3.5 Stars

This was a definitely an interesting book— it kept my attention and I liked so many aspects of it. But I think it’s something I would’ve liked better in my earlier days of blogging, if that makes any sense. I definitely knew who the bad person was,the early clue couldn’t have been more obvious to me, which kind of dulled the surprise. Overall, I did really enjoy the book ( maybe just not the romance). ( )

for the cover

http://teensniper.tumblr.com/post/40495620268/150-books-in-2013-03 ( )

Coming back to review this because this book deserves to have its praises shouted.

I bought this book to read on a cruise ship, sitting out in the Caribbean sun, which is the exact wrong place to read a scary story. At its heart this is a true ghost story, and despite the sun and the sand, the ending sent a little chill down my spine. What really makes this book a great ghost story is the melancholy and dread that the author imbues the setting with.

The MC Hannah sees ghosts, or at least the ghost of her best friend who died of anorexia while our MC watched in horror and fear. Now, however, Hannah is starting to be haunted by other ghosts, but these ghosts are murder victims, picked off one by one by a horrifying entity close to home. Driven by her dead friend, terrifying events and fear for her youngest sister and every girl just like her Hannah goes looking for answers only she can see.

The scene setting is picture perfect. The mystery stayed hidden until the very end although I had my lurking suspicions, which seemed to get dashed every other page. I love a book that actually manages not to foreshadow itself into boredom.

For all that the ghost story, the mystery and the spooky atmosphere are amazing, the characterization is even better. The main character is very real and vulnerable as are all of the characters. She's also intelligent and sensitive, struggling to find her place in a world after her best friend's death. The story is a very realistic look at how grief and loss change everything about us, even as we go on.

The bad boy is brilliant. Rather than being broody, sparkly and stalker-ish he is honestly kind, if a little reckless and broken. I am incredibly tired of boys who spend all their time prying in to the lives of these young girls, emoting at them and whining. This bad boy is someone I could love and was incredibly realistic. Yes, he was a bit gruff and far from a prince charming but he treated our heroine as something precious and beautiful. He was never a dick, trying to push her away for her own good, only to reel her back in with much apologizing. He played no games and when he suffered, he actually had cause and I wanted to scream at the people harming him.

A beautiful book that I wish would get half the attention of such trite collections such as Twilight and The Mortal Instruments. Here are real people, here is real friendship, here is real young love and real loss. Nicely wrapped of course with mystery, terror and ghosts. ( )

Ambitious and promising, but ultimately the character development was thin and the dialog stilted. ( )