(ARC) Book Review: Cryer's Cross

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Description and cover art courtesy of Goodreads.

Publication Date: 8 February 2011.

I received an electronic galley of Cryer's Cross from Simon and Schuster Galley Grab.


Description
The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.


MY THOUGHTS

The Tweet
Written in Lisa McMann's unique writing style, Cryer's Cross is an enthralling thriller set in a small town with a literally haunting past.

What Worked (for me)
I loved Cryer's Cross. It was spooky with just the right amount of foreshadowing to keep readers turning pages, wanting to find out how the story would conclude. What I liked best was that McMann had such a flawed main character in Kendall, who suffered from OCD, a rarely written about disease, yet Kendall was still a strong young female who wouldn't stop until she found out what had happened to her missing friend. I also liked how McMann used Kendall's OCD as an integral part of the story in Kendall finding clues that, in the end, led her to the cause behind her friend's disappearance, as well as the town's secret.

What Didn't Work (for me)
The one thing I would have liked is more development of Nico's character. I realize his disappearance is what really sparks off the story and in Kendall investigating the cause. But I would have loved to get to know Nico's character more through himself, rather than just through Kendall's memories of him.

Overall
I was very impressed with Cryer's Cross. Though on the short side for a full novel, it has a well developed storyline and a main character who is easy to relate to and empathize with. Like her previous Wake series, Lisa McMann has written a good story that catches reader's attentions. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller.

MY RATING IS 4.5 STARS


Cryer's Cross Book Trailer

Book Review: Five Flavors of Dumb

Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
Cover graphic and description courtesy of Goodreads.

Publication Date: 11 November 2010.

I received an ARC of Five Flavors of Dumb from Good Golly Miss Holly.


Description
The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.
The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.
The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.


MY THOUGHTS

The Tweet
Piper has 30 days to find a paying gig for the band Dumb. The twist? Piper is deaf. Can this enterprising young woman meet the challenge?

What Worked (for me)
Despite the jacket copy, Five Flavors of Dumb wasn't just about a deaf girl trying to manage a rock band. It's about a young girl discovering herself and becoming the person she was meant to be. This might sound cliche, but Five Flavors of Dumb is a great coming of age novel that explores hardship and perserverance through tough times. I liked how John incorporated deaf culture into the story, but didn't make it the main focus. Readers learned about the divide between those who have cochlear implants (like Piper's sister, Grace) and those who don't (like Piper), but the story's focus is on Piper and the relationship she has with her family, as well as those she forms with the band members of Dumb.

Besides Piper, the other character I really liked was her brother Finn. Because Finn is hearing, Piper sometimes uses him as a go-between when she was trying to communicate with other hearing individuals. I liked how Finn was willing to help his sister out, but still stood up for himself when he felt Piper was using him for her own means. Finn made Piper see that sometimes when he was interpreting her words, others translated those words as his own.

Overall
Five Flavors of Dumb is in turn funny and serious and grabs readers with it's honest look at a girl struggling to define herself. Piper is an excellent main character who was easy to connect with. Add in the rock history and Five Flavors of Dumb is a great story that will interest many different readers.

MY RATING IS 4.5 STARS

Book Review: The Sacred Oath

The Sacred Oath by D.C. Grace

Cover graphic and description courtesy of Goodreads.


Publication Date: 13 August 2010

I received an ebook of The Sacred Oath from the author as a participant in The Teen {Book} Scene Blog Tour.


Description
Some promises are to die for… Angelina has spent her whole life thinking she was a witch like her mother. But when her family leaves the dusty reservation roads of New Mexico for the forested hills of Wisconsin, all that changes. Dasan Tallchief, Alpha of The Guardians of the Sacred Oath, walks into Angelina's life. Suddenly, her head is full of native drumbeats and mysterious voices that pull her toward him. And the closer they become, the more they discover that her talents with witchcraft are just the tip of the iceberg. Soon everything Angelina has ever known about her life seems to be a lie. All of the answers surround the Book of Raziel, and as the truth is revealed, Dasan becomes the only link that can keep Angelina from being trapped in her own mind, forever.


My Thoughts:

The Tweet
The supernatural meets tribal culture in this story of romance and intrigue told from the point of view of several different characters.

What Worked (for me)
I loved the supernatural aspect of The Sacred Oath. Grace had a whole host of supernatural beings in her story, but she did a great job of blending all the characters and their backgrounds so that readers were not too overwhelmed. I also liked how Grace incorporated the histories of Angelina and Dasan's tribes into the story. I love historical fiction and I was impressed with how well Grace interwove history with the present to tell the stories of the indigenous people's past.

I also liked how the story ended. It seems as if all the books I have read recently are the first in a series. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against this, but they all seem to end on a cliffhanger, leaving me to wait another year to find out what happens. The Sacred Oath, however, had a definite ending to the plotline, but still left room for the next book to pick up and continue on. I'm looking forward to the next book, but I'm not left frustrated that I have to wait to find out how the story ends.

Overall
The Sacred Oath is an intriguing story. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it any readers of young adult fiction that like the supernatural and learning about the histories of other cultures.

MY RATING IS 4.5 STARS