Helpful Score: 2
Reviewed by Julie M. Prince for TeensReadToo.com
Zara has been unceremoniously shipped off to Maine to stay with Grandma Betty in the middle of nowhere during a frigid winter. According to her mother, Zara just hasn't been herself since her step-father passed away, and all of this is apparently supposed to help.
Before Zara even has a chance to snap out of the depression, her attention is drawn elsewhere by a mystery surrounding a local boy's disappearance. Oh, and then there's the strange man who seems to be stalking Zara.
She knew Maine would be a change of pace, but she didn't know she'd be running for her life...much less running from evil pixies!
When the fantastical pixie element is introduced, the excitement is enhanced, and much like WICKED LOVELY and other books of this caliber, the introduction seems natural and believable. These elements don't seem to overrun the story, but compliment it instead.
Author Carrie Jones (GIRL, HERO and other books) has a way of creating unique characters and supplying them with strong voices that seem immediately familiar to the reader. Zara's character is no exception. This immediate familiarity helps engage readers from the very beginning and hold their attention until the very end.
Aiding the familiarity of the voice in this book is its backdrop of Jones's home state. Here, the blistering cold and the frustration at being snowed in comes through loud and clear as we suffer through the Maine winter right along with Zara.
All-in-all, this is a read you won't want to miss, especially if you're a fan of contemporary fiction with fantasy woven in.
Zara has been unceremoniously shipped off to Maine to stay with Grandma Betty in the middle of nowhere during a frigid winter. According to her mother, Zara just hasn't been herself since her step-father passed away, and all of this is apparently supposed to help.
Before Zara even has a chance to snap out of the depression, her attention is drawn elsewhere by a mystery surrounding a local boy's disappearance. Oh, and then there's the strange man who seems to be stalking Zara.
She knew Maine would be a change of pace, but she didn't know she'd be running for her life...much less running from evil pixies!
When the fantastical pixie element is introduced, the excitement is enhanced, and much like WICKED LOVELY and other books of this caliber, the introduction seems natural and believable. These elements don't seem to overrun the story, but compliment it instead.
Author Carrie Jones (GIRL, HERO and other books) has a way of creating unique characters and supplying them with strong voices that seem immediately familiar to the reader. Zara's character is no exception. This immediate familiarity helps engage readers from the very beginning and hold their attention until the very end.
Aiding the familiarity of the voice in this book is its backdrop of Jones's home state. Here, the blistering cold and the frustration at being snowed in comes through loud and clear as we suffer through the Maine winter right along with Zara.
All-in-all, this is a read you won't want to miss, especially if you're a fan of contemporary fiction with fantasy woven in.
Helpful Score: 2
This book wasn't half bad. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was far from the worst. I enjoyed the story line. I don't know much about the author, but I wonder if this was one of her first few books because the story doesn't quite have the polish of an accomplished storyteller. That aside, this was a decent story and I will probably pick up the next in the series. If you go into it with no expectations you will be pleased.
Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by http://bibliophile-bestiary.blogspot.com
First I must say, the cover of this book is very striking. When I got this book, I did not know it was based in Maine, where I am from, so that was cool. I wasn't sure where the author was going with the supernatural part, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought she did a great job of pulling together different type of supernatural creatures. A neat thing about the book, the main character, Zara, likes to recite different phobias in her head, so every chapter was named after a phobia. I believe the character recites other peoples phobias to try to say she doesn't have any. Throughout the book, I think she really does prove that. She becomes a strong character. There were some parts where the story slipped a little, but otherwise it was a great read. I am on to read the sequel, Captivate. 4 out of 5 stars.
First I must say, the cover of this book is very striking. When I got this book, I did not know it was based in Maine, where I am from, so that was cool. I wasn't sure where the author was going with the supernatural part, but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought she did a great job of pulling together different type of supernatural creatures. A neat thing about the book, the main character, Zara, likes to recite different phobias in her head, so every chapter was named after a phobia. I believe the character recites other peoples phobias to try to say she doesn't have any. Throughout the book, I think she really does prove that. She becomes a strong character. There were some parts where the story slipped a little, but otherwise it was a great read. I am on to read the sequel, Captivate. 4 out of 5 stars.
