Book Review: Clarity

Title and Author: Clarity by Kim Harrington
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Pages: 242 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Library

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth? This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats. Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. And a curse. When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case - but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother - who has supernatural gifts of his own - becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Clarity is the perfect mix of paranormal and murder mystery. I have only read a few books like this, most notably The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting, but Clarity is by far my favorite. The paranormal aspects of the story never overwhelm and are done very well.

Clare lives with her mother and brother and together they run a psychic family business. Everyone in Clare’s family has a different psychic ability, which is really cool. They are a very close knit family and protective of each other which is also cool. I loved trying to figure it out who the murderer was right along with the characters.

The characters are well written and Clare is very likable. There is a bit of a love triangle. Both Justin and Gabriel would be a good match for Clare but even though he cheated on her, I am very much Team Justin.

Clarity is an enjoyable and quick read. The book does not end with a cliffhanger but you definitely want more from the author and the characters. I am very excited to read the sequel, Perception, which is scheduled to be released in March of next year. Quick note to parents: Clare's brother Perry is very promiscuous and during some of Clare’s visions, she sees people having sex which may not be appropriate for younger teens.

Content: Profanity, kissing, sexual situations, violence.

Review of Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann

Release Date: Feb. 8, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 233 pages
Author Website: http://lisamcmann.com
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Rating: 2.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: 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.

Review: When I was a teenager, I loved reading horror. As I got older, those same books that I used to enjoy began really scaring me. This is the first horror novel I have read in a really long time and I am happy to say I was not overly creeped out. Cryer’s Cross is a mildly scary read, however, the mystery behind the disappearances overshadows the creepiness and adds to the suspense.

Kendall’s character was interesting. I don’t think I ever read a book where the main character has OCD. Jacian is the silent, brooding type which I usually like, but he is just too brooding and comes across as an angry jerk for a good portion of the book. Without giving away any spoilers, there is sort of a love triangle and I don’t like how it was handled. It bothered me for the majority of the book. I also think the resolution to the romance/love triangle is a cop-out.

Cryer’s Cross is a quick read and if you like suspense but really don’t care one way or the other about the romance, you may like this book. It also appears to be a standalone novel which is a great thing for you if you don’t want to wait year after year to find out what happens.

Content:  Language (including multiple uses of the F-bomb), some violence

Review of Red Glove by Holly Black

Release Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: ARC provided by publisher

This summary and review contains spoilers to White Cat, the first book in the Curse Workers series.

Goodreads Summary: Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself? Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Review: Red Glove, the sequel to last year’s White Cat, is a crazy, dark, fantastic, wild ride of a book. This Curse Workers series is one of the most original in young adult books today. Holly Black has successfully built an incredible world with the most unlikely of elements: con artists, mobsters and magic.

Cassel is such a great character, you can’t help but love him and feel incredibly sorry for him despite his moral ambiguity. Born into a family of major con artists and curse workers, he tries to not be like his mother and brothers. The problem is that Cassel believes that the con is what he is best at and it does not help that he has found out that he is one of the most powerful curse workers in the world. No matter how hard he tries to get out, his family, the mob, the feds just pull him back in.

I enjoyed Ms. Black’s descriptions of the art of the con. I also love how Cassel matures in the book, becoming so much more open and honest with his friends. Most of the characters that we met from the first book are back, including Lila. I didn’t love her in the first book, but I can say I understand her a bit better in this one.

Red Glove is a great sequel to White Cat. The characters are extremely well rounded, the story is exciting and fast paced and the plot is multi-dimensional. It is also a bit dark so I would recommend it for older teens and of course adults.

Black Heart, the third book in the series, comes out next year. I bet it will be awesome!

Content:  Language, violence, sexual situations, underage drinking and smoking