Shadowlands

Shadowlands by Kate Brian
3.5/5 stars
Hyperion, 2013
328 pages
YA Thriller

Source: Library

This book grabbed my attention with its stunning cover and the promise of a serial killer. I don't know why but stories with serial killers are of great interest to me so that was enough to hook me despite mixed reviews.

I ended the book myself with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I found it a very fast read where I could not stop turning the pages. I'd put the book down to go do something else only to find myself picking the book back up. I also found the chapters from the serial killer's point of view totally gripping. But on the other hand, the characters were not well-developed and I didn't find the twists and turns that interesting. I was just reading because it was easy.

Main character Rory lives in the shadows. Her older sister Darcy is a cheerleader, popular and pretty while Rory studies science intently and consistently places third in her track meets. But she is marked out when a serial killer goes after her although she manages to escape, with her family sent off to an island. There Rory is the special one to Darcy's dismay, falling in with a group of mysterious teens on an island where nothing is what it seems.

My summary emphasizes the sister-sister relationship partly because that is something I always find interesting and partly because I feel like the comparison of the girls was important to the story. Rory is blond to Darcy's brunette (I think); Rory is shy to Darcy's extroverted personality; Rory is nervous while Darcy easily flirts. However I did feel like Rory was made out to be perfect and Darcy near villainous at times especially with Rory easily attracting the attention of all the guys Darcy liked.

The main reason for reading this book though is for the plot, which ends on a big twist (do not read ahead if you are the kind of person who reads the last page first). It helps put most of the book in a different perspective but I still have some lingering questions. I'm undecided if I definitely want to read the second book or if I just want to beg for some answers from someone who reads it.

Cover: Not sure why the girl on the cover is brunette as it is very clearly established that main character Rory is blonde. There is a blonde girl on the back cover but she ought to be on the front.

Other Opinions:
Buried in Books
Good Books and Good Wine
Jen Ryland/YA Romantics

Ex-Mas

Ex-Mas by Kate Brian

(Sorry for the short review; I don't think there's that much to talk about)

This is the story of Lila and her ex-boyfriend Beau. If you have ever read a romance or seen a romantic comedy movie, then you can probably figure out what happens in the story.

I had some problems with Lila as she is largely unsympathetic (although her younger brother is also incredibly annoying, at least to someone who is an older sister) in the beginning. That is, she is a vapid popularity-obsessed bore with the requisite college boyfriend who is of course cheating on her (why can't the college boyfriend ever realize they're just too different? Why are they so focused on having their cake and eating it too?) Then there's Beau, the musician Mr Anti-popularity who has matured considerably in the three years since their falling out. He was okay; I've read dreamier heroes.

Overall: 3.5/5 for complete predictability and not very engaging characters.