The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die by April Henry

The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die

April Henry

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication: June 2013 from Henry Holt
Pages: 224
Format: ARC
Acquisition: I received this book from the publisher for free in exchange for my review

Synopsis:

“Take her out back and finish her off.”

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.

And that she must run.

In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.

(from Goodreads)

There was so much about this book that I really loved but unfortunately, the implausibility of it all was just too much.

The premise is great - what would you do if you woke up with no memory with the voice of your potential killer ringing in you ears? I for one, would hope I would be as brave and insightful as Cady was. She might have lost her memory but she never loses herself. She's a strong character and despite what she is going through she doesn't waiver.

Cody's strengths however, for me, turned into her faults. She finds a way through everything - too easily. The good guy who shows up at the perfect moment and who instantly wants to risk his life for her - the bad guy who gives her all the details of everything before messing up and allowing her to escape (this actually happens several times) -- it's all just too much. Cady is strong because its easy to be. Her situations are so over the top, she almost could have done nothing and it felt like everything would still work out for her in the end.

While I initially felt very connected to Cady, as the book wore on, this connection grew weaker and weaker. By the time her story came to a close, I wasn't much interested.

And that ending? Not enjoyable. Will she make it? Oh no, the bad guy found her! Poof! The End with a cherry on top. It made very little sense.

Now, do I think others will enjoy The Girl Who Was Supposed To Die more then I did? Absolutely. I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to thrillers and I know a lot of what I didn't like about this book are totally my personal 'issues'. So, yes, I do think others would very much connect with Cady more then I did.

A quick YA read with only a slight romantic twinge, this one could be a light thriller I think a lot of different readers would enjoy. I encourage you to not take only my word on this one - go seek it out for yourselves!

Rating

3 / 5 Stars

Book Review: The Believing Game by Eireann Corrigan

"By the end...I had a pretty nasty taste in my mouth. I felt like I should have been wowed...but unfortunately I wasn't."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 320
Series: no
Acquisition: I received a free e-galley for review from NetGalley

Summary:

A private academy. A cult leader. A girl caught in the middle.

After Greer Cannon discovers that shoplifting can be a sport and sex can be a superpower, her parents pack her up and send her off to McCracken Hill-a cloistered academy for troubled teens. At McCracken, Greer chafes under the elaborate systems and self-help lingo of therapeutic education. Then Greer meets Addison Bradley. A handsome, charismatic local, Addison seems almost as devoted to Greer as he is to the 12 steps. When he introduces Greer to his mentor Joshua, she finds herself captivated by the older man's calm wisdom. Finally, Greer feels understood.

But Greer starts to question: Where has Joshua come from? What does he want in return for his guidance? The more she digs, the more his lies are exposed. When Joshua's influence over Addison edges them all closer to danger, Greer decides to confront them both. Suddenly, she finds herself on the outside of Joshua's circle. And swiftly, she discovers it's not safe there. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I have to come right out and say it - I did not like this book. There isn't any one thing fundamentally wrong with it but overall, I can't say that I very much enjoyed reading it.

Everything about this story and it's characters are, for lack of a better term, messed up. The kids have issues, the adults have issues, the setting is just strange and the things that happen are beyond dysfunctional. Nothing makes much sense, the storyline moved at a snail's pace until the end where everything happens at once. It all doesn't amount to much of anything and the epilogue was a little ridiculous.

Maybe it's important to note that at no time did I consider not finishing this one. I think I kept waiting for something. Not sure what it was but for me at least, it never came. You might have a different experience though.

Final verdict:
By the end of The Believing Game I had a pretty nasty taste in my mouth. I felt like I should have been wowed by the psychological what-the-f-ery of the story but unfortunately I wasn't. I felt nothing for these characters and the absolute ridiculousness of the situation was just too over the top.

Not a book I could in good conscience recommend to fans of contemporary thriller stories, which is what this book is intended to be, I think? Still not totally sure what I was suppose to take away from this one but I don't think my feelings will chance over time. A disappointing read overall.

Overall Rating:

2 / 5 Stars

Goodreads / IndieBound

Book Review: The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

"…[the] back and forth between danger and calm did a number on my nerves…"

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 2012
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 231
Series: no
Acquisition: I received a free ARC for review from the publisher

Summary:

Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I feel the need to start this review by saying - if you have a fear of either flying or drowning...you might want to skip this book! A bit terrifying at times - I couldn't imagine going through what Robie did and still be left with my sanity intact.

The matter of fact way this story is told made it all the more real to me. Robie very much has to react quickly to her changing circumstances. She also has long stretches of time were she can do nothing but reflect. This back and forth between danger and calm did a number on my nerves.

I do have to say though, there is a bit of twist to this story and I had figured it out very early on. I don't know that it lessened my reading experience but it defiantly drove me into a 'hurry up and finish' mentality. For most of the book I felt like I was just waiting for the 'aha moment' but when it came it was a little disappointing because it wasn't very dramatic.

Final verdict:
I enjoyed The Raft and I'm pretty sure it's my first Bodeen book and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another. A fantastic tale yes, but still a tale that could happen to just about anyone.

A bit predictable perhaps but that doesn't necessarily make it any less terrifying. A little slow placed maybe but a good thriller needs to be pulled apart slowly. The ending wasn't very startling but when it comes down to it, The Raft, for me at least, was about Robie. What she went through and how she reacted to unbelievable situations. She's a character I very much would like to meet, if she were a real person.

Overall Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound

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Book Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos

***2012 Debut Author*** "we are privy to seemingly whole chunks of information, only to realize later that they were really just crumbs"

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 2012
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 327
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: I received a free ARC for review from at BEA 2012

Summary:

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn't at all surprised by Miranda's shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn't easy--especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn't seem to matter...when there may not be a future.

Dan Krokos' debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Freaken awesome. False Memory is a truly unique story with a very full cast of characters that will leave you with more questions then answers. Reading this book was a full on adventure the likes of which I haven't come across in a very long time.

Nothing is as it seems. Everything is in question and Miranda has only her instinct and gut reactions to lead her through. With so many layers of mystery and deceit I was worried, at times, that the intricate storyline would confuse more then entertain. However, I had no reason to worry.

Krokos knows how to tell a story.

The driving force behind False Memory is it's characters. They live in our world but their lives are nothing like our own. Without a past, Miranda could be anyone. She's determined to find out what is happening to her but at the same time she knows that there is no going back. She has to move forward, making new memories and new decisions along the way.

Final verdict:
An absofreakenlutly fantastic story. I really loved how, as a reader, we are privy to seemingly whole chunks of information, only to realize later that they were really just crumbs.

The ending of this one is intense. There is still a lot Miranda doesn't know and there is a lot of story left to be told. At the same time, the ending was satisfying. While I'm extremely happy there will be a book 2, if there wasn't I wouldn’t be upset.

Having read an ARC, I'm looking forward to buying a finished copy for my shelves. As a debut, False Memory has left a mark and to say Krokos has left an impression on me would be an understatement.

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Books in the Series:
#1 False Memory
#2 [Untitled] August 2013

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound

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Book Review: Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

"A perfect ally executed thriller that messed with my mind in all the right ways "

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: August 2012
Publisher: Walker Children's
Pages: 422
Series: no
Acquisition: I received an ARC free for review from the publisher

Summary:

Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins-so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself? (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
There is really a lot I want so say about this book but it all really boils down to - holy mind f-ery Batman!

Beautiful Lies is a psychological thriller at it's best, made all the more poignant by it's first person narrative.

Twins Alice and Rachel share everything, including each other's pain. When one goes missing, the other knows something horrible has happened but no one will believe her. The reasons no one believes her were a total plot twist - and this is only in the first couple of chapters. With such a big 'secret' revealed so early on I was preparing myself for a disappointing climax. I really had no reason to worry however.

Beautiful Lies ends just as powerfully as it begins. Some serious edge of my seat reading was happening by those last couple of chapters! Even if I could have plotted out what I thought was going to happen I wouldn't have been prepared for the emotion behind it all.

Final verdict:
This book is amazing - Warman as done it again!

I really had no idea how things were going to play out until it was all over - and even then I was still left with a few questions. A perfect ally executed thriller that messed with my mind in all the right ways.

If you're looking for a neat and tidy happily ever after, Beautiful Lies might not be for you. BUT If you're looking for a healthy dose of actually being scared out of your mind then you need to get this book now!

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound

Book Review: Variant by Robison Wells

"... to say that I'm eager to see what else lies beneath would be an understatement..."

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 373
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: I received a free ARC for review at BEA 2011

Summary:
Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he's trapped in a school that's surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school's real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape--his only real hope for survival--may be impossible. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I was a little worried that the unbelievable nature of the story would be too much. A bunch of kids trapped in a school where no one questions what's going on or why? I didn't think it could amount to much. I mean, either the truth is lame and the story gets old or everything is such a secret and there isn't really a story to tell - right?

I was so wrong! The truth, or at least as much of the truth as Benson can find out, is not lame at all. I was truly shocked - it's rare that a book can catch me off guard - and I loved it. And the secrets? There are still TONS more to be revealed and a lot more story that needs telling.

Variant is only the first layer of Benson's story and to say that I'm eager to see what else lies beneath would be an understatement. Really, a true thriller. Lots of twists and turns to the plot but the story never seemed to get off track. It was so easy to get caught up in Benson's story.

Final verdict:
I loved the discovery aspect to this mystery. As a reader, I knew what Benson knew and I found myself asking the same questions he asks and coming to the same conclusions. I felt connected to him as a character and invested in what happens to him. And what will happen? I have no idea! There are so many possibilities and I love when stories play out this way.

With it's male protagonist and action packed storyline, I really think Variant will appeal to reluctant male readers. Really though, anyone who enjoys thrillers with fantastic twists will love this book.

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Books in the Series:
#1 Variant
#2 Feedback (October 2012)

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound

Variant Trailer #1 Variant Trailer #2 Variant Trailer #3