Book Review : New Girl by Paige Harbison

 

New Girl by Paige Harbison 

Paperback, 320 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by HarlequinTeen (first published January 1st 2012) 

Available on Barnes And Noble:

Paperback $9.49

ISBN 0373210426 (ISBN13: 9780373210428)

Synopsis 

 The Queen Bee is missing. Will you be next?

 

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...

Review  

First of all, I apologized for the posting this review after quite some time. I have to say that when I got this book one month ago, I was extremely excited, as it was described as "Gossip Girl meets Mallory Towers with a dash of gothic chill thrown in for good measure!"  

However, to my disappointment, it was nothing like gossip girl, but Mallory Towers, yes. Despite all that, I still think that this is a good book to read.  

"The New Girl" whose name is only mentioned at the end of the book, comes to Manderly Academy for her senior year. It has always been her dream to go to a boarding school. And when her parents finally got her in, she was struck to the fact of leaving everything she used to have behind, especially the things she love. Space is limited at Manderly Academy, so she have to take a spot that recently opened up due to the mysterious disappearance of a student named Becca. 

Rebecca or Becca Normandy had been the “it girl” of the school. She dated the hottest guy, was beautiful, rich and could be friend anyone. This reminds me of Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, probably why it is described as Gossip Girl meets Mallory Towers. Unfortunately, like all Queen Bees, Becca was not a very nice person. She was manipulative, cruel, and sough the spotlight at any cost.

The thing that stood out the most about this book was the mystery that surrounded the storyline. If Becca is so popular, why did she go missing? How did she go missing? Could someone have forced Becca to disappear? This definitely kept me hooked while reading the book, wanting to know what happened to the mysterious Becca.

The New Girl has nothing to do with Becca, but she has been under Becca's shadow ever since she reached Manderly Academy. She can't help falling for Becca’s ex-boyfriend, Max and Max's best friend, Johnny seemed to be interested in her.  Max was hot and cold towards her that she was confused about the way he acted.

Switching between Callie and Becca’s points of view makes the story much more interesting and allows the reader a look into Becca’s mind, explaining her motivation for the things she did. This book is a good mystery and would be perfect for an audience of teen girls.

If you're a fan of Mystery and Suspense, I would recommend this book to you. To me, New Girl was one of those books that you'd either love it or hate it. I take no sides and rate it 3/5.
 

Rating:    

About The Author

Paige Harbison grew up on the outskirts of Washington D.C. and is the daughter of New York Times Bestselling author Beth Harbison. Paige is currently working toward her Bachelor's Degree at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. 

Find Her :
twitter: twitter.com/paigeharbison
facebook: facebook.com/paige.harbison
website: www.paigeharbison.com

Book Review : Shine by Lauren Myracle

 Shine by Lauren Myracle

Hardcover, 350 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Amulet Books
Available on The Book Depository:
Hardcover $15.52 / Paperback 7.95

Synopsis

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. 

Review

When I started reading this book, I had no idea how much it would grow on me. Shine is a book that deals with broken friendships, mistrusts, sexuality, violence and drugs - but negative vibes aside, this book is very gripping and fast-paced, and you will find yourself quickly transported to the small town of Black Creek, a place where evil lurks.

Cat is a strong character, although she may not know this hidden ability of hers at first. Rage and fury stoke her inner fire, but she later realizes that she has power and control over herself, and that makes her invincible and fearless. Cat is portrayed as a quiet, introverted sixteen-year-old girl, but from the playbacks of her childhood, we glimpse a different side of her - free-spirited, wild and happy. But one day, something terrible happened. And nothing was ever the same again.

Cat's investigation was very engaging - she tried out different methods to find out the perpetrator who beat Patrick up with a baseball bat, tied him to a gas pump, stuffed a fuel nozzle down his throat, and left him to die without a shred of guilt. Every step she took brought her closer to the answer, but at the same time, things were getting more sinister, and her own life may be at stake. However, she was determined to seek justice for Patrick - she felt that she owed him that much after abandoning him years ago.

Shine presents you with a surprise at every turning of the novel and keeps you guessing. Be warned that this is an emotionally intense book; you may get sucked into the novel without your own knowing. I enjoyed this book tremendously, and I'm so glad that I read it.

Rating:  

Warning: This book contains sexuality, profanity, violence and drug abuse. Parental guidance recommended for teens under the age of eighteen.

About The Author 

 

Lauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.

Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .

 

Book Review : Promise Me Eternity by Ian Fox

Promise Me Eternity by Ian Fox

Kindle Edition

Published January 20th 2011

Available on Amazon

Synopsis

Dr. Simon Patterson is a successful and well-respected neurosurgeon at Central Hospital in the town of Medford. Married, though without children, he keeps himself so busy that one day is not much different from another. Until, that is, he saves the life of the powerful mobster Carlo Vucci.

At a dinner in honor of Dr. Patterson, Carlo Vucci introduces him to his alluring wife Christine. Simon is entranced by her beauty. Three weeks later, Christine shows up at the hospital, complaining of terrible headaches. Dr. Patterson offers to help her, but Christine did not come to see him just because of her headaches. A series of shocking events follow that turn Dr. Patterson’s life into a nightmare.

Review

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, as I have never read any book by this author previously. Promise Me Eternity is not in my usual reading scope, but I found myself enjoying the book, which is a great thing.

The main character of this book, Dr. Simon Patterson, is someone who is clever but ultimately boring. Although he's a neurosurgeon, he's devoted to experimenting a vaccine that would prolong a man's life, even to the point of locking himself up in a basement for extended hours to conduct his experiment. There's no wonder why his wife Helen is so fed up with him, though she is definitely a materialistic, snobbish woman.

One thing I liked about the book was its unpredictability. The story takes so many twists and turns that you wouldn't know what to expect until the truth has been revealed. However, the story is made up of too many characters that I had to go back and reread certain passages to get a better grip of the story. Personally, I think that certain characters are unneeded and should be cut as their personal lives has nothing to do with the main character's life. The ending of the story is genuinely clever, though it's a little scary.

Overall, Promise Me Eternity is a book that I found to be highly enjoyable despite having some flaws. (Which book doesn't, anyway?) I would recommend it to adults who love a good mystery or thriller. :)

Rating:

Note of Thanks

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a bound copy of Promise Me Eternity!

About The Author

Ian Fox was born in Slovenia (EU), and has also lived in the U.S.A., France, and Germany. He is fluent in English, French, and German. Because of his extensive international experience, his books are set in the U.S.A. or Europe. Ian's books have enjoyed great success in Europe. He has published three crime (mystery) novels that have sold very well and been ranked among the top 100 most borrowed library books in Slovenia. He is currently working on two new novels. Enthusiastic readers write to him, saying they can't put his books down and read them in a few days. Individual libraries have ranked his works among the top ten, sometimes even the top five most-borrowed books.

Book Review : Clarity by Kim Harrington

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Published February 1st 2012 by Scholastic Inc.

Paperback, 256 pages
Available on IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Synopsis

Don't close your eyes. Except when the truth is too dark to bear.

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?

Review

Clarity "Clare" Fern is a psychic, just like her telepathic mother Starla and medium brother Perry. When a murder takes place at King's Courtyard, a cheap motel in Eastport (her living area), Clarity is determined to find out the truth, more so because her brother is the last person to see the victim alive. What starts out as a seemingly-simple task becomes more deadly when the murder count increases.

Although this book has something to do with paranormal abilities, I didn't find it hard to accept as the author didn't write long, boasting explanations about the Ferns' special powers. Instead, she simply tells you about how their powers work in general, without any hullabaloo. The author's writing style is one that will "lure" you into the fictional world she created without much thought. I also appreciate her quirky sense of humour, which you will come across more than once in this book.

Clare is a great heroine and a clever teen detective. She has a strong sense of family loyalty, and she's willing to do anything to prove her brother's innocence in the murder. She's undoubtedly my favourite character in this book, though she may be headstrong and "blind" at times. Justin, her ex, is a real good guy who loves Clare with all his heart. They broke up because of Justin's accidental betrayal, but I would really love to see them get back together again.

CLARITY's plot is well-planned, the story is fast-paced and you'll be thrown into a situation where everybody is a suspect. That's the one thing I love most about a murder mystery novel. The author handles with the story with such adeptness and finally sends me away smiling, satisfied with how the story ends.

CLARITY is a guaranteed page-turner, you won't want to stop reading until you've finished the book. Set in a lively tourist town, made up with complex, interesting characters, and spiced up with crime and mystery, Kim Harrington's debut will capture your heart.

For me, CLARITY is the perfect summer read. What about you?

Rating:

Note of Thanks
Many thanks to Stephanie from Scholastic Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia for sending me a copy of Clarity for this review! ♥

About The Author

Kim Harrington is the author of the CLARITY series for teens and the SLEUTH OR DARE series for kids. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. When not writing, she's most likely reading, watching one of her favorite TV shows, or fantasizing about her next vacation. Learn more about Kim on her website, Facebook or Twitter.

Currently Reading... #3

I'm currently reading Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes (Author) and Michael Wandelmaier (Illustrator). It's really interesting and informative, and the illustrations are nicely drawn. The book itself is of good quality; it is a hardcover with 88 glossy pages. I'm sure any child would enjoy reading it. I will post my review for this book within this week.

Case Closed?: Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science

by Susan Hughes, Michael Wandelmaier

About The Book:

Egypt's first female pharaoh disappears around 1457 BCE -- was she murdered? Find out how DNA closes the case. The ancient Arabian Peninsula city of Ubar vanishes, seemingly without trace. Find out how old maps and modern space shuttles help solve the mystery. Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage is never heard from again. Find out how spectroscopy points to some probable explanations. Case Closed? examines these and six other mysteries from ancient and modern times. Accompanied by photos, maps, diagrams and illustrations, this book reveals how modern science sheds new light on people, vessels and entire civilizations throughout history that simply vanished. In some cases, the mystery has been solved. In other cases, readers can examine the latest evidence and decide for themselves.

Available at Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

Book Review : Deceive Me Once by Valerie Massey Goree

Deceive Me Once by Valerie Massey Goree

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Parson Place Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984216308
• ISBN-13: 978-0984216307
• Available on: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound / The Book Depository
• Source: Won from A. J. Hawke's Blog
  

After more than 25 years of hiding the truth, Chella's past has finally caught up with her. The body of a young woman is found on the edge of Chella's property. As she investigates the mysterious death, she discovers the woman is connected with her hidden past. Will Chella's dark secret finally be her undoing and ruin the life she has built with her husband and sons? Will they ever forgive her for lying to them all these years?

As the saying goes, "don't judge a book by its cover", this book is really good even though the cover looks plain. Maricella "Chella" McDonough keeps her past a secret from her husband and sons. Until one day, she accidentally finds the dead body of a young girl on her property. She doesn't know who the girl was, but she somehow looked familiar. When her puppy Brutus brings her a half-heart necklace, she is sure that this girl is connected to her past.

As she tries to uncover the mystery that has something to do with the necklace and the dead girl along with her daughter-in-law Teresa, she finds out that her childhood friend, Eva is still alive, but paralyzed after an involvement in a car accident. She also learns that the dead girl, Angelica is actually her friend's daughter. Eva tells her that she thinks her husband Hector is the one who rammed her car, causing her serious injuries and killed her daughter. Fearing her friend's safety, she seeks help from her childhood friend, now a police officer, Raymond Reyes.

This story is full of suspense and mystery, and I really love this. It is also fast-paced and interesting. I finish this book in a short time, and I think the author has done a great job in writing this book, though I'm not convinced by the part where the perpetrators explained everything to Chella because she want answers before her death, thereby fulfilling her "last wish". Why would they want to tell her anything at all, much less everything?

The author also inserted some scriptures from the Bible. The main character, Chella, doesn't think of herself as a true Christian, because although she goes to church with her husband, she hasn't accepted in truth. But this changes as her faith in God grows and she prays for guidance and help.

In a nutshell, this is a well-written and enjoyable story, narrated in first person by Chella. I would recommend it to mystery lovers and Christian readers alike.

Note: This book is a clean read.

Rating:

Thanks to Valerie for sending me a copy of this book! :)

Valerie Massey Goree was born in South Africa and grew up in Rhodesia - now Zimbabawe. She attended a Christian university in Arkansas where she met her husband, Glenn. After attending graduate school, they returned to Zimbabwe as missionaries. Their two children were born there. When they returned to Texas, she began her teaching career in the public school system, working with children with special needs. Now that she's retired, she spends her time reading, writing and spoiling their granddaughter. They live in the Texas Hill Country, northeast of San Antonio.