Book Review: Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

  Title: Hanging by a Thread                                             Pages: 288
  Author: Sophie Littlefield                                                Source: Netgalley
  Publisher: Random House Children's Books           Published: September 11, 2012
  Series: N/A                                                                        Purchase: Amazon

Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.

And they're not the only ones hiding something.

Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.

In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

I started Hanging by a Thread not knowing what to expect and came out pleasantly surprised. While there are some flaws that kept me from loving it, I did enjoy Hanging by a Thread.

I couldn't really connect with Clare. She seemed a bit bland to me, not nearly as crazy and carefree as her fashion sense claimed she was. I would have liked a bit more to her personality, but I did enjoy her nonetheless.

I loved how detailed and in depth Sophie Littlefield went into her hobby of making clothes. In a lot of novels, the author will state a hobby the main character has, but never goes in depth with it, never mentions it beyond that one sentence. I really enjoyed Clare's hobby and was glad how much depth there was to it.

There wasn't as much romance as I was expecting, but I was surprisingly happy about this. So many young adult novels out there right now are focused mainly on the romance aspects of the plot so Hanging by a Thread was a breath of fresh air, giving focus on the mystery instead of the romance. That being said, I did enjoy what romance there was.

The writing was a bit hard for me to get into. Some paragraphs, especially when they were of Clare having a vision, were confusing and almost muddled. The dialogue also seemed forced some of the time and the mystery seemed rushed. There is a conclusion to the mystery, but I'm still semi-unsatisfied, because everything was laid out super fast at the end.

Despite that, I did really enjoy the mystery. It was somewhat surprising and I kind of enjoyed the fact that it wasn't dragged out. The plot kept me pretty interested until the end and that's all that matters to me.

Overall, despite some flaws to Hanging by a Thread, I did come out liking it. It's not one of the best novels I've ever read, but I do not regret reading it. I recommend to fans of the paranormal or mystery genre, as long as you like a mystery that's not drawn out and don't care if it's not focused on romance.

Pass or Read? Maybe read depending on if you like mysteries and if you don't care if there isn't a lot of romance.

Cover thoughts: I love this cover! It's so gorgeous and delicate, even with the blood at the top. The font could stick out a bit more, but I like the font used, it's so simple and pretty. I would definitely be drawn to this in a bookstore!

Book Review: Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer

  Title: Vicious Little Darlings                                  Pages: 310
  Author: Katherine Easer                                        Source: Library
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books          Published: June 21, 2011
  Series: Standalone                                                 Purchase: Amazon

Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting-and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah.

Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship.

And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly. Fans of Pretty Little Liars will devour this juicy debut novel.

When I first heard about Vicious Little Darlings, I immediately fell in love with the premise. The fact that it says fans of Pretty Little Liars would love it had me hooked. It's definitely one of the more underrated novels of 2011 and I think it deserves more recognition. It's an amazing mystery thriller and is very creepy!

The characters in Vicious Little Darlings were wonderful. I felt that they were perfectly formed and each had their own flaws.

Sarah is the problem child. She's sent to the all-girls school after her Grandma catches her sleeping with a boy and she's none too happy. You can tell how mixed up Sarah is and how much she just wants to be loved, no matter how many times she says that she doesn't believe in it. Sarah reiterates the fact that she's messed up by sleeping with someone on the first date and someone's boyfriend. I loved that she was flawed, as this ultimately seemed to push her more into Maddy's and Agnes' arms.

Maddy and Agnes are just as messed up. Maddy is carefree, almost childlike sometimes, yet beautiful. She uses this to her advantage, often manipulating people without their knowing or compulsively lying, as she appears so innocent and nice. Agnes is very different from Maddy, she's mysterious, cold, and brooding. She's the ultimate of poised, often to the extent of seeming two times her age. She's also in love with Maddy, almost in a possessive way, which provides for more creepiness.

The plot was wonderfully juicy and such a page turner. I couldn't wait to figure out what was up with these two girls, why they were so strange! And while the outcome is definitely not something you'd expect, I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Overall, Vicious Little Darlings is the perfect read if you want something wacky and mysterious. A book that makes you race through the pages to get to the ending. But keep your mind open to possibilities, otherwise the ending might disappoint. I would recommend this to fans of mystery thrillers.

Pass or Read? If you like mystery thrillers, give it a try!

Cover thoughts: I love this cover because it doesn't have a face on it, it doesn't have a pretty dress, or anything like what covers usually have. Plus it's gorgeous!

Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

  Title: New Girl                                              Pages: 304
  Author: Paige Harbison                             Source: Netgalley
  Publisher: Harlequin Teen                        Published: January 31, 2012
  Series: N/A                                                   Purchase: Amazon

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

New Girl is the kind of novel I live for - mystery thrillers - and it lived up to my expectations.

"New Girl," as the main heroine is called for almost the whole novel, was wonderful. She handled her situation beautifully. I mean, if everyone was claiming I was trying to take someone's place and everywhere I went I could feel everyone's hatred and whispers? Yeah, I'd have broken down many times over and would have been gone before you could blink an eye.

"New Girl" however, stood her ground. That is not to say she didn't break down and want to leave. But the point is she didn't leave. She stayed and she dealt with the situation and eventually, she made her own name shine, instead of being in Becca's shadow.

Now Becca, she was entirely messed up. She was manipulative and used her sexuality and looks to get what she wanted. I loved her at first, but when her true colors started to show, I began to really dislike her. She was such a great character, however, that I really ended up liking her in the end, despite her flaws. She just wanted people to love her for who she thought she should be, but what she didn't realize was that people loved her for who she actually was. I felt extremely bad for her, but I really liked how everything played out for her.

The writing was lyrical and poignant at times, but mostly simple. Paige Harbison paints a clear picture in your head of the school's campus and inside.

The plot was fantastic. I couldn't wait to figure out where Becca had gone and what "New Girl's" name was. I felt that the middle dragged on quite a bit, though, in "New Girl's" chapters with no progress in the mystery. I was anxious to get through her chapters and to Becca's, where it seemed the story would pick up quite a bit again. The end picks up again, too, and I liked how everything played out.

Overall, I really loved New Girl. There were moments in the middle that seemed to drag the story, but nothing to make me lose interest. I highly recommend to fans of the contemporary and mystery thriller genres and fans of the classic story, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, which New Girl is based off of.

Pass or Read? Definitely read this one!

Cover thoughts: I love it. It's gorgeous! The font is amazing, the colors are amazing, that girl looks amazing. Need I say it's amazing? :)

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

  Title: Darker Still                          Pages: 320
  Author: Leanna Renee Hieber      Source: Netgalley
  Publisher: Sourcebooks                Published: Nov 1, 2011
  Series: Magic Most Foul #1           Purchase: Amazon

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

The premise of Darker Still captivated me just by the mention of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Natalie was such a great character. She was strong and snarky - despite the fact that she couldn't speak. She was a bit too far on the feminist side, often making comments about various men and men in general, which was the biggest downside to her character. I felt that her feminism was pushed too far, but nothing too drastic that I couldn't like the story.

I thought Lord Denbury was a perfect male lead - gentlemanly and so hot despite the time period. The romance was also hot despite the time period, albeit a little fast-moving for my tastes. I prefer a romance to not be so love-at-first-sight and a bit more realistic.

The plot is what shines to me. It was incredibly creepy at times and satisfied my need for a thrilling, mysterious story. The religion aspect of the plot didn't bother me much, save for a few occurences, and I'm fairly sensitive when it comes to religion in a novel. I would have liked just a bit more description at times, though, in terms of character appearances and Denbury's portrait, as his heath was declining.

Overall, I really enjoyed Darker Still and it was almost exactly what I was hoping. There were some bumps in the road that might not appeal to some readers, but I personally did not find them too bothersome.

Cover thoughts: It's really pretty, I love the purple and the white around her, like she's going into a portal.

Confused why there isn't a rating? Well, folks, I decided to stop rating the books I've read, as no book is the same so I wouldn't feel right about giving them all the same ratings. Hopefully, you can clearly tell whether I've loved or hated a novel and hopefully even see the in betweens such as disappointed and really liked. Plus, I'll usually say at the end anyway :P. This is a decision I've been thinking about for a while now and have finally set in motion.

Teaser Tuesday (8)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should be Reading
Rules:
-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two sentences from that page
-Be careful not to include spoilers!
-Include the book titles and author, so other participants can add the book the their TBR pile!
This week's teaser comes from..

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

“There was a long, uncomfortable pause as we stared into the darkness. A figure was visible deep in the darkness, a tiny bit of glowing white.”

-Page 91

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

  Title: Forgotten                                                       Pages: 304
  Author: Cat Patrick                                                 Source: Publisher
  Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers     Published: June 7, 2011
  Series: Standalone                                                 Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 5 out of 5

Every night at exactly 4:33 AM, 16 year-old London Lane's memory gets wiped clean as she sleeps. And each morning, she wakes up to find a note to herself from herself telling her what happened the previous day. The day she can't remember at all.

Instead of remembering the past, London remembers the future. She remembers backwards.

None of this helps when she has to worry about school. It also doesn't help when London has to worry about a boyfriend, whose name she can't remember, who doesn't seem to be in her memories of what's to come. Nevermind the fact that her mother has been keeping secrets about a father that hasn't been in her life since she was six.

And when London starts having visions from what appears to be her future, she realizes she just may have to remember the past, before she can no longer remember her future.

Forgotten is described as psychological drama, romance, and mystery all in one. Just from that line, I was hooked.

Forgotten is incredibly confusing at first in the way that untangling a giant mess of ropes is. But after you finally untangle that last stubborn knot, you feel absolutely exhilarated.

The fact that London remembers backwards - meaning she 'remembers' her future and can't remember her past - was really confusing for me at first. I didn't mind the confusion at all, though, as it was this giant mystery that I couldn't wait to solve. Every loose end got tied up into, instead of a knot, a pretty bow.

Another part that confused me was how she remembered her classmates, where her classes were, where her locker was, etc. if she couldn't remember her past, but then I understood. She remembers the small stuff like that because she can see her future with her classmates, she can see in a few days when she walks to math class, and the time in a month where she opens her locker. That being said, she can also forget these small things when she no longer has a future with that person or object.

The characters were phenomenal and mainly consisted of London, her boyfriend Luke, her best friend Jamie, and her mother.

London was a strong character for the situation she was in. I expected her to be much more insecure and scared. She was actually very strong already, but also grew as the novel went on. I fell in love with her character and was hoping for a pleasant outcome for her.

Luke was a wonderful male lead. He was all the things almost any woman would look for in a man and more. He's sexy, sweet, loving, supportive. I could go on and on. Who wouldn't want to curl up next to a guy like that?

All the rest of the characters, major or minor, added to the story in some way. Some characters might be borderline filler, but I honestly didn't notice any character that was blatantly a filler character, other than teachers. I believe Cat Patrick did an absolutely brilliant job writing the characters so realistically and well.

The plot was fantastic. It was perfectly paced, with so many unseen twists and turns. I can't think of many twists I saw coming and I can't think of one part of Forgotten where the writing started to slow. Each and every page had me in its grasp and didn't let go until the very end.

The plot of Forgotten was unique and I applaud Patrick for finding a topic to write about that wasn't just another clichéd, over-written plot. Many have compared this novel to the Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler movie, 50 First Dates, and while the premise might sound a bit like it, I can assure you that it isn't once you dive in.

Now obviously the writing was awesome, too. I love Patrick's ability to be so descriptive, yet not so much in the way I don't care for, where every little detail is laid out for you. This usually might take years of practice to hone this ability, yet Patrick has the natural talent for it.

Overall, I absolutely loved Forgotten, if you couldn't tell. I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone and especially people that love psychological dramas, mysteries, and romance novels.

I give Forgotten a 5 out of 5.

Review: Shadow Hills (Luxury Reading review)

  Title: Shadow Hills                      Pages: 391
  Author: Anastasia Hopcus           Source: Luxury Reading
  Publisher: Egmont USA       Published: May 10, 2011
  Series: Standalone?                   Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Persephone “Phe” Archer is grieving the tragic death of her sister, Athena. So when she receives a letter from a school in Shadow Hills – which Athena just so happened to mention in her diary the night she died – Phe decides to enroll there, armed with nothing but Athena’s diary as guidance.

Once in Shadow Hills, Phe starts having vivid nightmares that seem to be trying to tell her something. Are they visions of the future or of the past? What are they trying to say? One thing is for certain, Phe has just stumbled into the heart of the ancient secrets residing in the small town of Shadow Hills.

I immediately was drawn into the world and mystery of Phe Archer and Shadow Hills. There were some slow points, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed Shadow Hills.

Want to read the rest of my review? Please go here: Luxury Reading

I give Shadow Hills a 4 out of 5.

 

Confused why I don’t have the full review here? Please refer to my first Luxury Reading review here.

Waiting On Wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's can't-wait-to-read selection is..

  Title: Still Waters
  Author: Emma Carlson Berne
  Publisher: Simon Pulse
  Published: Dec 20, 2011
  Pages: 240
  Goodreads

Hannah and Colin seem to have the perfect relationship, but as her second-to-last year of school draws to a close and Colin prepares to head off to college, Hannah feels he might be slipping away. She knows they need some real quality time alone if she’s going to hold on to him.

So when she finds pictures of his old family lake house, she secretly schemes to get him there. But when they arrive, he’s not thrilled. Actually, he’s totally freaked out. And though she gets him to relax, his behavior become stranger by the day: he disappears for long stretches of the night, has a bizarre breakdown in a nearby diner, and when the car stops running, he seems completely unconcerned about fixing it.

The lake house holds secrets, and what Hannah doesn’t know and Colin can’t
remember just might kill them both.

First of all, the cover art is beautiful. Second, it sounds so wonderfully creepy. Count me in.

What are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's can't-wait-to-read selection is..

Title: Forgotten
Author: Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: June 7, 2011
Pages: 304
Goodreads

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

That cover is so pretty, I cannot wait to read this!

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard review

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Source: Library
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alison DiLaurentis is the popular, gorgeous It girl. Every boy wanted her, every girl - even older - wanted to be her. So when she became friends with Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna, they felt quite special. Sure, Ali could be mean at times, but they loved her anyway. They all shared their secrets with one another - its what makes best friends friends forever, Ali would say.

Then, one night at a slumber party, Ali disappeared. No one has seen or heard from her since that night. That is, until the four girls left to mourn her disappearance start getting eerie text messages, signed from A. And whoever this "A" is, they're threatening each girl with secrets only Ali knew. So... is it Alison? Is she alive, or is it her ghost? Or is it someone else entirely?

I fell in love with the show on ABC ever since it first aired. I knew that the show was based off the books, but I never wanted to read them, because I didn't want to spoil the suspense for the show. I should've much sooner.

Sara Shepard created this genius guilty pleasure of a series. There are so many twists and turns in this first book and compared to the show, I bet the book series only gets better and better.

Shepard does a wonderful job with creating these characters. They all have different personalities, even more minor characters. They all have their own problems. Shepard created characters that girls of today can relate to. There is talk about having parents that constantly expect the best and more from you, parents that are so strict in their beliefs, parents that are crazy and artistic and carefree, and a parent that is constantly working. Shepard touches upon subjects such as constantly needing to be the best, being confused about sexuality, liking someone one shouldn't, eating disorders, cutting, underage drinking, sex, and the normal pressures of being a girl in today's world. She handles each topic with ease and moves onto the next without waivering.

Shepard's writing is simple and clean. She describes stuff wonderfully. All shows and movies are different in some aspects from their book influence, so despite knowing what characters and places look like, I had a different image in my head from how Shepard described it in the book. To me, having the power to do this even though I've seen the show, shows how well Shepard can write.

Overall, I found myself loving the book as much as I love the show and am extremely glad I decided to read it. I can't wait to continue on with the other books and am already a fan of Shepard's from her book the Lying Game, this book just adding more fuel to the growing fire. I highly recommend it to anyone that's seen or not seen the show and anyone that loves books about high school, juicy secrets, and lies.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

View all my reviews

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should be Reading

Rules:
-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two sentences from that page
-Be careful not to include spoilers!
-Include the book titles and author, so other participants can add the book the their TBR pile!

This week's teaser comes from..

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

page 18

'It was horrible to think Ali might be dead, but... if she was, at least their secrets were safe. And they were. For three years anyway.'

Did one extra sentence.. oops :P.

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's can't-wait-to-read selection is..

Title: Clarity
Author: Kim Harrington
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Published: March 1, 2011
Pages: 242
Goodreads

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth? This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats.

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?

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White review

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Evie considers herself as normal as possible given her current situation. She's an employee of IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) and it's her job to basically arrest different paranormal species. She has a special gift that allows her to see through "glamours," such as seeing through a vampire to their rotting corpse beneath, seeing a werewolves' yellow eyes even though it isn't a full moon, etc.

She also tries to be as normal as possible considering her ex-boyfriend Reth is a faerie, her best friend Lish is a mermaid, and she's crushing on Lend the shape shifter. What isn't normal is that there has been someone or something that has been killing paranormals and it doesn't leave a trace behind. So can Evie solve the riddle of it all before it's too late?

This book had me from the beginning because of the genius way it was written. I mean, Kiersten White took the slightly dark and mysterious subject of paranormal and made it light-hearted in a way I've never seen or read before. She doesn't make fun of the genre, she just makes it less serious, but in a good way. The way she writes is just pure awesome and hilarious.

She wrote everyone's personalities well as well, getting her characterization down. Evie is so innocent, yet experienced in things a normal teenager should not be. She's such a different character compared to all the female main characters of most paranormal books. She has such a unique personality, that it's a breath of fresh air. Something that had me loving her from the very first chapter.

I also loved the mystery of the prophecy and Reth, and I was flipping through the pages excited to learn exactly what he was up to. And of course, I cannot forget the romance between Evie and Lend as I silently urged them to get together with each passing page.

Kiersten White has such a great talent for writing such light, funny dialogue, yet can dial up the steamy romance notch any times she wants for the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and will read anything by White in a heartbeat because of reading this book. I am eagerly anticipating the second novel of this series.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

View all my reviews

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting review

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Source: Library
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Violet Ambrose has a special ability. She can sense dead bodies by what she calls echoes. Echoes can come to her in the form of tastes, sounds, smells, or visual cues such as colors. This mostly leads her to find dead animals, which she buries in her backyard in a makeshift graveyard. She can also sense murderers in the same way, with the echo of the dead the same as its murderer. Usually they're only of the military, police, or doctor variety.

Violet also has another secret. She has feelings for her best friend, Jay Heaton, since childhood. Now, when Violet 'stumbles' upon a body, and then several girls go missing, can Jay put aside his protectiveness and help Violet find the killer that is terrorizing her small town, despite the risk that Violet herself might become his prey?

This is another of those books you can't put down, where you find yourself stumbling over the words because you're reading too fast. It's story is told in third person, focusing on two point of views: Violet's and the serial killer's. I loved that part of the story because it was a fresh idea, and provided insight into his insane mind. It was a change of pace when the chapters went from the cheerful mood of a party, to the creepy thoughts and actions of the serial killer.

The characterization was great. I felt that the characters were realistic and had depth. I loved the pairing of Violet and Jay. You could feel the amount that they cared about each other and it reminded me of some of my own relationships because it felt so real. It was funny to me that Violet was so clueless as to Jay's feelings for her. Sometimes, though, Jay's feelings were laid on too thick in the form of his protectiveness over her.

Even though I anticipated some of the plot twists (I have a knack for this and my boyfriend hates when we're watching a movie and I say what's going to happen next) The Body Finder is a must-read for any fans of the mystery and YA genres. A must-read in general. The entire premise of this book is one I doubt you've ever heard before and it makes for an awesome, fresh read. Kimberly Derting writes in an effortless way to pull you in from page one and keep you reading all the way to the end. I will definitely be reading Desires of the Dead as soon as I get my hands on it.

This book earned a 5 out of 5 stars from me.

View all my reviews