Short & Sweet: The Silent Companions and Paper Chains

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

This was a weird read, all things considered. By the end it was definitely more violent/gruesome than I had expected (to the point where it seemed rather over-the-top). I don't entirely understand the "reveal" at the end (spoilers, highlight to read: I am assuming that when Sarah cut her finger on one of the companions, the "spirit" of Hetta took her over, and she's the one who murdered everyone else?). I was intrigued by the mystery of what happened in Elsie's past (with her parents), and wish we had gotten more explanation for that as well. I did think that the question of whether or not Elsie is delusional/hallucinating or whether there is something supernatural going on here was handled pretty well towards the end of the story; it did have me flipping back and forth between the two theories! 

I also sometimes found it difficult to take the companions all that seriously in their menace. I mean, we are talking about a bunch of wooden paintings here.

3 shooting stars.

Paper Chains by Nicola Moriarty

This read definitely required some suspension of disbelief -- there are a lot of coincidences and ways things are linked together that err on the side of cheesy. However, I found the flashbacks of Hannah's past very gripping, particularly in how her mental health issues are depicted (spoilers, highlight to read: her postpartum depression felt very real). I could connect with Hannah better than I could with India, although I did sometimes find that Hannah's thoughts, particularly about herself, came across as over-the-top (granted, she was struggling with a lot). I feel like the reader only really gets to know India genuinely right at the end (spoilers: because we find out that she's sort of been trying out a new persona to distance herself from the "sick Lily" version of herself). I did think that India's and Hannah's friendship developed quite quickly and felt sort of forced. The writing style, though, made this a quick read.

3 shooting stars.

The Wrap-Up List: A Rambling Review

The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson

This was an odd, quirky little story. It has a fantastical premise (creatures called "Deaths" are responsible for 'departing' certain individuals), and is set sometime in the future (no year is given, but the US is on the brink of what sounds like another world war) and yet it is centered very much on protagonist Gabriela's teenage concerns and daily life. There really isn't much world-building going on, but given this book seems to be more of a contemporary novel with a fantastical premise, I don't know that it really needs a ton of world-building.

Despite the fact that Gabriela's wrap-up list (what she wants to have happen before she departs) is centered on first kisses, romance really doesn't play that large a role in the story. Her "love interest," if you can call him that, is a sad specimen and I honestly don't know why she wanted him as her first kiss. He seemed like kind of a jerk, to be honest. Gabriela's taste in guys aside, however, she was a likeable enough protagonist, although her voice sounded a little younger than her specified age -- more like fourteen rather than sixteen. I enjoyed seeing her Mexican heritage highlighted in a natural, organic sort of way.

My favourite character without a doubt was the Death Hercule. He had attitude. I wish we could have seen even more of him. Just generally, I think some of the side characters could have been fleshed-out more; I would have liked to have seen more of her relationships with friends and family. It felt a little like the basics had been sketched out, but not completely filled in.

Plot-wise, there weren't many "big events" before the climactic scene, and then the ending itself was fairly predictable (highlight for spoilers: for one thing, I totally guessed that the "wait for Gabriela" hint could refer to after Sylvester's departure).

 

All I Want For Christmas Is... (3)

I'm counting down the weeks to Christmas by sharing some of the books that made it onto my wishlist (and maybe helping some of you guys add to your lists...?)!

A pre-order of Remembrance by Meg Cabot

  From Goodreads:

"In REMEMBRANCE, the seventh installment of the Mediator series, all Susannah Simon wants is to make a good impression at her first job since graduating from college (and becoming engaged to Dr. Jesse de Silva).

But when she stumbles across an ancient murder, old ghosts—and ex-boyfriends—aren’t all that come back to haunt her.

REMEMBRANCE will be the first ever adult installment of the Mediator, published by William Morrow, the adult division of HarperCollins, the company that brought you the YA books in the series."

This one won't have been released by Christmas, but it does come out early next year... and it is the first *adult* book following Suze from Meg Cabot's YA Mediator series! I loved the Mediator series (seriously, how can you not adore Jesse?!) and so I had to put this one on my list, for the nostalgic value if nothing else. Although I am totally here for some more ghost-y shenanigans, ex-boyfriends (don't tell me Paul is back! please, no!) and, of course, the Jesse/Suze chemistry.

What books are you hoping to find under the tree this year? Feel free to let me know in the comments or leave a link to your own blog post!
 

Vicious: A Panoramic Review (NA/adult)

"A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question." (from Goodreads)

Note: This review includes some mild spoilers, as there was just too much I wanted to talk about. Major spoilers about the ending, however, are whited out.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

My reaction:    

This is the sort of book suited to readers who don't mind completely dislikeable, loathesome, irredeemable characters. Because that is what Vicious gives you. This book has the most vile, sickening characters that I've read about in a long time.

As is obvious from the above description, there are two main characters here, Victor and Eli, and really it's a six-of-one-half-a-dozen-of-the-other situation as far as I'm concerned. Victor specializes in magically torturing people and Eli specializes in killing them the old-fashioned way. If I were forced to pick, I suppose I would choose Victor, simply because he seems to be more sane and stable than Eli. I think that if, heaven forbid, I somehow got in his way, I might be able to reason with Victor if I had something to offer him (like a useful superpower), in order to keep him from killing or torturing me. Whereas if I was an ExtraOrdinary and I ran into Eli I would be just plain out of luck, convinced as he is that he is on a God-given mission to eradicate all ExtraOrdinarys (save himself, of course, because he's "special".) 

Joining their ruthless ranks is Serena, Eli's sort-of girlfriend, who specializes in compelling everyone around her to do what she wants. She sometimes sickened me more than the others because she was so slick in manipulating people. We're told she is unable to "turn it off" and likes it when people resist her; perhaps that was supposed to make us sympathize with her but it didn't really work. Personally I thought she quite liked getting her way and twisting Eli around her little finger. Add to that her betrayal of her younger sister Sydney and let's face it, she was not about to win me over.

The only characters I actually liked were Sydney, Mitch, and the dog Dol. Sydney was a sweet, relatively innocent young girl who, despite the many obstacles she'd faced, had not turned all brutal the way Victor, Eli and Serena had. She was gutsy and had a quiet inner strength – sort of an "old soul." It was kind of sad and pathetic the way she saw Victor as her "safe place," given that the reader is well aware of his less-than-friendly attitude towards anyone who gets in the way of his plans. Mitch really seemed to care about Sydney and acted protective of her. And the dog, well, his loyalty to and bond with Sydney was admittedly adorable.

Best aspect: the complex, thought-provoking nature of Victor's and Eli's relationship and views of each other, both in college when this whole mess began as well as ten years later. While they may see themselves as vastly different (and they make every attempt to repeatedly tell themselves that) they are really two sides of the same coin. 

For Eli, there is a good dose of religious fanaticism motivating his "mission", whereas Victor is all about the cold hard facts. Eli's more impulsive and passionate, Victor more clinical, clever and exacting. In college, Eli was the charismatic one, naturally claiming the spotlight, easily charming the girl, whereas Victor lurked in his shadow, always a step behind. Victor has a glint of humanity left, evidenced by his befriending of Sydney and Mitch, while Eli appears to care for no one.

Yet their similarities are far more striking than their differences. Each determined to prove himself — Victor to Eli, who he seems to hero-worship; Eli to the world, and perhaps God. Each willing to take risks, to be utterly ruthless, to get a step closer to their ultimate goal. Each with a cruel sadistic streak that only widens when they become ExtraOrdinary. Each fascinated with pushing the boundaries of science and ethics. It is the height of irony that they both consider themselves to be on the side of "right" and the other on the side of "wrong" when from the reader's perspective it is easy to put both firmly in the category of "villain." (In fact, to underscore this point — the story primarily alternates between Victor's and Eli's perspectives, and I had a lot of trouble remembering which character I was reading about at any given time. Their mindsets just seemed so similar to me.)

If I could change something... I would tighten up the middle section plot-wise. The story dragged in the middle; things were getting repetitive ("ho hum, who's going to get tortured or killed next?") and I started to get bored. Mainly I just loathed both characters so much that I wanted to get to the part where they died (a not improbable prediction given that each of them wants to take out the other). 

I would also introduce a couple more characters who were not as despicable as the rest. It was disheartening to read over 300 pages about sadistic people with no hope for redemption. A few characters with some humanity left in their hearts would have brought a better balance to this book. 

As well, I would have liked more insight into Serena's motives. We don't get a very strong read on her character or much information on her backstory, particularly regarding her relationship with her sister.

If you haven't read it: and you like reading books about horrible people doing horrible things, well then...Vicious is your book.

If you have read it: did you find it as darkly harrowing and disturbing as I did?

Just one more thing I wanted to mention: I found the end of the book disappointingly anti-climactic, perhaps because it was not quite the ending I was hoping for. Spoilers, highlight to read: well, I was kind of hoping that Victor, Eli and Serena would all perish in a pyre of flames, as I said to my sister on Skype chat when I was partway through reading the book. Sadly, that did not come to pass. Serena did, in a manner of speaking, make it to the pyre, but Eli just ended up getting arrested (seriously, how long until he breaks out?) and Victor "died" but was conveniently resurrected by Sydney a couple days later. I would have appreciated more conversation between Victor and Eli at the end, hashing out what had gone wrong between them all those years ago at college, rather than simple physical battle.

Final verdict: This book is the antithesis of warm fuzzies. If you are looking for a book that delves into the inhuman lengths that super-humans will go to in satisfying their own ends, look no further. Vicious is aptly titled. 

 

Rating: 3.5 shooting stars. I struggled with what rating to give this book, simply because in all honesty I cannot say I liked it, but at the same time I cannot really say it is badly written. I will say that I think some of the violence was gratuitous, and overall I was left feeling sort of gross and tainted when I finished the book. I feel like perhaps Vicious tries too hard to be "edgy" without delving as deeply as it could into the real philosophical, ethical and psychological issues underlying Victor's and Eli's choices. 

 

Note: This book is only appropriate for mature readers (NA or adult), as it contains graphic violent content. 

The Woman in Black: A Snapshot (Adult)

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

"Proud and solitary, Eel Marsh House surveys the windswept reaches of the salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway. Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the house's sole inhabitant, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. It is not until he glimpses a pale young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose." (from Goodreads)

The subject: a house shrouded in mystery and whispers, and a town scared to death of its secrets.

The setting: England, more specifically Crythin Gifford, most specifically Eel Marsh House. Not sure of the exact year but it had an early 1900s feel to it. (They were using both pony-and-traps and motor cars, after all.) The atmosphere the author instills in her descriptions, particularly those of the marsh and the foreboding house, was by far one of my favourite aspects of this book. Ghost stories thrive on cultivating the right mood, and Susan Hill excels at that. I could see the desolate scene she paints clearly in my mind's-eye.
 
Shutter speed: slow, but that suits the nature of the story. (And it's a short book, anyway.)

What's in the background? A whole lot of unanswered questions relating to the backstory of some of the characters. The narrator Arthur Kipps is telling his own ghost story, so we get it entirely from his perspective...and we don't ever really find out what the ghost has to say on the matter.

Zoom in on: Spider, the adorable little dog that Arthur befriends. I hate most spiders, but I loved this one.
 
Anything out of focus? While there's certainly an unsettling element to the situation Arthur finds himself in, the whole supernatural side of things isn't all that scary, really. And the mystery behind the haunted house is hardly surprising; I'm not sure if it was intended to be. Given all the clues leading up to it, the "reveal" is not really a reveal as much as it is a straightforward and more thorough explanation. The ending, though – now that gives the reader more of a sickening jolt.

I did find the end rather abrupt; I thought it would spend more time wrapping up, coming full-circle back to Arthur and his family in the present day.

Ready? Say... "Shhhh...did you hear that?"

Click! 4 shooting stars. For readers who like their ghost stories free from violence and gore, but not free from a spooky setting, some supernatural creepiness, and a fantastically spot-on early-1900's-British tone and writing style (even though this book was actually published in 1983).

Interview with Heather Beck (and Giveaway!)

I'm pleased to welcome Heather Beck to the blog today for an interview!

First, a bit about the author:

Heather Beck is a Canadian author and screenwriter who began writing professionally at the age of sixteen. Her first book was published when she was only nineteen years old. Since then she has written several well-reviewed books.

Heather recently received an Honors Bachelor of Arts from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on two young adult novels and has six anthologies slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include Young Eyes, The Rarity and Too Sensible For Love.

Besides writing, Heather's greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

And now for the questions...

Many of your books center around the paranormal. What is it about this genre that inspires you as a writer?

My fascination with paranormal tales began in childhood from a cause unknown even to myself. It’s just a genre I’ve always been drawn to because it explores new worlds bound only by the limits of one’s imagination. As someone with a lot of imagination, writing these stories is a true joy as well as a great outlet for my creativity. I write books with slightly darker tones because I love a good scary story. I’m not into violence or gore, though, so my work is more about suspense, creepy characters and fantastical mythology. I could discuss how these fictional monsters are a representation of our fears externalized so we can defeat them, but in the end it’s simply the most fun genre to write.

You've written both YA/YA-friendly and adult books. How challenging is it for you to move between writing YA and writing adult fiction? Do you have a preference?

I don’t find the transition hard at all. Basically, I treat both audiences the same. The only difference with my adult books is that the characters are slightly older and they usually have a full-time job. I even use the same genres and themes. If I had to choose which audience I prefer writing for, I’d actually pick middle graders. I’ve had the most success writing for that age group, and I even hear from adult readers who enjoy these books! Also, I feel like I can use more fantastical characters, plots and settings in middle grade literature. There’s a higher level of tolerance for imagination, whereas a more mature audience may just view such material as unrealistic.

Are there any common themes that you think extend across several of your YA novels?

Forbidden or very complicated love is a theme readers will often find in my young adult books. I definitely believe in true love, so my romances are high-stake and intense. These relationships face many obstacles, but the couple can overcome almost anything because of their deep love, connection, and need for each other. Emancipation, both physical and emotional, is another theme that runs throughout many of my works. It’s about reaching for one’s dreams and transcending the mundane to find a beautiful life; basically, it’s about living life to the fullest. Additionally, an aspect that remains consistent throughout my young adult books is core character traits. My main characters, and often the secondary characters, too, are multi-faceted, realistic, unique, and flawed. A lot of my stories were written because of a particular character, and therefore their development is a top priority for me.

You're Canadian (yay!). Is there another Canadian YA author you can recommend for my readers?

This sounds absolutely awful, but I haven’t really had a chance to read recreationally for a very long time. As a fan of the Pretty Little Liars television show, I just had to read Ali’s Pretty Little Lies, and that was the first book I’ve read for enjoyment in over ten years! This isn’t by choice, but rather due to my work commitments. I have projects lined up for the next five years, and I am working insanely hard to get everything finished.
 
If one of your novels could be adapted (by someone else!) into film, which book would you pick, and who would you choose to adapt it?

I think my book series, The Horror Diaries, would make an excellent television show. I don’t have a favourite screenwriter, so I’d be happy working with almost any experienced teleplay writer. My only requirements are that the writer respects the plots and characters I’ve created. They must also keep the show aimed towards a middle grade audience. Since I want to maintain the essence of The Horror Diaries, the small screen adaptation must still be fun, creepy, suspenseful and, above all else, imaginative.

Thanks very much for these thoughtful responses to my questions, Heather! You can find out more about Heather and her work at her website and by watching her writer's reel.

Heather has generously offered up a giveaway! One winner will receive PDF copies of the following 3 YA novels:

-Vocations (http://www.amazon.com/Vocations-ebook/dp/B00A6UN68W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356895652&sr=8-2&keywords=heather+beck+vocations)
-The Hammock (http://www.amazon.com/The-Hammock/dp/B003R0LO9G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1282433089&sr=1-4)
-Verisimilitude (http://www.amazon.com/Verisimilitude/dp/B003OQUQK6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1282433656&sr=1-6).

The rules:

 - Entrants must be 13 years or older
 - One entry per person
 - Winner will be selected randomly
 - Giveaway ends March 18 at 11:59 PM EST

To be entered in the giveaway, please leave a comment with your e-mail address!

 

The Hallowed Ones: A Panoramic Review

"Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning." (from Goodreads)

 
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

*Note: there are general spoilers about a certain element of this book's premise. If you want to be remain completely in the dark about The Hallowed Ones, do not read any further!

My reaction: I found the first half to be quite slow-moving, so I ended up reading this one on and off for about a week. It was definitely a bit of a push sometimes, but eventually — about three-quarters of the way through — I was pretty gripped by it.  

For those of you who don't like violence/horror, a warning right off the bat: there is definitely a horror aspect to this book. I can't really talk about The Hallowed Ones without mentioning the vampires, so I hope that isn't considered a massive spoiler. Certain scenes were really, really gruesome — as in blood, guts, and severed body parts. It wasn't pretty, particularly as I am one of those readers who doesn't usually like gross, gory stuff. I fully admit I am squeamish.
 
I actually thought these graphic depictions were a little over-the-top, especially in a particular scene (spoilers, highlight to read: when they discover all the dead bodies in the house). It just seemed like they were being used for shock value or dramatic effect. Plus, it doesn't exactly make sense given the nature of the threat (spoilers: I'm not really sure why the vampires go to such lengths to mutilate the bodies. You'd think they'd be draining them dry, not spilling their blood all over the place...)

I really liked seeing Katie grow in this book, and throw off the complacency she has at the beginning. Right from the start she claims that she always questions things, and frankly I found it annoying that she was constantly telling the reader that, like it was being thrust on us: "root for this girl because she doesn't always obey the rules!" But I enjoyed actually watching her follow these claims up with actions, as she starts to take charge of her life and step out of the boundaries. As the story progresses she becomes more extreme about it; at the beginning she makes small transgressions and questions things a little, but she really ups her assertiveness and defiance of the Elders towards the end. I think Alex helps to bring that out in her. And while it's sort of dangerous in one way, I think it's more dangerous for her to sit around on her hands and not do anything, because there are vampires wreaking havoc and no one else (except Alex and the Hexenmeister) is paying attention!

I didn't see the twist of the vampires' identities coming at all, but it definitely made sense. However, I thought the "climactic" sense wasn't all that climactic, having been overshadowed by what happened earlier (spoiler: again, the macabre scene of horrors at the house). It wasn't particularly scary and the vanquishing of evil was accomplished rather easily. It just seemed a little too perfect that almost everyone got to pitch in somehow. I also thought the story needed more denouement — it ends suddenly just pages after the climactic-scene-that-wasn't-really. Spoiler: she's leaving and we don't even get to see how her family feels about that?

Best aspect: the relationship that develops between Alex and Katie. There's a definite spark and attraction that gives a slightly sexy element to their romance. He becomes quite protective of her and I thought his nickname for her was adorable. I much preferred Alex to Elijah as a boyfriend for Katie...well, and just generally as a character, too. I was okay with Elijah at the beginning, but he became infuriating later on as he turned more and more conservative and controlling. Alex isn't perfect either, but I understood and respected his values a lot more because he hadn't been raised in such a closed-minded way. 

 

If I could change something... I'd demonstrate more clearly the "rules" of the paranormal side of things — like how the vampires operate, how the sickness spreads, how the medical connects to the spiritual... Sometimes I was fine with the presence of the vampires in the story, but other times it just seemed incongruous/out of context for the Amish community setting and the social issues being discussed. It's a bit of a weird mix.

I also thought the writing style could be improved somewhat, by varying the sentence structure and quickening the pacing. There are some scenes where there's a lot of either ruminating — Katie can ruminate with the best of them on everything from philosophical and religious issues to more personal struggles — or info dumps. The latter are usually put into the guise of conversations, but basically they're just pages and pages of new information related to the world-building. Katie explains things about Amish culture periodically, and it comes off a little obvious, like the author is trying to jam in a bunch of facts. I also struggled a bit with the narration style — despite the fact that it's first-person POV, Katie has a rather distant way of narrating, and sometimes it feels like she is describing herself in third-person.

If you haven't read it: and you enjoy (or at the very least, don't mind) icky, gory scenes, and you're interested in seeing Amish culture and vampirism collide, this book is probably right up your alley. If you're looking for tons of fast-paced action, though, you'll probably be disappointed.

If you have read it: are you looking forward to book two? What are your predictions? I'm a little wary about the potential for a series; certainly we could use some more explanations about the vampires, but there's a danger of repetitive plot points. I suspect that after a while, one vampire attack could start to seem very much like any other.

Just one more thing I want to mention: in certain scenes the writing was quite evocative and atmospheric, giving off the necessary creepy vibe. Case in point: what happens when Katie relentlessly pursues her desire to get a Coke. I totally had the "this is a bad idea, Katie, don't do it" feeling, but of course, she does anyway...

Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. The Hallowed Ones was not really my usual style, and while I liked some aspects of it, others I had issues with. Personally, there was a little too much gore for me, but I did enjoy some of the characterization and I am left wondering what happens next...so I'm sort of torn about whether or not to continue with the series.

Note: there is a significant amount of violent and gruesome content, so I would definitely not recommend this one for younger readers.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The Unquiet: A Close-Up Review

"Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?" (from Goodreads) 

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

Characters:

Rinn: For the most part I really liked Rinn. She's a complex character with deep-seated guilt pushed down inside her (some of which she's aware of, like feeling guilty about her grandmother's death). It seems to have come to the point where she doesn't trust herself, and yet she lashes out at other people for not trusting her. She's also got a snarky attitude and a bit of a chip on her shoulder, but she's quite frank and open about who she is.

Nate: Nate's a considerate, good-natured, easygoing, "average" kind of guy. He doesn't have much of a temper and not much fazes him. I thought he was really good for Rinn because she's a little impulsive and unstable at times (especially when she's not on her meds) and she needs someone in her life who's really steady and provides a calming presence. They bicker sometimes, but their romance was cute and I actually could have used a bit more of it — the mystery and ghostly incidents definitely take precedence here. I wish we had more cute scenes with them enjoying themselves, but there are always bad things happening so we don't see a lot of that. Often one or both of them is cranky!

Annaliese: I feel like we could have been given stronger motivations for Annaliese. Spoilers: it seemed a bit farfetched that everything she did was all part of a revenge scheme over this grudge that she had, dating back to her high school days. I suspected there might be some kind of connection there with the parents, though, so I appreciated that the author tried to tie that in, and that there was at least some explanation given.
 
The adults:

In many YA books the adults are just thrust to the side as the storyline centers on the teens, but in The Unquiet the adults end up playing a fairly significant role, especially in the second half. Although some of the parents in here don't seem to notice what's going on with their kids — Meg's tinnitus and Lacy's headaches are prime examples — and wait way too long to take them into the doctor! (Not that it would actually help, but still.)

Frank: we don't get to see much of him, but it's obvious that Rinn genuinely likes and cares about her stepfather, and she's upset that he seems mad at her and apparently can't stand to be in the same house as her (because he blames her for his mom's death, or at least that's what Rinn believes). I like that even though he's no blood relation to her, she cares so much about her stepdad's opinion of her. Usually in step-parent–child relationships we're shown a lot of antagonism from the child toward the step-parent (they resent them for trying to take over the role of mom/dad in their life) but I'm not sure if Frank and Rinn ever had that source of tension in their relationship. Rather, she feels remorseful, as she at least partially blames herself, and she thinks that he blames her as well. Frank is like a dad to her and she wants him to love and trust her again.

Premise:

I very much appreciate that The Unquiet features a protagonist who's already perfectly well aware of how her bipolar disorder affects her and is on medication for it. It's not about her discovering that she has bipolar disorder and getting used to that idea and how to treat it, as is so common in YA "issue books." Instead, The Unquiet deals with someone who has had lots of bad things happen in the past because of her bipolar, and she knows how she acts when she's not on her meds. I liked seeing the insight Rinn has into her disorder.

Jeannine Garsee cleverly ties in Rinn's mental health issues with the paranormal storyline, and we get to see her both on and off her meds. She stops taking them at one point to test a theory about what's going on with the ghost, which both allows us to see how Rinn behaves when not on her meds, but at the same time furthers the paranormal plot. Spoilers: people on medication for mental health problems aren't affected by the ghost; the medications serve as a sort of barrier. This is a bit of a stretch, yes, but you have to take some things in this book with a grain of salt anyway.

I liked the way the mental health issues were tackled. The Unquiet touches upon not only bipolar disorder but also (to a much lesser degree) suicide and bullying, and it was neat to see these issues being addressed in a paranormal novel. The paranormal elements probably end up taking up more "screen time" but the author manages to provide a fairly good balance of both. Bipolar disorder is certainly a significant part of Rinn's life, and as far as I can tell the bipolar aspects are presented quite accurately. Rinn's description of how she acts when not on medication, and what we see from her when she (for a short time) stops taking her meds, is in line with the sort of "acting out" behaviours that people with bipolar may demonstrate. It is a little difficult to tell, though, what is due to Anneliese and what is the effect of Rinn's bipolar (which may be intentional).

The bullying and related high school teen behaviour is also believably portrayed. Jeannine Garsee captures well just how spiteful and cruel teens can act to each other, and how shortsighted and impulsive they can be.

Plot:

It's a little confusing to follow because of the ghostly happenings, as well as that at one point Rinn stops taking her meds, which makes her less reliable as a narrator. As I read, it felt like the plot was meandering and not very coherent, because all of these seemingly unrelated incidents were occurring (that turn out to be related after all).

Compared to the well-done characterization, the paranormal plot is a weaker aspect of The Unquiet. Jeannine Garsee follows a traditional representation of ghosts, which is executed well but doesn't explore anything too different from what's been done before. We don't ever really get a full, satisfying explanation of all the mysterious events. The ghost seems to have a lot of powers without restrictions: she can move around, possess people, make them see hallucinations... and I prefer it when there are specified limits on a fantastical being's powers. Otherwise, too much power is given to the paranormal elements to just explain away all the unusual occurrences.

The climactic scene was not particularly impressive. I really dislike it when the magic that is being used to vanquish evil is vaguely described, and that was the case here. Honestly, I couldn't even tell you what happened exactly because it's so confusing. Spoilers: Rinn throws her arms around the ghost and squeezes her and they're fusing together, and then it's like the ghost devours herself?

The book ended on a perfect note, though — just creepy and unsettling enough to make you think it's not quite a happy ending.

Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. It's a pretty dark read, and I really liked the concept of combining a paranormal plot with a character who has mental health issues. A stronger climactic scene and better explanations would definitely have improved my rating.

Disclaimer: I received a copy for review from the author.

A Need So Beautiful: A Panoramic Review

"We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences." (from Goodreads)  

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

My reaction: 

A Need So Beautiful was shorter than I expected, and frankly, not that much actually happens in it. Charlotte is part of this epic battle between good and evil, but this first book is just her story of discovering what she is (one of the Forgotten) and then making a critical decision about her future. There are these Needs that she gets, which come more frequently as the book goes on, which unfortunately I didn't find that interesting. I liked that the Needs showcased different types of problems, but we don't get to know personally any of the characters she helps, so they felt somewhat generic.

I enjoyed reading about Charlotte's struggle to make her ultimate decision, as she has to choose between two unenviable options (spoilers, highlight to read: go into the light, burst, and have everyone forget her, or give into the darkness and become an evil Shadow), but after a while her deliberation got tiresome. In other words, Angst Alert!

Harlin was a nice combination of sexy and sweet at the same time, and I liked that his relationship with Charlotte was already established when the book began. All things considered, it doesn't undergo that much drama, despite the fact that she lies to him for almost the whole book. Which bugged me, by the way — I mean, I get that she'd sound kind of crazy discussing her mystical nature, but all her lying just became repetitive.

I also thought Charlotte's friend Sarah was pretty awesome, providing an upbeat personality and attitude that would probably get annoying in a protagonist but was refreshing in a side character.

Best aspect: I can't really talk about this without spoiling things. For me, the best aspect was what I found to be the saddest part of the book. Spoilers commence: the part where people started to forget Charlotte. The torture of having people forget you was very well-conveyed; at first it's just little things, and then it got more and more serious as her friends began to not know who she was. 

I also really appreciated that some "issues" were included but not made a big deal of. Charlotte has an adoptive family, but it's not the focal point of the story; her adoptive brother is gay, but it's just mentioned in passing a few times that he has a boyfriend.
 

If I could change something... I'd give the story more plot points (besides just the Needs) so the reader can focus on something other than Charlotte's Big Decision. The plot ends up feeling too simplistic, padded out with Charlotte's worries and dilemma-izing instead of actual events.

I'd also explain the magical side of things better. The mythology surrounding the Light and the Shadows was all quite vague — we don't really know anything about how the Light works, who's in charge here, etc. — and yet it's used to conveniently explain away things, which I found kind of annoying. And then there's Charlotte's power, which gives rise to questions like: how does she convince people so quickly? Why do they bother to listen to her?

And I found the climactic scene a little unbelievable. Spoilers: Harlin accepts that Charlotte is an angel way too easily, and the fact that he turns out to be a Seer is rather convenient (and could have been hinted at a little more, since it basically comes out of nowhere...)

If you haven't read it: and you like angst and angels, and you don't ask too many questions when you read a book, then this might be a winner for you. Otherwise, there's probably something better you could be reading.

If you have read it: how did you feel about the plot (or lack thereof)?
 
Just one more thing I want to mention: I thought the very end (spoiler: where she wakes up and doesn't know who she is) was a neat jumping-off point for the second book. 

Final verdict: 3 shooting stars. I liked the concept, but I feel like there could have been more done with it. I found myself feeling kind of melancholic afterwards, though, so I guess on some level it affected me.