Shadowsync

In this middle-grade sci-fi thriller, a mysterious new app can fix any problem a kid may have—bullying, friendship drama, body image struggles, and more. But like most things, this miraculous technology comes with a cost…

It isn’t being talked about on TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat. And yet the rumor continues to spread. Kids whisper about it in dark corners of school hallways, at the far ends of lunch tables, and on obscure online forums. The rumor is that there’s an app capable of fixing any problem a kid could have: bullying, BFF drama, body issues, and more.

The app is called ShadowSync, and like most things, it comes at a price…

Twelve-year-old Josh is grieving the death of his father while watching his mother disappear into overwhelming sadness and depression. When a friend tells him about the ShadowSync app, Josh decides to try it. To gain access, all he has to do is upload a video confession revealing a secret that no one else knows.

Desperate to help his mom, Josh shares a secret and downloads the app. He soon discovers that ShadowSync gives him an interface that allows him to control his mother’s emotions—literally sliding her sadness down and her happiness up. At first, it feels like magic. But as things spiral out of control, Josh learns that there are no shortcuts to processing emotions, healing from loss, or building genuine human connections.