The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker

* * * 1/2

In this gripping YA debut, high school senior Zephyr Doyle is swept off her feet—and into an intense and volatile relationship—by the new boy in school. THE GIRL WHO FELL is a powerful and important read that School Library Journal calls, “(a)n invaluable addition to any collection. (SLJ *STARRED REVIEW* January 1, 2016)

His obsession.

Her fall.

Zephyr is focused. Focused on leading her team to the field hockey state championship and leaving her small town for her dream school, Boston College.

But love has a way of changing things.

Enter the new boy in school: the hockey team’s starting goaltender, Alec. He’s cute, charming, and most important, Alec doesn’t judge Zephyr. He understands her fears and insecurities—he even shares them. Soon, their relationship becomes something bigger than Zephyr, something she can’t control, something she doesn’t want to control.

Zephyr swears it must be love. Because love is powerful, and overwhelming, and … terrifying?

But love shouldn’t make you abandon your dreams, or push your friends away. And love shouldn’t make you feel guilty—or worse, ashamed.

So when Zephyr finally begins to see Alec for who he really is, she knows it’s time to take back control of her life.

If she waits any longer, it may be too late.

Zephyr Doyle seems like the well-adjusted high school senior with a bright future to look forward to. She’s co-captain of her field hockey team, doing great at school and has two of the best friends anyone could ever want. Only problem is that her father recently left their family. The sting of betrayal from the abandonment throws shade over an otherwise wonderful school year. Her feelings all in a flux go haywire when the new boy at school, Alec shows interest in her. She falls in love with him, fast. As things gets more intense and Alec becomes more demanding, Zephyr loses herself not realizing it’s happening. When she does, everything crashes in on her.

Regardless of if the author was attempting to convey a message, she does an outstanding job of methodically outlining the rapid intensity and disintegration of the relationship as Zephyr is forced to gradually force out important people from her life along with relinquishing her dreams. The whole affair was disconcerting and made me twitchy but that’s me speaking from a reader’s point of view. From her point of view, Zephyr is young, inexperienced and most importantly, emotionally vulnerable. This trifecta makes her susceptible to manipulation. It’s terrifying how easily Alec messes with her mind through mere suggestion and emotional bribery to make her feel as if she’s the one who’s always committing the wrong doing, slyly painting himself as the innocent victim. Jealousy and insecurity are masked as love. He has an arsenal full of tricks to get her doing what he wants. Equally upsetting is how she forgives or even excuses his behaviour under the misguided idea of what an ideal partner should be. Without a doubt, reading this descent into dysfunction is disturbing.

My only reservation about the book is the sometimes overly descriptive language such as when Zephyr describes how she’s feeling. I found it distracting, and thought that had it been simplified without all the flourishes, the point would've still come across. My minor issue with it notwithstanding, I was still caught up in the story and anxious to know where things were headed.

The Girl Who Fell provides much food for thought by highlighting a serious problem that carries social stigma. It's a discussion that needs to be had especially with those entering the unfamiliar terrain of their first relationship. I still shudder when I recall some of the details and at how easily one can fall into the traps. It’s a gripping story that gains more urgency as the plot thickens. I do believe this is one to add to your TBR pile.

~ Bel

Anne & Henry by Dawn Ius

* * *

In this wonderfully creative retelling of the infamous—and torrid—love affair between Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, history collides with the present when a sizzling romance ignites in a modern-day high school.

Henry Tudor’s life has been mapped out since the day he was born: student body president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s. But ever since the death of his brother, the pressure for Henry to be perfect has doubled. And now he’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who isn’t Tudor-approved.

Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.

Wild, brash, and outspoken, Anne is everything Henry isn’t allowed to be—or want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, but his desire for Anne consumes him.

Henry is willing to do anything to be with her, but once they’re together, will their romance destroy them both?

Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, Anne & Henry beautifully reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.

Admission: I requested this book because of my love of Tudor history. In fact, I have an entire row on my bookshelf dedicated to them. Historical fiction tends to make me hesitant because I'll inevitably want to separate fact from fiction (hence I’ve avoided the tv show, Reign). However, a reimagining of Anne and Henry VIII’s tumultuous and scandalous relationship that changed the course of England’s history, told in a modern day setting? Yeah, I’m on board for that!

Henry Tudor is privileged, a silver spoon in his mouth and a heavy set of expectations on his shoulders. His very wealthy and influential family would like to see him ascend to great heights. He's treated as if he's the second coming of the Messiah. He dates the “perfect girl”, Catherine. She’s beautiful, popular, comes from another wealthy family. It’s a perfect match. It does crack me up that we’re dealing with teenagers and here their families are ready to have them married off. But we’ll go with it.

Enter Anne, a complete contrast to the stuck up, prim and proper crowd that surrounds Henry. She’s new to the area and doesn’t exactly come from money but her mother married into it. She’ll be starting at the same school as Henry and Catherine. It's love at first sight for Anne and Henry though she wants nothing to do with him. Henry won’t be swayed. Soon they're together shocking everyone including the entire student body at their high school.

Ius juxtaposes this relationship against the real life political intrigue that took place hundreds of years ago. Instead of a country and a conniving royal court, we have a high school from hell and a very powerful, conniving student council. Much like the real Anne Boleyn, this fictional one is maligned and regarded as trash. Henry is totally in love and doesn’t quite understand that his friends are against this union. His family only cares about connections viewing Anne as beneath them. Eventually rumors, plots and some very calculated moves take hold leaving Anne open to public judgment. Can she be strong enough to fight back and rally against the haters?

I thought Anne & Henry was a quick, fun read. While I personally enjoyed making the connections between the events in the book with the actual historical ones, you don’t need to know anything about the real-life duo to appreciate it. My only issues were Henry’s spinelessness and gullibility later on. Oh, and Anne wasn’t any better. I did though really like how Ius ended their story giving it finality. A nod to what did happen. Nice touch!  

~ Bel

   

     

     

Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

****

From Simon Pulse:

The first novel in a brand-new series—from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Abbi Glines—about a small Southern town filled with cute boys in pickup trucks, Friday night football games, and crazy parties that stir up some major drama.

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go… 

Until Friday Night was my first Abbi Glines novel.  I love sport's romances, so it seemed like a perfect fit, and it was, but UFN was definitely not the book I was expecting.  I expected a football novel, what I got was a heart-wrenchingly beautiful tale of loss, healing and first love.  

West broke my heart.  I actually cried.  Me.  I don't cry.  He's like the little brother I want to hug and make feel better.  And he loves Maggie like crazy.  It's pretty common knowledge that I love the bromances and UFN gave me more to love.  I love West and his teammates.  I love their dedication to one another and how they come together, not just for West, but for Maggie too.  

I've definitely added more Abbi Glines to my tbr and I really hope she takes us back to Lawton, I think there's a lot to see there.  :-)

~Shel

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

****

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. 

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

Review:

Elyse d’Abreau is content to collect sea glass, work in her Aunt Lemon’s gift shop, and haunt an abandoned boat at the dock.   But as the summer crowd begins to arrive at Atargatis Cove, Elyse is slowly pulled out of her shell which in turn forces her to face the demons and fears that brought her there in the first place. 

 

When Christian Kane finds Elyse hiding on his boat and writing her thoughts all over the walls and ceiling, he seems surprised and amused.  His reaction is a far cry from the arrogant playboy attitude Elyse’s cousin has led her to expect.  Elyse finds him to be even more interesting when she witnesses his reaction to a bet that the mayor publicly makes with Christian’s father.   A bet that pits Christian against his best friend in the annual Pirate Regatta.   A bet that puts the livelihood of many locals at stake.

Elyse is no stranger around sailboats.  Her role and jobs at her family’s resort in Tobago makes her a bit of an expert.  But since losing her voice in an accident at sea, she hasn’t been in the water let alone on a boat.  With a bit of prodding from her Aunt and cousin, Kirby, Elyse agrees to help Christian make his boat seaworthy and be his first mate in the competition.  Despite her fears. 

With the help of Kirby, Christian and their friend Vanessa, Elyse begins to actually live and make connections and a life at Atargatis Cove.   As she begins to come back to life, she is forced to face the loss of her voice which meant the loss of the thing she loved most – singing.  And she slowly learns to forgive her twin sister.  The sister that shares her soul.  The sister that is responsible for Elyse’s loss.

This is a beautiful and complex story.  The way Sarah Ockler weaves Elyse’s journey with the legend of the mermaid, Atargatis is smart and frightening.   Frightening because it made me question Elyse’s connection with reality at times.   Smart because it was the perfect device to show Elyse’s struggle with her loss, insecurities and fears of the sea.

Even though this story is told in first person I felt connected to all the characters.  Christian’s struggle with his father’s expectation and his parent’s relationship was heartbreaking.  Christian’s little brother, Sebastian, stole my heart from the get go.  His determination to be himself and indulge in his obsession with mermaids put a huge smile on my face.  Christian is his little brother’s biggest fan and more than a few characters rallied around both of them as they struggled with their father’s idea of respectability.  Then there is Aunt Lemmon and Kirby.  The way they both silently hold Elyse up and give her the space to heal was absolutely beautiful.  Let’s not forget Christian’s best friend, Noah, who refuses to let the bet that pits them against each other ruin their friendship.  And then my favorite, Vanessa, a friend of both Kirby and Christian, really holds everyone together with her honesty, determination and willingness to fight for what is right.

As always, Sarah Ockler proves to be an amazing writer.  I love how all her stories are so different from each other yet always focus on a heroine that successfully overcome obstacles in a way that makes her an even better person.   If you are looking for a great contemporary teen read, I can’t recommend this one enough.

Nat

After Hours by Claire Kennedy

* * * 1/2

Isa, Xavi, Peter, and Finn know that a job at the high-end Waterside Cafe isn't just about waiting tables. It's about the gossip, the hook-ups, the after-hours parties and, most of all, it's about Tips.

Tips--the high-stakes game based on dares. Whoever completes the most dares wins the collected money. A sum that could change a wasted summer into a Summer to Remember.

Isa is the new girl with an embarrassing secret, and as long as she stays on top of her game, she sees no reason why anyone could ever find out.

Xavi will do anything for the money...absolutely anything.

Peter, Xavi's stepbrother, has been in love with her for years, and he thinks the game is the perfect time to confess his feelings.

Finn is in the game just for the thrill. He has enough tips coming in to keep him happy...even if those tips come with some conditions.

From seduction to stealing to threats, the dares are a complete free-for-all, and only the best can win.

The sophisticated Waterside Cafe is anything but classy behind the scenes...and things are about to get dirty.

This will be a short but sweet review as the best thing about After Hours is unlocking its secrets chapter by chapter. I was very intrigued by this story of several teens who have everything to gain and much to lose. I’m normally not a fan of several points-of-view but in this case, I liked it. Probably because each character's chapter is short, it makes getting to the point that much more enjoyable for me. I'll also mention that while I've never worked in the restaurant business, I've heard some stories which made me that much more curious about After Hours.

From what you can gather from the description above, each employee who works at Waterside Café has an agenda. They're all guarded and on alert wondering who can be trusted while keeping a close eye on the suspicious ones. The game they play, Tips, is an eagerly anticiated game where once they're invivted to participate, they can make quick cash as long as they complete the dare. That cash represents different things to each one of them though not everyone’s reason is immediately disclosed.

Each one of these characters fascinated me as I tried to uncover their motives. Their lives are complicated, their secrets potentially scandalous and some of them have surprises up their sleeves. Tensions worsen after one particular game goes south and then everyone has to put their heads together to fix the problem. Seeing how all the mischief and mayhem play out is what makes After Hours a very fun read!

~ Bel

Promposal by Rhonda Helms

***

promposal (n.)--an often public proposal, in which one person asks another to the prom, eliciting joy or mortification.

Camilla can't help hoping her secret crush, Benjamin, might randomly surprise her out of the blue with a promposal. However, when she's asked to prom by an irritating casual acquaintance--wearing a fancy tux and standing in front of a news crew--she's forced to say yes. Yet all hope's not lost. A timely school project gives Camilla a chance to get closer to Benjamin...and it seems like the chemistry between them is crackling. But is she reading into something that isn't there?

Joshua, Camilla's bestie, has been secretly in love with his gay best friend, Ethan, since middle school. Just as he decides to bite the bullet and ask Ethan if he'll go to prom with him, even if just as friends, he gets a shocking surprise: Ethan asks Joshua for help crafting the perfect promposal--for another guy. Now Joshua has to suppress his love and try to fake enthusiasm as he watches his dreams fall apart...unless he can make Ethan see that love has been right in front of his eyes the whole time.

The road to the perfect promposal isn't easy to navigate. But one thing's certain--prom season is going to be memorable. 

Review:

Promposal is a cute story about two best friends, Camilla and Joshua, hoping against all odds that they will be able to attend prom with the long time objects of their affections.   Camilla is blindsided by an over the top promposal from a classmate she barely knows.  There are roses, music and even a news crew.  How is a girl supposed to answer in the negative when the whole world is watching – including the proposer with such a hopeful look on his face?  I really felt for Camilla.  Although her experience is over the top, I think many of us can relate to being in awkward positions that leave us feeling frustrated and powerless. 

During the weeks before prom, Camilla becomes closer to her crush, Benjamin, thanks to a group project in psychology class.   But since she’s already going to prom with her unwanted promposer (I totally just made that up – I think), Benjamin is only willing to take their growing relationship so far.  In the end Camilla needs to decide what the smartest AND kindest course of action is.  She also has to learn to communicate (not her strong suit in this situation) with both her prom date and her crush.  There are plenty of awkward stumbles along the way as Camilla learns to accept that her prom experience won’t be EXACTLY what she expected.

Camilla’s best friend, Joshua, has had a crush on his other BFF, Ethan, for as long as he can remember.  Their such good friends that Joshua is afraid of admitting his feelings and ruining one of the two best friendships he has.   When Ethan asks him to help plan a promposal for another guy in their class, Joshua is heartbroken.  But since they are friends he’ll do it.  Just as in Camilla’s situation, Joshua has to learn not only how to communicate with Ethan but also decide if the possible fall out of confessing his feelings is worth the risk.

As I stated before, I think most people can identify with these two teens and the awkward scenarios they are trying to struggle through.   The story is told in the first person POV and chapters alternate between Camilla and Joshua.  The style worked well in this book since the two of them were such close friends and they could believably tell parts of each other’s stories.  As a reader the only thing I really missed was Benjamin and Ethan’s POV.  I was very curious as to what their thought processes were and why they made the decisions they did.

Promposal ended up being a perfect afternoon read that let me escape for a little while.  I definitely recommend it if you are looking for the same thing.

Nat

#scandal by Sarah Ockler

* * * * *

Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. Andespecially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation. 

Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.

There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love...


Review:

Lucy would rather be doing anything other than being at prom with her best friend’s boyfriend.  But since Ellie is sick, Lucy has agreed to play the part and be Cole’s date for the night.  So instead of staying home to kill a virtual zombie horde with her online gaming friends, Lucy ends up going to a dance that she never wanted to attend with a boy that she’s been in love with since they first met.

With the exception of a poor horse being bedazzled into a unicorn, prom goes off without a hitch…until Cole convinces Lucy to attend an after party being hosted at his family’s cabin.  Ellie never told Lucy about the party which Lucy takes to mean Ellie didn’t want her to go.  But Cole is insistent and Lucy decides she’ll show up for a bit and then hitch a ride home with someone.  But things get slightly wild and the night proceeds with alcohol, naked future Ivy Leaguers wearing fairy wings and, oh yeah, Cole kissing Lucy.  Lucy doesn’t make it home until the next morning.   And when she does, she finds her phone has been stolen and someone has used it to post pictures of all of the previous nights debauchery  - including Cole and Lucy’s kiss -  to Miss Demeanor’s Facebook page.

Miss Demeanor is the school’s secret and stealthy gossip page.  Everyone is reading her page. Which means EVERYONE has seen the photos that were supposedly posted by Lucy.  What immediately follows is a retaliation of epic proportions.  Almost everyone in her class is angry and is not holding back in showing and telling Lucy what they think of her.  And on top of it all is her destroyed friendship with Ellie.  Lucy has to find a way to make things right with her best friend.  To prove to her that she didn’t post that pictures and to somehow beg forgiveness for a kiss that she doesn’t really regret.

In her efforts to clear her name, Lucy gains a host of new friends – The school Valedictorian, Franklin Margolis, the entire (e)VIL club (the school’s conspiracy theory group) and her older and usually unavailable sister.  But most surprisingly of all, Lucy finds an ally in Miss Demeanor herself.   She may not be able to salvage what’s left of her senior year but with all her new support, maybe, just maybe she can win Ellie back.

Lucy is a tough girl with a bit of a chip on her shoulder.  She’s full of snark and always ready with a sarcastic or biting response.  But even this tough girl can be worn down by the bullying from her classmates.  Fortunately, Lucy holds onto her sense of humor.  A sense of humor that is an absolute delight to read.

One of the things I loved most about this book was Miss Demeanor’s posts. They are written in the style of Gossip Girl (can anyone read that without following it up with “XOXO” because I can’t) but with a little more heart and slightly less mean.  No one is safe from Miss Demeanor.  Not even Prince Freckles, the school’s horse-turned-unicorn.

This was great book.  It’s exactly what you think it is.  A lesson in how the ways we use media can both purposely and inadvertently hurt people.  But the story is wrapped up in so much honesty and humor that is an enjoyable read.  It’s only March but I am pretty confident that #scandal will be making it to my Top Ten of 2014 at the end of the year.

Nat

#scandal releases 6/17/2014.  Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for allowing us to review this title.

Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

* * * 

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

It took me a while to really get into this book.  I liked Vane. He’s a typical teenage boy though he has a bit of a problem in the girlfriend department i.e. he can’t keep a girlfriend. Turns out every time he’s tried to date someone, there’s always some sort of mishap and he inevitably ends up looking like a jerk. Though that bothers him, he’s more intrigued by the mysterious girl who haunts his dreams. She could hold the answers to his past that he can’t remember.

Audra, on the other hand, is quite single-minded about her mission to guard and train Vane. She struggles to compose herself throughout the story whether she’s working with Vane, dealing with her unaffectionate mother or the untimely death of her beloved father. Those mixed emotions fuel her determination to help Vane remember his heritage so that they can fight the oncoming evil together.

As far as characters go, Vane is a fun, sarcastic guy who is not quite as inept as he comes off initially. He’s a great kid who gets along with his parents so when Audra finally steps into his life and he starts behaving strangely, his parents have cause to worry. Audra took a bit longer to grow on me. Nothing irritates me more than when one character keeps the other in the dark because they think they can’t handle whatever the truth is. I was so annoyed by Audra’s stance to not clue Vane in on what was going on especially because she herself knows how time is running out. It’s bad judgment on her part and a major waste of time.

Let The Sky Fall was fun to read and worth it especially if you’re looking for something  different. The idea of windwalkers is refreshing though it took me a while to get into it. Give me vampires, shadowhunters, dragons, fallen angels, werewolves but for some reason, I was initially skeptical about people who can control wind. I know – it makes no sense. Once I became more fully invested in Vane and wanting him to succeed and be safe, I got over it and enjoyed this fantastic new world.

~ Bel

The Dark Light by Sara Walsh

* * * *

 

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she’s concerned, that’s about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia’s not one to fall for just any guy, but she can’t get Sol—or the brilliant tattoo on his back—out of her mind.

Then Mia’s brother goes missing, and Mia’s convinced that Sol knows more than he’s sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol’s not who Mia thought he was—and neither is she.

 

 

I fully admit to choosing this book because of its provocative cover. There’s something so compelling about it that I couldn’t resist escaping into this fantastical world that Sara Walsh has created in her dazzling debut.

I knew that the story would progress itself into the supernatural realm but I had no clue how that was going to happen. I remained in complete ignorant bliss just following Mia through her days, understanding her background and her struggles. Being seventeen and responsible for her little half-brother and keeping her grades up while working part time are Mia’s top priorities in life. Her uncle is not exactly reliable but he’s still family. She lives in a typical small town living the typical small town life, though not everything is normal. There are always those lights around town – mysterious and mesmerizing – that most of the townspeople have gotten used to but have had her curious for as long as she can remember.  Ripping a giant hole in the perfect small town picture is the fact that young boys have been going missing for the last few months. Mia’s gut instinct is that those disappearances are linked to those lights. But who can she tell without sounding like a nutter?

Enter Sol, who arrives at her high school raising many eyebrows looking every bit the detached loner. Naturally Mia is drawn to him yet also weary of him. She takes it upon herself to discover who he is. As she does she also uncovers a disturbing connection to her family.  Getting closer to him embroils her in trouble and well, her reality is forever changed. When her brother disappears, it’s goodbye normal teen problems and hello crazy new world.

The Dark Light is such an appealing story and I was very impressed that Walsh didn’t divulge all its secrets at once. Just when I’d gotten over one new detail, there’d be another startling revelation to make me go wide-eyed with awe.

I’ll just go ahead and repeat myself: The Dark Light is a dazzler! Slightly spine-chilling in the beginning but develops in to an exhilarating adventure.  I want more!

 

~ Bel

 

 

 

 

The Wake Trilogy by Lisa McMann

* * * 1/2

NOT ALL DREAMS ARE SWEET

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can’t tell anybody about what she does – they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, curse with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.

Then she falls into gruesome nightmare, on that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant …

The Wake Trilogy explores the very lonely and exhausting life of Janie who learns that she’s a dream catcher. As a dream catcher she is able to enter into someone’s dream and witness the dream as it unfolds. Janie is particularly susceptible to this if the sleeping person is in close proximity to her. And each time she wakes from the dream, her body and mind are completely wrecked. This has been her life for as long as she can remember. Lisa McCann eloquently builds Janie’s world of isolation and chaos. With a father who deserted the family and a mother so devastated by it that she turned to booze and mentally checked out years ago, it’s a real wonder that Janie manages to somehow hold it together and get good grades in school.

Janie is a different kind of hero – one who carries her own burden silently while simultaneously holding up the fractured remnants of her family. She deals. With her mother lost to her and only one friend who is unaware of her ability, Janie's life is a prison. It's hard to watch when she should be thriving at this time in her life.  

When she bonds with Cabel, a troubled boy from school whom she has known for a while, things begin to change for her. Despite the fact that she is used to keeping her guard up, he becomes a very important part of her life. His gentleness and sincerity are a counterbalance to her dysfunctional reality. And it's through Cabel that she thinks she can experience some sense of "normal" she didn't think possible.

The dreams are still there and when she inadvertently plunges into a horrific nightmare, she thinks she may actually loose her mind. But with Cabel’s help and his surprising story, Janie may finally get the help and support she needs.

In the next two books in the series, Fade and Gone, Janie gets to explore her ability and find a way to use it for good. Fade shows a much more lighthearted Janie even though she finds herself embroiled in a scandal that she and Cabel are investigating. This could not only compromise her safety but also expose her rare ability.

In Gone, Janie and Cabel are dealing with the fallout of the scandal and how it impacts their relationship. This book shows Janie returning to somber, guarded nature as she sadly admits that she can never be normal. Dream catching has also led to some serious side effects that are slowly affecting her. As if that isn't enough, she also learns shocking facts about her family history. By the end, Janie is at that proverbial “fork in the road” and must choose the path she’ll take. Either one leads to deteriorating circumstances but it really does come down to the lesser of two evils.

Out of the 3, I liked Fade best. It was nice to see Janie come alive somewhat and find a sense of purpose other than keeping up her grades and making sure the groceries are done. McMann doesn’t sugarcoat what she and Cabel go through. Even though this is a paranormal story, it rings true and McMann handles some really tough subjects like alcoholism with plenty of finesse.

I recommend The Wake Trilogy because Janie’s dark, twisted world is crafted so beautifully and honestly. And though Janie has a tough road ahead, there’s still some bit of hope. Is it a fun read? No. But I was riveted. And when it ended, I felt satisfied that Janie was in good hands.

~ Bel