Summary: Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.
Favorite Quotes:“There is something about libraries, old libraries, that makes them seem almost sacred. There's a smell of paper and must and binding stuff. It's like all the books are fighting against decay, against turning into dust, and at the same time fighting for attention.”
“Okay, little car, you are protesting roads. They are death traps for animals. They are environmentally unsound impervious surfaces that cause runoff. I understand this. But could we protest in the summer?”
My Thoughts:I've read a lot of young adult books this year, most of which were centered around high school to some degree. Some of them older and some of them new and boy, have young adult books changed since I first started reading them. They're not as sheltered, they address real issues. I love that. There tends to be some element of teenage drama and angst. I don't love that. I don't do gooey swooning young love like <em>Twilight</em> or drama and high wire acts like <em>Pretty Little Liars</em>. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not my thing, which is fine except that I keep almost discarding books on the assumption that it's going to be another story of teenage melodrama. Is it just me or are book summaries sounding more and more alike? It makes it hard to pick out the good stuff. If a book's not full of mushy couples in love, prom queens and jocks, please please tell us. The readers who pick up your book will be happier for it.
And now that I'm off my soap box, on to the actual book at hand. <em>Need</em> by Carrie Jones. In full disclosure, the summary on the library website had me at "tall, dark, and creepy" for reasons we won't get into, but it had me concerned I was walking into another <em>Twilight</em> or<em> A Discovery of Witches</em> or even <em>Duff</em> none of which I was in the mood for. I wanted a quick read, but I wanted something a bit more relevant to my life, which is to say less black and white and less dramatic. Had I read the summary on GoodReads, I would've been golden, but instead I hit download- you have to love ebooks- and worried and fretted for the thirty seconds it took me to open to the first page and start reading.
It took two paragraphs for me to stop worrying. I think it was the mention of Charleston- I have a thing for books set in the south- and Maine, particularly the snow, what can I say I'm a New England girl at heart even if I share Zara's disdain for the white fluffy stuff. And I know that doesn't sound like much of a reason to fall into like with a book, I mean snow and Maine, really? but there's so much more to this book than that.
Jones does a wonderful job of building this world for us. It's well grounded, focusing just enough on the small details to make it feel believable, believable in a way that when the paranormal stuff starts filtering in no one's left running for the hills. There's also an element of mystery, particularly in the beginning, that's compelling. It's not as overt as it would be in a crime novel, but it's there subtly drawing you along.
The world building isn't the only thing that's well done, the characters themselves are equally as wonderful. They're all real, with their quirks and their flaws but they each have their own inner strength, their own morals and principles which hold fast throughout the entire book. It's a nice thing to see. It's not wishy washy. It's refreshing. There are subtle messages here, real issues, important issues- human rights, equal rights, environmental issues- that are addressed without being preachy or in your face. They play to the character's strengths and draw out their inner conflicts. Everyone has their flaws, but as Zara says there is no damsel in distress, even when she needs help from her friends, it's not about her being weak, it's about them being stronger together. That being said, Nick's self-professed hero complex is just that, a hero complex. It's a bit cliche but it's done carefully and in good taste. The peril in <em>Need</em> is real, not over the top, and without Nick's care for the others things would've ended very differently.
My only other complaint is the lovey dovey moments between various characters. I understand that young love is exciting and consuming, but as much as I'm a closet romantic, I could've done with a little less. Having started the second book in the series now, I have to say that even this isn't much to complain about, while yes it's there (moreso in the second book) it fits within the scope of the story and the characterization. There's no blind faith here which I think deserves some kudos.
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