Review of Shine by Lauren Myracle

Shine by Lauren Myracle

Pages: 376
Publisher: Amulet Books
Published: May 1st, 2011
IBSN: 9780810984172

Source: NetGalley

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Shine is captivating right from the very beginning. It opens with a news article detailing the attack on Patrick: he was bashed with a baseball bat and left bound to a gas pump, nozzle duct taped in his mouth, with the words 'suck this, faggot' written on his chest. We immediately know what happened, and we're quickly thrust into Cat's investigation.

The setting - Black Creek - was vividly described and realistic. It was as troubled as you'd expect a backwoods Southern town to be. After the paper mill closed down, a lot of the townspeople lost their jobs and resorted to either running or using meth. Poverty is widespread, and only three kids are in the next year's senior class. The characters all were created such that they felt like the belonged in the setting. They were all fleshed out with distinct personalities and backgrounds. The characters develop subtly and realistically, given their situations.

The mystery was well-plotted, and though it could have been solved faster objectively, it felt more realistic that Cat should take a while to get her head around the idea of someone she never would have expected doing such a horrible thing to her friend.

Shine is written in compelling and descriptive prose, and unflinchingly explores issues like drug use, rape and prejudice. I like Lauren Myracle's later books, which tackle darker themes in a raw tone, holding nothing back.

I give Shine a 4 out of 5.

Review of Bliss by Lauren Myracle

When Bliss’s hippie parents leave the commune and dump her at the home of her aloof grandmother in a tony Atlanta neighborhood, it’s like being set down on an alien planet. The only guide naïve Bliss has to her new environment is what she’s seen on The Andy Griffith Show. But Mayberry is poor preparation for Crestview Academy, an elite school where the tensions of the present and the dark secrets of the past threaten to simmer into violence. Openhearted, naïve Bliss is happy to be friends with anyone. That’s not the way it has ever worked at Crestview, and soon Bliss is at the center of a struggle for power between three girls—two living and one long dead.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

I first heard of Bliss when I saw it on Cassandra Clare's (author of The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series) recommended reading list. I bumped it up my TBR list when I saw an upcoming title of her's (Shine; May 1, 2011) on NetGalley and wanted to see if it was worth requesting. After reading Bliss, I definitely say I have high expectations for it.

Bliss Inthemorningdew, of hippie heritage (thus her name), is dumped on her straight-edged and wholesome grandmother in Atlanta and enrolled at Crestview Academy. Desperate for friends, she doesn't think twice about Sandy's strange and morbid behavior until it's too late.

Bliss is definitely one of the more dark books I've read. It's chilling and creepy, and that tone is only emphasized by the story's backdrop of the Tate-LaBianca murders and trials. The excerpts from Sandy's journals about blood magic and  the dead ex-Crestview Academy student who wants the power of it back allowed the reader to understand what was going on even as Bliss didn't.

Bliss was an intriguing character with a personality relevant to her background. She had a naivety and sweetness about her character that made her realistic, but not weak.

Lauren Myracle's writing style was engaging, and had me reading frantically until the very end.

Though I liked the bittersweet ending, it felt almost anti-climactic. There was a lot of build-up to the book's climax that was over quickly and not as dramatic as I thought it would be.


I give Bliss a 4 out of 5.