The Telling by Alexandra Sirowy

Series: Standalone

Genera(s): Horror/Mystery/Thriller

Subjects: murder, death, islands, summer

Setting: Gant Island in Washington state

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, present tense: Lana

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 387 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

Summary/ product description: “Lana used to know what was real.

That was before when her life was small and quiet.

Her golden step-brother, Ben, was alive, she could only dream about bonfiring with the populars, their wooded island home was idyllic, she could tell the truth from lies, and Ben’s childhood stories were firmly in her imagination.

Then came after.

After has Lana boldly kissing her crush, jumping into the water from too high up, and living with nerve and mischief. But after also has horrors, deaths that only make sense in fairy tales, and terrors from a past Lana thought long forgotten: Love, blood, and murder.”

My Review: The Telling is a standalone murder-mystery thriller set on an island in Washington State, called Gant. Lana’s step-brother was possibly or probably murdered two month ago in June. His ex-girlfriend was suspected in helping a car jacking that led to his dead. Ben had stopped the car for a stranger and was attacked and stabbed and then dragged away. Lana spent about a month after his death moping at home until a note Ben left jolts her out of her grief. She starts hanging out with the popular kids, who she’d never thought would include her in anything.

These kids made fun of her in middle school and some of high school. Now it’s August and soon school starts. These popular kids known around town as the Core (Becca, Carolynn, Rusty, Duncan and Josh) are with Lana and Willa (Lana’s only previous friend) at a spring in the woods hanging out and drinking. They dare each other to jump off a cliff into the lake and when they do they find a body stuck under the water: Ben’s ex-girlfriend, Maggie. And when they report the body they suddenly become suspects. But this murder is only the beginning and Lana and the Core have to find the murderer before they become victims.

Ben, Lana’s stepbrother, has a mysterious past. He arrives with his mother Diane, when he was twelve. Diane became Lana’s father’s new wife. Lana’s mother died when Lana was four. Ben’s been telling Lana fantastical stories of good vs. evil since he came. In these stories, Lana and Ben are always the heroes and Lana’s a brave warrior. These stories are sometimes disturbing a violent. They’re not the sort of thing out of a kid’s imagination. Lana was addicted to those stories. They made her feel strong. She wanted to be brave like that Lana. Ben was obsessed with adventure and getting out of Gant. He wanted to do something important with his life, so he spent some time in Guatemala helping to build wells. Gant is a place full of rich people who have excess and Ben found it disgusting, yet his life was full of riches too. He considered himself a hypocrite, and said he wanted to leave Gant after high school.

I really enjoyed the book. I usually only read sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal stuff, but because this had a ghost-story horror feel to it, I didn’t care. It’s a very atmospheric book. The misty setting of Washington in late summer became a character itself. I recently watched the TV series Dead of Summer and even though that was paranormal and not contemporary, it had the same kind of creepy summer feel. I read The Creeping last year by this author and enjoyed it. 

Also, I really am amazed that I was right about the twist. I had this epiphany when I was maybe a third of the way into the book that if I was the author, I would totally make the killer someone so unsuspected, so I went off on a limb on this idea, was pulled away from it by some possibilities, but inevitably came back to the this conclusion which turned out to be right. I sure it was just foreshadowing or maybe a cliché in classic horror and not actually as clever a twist I thought, or maybe I have a psychic superpower for guessing plot twists, because I right maybe half the time or more. It’s really hard to talk about it because it’s too big of a spoiler, but I saw it coming somehow. I WAS RIGHT!!!!

Cover Art Review: I love the opalline paper this is printed on. The cover itself is creepy and definitely gives you a sense of the story inside.

The Fallout by S.A. Bodeen

Series: The Compound (bk. 2)

Genera: Sci-fi/Realistic Fiction/Thriller

Subjects: mystery, family, wealthy people, experiments, Washington state

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 326

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $16.99

Publisher: MacMillan: Feiwel and Friends

Summary/ product description: “In this long-awaited sequel to The Compound, Eli and his family can run but they can't hide.

After barely escaping from the compound where Eli’s dad kept his family for six years, they’re learning to acclimate to “normal” life—whatever that is for them. It seems like the entire world wants to know what happened to this high profile family.

Slowly they begin to make their way back into the world, but Eli can’t escape the creeping feeling that they’re being watched everywhere they go. But by who?

Eli’s anxiety is heightened as unnerving information continually surfaces about Eli’s dad’s company. Not to mention the sketchy new friend his twin brother Eddy has. Nothing seems to be “normal” anymore. New people are entering their lives—but who can Eli and his family trust?"

My Review: The Compound, which was originally a standalone, now has a sequel. I wasn’t sure how a sequel would work out. Everything seemed wrapped up at the end. But now that I’ve finished that sequel, I’m pretty happy that it was written. After living six years in the compound, Eli and his family have to adjust to a more normal life. Everything his father told him was a lie. The world didn’t end and his twin brother is alive. Eddy’s been living in the real world while Eli was stuck in his father’s creation.

The beginning of the book was mostly Eli’s adjustment to the real world. Eli’s family is now famous for something other than being rich. He doesn’t like how the world might see them as freaks, and how social media talks about them. Their mom isn’t ready to let them out into the real world, but they decide they need to adjust, so he convinces her to let them go on outings. The first outing is to Costco. It was a pretty funny choice, since their rich. They do usually shop online, but Reese wanted to do real shopping. The next one is to the aquarium, which sounds fun for the little kids.

The first half of the book did not have a sci-fi feel at all. There was some mystery, but it felt realistic and contemporary. There was a theme of how we are affected by our parenting vs. our genes or parentage. Nature vs. nurture. Lexi want to know who her birth parents are and Eli doesn’t want to be like his dad. It isn’t till the last hundred pages that we get to the sci-fi stuff. There’s an island owned by their father. He kept it a secret, and he apparently had some major plans. This ties in very well with the first book.

There’s a theme of what’s ethical vs. not ethical. Eli’s father did some very unethical things because he likes to be innovative, not because he wants money. It reminded me of Maximum Ride, because their father was kind of like the evil scientists who think their doing the world a favor by playing God, and coming up with crazy innovation that have terrible consequences. What their father wanted to do sound very Benjamin Button-esqe.

The ending was crazy and kind of scary. The book had became unputdownable and I sped through it like a wildfire. I’m not sure if there will be a third book. I don’t think so because the ending seemed to wrap up, but there could be possibilities for a third book. If there is, I will definitely read it.

Cover Art Review: The cover reminds me of the Razorland series. It’s probably the same designer. I like the green, and that it’s metallic and embossed.

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

Release Date: April 17th

Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: The Body Finder series (bk.  3)

Genera: Paranormal Romance/murder mystery thriller

Subjects: Kidnappings, murderers, serial killers, psychic ability, FBI

Length: 358 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye.”

My Rating: êêêêê

My Review: This series just keeps getting better and better! I love Jay and Violet! I love Violet’s unique ability! Finding body by their echoes, sensing imprints on killers. This series is a wonderful mix of funny, creepy, scary and just plain awesome. And this killer is the creepiest yet. He kidnaps women and wants them to love him, and if they don’t, he kills them (no spoiler in here). 

Also, there’s new characters! Rafe was new in the last book, along with Sara Priest. Rafe is kinda moody, and I don’t like the idea of a love triangle between Violet, him and Jay. “TEAM JAY ALL THE WAY!” I like Rafe, but Violet needs to stay with Jay. (And the name Rafe makes me think of werewolves from another series…) The new characters are the other psychics on their team. It’s awesome. Most of them have psychometry of some kind, and empathy and one’s a medium. I won’t tell you who has what.

And there's another bad guy who Violet meets. Some gang banger who’s mad at her. Side stories like these make things even more interesting. Things are getting really dangerous for Violet and her family doesn’t want her working on the team anymore.

There’s a lot more action and surprises. You won’t be disappointed with this book! I can’t wait to read book 4!!!

Cover Art Review: The flower is lilac, the color of the nail polish the killer puts on the girls. It’s a nice touch!

~Haley G