Review: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Hysteria by Megan Miranda

• Pub. Date: February 5, 2013
• Publisher: Walker & Company
• Pages:336
• Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others. 

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

Review: We learn right from the beginning that Mallory killed her boyfriend Brian. What we don't know is the details on what happened that night just like Mallory who can't remember much of anything but her parents got her a really good lawyer and they marked it off as self defense. Her parents also decide it's a good idea to send her off to boarding school to get her away from everything including Brian's mom who is turning a little crazy with the grief of losing her son. So off to boarding school Mallory goes for a fresh start except it's not really that fresh of a start when rumor spills out about her and she is pretty much alienated by everyone there also.

Hysteria was a really fast read for me. I liked how the author didn't waste any time in letting us know what happened between Mallory and Brian and pretty much kept us in the dark on what happened that night for majority of the book only revealing events from that night in bits and pieces.

For majority of Hysteria I really thought there was something paranormal going on. Mallory thought the ghost of Brian was haunting her every night by whispering in her ear Wait and grabbing her shoulder which was leaving a very visible bruised hand print on her. Lets just say this part of the book made me really curious because I'm sitting here wondering why is he keep saying wait...wait for what? Needless to say I kept turning the pages faster and faster. Anyways it turns out there was nothing paranormal going on it was all psychological, which actually made me wonder how she really got those bruises on her back since that part was never fully explained.

As far as the characters go Mallory was a broken girl who was scarred emotionally and psychologically...obviously. But I really did feel really bad for her since she was a good person who just happened to get thrown into some really bad situations. We also have Reid who was the love interest, I don't have much to say about him, he was sweet but things just seemed to happen a little to fast between the two. Then there were the kids at the prep school, lets just say they were really cruel and well the one who ended up dead I really don't feel sorry for him.

Also I did have a little issue with the ending, for some reason it just fell a little flat I guess I was expecting more. Anyways overall I would recommend this book to fans who enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers.

Review: Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

• Pub. Date: June 7, 2011
• Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
• Pages: 304

Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come. 

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

First Line: "Aren't Fridays supposed to be good? "

Review: I loved the premise of this book. 16 year old London's memory resets every night and she can't remember anything that happened, but the twist is she can see her future just fine and of those around her. I mean imagine not knowing your past but knowing when someone close to you will die or how there life will end up like.  I also found it interesting how she kept up with the details of her life, by writing notes down on what happened each day and things she needs to remember. Although it did get tricky for her when she chose to leave things out and forget things on purpose. 

Forgotten kept my interest for the most part, especially when dealing with her memories, the mystery behind the graveyard and who's funeral it could be and of course her relationship with Luke which was not always easy, also why I can say I really did like Luke because he was not willing to give up on her and was just an all around good guy.

I really did enjoy the book for what it was but it was no life changer or anything. There were a ton of plot holes left open. At the end of the book your still left with a lot of questions. I would like to know if London ever regains her ability to remember the past or what happens in the future between her and Luke. And then the mystery aspect of it which was pretty huge in terms of how it affected her but it seemed that it all happened too fast when there could have been more time spent on it going more in depth about the situation. Not to mention we learn that "mystery situation" is the reason for her memory defect but we get no answers on how she is able to see the future.

Overall this was a fast paced read, I loved the memory loss aspect of it but it just annoyed me how certain things weren't fully explained in the end. 

Review: New Girl by Paige Harbison

New Girl by Paige Harbison

• Pub. Date: January 2012
• Publisher: Harlequin Teen
• Pages: 320

 http://www.paigeharbison.com

“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."

First Sentence:  The Panoramic view outside the windows of the bus showed a world that wasn't mine.


Review: The New Girl is a retelling of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier which I haven't had the chance to read so I wont be making any comparisons between the two. 

We are introduced to the new girl whose name we don't get to know until the end, and suprisingly I never even realized that I didn't know her name until it was said in the end by Max. One thing that really bugged me was the way in which she ended up at the boarding school. Apparently she wanted to go to the boarding school when she was thirteen and was rejected, but her parents had secretly been applying for her every year even though she had forgotten all about it and was happy with her current life, then her final year in high school she gets accepted into the boarding school which her parents just spring on her. What didn't make sense is she hadn't mentioned it since she was thirteen yet the parents just assumed she still wanted to go and without asking her in her senior year of high school they have her up and leave her home and her friends for something she no longer even wants. I also thought it was unrealistic that the girl didn't voice her opinions to her parents even once. 

I did like how the story switched from Becca's point of view a year ago and the new girls point of view in current times. I have to admit I found Becca disturbing, I mean she was a sociopath she only cared about herself and didn't care how her behavior affected others. As for the new girl she annoyed me a little, everyone at Manderly was so horrible to her and it took a long time before she even started to stand up for herself. Yet I do have to admit I did feel for her at the same time the way she was treated was so unfair and half the reason I kept on reading. 

My feelings were conflicted when it came to the New Girl. Even though I didn't care for any of the characters because of how cruel they all were especially Dana her new roommate, it was the same reason why I kept reading and finished this book in under a day. I wanted to know what they were going to do next, can they possibly get any worse in their behaviour towards the new girl, will the girl finally if at all stand up for herself, and what the heck really happened to Becca? 

Overall there was a creepiness factor that was pulled off very well and if you like a good mystery I would recommend this. 

Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave On The Right by Darynda Jones

• Pub. Date: February 2011
• Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover 310 pages

"Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to 'go into the light'. But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. "

First Sentence: "I'd been having the same dream for the past month - the one where a dark stranger materialized out of smoke and shadows to play doctor with me."

Review: Charley Davidson is a grim reaper. The grim reaper to be exact. She is the portal - the light in which the dead pass through. Charley is also a private investigator and she helps her uncle Bob a detective for the Albuquerque P.D. solve crimes. Which for someone who can see and talk to the dead is a pretty easy thing to do especially when you can just ask them who killed them. So besides dead people following her around everywhere Charley also has a supernatural entity haunting her dreams in the most sexual of ways.

I saw this novel being reviewed on a couple of blogs and one day when I was at Borders during their last few days before closing down I saw the last copy of First Grave on the Right sitting on the shelf and grabbed it. And i'm so glad I did. Darynda Jones created a perfect combination of humor,suspense, and mystery to keep me interested in Charley Davidson's world.

I loved the mystery around Reyes and with the way the novel ended i'll be picking up the second book in the series soon. I do predict a three way love triangle coming up between Garret, Charley and Reyes...but i'm hoping i'm wrong and there wont be one since i'm pretty tired of love triangles.

Overall this was a good read, I especially loved the paranormal aspect of it.