Review: The Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn

     

 Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn
______________________________

Series: Siren (#2)
Pages: 352
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Published: June 21st, 2011
IBSN: 9781606840757

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

The ice over Winter Harbor is melting and the sirens Vanessa thought would stay under and slowly resurfacing. But their return might not be the most frightening thing right now, with secrets Vanessa would rather pretend she doesn't have driving wedges between her and everyone she cares about.

Undercurrent held onto what I loved so dearly about Siren: the eerie, alluring tone. The book itself was akin to its featured paranormal creatures, so captivating I couldn't leave it for a second.

Rayburn has genuine writing skill. The tone is effortlessly created, and the mysteriousness was enticing and justified. Vanessa's voice is clear and suitably melancholic, which helps a lot with feeling for her. She was the kind of narrator I could get behind, far from perfect but constantly seeking out a compromise between what she needed to do and what was right.

The paranormal side to the story was also woven into the contemporary setting remarkably well, with local history tied seamlessly into history of sirens. Characters privy to the sirens' existence had realistic reactions to developments (which is to say there weren't any naive and shocked characters, but rather, pragmatic thinkers).

Tricia Rayburn crafted another intriguing ending in Undercurrent, one where everything is left in a realistic balance between tension and calm, and enough drama remains that I'm anticipating the sequel. In a time where a commonly assumed attitude is that cliffhangers are necessary to hold onto reader interest, good endings like these are few and far between, and I cherish them all.

The Siren series is dark and different and definitely for any fans of upper YA looking for paranormal romance that breaks the mold.

I give Undercurrent a 4 out of 5.

Review: The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

     

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
______________________________

Series: Mara Dyer (#1)
Pages: 452
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: September 27th, 2011
IBSN: 9781442421769

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.  It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Mara Dyer wakes up in a hospital, curiously unhurt, with no memory of what put her there. Slowly memories return to her, of freak accident in an abandoned building that killed her friends, but not her. Eventually she begins to wonder, what role did I play in it?

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer opens with a prologue set after the plot of the book, basically in which Mara tells us that her story is a confession and a warning. "This is what I remember", she begins with. But the majority of what she remembers isn't important to the mysterious paranormal plot, but her relationship with Noah. I was hanging out for the point where he becomes important, but the hundreds of pages about him felt like a waste by the end.

Much about the writing got on my nerves, particularly the dialogue. The characters spoke with language unnaturally sophisticated for teenagers, and narrated in regular style. It would have been smoother if the 'big words' were saved for narration rather than speech. Also, I was getting the impression constantly that Mara was saying contrived things specifically to segue to some apparently clever remark from Noah. It was as though Noah had things Hodkin wanted him to say, and Mara's purpose in the conversation was the work around that.

On Mara and Noah, their romance, apart from being mostly inconsequential, was irritating. Mara turned to mush whenever he was around and let herself be walked all over. All of her interactions with him were "despite herself", and her whole fascination with him was founded on his good looks.

The whole mysterious paranormal aspect was predictable after not too far in, and the eerie atmosphere wasn't maintained. Only certain moments had an appropriately dark tone. It was clear where Mara was freaked out, but the writing didn't extend to us feeling freaked out as well.

The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer was mostly disappointing, with it not living up to the hype it received for apparently great mystery and romance. But now that the scene's been set, maybe the sequel will be better, and maybe have a major plot.

I give The Unbecoming Of Mara Dyer a 2 out of 5.

Review: Fury by Shirley Marr

Fury by Shirley Marr

Pages: 277
Publisher: Black Dog Books
Published: May 1st, 2010
IBSN: 9781742031323

Let me tell you my story.
Not just the facts I know you want to hear.
If I’m going to tell you my story,
I’m telling it my way. 

Strap yourself in...

Eliza Boans has everything.
A big house.
A great education.
A bright future.

So why is she sitting in a police station confessing to murder?

Fury was a surprising, mysterious and admirably different novel.

What was surprising about Fury was how such an initially snobbish and mean character could grow on you. I didn't like Eliza at the beginning, but I began to appreciate her more as her story slowly unfolded. In the way she treated her friends, you could see her fear of being left and, eventually, deep loyalty. Her extreme personality was so apparent in her voice, and the way she admitted her flaws made her relatable.

The narration made me feel as though Eliza was retelling the events to me personally. Her distinct and loud voice made her feel like a real person, like a friend telling me what had happened. As she grew on me, I became more and more invested in her story -- and even some of the background characters' -- that I was furiously turning the pages, trying to figure out why.

The way the characters developed was amazing. That I could go from being irritated by them to feeling sympathetic and heartbroken for them really surprised me. There was depth revealed in them that wasn't immediately obvious, but made you realise you were wrong about them all along.

The plot was full of suspense, and the way Eliza revealed her story had you constantly thinking you had it figured out before being taken on a completely new path. Her retelling left the events in something like an organised mess that was almost impossible to sort out.

Overall, it was a stunningly unique and compelling debut. I look forward to reading more books in Shirley Marr's engaging style.

I give Fury a 4 out of 5.

Review: The Opposite Of Amber by Gillian Philip

The Opposite Of Amber by Gillian Philip

Pages: 320
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: April 4th, 2011
IBSN: 9780747599920

'They found the fifth girl right after the snow melted...'

Ruby and her older sister Jinn live together on their own, just about making ends meet. Jinn is beautiful, with glittering blonde hair, and makes it her business to look after Ruby. They are horrified by, but try to ignore, the local newspaper stories of prostitutes who are murdered, their bodies eventually discovered underwater. Then the no-good Nathan Baird turns up on the scene - again - and Jinn starts to change. First Nathan moves in with Jinn and Ruby, making Ruby feel an outsider, and then Jinn and Nathan move out, leaving Ruby alone. Jinn no longer has time to look after Ruby. And it seems to Ruby that Jinn herself needs looking after. Her beautiful glittering hair starts to lose its shine.

And then Jinn disappears.

This book begins with what I later find out to be a regular interlude - Counting Games, it's called - where the main focus is on the serial killer and the found victims. The first three pages did an amazing job of mysteriously yet descriptively setting the chilling tone and the scene from an omniscient perspective. I was impressed to the point of shoving the book at anyone who had the patience to humour me and read the first three pages.

I was hooked from the very start, and stayed hooked except for a few bumps along the way at colloquial Scottish phrases (I know a few Scottish people and am pretty okay with their slang most of the time. It might be a bit much at times for people who aren't familiar with it, though). It wasn't packed with action or drama but the foreshadowing tone completely ensnared me and had me feeling like at any moment something was about to tip the characters' worlds on their heads.

The writing style was amazing. I found myself at times just admiring the way the words were strung together and not taking in what they meant (but I was more than happy to reread).The way the author weaved in figurative language and recurring symbols and metaphors was superb. See the quotes I've collected below for what I mean, because my inferior writing can't do it justice.

I really liked Ruby. The book comes from her first-person perspective after the first chapter. She doesn't waste words -- to the extent where several characters remark "It talks!" when she speaks -- and is devoted to her sister, Jinn. She has flaws to add a realness and third dimension to her personality. She's stubborn, jealous, 'gauche' (in her own words). She had the feel of a real person, and even as she gets into problems that she causes herself, she's easy to feel sympathetic for her.

The Opposite Of Amber was more character-driven than plot-driven, highlighting relationship dynamics and character development. A lot of the book focuses on the relationship between Ruby and Jinn - strong initially, slowly but surely weakening as Nathan's presence plays catalyst. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out, to the point where you can understand and feel for characters like Nathan who you're predisposed to dislike.

Although that isn't to say that the plot wasn't compelling. It was. Suspense that the opening chapter created held and grew until the tension at the climax had my hands shaking as I hastily turned the page. The build-up was superbly written and the wind-down settled the suspense and gave hope that Ruby would get her life back on track.

The Opposite Of Amber was an emotional, chilling, and quietly intense story of the bonds between sisters and how they break.

I give The Opposite Of Amber a 6 out of 5. A new favourite of mine.

Have some of my favourite quotes from this to go:

"And to keep it right, to make it the same, he put her in the water too. Not the same water, that's true; but it's a good idea, if you don't want to leave traces, to put a girl in water. It's the opposite of amber."

 (I'm sad that I read this after my post about great titles. The Opposite of Amber is a great one.)

"Her blonde hair was full of ice and it glittered when they pulled her out into the sun; and quite honestly, the man who found her looked so pale and drained and shocked to stillness, she looked almost better than he did."

Review: The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner
Pages: 216
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: May 1st, 2011
IBSN: 9781742373843

When Aaron gets a job at a funeral home, he surprisingly takes to it. But there are dark secrets hidden in Aaron’s subconscious. He experiences dangerous bouts of sleepwalking and recurring dreams he can’t explain: a lifeless hand, a lipsticked mouth, a man, a gun... Can he piece the clues together and figure out the truth of his past?

I had no idea what to think of The Dead I Know before -- or even as -- I started. All I knew is that it was a recent Aussie release, and that was good enough for me. Though, by the end, I was pleasantly surprised.

There's a lot of mystery shrouding Aaron in the beginning. He's stoic, and initially doesn't give much away through either his dialogue or first-person narration. We understand him better once we get a look at his home life, and sympathise with him more. While it's heart-wrenching to see his life begin to fall apart, it's also inspiring to watch how he grows and develops from this.

The writing style was simple and engaging. It easily evoked Aaron's voice and helped the reader to become invested in his well-being.

The background characters -- namely the Barton family -- were realistically developed and fleshed out. John's almost fatherly role in Aaron's life created a hopeful dynamic, and Skye's relationship with him was in equal parts adorable and touching (Something about her character was really likeable... it was probably her name). Aaron began to feel like a part of their family; a second family contrasting the state of his real one.

The mysterious element to the story -- what Aaron's sleepwalking, almost- crazy mother, and strange recurring dreams all meant -- was well done, with suspense building until the mystery is finally unravelled. It isn't hard to piece it together yourself first, but it's worth sticking around to see Aaron's emotional reaction to it and how he bounces back.

Overall, an short and enjoyable read that I'd recommend to fans of darker YA.


I give The Dead I Know a 4 out of 5.

Review: Clarity by Kim Harrington

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Series: Clarity (#1)
Pages: 241
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Published: March 1st, 2011
IBSN: 9780545230506

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Though the premise of psychics working with the police isn't exactly the most original, I thought Clarity's ability - different to classic future-seeing, mind-reading abilities - could make for an interesting twist on the slightly clichéd trope.

The plot was fairly straight-forward, with a straight-forward problem to solve. I usually don't get into mysteries because the main character solving the crime doesn't have a real investment in the complication, but I was pleased to find that the case held some importance to Clarity beyond just helping the police. 

The equation of that graph* is y=-(x-4)^2+16, x being a member of the set [0, 7].
Not like that's important. That's just me studying for maths (also, showing off a little). Anywho, let's continue with the review:

The writing style was easy to read, with the prose spare and clever. Through it, Clare's personality shone, and though I can't say that I liked her personally, she was a strong character who was constantly doing what she felt was right.

A love triangle felt imminent throughout the book, and will presumably rear its head more in the sequel. However, it didn't feel as though there was any chemistry between either coupling. Especially between Clare and Gabriel: their flirting just felt...unnatural.

Also, the paranormal aspect was played down. I could find myself at times forgetting she had preternatural powers, she used them so little.

I recommend Clarity to any fans of murder mystery novels, but not to anyone looking for a strong paranormal or romantic aspect. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but it could have gone a little deeper or been more intense in places.

I give Clarity a 3 out of 5.

* You may have seen my original drama vs. time graph in my review of Wildefire. I got surprisingly positive feedback for that, so it'll become a semi-regular thing in my reviews.

Review: A Pocketful Of Eyes by Lili Wilkinson

A Pocketful Of Eyes by Lili Wilkinson

Pages: 324
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: May 2011
IBSN: 9781742376196

Bee is in her element volunteering in the taxidermy department at the Museum-but her summer job turns out to be full of surprises including:

A dead body in the Red Rotunda.
A mysterious Museum benefactor.
A large stuffed tiger in the catacombs.
A handsome boy with a fascination for unusual animal mating habits.
And a pocket full of glass eyes.

Can Bee sift through the clues and discover if her colleague committed suicide or if there's a murderer in their midst?

A Pocketful Of Eyes is a quirky, fun, and unique murder mystery novel for reluctant mystery novel readers. I count myself in that group.

The first thing you'll notice in A Pocketful Of Eyes is the main character. She's clever, funny, and a little peculiar (which I suppose you need to be to work as a taxidermist for the summer), and her voice is strong and apparent in each word. With each piece of narration, even through third person, I felt as though I knew her a little better, and liked her a little more.

And while I'm talking about how much I liked Bee, I should also talk about Toby - one of my favourite love interests I've ever read. He was sweet, funny, and full of strange animal trivia.

I'm no stranger to Lili Wilkinson's prose, but I was blown away by it all over again. Spare and emotional, her writing style is simply amazing.

The mystery was well-crafted. Though there were many clues, the culprit was unclear to both the reader and the narrator initially. It took a realistically long amount of time to reach the solution, where there was an interesting twist I never saw coming.


I give A Pocketful Of Eyes a 5 out of 5. I really hope to see it reach non-Australian readers in the near future.

Review: Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Pages: 233
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: January 4th, 2011
IBSN:  9781442412330

Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria.

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in.

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

The synopsis to this book makes it sound light and fluffy: best friends reunited, lusting after the unattainable boy, popular mean girls. Cliche, right? Wrong.

Choker was incredibly creepy. For the most part, Cara is narrating oblivious to the background story. Zoe runs away from home to her, and Cara doesn't care why, she just cares that her best friend's back. And who can blame her?

Cara was a realistic and likeable narrator, though unreliable. Insecure and quiet, she's easy to relate to.

The plot was skillfully written. You think you have it figured out - hell, I thought I had it figured as soon as I read the blurb - but the ending completely throws you and makes you rewind in your head to find if that's even possible.

The writing style was spare and emotive. The third person narration gave the story a creepy and detached feel, but didn't stop me from connecting with the protagonist.

Definitely a book you can't judge by its cover, I give Choker a 5 out of 5.


Recommend it for fans of: Entangled by Cat Clarke and Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James.

Review: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

Pages: 230
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: December 21st,2010
IBSN: 9780312656737

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?
[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Fall For Anything follows Eddie as she tries to understand her father's unexpected suicide. I knew immediately this wouldn't be some light, fluffy chick lit, but I really wasn't prepared for how intense it was.

The characters - each and every one of them - were fleshed out, and seemed to jump from the page. Their personalities were realistic and uncliched.

Courtney Summer's writing style was, as always, amazing. She's one of those authors who could write on any subject and still engage me. Her prose clearly evokes the Eddie's voice. I felt immediately sympathetic towards her, feeling depressed right along with her. I love books like this one - that can make you feel what your character does.

Fall For Anything maintains the same gritty tone that has completely enthralled me in the rest of Summers's books, but the plot felt different. Much more serious, with a mysterious element.

I case I had any doubt, this book settled it: Courtney Summers is the queen of bittersweet, realistic endings. Her books are the cure for fairy tales.

I give Fall For Anything a 5 out of 5, and look forward to what she comes up with next.

Review: Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Pages: 233
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: February 8th, 2011
IBSN: 9781416994817

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace.

Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Cryer's Cross, much like Lisa McMann's other series, is incredibly unique. It features mystery, romance, an unconventional protagonist, and a small town with long-buried secrets as a backdrop to the story.

Kendall, the main character, had OCD. I've never read a book before - at least, as far as I can remember - where the story came from the perspective of someone with a mental condition. It was written realistically and obviously well-researched.

Cryer's Cross is written in third person, and though Lisa McMann executed it well, it didn't really have the emotional pull first-person could have had. But then again, being in the head of someone with OCD would have been really chaotic, I imagine.

Interwoven into the book, between chapters, were short, creepy passages from an unnamed "We"  that helped set the eerie tone of the story.

The plot was slow and intense, the mystery of the disappearances slowly unraveled throughout the novel. A lot of tension led up to the end, making for an engaging read.

The ending tied up the plots, and had a bittersweet feel to it. Overall, it was an intense and enjoyable read.

I give Cryer's Cross a 4 out of 5.

Review: Entangled by Cat Clarke

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Pages: 374
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
Published: January 6th, 2011
IBSN: 9781849163941

The same questions whirl round and round in my head: 
What does he want from me? 
How could I have let this happen? 
AM I GOING TO DIE? 

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got here.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here? 

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Entangled opens with our protagonist, Grace, in an eerily white room with nothing by way of entertainment sans pens and paper. Her would-be captor, Ethan, encourages her to write, and so she does. Her story is told partly through present tense as she struggles to remember how she got there and partly through her past tense writing.

Grace's voice is clear and confident. Though I kind of disliked her at times, I could always see where she was coming from. And besides, you aren't supposed to love the main character - you aren't supposed to want to be them. You're supposed to be interested in their story, and that I was.

From the blurb you could already tell that Grace was no longer friends with Sal or Nat's girlfriend prior to the beginning of the book, but why that is became very obvious very early into the retelling. I could understand why it took Grace so long to find out, but was still slightly annoyed by it.

Cat Clarke's writing style was engaging and incredibly clever and she tackled intense subject matter unflinchingly. She's definitely an author to watch out for.

The ending of the book tied up the loose ends, albeit in a vague way. I had to reread the last few pages and then think some before I actually understood what happened. I love an ending that makes you think, especially long after you've finished reading.

I give Entangled a 6 out of 5.

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Series: Hex Hall (#2)
Pages: 368
Publisher: Hyperion Books CH
Published: March 1st, 2011
IBSN: 9781423121312

This review will contain Hex Hall spoilers.

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she? 

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Demonglass picks up not long after where Hex Hall left off. It opens with Sophie negotiating with her father, head of the council. They come to a compromise: Sophie's to spend the summer with her father in England if she's to have any chance of going through with the Removal.

Demonglass, in general, felt like a heavier read than Hex Hall. The plot was much more serious, more twisty, more complicated. The stakes were higher, and there were more risks involved. In short, it was my kind of plot - engaging and fast.

Sophie grew a lot as a character in Demonglass, and though I appreciated her sense of humor, her snarkiness felt kind of cliched and I didn't like her jokes in serious situations.

Sophie and Archer's romance was well-written and had a lot of chemistry. Sophie's initial aversion to him was natural, given his departure in the last book. Though, a love triangle feels imminent, and one of the main reasons I liked Hex Hall was because it didn't have one, and that was refreshing.

The ending was crazy and hectic - I had to read carefully over the last dozen pages, scared I'd miss something - and left us on a huge cliffhanger. It's left me anxious for the next book, the conclusion to the trilogy.

I give Demonglass a 4 out of 5.

Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Pages: 199
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Published: July 14th, 2009
IBSN: 9780385737425

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it's safe to go, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda's mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives, scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she's too late.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

I first heard about When I Reach You when an author mentioned it in a blog post. I borrowed it from my library soon after, read it, finished it, and wondered how I had only just heard of it.

I immediately felt a connection with our protagonist, Miranda. She's 12 years old, and keeps receiving weird, anonymous notes from someone who knows things that no one couldn't possibly know. She writes about her life around the time of receiving the notes from some time after she figures out what they mean, often addressing the sender in the prose.

The plot is clever and complicated, and even in the slow parts, never boring. The subplots are all interesting, and tie up together in the end, all related. For some parts, I had to sit and think for a bit, figure it all out, and I love books like that - ones you need to get your head around.

I liked how A Wrinkle In Time was tied into the novel, foreshadowing the time traveling themes. Without something like that, I think the time traveling aspect would have seemed really random.

The writing style is plain and simple, appropriate for the young protagonist. Her observations, thoughts and mannerisms are well-written, and they make her both a relatable and a likable character.

The ending was bittersweet, but still a satisfying and fitting conclusion to the story. Miranda didn't play a big role in the denouement, but was more a bystander, though I admired how when it was all over, she thought more about what this meant for other characters than what it meant for herself.

The short version: I adored this book. Go find a copy and read it. Already read it? Go find your copy - I think it's about time you read it again, don't you? I know I'll read it over and over again.

I give When You Reach Me a 6 out of 5 (a somewhat illogical rating I save for my favorite books).

Review: The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Series: The Lying Game (#1)
Pages: 307
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: December 7th, 2010
IBSN: 9780061869709

I had a life anyone would kill for. Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

Let the lying game begin.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

I'd never read Sara Shepard's earlier series, Pretty Little Liars, before picking up The Lying Game, so I didn't know what to expect, and so, I tried to expect very little. I was pleasantly surprised, however.

The Lying Game is narrated by Sutton, murdered and forced to watch her life, now starring her twin sister who's trying to figure out how killed her, from the sidelines. I watch the Pretty Little Liars TV series, so I knew how Sara Shepard can create a compelling premise, and The Lying Game was nothing less. However, like PLL, I can imagine The Lying Game turning into a ridiculously long series with no foreseeable conclusion. I mean, how many books are contracted for the PLL series now? 35?

Sutton, post-mortem, doesn't remember a lot about her life besides the basics and whatever comes to her in flashes. Though, the Sutton that Emma is getting to know - by living her life - is nothing but a bitch. She and her friends are the players of The Lying Game, for which they play huge, cruel pranks. I could connect with the Sutton who was narrating the story, but I hated the real one. Emma, however, I liked. She's nicer, smarter, and more genuine than the girl whose shoes she's in.

The plot is constantly twisting. Just as Emma thinks she's made a break-through in her investigation of her sister's murder, she's thrown for a loop. Every interaction Emma has with the people around her is a clue, I was on my toes constantly while reading.

The ending left so many loose plot threads that I know won't be tied up until books and books from now that I'm not really aching to read the next book, Never Have I Ever, though I know I will once it comes out.

I give The Lying Game a 3 out of 5.

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 Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Only The Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Series: Gallagher Girls (#4)
Pages: 265
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Published: June 19th, 2010
IBSN: 9781423128205

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.

[Synopsis by Goodreads]

Only The Good Spy Young is the fourth book in the Gallagher Girl series. The series revolves Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan, a spy in training at Gallagher Academy - a school for spies under the cover of a boarding school.

The books in the series seem to be getting progressively more serious, from missions for Covert Ops class to being targeted by a terrorist organisation. Only The Good Spy Young had more action and suspense than the books before it, and was as captivating as the others.

When reading a series, I usually find the characters flat, with not much development past the first book. The Gallagher Girls series is an exception to that, with Cammie and her friends becoming stronger and more independent as the story progresses. They're all likable, loyal characters, each with their own quirks.

The mysterious Zach makes more appearances in this book, and we learn more about his background. Instead of just popping up to warn Cammie, he fights beside her and her friends. Cammie and Zach's relationship is tested but still grows, and it becomes more romantic in this installment of the series.

The plot, like the other books in the series, is compelling. It's unpredictable, suspenseful, and puts in the characters in all kinds of tight places that take no small amount of work to get out of. A lot of mysteries from previous books become clearer, and loyalties are tested.

This books ends on the biggest cliffhanger of the series, and also has the biggest wait so far until the next book. I can't wait to see what happens next.

I give Only The Good Spy Young a 5 out of 5.

Review of Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover is the third book in the Gallagher Girls series, so this review will, of course, contain spoilers for the first two books. Proceed with caution.

When Cammie visits her roommate and friend, Macey, in Boston, where her father's being nominated for vice president, she expects an exciting end to summer break. Excitement she gets, when she and Macey find themselves in a kidnapper's plot.

Luckily, escaping is just one the things they do best, as students of the Gallagher Academy For Exceptional Young Women - a spy school in disguise. But soon they find out that it isn't over yet, and as more attempts are made, they wonder if Macey was the real target.



Like the Gallagher Girls book before it, Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover was fast-faced and fun to read. Written in a no-nonsense prose, there was constant action and mystery, and was completely captivating - so much so that I read it on Christmas morning.

There aren't a lot of spy books out there targeted to a young adult audience, and this series is the only I've read in the genre, but it's enough to make me want to branch out and find more books like it. A boarding school full of female spies-in-training - a premise so unique and exciting you can't help but pick it up.

Cammie is a strong, clever and loyal protagonist. She spends the majority of this book trying to protect her friend without a second thought, outsmarting secret agents, and unraveling mysteries. Though, in spite of all that, she's relatable. She worries about her friends, she has boy trouble, and misses her dead father. She's a dynamic protagonist that you can't help but feel endeared and sympathetic to.

The plot was cleverly constructed, with problems from past books weaved into the story and with new ones arising. It was at all times unpredictable - every time I think I can guess what's about to happen, something else entirely occurs.

The romance between Zach and Cammie was mysterious and compelling. The broody, mysterious stock character that always weasels his way into paranormal romances can't hold a flame to the enigma that is Zach. I mean, he's a spy. His intentions throughout the book aren't clear, but he still feels trustworthy.

I give Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover 4 out of 5, and intend to the the next (already released) book in the series, Only The Good Spy Young, soon.

Review of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I have this inclination to buy any book that I've heard of before that my library doesn't stock whenever I see it in a store. That's what happened to make me read Thirteen Reasons Why. I'd heard of it from a friend, couldn't find it at my local library, but then bought it on impulse when I saw it.





The blurb reads:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

The premise of this book is quite intriguing. Asher said in a interview printed in the back of the paperback of the book that he likes books with unusual formats. His debut novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, had that unusual format. It had two simultaneous narratives running: one told first-person from Clay's perspective, and the other told by the late Hannah Baker through her suicide tapes.

Though the premise was interesting, and the prose was well written, Hannah's character really irked me. In her tapes, she comes off as melodramatic and overly sarcastic for someone so supposedly depressed. The events leading up to her suicide don't seem serious enough to make her take her own life. For instance, (mild spoiler warning), the first tape details her first kiss with Justin Foley, and the subsequent rumors that more than kissing was done. I can understand some melancholy about that situation - but sending the tapes onto him, making him feel unneccessarily guilty?

Though, after the tapes are finished, and Clay sends the tapes on, the book does improve. In between listening to the tapes, Clay narrates his trek around town, following all the places Hannah talks about. More than once, he sees a girl from school named Skye (this is the first time I've ever read of a character with my name)(also, another spoiler warning). He describes her as once popular and bubbly, but now more reserved and sad. She portrayed all the characteristics that Hannah did preceding her suicide. During the tapes, Clay expresses guilt at not trying harder to help Hannah, and for not noticing her downfall. The book ends with Clay calling after Skye in the hallway, doing for her what he failed to do for Hannah.

I found out after reading this that someone had actually made Hannah's tapes, and they can be found at http://hannahsreasons.blogspot.com/.

My final verdict is that I'd be interested in future releases from Jay Asher, and I give his debut a 3 out of 5.

Review of Paper Towns by John Green

I read Paper Towns simply because I'm a die hard nerdfighter (click here to see what I'm on about) and John Green is one of my favorite authors.

The cover to the hardcover Paper Towns is interesting in itself (what you see picture left is the paperback cover, which I own). There are actually two covers, one picturing Margo happy, and the other picturing Margo sad. This will be explained later in the review.





So, Paper Towns opens with a prologue about a young Quentin (the main character, known as Q to his friends) and a young Margo (his neighbour) finding a body in the park. The book isn't a murder mystery, as you would expect from that opening. In fact, the body has little to no significance later in the novel except as something Q reflects on. But, what I love about this plot element is how Margo comments, while considering that the man committed suicide, "maybe all the strings inside of him broke." That, in my opinion, is a beautiful way to describe an ugly thing.

Back to the present, Quentin is eighteen and his graduation is just around the corner. One night, seemingly out of nowhere, Margo coerces him to join in her in midnight mayhem. These days, Margo is popular, and Q's a nerd, and so, they aren't friends, per se. But Q has always loved her. The day after this, Margo goes missing.

Q finds from Margo's parents that this isn't exactly uncommon, and they decide not to even try to find her this time. Q decides to follow the tenuous clues she left him: a poster in her window facing his, a Walt Whitman poem, and whatever he recalls from their conversation the night before about living in a 'paper town'. Thanks to a certain Nerdfighter tumblr, I can give you the actual quote:

"Look at all those cul-de-sacs, the streets that turn in on themselves all the houses that were built to fall apart. All those paper people in their paper houses burning the furniture to stay warm. All the paper kids drinking the beer some bum bought for them at the paper convenience store. Everyone demented with the mania of owning things. All the things paper-thin and paper-frail."

In John Green's own words, "Paper Towns is about love and loss and a Walt Whitman poem". He also says that "Paper Towns is about what we do and do not see when we imagine each other".

A recurring idea through the book is how people see each other, thus the hardcover covers. Everyone Margo knew imagined her differently, none wrong or right. She could be interpreted as Happy Margo, by the people who knew her as popular in school. Sad Margo, by people like Q who got a glimpse of how she was behind the facade she wore at school. Though Q originally thinks of Margo as his miracle, he begins to realise that she's just a girl.

Paper Towns is a perfect mix of humor and heartbreak, a winner of the 2009 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery, and studied as part of English curriculum in schools. I give it a 5 out of 5.