeous and fits well with the story. I like the silhouette on it a lot. Ms. Murdock’s style kept me reading. I like how she gave every character a unique personality. For example, you know that saying “Never trust a skinny chef” – well, apparently the town baker is super skinny. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This was a cool book about an ordinary girl with an extraordinary power – when she makes contact with someone, usually for the first time, she catches a glimpse of something in the future concerning that person. Laney is a nice, art-loving, “oddball”-type girl who risks her skin to try to save someone she doesn’t even know, who doesn’t really like her (at first – they become friends). She is a marvelous role model, and a great female lead character. The setting is perfect for the story – a small, rural town. Literally – there are only 13 kids in Laney’s class! My school is small, but it isn’t that small! The cover is gorgeous and fits well with the story. I like the silhouette on it a lot. Ms. Murdock’s style kept me reading. I like how she gave every character a unique personality. For example, you know that saying “Never trust a skinny chef” – well, apparently the town baker is super skinny. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
September 21, 2014
This is a beautifully written story about a young girl who has visions - Laney calls these "future flashes" - which both exhilarate and frighten her. One flash always ends with someone engulfed in flames... and when she meets the new kid in town, Lyle, she knows it is him. Laney learns that she has to be the one to take control. Murdock creates a strong story with a gutsy lead character; secondary characters, such as bully Axel and her father Walt are well-developed, with poignant stories of their own. Highly recommended for readers gr 4-8.
August 24, 2014
Although the writing is a little rough in places, the central concept of the story is fascinating, and all of the plot lines are very well tied together in the end. It's going to be a hit in my library for sure!
February 11, 2015
This is a smooth, readable, yet slightly too short novel about a girl who sometimes sees flashes of the future when she touches people. It should be enjoyed by fans of Wendy Mass or Ingrid Law.
February 10, 2017
My name is Laney, and I was left in a car seat on Walt's doorstep when I was a baby. I can see into the future of people I touch, but I don't tell anyone about my ability. It's hard to explain, and they won't understand. A new boy came to school, and I flashed on him and me trapped in a burning building, Lyle covered in blood. I feel like I should look out for him, but it's not smart to become friends with the new target of the school bully. But I did anyhow. Lyle should tell someone about the beatings he's getting, and I guess I should tell Walt about my visions. However, I've become distracted by a painting I found in a shack behind Lyle's house. The picture showed a baby in a car seat, on Walt's doorstep!
Laney's ability to foresee the future is what makes this book fit into the speculative fiction category. However, most of it read like realistic fiction. Laney's visions caused me to anticipate future events which helped increase the suspense. She was a reluctant hero, as she found ways to avoid the bully issue and feared the day she would finally face the burning building. Her sense of right and wrong won out in the end. Even though visions foretold her death, Laney discovered that she still had some control over future events. Fate did not control her. The book kept me wondering, as I knew there were secrets surrounding Walt, Laney's mother, Lyle, and his mother. The book was a quick-read for me, as I finished it in one day. Give it a shot!
Laney's ability to foresee the future is what makes this book fit into the speculative fiction category. However, most of it read like realistic fiction. Laney's visions caused me to anticipate future events which helped increase the suspense. She was a reluctant hero, as she found ways to avoid the bully issue and feared the day she would finally face the burning building. Her sense of right and wrong won out in the end. Even though visions foretold her death, Laney discovered that she still had some control over future events. Fate did not control her. The book kept me wondering, as I knew there were secrets surrounding Walt, Laney's mother, Lyle, and his mother. The book was a quick-read for me, as I finished it in one day. Give it a shot!
May 15, 2017
Love this book
I am not the target audience, I'm old. But I loved this book. It has a great message in a really fun story.
I am not the target audience, I'm old. But I loved this book. It has a great message in a really fun story.
November 27, 2024
This is about a young girl named Laney who was left on a doorstep and taken in by a man who claimed to be her father. She was never told about how she oddly came to be in his care. Laney had a flash of this event and presumed the man who found and raised her was not her father, but accepted it as so because he acted like it.
It’s a nice young adult book that follows Laney’s flashes of events that take place in the future and how she finally uses them to change an outcome, which changes the present.
It’s a nice young adult book that follows Laney’s flashes of events that take place in the future and how she finally uses them to change an outcome, which changes the present.
February 5, 2017
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
Such an interesting premise, isn't this? I'll own that I was originally drawn to the book because it had the word "Flash" in the cover–I've been a bit of a flash addict ever since I started watching The Flash last year! The "flashes" that happen here aren't anything like Barry Allen's bursts of speed, though. Instead, the awesome premise of the story is that Laney gets "future flashes" of things that will happen at some point. I'm not sure whether it's ESP or actual magic, but it's fun to imagine what it would be like to grow up with a power like that.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel like the book quite lived up to its potential. It needed to be longer, I think. I wanted more time to get to know Laney's caretaker, Walt. We get no idea of who he is, what his past was or what sort of personality he has, outside of a few stray snatches. Laney seems to be angry at him for not telling her the truth of how she came to live with him, but she also loves him. Why? What makes their relationship tick? And, for that matter, how did she go through her entire childhood without ever letting slip that she remembered the day he found her on the doorstep? I don't think any real child could manage to hold something that big in for so long.
Also, I wish there had been more of an explanation for Laney's powers. Because basically, we don't get an explanation. There's no hint of a mythology behind it, or a culture, or even an explanation of why certain people got it but most didn't. I was also frustrated by descriptions of Laney's mother, who sounds like such a flake–because seriously, who just ups and abandons their kid like that? I don't care how good she thought her reasons were, she just shouldn't have done that.
There were a few other areas that weren't as well-developed as I'd have liked, but I'm not going to drag this review down by listing them all out. Instead, let's look at the positives: I still really like the idea of getting selective flashes of someone's future. I liked reading about Walt's sort-of girlfriend and Laney's mother figure, Carmen. She's a baker who seems like an amazing person, and I honestly wish she'd come bake and talk with me once in a while. I liked Lyle, though I really would have liked more insight into his character by learning more about his past. I really liked observing the rather complex relationship between Laney and the school bully, Axel. Most of the time he's an absolute jerk, but through Laney's memories of when they were both much younger we get a more nuanced and sympathetic look at why he acts so horribly now. The past doesn't excuse the way he treats people now, of course, but it does make for some interesting complexity in the character.
All in all, Future Flash is an interesting book but it could have been better. I would have been much more invested in the characters if I'd gotten more information about them, if I felt like I really knew them. Since that wasn't the case, I only recommend Future Flash to you if you like sci-fi-ish thriller-ish books with cool premises that they don't quite fill in completely.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Such an interesting premise, isn't this? I'll own that I was originally drawn to the book because it had the word "Flash" in the cover–I've been a bit of a flash addict ever since I started watching The Flash last year! The "flashes" that happen here aren't anything like Barry Allen's bursts of speed, though. Instead, the awesome premise of the story is that Laney gets "future flashes" of things that will happen at some point. I'm not sure whether it's ESP or actual magic, but it's fun to imagine what it would be like to grow up with a power like that.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel like the book quite lived up to its potential. It needed to be longer, I think. I wanted more time to get to know Laney's caretaker, Walt. We get no idea of who he is, what his past was or what sort of personality he has, outside of a few stray snatches. Laney seems to be angry at him for not telling her the truth of how she came to live with him, but she also loves him. Why? What makes their relationship tick? And, for that matter, how did she go through her entire childhood without ever letting slip that she remembered the day he found her on the doorstep? I don't think any real child could manage to hold something that big in for so long.
Also, I wish there had been more of an explanation for Laney's powers. Because basically, we don't get an explanation. There's no hint of a mythology behind it, or a culture, or even an explanation of why certain people got it but most didn't. I was also frustrated by descriptions of Laney's mother, who sounds like such a flake–because seriously, who just ups and abandons their kid like that? I don't care how good she thought her reasons were, she just shouldn't have done that.
There were a few other areas that weren't as well-developed as I'd have liked, but I'm not going to drag this review down by listing them all out. Instead, let's look at the positives: I still really like the idea of getting selective flashes of someone's future. I liked reading about Walt's sort-of girlfriend and Laney's mother figure, Carmen. She's a baker who seems like an amazing person, and I honestly wish she'd come bake and talk with me once in a while. I liked Lyle, though I really would have liked more insight into his character by learning more about his past. I really liked observing the rather complex relationship between Laney and the school bully, Axel. Most of the time he's an absolute jerk, but through Laney's memories of when they were both much younger we get a more nuanced and sympathetic look at why he acts so horribly now. The past doesn't excuse the way he treats people now, of course, but it does make for some interesting complexity in the character.
All in all, Future Flash is an interesting book but it could have been better. I would have been much more invested in the characters if I'd gotten more information about them, if I felt like I really knew them. Since that wasn't the case, I only recommend Future Flash to you if you like sci-fi-ish thriller-ish books with cool premises that they don't quite fill in completely.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2016
This book is truly a must read especially for young readers. I read this book and passed it on to my sister who is 11.
This book, "Future Flash" is indeed a good book. The title caught me as being a - THATS SO RAVEN mega fan, I imagined this book to be somehow related to that disney show. And it met my expectations. The book had its fair share of sorrow and its fair share of triumph.
I loved how the author captured the beauty of seeing the future and how the main character, Elaine, used her ability to help herself and her friends during the tragic fire.
I really hope that disney does indeed take the storyline of this book and turn it into a movie. I'm really certain that it would be a great movie. But till then, guys read this book!
This book, "Future Flash" is indeed a good book. The title caught me as being a - THATS SO RAVEN mega fan, I imagined this book to be somehow related to that disney show. And it met my expectations. The book had its fair share of sorrow and its fair share of triumph.
I loved how the author captured the beauty of seeing the future and how the main character, Elaine, used her ability to help herself and her friends during the tragic fire.
I really hope that disney does indeed take the storyline of this book and turn it into a movie. I'm really certain that it would be a great movie. But till then, guys read this book!
June 21, 2014
I can't recommend this book highly enough. I just finished reading it with my eight year old & we agree that it is one of the best books we remember reading together. The characters are vividly drawn & the multi-leveled conflicts kept both of us engaged & wanting to know what was going to happen next. The themes of the book, about believing in yourself, doing what you know is right, even if it's frightening, and trusting those you love with your secrets transcend age, so both my son & I were touched by Lainey's journey.
September 6, 2015
This book was exciting and quite the page turner. My problem with it was that is was just to short it need more time for the plot to develop an other. elements of the story need more time too. Also I would have like to see more had the end like what happened to Axle and did he change his ways because of what he did.
December 28, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I decided to use it with one of my classes. I am a librarian and read this book aloud to a group of thirty boys. I was quite surprised by the passionate discussions that took place at the end of each class. Great mysterious storyline in a book about bullying. One of my favorites!
January 28, 2023
I loved this book so much and really enjoyed the unique story line. I would recommend this to people who need a good book to enjoy.
If you enjoyed this book then you may like The Crying Rocks by Janet Taylor Lisle. It isn’t super similar to this book but the story is told in a way that is similar and the main characters share traits.
If you enjoyed this book then you may like The Crying Rocks by Janet Taylor Lisle. It isn’t super similar to this book but the story is told in a way that is similar and the main characters share traits.
October 29, 2014
For a children's book it still is a really great read. I was hooked throughout and plowed through this book incredibly fast. I love the special powers of Laney and her friendship with Lyle. Worth reading
July 22, 2015
I would have preferred the book to be longer. With that said, the author did a great job with the current length of the book. Every-time you think you know what is happening in the book there is yet another plot twist.
October 10, 2014
good book I like how the main character can see the future and all characters end up being good guys.
February 14, 2015
Very quick read, good for reluctant readers.
December 30, 2014
Great book. Very exiting. Would appeal to a wide variety of J level readers.
April 18, 2017
I won this book in a giveaway. It was really good! It's a middle school book that I thought I would read alone before reading with my boys to see if they'd like it. The main character is a girl so I wanted to make sure it would hold their attention. I think they will still enjoy it. It had a great story that kept me engaged. I was never bored and always looked forward to finding out the ending. The characters were perfectly portrayed. I would read this again.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews