Cryer's Cross, by Lisa McMann

Released: 8 Feb 2011

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: ARC received through S&S galley grab program

Description: The small town of Cryer’s Cross is rocked by tragedy when an unassuming freshman disappears without a trace. Kendall Fletcher wasn’t that friendly with the missing girl, but the angst wreaks havoc on her OCD-addled brain. When a second student goes missing - someone close to Kendall’s heart - the community is in an uproar. Caught in a downward spiral of fear and anxiety, Kendall’s not sure she can hold it together. When she starts hearing the voices of the missing, calling out to her and pleading for help, she fears she’s losing her grip on reality. But when she finds messages scratched in a desk at school - messages that could only be from the missing student who used to sit there - Kendall decides that crazy or not, she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t act on her suspicions.

This isn't the kind of book I normally read, except when I used to do the Carneigie Medal read-along at school, but I actually really enjoyed it.

We are quickly introduced to Kendal, the main character, as she helps the other villagers search for a young girl who has gone missing. The search is unsuccessful, and we jump ahead a couple of months to when Kendal is going back to school. Kendal has OCD, and as the story focusses on her, it plays a big part, which I thought was interesting, as it gives readers an insight into what it’s like for someone with OCD. Kendal lines up the desks in the classroom, getting them just so, and going through other familiar tasks. The two new kids are interesting, even if the boy does seem a little rude and antisocial to Kendal at first.

Then we get to the part where it really grabbed me. Nico (her best friend) starts acting weird, and about a week later, he vanishes. Once again, no one can find any trace of him.

I really liked the story. Although the beginning is slow, it fits the pace of the town, and shows you just how much it rocks the daily lives and relationships of the characters when people start to disappear. I really wanted to know what had been happening to people, and even though I was sad that Nico had gone, I wanted Kendal to open up to Jacián (the new boy), and get closer to him - their relationship was very sweet, in a good way; you could see how much good they were doing each other. And when things start to happen to Kendal and I knew she was going to be the next one to go missing, I really started hoping that her bond with Jacián would be enough to save her, and that someone would stop her before it was too late.

The writing style is interesting. It’s hard to pull off present tense writing, but Lisa McMann does it well. You don’t often see stories in the present tense, and I found that an interesting change. It’s hard to tell when the story is set, because Cryer’s Cross is such a rural town, but I don’t think it really matters to the story. In the end, most questions are answered, although I do still have a couple of small ones, but I think I heard that there’s a sequel, so hopefully we’ll find out more then. Kendal certainly goes through a lot during the story, but I would have liked to see how the village and all the main characters were affected by what happens, after the events at the end of the book. It really was a good read, and I would recommend it to fans of YA and mysteries. 7 out of 10.

On another note, In My Mailbox will be back tomorrow! Yay!

~Ailsa

Wake by Lisa McMann

I recently finished Wake by Lisa McMann. I decided to read the book after attending a signing for Casandra Clare when City of Glass came out. Lisa McMann was there as well and read part of her book. The book really drew me in, so I checked it out from the library. Here is a synopsis of the book:

Not all dreams are sweet.

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

The main character, Janie, is a very believable character in the start. She comes from a poor family and a detached mom. Her best friend is also from a similar situation, however doesn't really appear to be there for her. Which is apparent in the book. She then falls for a guy in her neighborhood who also has a similar situation. However, he's not so believable. If anything, he's almost too perfect in my opinion. Sure, he has his flaws. But over all I found him strange and not quite believable.

The synopsis makes the book seem like it'll be a twister and full of suspense. But in my opinion it lacked a lot of that. There are a few psychotic dreams and they are described, but it just ends short. The one dream that was from a criminal wasn't until the very end. The struggles the main character Janie go through are also cut short and solved way to easily. Even when she gets together with her boyfriend, it goes a little too fast. There is an additional plot thrown in there with her boyfriend as well that just went too easily.

The book is choppy, the way a dream would be at times, but I actually liked that part. I also enjoyed the way it started and how she feared students falling asleep in school and the flash backs of when she first started to get sucked into dreams. The problems it caused were very real as well. But again, she seemed to find a way to work with it way too fast.

Over all, I would have to say this book developed a little too fast and in some ways would not quite believable. I would have liked to know more about her mom and would have liked a more believable boyfriend. His personality was mostly believable, but other parts revolving around him that show up in the book weren't quite so believable. I'd describe more, but then I'd give it away. It was an enjoyable read though so I'd give it a 5 out of 10.